Welcome to the third trimester!

We made it to the third trimester! This photo was taken today at 28 + 5, so that's just 11 + 2 to go. When I first got pregnant I thought I'd blog about my experiences, keeping a diary of the bump's progress, a 'maternity series' if you like, as so many other mummy bloggers have done so well. But that didn't quite work out. There have been a few updates, here and here and the bump has featured a few times in my week in photos. But I thought it was high time for a proper catch up.



Below - Bathroom instagraming - 25 weeks and 28 weeks

• Maternity clothes look bad. I know, I know, we have way more choice than ever before with highstreet heavy weights like Topshop and ASOS making maternity versions of a selection of pieces in their key lines. Our mothers spent 9 months hiding under large floral sheets. I know. But they still look shit. The jeans, leggins and jersey items are excused from this. They are a God send. The dresses however have not come far since those large floral sheets. They are tenty and unflattering. I wore one and was told I looked 'ready to pop'. Not what anyone wants to hear at 6 months pregnant.

• I have a raging sweet tooth. I used to wash every meal down with half a bottle of chablis which kept the old sweet tooth at bay. Now I finish my dinner with pudding. I have recently extended this policy to lunch. And in the words of Alice I am eating my feelings. Every drink I can't have and party I'm too tired to attend goes down the hatch. Nom. Which leads neatly onto my next point...

• I'm getting fat. And not just on the belly. My thighs touch in the middle. I have cellulite and when I waggle my arms there is the distinct beginning of a bingo wing. I've always been quite body conscious and small portions and a high metabolism kept me at my regulation size 8. Here is a photo of Matt and I on honeymoon in Belize in January 2011. See? skinny. But it's ok, it's better than ok, it's totally worth it. I get to have a baby and that's really cool. 

•  Decent sleep is hard to come by. I haven't had a proper night since somewhere around week 16 when I could no longer sleep on my tummy. How does anyone sleep on their side? Where do your arms go? How do you not wake up with a numb hand and achy hips?  

• I have been religiously rubbing oils on the bump since the start of the second trimester. My mum didn't get stretch marks when she was pregnant but I have the silvery scars on my hips, bum and boobs from teenage growth spurts to prove that I may not be so lucky. My good friend Marie bought me Mama Mio Tummy Rub with the endorsement that all her mum friends had used it in pregnancy and none had stretch marks. That's the kind of endorsement I like. I've also been using good old Bio Oil. So far, no stretch marks.

• My eye-sight is shot to shit. Pregnancy truly destroys every bit of your body. I am dreading the dentist. 

• We have a amassed a decent stash of baby stuff. My in-laws brought us loads of amazing Baby Gap stuff from the states and have even crocheted the little lady tiny outfits! She is going to be better dressed than me, as it should be. We also have a crib and have been buying up 241 nappies as and when. Still to buy - a pram, a sling, bottles and sterilising equipment. we're trying to keep things to a minimum and just buy the bare essentials at first. Is this sensible or stupid? 

• I've joined twitter. Apparently it is a good way of building a network of supportive mums. They will be the ones who will reassure you that your baby is normal and keep you sane through 4am feeds. I've already made a few friends although tbh I'm yet to get the hang of it or see the point of it. At the moment I just seem to be eavesdropping on other peoples conversations. Is that the point? Anyway you can follow me @julesandclem and I will try to be an engaging and funny tweeter. Try being the operative word.

• Next Saturday I start prenatal yoga. This is something I've wanted to do all through pregnancy and only just got round to. It's supposed to be good for general pregnancy aches and pains and excellent labour preparation. My local class, at The Sunflower Centre, is also very social. The ladies all go for coffee and a chat after the class so hopefully I'll make some new mummy buddies too. Score.