Pregnancy Diary Week 21

Pregnancy Diary Week 21 – I’m slowly getting a bit more adventurous with my eating. We had tacos last night with garlic and onion in it. I really enjoyed it even though I started to waver when the garlic and onion smell wafted through the house.

My Eating has improved…….

As well as the taco’s I’ve eaten a salad with feta cheese and salad dressing.

Raisin and cinnamon bagels are way up there on my current faves – toasted with loads of butter. Yum!

Food smells aren’t so stomach churning anymore, but I still don’t have a huge repetoire to choose from.

Chicken is probably my most hated food at the moment. Yuk.

Maternity Leave

I had my meeting at work this week to discuss maternity leave and how much time I intend to take off. At this stage I’ve gone for a year and fingers crossed that our finances allows this.

I had decided to make my last day the 24th May which would give me a week before my due date to chill a little bit. However, looking at the dates, it’s bank holiday Monday on the 28th May and Isabelle will be off school for the entire week leading up to my due date. Bit of a bummer!

I don’t mind so much that she will be off school but she’s going to want entertaining for the week AND I’ll be on my own with her if I go into labour that week. Yikes!

Anyway, as I didn’t have my Mat B1 form the official planning and acceptance of this has to wait until next week.

Maternity Wear

I’m sporting my one and only piece of maternity wear today which is a pair of over the bump leggings from H&M. I’ve been pretty disappointed with the choice of maternity wear that I’ve managed to root out on the High Street so I might have to have a look online.

Failing that I will just continue to wear tunic style dresses with leggings or tights with cardigans.

Just to report back on the leggings which were a total bargain at £8.99 a pair. These are so so comfy and are now going to be a staple feature in my wardrobe.

Back Ache

As well as leg and foot cramps at night I’ve started to get lower back ache which is making walking a bit of a problem.

We went to the beach today as a birthday treat for our dog, Charlie who turned four and it really took it out of me even though we didn’t walk particularly far.

Fingers crossed that I’ve just overdone it a bit and it will pass.

Development

The baby will be about the size of a pepper, measuring around 27cm long and weighing about 360g.

The eyelids and eyebrows are formed and it’s possible for them to blink. Amazingly the baby will have taste buds and can taste a variety of different flavours dependent on what I’m eating (hope it likes cheese).

The skin will have a coating of white, waxy substance known as Vernix Caseosa. This protects their body from the effects of bobbing around in the amniotic fluid for so long.

The baby will be urinating, which they will then drink. Pee, drink, pee, repeat. The baby’s first poo is currently in the making which they will poop out once the baby is born.

This pregnancy is flying by and my belly is growing now at an amazing pace.

Until next week.

Lisa x

Dealing with Leg Cramps during Pregnancy

Leg cramps during pregnancy is something that has bothered me during my first two pregnancies and now with my third so I thought I would share some tips on dealing with leg cramps during pregnancy. Some women complain about their bladders being the thing that wakes them up in the night, but for me it’s crippling leg and foot cramps.

The only thing that seems to get rid of the pain and foot spasms is to get up and stomp my feet on the floor. For the first time ever my calf muscles are tense like I’ve exercised loads and it’s been striking me during the day as well.

During the day I could cope with the cramps as I can get up and walk around which is never a bad thing as I work in an office I probably sit far longer than I should anyway, but it’s awful at night so I thought I would do a bit of research.

What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?

It’s not entirely clear why pregnant women suffer from leg and foot cramps, usually in the second and third trimester of pregnancy.

It could be due to the additional weight that we carry round during pregnancy and then cramp up when you rest.

The pressure that your baby puts on the nerves and blood vessels that lead to and from your legs with changes to your circulation.

There is also a theory that your body becomes low in certains salts during pregnancy which can cause your muscles to cramp.

What can you do to prevent or ease cramps during pregnancy?

Stretching your Calf muscles – It’s thought that stretching your calf muscles before bed may help prevent leg cramps. Stand at arms length from a wall, put your hands on the wall in front of you and move your right foot behind your left foot. Slowly bend your left leg forward, keeping your right knee straight and your right heel on the floor. Hold and stretch for about 30 seconds, being careful to keep your back straight and your hips forward. Don’t rotate your feet inward or outward and avoid pointing your toes. Repeat with the other leg.

Stay Active – Continuing to exercise during pregnancy is important ensuring that you seek advice from your fitness instructor or a doctor.

Make sure you stay hydrated – We should be trying to maintain our hydration levels anyway, but it’s always best to try harder during pregnancy. A good way to tell if you are drinking enough is by your urine. It should be light in colour. If it’s dark you should try to drink more.

Keeping your legs raised – When resting put a pillow under your legs to help maintain blood flow. At night put a pillow under your legs to keep them slightly raised.

Taking a Magnesium supplement – Only after seeking advice from your midwife. I take Pregnancy vitamins which contain Magnesium, but you can also try eating magnesium rich foods such as whole grains, beans, dried fruits, nuts and seeds.

Wearing sensible shoes – Boo but hey I’m not a first time mum so the days of walking around in massive heels are long gone. Supportive footwear (urgh) with heel support can help as a preventative.

Massage your calves – If you can reach! If not, rope your partner (a friend) into help. Conversely, if you fancy really treating yourself, why not visit a professional Massage therapist who can treat your sore muscles in a way safe for both you and baby?

Taking a bath – Before bed this can help relax the muscles and hopefully will aid a good or decent nights sleep.

Drinking Tonic Water – Tonic water contains quinine which can help alleviate cramp.

Did any of them work?

Well having given all of the above a go, it’s hard to tell which if any worked. Maybe it was a bit of everything, but it’s good to keep all of these things in mind if you are suffering with leg cramps which are pretty crap especially during the night.

I’m going keep going with all of the above as I definitely need my sleep, more so now that I’m growing a little person. I will keep you up to date with the leg cramps in my Pregnancy Diary Posts.

Lisa x