Pregnancy: Week 22

My 22nd week of pregnancy. This was a week of two distinct halves – the first half spent waiting and the second half spent celebrating. That’s because my anomaly scan was mid way through the week.

My hospital doesn’t routinely offer anomaly scans (cutbacks I assume), but when Little Man was scanned at 20 weeks, it was discovered that there was fluid on his kidneys. Thankfully it didn’t turn out to be a major issue, and it mostly resolved itself during his first year. But because there was a history, we were booked in to check that this baby didn’t have the same issue.

The scan was scheduled at 22 weeks specifically to ensure that the kidneys were a little bigger. I didn’t really give a lot of thought to the scan until the couple of days beforehand, at which point the usual little niggly “what ifs” started going through my mind. But overall, I was calm about heading for the scan. In fact, if anything I was a little bit excited because we were planning to ask the gender.

That’s a bit misleading really – what we actually meant was that we were going to ask the technician to confirm that we were having another little boy. Which if you’ve read about our sweet surprise, you’ll know is not what happened at all. To our shock, we found out that it is 95% certain we are having a little girl.

I spent the next 24 hours trying to wrap my head around that news. A little girl. It might sound strange but I’ve just never pictured myself as the mother to a girl. Maybe it’s because I grew up with three brothers and no sisters, but I’ve just always imagined myself with sons. And since Charlie was adamant that he never wanted to be responsible for a teenage daughter, he was determined we were having a son too. We had four boys’ names picked out but not a single girls’ name in mind.

Yet since we found out, I have been so excited! I don’t think I realised how much I wanted a daughter until the ultrasound technician told us that’s what we were having. We now have a short list of about 15 names, four or five of which we really love. But you’ll have to wait until next March or April when she arrives to find out what we decide!

Meanwhile, I get to shop for a whole new baby wardrobe. And speaking of wardrobes, what did I discover in my local H&M but the largest selection of maternity clothes that I have found since becoming pregnant? Thank you H&M – I finally have winter maternity clothes. I also discovered to my surprise that they stock a nice range of nursing tops. I bought a few for next year just in case they change their minds between now and then. I’m so impressed that they stock them at all. Most shops don’t carry any nursing wear at all.

In less exciting news this week, I am still achy. I don’t remember feeling the same pelvic pressure or constant need to pee on my previous pregnancy. But according to the scan, our baby girl is currently in a footling breech position, so any movement I’m sensing is very low down. I plan to dig out the birthing ball, and start sitting on it in the evenings. I figure that together with the yoga should help her to turn soon enough.

Find my complete pregnancy journal here.