Ready for another one?

Hannah Deacon - 24 Feb 17

So, I have a seven-month-old baby. And now I’d like another one please. Although the rational part of my brain is well aware that that would be COMPLETELY INSANE, I just can’t switch off that nagging part of my brain that says “oh, go on”.

It’s not even like I enjoy pregnancy. It hurts, and I am terrible at it.

Thankfully I don’t get full blown morning sickness, although I do get that vague, never-ending nausea that means that you have to mainline biscuits for 12 weeks. What I do get, from around 15 weeks, is ankles the size of grapefruits and severe back ache, radiating from the puncture site of an old botched epidural. I don’t even get that big – it’s not like I’m carting a beach-ball-sized bump around like you see some poor girls with.

Also, a little more terrifyingly (although fairly common it turns out, it’s just one of those things people never mention) I bleed in pregnancy. And I mean bleed. Like “looks like there’s been a murder” bleeding. And happily for me, this has not only happened in the comfort of my own home, but also at work. Twice.

And then there’s the fact that my daughter arrived 10 weeks earlier than expected. This was mainly caused by my waters breaking at 28 weeks, for absolutely no reason, a condition called PPROM. I will try and write another post on this at a later date for anyone else who is experiencing the same thing, as there really isn’t much information about it and nobody really seems to have heard of it unless it’s happened to them! I remember how surprised a nurse was when I told her my waters had gone whilst I was asleep; people are expecting you to have been jumping around, running a marathon or something else equally ridiculous.

I felt like I knew all along I was never going to make it full term. I have a slightly oddly shaped (bi-cornuate) uterus which I thought might impact the length of the pregnancy and therefore I spent the entire pregnancy predicting she would be at least a month early. As it turns out, my doctors didn’t think the shape of my uterus had any impact in the end, and my waters going was just another unfortunate thing that could happen to anyone.

I’m also fully expecting to have gestational diabetes in my next pregnancy, as I was borderline by the time I gave birth this time, so I won’t even be able to cheer myself up with a nice Danish pastry (my only craving, as it turns out, and possibly the main cause of the diabetes…).

Also, as easy going as our little one is, I know that everything’s going to be a lot more hectic once she gets a move on and starts running around the house, causing mayhem. She’s been so relaxed so far, I’m convinced we’re in for an absolutely terrible two’s!

Well I’m not sure I can live in a Danish-less world for another 7-9 months just yet, especially while dealing with a strong-willed toddler, so I think I’ve talked myself out of having another one… for the moment at least.

Hannah Deacon

Hannah Deacon is mum to one Rainbow Baby, Isla, and is currently a stay at home mum. Lover of food, clothes and the occasional glass of vino, you can also check out her Instagram if you're interested.

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