Little movements - I think

The exciting news in week 19 is for the last 4-5 days I think I have been feeling some movements inside. It is called the quickening and to me feels like a very fast fluttering in the belly but one that also seems to be striking near my throat as well. You have to wait a few days to be sure - to make sure it's not wind! I think that I felt it at work today which was strange as normally it has happened as I have been lying on my side waiting to go to sleep.

A couple of days ago I had a bit of a bad day at work. Everything seemed to coincide on one day; tiredness, dizziness and emotions. I felt dreadful and completely unable to concentrate. Even to hold my head up felt hard. So I came home early and slept for 2 hours, which clearly meant I couldn't sleep too well at night. But the following day was completely different and I was back to normal.

Bump is getting bigger and feels quite nice now, although it does sometimes feel like I am about to explode after I have eaten a meal. Bra size seems to be increasing again and clothes feel very tight. Most my maternity stuf was bought for winter though so need to try and survive on a few elasticated waist items for a few more weeks!

Feeling a bit stressed at the moment as we are moving house in less than 4 weeks and have not booked a removal company or let our flat out. Also we are trying to buy a car, furniture, think about changing doctors, buing baby stuff, booking a holiday, remortage. It seems a lot to do and I get worried we ae running out of time. But am sure it'll sort itself out. I really need a holiday. Am chronically bored at work which is driving me mad on top of this. Still - 5 weeks to go and we should get away for a week although I feel like I need to be off for a month! This will be our last holiday together as well which means a lot and I am realy looking forward to it as our holidays are always great. Athough this time will have to b a little more low key and normal than some have been.

Week 17 complete

This is now the start of week 18 and the little bump has solidified and become more rotund and pushed out to the front. I think it has raised a little as well. The uterus is only just below the belly button now and keeps rising for most of the remainder of the term. I am now recognisable by a stranger as being pregnant, which is great in some ways, but still a bit disturbing when people keep staring at your tummy when talking to you.

I definitely feel less tired now, but at work today I felt bizarrely dizzy a couple of times which is apparently quite common. I have 25% more blood circulating which puts strain on the heart and means getting up quickly makes you feel light-headed. The baby is 5 inches or so long from head to rump.

I don't think I have felt the baby move yet, and I am really eager to. It will just make the pregnancy seem more real and make me feel more connected to the growing person insie me. It is all very theoretical at the moment, despite the bump and the fact I can't fit into my clothes anymore. There were a couple of times I thought I felt something, but I think I need to wait to see if these feelings of small, fast movement are baby movements or wind! I have felt twinges in the low abdomen again over the last 3 days, which I had not felt since about week 11. Not sure what this means, but sometimes it feels alarming, other times I just think some ligaments are just being stretched.

I have started getting back ache in my upper back, but only from sitting in my chair for many hours at work. It can get pretty painful, but the weekend was a relief from sitting all day and meant I had some time to improve.
I went swimming last week for the first time since being pregnant and it was lovely. Nice to stretch different muscles and to be in the water.

It is roasting hot at the moment and I am very pleased not to be heavily pregnant now. It looks very uncomfortable to be large and overheated at this time of year.

In the news: Israel is attacking Lebanon following Hezbollah's kidnapping of 2 Israeli soldiers. It all looks like a Middle East situation escalating out of control. Tony Blair's government face constant criticism for corruption in the cash for peerages debate combined with incompetance at the Home Office.

Nearly 15 weeks

I continue to feel tired but hope this starts to disappear soon as all the books say your energy levels improve in the second trimester. I had to crash out at 8:30 one night this week. A tough day at Henley Royal Regatta in the summer heat was surprisingly tiring given that not a drop of alcohol passed my lips.

The bump seems a little more rounded now and my suit trousers of one suit no longer do up - although that has been the case for about 3 weeks now. I am not sure about all the books that say you should not "show" before 14 weeks. Well - I had some bump (or maybe just fat) a lot earlier than that. Looking on various websites, many other women said the same thing, so it all goes to prove there is not one hard and fast rule.

My first midwife appointment was just over a week ago and was just a urine, blood test and some general health and family history questions. I think they take more interest after 20 weeks when they give you more information about ante-natal classes etc.

We had a weekend on the south-west coastal path last weekend, between Bude and Padstow - with Jeremy and Alex. Each was 10-12 miles up hill and down dale. I did the first 10 mile day, but took it easy after that as I found it surprisingly difficult, particularly up the hills. I ended up having a very nice weekend though with some exercise and also time to relax and see some of the sights, including Tintagel castle and the pretty vilages on the north Cornish coast. The scenery was spectacular and the weather was stunning. Lunch at Rick Stein's on the last day finished off a good trip, although was rather torturous to gaze at plates of scallops, crab, lobster heading out of the kitchen.

The foetus is now almost 10cm long and growing very fast each week. I can't wait until I can feel some movement, but that could be many weeks away. I may even be feeling something now, but would not recognise it is the baby.