Jo's Blog

Is there such a thing as a normal pregnancy? What is normal? I read an article in a magazine yesterday which suggested that the NHS was under pressure to reduce the number of epidurals in order to hit a target of 60% 'normal' births. Normal is defined as one with minimal medical interference: no epidural, spinal, general aneasthetic, ventouse, etc etc. So I guess a 'normal' pregnancy might be one with minimal medical interference too.

But you only need to glance at any pregnancy internet forum to see quite what a bizarre range of symptoms one might expect in a 'normal' pregnancy. Pretty much anything counts as 'normal' as far as I can tell.

Follow up:

I've had 'normal' pins and needles in my hands and arms for most of the last 6 months. I felt nauseous 17 hours a day (I didn't notice it when asleep) for the first 17 weeks. I was only occasionally sick though, thank goodness. I've put on 1.2kg so far in my pregnancy (but that doesn't reflect losing quite a lot of weight and then putting it back on). This has been qualified as concerning at points, but ultimately 'normal'! I, however, have not had a normal pregnancy because I've been counted as high risk because of my high BMI. But thankfully being a big girl seems to have had little effect on my pregnancy. My blood pressure hasn't gone up, I haven't had gestational diabetes and baby seems spot on average on all the growth charts. So today I was signed off from the consultant (hooray) and have returned to 'normal' midwife led care. I'm very, very pleased.

So my conclusion is pretty much anything passes as 'normal' in the bizarre world of being pregnant. I haven't really enjoyed it at all. I haven't really had a blooming stage when I looked fantastic and had glowing skin and glossy hair. My legs now have horrid little blue veins in random places, my skin is very dry, I've had a spot on my face for the entire 8 1/2 months and my feet and ankles are very swollen. But none of those things are unmanageable, just slightly niggling. I've been very hormonal and weepy almost all the way through (poor husband) and have had terrible pregnancy brain. I rarely manage to leave the house without having to return for at least one forgotten item, I put things in random places and find it even more difficult than normal to finish a sentence.

Please don't think I'm complaining - I'm not, I'm just trying to tell it like it is. When you search for information about pregnancy it is easy to find stories of extremes but harder to find accounts of the boring and mundane. I suppose because boring and mundane doesn't always make exciting reading. But sometimes you just need reassurance that the weird niggles of a pregnancy body are completely normal and other people know what you are going through.

So now I'm nearly at 37 weeks and the waiting game has begun. I wonder when baby boy will make an appearance? The first baby in our NCT group arrived last week, but I'm the second to last in due dates so I'm not expecting to be anytime soon. But one friend predicts I'll be three weeks early, so watch this space on Monday. It is hard not to get excited at the various strange twinges I've been having, but again it would appear that this is completely 'normal'. So hopefully the weather won't get too hot because I think my feet may explode but I'm enjoying the sunshine and plan to spend the afternoon on the beach with the twins. And whilst I'll there I'm practise my breathing exercises quietly and ponder whether I'll be able to manage a 'normal' birth, whenever that may be?