Finally 24 weeks pregnant! These photos were taken at 23 weeks, but I'm now 24+3 and keep forgetting to photograph myself! Idiot. To be honest bump hasn't changed much in the past week really.
Since I last documented at 20 weeks, I've started "maternity leave" it's not officially classed as maternity leave as I'm on my 5 weeks annual leave before I start medical suspension at 28 weeks for 8 weeks. My work company send you on medical suspension due to government's guidance as we know covid can be very dangerous for pregnant people to contract, so I'm very grateful for my company for caring enough to send me off for my protection as I am in a higher risk job and can't currently be vaccinated. Anyway, my official maternity leave starts at 36 weeks but unless Boris changes his mind on pregnant woman (which would be a dick move as my risk level isn't going to change in the next few weeks of my pregnancy) I am off work for my safety and I'm just enjoying being the outdoors and snuggled in the house with my little family.
Because of this risk, Brad and I are continuing to stay behind the 'road map out of lockdown' for mine and Caspar's safety. We're currently continuing to have only social distanced visits from very limited people, not overly mixing the children, not visiting busy places like pubs and restaurants (when they open) indoors or outdoors and only visiting shops when necessary, like Friday as the children needed some cheap summer bits but actually it was hideously busy and caused me masses of anxiety. It may seem extreme or silly to some but the research into pregnant woman catching covid and the admissions to ICU, etc... its terrifying and if its avoidable by extending our "lockdown" for an extra few months and coming out of this pregnancy as a healthy mama and healthy baby and with me walking into a vaccination centre by mid September at the latest, then so be it. Thankfully those in our bubble are limiting their socialising prior to visiting us too, just for caution too, as it seems silly us continuing to be really careful for someone to visit who's been socialising and bring it in the home. It's tricky for us as obviously no ones breaking laws by socialising in pub gardens, etc... and soon inside restaurants and we're just grateful for them limiting that to just those work commitments and necessary shop visits, before visiting us to protect baby but mean we can continue to have a small bubble of people. We miss so many people and can't wait until the children can start having all the play dates but after seeing Grace Victory in a coma for 3 months and having her little boy slightly premature, it's scared me a lot and it's not something worth the risk. She's so strong and amazingly positive but we have to remember she was seriously poorly, in a coma and missed the first 3 months of her baby boys life. I have to think about my three sprouts earthside as well as the one in my tum. Anyway, Nicole's anxiety rambles there.
I have managed to get some courage to start back up outdoor photoshoots with a social distance of course, which I pretty much have always done anyway. I hate that my business has been closed for so long, over a year and I don't want it to close completely so being in the open outdoors and the risk being very, very slim, I am eager to capture some other families and peoples photos whilst I still can before I have to close back up again for maternity leave. I have 5 shoots tomorrow to do which has me super excited and I am excited for a little normality. If I wasn't on annual leave I'd be at work still at the moment, so I'm excited for this a lot. Welcome back Candid Days Photography!
Anyway, moving on from covid fears which is a bit of a ramble, I have hit "viability" that time you really don't want to have your baby yet as it's too early but you have a sense of relief that if you were to go into labour, you'd still have a chance to take your baby home at some point in the future. I'll never forget that strange false labour I had with Iris at 23 weeks and being told, if she's born today, we won't save her but if she's born in 2 days we will try... Thankfully she wasn't born until 39 weeks and is now a loud, sassy 4 year old haha.
I am so glad to reach this stage but would prefer if he stays in there for at very least another 12 and a half weeks!
He's starting to be such a massive wiggler and Brad has finally felt him move and seen him and Lucas got to feel it too the other day which he loved! It's so nice to feel him, I still worry whenever I don't feel him for a couple of hours because I've been busy or whatever and then I feel him and I'm like ahh, perfect. I tend to spend a LOT of time with my bump out as I hate trousers, hate pants and hate being covered in the evening... haha.
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