14 weeks pregnant:

See you later Sydney……UK here I come……for work unfortunately, not a holiday this time.

This trip couldn’t have come at a better time. I’ve just hit the second trimester, just started to feel slightly normal again and in need of a break from the relentlessness of work at the moment. Even though it’s a work trip, at least I’ll be doing one job for the next 2.5 weeks instead of three. There will also be some down time on some of the days to sight see, relax or get some of my PhD done (I’ll probably try to jam all 3 into every day)!! The best part of all about being away on a work trip (as team doctor for the Australian Tag Rugby tour of Ireland) is that my work attire for the next 3 weeks is a tracksuit! This wouldn’t normally make me so happy but I’m getting to the point where I don’t really fit any of my corporate work clothes anymore (worn when I’m consulting in clinic), yet I don’t fit into maternity wear either as I don’t really have a baby bump as such, more like a baby muffin top! It’s not very professional wearing active wear to work when the men are in suits!! 

The downside of the trip is that I’m leaving my boys behind at home this time. It will be the longest I’ve spent away from them ever, which is fine for me but comes with some guilt at leaving my husband to single parent at home for that long while juggling full time work. At least we are blessed to have to the support of both sets of grandparents who live close by and Denzel’s used to me going away for smaller trips so it won’t be too bad (at least that’s what I keep telling myself). I must admit as I lay on my flat bed in business class in the plane on the way over while I write this, that guilt has melted away and I’m enjoying the forced down time of the long flight. If you have to travel to the other side of the world pregnant, then business class is definitely the way to do it. I could definitely get used to this but don’t worry, I’ll be brought back down to earth when I’m back in economy on the way home……better make the most of it though, I might just pop up to the bar for a mocktail now to stretch my legs a bit!