My Bump Diary - 23 Weeks Pregnant

23 weeks already and this pregnancy is really flying by.

This week my baby is apparently the size of a pomegranate. I don't know what you think but three weeks ago she was the size of a cantaloupe melon. I'm therefore not sure how much I trust the comparison. Anyway she is supposed to measure more than 11 inches long and weigh just over a pound, so she is definitely growing.

My baby can swallow now and blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for her breathing. Husband and I can feel her moving and squirming about more and more frequently now and she really is a bit of a wriggler. She always wiggles when he puts his head on my tummy and when he talks to her too. Its really sweet and reminds me how he did this with both the girls.

I am actually  feeling great! My mood has improved massively since Rosie has been walking on the School run again. My back ache has gone too which is wonderful.

I do have a bit of itchy skin again though which gets worse during the evening so have to keep the moisturiser  close by. Its all over my body but nowhere near as bad as it was with the girls.

I took  a picture of my bump yesterday and here it is:

I have popped out a bit this week but I don't think i'm looking too huge really. I do have a very funny bump though. In the morning its hardly there but by the evening I look like i'm ready to drop, then I wake up and its disappeared again....I don't remember feeling like this with the girls.

Anyway,I cant believe I am almost 6 months pregnant. I cant wait to meet my baby girl and see what or who she looks like. I keep wondering if she will have dark hair like the girls both did and what sort of baby she will be. Its all so exciting. At the start I was a little worried it wouldn't be as exciting 3rd time round but it definitely is.

I am still absolutely terrified about the birth bit though, so trying not to think about it too much.

I have brought a book and have started to prepare Rosie for her arrival. I think she is starting to understand and she asks for the book several times a day. She has stopped looking up her top when we talk about the baby now but sometimes pulls at mine. Poppy is just very excited and keeps asking is she can hold her, kiss her and help look after her.

All in all I am happy to be having a pretty healthy and easy pregnancy. Fingers crossed it stays like this.

Karen x

Thinking Slimmer Whilst Pregnant Update

Having lost a stone and a dress size  with Thinking Slimmer before getting pregnant I wanted to make sure I didn't pile on the weight once pregnant. I therefore spoke with Sandra and we decided I would switch slimpod from the drop 2 Jean sizes to the maintain your weight one - to try and help me stay healthy throughout my pregnancy.

I am now 23 weeks pregnant with baby number 3 and am feeling great!

I listen to my slimpod approximately 2-3x a week and find it has helped me to:

• Relax and enjoy a good nights sleep
• Not slip back into old eating habits
• Not pile on lots of excess weight not baby/pregnancy related
• Eat a pretty healthy, sensible diet

This was never about losing weight...that would be both silly and irresponsible,.

I am just trying to  stay as healthy as possible for both my baby and myself. and  wanted to prevent slipping back into old eating habits and piling on excess weight that would be hard to shift once this baby pops out! I must admit, I think I might be on the right track.

This is me today at 23 weeks (I have popped out a bit in the past week):

I think you can see the weight is around my tummy where it should be rather than on my legs and bottom!

I am currently eating 3 meals a day plus one snack around 3pm. I always start the day with cereal and am eating plenty of fresh fruit too. I would be lying if I said I haven't eaten any junk but I have not gone mad. I definitely haven't been eating for two.

I think my slimpod has helped me:

• Want to eat a well balanced, healthy diet,
• therefore preventing serious food cravings as not missing valuable nutrients
• Have little sickness
• Not pig out or over indulge too much
• Feel good because I am not putting on huge amounts of weight

I have only had 3 weeks of feeling sick during this pregnancy and during that time did crave a few naughty things like sweets and salt and vinegar crisps. I just went with it though, as was feeling awful. Since those few weeks past though, I have  been feeling really good and have eaten much, much better.

I am definitely not worried about losing the weight afterwards either, I will just switch back to my old slimpod and know I don't need to worry or focus on my diet.  This will be particularly good as I am hoping to breast feed again and don't want to have to watch what I am eating. The slimpod makes you chose healthy options, smaller portions without thinking about it.

I am not weighing myself each week but I know what I weighed at the start and will see what I weigh at the end. I never wanted to become obsessed about weight though...as I said, it was about more than that.

For me Thinking Slimmer is helping me to stay healthy throughout this pregnancy and I am feeling great.

Karen x