Mary's baby is kicking the light fantastic!

Billed Bladet (no.11, 18 March 2007) has a report on what appears to be an active baby number two for Mary: Mary’s baby kicks

“I can only say that I hope for a fine healthy baby,” answered the Crown Princess when asked whether she thinks her tummy hides a little princess.

The tummy of the Crown Princess is clearly showing now that child number two is soon ready to enter the world. The mother-to-be looked healthy, blooming and good-humoured when she was at Hotel Josty Friday week ago attending the Kidney Association’s handing out of 505.000 DKK to seven researchers. But entering the eight month, the pregnancy naturally starts to weigh down on the Crown Princess, even though she still takes care of her royal duties in super elegant clothes and high heeled shoes.

Both at the arrangements in Gellerup Parken in Århus and at Kunstindustrimuseet (the museum for industrial art) a couple of days before that, it was indeed clear that the new little one makes its presence known. Mary held her pregnant tummy several times and revealed with her facial expressions that the baby-to-come kicked. She also put her hand on her loin, which is typically the place where pregnant women are hurting when the birth is approaching.

At Kunstindustrimuseet where Mary was guest at the presentation of “Smykkeskrinet” (the Jewellery Box) she particularly put her hand on her tummy during the mini-opera she experienced from the front row. Each time the female singer reached a high C, it looked like Mary’s baby kicked and reacted.

For the last couple of months Mary has been scanned regularly at Rigshospitalet where obstetrician Morten Hedegaard and midwife Birgitte Hillerup keep a watchful eye on the pregnancy to make sure everything is going according to plan. Mary is actually being checked more frequently than during the pregnancy with Prince Christian, just to be on the safe side.

And luckily everything is going fine, even though Mary is a little burdened by her unborn baby. She is slightly plagued by premonitory pains (mild uterine contractions) among other things, just as she was during her first pregnancy. It is however something quite normal. When pregnant with Prince Christian the premonitory pains became so unbearable that Mary had to be flown back from summer holiday at Cayx for check ups at Rigshospitalet.

It’s nothing as bad this time. All indications are that Mary will have no problems to speak of before the birth at the maternity ward at Rigshospitalet in the beginning of May.

Right now Mary’s child measures somewhere between 35 and 40 centimetres. The little one weighs about two kilos and is quickly gaining weight. That means that day by day there will be less space to move around inside the belly. Obstetrician Morten Hedegaard and midwife Birgitte Hillerup can now clearly feel how the foetus lies when they give Mary a check-up. In this period Mary is not only plagued by premonitory pains, but perhaps also by cramps in the calves.

And incidentally the little new one is now so developed in its brain that it can learn and remember things (the wonder of unborn babies!). He or she will be able to recognise voices. Primarily its' mother's and father's. But perhaps Mary’s baby will vaguely remember the opera at Kunstindustrimuseet. It was at least clear that the baby heard the high C. Written by Helle Skram de Fries and Ulrik Ulriksen/Billed Bladet and kindly translated by Muhler.