Antenatal classes

Now that I'm 6 months pregnant I've started to think about the birth and preparation for it. At my last appointment with the obstetrician it was me who brought up the subject of antenatal classes. I was told to go and see the mid-wife.

A few weeks later I went to see the mid-wife (no appointment was necessary) and she asked me why I hadn't been earlier. So I explained that I had taken the initiative in asking about antenatal care as nothing had been mentioned in any of my appointments so far.

She wrotoe my name and telephone number in a notebook and said that they would call me when I needed to start. I asked whether partners were welcome and the answer was firmly no.

I am very disappointed by this (although not altogether surprised) and it seems like another downfall in the Spanish system. The reason I was given for partners not being allowed to attend is that there isn't enough space - but really I believe it is because the system is still old fashioned and out of date especially when it comes to women's health. Perhaps its different in other parts of Spain (I live in Guipuzcoa in the North).

Another annoying thing that happened to me this week is that I went into prenatal to get some t-shirts as I am rapidly growing out all my clothes. They didn't have any decent ones left in my size and when I asked the over-powering sales assistant she said that they wouldn't be receiving anymore summer stock and would only be getting in winter stock.

Well it's still May and summer hasn't even started yet...so how crazy is that!

Pregnancy and sleep

Now that I'm 6 months pregnant I'm finding it hard to get comfortable in bed. I used to sleep on my stomach but thats impossible now.

From what I've read in books about pregnancy you're supposed to sleep on your left side with a cushion for support. Apparently you're not supposed to sleep on your right side although the reasons for this aren't clear. And sleeping on your back is bad for you and gives you backache because of the weight you're carrying.

The above advice has proved useful and I usually manage to fall asleep on my left side although I do find myself sometimes lying on my back or right side as sleeping in one position for 8 hours is almost impossibe and also quite uncomfortable. Often when I wake up I have lower back ache but luckily I've got my partner into the habit of giving me a quick back massage in the morning before he goes to work and it seems to do the trick as I don't have backache once I'm up and about.

Last night I woke up with terrible cramp for the first time - this is also a common complaint aswell as getting pins and needles which I've also had.

Another thing is the heat. Now its started to get hot during the day, it's much warmer at night and this is also another reason why I'm finding it hard to sleep at night. A cooling electric fan is a must.

Apart from the physical aspects of pregnany and sleep there's also the racing mind and worries. A good rememdy for this is a glass of cold milk which aswell as being sleep inducing is also a boost to your daily calcium intake.

I also recently read an article in the Guardian about specially shaped cushions that can help support your bump. Although they look a bit pricey I'm might invest in one when I go to the UK. I think they sell them in Boots, John Lewis and Mothercare and they cost between 20 and 30 pounds.

Air Travel and Pregnancy

I have just booked a 3 week trip to the UK. I'll be 29 weeks pregnant when I fly out and 33 weeks when I fly back.

Before booking the flight I did a bit of research into the pros and cons of air travel when pregnant. As far as I can see air travel isn't recommended until after the first trimester - (not knowing I was pregnant at the end of December I travelled 4 times by plane and at that time I was 4 weeks pregnant!).

I haven't found any specific reasons for not flying while pregnant although it's important to remember that you'll need a medical certificate to show that you have had no complications in the pregnancy and also your delivery date if you're planning to travel between the 27th and 33rd week of pregnancy. Some airlines let you travel up to 36 weeks pregnant.

When I asked my obstetrician for a medical certificate she gave me a note dating the conception date and the delivery date. It was written on what they normally use for referrals to see a consultant. I'm not sure whether this really counts as an official medical certificate and it doesn't state that I'm in good health and have had a normal pregnancy so far. I will have to ask again at my next appointment as I feel that I should be entitled to something better. Another point is that although I live in Spain I'll be travelling from France with a British airline so I need to check with them whether they need anything in English or whether Spanish is OK?

The second scan

I had my second scan last week (21 weeks pregnant) in a private clinic (paid for by social security) as there were no appointments available in my local health centre where I normally go for my regular check ups.

I was a bit nervous as not only was I going to find out if the baby is a girl or a boy but also whether the baby is growing at a normal rate and/or any other possible complications.

The clinic wasn't very well organised first of all I had to wait ages to be seen (at least 40 mins) as it was packed. Finally I was called into the room by a rather gruff nurse who seemed to have a permanent scowl. Luckily the doctor was very nice and explained everything carefully. Also this time I could see the screen quite clearly (unlike last time).

Everything was fine and we were told it is a boy. I wasn't very surprised as I'd had the idea I was having a boy in my mind anyway. Just a coincidence or intuition? I was told to go for a half hour walk because the baby wouldn't turn meaning its spine couldn't be measured.

Half an hour later I went back to have another scan and luckily the baby had moved and the doctor got the measurements he needed to complete the scan.

It's amazing how much you can make out in the scan, you can even see the outline of a face including eyes, nose and mouth aswell as arms, hands fingers.

Beforehand I had been a bit worried that the baby wouldn't be big enough because I am a vegetarian but I always make sure I eat plenty of cheese, milk, cereals and eggs. I only have lentils and chickpeas about once a week.

In the end I was very pleased with the result of the scan and felt reassured that so far everything is going well.

Pregnancy and Clothing

I've always enjoyed wearing fashionable clothes and taking care of my appearance so when I found out I was pregnant I was determined not to become a pregnant frump in oversized baggy clothing that looks like you're wearing a sack and makes you look twice as large.

Now I'm just starting my 21st week of pregnancy my bump is growing rapidy. I found that I could get away with wearing my normal clothes until about the 16th week.

In Spain there doesn't seem to be that much choice and what there is a bit pricey. So far I have only bought a few key garments that are specifically for pregnancy. I've bought a bikini and a skirt from a shop called Prenatal - a bit expensive at 115 euros for the two garments (but the bikini looks great).

Unfortunately there isn't a Corte Ingles where I live so my options are quite limited. As Zara clothes are quite small fitting anyway it isn't really an option for me (apart from bags and sandals!). And you need to be quite thin to fit into anything from Mango. The other shops that I've seen here selling maternity clothes are small expensive boutiques so I'll give them a miss.

Luckily while I was over in the UK for a weekend visit over a month ago I got some good stuff from Top Shop's maternity range. I managed to get a pair of decent jeans (with an expanding waistline), some black linen trousers and a wrap-around dress. I also got a top from Oasis one size up from my normal size. Top Shop have an online shopping service which includes their maternity range but only deliver within the UK so you need to have someone who will forward the parcels to Spain. If you live in Madrid or Barcelona you won't have this problem as there is a Top Shop in both cities.

Another useful item I got from Top Shop was something called a 'bump cover' which is a wide band made from t-shirt material designed to cover your bump so that you can wear tops that are a bit shorter (a good investment at just 5 pounds).