Bumps of Edinburgh: Stress, Sexuality and Surprises

The third in our Bumps of Edinburgh casting series: A 3D Casting Documentary. Through Body Casting and interviews we explore pregnancy, mums and life beyond the bump.

Pregnancy: 31 weeks, first pregnancy

Occupation: IT Consultant, Self-employed

Location: Originally from Stirling, living in Edinburgh

It used to be the little things that would rile me

Being pregnant, it makes you change your attitude towards a lot of things, I think I'm a lot more chilled out about stuff. I used to get stressed out, but being pregnant, it kind of slows you down, thinking about your body, looking after yourself and the wee one. Like yesterday, my neighbour started stripping wallpaper at 7.30 in the morning. Who does that at 7.30 in the morning? Things like that used to bother me. It used to be the little things that would rile me. But I'm a lot more laid back about those things. Which probably means my child is going to run wild!

Health, happiness...They're the most important things

Health and happiness matters most to me... over the past couple of years I've had not so great a time, I lost my Dad really suddenly and stuff, and I think from that point it's been, health happiness. They're the most important things, not material stuff. Make sure people are, you know, happy, and for the baby to be healthy and for everything to work out. Yeah, I don't know, I really have changed my attitude, maybe getting older actually slows me down too.

Before my Dad died, I totally had a different perspective

I was very much about going on holiday, or working hard to get the money to go on my holidays. Before my Dad died, I totally had a different perspective. But now I don't really see it that way. He was diagnosed with cancer, and then he died within 10-12 weeks. It was so quick, and everything changed. It just makes you realise, life, it's too short. I mean literally, because it can go at any minute. I knew I had to change. After that my husband and I, we got married and it just totally changed the way things were. For me it's about people around you being happy, and being healthy. It's about positive attitudes and your mental state.

My relationship totally changed, I was with a woman for 15 years

When I was in my 20s, I didn't want kids, I knew that for a fact. So it wasn't until I got older, and things change. Attitudes changed, my relationship changed, so, I mean my relationship totally changed, I was with a woman for 15 years so. And then I met a guy, and everything changes. Not that you can't have a child when you're in a same sex relationship cause we could have, but we chose not to.

I realised I wanted a family and she didn't

I thought I was gonna be with her for a long time. But things change, and I don't know, feelings just changed. I realised I wanted a family and she didn't, my career was changing as well, and just all of those factors, and my whole life totally changed. And now, I met someone the other day who said 'think where your life was about ten years ago, you never would have said you were married with a child on the way!'

MRI Scan Baby Make way, this baby is coming!

The way your body reacts, and the way it changes has really surprised me. I knew it would change, but I didn't appreciate that my organs would change. Basically, everything's squashed up here, so your lungs- I walk my dog every day, but now I get breathless! I'm physically fit, but your lungs have a lower capacity cause everything's squashed up. You should look at an MRI scan of a pregnant woman, it's incredible! I don't think people appreciate that's what happens. Even your ribs move out, mine have. Make way, this baby is coming!

Even with the scans, it makes you realise at 12 weeks, woah that's a baby! It's surreal. I'd say, just being pregnant in general is a bit surreal. I have nothing else to compare it to... a very alien life form

I don't know if I could compare being pregnant to anything else. At the stage I'm at now, it is like a very alien life form. You get a little foot poking out and you think, god that's a foot. It is quite surreal, to have this little thing growing inside of you. It totally blows me away that we are built to be able to do that. Though we've still got the delivery coming up, I don't know how I'm going to deal with that. I think as I'm so lucky I haven't been sick or anything. I've really enjoyed it. I've got aches and pains and stuff, but that's what your body having to deal with what you're throwing at it.

People used to say to me, 'don't stress about stuff, and you'll fall pregnant'. Then I stopped trying, and I fell pregnant. I'd advise my past self to try and be a bit more laid back about a lot of things. Cause you do get yourself in a bit of a state, you get in a state of anxiety or stress, and it affects your body!