24 weeks today!

I woke up this morning to see this!
Along with quite a few messages of support
and love

So we have made it to 24 weeks today! The past four weeks have been full of lots of fears, tears and hospital appointments. I'm really proud of my little family for what we're managed to get through together and how amazing my other half has been driving me to and from the hospital at all times of the day and putting up with these crazy hormonal mood swings. So it's time to reset the countdown and see if this little nugget will be patient enough to reach the 26 week mark.

In babies born preterm, the chance of survival at less than 23 weeks is close to zero, while at 23 weeks it is 15%, at 24 weeks 55% and at 25 weeks about 80% (Tommy's Organisation). For every week that he decides to stay in there cooking his chances look better and better. So I am quite happy to just try and plump him up as much as possible until then, however much his also impatient daddy wants to meet him (I say this whilst eating a Viennese swirl after finishing a bowl of grapes). I am starting to wonder if I am just producing a new improved version of my other half.

One of the things that has bothered me since having my cervical stitch placed was the fact that they kept referring to a 'miscarriage' if anything were to happen. That means that no birth certificate would be given. Now that we have reached 24 weeks my little one is now considered 'viable'. I know these are technical terms and the reasoning behind them but it is comforting to know that his birth will now be recognised. Not all ladies are this lucky. Scrolling through the internet this morning I did find this petition-

https://www.change.org/p/department-of-health-uk-allow-registered-birth-certificates-for-children-born-from-20-weeks

Even though the likelihood of a baby born before 23 weeks surviving is greatly reduced, I think it is important that these births from 20 weeks are acknowledged. Especially with babies born much earlier than 24 weeks surviving. During week 24, according to the baby center, the little ones taste buds are forming and the brain is growing quickly. So that means whatever I'm eating, those chemicals and theoretically tastes are being passed to the amniotic fluid for the little nugget to take in. Now if my other half figures this out I feel he'll be force feeding me chicken so he can have a food buddy and also an excuse to bring home buckets of chicken wings.

Last night I visited the ladies two or three times... I believe my bladder is now the size of a walnut!