For those who want an honest and realistic picture of pregnancy, birth and raising three kids, then take a look at my #pregnancydiary and feel free get in touch with any comments, questions or suggestions.
Possessed lunatic
It's that time again in my pregnancy where every night I jump out of bed like a possessed lunatic, staggering around with my eyes still closed, trying to regain my balance and place my feet flat on the floor. This is the only way I can deal with painful cramps in my calf muscles and feet. Sometimes my feet get locked into weird positions, which is kind of alarming.
I've suffered with these cramps towards the end of each pregnancy and know plenty of other pregnant women who have experienced the same thing. It's caused by a number of things including muscles bearing the increasing weight of the baby. A pregnant woman's growing womb puts pressure on the the main vein from her legs. It could also be a shortage of nutrients or salts.
Massage anyone?
A few things help. Flexing the leg and foot muscles as often as possible, a warm bath before bed, or a leg and foot massage at bedtime....its best when somebody else does this for you.
So far my husband has done this twice during this pregnancy. I remember when I was pregnant with our first daughter he massaged my feet every night without fail during the last trimester. With our second daughter, I got a handful of massages out of him. These days he looks so tired after a long day at work and helping me with two energetic kids that I feel lucky to have had even two massages!
Swollen feet
Just a word about swollen feet. I'm finding my feet get swollen after a day in the office. Probably due to sitting in one position for long periods of time plus travelling on hot and sweaty tube trains. They are not as bad as my previous pregnancies but that's because I now make a conscious effort to sit with my feet up during some part of the day. Plus I've been more active during this pregnancy.
For some pregnant women swollen feet can be a sign of something more serious like pre-eclampsia, especially when accompanied by a severe headache and blurred vision. It's best to keep an eye on it and see a doctor if unsure.
How's Baby?
Baby's kidneys are now fully developed and her liver can process ape waste products. Most of her physical development is now complete and she will spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
