If you have been reading this blog for awhile you may remember that about 4 weeks ago I talked a bit about fetal viability and how the 23 week mark with its 10-35% chance of survival didn’t exactly warm the cockles of my heart. I was hanging for the 27 week mark as 27 weeks means a whopping 90% of babies will survive if born. I love that stat.
Ninety percent.
The vast majority. Vast majority!
It makes me so happy and fills me with so much hope for the future that we are now at this stage and every day the odds get better and better.
My dream feels like it is within my grasp. I am reaching for it and touching it with the tips of my fingers. I almost have a grip on it. We are so so so so so so close.
(Of course I now worry that by saying that I’m temping fate. Sheesh. My brain is saying: How long since I felt the baby move today? )
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SHE JUST KICKED! Little beauty listening to mummy’s anxiety.
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I was thinking about this obsession with fetal viability this morning and pondering on how much thought people ever really give it when they haven’t struggled be pregnant in the first place. I know some people say they even forgot they were pregnant the second time around but that has never happened to me. I am hyper aware of it.
I know I was still nervous with Monkey but in a less obsessive way (ie I didn’t know the stats). It feels so morbid to be so focused on whether or not my baby will survive to birth but it really is a sign of the wounds that we carry that refuse to heal without a jagged piece of scar tissue when we battle in some way for our family.
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There is a lot going on here at the moment but nothing particularly exciting. I’m feeling good, it appears I do not have gestational diabetes (yay!), I’m booked in to get the whooping cough booster next week, this week I see the OB for a routine check up, I also see the psychologist to start dealing with any possible birth anxiety and my lingering mother of daughter issues. Oh and we saw the doula again last week which was super fun. I was ready for more birth prep and poof, she appeared! I also had one of my pregnancy massages (included in my doula package) which was bliss. My body was really read for that treat.
Our renovation is finished so we now have our spare room back but the rest of my house is covered with the shit that was stored in it that is yet to make it to the new room. We are making progress but it is slow. I can only manage so much physical exertion before I am simply knackered and cannot do anymore. I mean, I don’t do any heavy lifting but even just moving about for hours at a time is tiring.
I’ve been taking a few bump shots for you over the last few days. The one at the beginning in the floral dress is actually two weeks old. Nice comparison for size to the one next to it. Enjoy!
Oh oh oh – 1 more week until the THIRD TRIMESTER! Crazy talk.
Oh yay, what a gorgeous bump. And what a relief to get to the 27 week mark. Onwards and upwards from here!
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Thanks 🙂 Loving my bump and baby body at the moment. But with 13 weeks to go it is hardly tiny so it will get interesting from here. lol Pulled a freaking muscle in my stomach trying to get off the lounge tonight! Forgot to put that in my blog! Ha!
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Beautiful!!! 27 weeks is huge! If you remember that is the week my preterm labor started. Yes, clearly we wanted to stop it, but that was why no one was freaking out. Every 2 weeks you can go is huge for decreases NICU time! You are doing great mama!!
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Ah that is interesting info. I love it. Thank you for sharing that 🙂 Hope you guys are all going well. I feel great! So happy!
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Lovely pics! Glad to see you doing so well 🙂 I get what you’re saying. With my (so far only) pregnancy I was so nervous the whole freaking time, so I totally get why hitting 27 weeks makes such a huge difference to you. You can do it! xx
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Yes almost there now! Thanks lovely x
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Congrats on the 90 per cent mark! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂 It’s a great milestone to reach!
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You’re so close! And looking great! Hang in there and take it easy. You’ve got the best excuse to kick back and watch someone else handle the dirty work. 🙂 Wishing you a lovely, uneventful 3rd trimester.
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So close I can smell it! Hahaha It has actually been a pretty uneventful pregnancy so far which is great so definitely hoping for more of the same and a nice cruisy birth to follow 🙂
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Hooray! Love that bump! Looking good, mama.
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Thx hon. Feeling great 🙂
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You look fantastic! And I love the 90% mark, so awesome! ☺
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Thx hon x
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Eee! I do love an update from you! You are looking gorgeous and that bump is just beautiful… oooohhh, it takes me back to just a few months ago!! I am so, so, excited about the birth of this baby girl – it’s crazy, but I just feel so emotionally invested in your journey to get here! Love to see all the pictures – makes the post so much more vivid and real. xxx
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hehe I felt exactly the same way during your pregnancy so I totally get where you are coming from. We have walked a long road together xx
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We have. Xxx
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Looking super gorgeous here! And if it makes you feel better, when I was pregnant with Buddy, I used to obsess about sick babies. I was so terrified and half convinced there was something wrong with him. And he’s fine. I think a little bit of anxiety is quite normal!
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Awwww thank you! And that does make me feel better. haha. I have to avoid those stories on Facebook about sick babies. Makes my brain crazy!
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Hoorah for viability! That’s so awesome. Of course you look amazing but that pales in significance to the news that bub is getting so viable! So happy for you! Xx
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Thanks hon. I am feeling pretty happy at the moment x
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27 weeks! Fabulous – and you look great too.
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Thanks lovely 🙂
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What a gorgeous, happy Mama. Man, that baby is loooooved.
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haha yeah she sooooo is and I am very happy 🙂
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You look great! Yay for 90%!
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Thank you 🙂
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Aww you look beautiful! We were obsessed with percentages too haha. You’re so close now!!
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I know! Not as close as you though hehe Still hanging in there then? Maybe you will get your wish of your Dr being back and a post Feb 29 baby!
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Oh definitely not getting a leap year baby at the rate I’m going! Just sitting here still pregnant. I’m just drinking my red raspberry leaf tea and bouncing on my birth ball… and cleaning. This house can never get clean enough. And this baby seriously needs to get out before he gets any bigger!!
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Congratulations on 27+90%! Those numbers are only going to get better and better!
Gorgeous bump photos too, you look lovely.
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Thank you 🙂 yes it is a great milestone this one. Woooo!
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Look at that beautiful bump!! SO happy to hear you’ve reached this coveted milestone! Always think of you and your little lady 🙂 Almost in the home stretch, mama!
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Awwww thanks hon. I am so happy for you too xx
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So exciting! You’re almost there! With both my previous bubs I was SO relieved to get to the point where they would be okay if they were born, I am just an anxious mess all through my pregnancies. I find right now the worst time for my anxiety as I feel the baby move every now and then but not consistently. So I will feel nothing for two days, work myself up into a frenzy, feel baby and then the cycle starts again….gaaaaah. Luckily I don’t have too much time to think. Good luck with the third trimester – I don’t think you look huge at all, perfectly lovely 25 week bump xx
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Oh I know that anxiety. My Mum’s work did me a bonus scan at Xmas because I was peaking out about not feeling the baby for days when I had previously felt her for a week straight. That zone between the 12 week scan and a baby that moves all the time is such a tough one to get through. Not long until you feel bub regularly now xx
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Fingers crossed! X
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Oh man I remember that fear of getting, FINALLY getting to the end of a viable pregnancy then something going wrong. It made me nearly sick to my stomach on many occasions. The rational side of you kicks in though, reminding you it does no good to waste time & energy on worry! You’ve so got this! I can’t wait to see that little darling!! And my goodness, you and your perfect little footballs! You look happier & happier with every passing day. Enjoy your final trimester!!! Xx
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I am really happy at the mo! It is so awesome. And yes, the bump is getting very ball like now! I sent the one of me standing sideways with my arm over the green shirt to my friend last night and wrote back “you look like you have a basketball shoved up your shirt” lol I do like the way I carry 🙂
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Looking awesome!! Glad all is going well and you are feeling more confident!! Nearly the home stretch now!!!
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I know! So close!
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You look awesome! Glad the room is done! I worried too about viability. I’m one-hand typing so lots of good energy your way even if not much typed!–Terri
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Thx lovely. I feel great 🙂
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I was so excited to see a bump shot appear in my feed!! 90%!! That is so awesome!! I’m so excited!! 🙂 Sending you lots of love, what an amazing journey!
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It has indeed been quite the journey. Thank you for sticking by me all the way and always being there with love and excitement! We need to connect on Facebook now I’m back. You know my real name, right? I think we are linked on MFP? See if you can find me to add. If you have probs let me know xx
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You’re looking so amazing! I’m happy for you that your reno is finally over with. And hooray for hitting that viability mark!! I absolutely cannot believe you’re getting so close to the end already. It’s gone so fast!!! (At least for me!) I hope mine goes that fast lol!!! Thanks for sharing some bump pics!!! So cute 😀
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Haha except for the first 16 weeks where I was sick and nervous all the time it has actually gone really quickly 🙂
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Woohoo 27 weeks! That is awesome and I am totally LOVING the baby bump photos!
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Thanks 🙂
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Been absent. Oh. My. Gosh. You look so beautiful and radiant
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Awwwww thank you 🙂 I feel great!
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You look gorgeous! I’m so happy for you!
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Thanks Nance x
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