How far along?: 38 weeks and 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: I think about 10 kilos in total. The midwife weighed me at my appointment on Tuesday but she was quite willing to weigh me fully clothed and wearing my big winter boots. I insisted on taking them off beforehand, but as this is only the second time she’s weighed me throughout the pregnancy, it all seems a little arbitrary anyway.

Stretch marks?: Not sure if there are more of them or if they’re just widening and darkening and merging together.

Sleep: Sleep? Really? Some people sleep through the night? That would be nice. What with Little O waking twice or thrice a night over the past couple of weeks and my aches and pains (including a sharp burning sensation in my lower back on Tuesday night that woke me up and left me unable to catch my breath), I’ve not really been getting too much sleep. Enjoy as much sleep as possible before the baby comes? Huh, what nonsense…

Best moment this week: The fun that Little O and I have had when I pick him up from preschool. I think that we are both a little calmer now when I pick him up: he’s at preschool for about an hour less a day (in the Stockholm area, once you are on maternity leave for a second child, your first goes down to part-time at preschool, which works out at up to 30 hours a week) and I am not working and so am not hurrying from the office, still fielding calls and replying to emails and jumping on the bus to get to the preschool in time.

Worst moment this week: The pain I experienced on Tuesday night…

Movement: There’s still a lot of movement from gyermek but it does feel more subdued than before – not so much space for the little one now!

Belly button in or out?: Out – bleurgh…

What I miss: A good night’s sleep (although that’s not going to change for a long time!) and being able to get anywhere at any kind of speed.

What I am looking forward to: Being able to return to the hairdressers and get my hair highlighted again. Had not realised how grey I was going until now… I guess I should just count myself lucky though, as my mum started to go grey while still in her late teens.

Milestones: Well, this is it, really. On Tuesday, I had my last pre-due date midwife appointment. My next one is booked for 31 January (6 days after they calculate that I am due) and if I’m still pregnant then, we’ll be discussing when they want to induce me (at 42+0 weeks here).