Weeks 18-21 – can you guess what it is yet?

What some babies might look like, if they’re unlucky

I very much like the second trimester of pregnancy. Insulin requirements have been stable for about 4 weeks now, although if today is like yesterday, I’ll be nudging up my basal rates a bit for the first time in a month. I can cope with that. HbA1c is currently stable at around 5.2%. The baby has started kicking away inside which is very entertaining. I now look properly pregnant, rather than just fat, and maternity jeans are still the most comfortable clothing known to womankind. And we’ve just found out what we’re having!

Readers who are getting just a bit bored of this whole pregnancy thing will be relieved to know that we’re just over halfway through now. So the end is in sight for all concerned.

We had “the big scan” over Christmas. Optimistically entitled the foetal anomaly scan, I prefer to think of it as just having a good poke round to see how things are going.

All the research shows that poorly controlled diabetes can impact the development of the major organs, and this scan at 21 weeks would be the first time that damage could possibly be seen on a scan. My control has been good, but there’s always a nagging doubt in the back of your mind.

All is well. All the right bits are in the right place and look to be doing the right job. I admit to sending up a silent “F*** you diabetes, round one to us” on hearing that. And then reverted back to watching the baby playing with her feet and sucking her thumb.

And closer inspection showed some exciting news – we’re expecting a baby girl!