"Heatwave!"

The UK has experienced a mini heatwave this weekend. It only got up to 27 degrees up here in the north of England but even so it was very muggy and humid.

This afternoon the heat was finally (though briefly) relieved by a thunderstorm and a downpour. This brought Hayley running out of the house. The neighbours were then treated to something of a display as she delightedly sang and danced her way around the front garden in her shorts and a vest top.

Even now in the evening, when I feel that the heat has abated, she is having to take cooling showers. We've got 2 floor-standing fans - one in the bedroom (which we have been using on and off since last year) and one downstairs that we just bought. But I took the plunge on Friday and ordered a portable air conditioner from AllergyMatters.com. It contains a pollen filter. Here's hoping it relieves Hayley's symptoms.

My main concern is to ease her exhaustion from continuous sneezing and to avoid the chance of her going into labour in that state. I don't know whether the heat could cause early labour (though some have said it can), but all this sneezing on top of the general tiredness brought on by pregnancy can't be a good thing.