- Charlotte Nichole
My Third Trimester : Bump, catching Covid & Nursery plans
What a relief to reach that final trimester. The end of November marked the final 12 weeks of my pregnancy and we had so much to still do. The movements had become very frequent, and my bump was all but impossible to conceal. Getting dressed was both a laugh and a cry.
But honestly, I was feeling bloody great. No, I didn't have heartburn ( Baby P is obviously going to be bald ) and I was truly embracing pregnancy. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I would say I was enjoying carrying my little bubba and was excited.
The pram was at my parent's, and we had even chosen the family car. Nursery furniture had been earmarked and we very quickly started to feel organized. The Christmas break was going to be the perfect opportunity for hubby and me to start and complete the nursery, buy essentials and have the very last Christmas with just the 3 of us.
Merry Christmas - And here's Covid
Throughout my pregnancy the discussion of Covid, vaccines and possible complications should I get covid being pregnant, was pretty frequent. I didn't envy us pregnant women to make the choice of what to do when it came to protecting our unborn child from either Covid or possible vaccines.
I decided to take the vaccine. My husband is a primary school teacher, and within 3 months of pregnancy, it was looking less and less likely we would be able to avoid it for the entirety of my pregnancy. I was vulnerable and there wasn't much we could do to protect me from getting covid, aside from vaccination.
I researched and at 13 weeks had my first dose, and the second 8 weeks later. I was lucky, and aside from the usual dead arm feeling, didn't suffer any terrible side effects.
Unfortunately, my husband received a positive lateral flow 2 days before Christmas in December 2021. My positive followed 3 days later at 33 weeks pregnant.
Perhaps I was naïve, but I thought I would just isolate and tell my midwife at the next appointment, and it was only when I received the official positive email that said I needed to contact my midwife immediately. I was promptly sent a stats monitor and every day a member of the midwife team would call to take my oxygen levels, heart rate, current symptoms and ask about baby movements.
Obviously, I panicked at first, but quickly saw the daily call as a nice way to keep up to date with the baby and ensure should there be any changes, I was seen promptly.
Thankfully, covid passed me with little to no impact. I pretty much had a cold and after 10 days of isolation, I was back to midwife appointments and looking to complete the nursery.
Our Safari Nursery
Although Christmas break wasn't as productive as hoped, by 34 weeks we had the majority of our nursery sorted. Cotbed bought and built, walls painted, shelves up and the nursery-esque pieces that had been waiting patiently in our loft were in situ.
Read : A look at our Safari Nursery
waiting for maternity leave
Following Christmas, my pregnancy flew by. I was a matter of weeks away before I knew it and well hospital bag packing was upon us. I was both excited and scared ( but mostly impatient ). Fellow Feb pregnant ladies were having their bubbas and I was becoming increasingly jealous. I wanted ours here and now, especially when there was little more to do than wait for maternity leave to start.
Towards the end, I took maternity leave as soon as my due date arrived. I was shattered, finding it hard to concentrate and I was struggling with the lack of progress. When the due date arrived ( Feb 12th ) I was crying. I had hoped it would kick start and the next chapter would just begin. Little did I know, I had 10 days to wait to meet our little P.
