Ava Grace Richards

Hi all,
Just a quick message to announce the safe arrival of Ava Grace Richards. She was born on October 17th at 02.25am weighing 6lb 110z. Had a bit of a long labour ending in an emergency c section but she is fine and I am recovering well. Have had some steroids to help with the MS this week already so when we're a bit more settled, I will write in more detail.

Love Em & Ava xxx

3 and a half weeks to go......

Hi all,

Not long now til baby Richards makes and appearance....and I am so excited! I took that picture this morning and noticed how strange the bump shape is. It may be something to do with baby lying bottom down (breech). We had a scan at 34 weeks to check the growth and everything was fine but we found out that baby was the wrong way around for delivery. I have since seen 2 different midwives and neither can tell which way baby is lying.....so if they haven't got a clue neither have I!

My legs have really not been working so well and getting less efficient the bigger the bump gets. So we are seeing our consultant on Oct 14th to find out if the little monkey has turned. If not I will be booked in for a c section. If it has turned they may try and start contractions for me as baby will be counted as full term by then (37 weeks). So we may meet baby Richards sooner than we first thought.

So, the MS side of things...as I said my legs have been the main problem. They are very tight and crampy and my balance is not great. I still also have my numb face which frequently gives me a headache or toothache. I am hoping to have a course of steroids when baby is out to help reduce these symptoms. I also had my first delivery of Rebif today ready to start treatment after the birth. That was quite scary...makes it real that I will have to inject myself soon.

I am under strict instructions from Nathan not to do anything around the house, which is lovely but also driving me insane!!!! I am officially sick of daytime tv having been off work since the school holidays in July. So I am signing off, which may be the last time before baby is here...watch this space.

Em xxx

No work!

Hello all (bump picture 31 weeks)

Well as the title suggests, I have not gone back to work :-(
I should have started back today but instead I have had to admit defeat.

I saw the midwife last week and she told me I would be silly to go back and put my body under more pressure, so I thought I had better put mine and the baby's health first. I had also been suffering with a partially numb face (one side) and patches of numbness in my legs and feet. Which as it happens (I saw my neurologist yesterday) is a relapse. So much for being relapse free through my pregnancy! He did say in extreme disabling relapses they would treat it with steroids but in this case the relapse is more irritating than disabling! (So good news in a strange kind of way). The best way to describe the feeling in my face is of having been to the dentist and had an injection for a filling or something. You know that numbness you get where you dribble and don't notice!!!!!!!! (I know you've all done it!). Luckily only my top lip is numb so no dribbling incidents to report.

Any suggestions of what to do for 8 weeks are very welcome as I will be going insane. My headteacher has told me to take up knitting....may be worth a shot.

Well we have 8 weeks to go until baby Richards arrives and think we are quite sorted with everything. The nursery is done (and has been for a while!), the bits and bobs nearly all sorted and the pram travel system arrived to my parents house this morning. How very exciting, all we need now is baby. I'm taking sweep stake odds for the sex of baby Richards, the date of arrival (due 31st Oct) and the weight. Answers on a postcard............

Bye for now
Em xxx

10 weeks to go......

Hi,
So I have 10 weeks to go until my due date and am now beginning to feel like a whale! It seems to have taken forever to get here but I know these next 10 wks are going to fly by. It is my 27th birthday tomorrow and as my darling husband told me - my last before I will be a mum. What a scary thought!

I have got less than 2 weeks left to go until I return to school and I don't know where the time has gone. I am just making the most of having a school holidays where I haven't had to do a great deal. My classroom was sorted before we finished school, displays were up and books labelled for the new class. I am now going to sort out my plans for the 4 weeks I am at school before I start my maternity leave.

I have been kept sane by the Olympics but now think I have overdosed on the coverage of that as I am getting slightly bored of that too! I am looking forward to the Paralympics starting in Sept as I am very interested in how an old swimming friend of mine will get on. Coincidentally, she has MS too!

As for my MS, no change really. Very tired legs but still not sure if that's MS or baby or a combination of both. I had some injection training for the Rebif (disease modifying drugs) that I will be starting when baby makes an appearance. Although it is an auto injector injection it was still quite scary injecting it into some fake skin! I am sure I will get used to it when I start using it three times a week.

xxx

Heat heat heat and summer holidays!

Hi all,

Well I'm finally on school holidays and already a week has passed. Bump is rapidly expanding and kicking me nicely! Everything seems to be going well with the pregnancy. We have just started to see my stomach moving from the outside which is so exciting and great for Nathan as he feels more involved. I'm 26 weeks now so only have 14 to go! I'm having another scan at 34 weeks to check that baby is growing ok and everything is on course. I suppose that is a benefit of the MS - I get extra special care!

I've not really done a great deal this week as I have been really struggling with the heat. It has been so muggy and humid that I am really struggling to walk anywhere or do anything. I am ok when I first get up and try to do as many jobs as I can before it gets too hot! I think it is just the MS flaring up and slowing down the nerve conduction, but I am sure the pregnancy has something to do with it! I have definitely noticed an improved circulation being pregnant but having always had cold hands and feet it is really strange to have hot hands and feet. Plus it adds to the loss of sensation which is not great but hey I'm not complaining, it will be worth it.

Em x

Baby bump

Hi all,

Sorry this post has been a long time coming, I just forget how long it has been since I last wrote until I get on here and see the date the last post was published! Well as you can see from the pic Baby Richards is developing nicely. We could have found out the sex of the baby at the scan, but we want a surprise so didn't find out. I am now 21 weeks pregnant so just over half way, it seems to have flown by yet it still seems so far away until baby is actually here. We have decorated the nursery this week and got the furniture delivered so Nathan is a very excited builder!

As for the MS........as bump expands, my balance seems to take a knock. My physio warned me that it might happen but I think it might be a long 3 and a half months now. School have been very good and are managing to get all the sport bits and bobs covered for me so I don't have to do anything but teach. As much as I hate it and am determined I don't need it, I have been using my stick for mine (and the baby's) safety if I am feeling a bit wobbly.

I am still trying to swim as much as I can, but it is about finding the energy to get to the pool. I need a pool in my back garden (Nath, if you're reading this - b'day in August!!!). We have not long been back from a week's holiday in France which was great. We had our own villa with own pool which was lovely. We had much better weather than was forecast and had a lovely relaxing week with the family. As a result of that holiday we have decided not to go to Spain on our planned summer holiday in August for a number of reasons.

1. I am not too good with the heat and my MS

2. I will be 28 weeks pregnant and could possibly go into early labour in a foreign country

3. I will only stress myself out with worry about the above and not enjoy the holiday!

So we are now just trying to get our money back for the flights! I will try not to leave it so long next time but you know what I'm like!

Em xxx

P.S If you can't work out the baby scan pic, it's head is on the left and baby is on it's back with it's legs over it's head!

Well done!

Hi all,

Just a quick message to let you all know that my Auntie and friends completed their 60km (38 mile) walk for the MS society on Saturday on one of the hottest days of the year. A superb effort by all involved and many kind thanks from me. I am sure that the MS society will be extremely grateful for the money raised. If you haven't sponsored them yet and still wish to (you have about 90 days to do it!) then follow this link:

http://www.justgiving.com/trisharedgrave

Baby bump is expanding nicely and my trousers are getting a little bit tight around my middle. It's probably the only time you don't mind feeling fat! We are off to see the midwife on Friday morning to hear baby's heartbeat which is very exciting. I am sure I felt baby move last week as well - strange bubbling from my stomach. Hubby Nath was listening to bump last night and was convinced he could hear the bubbles - very strange!

The hot weather does not help my MS. My legs feel even more like lead than they did before! I think with the pregnancy and the MS combined it's a double whammy of fatigue! Well I got a stick from my Physio today which should help if I'm having a wobbly day.

Right I must dash as I have about 50 SATS papers to mark tonight!
Em xxx