We wanted to keep all you readers updated on our blogger’s lives and welcome blogger Courtney Adamo’s new little angel Ivy… (How adorable is she?) She is the perfect new addition to the Babyccino family…

Courtney is one of  the brilliant moms behind Babyccino. If you read our blog often you will know how much we LOVE Babyccino - Not only it is beautifully designed & packed full of the useful mommy information, but it feels as if it could be written by your fabulous, always in the know, how does she do it best friend. This last post by Esther in Amsterdam is just fantastic!

With a it more than six weeks left until the baby is due, it’s safe to say I’m on the home stretch! I’m beginning to find myself in that very familiar ‘nesting phase’ of organization, tidying, planning, last-minute purchases, etc. Just this week I brought our moses basket out of storage because I want to replace the mattress and have it all ready for when the baby arrives. Just seeing the moses basket in our bedroom is making it all feel real. Soon there will be a baby lying next to my bed!


I’m still feeling pretty well, albeit a bit more tired and certainly a bit more heavy. I’m starting to feel pressure and the occasional cramping pains, especially if I’ve been on my feet all day (which is quite difficult to avoid when you’ve got two little boys to chase after)! It feels like the baby is already quite low in position, but I think this is pretty normal for a third baby. In any case, these cramps and twinges are all a sign that the birth is not far away.

Now, if only I could decide on a name for the baby I would be one step further to being fully prepared…


-Courtney

I’m afraid I’m becoming a bit redundant with my weekly pregnancy updates, but this past week was another uneventful one.  I suppose this is a good thing, as I’m still feeling really good, still have plenty of energy, and still getting enough rest in the evenings.  And, thanks to my two other munchkins keeping me busy, I even sometimes forget I’m pregnant entirely…  Until I bend over to grab something off the floor, or bump into the wall with my bulging bump!  The growing belly is definitely a constant reminder.

 
My husband and I are starting to think about baby names, which is more difficult this pregnancy because we don’t know the sex of the baby.  (Previously, we knew we were having a boy, so it was easier to focus!) These days I am constantly scanning street signs, studying the newspaper, reading (and re-reading) baby name books, etc.  We still haven’t come up with anything we love.   Thankfully we still have two months to go…

- Courtney

Brrrrrr… It’s cold outside! And can you believe the snow? We bundled up our boys early on Monday morning and walked to the Heath to join the swarms of other Londoners enjoying the snow. It was unbelievable how many people were there – you could literally hear the roar of the crowd before you even got there. People were sledding on every slope in the Heath, and with every version of a sled you could find: lids of recycling bins, plastic bin bags, estate agent signs, cardboard, etc. How innovative the Brits are!


My boys loved the snow, but I’m personally tired of it! I know it’s wishful thinking, but I was hoping the few sunny (and slightly warm) days last week were an indication of an early spring! I’m ready for warmer weather already!


Pregnancy wise, there’s nothing really new with me. I’m still enjoying the ‘easy’ phase of pregnancy it seems -- I’m still sleeping okay, my bump is big but not yet obtrusive, and I still seem to have plenty of energy. I’m enjoying it because I know it doesn’t last! I don’t want to jinx myself, but it seems I feel better this pregnancy than the previous two!

-Courtney

This week was somewhat quiet and uneventful. No major changes physically, no appointment with my midwife, no big news…


But I have been thinking lately about my birthing options, and still haven’t decided what to do!! Should I opt for a home birth, or should I choose and register myself at a hospital?? I know I have a few months to decide, but the time will go quickly and I’ll probably be undecided up until the moment!


Let me give you some history… For both my previous pregnancies I chose to use a private midwife for all my antenatal/birthing/postnatal care. I liked the comfort of seeing the same midwife for all my appointments, and I loved the more relaxed and homeopathic methods that a midwife uses in comparison to many private doctors. Both times I had hoped to have my baby at home (I had visions of dim light, candles, music, my own bed, my own bathroom, etc.), but unfortunately both my babies were born in the hospital, one with an epidural and the second completely naturally. My labours were both extremely long and very painful. Both times my body took a really, really long time to dilate to the full ten centimeters, and despite what people had told me, my second labour took even longer than the first.


So, while I still love the idea of having a baby in the comfort of my own home, I’m also afraid that a third labour will be just as long, just as painful, and will result in the same way – at the hospital. Maybe this time I should just head directly to the hospital from the start, ask for an epidural, and enjoy a less painful and dramatic birth. (It would be nice to avoid a late-night, last-minute, traumatic drive to the hospital!) But then again, perhaps the third time will be the charm? What to do… what to do?!


- Courtney

Today as I’m writing, I’m sitting at my desk looking out at (partly) blue skies and sunshine, and it honestly makes such a difference in my mood! We also took advantage of the sunny weekend with long walks in the Heath, which always makes me feel really energized! So at the moment I’m feeling really good, both physically and mentally. I like this period of pregnancy when energy levels are up and you’re not too physically burdened by a big bump!


The baby’s kicks are starting to get stronger and stronger, even to the point where they wake me up at night. I don’t mind though – I like the occasional reminders of a little life inside me. My oldest son, Easton, can feel the baby kicking, which is quite fun for him. He’s at the age (3_) where they start to understand pregnancy and babies, so he is getting excited about the idea. I think he’ll be a really good big brother, or at least I’m hoping so! I’m sort of hoping (fingers crossed) that because I have two boys who are really close, they won’t be as affected by a new baby in the house. Hopefully they’ll distract one another enough that I won’t have to deal with sibling jealousy and displacement this time around. Wishful thinking maybe… but I have to tell myself these things in order to get my head round the idea of having three little kids!


- Courtney

I’ve just returned from a nice long holiday in the states, and it is back to business as usual for me. Back to our normal routine, back to school for my oldest son, back to work for my husband, back to the never ending pile of laundry… ugggh! Time flew by while on holiday and I can’t believe I’m 23 weeks pregnant already. Only four months to go!


Today we had our 20-week fetal anomaly scan at the Fetal Medicine Centre. The scan went really well and the baby looks perfectly healthy! Unlike with our previous pregnancies, we didn’t find out the sex of the baby this time. I just don’t want to know. It’s an interesting feeling when you already have two children, especially two boys. Everyone assumes that I would, of course, hope for a girl this time, which isn’t the case at all. I honestly, honestly don’t care. I know that no matter what the baby is, I will love it all the same. From the minute he or she is born, it will feel like that was the baby I was meant to have, and he or she will fit perfectly into our family. So, despite the demand from friends and family to find out the sex of the baby, this third baby will be a surprise!



- Courtney

I’m 20 weeks pregnant this week, so I’m half way there! It’s a bit scary because these past 20 weeks have flown by, so I know the next will also. I’m enjoying this part of the pregnancy because I still have plenty of energy, and my belly isn’t too big to be uncomfortable yet. I would normally be scheduled for a 20-week scan at this time, but because I’m away on holiday for the next couple weeks the scan is postponed until then. I’m definitely eager to see another scan of this baby!


I know the baby is getting bigger because my belly is growing, and the baby’s kicks are getting stronger and stronger. Even my husband can feel the kicks, which is nice for him because it’s a physical reminder of baby number three…


We’re enjoying the remainder of our winter holiday with family, friends and lots of food! I hope you all are too!


-Courtney

This week was an exciting one because I started to be able to feel the baby kicking. It feels like tiny butterflies flying inside me – a very faint feeling, probably only recognizable because I’ve been pregnant twice before so I know what to expect. It’s a wonderful little reminder of the life inside me; sometimes I feel as if I have a secret nobody else knows. It’s also nice to feel the baby because these days my life is crazy busy and I often forget about the pregnancy entirely, so these tiny kicks are a fun reminder that indeed I am pregnant, and it’s nice to slow down and acknowledge it.


People are starting to really comment on my pregnancy – I must be truly ‘showing’ if it is this obvious. Even my son’s teachers at his nursery were commenting today about my pregnant belly (and also about how I will have three small children all quite close in age)! Yikes! But, it’s like I’ve said before, my husband and I are from big families so we’re used to the chaos!



- Courtney

The past week was really rainy, and it’s beginning to get dark earlier and earlier. I think this weather is having an effect on my energy levels as I still feel quite tired and lethargic. I’m into the second trimester now, so I should be feeling a bit more energetic! On the bright side, I’m no longer feeling nauseous, and my headaches have finally stopped. I’m also starting to look a bit more pregnant, which is always nice (better to look pregnant than just bloated)!


My normal J-Brand skinny jeans are starting to get tight in the tummy, especially when I sit down, and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to squeeze myself into them. I noticed today that Blossom sells cute J-Brand pregnancy skinny jeans and I could not be more excited to go and try them out! I feel like a good pair of jeans is one of the most essential maternity pieces, and thankfully there are some good options out there which are stylish yet comfortable at the same time.


Looks like I need a shopping trip! I hope the sun comes out so I’ll feel more motivated…

- Courtney