Pregnancy after bypass: Week 30 pregnancy diary

This week started off in the middle of a long weekend! It was Labour weekend in New Zealand and having the Monday off work was a nice break. I had a midwife appointment to look forward to this week and am happy I’m three quarters of the way through this pregnancy! This week the baby is apparently the size of a cucumber.

Our week started on Labour day, thankfully I didn’t go into labour, and we had a lazy morning followed by going to my brother and sister in-laws for a family dinner. We had a nicely chilled day and it was good to catch up with them and relax. On Monday we went to a Lego Brick show that was on in Auckland and then went to a garden centre on the way home to get everything we need for a little vegetable garden!

On Tuesday I had my next appointment with my midwife and I got a ton of test results back. The first bit of good news was that I don’t have gestational diabetes. Having had a gastric bypass I thought the probability would be low but it was good to have it ruled out. All of my other bloods are looking really good too. My bariatric team wanted a few extra things checked like vitamin A and B12 and everything is where it should be.

My last growth scan results were a bit mixed though. When we were at the scan place they plotted her measurements on a growth chart and she was sitting nicely on the 50th centile. The report they sent through to my midwife said that she is sitting on the 44^th centile. Then my midwife put them on a customised (to me) growth chart and she’s right on the 50^th centile there. My son was small, hence why we are doing growth scans this time. To be honest I’m not particularly worried about it at the moment. Everything else points to her looking healthy and fine and if she’s a bit small that’s fine. It was a bit of a shock with my son because we weren’t expecting him to be little but I think I’d cope better with it mentally and emotionally this time around.

The other thing the scan showed is that my placenta is still not quite where it should be. It’s at the front, not at the back like they would prefer, and it’s still quite low down. I still have enough time and tummy growth for it to hopefully move upwards, and away from my cervix, but if it doesn’t it’s just going to be something to be careful of. I have another scan in a couple of weeks and I hope it’s moved up by then. Also, with my placenta at the front it is adhered over the scar from my previous c-section. This may mean I bleed a bit more than usual for this c-section but being aware of it I’m sure it will be managed well.

The rest of the week was filled with work, life in general and a not so well behaved five-year old! Even though it was a short work week the week felt so long and I was glad to get to another weekend. I escaped the house a bit on Saturday morning and went and got a bit of Christmas shopping done. I went to the Warehouse and managed to get all that Christmas stuff you need that’s not gifts, wrapping paper, sellotape, Christmas crackers, stocking fillers, all those little bits that help get the day together. At the checkout the people in line behind me were surprised I was Christmas shopping already, I pointed out that I’m seven months pregnant and I think they thought I was a little less crazy. At least I’m prepared now and can start wrapping presents as I get them and not spend hours doing it once I’ve got all of them.

How far along? 30 weeks, or three quarters of the way!

How big is the peanut? The size (length) of a cucumber.

Total weight gain/loss? This week I managed to put on a whole kilo. Ugh. I’m three quarters of the way and have managed to put on 15 kilos already. I really hope the next 10 weeks don’t bring too many more.

Maternity clothes? Dresses, I love dresses. It’s getting too restrictive to wear jeans with the big over belly bit lately.

Sleep? My sleep has been a bit rubbish this week. I am getting so big and uncomfortable.

Best moment this week? Seeing my midwife again and getting all of my test results back.

What I miss? With the week my five-year old gave me I could have really done with a wine over the weekend but of course I resisted.

What I’m looking forward to? I’m starting to look forward to not being pregnant anymore I have to say.

Milestones? Getting three quarters of the way, it’s really not that long from now on.

Bump? It’s big and making life a lot less comfortable.