Can't be long now...

I think someone has said that to me pretty much every day for the past couple of weeks. Imagine if I was just fat - that would be embarrassing...

I turned up to my salsa class for the first time in a couple of weeks wearing my new super-cool 'mind the bump' t-shirt and my uber camp, uber Italian salsa instructor came over, recited the words in his lovely accent, placed his hands on the bump then gave me a hug. At the end of the class, I asked him to tell me if he thought me and bump were struggling to keep up and he said no quite vehemently, which was reassuring.

People at work ask a lot, and it rather embarrassingly comes up in work-related situations when I am making plans for well ahead and I have to explain that it won't be me doing whatever it is, as I am off on maternity leave. I'm not used to - or particularly comfortable - divulging personal information in a work capacity. It's funny how a visible manifestation of pregnancy is virtually public property, although so far I have been spared the indignity of random strangers coming up for a tummy rub. For the most part, I like the recognition - it seems like it took a really long time for me to look pregnant, and it also gives me an excuse to put my hands on my lower back, push my belly out in that preggers lady, and attract sympathy where needed.

That said, bending down to pick stuff up is becoming a bit of a bitch.

My tummy upset turned out to be a violent but swift attack of the D and Vs, probably norovirus my doctor friend reckons, and other than being able to eat virtually nothing for three days straight and feeling quite drained it left me pretty much unscathed.

Coincidentally, I had a midwife's appointment just after said outbreak and I was told that my dark urine was consistent with dehydration and the presence of ketones in it indicative of the fact I hadn't really been eating. But that I shouldn't worry. So I didn't. Other checks were all good - baby heartbeat all present and correct, fundal height (size of belly measured very technically from the outside using a tape measure) at the text book measurement of 28cm at 28 weeks, etc etc. I was also offered the chance to be weighed, and as I hadn't stepped on a set of scales since my booking appointment, I thought why not - weight gain since 8 weeks of 6kg, or about 13lbs. According to midwife, that's v normal - according to google, perhaps slightly lower than average but I strongly suspect I had already put on a few extra lbs in weeks 1 to 8 so I think it all balances out. She also told me I'm likely to put the same on again. That sounds like less fun.

My wardrobe is becoming more and more limited. There are still a few non-maternity clothes I can rock, but anything trouser related is a no-no. Am contemplating buying a couple more things to make me feel good about myself but wonder if this is an unnecessary indulgence and expense. I did buy an extra pair of (non-maternity) pyjamas from Tesco in a size up from normal but I think this may have been an error of judgement - they are a bit too big to wear under the bump while if I wear them on the bump, they will stretch beyond all human proportions by the end of pregnancy and I won't be able to wear them. Tricky. Heyho, they were only £7 and the bottoms have stars on them.

Third trimester

In the past couple of weeks I've gone from having really a pretty small bump to swelling to the point I look like I've stuffed a huge melon down my front. And from having a pretty normal appetite to being constantly hungry. Yes, indeed, I am pregnant. Can't hide it now even if I wanted to. I'm still just about managing to cycle to work, some of the time - although people are constantly expressing shock at the fact that I'm on my bike. I foresee fairly soon it will get a bit too bulbous for that kind of shenanigans, but I'm going to try and keep on doing it until 7 months.

I now have less than two months left at work and it is beginning to feel a bit like the end is in sight. The baby kicks a lot - and recently my husband has been able to feel it sometimes when he puts his hand on my tummy.

We went to a festival this weekend and it was telling just how much more knackering everything is now - walking, dancing, just sitting in the sun. Fortunately, my other half was on hand to lug around all the stuff you need to camp. It's like I need to make adjustments to how I live my life on an almost daily basis.

This morning I woke feeling really sick - and then I ended up throwing up violently three times. Followed by a small amount of diarrhoea. I don't know whether I ate some dodgy festival food, or picked up a bug, or it's just a weird pregnancy thing, but it was pretty horrible - no work today and probably none tomorrow either. I hope it's a one off.

Shopping

Received wisdom is that once you have a child, the endless merrygoround of spend, spend, spend is inescapable. Pregnancy too offers shopaholics the chance to go completely mad (and buy cute outfits with ears and slightly nauseating phrases on them to boot).

While I am quite realistic about my financial situation and determined not to do what apparently every new parent does and buy far too much, a certain amount of shopping is inevitable. And I rather fear my husband has got slightly hooked. Since last posting, we have ordered a cot mattress (I think everyone will agree this is an essential purchase), a couple of blankets from Ebay, and visited Mothercare at least twice, not to mention Primark's baby section.

We also went to a pre-school nearly new sale, picking up a bouncy rocker thing for £4 (my sister tells me this is really one thing worth getting) and a toy snake to wind round a cot or pram for 50p(more dubious on this one but it was only 50p and made the poor boy very happy).

We also picked up a pack of 5 baby socks from Primark, along with a couple of tops and trousers for a grand sum of £7.50, along with a big baggy t-shirt for me to give birth in (£3) and a huge button down nightie and even bigger pyjama bottoms with drawstring waist for a few more quid to wear after the birth and feed littl'un from.

And, err, a small pack of maternity towels and disposable knickers, a pack of Tesco ultrasoft newborn nappies and economy baby wipes, and a breast pump.

On the plus side, I think I have almost everything I physically need for this baby to come into the world, save for a couple of bits like a changing mat and cot sheets, and most of the contents of my hospital bag. But this child already has enough possessions for a small army. And I do still think I'm being quite restrained... I'm saving the rest for the baby shower. Which I need to find someone to throw me.