36 weeks ~ finishing work

This week I had a focal seizure, tried not to think about it too much, had a lot of other things on my mind.  I had an appointment with the midwife who had no concerns and said I was looking really well and I was feeling really well too.  Although I was quite big and waddling a bit but I didn’t really feel I had anything to moan about.  I finished work for maternity leave this week too, although I felt a bit bad because I didn’t feel I couldn’t work, I think people were a little relieved I was going, I think they thought I might give birth at work!  I was told I didn’t use my pregnancy to moan or get out of things which made me feel good, never want to make a fuss.  I feel so lucky to work in such a lovely place with such supportive colleagues and inspiring young people. I was given lots of baby bits, a voucher and a yummy cake from my work colleagues. The kids gave them to me and said good-bye, some of the parents gave me some little gifts too, feel so honoured.  

I also saw the health visitor, you don’t usually see them until after the birth but one of the first midwives I had seen had picked up on that I was quite anxious about looking after a baby with my epilepsy and so had asked the health visitor to come and see me.  It was mainly lots of questions but did give me a chance to voice my worries, but I was feeling a bit more confident about it all as had had a chance to plan things a bit more which was good.  Was also a chance to get some information and registered with the Sure Start Centre.

I went to my friend Emily’s mother and baby group, was a really good opportunity to meet new Mum’s and hear other Mum’s stories and gain some advice.  It was also my first anti-natal class, luckily Rich got the time off work.  It is quite daunting walking into a room full of other Mum’s to be, no-one really said anything!  The session was really good, I think it gave a good balance between a “normal” labour and what could go wrong.  I think it’s good to have an idea of what may happen so you can prepare a bit for if it doesn’t go quite to plan.  They spoke about choices, about writing a birth plan… as the session went on I started to realise that I didn’t really have many choices: home births, water births and even pain relief to some extent, my epilepsy took them all away, to begin with I was a bit upset but then the more I thought about it the more I was quite glad, I wanted everything to be covered and most people’s birth plans go out the window when the time comes!