Week 29, Day 2 (Outsmarting baby)

Tad, bless his furry little feet, owes me a two storey house when he grows up.

This is barest compensation for the "renovations" he's putting my innards through. Such is his determination and enthusiasm for the task, he must be a budding DIY or chippie.

Kidlet does not like to be bunched up, thus, as he grows and runs out of room, he decides to make more room with strong and relentless pushes. He braces his back then pushes outward with his feet and fists, or braces his shoulders then pushes upward with his feet. The result is the same - he gets things stretched to suit himself, and I have to grimace and bear it.

If he goes on too long, he starts off the bloody Braxton Hicks contractions, and pushy baby + BH contractions are not a huge bundle of fun, let me tell you.

I sit there at night, gazing in astonishment at my roiling, heaving belly. I'm reminded of that line in "Steel Magnolias", 'two pigs fighting under a blanket'. It's bad enough when it's my abdomen under attack, but it's not terribly fun when he starts on the ribs or lungs.

However....! I might have found a way to get him to back off for a bit and let me have a breather.

From week 15 when his movements became detectable, I've noticed he gets quite shy (or perverse) when anyone other than mother lays their hand on my belly. Unless you're the midwife wielding the heart monitor, he'll play possum and pretend to be fast asleep. I have no idea how he knows when it's my hand vs his father's or his grandmother's (etc) but the little shit seems to, and everything grinds to a complete halt.

So when I need a break, I get Wayne to put his hand on my belly and Voila!!! Instant ceasefire!

I wish I'd had the heart to wake Wayne up at 2am the other morning when baby got the longest set of hiccups I've ever known. Poor little blighter, I really felt for him and I couldn't exactly give him the proven remedy of a teaspoon of vinegar (it works, trust me). I rubbed him, sang softly to him, tickled the bits of him that seemed to like it, but still he rhythmically lurched on, until finally around 2.45am I rolled over and somehow that did the trick.

I wish he'd let his Dad feel him thumping around though, and maybe interact with him a bit. Interactive plug n play baby, yeah! (But I'm NOT changing the batteries!)