Week 10 - Pregnancy Update

I am now in week 10 of my pregnancy alhamdulillah. I have decided I will do a weekly update on a Saturday, but only if there is something to actually update you with. I don't want to bore you all senseless with my pregnancy posts!

This week not much is happening. I had my blood test on Wednesday. (She did have a bit of bother finding my veins but managed to get the blood out on the first go!) I got a text on Tuesday saying an appointment had been booked for Wednesday at 12pm. She apologised for giving me less than 24 hours notice and said because we thought you lived down the road it would be ok. Yes I do only live down the road but I work in the city centre. Luckily I had no clients booked in that day and just had to walk out halfway through a meeting which the boss was ok about. 

I know I have a right to paid time off work for appointments but because I finish at work at 3pm I am trying to ensure all my appointments are around 4pm. I don't want to take off more time than is necessary.

So my next update will probably be after I have had my appointment with the diabetes team. I have been booked in with them on the 12th March. However, if my blood tests show my sugar levels are high  then they will fit me in sooner.

I am still waiting to get a scan date.

I myself am feeling fine alhamdulillah. The tiredness is no longer as bad and I am  beginning to feel a bit more normal now - apart from my belly slowly getting bigger! (My mum kindly said my bum is getting bigger - thanks mum!!)

Another school rant

I have posted many times about the school when they have annoyed me. For example, here and here.

The one thing I haven't had a rant about is the fact that schools seem to think that parents have a bottomless pit of money.

Now when I was at school we didn't have to make 'donations' to school events on an almost monthly basis. I use the term 'donation' loosely because if it was a donation would they really need to have a sheet and put a tick next to the child's name when they have paid?

I got slightly annoyed last year when they expected us to pay £8 for 8 swimming lessons at 1 hour. I know it seems a reasonable cost but the swimming pool is IN the school, they insist it is part of the school curriculum and we cannot pull our children out. Well if it is an essential part of the curriculum why are we paying?

Another time they did an event (can't remember what it was for) and again we had to make a 'donation'. This donation would then be split between the school and charity. Now I have no issue in giving money to charity, I give regularly but I resent being made to 'donate' and then a record being kept if I don't. I also like to choose which charities I donate to.

Now recently the parents have paid £18 for a trip to the National History Museum in London. And guess what....yes we have another letter for another 'donation'. This time it is for a 'West End in Schools' workshop. We have to 'donate' £2 for the children to work with a professional dancer and choreographer from the West End. Apparently it 'helps support & develop many aspects of the curriculum IE literacy, PE, Personal, Social & Health Education'. 

This time I am not going to make the 'donation'. What are they going to do? Shoot me? I would never pay for my child to get involved in something like this out of school so why should I pay for her to do it in school?

Friday Wisdom 24-02-2012

We are not born all at once, but by bits. The body first, and the spirit later; and the birth and growth of the spirit, in those who are attentive to their own inner life, are slow and exceedingly painful. Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth.

- Mary Antin

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Wednesday Photo Inspiration 22-02-12

This is a picture I took in Pakistan and some of that is our land. It was so peaceful there and although looks bare, it was beautiful. That is my father in law you can see.

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.

Aldo Leopold

Join in with Wednesday Photo Inspiration with Dana

Booking in Appointment

So I finally had my booking in appointment today with the midwife. I was getting a bit worried as I had not heard from her but she rang at 2pm and apologised because she had to attend an unplanned home birth in the morning which was making her late with other appointments.

She arrived within 15 minutes of the phonecall and as soon as she came in I liked her. She was friendly and chatty and really put me at my ease. Alhamdulillah I am so glad about that as it would have been unbearable if I could not stand her.

I had forgotten how much paperwork there is involved and all the questions to get a full detailed history. The appointment lasted over an hour, not just because of all the paperwork that had to be completed but because she was so chatty!! I gave her a cup of tea and cake and she was happy.

Because I had gestational diabetes in my first pregnancy, I have to be referred to the diabetes team and start monitoring my blood sugar levels immediately. Oh the joy of pricking your finger 3 times a day to check your sugar levels(!) The more I hate needles, the more I have to deal with them.

Because of all this I am now under consultant led care rather than midwife led care. It doesn't mean I won't regularly be seeing my midwife, it just means there is someone else who will also be keeping an eye on me. My midwife did say the consultant may just see me once and then leave it all up to the midwives. We will see.

I now have to wait to be called in to have my blood test, to see the diabetes team and have my scan. InshAllah my scan should be anytime between the 6th March and 22nd March. Can't wait inshAllah. Then all being well my next appointment will be with the midwife at 16 weeks - which will be in April.

I have also been given my bounty pack and will soon go and collect my 'Mum-to-be' Pack. I can't remember what was in it last time I got it.

It all seems a bit more real now and am slowly starting to look at pushchairs to try to decide which one I want to get. I will eventually have to get out all the other baby things I had put away in the cupboard and loft to see what is still in a fit state to use, but right now I think it is a bit too early.

Silent Sunday 19/02/2012

CLOSED. HiPP Organic Baby Club - Review and Giveaway

Winner of the giveaway, picked using random.org, is:

Boo Roo and Tigger Too.

Congratulations!!

Now that I am pregnant again I am joining all the baby club's I come across as most them have useful information. I know this is my second child but because the last time I was pregnant was 6 years ago, I almost feel like it is my first as I have forgotten everything!

So when I was told about the HiPP Baby Club  I had to sign up and take a look around.

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that when you join the club you can benefit from the following:

• Personalised baby calender
• Free 1st year record book
• FREE HiPP Organic samples and money off coupons

and much much more.

The baby club is easy to navigate and has different sections:

Pregnant mums

Baby 0 -4 months

Baby 5-8 months

Baby 9+ months and toddlers

Obviously I am more interested in the Pregnant Mums section.

Within this section there is a lot of information; a due date calculator, pregnancy week by week calender, information about a balanced pregnancy diet, information about allergies, information about foods to avoid and much more.

As soon as I log in, the main page tells me how many weeks pregnant I am with some information I can read. What I like about the club is that if you have a question you can email for help: a midwife, a health visitor and a nutritionsit. I have had no reason to email a question yet so can't comment on how long it takes to reply. You can also ask a question in the 'Ask a Hipp expert forum'.

Along with the 'Ask a HiPP expert forum' there is also a Mum's chat forum.There are also competitions, quizzes and exclusive offers.So why not check it out and join the club? It is packed full of information.

Giveaway!!

I am pleased to be able to offer a selection of HiPP Organic

Jars

     Cereal

     Fruit pots

    Fruit pouches

UK ONLY! To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is visit the baby club here and leave a comment to tell me what you like about it.

For extra entries, after you have commented, you can:

1. Follow me on google friends connect

2. Follow me on networked blogs

3. Follow me on twitter and tweet: 'I want to win a selection of HiPP Organic baby food with @muslimmummies'. Enter here: http://bit.ly/A83Lio

Remember to leave a way to contact to you. Winner will be picked using random.org

Competition closes 24th February 2012 at 9pm

Winner must contact me within 48 hours or the competition will be redrawn.

Prize will be sent direct from the supplier.

				Disclaimer: I was contacted about the baby club and offered samples to give away. However the opinions are all my own.

.

Questions, Questions

I have been tagged twice to answer some questions. Firstly by A Twenty Something Mum and Boo, Roo and Tigger Too

The rules are pretty simple (however in one tag it says 12 questions and the other says 11 - I will stick to 12).

1) You must post the rules

2) Post 12 fun facts about yourself in the blog post

3) Answer the questions the tagger has set for you in their post and then create 12 new questions for the fellow bloggers you plan to tag

4) Tag 12 people and link to them on your blog

5) Let them know you tagged them

I am going to skip some of the rules (yes naughty me!) but because I have 2 sets of questions to answer I will skip the 12 fun facts about me!

A Twenty Something Mums questions for me:

1. Which one person has had the most influence on your life and why?

It has to be parents - they are a result of who I am

2.Looking back if you could tell your pre-child self one thing what would it be?

Don't grow up too quick!! Lol

3.When you were younger what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher

4.What tv programmes do you like to watch?

Just one? At the moment I'm into a Pakistani drama called Humsafar. For me that is a big thing as I never watch those dramas!

5.What's the most rebellious thing you've ever done?

Ummm, ok the most rebellious, I hit a car slightly and legged it! (My excuse is I panicked!!)

6.How would you describe parenthood (in one sentence only)

The hardest job but the most worthwhile

7.What's the funniest thing that's ever happened to you?

Funny things usually don't happen to me. I honestly can't think of one at the moment.

8.If you were given £5,000 how would you spend it?

Honestly? Probably go on holiday.

9.What is your guilty pleasure?

Chocolate

10.Who in your life do you wish you showed your appreciation for more than you do?

My parents - I am not the most affectionate and I think sometimes they think I don't care.

Boo, Roo and Tiggers questions for me:

1. How old were you when you had your first child?

I was 23 and turned 24 2 days later.

2. Are you an only child? 

I have 2 brothers and 1 sister

3. If you could do any job in the world what would it be and why? 4. Coca Cola or Pepsi?

I have been asking myself that question too lately and I just can't decide. I know it would be something to do with charity.

 4. Coca Cola or Pepsi? 

Coca Cola

5. What is your favourite film? 

I am not hugely into films to be honest, do not have a particular favourite.

6. Bikini or Swimsuit? 

LOL I have never worn either but guess if I had to choose it would be swimsuit.

 7.What is your favourite sweet treat? 

Gulab Jaman

8. Do you believe in Father Christmas?

No

 9. What is the oldest item of clothing you own?  

Probably my dressing gown!! I got it when munchkin was born almost 6 years ago....not a dressing gown kind of person so it's still in good condition!

10. Which celeb would you like to swap lives with (just for a day?) 11. How did you meet your best friend?

Ummmm..... noone really. Wouldn't want to be a celebrity, no privacy at all. 

11. How did you meet your best friend? 

My closest friends now are those that I met at uni.

Ok I am now meant to tag 12 bloggers. I am not sure I will get to 12 and will try not to tag those who have already answered questions.

Marie

Dana

Salma

Umm Mini

Froggy Hijabi

Circus Mum

Ok I have not got to 12 but if you want to take part then consider yourself tagged!

So here are my 12 questions for you all:

1. What's your favourite perfume?

2. What are your dreams for the future?

3. Why do you blog?

4. What's your favourite book?

5. What one thing would you like to achieve in 2012?

6. What's your favourite chocolate?

7. What one tip would you give to someone who is about to get married?

8. What country would you like to move to and why? (Or are you happy where you are?)

9. What's your favourite flower?

10. Do you have any pets? If not what pet would you like to have?

11. Grass in the garden? Or Paving?

12. Name one of your favourite blogs.

Friday Wisdom 17/02/2012

To completely trust in God is to be like a child who knows deeply that even if he does not call for the mother, the mother is totally aware of his condition and is looking after him.

Imam Al Ghazali

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The Cherry on Top Award

The lovely Tinuke from Circus Mum gave me the Cherry on Top award a few weeks ago but I am only just getting round to posting it now!! (sorry!)

From what I gather the rules are simple:

Post a few things that you love about yourself.
Post your favourite picture.
Tag five bloggers with the award.

Ok so a few things I love about myself..........ummmm.....I have never sat down and thought about what I love about myself so I am finding this a bit tough. I could have easily listed what I don't like about myself!

1. I love that I am a good friend (well I think I am). I am always there to help out friends in need in whatever way I can.

2. I love that I have managed to control my temper (to an extent) and am more willing to compromise about things. I guess becoming a wife and mum does that to you.

Ok 2 will have to do as I am seriously struggling.

Now one of my favourite pictures is of my hubby and munchkin; I am not prepared to share that on a public blog. So one of my other favourite pictures is of my budgies.

This picture really makes me smile as find it so cute. Sadly the yellow one escaped and the blue one is now all alone :(

Now I have to tag 5 bloggers that I love....only 5???

Marie at Diary of a Heart in Transit

Inspiring Always

Dana at Dana's Diary

Salma at Chasing Rainbow

Sarah mum of 3

Wednesday Photo Inspiration

A simple Photo Inspiration today. I liked this for it's simplicity and truth. Join in with Dana for Wednesday Photo Inspiration

Source: http://highqualitypic.blogspot.com/2009/05/pictures-of-love-with-quotes.html

Finally have my booking in appointment!!

Originally posted Thursday, 9 February 2012

My midwife has finally contacted me. YAY! I had 2 missed calls on my mobile while I was on a course in London and I guessed it was her trying to contact me because it was her day at the surgery.

I phoned and spoke to the receptionist. She told me the midwife would like to visit me at home on the 19th of February?

At home???

I don't remember having home visits during my first pregnancy with munchkin. And that on a Sunday too?!

Maybe it is to do with all the cuts being experienced in the NHS. Apparently she doesn't have the time to see me in the surgery and so is going to do the home visit. I do need to be booked in as by the time she sees me I will be 9 weeks and I should be having a scan at 12 weeks.

So, let the poking and prodding, blood tests and urine samples begin!!

Am I just being hormonal?

Originally posted Tuesday, 7 February 2012

I don't know if I am just being hormonal and ridiculous but I am offended. Offended by the apparent lack of interest from my friends.

I texted my best friend my news. I did not call her because she is pretty bad at answering the phone. She replied the next day saying congratualtions and how happy she was. Ok great but if my best friend had texted me and told me she was pregnant after so long, I would be jumping for joy and ringing her immediately. She said she would ring me the following weekend. 2 weeks later I am still waiting.

Am I just being hormonal? I feel upset that my freinds dont seem to be bothered. My internet friends are showing more interest: the lovely Humayraa who I have known through the internet for a number of years and Marie who I have only just gotten to know through blogging. Thank you ladies for following and pretty much commenting on every post.

Why bother with 'friends' if this is how I am going to be treated?

And I am also offended at people asking for details of my blog and then not even following or commenting. You do not have to follow the blog as I know my pregnancy is not going to interest everyone but if you have read the news will it really kill you to say congratulations, hope your pregnancy goes well and then not follow the blog? Especially those who I have known for a while. Why read my blogs and stalk me if you are not happy for me?! I now wish I had kept this blog totally secret and only invited a few select people to read it.

Ok hormonal rant over.

Itchy and scratchy!!

Originally posted Sunday, 29 January 2012

Over a year ago I suddenly started itching. It would come on randomly and I would scratch like mad. It would ease for a while and then come back.

I initially thought it was the new duvet I had brought. So I stopped using it. When the itching wouldn't stop I ended up going to the doctor.

Now I think my doctor is a waste of space. He does nothing. He kept asking me if I was stressed as that could bring on the itching. He annoyed me so much I turned round and said you are making me stressed by constantly asking me that. He said I would have to do trial and error to try to find out what I was allergic to (if anything!)

Trial and error.....ummmm...where do I start?!?

He did blood tests and nothing obvious showed up. He then put me on allergy tablets which did the trick. When I went back and said I am still itching when I come off the tablets he told me to take them daily instead of every 2-3 days when the itching got bad. However, when I took them daily I started feeling odd and breathless.

I went to see him again and he said he would send me to allergy testing but then the next time I went to see him he said there was no allergy testing available anywhere.

So I carried on taking the tablets.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant I stopped taking them. Now I am back to itching and it is not nice. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night because it is so bad.

I am trying to train myself to ignore it as really don't want to take medication while pregnant.

Am planning to speak to the midwife about this when I see her. Maybe she will be able to help more than the doctor.

Was offered a job interview today

Originally posted Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Just before Christmas I applied for a job at the local college as a welfare worker. One of the reasons I applied for the job is because my current job is likely to end in 2013. Also the holidays with this job were good. I would get all days off that are not term time (unpaid). So I could spend half term, summer holidays etc with munchkin.

I left work today and had a voice mail from the college asking me to contact them.

I then had a dilemma.

Do I go ahead with the application knowing that if the pregnancy goes well I could be leaving them again in August?

Or do I just withdraw the application and potentially lose out on a good opportunity? I am still in the early stages of pregnancy so anything could happen.

My conscience made the decision for me. I didn't think it was fair that I went through the whole interview process, potentially get the job and then once I have been trained up, leave.

So I withdrew my job application.

I hope I made the right decision.

Extreme Tiredness

Originally Posted Friday, 27 January 2012

According to my dates I am 6 weeks today and I am feeling so tired all the time. Even my colleague at work pointed it out and said I looked exhausted. Thanks for telling me that.....nice to know I am pretty much looking like death warmed up(!)

I was never this tired with my first pregnancy - in fact I was overly active and I kept getting told by my mum to rest up abit.

Now I find myself wilting away at work. Working on the 2nd floor doesn't help either as I am up and down the stairs all day. I come home and all I want to do is just crash on the sofa. Right now I am on my bed and just about mustering up the energy to type this.

Hubby got me some samosa chaat on the way home from work and I even struggled to motivate myself to eat it!

I have been googling tiredness and apparently it is an early symptom of pregnancy and it should go away once I am into my second trimester. So potentially another 6 weeks of feeling exhausted all the time!

I am so glad it is the weekend. Going to do as little housework as I can get away with and just rest up.

The other thing I have noticed is that my hormones are playing up. I got so frustrated with a client at work and normally I am quite chilled out.

However, on the plus side, another client got me a box of ferrero rocher to say thanks for my hard work.

That made my day.

When to tell people you are pregnant?

Originally posted Monday, 23 January 2012

So when is the best time to tell people that you are pregnant?

Straight away? After 3 months? After the 1st or 2nd scan?

I know many who won't say anything for the first 3 months simply for the fear of something going wrong.

My thinking is that if something went wrong I would want the support of my family and friends. And if something is going to go wrong it is going to go wrong whether people know about the pregnancy or not.

When I found out I was pregnant I couldn't keep quiet, purely out of happiness because we had been trying for so long.

Don't get me wrong, I am not telling the whole world and their neighbour. I have told my closest friends and immediate family. Oh and my blogging friends!

However I have also told work. I usually wouldn't have told work this early but because I am booked to go onto some courses and also because the contract I work on is intense and target based I thought I should mention that I may be disappearing in approximately 7/8 months.

So when did you tell people when you were expecting?

In Shock! The story so far.

Originally posted Sunday, 22 January 2012

Well I can't quite believe I am pregnant again alhamdulillah!

Thinking about it now I had the signs but I was ignoring it. I probably should have guessed when I went to my mums house and as soon as I walked in the door I could smell egg and it made me feel a bit nauseous. But having had a few false alarms in the past I just ignored it.

Then my breasts started to feel really heavy and sensitive. They usually do before a period so again I thought nothing of it.

As part of the new me I had started to workout regularly. I was feeling dizzy when working out and I just thought I was unfit. Didn't click that I may be in the early stages of pregnancy.

I also started to feel tired. I am a bit of an owl and do not go to sleep until late. But the last week or so I have been in bed around 10pm when usually I don't get into bed until just after 11. One evening I was so tired I was in bed at 9.30pm. My husband thought I was ill after he realised I wasn't going to bed so early for a bit of 'you know what!'

I just thought I was tired because of the workouts.

I mentioned to my friend that I was feeling so tired and she immediately asked are you pregnant?

Heck no was my reply.

I was feeling as though my periods were about to start. My cycle is pretty irregular so I can never be sure if I am late or what. However my friend got me thinking and I then decided to do a test to be on the safe side.

I took a test on 20th January 2012:

And I still didn't believe it.

So texted a friend the picture who said you are definitely pregnant.

But I still wasn't convinced!! I was in shock. Phoned hubby and said I think I am pregnant but I am not entirely sure because the line is faint.

So I go out to get ANOTHER test, which I did at 7am the next day:

Can't argue with that now can I??!

On 22/04/13 I have linked up this post with 'The Oliver's Madhouse' Linky as this was a magic moment! After 4 years of being off contraception and having virtually given up, I discovered I was pregnant.

Announcement: I am going to be a mummy (again)

InshAllah!

For those of you who do not know yet, I am almost 9 weeks pregnant alhamdulillah.

I had started up a new blog but realised it would be too much work to keep two going at the same time so inshAllah will transfer the posts and comments already made on that blog before I delete it.

My pregnancy is one of the reasons I have not been commenting as much on your blogs: I have been extremely tired in the evenings and just about manage to do the few things I need to online before I want to get to bed.

InshAllah I look forward to sharing my journey with you all.

Friday Wisdom 10/02/2012

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. 

These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. 

Beautiful people do not just happen.

Unknown

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Enchanted Blog Award

The lovely Dana from Dana's Diary has given me this lovely blog award. Thank you sis!
I have copied the rules from her blog:
 ☜(*▽*)☞ Rules:
❅ If you have received this blog award, kindly post the picture thumbnail into your blog with the name of   the one who gave it to you.❅ Don't pass this award back to me!❅ (Optional) - Pass this blog award around to as many blogs as you like!
I would have awarded the award to some of the same blogs that Dana did but I will try to pick different ones and new blogs that I have come across:

• Circus Mum
• A Twenty Something Mum
• Aisha

Wednesday Photo Inspiration

Yes I know it is Thursday but I wasn't feeling too good yesterday and didn't switch on my laptop. Plus it is never to late to join in!! The lovely Dana is hosting Wednesday Photo Inspiration. Check out her blog for more info.

This is a photo that is already on my blog which is one of my favourites. I took it in the summer and am looking forward to the lilies growing again.

“For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;

Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.”

William Shakespeare.

Fun in the snow

For the past few months munchkin has been doing my head in about snow. While I have been secretly hoping that it doesn't snow, she has been waiting excitedly to see some so that she can make a snowman.

She got her wish when it started snowing Saturday evening. Before she went to bed she looked out the window and was disappointed to see that the snow wasn't enough to build a snowman.

She woke up early on Sunday morning (7am - sigh) and the first thing she did was rush downstairs to check to see how much snow there was. While I was silently groaning and failing in my attempts to be invisible under my duvet, I had an overexcited 5 year old who wanted to immediately go out and build a snowman.

I reluctantly got out of bed and looked out the window:

Definitely enough snow to make a snowman. 

So after breakfast out we went and my hubby reluctantly also joined in. He had just come home from a night shift.

Now my attempts at snowmen are usually pathetic - I never made snowmen as a child. My hubby is not much better. He gave up and instead made a leaning tower of pisa:

Here is mine and munchkins attempt:

Ok, Ok, it doesn't look much like a snowman but my back was hurting so I gave up.

At least munchkin had fun and threw a few snowballs!