Friday 28 November 2008

Breech baby :-(

At my midwife appointment on Wednesday, I discovered that the baby is breech. At nearly 33 weeks it should have turned by now. I know I've got seven weeks to go, but after a bit of researching I found that only 12% of babies are breech at 32 weeks. And only 4% remain in the position by term. As you can imagine, I was pretty gutted. I'm staying to stay positive though and blocking out the possibility of a c-section - which would be my worst nightmare. I've even chosen a Community Midwife Unit (CMU) that doesn't offer pain relief (other than gas and air and pethidine) or intervention to eliminate the possibility of a c-section. I've only got a couple of weeks to get the baby head down or I will need to change to a hospital (aka the butcher shop).



As you can imagine, I've spent the last couple of days trawling the internet looking for techniques and ideas, so I've got a whole list of things to work on. Lots of strange bum in the air postitions, hugging cushions and bouncing on gym balls (now, keep it clean). Acupuncture has a high success rate, so I've got an appointment for next week. Swimming and walking is also recommended. There are also lots of strange options that I may leave off the list, like doing handstands in the swimming pool (WTF? Can you imagine the looks?) and playing music through earphones in my pants! I would be torn about what to play. What if the baby has the same sh*t music taste as Sonic? It would stay put if it was my ipod.

Just in case, I've decided to hang up my trainers. I'll be swimming and walking from now on.

Anyway, I'm desperate, so if anyone's got any tips...?

Thursday 27 November 2008

Happy 30th birthday little Sis

Amanda is the baby in the middle and (obviously) that's me on the right. She was born at 32 weeks. Sonic and I were both 37 weeks. Hope history doesn't repeat itself. Yikes! As I don't plan on finishing work until January 9, my lovely colleagues are making jokes about plastic sheets in my office on hot towels at the ready.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Slowing down

OK, I confess, there hasn't been much running going on. I did a grand total of four miles last week. I was planning on going out for a "long" run on Sunday, but the weather was awful. I never thought I'd see the day that I'd put off a run due to wild conditions. But that day came and went. And so did the notion of running. To be fair, I have been going to the gym everyday. Mostly using the elliptical trainer (kinda like running), cycling and swimming. There was a news story in most of the papers last week about swimming during pregnancy eases labour pains, so I've spent every spare minute in the pool. Of course, next week's news will probably break research on swimming causing terminal illnesses and birth defects.

I really need to invest in a new swimsuit though. As my bump gets bigger, the top gets lower. I'm sure I'm giving the goggle-clad swimmers a bit of a eyeful :-)

Monday 24 November 2008

Name that tune

The WHWR's resident DJ, Dave Waterman, has dedicated a song for my little endurance event in January. Very aptly titled: Keep on Pushing.



A life changing tune I will probably remember for a very long time.

On the note - and being a little more sentimental - here's my wedding song. It still gives me goosebumps. You can blame my hormones and emotions, but really I'm just using up space to disguise the fact I've done he-haw running the last few days.

Monday 17 November 2008

Important lessons

John Kynaston posted an interesting list,which has sparked quite a bit of thought on the race forum: What are the top four lessons that you learned from completing the WHW race?

Here are mine:

1) Mental strength is more important than physical ability.

2) Whilst you can still put one foot in front of the other, never give up. Each step is a step closer to the end.

3) Set a few goals. Your ultimate dream, the achievable and the when things go wrong plan. Where ever you get to, as long as you gave it your best shot then you succeeded.

4) Train, train and train. But accept that no amount of training will prepare you for it.

And here are a few other lessons for good measure.

Be careful where you pee. There are alot of people on the route in June.
Girls - forget this season's Jimmy Choos. Your feet will take months to recover.
Pack for all eventualities, but carry light.
Never underestimate the power of the jelly baby.

Sunday 16 November 2008

The heart's willing, but the body aint

I don't know how, but I made it out for a five mile run today. After spending the night with my head down the toilet, I could have easily spent the morning in front of the TV. I wasn't unwell, I just feel quite full and sicky after eating. We were out for dinner last night and I just felt the food wouldn't go down. I didn't overeat (it was just bruschetta and pasta in tomato sauce) and didn't feel particular full but whenever I lay down, I felt the rise. Sorry for the graphics.

I felt way better after going out this morning and getting some fresh air, but I felt out of sorts all day. Even when I went to the cinema with my niece, I didn't indulge in sweets to ease the pain of High School Musical.

Anyway cutting back on my food intake won't do me any harm. The dolphin tattoo on my stomach is expanding at a rapid rate. It will look more like Free Willie by the end of the year :-)

For a giggle, check out the card Sonic's brother found. What are the chances of him finding a card like this? just for the record though, my body's not quite that bad...yet.

Friday 14 November 2008

First day on the job

As I have resigned myself to being Sonic's support and coach for next year's WHW race, today was my first day on the job. The support role is a skoosh. I threw him out the car in the pouring rain at Beinglas Farm and stopped at various checkpoints along the way to Tyndrum. He did all the hard graft and I read a book and chucked a couple of gels out the window. I think I got a good deal.



(A slightly wet and shell-shocked runner)

As previously mentioned we were going away to celebrate Sonic's 34th birthday. We stayed at the Isle of Glencoe Hotel, which was really nice. The room had fabulous views over Loch Leven, which I'm sure would be lovely on a nice day. Unfortunately today was anything but nice. Although it was quite comforting swimming about in the hotel pool watching the trees bend outside. Shame I couldn't use the spa facilities though.

For dinner we went along to the Kinlochleven Seafood Cafe, which I would highly recommend. It was definitely worth battling through the torrential rain for. The food is delicious and fresh, portions are huge and price is really reasonable. Sonic even ordered lobster and managed not take the other diners out in the process of opening it. Although he nearly lost a finger using the crackers. I went for the safe beat of scallops and smoked salmon. I even ordered the starter portions with a view to saving a little space for dessert, but I was totally stuffed.

Thursday 13 November 2008

Quick catch up

Saturday: Had a long lie (which is 8am for me), cleaned the house, went to my antenatal yoga class, went along to the Uni 5-miler race to pick up Sonic, then to the movies to see James Bond (not my choice), dinner at the Ashoka, home to watch X-Factor (my choice) and in bed by 10.30pm. How's that for cramming it in?

Sunday: Only managed a five mile jog this morning, before undoing all my good-doing over lunch with the girls.

Monday: Just a steady 45 minute cycle at the gym at lunchtime.

Tuesday: Gym in morning. 30 mins on ellipital trainer and then 45 mins on the bike. Went for a hour swim after work. Got really annoyed in the pool as it was quite busy and there was a couple of young guys standing at the bottom getting in the way. Who stands about in a freezing cold indoor pool? I was close to screaming: "It's not f-ing Tenerife. Swim or get out." I think they sensed my annoyance and moved to the spa pool.

Wednesday: Antenatal class this morning. A lovely two hour chat on all the things that can go wrong. Nice. Went to the gym after work for 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and a 30 minute swim.

If you're still awake...I promise I'm going for a run tonight.

Hitting the West Highland Way tomorrow. It's Sonic's birthday on Saturday, so we're heading up north for a couple of days. He doesn't know where yet. All he knows is that he's got to run 20 miles on the WHW tomorrow morning.

Friday 7 November 2008

Up with the larks

Nice early start today, as Friday morning gym sessions are now a firm ritual on the exercise schedule. 30 minutes and the elliptical trainer and then 45 mins on the bike.

Sonic asked me last night when Paula Radcliffe gave up running when she was preggers. I failed to see where he made the connection :-) I didn't know the answer but I knew she was still doing quite high mileage. After a bit of search I came across this article in the New York. It's well worth a read. Click here. Basically she was still running the day before she went into labour. Now she really is my superwoman.

Congratulations to my ol' running pals Georgie and Luke, who are expecting their first baby in May. They joined our running club during their brief stunt in Scotland, before returning to Australia. Georgie is another bun-on-the-run, so she'll continue to pound the streets down under.

Thursday 6 November 2008

Another four-miler

Sonic dropped me off four miles from home (in Dumbarton) tonight, so I could run a point-to-point. I think he was slightly concerned about throwing his wife out the car on a dark winter's night, as I got a big lecture on safety on the way. I have promised to carry my phone on night runs in future, especially when some of the routes round are way have no street-lighting. Of course, I think I'm invincible. Well I did until I reached the dark wooded-area along the back road to Renton. I had forgotten how dark it can be along there. It's about half a mile of sh*tting myself whilst listening to the rustling in the trees. I promised I'd walk that section as the ground is quite uneven, but I had to move pretty briskly. Last winter it was always the fastest part of my tempo run to get back into this town. This year, I'll need to find an alternative. I ain't going that way again. Plus I can't be bothered to carry a phone. Lord knows, I've got enough extra weight to contend with. I suppose I should be more cautious, as anything could happen. It won't be long until I can't actually see where my feet are landing. And if I did go into labour...well, I've always said I want an active birth :-)

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Remember, remember...

There's an expression that is reserved only for the elderly, terminally ill, mentally unstable and the expectant lady: "And how are you keeping?" Usually delivered in a gentile voice and often with a sympathetic held tilt. It cracks me up every time. When did modern society decide that pregnancy should a medical condition or an illness? Really I think it's easier just to get on with it. The more you milk it the harder it will be. I can still run, swim, cycle and walk without the obligatory waddle. It's sitting down that's becoming a bit of a nightmare. My ribs are in agony. On Monday I was seriously contemplating throwing my office chair out of the window. And when I was stuck in a traffic jam on the way home tonight, I was tempted to abandon my car. So the long and short of it is, running is way much easier than sitting.

This morning I started parenting classes (some super PC nut decided to change the name of antenatal classes) which was an experience. As expected, there was a real mixed-bag of bumps in the room. The common denominator was that no one could sit still on the seats. It must have looked worse than a room full of fidgeting toddlers.

I went for a run when I got home from work. Just my usual four mile route. Bonfire night is a fabulous night for the run. There were fireworks going off everywhere. There wasn't a rocket near me though, as all I can manage these days is 11 minute/miles.

Tuesday 4 November 2008

Sonic was up early to catch the red-eye to London, which means I get up early too. Well better than wasting precious time, I headed off for an earlier morning gym session. Just 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and 45 minutes on the bike. I wanted to go for a run after work, but was legs were knackered. So I had a nice quiet night in. Catching up with some work, dinner for one and soul possession of the remote control. Perfect.

Sunday 2 November 2008

Sunday sunshine

After yesterday's yoga class, Sonic and I went to the food and drink show at the SECC. Lots of freebie food, so it was the perfect day out for the incredible eating machine and the pregnant burd.

I really thought the incredible eating machine was going to burst at the seems. I tried to have a little more control as feeling too full is very uncomfortable now. But after an abundance of seafood, chocolate, cookies, bread, olives and much more, we left feeling suitably stuffed. Sonic was so full that he only managed a bowl of cereal later that evening. Anyone who's aware of Sonic's daily in take will be quite shocked by that. I always maintain that he's the fattest skinny man I know. All very well, but the fat/skinny man doesn't know his way to the supermarket!

Anyway, the point of the story was that I had plenty of extra calories to burn off today. I got up quite early (shock! horror!) and was really looking forward to getting out in the sunshine. Quite deceptive looking out the window, as although the sun was shining it was still sub-zero during the night.

I just went out for a nice five-mile jog round Balloch. I had to take a few walking breaks, but generally really enjoyed it. I'm starting to get a few strange looks when I'm out running now. Actually yesterday (at the show) was the first time that a stranger acknowledge that I was pregnant. Surely that's a milestone?

When I got back I decided to cycle the 10-miles round the Balloch Horseshoe with Sonic. Jeez someone's got their mojo back. I could barely keep up. Hill cycling has never been my forte, so when we hit the inclines I dropped way back. Unlike the man who's been cross-bred with a mountain goat.

Later we watched the New York Marathon. Not as gripping as last year's race, but I was glad to see Paula win again. She's amazing. Also a fabulous performance from local runner Haley Haining who finished 12th in 2:32:12.

Saturday 1 November 2008

Antenatal yoga

I know. How lame is that? I never thought I'd see the day that I would attend (let alone willingly pay an extortionate fee to attend) an antenatal yoga class.

I searched numerous venues, but the only suitable class was held in Balance in Glasgow's west-end on Saturdays at 1pm. It's such as rubbish time as it's smack-bang in the middle of the day, but I figured it's only a temporary inconvenience. The classes are booked in blocks of five and I was grouped with the 30+ week gals.

I didn't really know what to expect, but I guessed it wouldn't be as strenuous as my usual class. I really didn't expect such a grand turn out though. Mind you in the west-end yoga must be an essential part of antenatal care. Possibly even their weekly "exercise" in take.

Being in the same room with 25 other waddling bumps was quite a surreal experience. it was funny watching people eye each other up and down.

Today's class was more of a introduction to the course, but as suspected it was a bit on the tame side. It's mostly about breathing and relaxing, with lots of labour chat thrown in. I don't have the best concentration span, so I really had to focus to stay with it.

I'm sure it will be beneficial over the next couple of months.