Mumsnet Talk

New one marchers sorry on phone and can't link! Will post title in our old thread x

Thanks chef

Spot the mistake in title can't work out how to fix it!!!!!

Ahh it doesn't matter hon. We know where we are. Just hit "I'm on" anyway!

doodle .. Shuddering at your workload. You poor thing. I projected managed a huge project just before going on mat leave with ds1. I was proud that at no point did the bump stop me doing my work...

UNTIL ... One day project issue after project issue was raised with me. The straw that broke the camels back was a typo on a folder name (so actually nothing bad) but I burst into tears. Real, snotty, sobby tears. I feel a heat of shame even now when I remember. Sooooo unprofessional!

Today ds1 at school, ds2 at Pre-school and I am foot loose and fancy free until 12. Ironing or mumsnet... Hmmmmm???

ted I love ironing... Send it this way!!

Ironing? <shudders> Is this something I will have to do in the future?
chef I think you can ask MNHQ to change the title of the thread. Don't think it matters though (I didn't notice).

Some one on a previous thread mentioned that girls 'steal your beauty' I'm definitely having a girl... There is no other explanation as to why I look this shocking today. 17 weeks tomorrow... Where's the bloody bloom???! I want to look and feel fab! 3 mornings of coming has left me with a blotchy red rash around my neck and lower face.... And around my right eye (I look like Ive been punched!). Blotchy face, really dry skin, horrible nails, out of control hair which is still malting like crazy (luckily my hair is thick so I'm not going bald)! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, if I stamp my feet will it make it all better?

3 mornings of coming?? Ooh er I meant vomming... Shhhh

I'm having a girl too then

I actually love ironing too (don't tell DH) and am watching big bang theory while I do it. Heaven.

3 mornings of coming .... ? <snurk>

I love the big bang theory its my one tv weakness... Even though I own all the box sets (not watching season 5 until LO arrives so I have something to do at 3am when BF! I still watch them on e4 every day

Am mning from McDs near Chester. On our way to Wales for the weekend.

I am really starting to think this 'bloom' is an urban bloody myth to be honest!!
Jojo if stamping feet helped I would be radiant about now - my nails are amazing and I have grown them for the first time ever but the rest is falling apart! I too have dry skin, out of control hair thats falling out at a stupid rate - not to mention the spots that have appeared on face! Even the bags under my eyes have bloody luggage now they are that bad!

I love BBT (if you can't tell). I too watch it on E4 every day while I eat my dinner.
My wall stickers have turned up and they are so adorable. Also now have a copy of the mumsnet rules which I'm looking forward to reading

marking my place!

sheldon I did wonder if the name was related!! I think season 5 has been my fave so far I need to order mine, have been looking on eBay too as the ones I want to order are about £18 a pack. Such a cute design though!!

ted I love loathe the irrational snot-bubble tears over the tiniest of issues at work. Bah.

I have been informed that tonight is date night. Lordy - we're going to see the new Bourne movie and my only concern is that the last time I saw a Bourne movie was 5 years ago on our 4th date and I fell asleep in the cinema. At least now I have an excuse if I don't make it...! At least it is a fine excuse for icecream.

JoJo I'm going to copy you on the BBT season 5 boxset and save it until the Lentil is here for late night feeding - I love BBT

Anyone managed to make it into the sun yet today?

Look at us on thread five already. What a bunch of chatty women. Or us that work avoiders?

Just heading into work after a nice antenatal appt with my consultant; got to see baby in a quick scan and all looked good. Phew. She is def of the opinion that I will have a cs at 38 weeks so I guess my due date is now in feb sometime. Still not sure when though as hosp are dating me at 14+1 but I know I'm 13+3. I suppose we'll deal with that later down the line. Very tempted to bunk off work and enjoy sunshine but I've hog do many pg appts coming up I think I would be pushing my luck...

dumb question but hopefully some of you IT savvy may be able to help me... I'm back on my laptop but have somehow managed to zoom out on my screen so this page is so difficult to read being so tiny... how do I zoom back into the page?

Well done chefette

Tramp if its Newcastle its either Slieve Donard, which I have stayed in, and views from spa area are stunning, or the Burrendale my cousin works there.
When in Newcastle you HAVE to go to Mauds cafe and get ice cream, it is yummy, if feeling exceptionally bad get a moose mix, loaded with calories but oh so good

Right need to catch up with previous thread,

I threw upthis morning and my boots pregnancy tablets with added ginger tasted vile on the way back up, sorry tmi, but this the third time will have to go back to basic folic acid I think

Jojo hold down Ctrl key and press + key until it becomes bigger

wahey, thank you doodle, I was really straining my eyes!!

JoJo, try Ctrl 0

My mum is complaining at how little I'm eating, I really just can't eat it hurts my stomach, I swell up (all my jeans have been let all the way out!), get windy etc, so I told her at least I'm not being sick so I am actually getting some food into me. Had a lecture about taking vitamins but I don't want to add to the concoction they already have me taking. Which reminds me, I've not been given them yet but I'm sure I will, but is anyone jabbing themselves been given chalk?

I've reported the thread and asked very very nicely if they'll change the name. Because the people at MNHQ are so lovely and wonderful, I'm sure it'll be no problem for them.

Hello all, great thread name!

jojo ctrl and + at the same time until it reaches the size you want might work if confuddled's suggestion draws a blank. Oops just spotted that doodle beat me to it.

It should reset it, maybe it doesn't work on all browsers.

My office stinks of AGRIVERT - yep we are sitting here working with the overwhelming stench of poo in our nostrils. Not pleasant, not good for the old heaving tum either. Roll on le weekend.

Am awaiting a blooming too - it would be a nice weekend surprise as I'm 15 weeks today. Been looking at maternity garb on ebay but cannot be bothered with having to take everything up so may bid when I feel more 'perfect mum' - talking of which*Mrs R* having read your comment on Mrs perfect washing her front door I desisted from washing seagull plop off my own shiny red door yesterday... DH however was straight at it with a babywipe ( why does he have those?) as soon as he got in. " Cow!" I shouted at him in a proper geordie accent. He looked starled but I giggled like a mad woman. Hormones are defo tripping me over the edge.

We're having a holiday overseas before I am too many weeks too far gone to fly. Am beyond excitement - and trepidation that we'll end up in Somalia or somewhere less adventurous since DH the adrenalin junkie is planning. Do outlets sell maternity bikinis/costumes in winter in the UK or would I be wise to buy it now?

Hi All, thanks for the new thread! Another fan of bbt here, although I'm currently watching the re-run of only fools and horses on bbc 1 whilst ds is fighting having a nap. We're off on holiday tonight, down to Dorset and I just can't wait! Thanks to dh tightness/workaholic tendencies this will actually be our first family holiday. I've done lots of research on family days out etc, shame the weather forecast isn't so good.

So much to do - ironing, packing, cleaning out the car so fingers crossed ds will drop off and i can get it all done!

Sorry to hear some of you are not feeling the bloom. Maybe I'm having another boy as whilst I wouldn't say I was blooming, my hair is definitely getting thicker and my nails are longer!

Right, off to do my chores! Hope everyone is having nice afternoons or, if you're stuck at work, then hope you have good evenings to make up for it!

Another one not blooming here - very spotty & red faced! Definitely lot a gorgeous pregnant lady!

Aha! A new thread, ta chef. I didn't notice being a year out either

The 'mask of pregnancy' is chloasma - sounds exactly what you have jojo as it is a pigment discolouration (it goes once you've given birth). Wiki link below for those interested - but am not sure if it's what the colleague was referring to as 'pregnant face', which could be a manic grin, green around the gills, stuffed full of greggs pasties, swearing in northern accents...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melasma

I am not blooming either - though I am feeling SO much better than I was. Definitely out of the first trimester woods now, and generally less sleepy/grumpy/anxious etc. Just not blooming. I have spots, but not proper ones (that you can pop) - just hard under-skin lumps on my forehead. Also chest has sort of rash (nice), hair is dry or greasy depending on the day, hands are mega dry, face is just rubbish. Sigh. Still, I don't give a monkeys really as I now live in welly country, and no sod wears clarins and posh clobber round 'ere

Who cleans their front door?? Really?? Isn't that what rain is for? rigby I feel a 'treat or treat' night a-coming...

Update re: hols. We are stuck in the UK after all. I never actually got round to getting DS a passport... <slaps forehead> D'OH!

Sun is out, shorts are on, legs reflect the rays due to unseasonal whiteness. DS is napping after busy day in the paddling pool (he actually got out to wee on his rug). Parents are back from Bradford and DH is trying to work in his office. Despite lack of bloom, milky legs and muffin top, I am happy to be me, right here, right now

By the way I thought I'd better warn you that I intend to print out our threads as my record of pregnancy (have done so with DS, tis MUY amusing). I apologise for this infringement of human rights, but that's the interweb for you. I promise not to publish

oo, ta rebeccamumsnet, that's lovely.

Scan shows that Socrates is camera shy, likes dancing about the place, is perfectly healthy - all of everything great. So PHEW!

So pleased we paid for private scan, we had over an hour of sonographers time because Socs refused to stay still and lots of Qs answered.

Tried on some maternity wear in Oxford st. Chuff me but the selection is woeful.

Nice one tramp! Hello socrates

Lovely news tramp
tiddley Welly country sounds great, am hoping to move there in a couple of years! The thread printing is a nice idea, they are such lovely threads aren't they.

Ugh, this afternoon is going so slowly! I'm sleepy and I want to go home. I've been looking around for rocking chairs but haven't found any I like yet. Has anyone seen any?

Thank you RebeccaMumsnet I said you are all wonderful and you are

under the thatch holiday booked! We have booked 4 nights in Wendy a railway carriage at Aberporth on the Welsh coast, sooo excited.

nearly fainted this afternoon, had only eaten a bowl of yoghurt this morning and apparently that isn't enough! never sat and shook before, it was horrendous.

Glad to hear socrates is thriving away in there, must have been lovely having so long!

I have somehow joined the boots and mothercare baby club and have bought some bras and dresses, should keep me going for a while

BIG smile

Sheldonella - we bought our rocker from preloved.com - it's an oldish chair but does the job.

Wondermous news tramp and what a smashing name

Returned from traumatising trip to town to timorously try maternity jeans/trousers and discovered that what I thought was bloat/wind/mega-sandwich was in fact an actual bump. I had to have a small sit-down. I know this is what is meant to happen but I didn't expect to see a bump in the changing room of Debenhams...!

Here's to milk-bottle white legs in the garden

Nice one Tramp! So pleased for you.
I kind of want us to have a big baby meet up so Socrates can meet the beans, bumps and other names on this thread! ;-)
Doodlebug I know what you mean. I was complaining to DH about being tubby and he keeps rolling his eyes and going 'err no...PREGNANT!'

Thanks all

I'm officially fat with extra tummy. I'm not happy. Hoping I am past the salad makes me sick phase so I can go back to eating fewer carbs. Energy seems to be increasing again, so I'm going to give treadmill running a go too. It's not quite a diet/keep fit plan but it should mean my arse stops spreading every which way. Well, that's the theory.

Nooooooo .. just lost my whole post. Will start again:

Sheldonella .. I love TBBT. I am married to a geek and DS1 is showing major geek tendencies so I love to see the brainy being celebrated. A pleasant antidote to TOWIE.

Tramp .. yay on the scan. And I am also waiting for the sickness to stop to start eating healthily. Not to lose weight but to slow down the gain!

Doodle .. Jeremy Remmer will be enough to keep you awake I promise.

sundae .. did you use the canopy and stars website? I spend hours drooling over their stuff.

I am still feeling so sick, despite being 14 weeks today. When will it end?? I want to get acupuncture if this has not eased by next week. I keep delaying thinking "surely I will feel better soon" and to save myself the expense. but no, still feel rubbish and shaky and tired.

Cool! Glad rebMN fixed it, I did email them thus morn in my shamed state!!

Loved the idea of printing out!

Got DSS thus weekend so that's nice but we're not telling him for awhile he's only 3 nearly 4 it'll so long for him to wait! Off for homemade spaghetti bol or wiggy woggy pasta as its known chez nous!!

Got to 25c in Montrose today!!!!!!! I however was at work, on my day off!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh poor you ted - was it this bad when preg with your boys? Hope things improve soon. Shakey is horrid

flamingo I reckon you'd get maternity swimming wear any time of year as antenatal swim classes are so popular. There are sales on now however, with a/w collections coming in so you may get a bargain.

sundae I am really glad 'under the thatch' came up trumps. It was recommended to us by friends who used it to book their honeymoon retreat - lots of lovely cosy, rural hideaways, yum. Yours sounds fantastic!

lexi I reckon a meet up would be great too. They must be hard to organise though as we're spread around the country - though there does appear to be a disproportionate amount in York area!! We could use the fearful Facebook but maybe it's best to wallow in anonymity so we can safely discuss all topics and tmi overload?!

We have booked our hols! Went for a week in Oct (though DH taking the preceding one too, to have working on the house and hanging out here). We found a super B&B in south snowdonia which is v baby friendly (all equipment, listening service, baby high tea etc) but small and cosy too. Coast nearby so fx for an Indian autumn lasting well into Oct!

Bathtime chez tiddley. Need to get cottage pie out of DS hair. Happy evenings all...

What glorious weather oooop north today I've been in a dress with my furry legs out!! Must buy some veet .
I've decided I'm going about things all wrong... Rather than wait for the pg bloom to come to me, I'm going to treat myself to some new beauty products. Cleanser, toner, moisturiser, a really nice scented shampoo and conditioner. Some lush body moisturiser and generally defuzz myself! Spend a bit of time straightening my hair properly rather than just leaving it when freshly washed. I think I'll feel much better if I'm less frazzled around the edges!! AND if the budget stretches (student overdraft has just been increased) I might get some nice tinted moisturiser or a nice powder foundation... Hmmm. I will look radiant again

Ps I'm all up for a meet!! Though fbook may well be the way forwards... Moreso for the baby pics etc!! I have no idea how to add my scan pics on here and I have so many lovely ones

Just marking my place! Right, off to catch up, guessing it could take a while!

Hello, thread 5 already. You lot can't half talk

So... Friday night. Who's got a wild night out planned? (Hahahaha as if)

It's Friday? Sigh... I clearly need to get a life, all of the days are merging into one!! Does this mean you have a wild night to look forward to possom?

If by wild, you mean sitting on my increasingly fat arse watching rubbish TV while eating pizza, then yes.

Oh and I bought Pregnancy and Birth magazine last week and was flicking through it yesterday and there was a pic of a woman wearing a dress that I have. So I dug it out the wardrobe and put it on at work today and got loads of compliments - even from my pupils which is unheard of. Fantastic! It was a nice day up here, as jojo said, which was great as it's a summery dress.

tiddley maybe we should do RL FB etc AFTER the babies arrive! ;-) We are pretty spread out, tis true...I shall ponder.

I have despair at ever going out again. No family nearby will mean no babysitters for quite a long time! Also some of my 'friends' (or social acquaintances I guess ) have really dumped me since I got pg and stopped being so up for spending money and going to bars. Crochet and paralympics with the cats for me - though I am making a chicken pie as I really fancied one!

My last two antenatal groups have a Facebook group so that we could talk more openly and share pictures.

After babies are born is a lovely idea

lexi I'm in the same position, all of my family and friends are in Yorkshire. The only people I know in the same location we're moving to are colleagues of my OH so technically not my 'friends' though they are very nice and welcoming... they have a HUGE German Shepherd pup who is just about fully grown but still has that mildly out of control streak!! Not really ideal for babysitting!!!

She's fucking doing it AGAIN.

Yes, I am talking about Mrs fucking Perfect. She's washing the door and porch AGAIN.

I'm suprised she hasn't taken her nets down and washed them - the dirty fucking cow.

Tomorrows party better be the most amazing party ever and I'm going round with a white glove and running a finger over everywhere I can reach a'la Anthea Turner. If I find even a speck of dirt I'm going to let her know about it.

And I'm definately going to flirt with her husband.

Marking my place...

I can't believe its thread five! And I have to say a record Chef, have never seen MNHQ get involved in any Antenatal thread i've ever been on, bonus!

Just had egg and chips for tea, reminds me of childhood Friday night fare - except that we used to make the chips out of potatoes and fry them - what a slattern I must be! Celebrating another full day of activity, with only a couple of shakey moments in the afternoon, and lots more scrummy girl & mummy time with dd She is such a little star.

Haha Jojo with the fluffy legs. I have managed to get horribly behind with my epilating so had a go today and it bloody hurts again. I'm toying with the idea of hypnobirthing classes for my VBAC attempt, so figured that I might be able to practice managing the pain of hair removal first! I'm fed up of having to wear pj bottoms in bed in the summer!

Tramp Congrats with seeing Socrates! You make me with being able to pop to Oxford St etc. I miss living in London so much sometimes!

I clean my door once a year if that twice in a few days is taking the piss Rigby I want full update of this party tomorrow!
Well DH has gone to bed like a sulking child as I didn't remind him to sort his fishing licence for tomorrow - was going to say he can do it online and will be sorted for first think but where would be the fun in that! If it was DS1 sulking for not doing something he would let him carry on so just following his rule!! Plus he forgot my medication and that I did remind him off!!!!!

Went to work today and some one asked if what I had yesterday was catching as he didn't feel well- boss jumped in and said u can't catch pregnancy!!!!!! I loudly produce my 3 lots of prescription from doctors and placed in front of him and explained I have an ear infection in both ears hence the medication NOTHING to do with being pregnant so that everyone saw!!! He said he was joking but I think I proved my point, and god it felt better and hopefully put end to anyone else thinking the same !!!!

Does the rain not clean front doors?!

think my window cleaner does mine, though i do wipe it down (or get cleaner to) if it looks minging.

mrsRigby I know how much neighbours can be annoying, believe me but you clearly really hate her! It can't be good for you or your baby to get so worked up about her can it?? Can you not just rise above it?

ah, found you at last! just marking my place...

Door washing is most def a scouse thing. My Nan used to washe the front door & step every Saturday & Mum must wash hers once a quarter. I've washed a front door in a house I've lived in when not instructed as a childhood chore at least, ohhh, 5 times.

MrsR - A little charity of the soul does wonders as they say. Plus - People who wash their doors twice in a couple of days are people with some form of OCD or serious concern about what others think of them. Either way, it's not the healthiest thing. I'm feeling rather sorry for her.

Meet up sounds grand. I'm not up for face booking stuff as work world can access FB & I'm a bit picky about what I choose to disclose under my real name. But in person or a closed group y'er on.

Just home. Went for dinner with baby bro & his GF to tell him he's gonna be an uncle. Was v funny. Handed him an envelope & he clearly thought I was giving him tickets to something - initial disappointment followed by realisation about what he was looking at & then gigantic hug. He's such a softy. He must be chuffed cause he paid for dinner - an unheard of event!

Tomorrow we tell Irish contingent.. Should be interesting.

Hope eveyones evenings are going swimmingly so far.

Evening

Can't believe Coleen lost to Julian. Bugger, I liked her and wanted her to win.

Oh well.

mandasand there you are my little scan buddy I'm being scanned at 3.30pm on Wednesday. I think DH is actually I little excited to see bunny again and make sure everything is okay. I'm still hoping the scan will show 2 little bunnies, I just can't accept it's 1 and everyday I'm Googling more stuff about a possible twin pregnancy. I just don't know if I've convinced myself I'm having twins because I really want twins (more than likely is the case) or if deep down I know theres 2 in there and I'm trying to find proof somehow. Alas, I fear you will be the only one on the thread to be having twins

And whilst we're on the subject of babies who was it asking if anyone had felt movement yet? I have, I've been feeling it for about 2 weeks now, though it's just little tickles on the inside and not every day.

Now, regarding spiders, I haven't seen any the past 2 nights, but yes, I also have to leave the landing light on so that when I go the toilet at 2/3/4am I don't stand on one. I once woke up to find I'd slept on one - I've never been able to sleep with my mouth open since. Well, I start off that way, but once I'm asleep I can't vouch for the mouth remaining closed.

I'm kind of dreading tomorrow. I'm not a very social person, I can't conversationalise well and I don't like being around other people. Plus it's her house and her party and the fact she's so fucking perfect that doesn't help. Then on top of all this, I've realised I have nothing to wear (not joking). I only have 1 pair of jeans that I fit in and they are maternity. Other than that, all I own are t-shirts and not the fitted type, the mens type and neither are washed. So, I'll be going over in dirty, creased clothing, greasy hair and more than likely looking just terrible. After 13 years of perfectness, her husband is going to fancy me something stupid.

Well done to chefette and MNHQ for the new thread. Just a question though, what does the mk bit in the title mean???

tedmundo I don't iron, just hang things on hangers over radiators. So that one would be a no brainer for me. Except I have a mountain of washing up, the house is a mess and oh yes, I need to paint 4 rooms.

JoJoBella84 how dare you mention you are 17 weeks. Shameful. Don't you know some of us are only 11+4 and still haven't had our dating scan. When I get to 17 weeks, I'm going to rub it in your face - er, except you'll be 23 weeks. Cow. Freudiant slip regarding 3 mornings of comming? Some women have it all. I stand by my last statement. Cow.

I've mentioned to DH that we're going to have to put a TV in our room with a Sky multiroom subscribtion, you know for when bunny is cluster feeding in the early hours. I could have killed DH last time, there I was breastfeeding from about 2am to 5am (the joys of cluster feeding) and the bastard just lyed there snoring his head off. My back was in agony, I was tired and desperately wanted to sleep and I was bored/lonely. Men might think there is no support they can give at a time like this, but actually it would be very supportive to have someone to talk to or have rub your back. Bastard.

Oh and talking of the bastard, he still hasn't finished stripping the paint in the playroom. Seriously, it's been 2 weeks now. It still has to have a light sanding before I can get in and paint. A decorator would have been cheaper and quicker.

OodHousekeeping get me large fries and a chocolate milkshake would you. Thanks.

confuddledDOTcom for the first time in my life, I have lost my appetite and find it very hard to eat anything. I'm having to force myself. Chalk???

dameflamingo I work in a hospital next to a geriatric ward so smelling poo is nothing new for me. Then I get to go home to a house of 3 boys and their bowel offerings. And what is it with men and fucking baby wipes? DH has 2 packs in his car, plus a pack in his work bag that he thinks I don't know about.

tiddleypompom I take fucking offense to that you cheeky cow. I'm a SAYERS girl thank you very much. Loving the idea of trick or treat night, might just egg her door in the early hours of this morning - ha that'll teach the cow to be so bloody perfect.

theTramp arr that's lovely, great news

tedmundo whats wrong with TOWIE exactly? Can't wait till that and Made In Chealsea come back on. I'm too ashamed to even mention Desperate Scousewifes.

chefette in our house cottage pie is known as doggy pie. I promise you all as a household of committed vegetarians, dogs have even been killed, cooked or eaten in this house - well, not whilst we've lived here, I can't vouch for the other inhabitants over the years.

sundaesundae the window cleaners came last weekend and do indeed wash the door aswell.

lannyshrops I don't hate her. I just feel so inferior compared to her. Shes been very nice to me and when we gave birth within a month of each other it was her to insigated us and the boys meeting up regulary and now we're all really good friends. Sundays we go to each others houses and chat whilst the boys play. I don't hate it, I just wish she'd have 1 defect.

chefette I meant NEVER, dogs have never been killed, cooked or eaten in this house

Ooh talking of dogs, one of the SIL has just had to have her dog put down

Been up since 2am with upset DS. I am so so tired. We have both cried and now just sitting here. I tried to leave him a while but it was awful

Oh god how am I going to cope with two??

Middle of the night wildly out of proportion wailing over. Hope you're all faring better. Off to see if anyone else is awake on 'active'.

I'm awake Tiddley although wish I wasn't as have a big day today (trips all over to tell our families about little bean). Don't need to be falling asleep and grouchy on them.

Currently laying on the sofa with a banana in one hand and the phone in the other. Won't go into the nice comfy spare room as that's where I saw the giant spider run into on Thursday night!

Hope you're asleep now.

I'm here too . The only upside is that it wasn't the steroids that woke me, it was snoring dh. Fell asleep on sofa at 7.30 only to be woken by ds who didn't like the fact I was asleep - grrrr! I suppose it shook his world order! Backfired on him though as I then sent him to bed (and followed myself straight after).

manda love the belly showing on the pics. V funny. Next you'll be bumping into doorways and wondering why!

Outed myself on FB last night. Lots of nice comments but it still feels kind of weird. Had to eat a big piece of cake to calm me down...

Morning all! I'm awake too, this is v normal for me, 5 am every morning! DH helpfully is sleeping in the spare room and has done on and off for last few weeks. I felt really bad as my constant nocturnal toilet trips and tossing and turning were making us both so tired. It's normally a fair devision of labour in our house but for the first 12 weeks I was so tired he did virtually everything so not having a good nights sleep felt so unfair! Mother nature is a cruel beast, I know I'm not going to sleep properly once bean is here for..oooh...I imagine at least 18 years, so not being able to have uninterrupted sleep now is just nasty!!! Everyone keeps saying its mother nature preparing me, frankly mother nature that's the kind of preparation I could do without! Grrrrrrr!!!

We're off to Cambridge today to visit lovely SIL, hubby and children before on to Norfolk tomorrow. I'm v excited as they moved house next month and I can't wait to see it! She is so happy as it's her dream home and I love to see people happy, it gladness my heart! I'm a bit worried about leaving our extension to carry on without out us here, they burried the spur for the electricity feed to the garage under the foundations on Tuesday and had to dig it out, but FIL will be coming by daily to keep an eye on things do fx!!

mrsrigby I have been thinking about you a bit recently, please don't think I'm a mental stalker but you just seem so unhappy I'm a northern lass by birthso I know you'll understand if I come across a little bluntly..I really feel for you. You seem very unhappy and insecure, I know nothing about you other than what you say on here but I wish there was something I could do to help. Have you ever spoken to anyone to see if you can feel a bit better about things? I had cognitive behavioural therapy a few yearsago after some rather unpleasant things happening in my life and it revolutionised the way I think. Please don't be angry with me, I'm just worried about you xxx

Have alovely sunny weekend everyone, whatever you are doing!

P.s apologises for any typos as on phone and not so good for mammoth posts! Xxx

Oh yeah, very up for the facebook group thing, tiddley you seem v good at these things..... I'm awful at computer based things other than the basics, often call IT in work for really basic stuff, bit I make them regular cakes to say thankyou so I hope they don't mind, really should do a computer course but dont want to! tiddley hope you managed to get some sleep, you seem a fabbo mum so I'm sure all will be fine! No sleep us evil, big hugs xxx

And another thing, can we petition mn to put a 'like' button on here, some things you girls say make me cry with laughter but the thread moves so quickly I can't always post my likes quick enough! LOVED the spider thread, I'll come and rescue those in need, the little critters don't bother me, can I get some sort of ghost buster type car with sirens and a jump suit? Hmmm...on second thoughts scrub the jump suit, will look like the marshmallow man due to podgy belly!

Morning All and what abeeeeeeauuutiful day

Awake for an hour, still traumatised from going for a wee and discovering that this really in a bump and not wind/bloat/massive sandwich.

Date night was lovely, Bourne film was entertaining and food before had was yumscrum, we went to one of our favourite restaurants (a knock off wagamama which is better imo) and ate noodles and had a lovely warm welcome and "oh my! Another {insert restaurant name here} baby!" which was nice

Today will be spent girding loins to tell friends who are staying this evening.

Spiders and neighbours and sleepless nights aside, hoping you're all surviving x

I deleted my FB account as I had a terrible time with my ex husband and he is still friends with a few of my friends and it didn't matter if I blocked him, I could still see content about him. I was also wary of my wedding photos turning up on FB and the Lentil has made me feel quite private. Deleting my account was incredibly liberating but I really do miss the general chatter with my core group of friends.

Morning! Blimey some of you ladies are v cognisant in the early hours. I'm struggling to speak.

Shouldve got up 20 mins ago as lots to do before we head.. & yet still in bed "waking up".

Hope everyone has a good day & MrsR - pop into town, get your hair washed & blow dried & buy a frock. No arguments. Your OH can cope with the kids for 3 hours. Give yourself an ego boost. Debenhams seem to have a few mat dresses & I'm sure town has somewhere else you can look in. Even if it's just a glam top to go with the jeans. No excuses I can find you & slap your wrists you know.

Morning all, sorry to hear some of you aren't sleeping - here's to peaceful DC's and DH's and calm bladders from here on in!
mandasand I've been having my highlights done; the due doesn't touch the scalp so much when you have stuff done at the hairdressers and most evidence suggests it's harmless unless you are exposed every day!
lanny the weather is gorgeous down here (I work in Cambridge) so you should have a lovely weekend!
We have DH's Nan here - she's his only family , she's 89 & so excited about the baby, so lots of Little Bean related talk.
manda am trying to be philosophical
about the friends - DH is much less gregarious and keeps reminding me that the 'real friends' are the golden few who are still in touch. Hoping to meet a few people at antenatal - and of course I have the new virtual friends on this thread!

Totally agree with tramp with this one rigby go and treat yourself to something nice, even if just a pretty top and a hot chocolate to sit and have half hour me time works wonders I find!
DH has taken DS1 fishing for day so it's just me and DS 2 which is fab and I am planning to treat myself to feel a bit more like me, then maybe chips and ice cream along the beach- also going to drag mum along as DS2 is an angel plus with blonde curls and huge blue eyes looks like one but he is a lazy so and so and I am not really up to the lifting!

Sorry to see so many of you not sleeping so well at moment and I hope that passes!

In regards baby movement have been feeling slight 'bubbling' in there if that makes any sense at all, wasn't sure if wishful thinking, actual baby just wind, lol

I would happily join a facebook group, but would have to find it as when I had court case a few years ago and the bloody newspaper were trying to get my story really was as crazy as it sounds I got an IT friend to secure it or me and I don't know how to change it back so no one can fine me I can only ind them!

Morning all, been up since 630 with DD. We are stopping at DB's and I didn't know how to turn the sound on on his tv system, so been watching Cbeebies with the sound down! Rock and roll
I'm on fb so would be happy to be part of a group and later meet up. Obv, not having scan til Monday, but after that will start spreading the word. Probs won't do a big fb announcement with scan pic etc but will probs make some sort of 'enlightening' comment at some stage! So once that's done, will be able to join a group etc.

Sorry for all of you having big work stresses. My job is pretty busy and can be quite stressful at times, BUT, I only work 3 days and have taken a commensurate cut in wage, so I sort of think, well sod it, I don't get paid to worry about this sort of crap. Before I had DD I was very committed to work, but once she came along, I remained comitted, but my priorities changed. Helps that my boss is totally work-shy and never takes any work home or works over! So I certainly don't now. Would ideally like to move jobs to work closer to home as spend 1.5 hours commuting each day, plus with nursery drop off and running DH to and from station i end up spending almost 3 hours per day in car... But, work in local govt at officer level, so there just are not the jobs around... Something will come along at the right time I hope!

It's a glorious morning here and hoping it stays that way as taking DD to beach this morning with DF. need to get in bath and wash my hair, I too am lacking that je ne sais quoi at the mo....

Hope you all have a lovely day today and can enjoy the weather.

Morning, I've been up a while too. How would a fb group work? I would like to join, I'm just a little paranoid about rl people finding my stuff on here. Also had a nasty fb experience in the past.

Lexi You work in the town I live in.

I feel the same about friends in rl too. I've never really made many friends here since I moved and the ones I did moved away! My closest friends are all in London and both our families are far away. I am hoping antenal groups are the way to go but I'm quite a shy person and quite worried about it. Still, if there is any time to face the fear, I guess this is it.

Sorry to hear about your crap nights. I couldn't sleep either but not no particular reason.

Ugh at all the spiders, DH keeps getting called to get rid of them, hideous things.

So what are we all up to today? I'm contemplating going into town for maternity clothes again but I know I won't find much. Might also paint the nursery.

Wow it is hot today!

I love the way my fiancé outed the pregnancy on fbook. Being a pilot, he made some announcement about an emergency checklist no 126 (which doesn't exist) relating to a pregnant fiancée and could anyone tell him which procedures to follow!! Oddly only his pilot friends understood it! More frighteningly all the tellies seemed to be about blaming the co-pilot!! Ha! If this baby doesn't come out ginger I'm in trouble ;)

Replies not tellies

Hi-de-hi!! Morning troops!! Gorgeous day, from what I can see through the blinds, am languishing in the pull out sofa bed in the living room, as DSS has the bedroom-we are staying in my DH flat while he is on his extended break in France and we get work done on cottage. Sorry to those struggling with poor sleep, I've been not great this week either, seeing more of 3:50am than I'd like quite frankly! hopefully will catch up this weekend!!

mrsR, Tramp and Zoey have got it spot on I think, I don't know you either from Adam, but you deserve to feel right and happy about you, and comparing yourself to another person or persons is self destructive.

there will always be others with more money, nicer house, better behaved children, prettier clothes, bigger norks, thinner waists, nicer gardens, faster cars, better housekeeping antics; and conversely there'll be others who are lesser off than you in all respects, we are all somewhere on the spectrum.

I would agree that it is harder to feel satisfied with your lot or situation if it somehow used to be different, or "better". But, maybe in order to get up and function everyday, and do what you are doing, bringing a new person into the world, it would great for both you and your family if you had the opportunity to get some you time to feel good about yourself, a little pamper, or time to take stock.

I wonder if mrsperfect posts on MN wishing she were you with her envy for you and your ways, great observational dry humour, being pregnant again, and having what to her seems a less restrictive and more fun lifestyle?

Maybe talking to someone may help you reconcile your feelings, as I can't help but think that your strength of feeling about mrs perfect is perhaps a symptom of something bigger or more wide ranging. Please, it's just my opinion (and unsolicited at that!) so feel free to ignore me, but please don't flame me-have come to care about my Allsorts assortment of virtual chums on here, and would say similar to a girl friend in RL.

Whatever and however today goes, try and take time to enjoy spending day with your family, and others who could be RL friends or friendly acquaintances round you x

PS been trying to get this posted for an hour but stupid phone rubbish reception here, am not still in bed!!!!!!

Oh poor Marchers up through the night. Best not gloat too much about long sleep and morning shag, noooo. DH snoring and am at desk, almost working. Got another joyous weekend of book-finishing ahead but a nice birthday party tomorrow for my friend's little girl. Stressing about what to buy her. Last far we got her some Darcy Bussell ballet story books to which she proclaimed she wasn't really into ballet any more (!)

Bloody lovely morning here.

I think there's a lot of sensible advice on here about comparisons with others and I can't add anything as eloquent to that, but such worries over Mrs Perfect remind me of that cartoon I see around occasionally where there's two women in a swimming pool changing room. Both are physically perfectly fine, just different. But in their 'thought bubbles' are images of how they see the other one, and how they think they look to the other one: the tinier one thinks she looks like a shrivelled twig vs buxom beauty and the bigger one thinks she's a gallumphing hulk vs petit and perky. I think that says a lot about our anxieties over self and others!

Lexi thanks for highlights advice. Will go for it! And you're right about the 'golden few', definitely.

Lanny I second your recommendation, for anyone that thinks they may need it, for some kind of talking therapy. I was always in a bit sometimes a lot of a muddle when I left home to go to uni, and had a few bits of counselling here and there, but what really sorted me out was a few years of transactional analysis last decade. I was a bit about it at first, but it worked for me and now I'm much more at peace with the world, much more stable and … well, happier. Have read good things about CBT as well, but the woman I clicked with wasn't trained in that. Gawd, I love therapy. You still fall down the same holes now and again, just increasingly less often and less painfully. It gives you a toolbox for life you didn't know existed! (Shall I stop with the enthusiasm now?!)

I can vouch for online CBT. This was recommended by my doctor and worked well. It was called mood gym I think.

sheldon if you ever want to meet for an early evening cuppa let me know

Thought I've never had CBT myself, I have come very close due to my TTM hitting a high point, have also seem the benefits in action through one of my placements! Very interesting but could be worth a shot. My parents are both psychiatric nurses and both truly believe that EVERYONE in the world could benefit from CBT in their lives. It really is that good

Ps this morning I feel FAB! I have no idea what's going on, must be my freshly washed locks and fuzz free legs

<croak>

Sun. Shining. Need. Tea.

<pathetic wave>

Morning everyone, how are we all today?

I'm MNing from the comfort of my bed as after staying out until 12.15 this morning I feel like I have been out on the razz

Made the mistake of looking into pram minefield yesterday and I am so confused!

Don't want to go through loads like last tine as just didn't find one that suited after DS grew or if his Emmaljunga at 18m, although my final one was a city mini which was fab but doesn't rear face

They really are taking the piss.

Whilst I'm sat here on my big fat bum, watching TV (I have to, there's no more recording space left) and stuffing my face with pan au chocolat, Mr. Perfect is doing more gardening.

I can't see Mrs Perfect, but I bet she's inside cleaning like a mad woman. I fail to see the point, in a matter of hours god knows how many children are going to be in that house messing it up. Plus me

What does one wear to a childrens party?

As per DH's nagging I threw some clothes in the wash this morning and they're now drying. It's going to have to be maternity jeans, but as for a top I'm a bit buggered. I don't think a womanly fitted top will cover enough tummy to hide the maternity jeans elasticated bit. So that just leaves a manly long t-shirt. Ah fuck it, like I said yesterday, her husband will want me so badly after 13 years of perfectness it doesn't really matter. Besides I have a cunning plan, I'm going to have a sneaky shower, including washing my hair and put on a face mask before I go over. Even if I look dirty and a mess, I'll smell lovely and one thing I can beat her on is my skin is much better than hers.

You know what's going to happen now I've said what lovely skin I have, I'm going find a spot on my face aren't I.

My DH is vacuuming, which is hysterical as the place is a mess. He's just vacuuming around stuff on the floor. What is the point?

Ooh by the way mandasand I Googled you and if I've got the right person, you appear to have not just brains but beauty as well. Damn you. Were you born in America or just go to Uni there?

You can blaim once working in a detective agency for my stalking!

Plus I'm really nosey.

Nothing productive done yet - stopped for cheese on toast. DH now making me a half decaf/half espresso coffee.

JoJo Ooh, have you got the glow now?
Lexi I'm sure we could arrange that at some point in the future I think you have convinced me on the hair colouring. I've been avoiding it but have some noticeable greys so need to do something. Wonder what sort of highlights on dark hair.
MrsR Very jealous of your lovely skin. Mine is hideous. I'm sure you will look fabulous at the party. Must say, I've never washed my door or windows.

chefette Mrs Perfect is definately not jealous of me, I don't know anyone who would be. By her own admission she is very houseproud so I'd be amazed if she was jealous of my house. It's not that I wouldn't like a nice house, I would, it's just that DH refuses to buy anything new or fix anything plus the boys just wreck it and make so much mess. Its near impossible to get it tidy, let alone clean. I've no idea how my gran did it as she had 8 children and lived in a mansion. It's stupid, but I always dreamt I'd buy her house and have just as many children. Has anyone seen the film Cheaper By The Dozen? I want that to be my family.

I know.

Mrs perfect I don't think gets my very dry, dark sense of humour so I don't think she'd be jealous of that. I think I'm funny though!

I can't imagine she's be jealous of my DH as hers is much sexier.

As for the children, she was thinking of aborting DS2 and had her DH get snipped straight after he was born. I think when I tell her I'm pregnant the look on her face will be one of horror. So definately not jealous.

The only thing I think I have in my favour is that I'm 10 years younger, have great skin (olive complextion, petite features and firm, soft skin that is free of wrinkles) and although we both a size 18, I don't look it as it is only my tummy that carries the weight.

Big headed much, moi?

Just marking my place!

I went back to school last week and have found it very difficult to keep up with you all!!! Feel really sicky and miserable today - think I'm going to try and spend the day in bed catching up with all your latest antics!!! x

Sheldon, despite being blonde I've sot some persistent wiry white hairs sticking vertically upwards from my crown, aagggh! I tried pulling them out but have decided to leave them now, especially as I've started to get the t-section highlights. I have hopes of being like that lovely silver haired lady off the Gold Girls in my retirement

As for messy houses, DH and I aren't able to keep the place that clean even without kids but I hate it when it's actually dirty (thinking of our kitchen floor at the mo!) so I think I will go against every political principle about paying someone to clean after me and get a cleaner, either towards the end of pregnancy or when the twins are here (all being well!) Anyone else got a cleaner? And how much do you pay? I'd rather pay over the odds for a reliable, thorough person.

MrsR you are now making everyone jealous with descriptions of your skin As for your detective skills nosiness, I salute you! Noooo, born in the north west! Only spent (a miserable) 10 months in America a few years back. Though it was in Chicago, home of lots of wealthy Wrigleys, and I got mightily pissed off with everyone thinking I was originally American. I had to reeducate them - the name is proper Lancashire.

Oh heck, I feel a bit stupid for putting my name on here: do you think if someone googled me they would find the Mumsnet page with all my waffles about hairy belly, shagging and nonsense?! Shit. May ask MN HQ to delete that post. What an incompetent!

*Golden Girls, of course. Silly predictive text.

kirsty80 you must be a REALLY young mum if you're still at school Is it GCSEs or A-Levels that you're studying for?



Has anyone seen the advert above for a pelvic toner? It just reminds me how much I need a vibrator, I keep meaning to get one, but then talk myself out of it. I need an extra, extra big and thick one though - penis's just seem to get lost inside me.

ThreeForTea I reported the thread and told them how wonderful they are and because they were so wonderful would they mind very much editing the title. They don't often change titles, I seem to remember one was too many swear words (saying something for MN!) but I think they took pity on us this time and I did ask very nicely.

theTramp you can set groups so that only the people in the group even know it exists or it can be visible but no one can see what's posted in it, as mandasand said.

MrsRigby you need to perfect the art of feeding on your side so you can sleep. I can't do it anymore Chalk... Heparin leaches your bones so you're supposed to take calcium and Vit D with it (aka chalk) but my research found that it's not necessary in short term use (eg pregnancy) and as it is horrible and vile stuff I refuse to take it. They tried to give me dispersible lemon flavoured last time, it was like cheap chalky lemonade (not envy!) to make me take it.

lannyshrops I always read forums now wanting to "like" things, otherwise you either don't tell people or just reply to say you like. MN have discussed it before but it's always been vetoed.

DoodleBugBee I'm getting tempted to delete anyone I know IRL from my Facebook and moving them all to my spare account so I can have them there without having to see them all the time or have them see what I post. I've already got almost everyone I know on restricted (you can block people and still be friends).

zoeymlucas if we do a closed group then you could be sent the link, so it wouldn't matter about your settings.

My OH landed about an hour ago but hasn't turned his phone on yet! I'm very excited lol I've never been on my own this long and my pregnancy hormones are making it difficult!

mandasand we don't have a cleaner, but DH has mentioned about getting one. I can't do it though, I'd feel sorry for whoever had to clean up after us all. Besides, I actually do like cleaning, it's just very hard with kids - no idea how Mrs Perfect does it.

I'm glad if some of you are jealous of my skin, you should be! To be fair, I've never smoked, don't drink, get plenty of sleep, don't wear make-up and exfoliate and moisturise every day as has been my ritual since I was about 8. I think the day I get my fist wrinkle I'm going to be so devestated I'll have to get cosmetic surgery!

I do feel sorry for Mrs Perfect, when it comes to her skin it's heavily scared by acne, plus she has a few wrinkles. It really doesn't help when she puts on make up - I've never seen a woman wear so much. Then again, as I don't wear make-up, even someone with just a little blusher and mascara would seem excessive to me!

Anyway mandasand looking at your photo, your skin looks good too, you've very pretty and I have to say you have the look of a young JK Rowling - but better looking.

Christ almighty, you're another one verging on perfectness, pretty, intelligent, pregnant with twins AND you had a morning shag

Rigby is Lancashire in origin too. I have to say, I miss my maiden name sometimes. It was Cornish and very few people shared it in Liverpool so a bit of a unique name. Loads of my lot down in Cornwall though. Everyone always used to think my surname was Italian.

All I got when I Googled you, was a lovely pic, some stuff about what you're doing at Westminster and a list of books of yours I can buy through Amazon. I'm not sure anyone would find your Mumsnet stuff unless they Googled your Mumsnet username.

Ok, finished my booties. Picture on profile. They look too small, don't they.

Awwww Sheldon, I nearly wept - they are adorable! Sigh. So clever - I wish I could knit or crochet (I can knit in straight lines, but need my mum to cast on and cast off for me! All I end up with are very holey scarves, hmm.)

Just had an hour's break in the garden, eating donuts, watching DH put the locks on the new back gate (at last! it's five months 'new'!) and planting out the winter pansies. Back to the grindstone now...

Thank manda They are a very very simple pattern, about the best I can manage so far. I started my knitting last winter so got some good practice in then. You are the one that sounds very clever. I'd love to be an academic and have had an intention to return to education since I left 8 years ago. I hope it isn't too late once I've had my babies.

Sheldon, what fantastic progress with the knitting! Ooooh exciting about returning to study. My most inspiring and dedicated students are the ones I've tutored at the Open University who are returning to study after a break or later in life: of the women, loads study when their kiddies are small and some study when their kids are off to Univ. What subject(s) do you fancy returning to? Sometimes I wish I could just read a book for pleasure, or follow my nose into a new hobby, but right now my research feels like a ball and chain! (I love it tho, and am v. lucky with my job, so should not complain!)

sheldon I wouldn't go so far as to call it the 'glow' BUT I do look healthier, haven't vomited (as a result of that I don't have an ugly rash around my neck and lower face)! I think it's just that I slept through, piled on the moisturiser before bed to give my skin a good 'drink', de fuzzed any fuzzy areas and spent the evening on me! So this morning I woke up and just feel a whole lot better! Fx this is the start of the 'glow'!

Right, I'm out the shower and sitting here drying whilst I wait for the nose strip to do its job. I don't know why I'm bothering whilst I've got catipillars for eyebrows and Bradley Wiggins' sideburns. Fucking PCOS.

I can't blame PCOS completely, I have neglected to was for about 2-3 months now. I'm a bit too scared to do so until I'm comfortably in the second trimester.

Just a slight problem, whilst in the shower I couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Perfect and so now I'm really fucking horny. I feel it's time for another AIBU thread:

AIBU to leave my children at the party whilst DH and I come back to our house to fuck each other into an oblivian?

Actually, as DH is not really into sex, it would be more like:

AIBU to leave my children at the party whilst I come back home and finger myself until I cum thinking of Mr. Perfect?

manda My degree was computer engineering but since then I have done OU courses in physics, astronomy and botany. I was doing a geology course earlier this year but then I had my miscarriage and didn't finish it The thing is, I'm interesting in everything so find it difficult to be specific as to what I'd like to do. I do love the OU. I think if I did go back I'd like to get into robotics but not many places offer it, certainly nowhere around here.

JoJo you must have kickstarted the glow with your pampering. That's it, I'm pampering myself with a nice bath tonight.

Ugh, feel a bit sick all of a sudden, think this means I should eat.

Oh I forgot to add, I have as predicted a red spot right in the middle of my forehead. I do hope there isn't going to be an Indian family in attendance otherwise they'll think I'm taking the piss.

Mrs Perfect update - she's hung bloody balloons around the porch.

Am very jealous of ur morning activities manda after this weekend I won't be aloud sex until after baby and am all healed so prob next April - poor DH think he will be going mental as he still likes o wake me up at like 1.30am when he can't sleep- think I might go a little crazy too as its a bloody long time!!!!

Well went out and treated myself to new shoes don't tell DH as he thinks the 230 pairs I have is stupid, very expensive shampoo and conditioner 40.00 for both and a new razor to de fuzz myself later also went o amazing bakers on sea front and got hot sausage roll for me and DS and a yummy cake each and sat on the beach to eat them was lovely

Right silly question time, am having my op Wednesday - do u ladies think I should ummmm tidy up down there, lol? Plus how tidy do you go don't want to look like have tried to hard but don't want to look that I haven't bothered either

Ooooh yes I think we've chatted-ish about OU stuff before, Sheldon (sorry if I repeated myself: I'm always going on about how much I love my OU students!) Wow, you would so get on with my DH. He did mechanical engineering at uni, with a lot of computer stuff, but now writes computer programmes which tell robots how to do precision work. At least I think that's what he does. It involves a lot of staring at the screen scratching his head. I sometimes wish I could talk to him more about what he does but it's so beyond what my brain can cope with that it's nigh on impossible! An astronomy lover too! I've started going to bed much earlier than him, as I've been so knackered, and I got up for a wee the other night to find him looking for Jupiter in his telescope! Cute as. Did you give the OU any hint as to why you didn't finish the geology course? They might let you pick it up again. Be nice to finish it, for completeness (and the credits), tho I guess it may bring back some not so great memories of the time. An increasing number of universities are doing distance-learning now, so may be worth looking into some good departments and seeing if they offer anything - even a short, online course to get you back into it (when the time is right re family, of course).

Zoey, you could do OTHER things in that general ball-park (so to speak) that don't involve the specific thing you need to avoid (!) April! I'd go bonkers! Feel sorry for DH at the mo as it's only about once a week but by jingo when it happens it's pretty damn good! Are you joking about 230 pairs of shoes?! I have about six I wear regularly (two knee-high boots, one ankle boots, metallic flats, converse pumps and crocs) and about ten I bought for parties which come out once in a blue moon! Must try harder, hehe! Okay, to answer your question (TMI ALERT!) I trim with scissors downstairs and shave round the edges where it goes a bit out of control, but it's not a forest. Though I am getting worried about when the time comes that the bump won't let me contort sufficiently to sort it out myself! Had a professional wax once and OMG NEVER AGAIN!!! But, to be honest, whatever you do or don't do, they will have seen it all before!

Sheldon very impressed with the courses! Very cool indeed

Oh and can't join in with the sex conversations - have no libido at all, it's vanished. Poor DH is being very patient

Yippee, Mumsnet Towers have deleted my post from last night where I stupidly revealed my RL name so that peeps could find me on FB. Don't know what I was thinking as people in my line of work google each other all the time and the embarrassment if they could read about the things I go on about here ... bloody hell, doesn't bear thinking about!!!

Thanks manda- yeah I have a bit of a shoe obsession including jimmy Choos, louboutins etc and I can't really wear heels at all since the hip replacements but I can't bear to part with them! That number does include about 40 pairs of flip flops though! I do have about 20 pairs that have never been worn, I am sure I will one day! I also have a few Chloe and mulberry bags, the 3 mulberry were 900.00 each and the Chloe were about the same! I got a huge payout from the hospital in Dec 2010 and went a bit crazy on treats it also paid for wedding in full which was about 25k, cleared all loans and credit cards and let us get a bigger house in a much better area- but it's all gone now it was fun while it latest

Fair point about them having seen it all before i just little to over think things!

manda I think I keep repeating myself. I usually have a very good (sheldon-like) memory, but it's terrible lately. That's nice to know about the OU, will definitely be wanting to get back into it in a couple of years.

zoey You have made me feel better about my bag and shoe collection. I don't have anything overly expensive, most extravagant being a pippa bag that DH bought me for our 10 year anniversary. He thinks I have far too much. All heels now packed away I'm lusting after some new boots for winter though.

I'm absolutely livid with DH.

He gave DS1 the birthday card so he could write his name in and aside from writing someone elses name, he's written in RED INK.

Wow, Zoey! If you ever hit financial difficulty I think you could float out of it easily by selling on your precious collection! Ahhhh I didn't include flip-flops or my Birkenstocks … OR my wellies and walking boots! Can I include those?! The most I've spent on a handbag was £120 in TKMaxx on some label I can't even remember (originally a few hundred £££). I just really liked the bag as it had a huge capacity and lots of pockets (and it looked nice) BUT the bloody thing broke just as quick as the much cheaper handbags I usually buy (again, from TKMaxx usually) so never again!

Yeah thats what my DH says- when I mentioned the cost of the iCandy pram he said sell a bag, he don't get I NEED them all! When not used each bag is in its own dust bag filled with paper to keep shape my fav is my limited edition red leopard print mulberry one limited edition sounds grim but is lush ! DH has band me from buying shoes but he's not here plus they are practical flat black work pumps.
DS is having a sleep so am laying on sofa watch the green mile, have loads to do but can't be arsed to move

manda .. I think you were wise to get that deleted. Glad they dealt with it so quickly. I also had a (rare) morning bonk while they boys watched Hong Kong Phooey! Made me a happy lady after days of feeling so YUK! See, I am still a desirable sex kitten! HMMMMMM!

DH has taken the boys to the park to give me a break. We spent last night looking at old baby photos of the boys and getting really excited about having a squishy one again. Ladies, we are going to have such fun come next spring time!

As for RL meet ups, I get the impression none of you are Bristol based?

zoey .. I am very envious of your blowout (although of course sad that you got the money due to a health issue). I would LOVE to be like that, but am sadly a product of my parents upbringing. Careful and wise savers. A bit of me does daydream that in my autumn years I spend the kids inheritance on toy boys and face lifts!

Ooof. Afternoon ladies. The problem with falling in love with a dream house is you have to get your old one fit to sell. Cue an afternoon spent sanding down flaking paint from sash windows, wearing a dust mask which makes it all so much worse. DH is fixing flood damage in the bathroom. (flood obviously a fortnight after we decorated it). The decorating to do list is a mile long and eveything's taking ages - usual story. And tonnes of the jobs I can't do because I'm PG so I'm doing the crappy prep work and he'll get to do the painting.

Enough moaning! Jealous of the shoes and handbags and the morning bonking. Do you reckon if I dragged DH to bed I could get out of DIY?...

ted it wasn't a health issue I just sued the hospital (well actually it never got to court they paid out to stop it) I had a hip operation and a member of staff sexually assaulted me theatre recovery, the hospital didn't believe me and believed him so refused to even phone the police I had to call them myself. Then while on bail for me he assaulted another girl in hull and stood up in court the next day and pleads guilty to us both- hospital couldn't really say it didn't happen then!!!! The judge in the trial ripped them to shreds so they couldn't risk it going to court plus the papers wanted to buy the story to rip apart the NHS as was on bail for sexual assault in one nhs hospital and found work in another one different part of country hence my obsession at being organised and panic over operation this week as even though he got 5 years he did 2 1/2 and got out in July this year!

I wanted to enjoy the money and having it sat there would of sort of made me think of him so I made life easier with no debts and got all the things I could never normally just buy in everyday life and married my DH which was the start of our new chapter- plus I had CBT in the priory which helped a lot (only cos couldn't face the hospital it happened for a while)

Sounds like you both need a bit of R 'n R, tea! If it's any consolation, our house looked to be pristine when we viewed it and we put in an offer immediately (which we've never regretted) but only after living in it for a while do we notice where the previous owner had just tarted it up, rather than doing a proper job. So don't be too thorough would be my advice! (Tho praps best fix the flood!)

Ted dunno what I was thinking when I wrote that last night! Am an utter novice at this inter web chatting thing. Find it a leeeetle bit strange actually, which is why I'd be in favour of a FB group as at least then you can 'see' peeps a bit more (not that FB is much like RL!) Yippee for your morning bonk too! I'm in such a good mood too!

Cor, zoey, bet you have a special room for all your bags and shoes, no? I reckon your DH won't have a clue that you've bought new shoes - you can just say you are making use of ones you haven't worn for a long time, hehe!

Ummmm I have already walked round the garden in them so the soles look used

Zoey sounds like you spent your money in the best way possible!

manda a degree of bodging will happen, but I want the particulars to say "walk in condition!" as I want it to sell QUICKLY for obvious reasons.

Well, I just dysoned the outside window sill after sanding it and got some very, very odd looks from passers by!

Marking.....

Have just walked out of the party with DS2.

zoey .. You deserved every penny, huge unmunmsnetty hugs to you.

Oh no, what happened MrsR?

Blimey ladies - busy day!

Zoey - that's horrific, no wonder you're stressing.

Hmmmm can see me getting a devil child next as DS2 such an angel- he is 18 months and just went to bottom of stairs and said 'night night mummy' started waving and started going up stairs! Have put him to bed and he put thumb straight in mouth and ain't made a sound- new any is go into Akers up for it I can feel it!!!!!!

MrsR what happened?

Evening ladies,

feel really dodgy all day today and fed up, I have so much that needs to be done!

Loving all the chat,

Manda just right deleting your post I googled my page name and found an old post under my old mn name, I had spaces between each letter as some mumsnetters wanted to nosey at my cakes AMD mnhq deleted it for me

Evening All! Have driven 350 ish miles (30 degrees, air con broken) done an all nighter with ds, packed and unpacked car, food shop for the week, made up beds, cooked dinner.... I'm a bit tired....

As we've been on the road for the last 24 hours I haven't had time to catch up with everyone but hope you've all had good days. I'm off to bed. Looking forward to a day on the beach tomorrow before it starts raining!

Night All!

Eek - 30 degrees & no air con, not great.

So MrM and I have now told his family. They're all chuffed, although I think he's getting a roasting from his Mum about us not vein married. I managed to cook a cracking vegetarian lasagne & garlic bread and my tiramissu was fantastic, if I do say so myself. Which is hood because there were six of us & I appear to have made enough for 12 so that's lunch tomorrow sorted.

Ive also managed to eat pasta and salad without feeling sick - a first for the last 8 weeks or so AND I've had enough energy that I didn't fall asleep mid way through the evening. Result all round.

Just heard my bro has rocked up to celebrate Socrates with my parents, with two bottles of bubbles. Aw.

Some classic typos there - sorry ladies

Gosh End you really need a holiday after all that! Hope you have fun at the beach tomorrow.

What a full day of talk! Have been checking in regularly, but with me what happens is I get up to date, start to write a message, get disturbed (phone rings, dd/dh need me, pan boils over etc) and never manage to post! Anyway on phone now so will keep this a short one!

Hope things are ok after this evening NexT btw.

Fx for good sleep tonight for myself and all other bad sleepers!

Sorry of course those names should be Ems and MrsR!

Mornin All, ds slept to a respectable 7 am this morning. Dh just asked me to get his shower gel out of his bag and I find he has packed condoms! Wtf?! Think I need to sit him down and have a little chat on the facts of life!

What does everyone else have planned for the day?

Oh Em that made me laugh! Maybe he thinks sperm can interfere with the baby?!

Tramp hooray for telling MrM's family and for your for your bro being bubbletastic on account of the baby! Cor, what I'd give for a slice of that veggie lasagne, right now, for breakfast! Yum.

Glad you think I did the right thing Gummi! MNHQ must think 'poor pregnant brain not thinking properly'!

Zoey I want two like that please! What a darling DS2!

Good luck with the continuing DIY SOS, Tea.

Working this a.m. (boo) then out for lunch with friends for their daughter's birthday. Her mum and dad know about the pregnancy but not her and she's going to be sooo excited! It's four miles away but we can get there almost entirely by cycling along the Thames so am really looking forward to the journey too as could do with some sun and fresh air!

MrsR waiting with baited breath for details - hope you're ok.

tramp vege lasagne, hope you saved some for everyone, I've just started to feel normal and lasagne sounds yum! Lovely to gear your good reactions to your news

DH just picked a fight with me about Christmas. Give me strength.

I've finally caught up! Marking my place before I get lost again
I'm recovering today from a food festival yesterday, I did enjoy it for the most part but the constant smell of frying sausages made me feel queasy and the four hour drive really took it out of me so managed to stay up for Dr Who and then went to bed - I'm so rock and roll!
I'm up for fb, you can have a secret group. I was part of one and no-one could see anything of it, you couldn't search for it or anything. All I had to do was be friends with the lady that set the secret group up.
BabyBoo news went up on fb on Monday and I told people at work, a lot of people (mostly men tbf) asked me if it was planned. I didn't know how to answer that, surely it's none of their business?
Anyway, today I am going to attempt making food. I always used to bake my own bread and was getting some great results (I even had my own bakery stall and made £100 profit in one day!) but the smell and the standing upright for so long has been putting me off. Can't wait to get cooking again, it's a big part of who I am and how I destress and I've really really missed it. Not to mention I'm getting a bit bored of DH's convenience food bless him, he tries so hard!

Morning everyone! Feeling much brighter today after a hard week. Going to have some pancakes with fruit and yoghurt now as a special Sunday indulgence!

4 weeks until 20 week scan! So excited!!!

Oh and done some serious maternity shopping! Topshop jeans with slouchy jumper, loads of weekend clothes and full work wardrobe. So happy!!

Oooh Hermione, with your prior knowledge can you be persuaded to be the one to set up a FB group?! Be nice to have an easier space to share pics and such. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but enough, I think, have given the idea the thumbs up Yes, totally out of order for people to ask if it was planned. And there's no helpful way to respond - if you decline to answer they will presume it was a surprise. How annoying. You could turn the tables and say, 'So what about your kids? All planned?!' Wow, impressed by your bakery stall! I normally do all the cooking but I haven't had the energy and DH has taken over about half of it (plus a lot of 'my' tasks, in addition to his, poor love!)

Turkish was about to feel jealous about your scan for a mo, then I worked out that it's only 3.5 weeks till my 18-week (cervix) scan, so yay! Time is flying! I feel like a new woman since getting my uplift maternity bra and skinny H&M maternity cords so can feel your joy on the shopping front!

Yummy home made crusty bread bacon sandwiches sound amazing hermoine tell me what time your oven finishes and I am there for bread
tramp congrats on sharing your news and lasting all night without falling asleep its amazing how tiring growing a person can be manda you must be super woman for even managing to get up everyday growing 2!!!!
I am off to buy new DVDs today ready for my few days bed bound after op this week, any recommendations? Nothing scary thou as am a total wimp

Felling more human this morning have showered and used expensive new shampoo and conditioner and all my new santaury stuff so smell nice and have de fuzzed legs etc- however new razor has made me look slightly like I spend the night with Edward scissor hand as have manged to cut one leg about 10 times!!!
I must be a bit better as DH once again used the tap down stairs while I was in shower and it went freezing and I just told him to turn it off, no swearing, threats of death etc

Might take kids to Hayling Island today they have a little fun fair right on beach and can get amazing fish and chips and sit on beach plus there is a shop that sells fresh made hot doughnuts that are amazing- DH thinks I only want to go for doughnuts I can't see the problem with this

Anyway hope everyone has an amazing Sunday and has as good weather as we are going to- now to find summer clothes that fit

I am well up for a Facebook group too

Hey all! Lovely weekend do far with Sil, Bil and children, about to drive on to Norfolk and hoping the weather stays good!
Well done lexi on the clothes, it's been a real pain for you so I'm really happy! Yeah!
Reception in Norfolk very bad so will probably disappear off the radar for a week, please try not to use an entire thread while I'm gone, I'll never find you!

So pleased everyone is having a lovely Sunday morning. It's amazing what a good nights sleep & not feeling nauseous and hormonally ratty can do for you isn't it!

If we have a meet up I promise to make veg lasagne, but only if we also get some home made bread.

Tbh - the tiramissu is the real coup.. Can I have it for breakfast do you think?

Had a lie in & feel awesome. Getting up now then we're away for night in the spa hotel where I have my massage!!!! Yay.

Zoey - so funny reading about trips to Hayling Idland etc. My childhood right there. Although traffic on a nice day to Hayling is such a fag we'd have been off to the tail end of Southsea with a picnic & bathers. These days it needs to be a lot warmer for me to consider sea swimming. Although when socs comes along I suspect I'll revert to a motherly grown up vsn of 7 year old me. Roll on the play parks & the seaside trips

Turkish - hurrah on the new clothes

Morning! I've just done a JoJo and zoey and pampered myself. I have managed a lovely razor cut like zoey too. Ooh tramp spa sounds lovely!

Didn't have an amazing sleep, I kept waking up to DH snoring. Grr.

Hermione I love making bread too. I used to make most of our bread but haven't managed any at all since being pg. I particularly like sourdough but I can't see me having time to do this again for years. Never sold any though, wow, you must be amazing!

Hope you are having a nice time in Norfolk lanny I used to live there, so lovely.

Have a nice lunch out manda. I'm meeting my cousin with her baby tomorrow, good practice

Todays exciting job: clearing out the garage. Not looking forward to this at all as there is so much junk in there. We have no choice though as we are having some furniture delivered soon that belonged to DH's gran. It is a good feeling getting rid of useless rubbish though. I just can't believe how it all piles up. Urgh, there will be spiders in there won't there...

Morning all 13 hours kip last night on and off! But boy did I need it!
Spent the afternoon at the house cleaning windows and attempting to mow the lawn (take two today). The grass is about knee height and I was borrowing next doors flymo... You can picture the effort!!! My abs are so sore from the force of pushing such a weak machine over such out of control grass!! I've decided I'm going to try strimming it first!!

Loving the earlier chat about the OU. I had a tutorial yesterday, funnily enough. I think I'm addicted to being a student... I did my undergrad MA in modern languages at St Andrews (yes, Wills was there for some of the time I was), then a postgrad qualification at Aberdeen. Had been out of uni stuff for about 6 years and had DS, before deciding to go back to studying alongside working. Enrolled at the OU to do French from scratch. Have almost completed my first module and have an exam in a fortnight. Love it. Once I've done the French, I fancy some kind of English lit course, or maybe I'll do something sciency for a change?

possum sciencey is always fascinating!! I love it!

Tramp make sure you go to Mauds and eat ice cream on the beach, I'm very jealous if going to Slieve Donard the views from pool are amazing

Feeling guilty have had the migraine from hell for 2 days I have had 4 doses of paracetamol and have just gave in and taken my migralieve, working on the bases it doesn't say not suitable while pregnant but speak to gp, and there are people on stronger meds than that, and thankfully its seams to be going away!

Hermione know what you mean about standing baking I have 2 more cakes this month then I'm not doing anymore for awhile as its too much, I work for dh during day and then try to finish cakes at night I'm just too tired and it has taken the enjoyment out of it

Shieldbug have you your scan tomorrow goodluck, and good luck to anyone else

So if we had private group no one can see we have even posted any pics

three more sleeps to my 12 week scan and I am getting all nervous and worried. Everyone tells me I am mad because I am still symptomy and saw bubba at 10+4, I am less nervous than that scan, but still worried. Apparently I have a 99.4% chance of having a normal healthy pregnancy, but even that isn't quite reassuring me, I wish I could be less anxious!

I guessed last night that friend was pregnant, she is 6/7 weeks and scared shitless as has been bleeding for over a week, all brown, had a scan and saw a tiny flickering heartbeat, so hospital not concerned. She lost a baby and it started like this, so really hard for her. Just looked up on the MCA website and it says she has a 78% chance of being fine, but I know nothing will help until she is a lot further on. I wish I could wish the next six weeks away for her. I feel like all I say is the wrong thing.

Turkish, good for you on the new clothes, I need to make a list I think and price it, there are two Seraphine skirts I want and they are £38 each!

Tramp, poor socrates having an unmarried mother, you should be ashamed ;)

gummi I know exactly how you feel re guilt. I think I have tonsilitis but worried I my glandular fever may have returned I'm taking paracetamol as often as possible at the moment and even though nhs direct say this is absolutely fine I am still feeling guilty. I hope you feel better soon x

turkish I have been thinking of you - glad you are feeling more cheery about your pregnancy wardrobe. How many weeks are you now? Have you told colleagues/ headteacher? When do you think you'll tell students?

Those of you with yummy breakfasts eaten and lunches planned I am very jealous!! I haven't eaten since Friday morning I must be ill!!!

Have a good day everyone! X

Oooh yes.... I'm in favour of the fb page!

Sundae how exciting I want another peek at bean and I only had my scan last week, fx for your friend, my Sil is due in Feb and gas been bleeding on and off for last few weeks, but so far baby is happy but Im nearly counting the weeks for her to get to 24 weeks

Possom definitely science, I love it, I was excited for dd1 the other day she had her first science lesson in school, then realised I sounded like my gcse biology teacher who was mad as a hatter

Thanks everyone!

Kirsty everyone- EVERYONE knows! My form guessed within minutes and then the whole school knows- shock! Everyone has been lovely and supportive which is great.

I just need to get used to people commenting on my figure, I find it really hard and upsetting normally, add into that the confusion and guilt that goes with pregnancy and I've been a bag of nerves this week. Need to learn to relax!

Who has signed up to NCT ante natal classes? I'm still in two minds about them!

Tramp I think that's why I got similar reactions as you did perhaps, not being married, ridiculous, its no-ones business!! I was so disappointed that family asked tho!

Oh well, hope you all have lovely days, beach, bread, clothes, grass cutting, working studying!! enjoying time on hols, and bring with families x

Sort of cautious ref FB, deffo don't want RL-ers able to see stuff, given the frankness and TMI stuff we cover in here!!!!

I'm off to make beef madras for tea with green pepper dahl x

Still not started on the garage

turkish I have signed up for NCT. I'm glad I did as since I came out at work a colleague who had her baby last last told me she did them and they were great.

possom I love the OU science courses. The books are lovely as is the online content.

sundae That is pretty much what I have been through - miscarriage and then bleeding in the early weeks of this pregnancy. All has worked out so far but there isn't really much you can say, just listen. It's hard but she will be panicky no matter what. Maybe point her at mumsnet? That's what helped me the most.

Gummi I feel for you. I get horrible migraines. Do you get the visual disturbances too?

Chef That sounds like my kind of meal I made a lovely punjabi chicken curry last night from one of my many books. Delicous.

Sundae - what Shel said. I was bleeding for weeks and Mumsnet just helped me feel less alone. I decided quite early on that if there was nothing I could control then the least I could do was think the best & hope positive thinking made my body and Socs a bit better able to cope. I was soooo relieved at the scan because it meant 12 weeks was reached and the odds of MC go down from here. Not that the worry goes away but it just made me think - well socks is bouncing about, I'm fairly ok, why shouldn't all just go well? And when I do waiver you're all on here making me laugh.

Thanks guys, I might recommend it to her. I feel a bit weird about her being pregnant too, I think it is because of my outrageous anxiety and pessimism. I keep having little thoughts about her having a baby next summer and me not.

I am still hung up on being behind on my dates and the sonographer refusing to do an EDD at the scan but saying we'd wait. I am soooo insane.

Hi all

Back at home after lovely weekend at DB's.Beach, BBQ and lots of rellie visiting. DB and his GF are at the races then stoping here tonight and looking after DD tomorrow morn whilst we are at hosp for scan. Starting to get a bit nervous about it all now, really want everything to be ok after last time. At least it's at 930 so at least I won't be worrying about it all day!

Hope you're all ok and enjoying the nice weather!!

Good luck for scan ethel Your weekend sounds lovely!

Ethel - hoping the scan puts your mind at rest.

Shel - stop worrying! The scans almost here & then you too can stop worrying.

Turkish think it can be hard for anyone to get used to the attention to your body that pregnancy brings! As if overnight people loose any inhibitions to commenting about you, I sometimes wished that I could leave the tummy at home for a while and go to a social occasion or to sainsburys or work with out the looks and comments! Think I would be intimidated if I was in a school situation, so well done

Your weekend sounds lovely Ethel. I love the sea, and on days like this especially wish I wasn't so landlocked!

So I am going to suggest that I am apparently better So so happy. Since Wednesday (first time since July) I have been able to sustain a full day of activity including shopping, cooking, childcare, housework, seeing people in the evenings, all without crashing the next day, crashing that day, having headaches, retching, dizziness, shaking or having tummy pains. Work here I come! 14 weeks yesterday.

Todays activity was car boot sales.. was incredible. Got five items of mat clothes in really good condition, plus 2 toddler items for... £1.20!! Mat items are a work shirt, two fitted jumpers (all h&m) a new look black t shirt and another cream ribbed long sleeved top. I couldn't believe it, but the lady selling them had also had a winter pregnancy and was doing all clothes at 20p each. There is seriously nothing wrong with them, they smell of fresh laundry and I would have snapped them up from ebay or wherever. Have a new Sunday hobby it seems!
Also got a blue Bumbo seat for £3, a Early Learning centre wooden ride on and trailer for £5, literally looks brand new, and a Mama's and Papa's toy pram for £3. DD also loved it - though I drew the line at buying any tatty old teddies!

At home now for a rest after all the excitement

Had a lovely lunch out at our friends. Really lovely to tell their seven-year old girl - she's so excited! I helped my friend (her mum) out a bit when the daughter was newborn and today she said she'll come round at least once a week to cook for us when the babies are small. I love her!!

Sounds like lots of pampering and nice days are being had - brilliant. Not so nice clearing out the garage, Sheldon, but it always feels good once that sort of job is done, doesn't it? Can't wait to have more time to sort the house out a bit more: we moved in nearly 2 yrs ago and there are still two unpacked boxes hiding in the lounge That's interesting about doing modern langs with the OU, Backward: do you have oral exams as well as written? Presumably you got in before they hiked the fees up for new students? (Phew if so!) Kirsty, have you eaten yet? Worried about you! What about a milkshake or something, just for some energy? Poor thing! Turkish got big recommendations for NCT over lunch, not just from the mums but also one dad who nearly ended up bringing his boy into the world owing to crap staffing at the hospital! I had been wavering, as not very oriented to twins, and apparently I'm told I'll find it harder to get out and about for coffee mornings with two afterwards, but today we decided to do it. Will book soon. Green pepper dhal Chefette! Is recipe online? Three, boot sales! Had not crossed my mind, but great idea! Have a lovely week in Norfolk, Lanny. And thinking of you for tomorrow's scan Ethel

Ha, I sure don't feel (or look) like superwoman, Zoey! It's all I can do to keep my eyes open at the mo! (Tho things much better now I'm back on my normal non-sleepy antihistamines, thank goodness!)

Okay, so a fair bit of enthusiasm and some trepidation about a FB group. So I had a go at exploring how difficult it was to set up, and it wasn't. I created a group called Happy Marchers (a good enough, neutral enough name for now?) which is utterly secret, which FB defines as follows:

"Secret: These groups cannot be found in searches, and non-members can’t see anything about the group, including its name and member list. The name of the group will not display on the timelines of members. To join a secret group, you need to be added by a member of the group."

Which is a bit of a pain as it looks like no-one will actually be able to find it! Or me! I'm not yet wanting to spread the pregnancy news amongst FB friends but am generally not that fussed about privacy so if you want to PM me I will tell you my name and you can join that way, or connect with others and join via them. One thing … how on earth do we connect people's MN nicknames and personalities with RL names, hehe?!

manda Yes, it's the oral that is terrifying... reading, listening and writing are generally ok! I'm in Scotland so the tuition fee hikes haven't affected us. No way I could afford it otherwise!

Thanks everyone for the comments, advice and the NCT reccomendations, I think I will weigh up the pros and cons of the cost and decide. It's something I'd like to do, but not sure if I can afford to do!

Right- salmon and pasta for dinner! Yummy!

okay, so backward is road-testing the facebook page with me! once we're sure it's totally secure and private I'll post my twinpics! yippeeee

manda that group sounds perfect I am well up for it

Have a lovely day at beach on fair rides had candy floss and doughnuts (hot with jam) and boys loved it!However I got bitten to death so am so itchy but not sure if I can take anything, I must taste good today!

Told niece and nephew about baby today and niece asked me to make a girl one as there are 3 boy grandchildren and 1 girl so I said I will. Ear it in mind but can't promise, lol! We told them earlier last time then had to explain baby had gone to heaven and as nephew is only 3 he still asks when we can visit heaven to see baby or when it's coming back which is still really hard for me to deal with.

Come home and DH did a BBQ and then cleared away everything while I chilled on sofa which was nice- my appetite is back and I think that's helping me with the feeling more normal thing! Even thinking about making a rhubarb crumble as still hungry

Hello all
I've been a bit quiet today as we've had DH's Nan visiting this weekend, been doing lots of cooking & walking about and it's taken it out of me, had to slope off for a nap!
Turkish I feel your pain, people keep commenting on my size. I have some issues with this; I'm a size 14 and 5"11 and it's taken me long enough to come to terms with being a bigger girl; also had a previous weight issue where I was very heavy in my early 20s so I find it really difficuly with the 'aren't you HUGE for 15 weeks' type comments.
I think I might need to make curry tomorrow. Yum.
Watching the Paralympics round up; very disappointed it is all over, not least because I have developed quite a crush on Oscar Pistorius & I will miss seeing his lovely face & tight running gear on the TV! [embarrased]

gummi .. My GP told me, back when I had the bout of tonsillitis, that codeine was OK, but for no more than 3 days. I find that codeine kicks migraine butt. And you would only need it for a day, 2 at most to get you through the migraine. Only after 12 weeks though.

Good luck tomorrow ethel

All this study talk has got me twitchy. I can't see myself going back to IT once I return to work. I plan to retrain and am mightily excited about studying again. I went to Bristol Uni all those years ago (and stayed here ..) and keep an eye on their courses from time to time. I have a strange compulsion to retrain as a social worker. I am not particularly fragile but even so, my DH and a few friends keep warning me about the horrors of SW. But I think I could handle it. Possibly. Maybe. Hmmmm.

I have a FB account but rarely use it. So forgive me for staying out of that one ladies. I would feel a bit funny outing myself even to you lovely lot. Don't know why.

Ooh lexi .. Balm for you Olympic itch ... Strictly has that Hot hot hot Team GB gymnast as a contestant!!

hahahaha ted - thank-you for the heads up!

Hey.
Good to catch up though much envy at three 's bargain hunt at the car boot. Sounds like a very successful day, and so satisfying. I used to love to potter around car boot sales, but lately not so much as DH finds them embarrassing. Not the second hand nature (which he approved of) but the personal aspect of rooting through someone's belongings and giving them diddly-squat for them. Funny man

manda you have lots of lovely friends. It suggests you are a lovely friend yourself, which of course we marchers know already. I love to hear the ou chat, though I am not yet ready to go back into education (though a vocational course would be a possibility). My father graduates this Oct in geology aged 69. He has an honoury (sp) professorship from Bradford uni as he is an author of a textbook (4editions) which is used to train their undergrads now, but he never did a first degree as he was an apprentice. We are all v v proud of him though he's a nightmare to go walking with as he inspects every bloody stone

We went for a great walk today up in the hills and back down into the valley, DS in backpack. Strenuous climb & around 6 miles so we're all knackered. We watched the balers in the fields & spotted blackberries which I will go back for tomorrow.

16 week antenatal checkup tomorrow at Ludlow. Fingers crossed I will get to hear a heartbeat. Meantime am off to bed early doors for a read and cuddle with DH. Sweet dreams all!

ted an old school friend has just retrained as a social worker. She loves her job but says the course was incredibly challenging! As it should be really, as it's a challenging career!

I'm up for fbook chatting too, I'm better on fbook than mn but I'll use both! I just like sharing photos etc and can't figure out how to do that on here!

Have any first time mums to be started feeling movements yet? I haven't yet and aren't too worried but I am spending a bit of time every day trying to concentrate on my growing bump. I can't help feeling I'm going to miss the first few flutters due to pain from surgery

I'm so tired this evening, another day mowing grass, raking, strimming, phew....

ted noooo don't be a SW! Not children's anyway. V stressful, no funding, cuts and emotionally draining. For £22k a year starting salary my area is a low paying one
Oh and it's your fault as much as its the teachers fault!

Evening All, I'm eagerly awaiting the results of the Facebook group test run- am very much up for joining in any fb chat! Would be lovely to put names to faces!

I'm another one who is planning to go back and study for a new career- probably not for a while as I need to work to pay for childcare but once my youngest starts school... jojo to be honest, I've really been inspired hearing about your course- id love to know more about it if you don't mind talking about it.

Right, I'd better go- we're currently trying to watch The social network but it's bring frequently interrupted by ds who doesn't want to go to sleep. He is homesick, such a typical cancerian!

Great to hear about everyone's weekends, nice friends, car boot bargains, catching up with family, yummy cooking! All sounds very good. Good luck to those of you with scans this week! (not that you'll need it)

Well I didn't make it to bread baking or cooking of any sort, too tired! Went for a walk in the sun and watched a load of films instead while DH cleaned and hoovered around me
As soon as I've worked out what I want to do then I'm hoping to get a masters, I get money off or can get a course for free if it's relevant to my job so I'd be silly to not take my work up on the offer! I was considering applying to start in January (thinking I'd have enough time during mat leave to study) but rethinking that now, I don't need another stress to hang over me. I have 'Hermione' tendencies, hence the MN name, and get very wound up if I don't do things just so.
JoJo I think I've felt something, it's def not anything I've felt before and it's in the same area as I had my scan every time so I'm sure it's not wind or anything stretching. It's like a firm butterfly feeling that lasts a few seconds and then disappears for another week or so. Had my first feeling at 10 weeks but a longer one a few hours after my scan.

Hey peeps!

For those FB-friendly types there's now a feast of baby scan pics in the Happy Marchers group! About 8-10 have got in touch to join. The 'secrecy' thing seems to work just fine. Got DH (who hates FB to the extent that he joined only so I could list him as my hubbie and he won't friend anyone else!) to check nothing was coming up in his newsfeed and it seems to be totally safe … phew!

And no worries Ted and others about not FBing. Funny, virtual worlds, aren't they?

No movements yet, I think, JoJo. I thought I was feeling 'bubbly' type sensations, but when MW told me I had anterior placentas so wouldn't feel till later I've given up wondering. But I do try to have a few mins each day where I lie quietly and place my hand on my ridiculously sized belly. Sometimes I talk to them too!

Lexi, bet my bump is bigger than yours ;-)

Cor, tiddley, am mightily impressed with your DF :-) Cor, he should lead walks for people like me who wish they knew about geology!

em anything you need to know just ask. It's fascinating stuff but I guess like all things, hard work! You're expected to study full time as the course is funded by the NHS and if you're entitled can claim bursary so you get a monthly wage (not much though)!!

hermione v jealous of your butterfly feelings! I'm sure my time will come soon enough though it won't be long before I'm begging bubba to remove its foot from my ribs

manda I've started singing nursery rhymes to my Tum, normally when I'm in the nursery doing some painting, tidying etc!!

aw that's so cute, jojo! we think we may have to re-learn some as can't remember any :-)

manda if I'm out and about I just hum them as baby can pick up the vibrations now

If you need a selection of nursery rhymes let me know!! One of my assignments when training to work with young children was to make a book of nursery rhymes... It was very cute! Re discovering rhymes and songs I'd not heard in years! But also hearing new ones that are being taught in nurseries!

LOL manda I should hope so with two on board!

<creeps onto thread>
Hi everyone, can I join in?
I have cake

Im a bit late in finding these threads as have been dealing with eviction of twattish ex.

Dont know if I should post it here or not but incase you've all done it on a prev thread EDD is 18/03 and its DC2.

When my mum was pregnant with my twin sisters she was never any good at remembering rhymes so she got a nursery CD from pound sh

*shop and use her laptop and earphones whilst she done her knitting, then she starred singing along

My sisters are 6 more and totally obsessed with any kind of music and they try to out do each other with their amazing bizarre dance moves

6 now not more ??

Welcome twinkle.

Well the massage was a combo of fabulous & disappointing. Disappointing because they didn't have a bump bed so I had to sit for the back massage rather than lay on ny front & apparently I can't use the steam room, sauna or jacuzzi But fabulously relaxing, ny skin is soft & moisturiser, my hair is lush, my feet And head post attention practically melted. (sigh)

V sleepy now though.

Manda - your post made me laugh because I caught myself having an internal dialogue with Socs today. all massage related & polite requests to reduce the belching and wondering how comfortable socs is. I was chuckling at my self. So pleased to know I'm not alone ladies.

Hello everyone

Had a manic weekend with ds1's birthday & party so will try to catch up today. I would love to join a facebook group but don't know how to send a pm...! I am using my phone so maybe you can't from there?!

Will write more later. I wanted to mark my place before I get too lost

pink you can do it from phone - click on inbox at top of screen (envelope symbol).

Your DS and mine are almost the same age. It was pretty hot to be giving birth this time last year wasn't it?! What did you do for his birthday? I am at a loss. Got to make a cake though!

Have just PMed you, Pink! Hope you can get message on phone - have a look in Inbox (top of page?) Yippee for DS1's birthday party!

Aw perhaps not as relaxing as it could have been, Tramp, but it still sounds lush! I didn't even know bump-beds (had to stop myself writing bunk-beds!) existed! Must search one out…

Nursery CD is a great idea Peanut. So is JoJo's booklet - yay! I like the idea of being up with the latest nursery rhymes…hehe!

Glad am not alone in the bump-talking, JoJo and Tramp! DH is always telling them to 'pull their socks up!' and 'stand up straight!'

Welcome Twinkle and thanks for cake - perfect for breakfast! Sorry to hear about bad ex scenario. Hope you are in a better place now.

Ooh, how do I join the fb group?

Manda, did you get my pm?

Didn't sleep very well for worrying about scan. Oh well will be setting off to hosp in an hour. Fingers crossed for me ladies and for this week's other scanees!

Whoever was asking about first birthday cakes, I made DD a ladybird cake for her first b'day. It was about at the limit of my baking and decorating skills, but I was pleased with it!

Ethel YES! PMed you right back at 20:40: let me send it again. (Sometimes I find the envelope at the top of the page doesn't have the red icon on it even when I have mail, boo!) FX for you today and looking forward to heating your news!

Sheldon will message you details

God luck on your scan today Ethel cant wait for your update on dancing bean

Got my pre op appointment today and am hoping it dont take forever as last time was there about 6 hours as you see doctors inbetween appointments so it depends on other people and emergancies etc

I'm off to see the consultant this morning (well, whether I will see him you just don't know!) to discuss pre-eclampsia intervention and what they're going to do with me. Have NO idea what to expect or how long I'll be there but at least my mum has come over to look after DS...

Hope you're all doing ok - good luck for jumping beans in scans!

Best of news scanners. Hopefully a short wait doctorers.

Morning.

Officially 12 weeks today, well until the dating scan on Wednesday tells me otherwise and bunny is now the size of a plum.

So, the party...

All four of us went over for 3pm as requested by the invitation, only when we got there, there were already about 20 people there and who had been there for at least 30 minutes to an hour. The first thing Mrs Perfect asked was did I like her kitchen, to which I replied, yeh it's not bad, which she wasn't really happy with and promptly walked off. I'd only had 5 seconds and it didn't look that much different from her old kitchen. After being there a while, it is absolutely beautiful and exactely how I want my kitchen, though I never told her. Anyway, both DH and I stood there for just over an hour before someone approached us to talk about what primary school we were sending DS1 to. After this, Mrs Perfect announced that everyone should head inside for food, so all the children sat at the table. Apparently feeding adults is not the done thing at a childrens party. Whilst the children were sat around the table eating the most boring, unnimaginative food, the adults were stood behind them - both adults and children shared a very uncomfortable silence. Food was buttered bread, cheese slices, ham, sausage rolls, cheese rolls, cucumber slices, crisps and cheese and tomato pizza. DS2 was obviously not impressed and decided to head back into the garden to spill a bottle of bubbles over my arm and T-shirt. Then the cake came out and everyone sand Happy Birthday to the birthday boy and DS2 decided this was the perfect time to throw an almighty tantrum. So I left with DS2 and DH and DS1 came back about 30 minutes later. Oh and there were party bags, but they were shite.

So I'd probably rate the party a 4/10.

Seeing her house and in particular the kitchen, has reminded me just how much I hate this house and how much I want to do to it. I was almost in tears yesterday because I don't think I'll ever have a beautiful house or at least one DH and I are not embarressed by and stop people from coming to. DH doesn't seem to really care. As far as he's concerned, painting the walls and hanging pictures is all we need to do. I want to do much more. The problem is I only have £200 each month to spend on the house - his house and he won't let me do anything. I'm even having to fight him to get some wallpaper put up. I hate this place, the depressing thing is it could be so beautiful if he'd do stuff to it, but he won't. So we live like squatters whilst we surrounded by neighbours who take pride in their houses and do them up to a high standard.

Really fed up and see little point in cleaning/tidying when I'm forced to live like this.

kurly .. I saw consultant last week re Pre eclampsia and she put me on low dose aspirin daily for rest of pg and plans to give me many many scans to check on growth.

Is anyone else having trouble bookmarking this thread? All I get is failed but other threads are ok.

Morning! I've woken up with a massive burst of energy, which compared to the pukefest of two days ago, is a welcome feeling. Who's being scanned today? DS is off to school, so I'm going to use the time to have a leisurely breakfast, followed by steam mopping the house to within an inch of its life. Yes. Anyone want a toasted bagel and philly while I'm in the kitchen?

Am getting dopplered rather than scanned, but will join the scannees in nervous excitement. Appt not till 4.30 though.

Aching today after walk yesterday.

I frequently forget the words to nursery rhymes and songs but usually make something up to compensate. Poor DS won't know the real words to anything - just hope he doesn't sing my versions at school as they are utter nonsense!

(yes to a bagel possom, ta)

Ah yay for your energy burst backward! I'll just have a if you're making one?

MrsR that does not sound like a perfect party. Sounds like packed lunch food With the house, do you have anyone who you could get on side from the wider family who would be able to help you out with bits, or at least inspiration if DH isn't interested? He sounds like my dad. My mum struggled for years to persuade him to prioritise anything she wanted done. Now luckily she has my dh to help her in her projects, she buys him tools and he does her diy for her. She's made more progess in the last two years then in the previous 20! There was an incident in 2003 when she managed to get a new kitchen out of the insurance after a chip pan fire - but <pretty> sure that was an accident!

Best of luck for today Kurly and also Ethel and other scannees

Tramp glad that you feel pampered after treatments. Did they say why pg people can't use jaccuzis though? I thought that hot hot tubs were a no no and saunas etc just because of the heat. But most jaccuzis are just less than normal bath temp, is it the pressure of the bubbles that can harm baby?

Manda think I would like to join fb, will pm you!

DD woke up at 3am, just for a pat (bad dream?) and then I had trouble gettng back to sleep so its a slow start for us this morning. Won't be tomorrow for Back To Work day - we need to be at childminders (half an hour away) at 7.45, eek! Just off to Surestart to play.

I'm still excited by my bargins yesterday, had a little try on session. Inspected my cumalative mat wardrobe so far, seem to have quite a bit... just need a few more belts/scarves etc to acessorise maybe!

Mmm, toasted bagel + philly for me please, backward!

Yay Three, will look out for your email.

Hope you don't have to wait too long at your hospitals, Kurly and Zoey. I was there 3-4 hours last week! Next time, I must remember to take some food

Ooh ted and kurly I've been put on 75mg aspirin too.

Thanks for party update MrsR: sounds like you can definitely stop worrying over the perfection of Mrs Perfect! I'm not up on these things but there should, surely, have been some nibbles or snacks for adults! My DH was a bit intransigent about getting the house done up till I put my metaphorical foot down and said we have to find a way to do it. Luckily we can scrape the money together for new kitchen, and we have small inheritance coming from his DF to help replace the old and malfunctioning double glazing and the rickety boiler, and everything else is not in the same league - more plastering and paint jobs. But even if it's nominally 'his house' it's jointly your 'home' and environment is important for happiness. Can you sit down after kids are in bed and negotiate? We had to do that. DH found it hugely painful (hates spending money) but very soon saw the sense of what I was saying (will never have time or money after babies here AND it will make me very happy during mat. leave etc).

PS I've had a FB friend request from a lovely smiley person with initials LL who has two very cute little boys in her profile pic. Forgive me for losing track every so slightly (there's a lot of us!) but can you just confirm here or by PM if it's someone from the thread and I'll add you to the group! (Sorry to police entry so ruthlessly!)

Good luck for scannees today x welcome twinkle!!

Curry was yum, I don't usually use a recipe, just juuje and mess about, but there are a couple of green pepper dhal (more red pepper dhal) recipes on net which have all the usual stuff I shove in (I just googled), depending what the over riding spices are in the main curry to either be a contrast or complement.

Enjoy your mondays everyone

Hi Manda, that's me!! I tried to message you at the same time but maybe it didn't work?

Thanks Pink! No message, but no worries :-) ... give me a sec ...

Morning all! Good luck with scans Ethel and docs kurly
Feeling rather sicky this morning which is most unwelcome after a couple of weeks of feeling well. Struggled to get into the office and having a panic about how much needs to be done.

Despite sickness, think I might need to have a curry tonight, if I can eat - you guys are making me want to cook!
Hope everyone has a good day.

Yea amanda I have 2 cartoons of strawberry juice, haribo and crisps for the wait as well as a magazine and pen to do the puzzles if I am really bored - I have learnt from my boredom mistakes - am also planning on stopping at KFC on the way through and getting a wrap, its right next to my hospital so am looking forward to that bit.

Trying to pursuade DH to take up reading a book or mag for my operation on Wednesday as when I had CS with DS2 we were waiting from 7.00am till 12.30 for a special care cot and he drove me insane and made the wait ALOT worse as kept going on about how bored he was! At 1.00 I sent him out to smoke as he was driving me insane and he litrally walked off the ward and consultant arrived and said we were going to theatre right now as the cot was free and he didnt want anyone taking it - DH had helpfully left his phone on the chair!!!!

Hi everyone!

Glad to hear that everyone is doing ok. Good luck to those having scans this week, hope it joyful news for you all and puts your mind at rest .

Update on our weekend telling the families! It went really well - hooray! Told my parents first and my step mum cried and said it was just the best news ever. My dad was really happy and shocked and asked if it was planned as I had always given him the impression that we weren't bothered about having kids (I have given everyone that impression in case we couldn't have kids for whatever reason so I'm glad it worked!). Then he joked that my OH has to marry me now (to which I've told my OH he has to do no such thing, but I would quite like a ring!). We've been together for over 12 years and we are happy the way things are and don't really feel the need to get married. My brothers were really pleased as well once they had got over the shock.

Then we went to tell OH's family and his mum cried too and said it was the best news ever - so really happy with the reactions so far. We will have a few more family members to tell but we won't have time to see now that our move is imminent so we've put a card in the post to them that has the scan pictures inside (even though our scan pictures are crap). Plan to tell friends and work either by the end of this week or next week. Still waiting for the results of NT scan and still don't quite believe it if I'm honest! Even though I saw a heartbeat and baby was moving away (on the third attempt), am still finding myself fretting that things are ok (that's normal though right?!).

I'm jealous of all you lovely ladies who are starting to get bumps and stuff now. As I'm a plus size lump of lard lady (size 18-20) and carry most of my weight around my stomach area, I don't think I'm going to show for a while. I googled it yesterday I know I need to stay away from Google as it always ends up making me feel worse and some plus sized ladies were saying they didn't show until they were 7 months gone !! I wonder if my size will effect me feeling the baby too?

Manda love the sound of the Facebook group! Do you think that you'll all move over to Facebook and leave MN or is it really for sharing photos and things?! I am interested in joining!

No, not the perfect party at all threefortea. No one to back me up and convince DH to renovate the house, so I think the most that'll happen is that it'll get painted.

mandasand DH hates spending money and keeps saying we haven't got money to waste on the house. He can see how lovely other peoples houses are and he is so embarressed by our house that he won't invite anyone here, but neither this or me nagging him to do up the house makes him see sense.

We overpaid for this house to begin with now the price of the house has gone down so we really need to do everything we can to increase the value of the house so that we can eventually sell it. DH thinks this is years off and by then we'll have no problem selling the house.

Thing is, who would want to buy our house, old kitchen that's dark and falling apart. Dark hallway with bits of floor missing. Exposed electrics in the playroom and stupid french doors where a window has been ripped out. Mixed windows, some of which won't open. Peeling paint. Ripped wallpaper. Why would someone want to buy a 4 bedroomed house like this for £210,00, which is what we paid for it. I can't see us being able to get our money back, let alone make money. We need to do more than paint and hang pictures up, but DH doesn't see this.

Also, lets just suppose that my DS1 and Mrs Perfects DS2 are of secondary school age. There is only one secondary school in the area and it is not great. What if we both put our houses up for sale, who is going to sell thiers and make money?

I don't want to seem unreasonable, but we've been here 5 years and all we've done is decorated the 2 boys bedrooms.

So pleased for you Emus! What a lovely all-round family love-fest It's really amazing how happy it makes people, isn't it? I hadn't quite realised about that till sharing the news (silly me…) And yes, I'm worrying about every small thing. Less so than pre-scans, I have to say, but still the well-being of the beans is on my mind almost all the time. I think this is a good thing - with no kids already it feels a little bit like I'm in training for a lifetime of worry!!! Come over to FB if you fancy a gander at loads of cute-as-pie scan (and kiddy) pics, but I don't think anyone is thinking of abandoning our lovely, cosy list! I'll PM you the details.

Boo for sickiness Lexi. But curry, mmmm!

Glad you're well stocked up with food, Zoey! Hope it's not toooo long a wait…

Sounds like your DH needs a gentle kick-up-the-bum, MrsR! (As did mine!)

Anxiously awaiting news of Ethel (and others today?)

Thanks for the welcomes. Am kicking myself for not looking for these threads earlier as I can see Ill be forever trying to catch up! Better late than never I guess.

I don't think anyone plans to leave the mn thread! We're all too nosey!! But its great to see all the pics !!

Hi twinkle! Welcome on board It's been a wonderful support over the past 14 weeks (when I joined, then got my extra two weeks) but the thread has definitely lightened up since the early, scary, pre-scan days do you've joined at a good time!

The FB group is a super photo fest for we nosy ones & kind of strange to put RL names & faces to MN nn... Just no labour videos folks, seriously, I can't even cope with the sanitised ones on OBEM.

mrsR I think you're being a bit mean, sorry. Best keep away from family perfect if they offend?! Sorry about your house frustrations though, that's a shame.

Had very sad news from SIL who it appears has lost her precious IVF beans. It was a real outside chance as IVF always is, but we had all got our hopes up Feeling deflated - but god only knows how she feels. We're all so lucky.

Sorry for downer!

Lexi - I too have had an attack of the nausea this morning. I'm blaming the fact that I braved scrambled egg for breakfast. I'm also exhausted again despite a really great nights sleep. I'm sporting my woe face

Three - No explanation other than heat which sounds a bit wooly to me. Never mind.

MrsR - I would move from the nag/moan approach to something new and more dastardly.
1) start finding rational - make sense to your other half - type reasons to make amends to something small as a foot in the door to amends. Dangerous wiring needing fixing before kids do damage because you saw one of them go to put it in their mouth or Somesuch.

2) once one small thing is done heap great praise on the results. Oh how lifes improved.. And now you think on it he mentioned that at some point it might be worth doing (note some other small job) and you thinks he's right. It needs to be a plausible what could be done.

3) and this may come first - I know we're not going to do work on the house but if we did what would be on your list?... I've jut been thinking since we went to the perfects that whilst their new kitchen is lovely I would've done the stairs first if it was me. Although in ours I suppose the wiring would be a better string point than the carpets .. What do you think? Etc

4) start inviting people over. Goo friends. Explain you're on project sort the house out but you need help and at dinner pick on something like - I've been trying to get OH to see wisdom of stripping the wall paper an painting because it's easier to clean the kids hand prints off but he's having none of it - what do you reckon?

...I think if you've the patience and will power MrsR you can win this war one small battle at a time. Just try to keep emotion out of it and where possible make it his idea. Where possible being easier said than done of course..
2) once

Tiddles - that's so sad. Your poor SIL. Can't begin to imagine but I'm guessing love & well wishes will mean alot.

I have no plans to leave this thread for FB but its nice to see all scan pictures of the beans we talk about so much and also seeing other DC is lovely too Think FB is just easier to be nosey and put faces to name etc and on here is more for the nitty gritty discussing all the more personal stuff, moaning and worrying!!!

MrsR I would tell DH striaght you cant and wont live like this anymore and he cant expect you to - you pay alot of money to buy a house and spend alot of time there you want to enjoy it and use it to entertain and the fact he is embarressed too says alot! Dont do it in a fleeting conversation, sit him down and tell him something is going to have to give and thats it - once kids are in bed, tv off! Give hima few days to digest and tell him oyu doing this as you NEED a solution as this can not continue!

tiddley that is such sad news. Luckily it sounds like she has some much needed love and family support.
mrsR I agree, one small battle at a time. Lots of positive thinking. And wire in a playroom? Surely your DH knows that's dangerous?!
Small steps build big results and Deffo pile on the praise!!!

Thanks Tiddly. Tbh I couldnt have joined sooner as I would have been all doom and gloom with dealing with my ex (long story short, abusive relationship, in and out of refuge over the past year, now have finally got rid of him). So i haven't really realised Im pregnant until now - in terms of having head space to think about it - which is lovely as I barely noticed the morning sickness!!

Sorry to hear about your SIL.

twinkle well done on the positive attitude! I was in a similar situation (though no refuge) about 6 years ago with my exDH. I just woke up one morning and thought 'I have to do something about this' so basically ran!! Haven't looked back since!
It's a good feeling!

Ahh but Ive had a long time to develop that positive attitude! He made my last pregnancy and first year with DD hellish, starved me when I was trying to bf, wouldnt let me pick her up when she was screaming, (some other stuff which i wont darken the thread with). I initially fled because he drew a samurai sword on DD (8mo). Stupidly went back. BUT ive known since then what hes like and have been able to use support, counselling etc to slowly build myself back up enough that I could completely cut ties. This pregnancy helped me to do that. He made it clear that I wouldnt be able to leave if pregnant as "you wouldnt cope without me". Well actually being pg always forces me to value myself more than i would usually. Im carrying a vulnerable life inside me and I need to ensure that life isnt endangered. So I got rid of him.

Ive worked through all the grieving process and the "why mes" this year and am now at a point where Im getting on with my life and my new little family. I know I can do this on my own, and I will. Its always interesting to talk about it as someone usually volunteers a similar experience. I think abuse touches more peoples lives than we realise in day to day life.

Hello hello! All good here, scan went well, have been moved forward a couple of days to 20 march. Nuchal was 1.5 so hoping for a good outcome once they do the combined test with the bloods. So relieved. Thanks all for the kind messages. Will need to catch up later but better go as need to start the marathon ring round and texting session!

hello lovely ladies!
I'm back from super hols (tell you more later) and haven't caught up with posts at all yet (still on previous thread!).
Just to say, had scan today and have very wriggly jiggly baby (I cried with happiness to see it). All appears to be well, but looks more developed than 12 weeks, so hopefully the consultant will be able to decide for me when I see him on weds. Measurements today suggest up to 15 weeks, so tis possible I go from being one of the last on the list to one of the early ones!
Will post again when I have finally caught up (may be some days...)

Hooray for your escape twinkle (and yours jojo)! That would have taken much strength, well done you! Can I ask if ex is baby's dad and if so, does he know? I would hate to think of you bring tied to him that's all. Sorry for being nosy, feel free to ignore the question completely. I left a really nasty shit of a man after a brief relationship after uni & had a termination after finding out I was pregnant. It was a dreadful time and I was young - I will live with the termination forever but am grateful that I have nothing to do with the shitty man.

Golly, talk about offloading. I think I am feeling a bit morose with having heard the bad news earlier - thanks for kind words guys

tramp I am loving your husband-training plan for mrsR, v clever! Soubds like advice from my book on toddler taming

ethel & shieldbug hoooorrraaayyyy!!!!!

Xposts twinkle, hats off to you.

tiddley x-posts I think! Yes it is and he does know. It wasn't exactly consensual sex which led to the conception so in my mind Im pretty sure that it was deliberate and linked to his comment (see above). Hes now 200+miles away living in a shared house with some young things so I reckon his interest will be limited. (thank god!)

x-x-posts

Am marking my place cos bookmark still not working.

Yey for scans and welcome twinkle

Ethel yay! This is great news Hope you got my PMs...

Oooh yay for Shield too! A bumper crop of great scans!

Oh what sad, sad news tiddley. Hard to imagine how difficult it must be to cope with repeated IVF attempts, as many people have to, but heartbreaking too to watch a much loved couple go through it. Really hope their time will come.

Twinkle so sorry it's been so awful but really, I'm impressed with your strength. It doesn't sound like a healthy environment for you or for bringing up children in. Keep on building those support strategies. You deserve better

Tramp good practical steps, some of which I employed with my DH! For example, to get a major garden project done I invited some of his mates from up north to join in on a working weekend rewarded with a lot of beer, curry and cooked breakfasts! Knowing we couldn't ourselves manage freshening up all the woodwork, I got some decorators over for quotes and presented those to DH rather than go on about it yet again (but by this point we had agreed to get the place smarter). And rather than moan at the end of a Sunday about how nothing housey got done (whilst I've been anchored to my desk writing book) I ask him Friday night if he could just do three small things before Sunday eve. And three small things each weekend do add up in the long run. Be a lot better when I can actually contribute myself though as things just tend to move faster then! Are you handy with a claw hammer? Can't be that difficult to get rid of offending French doors yourself

tiddley I'm so sorry to hear about your SIL

Ethel and shield Good news on your scans!

MrsR can you start the diy yourself instead of trying to train your dh? Seems a bit silly to be at a standoff about it! Also, this thing with Mrs Perfect is not healthy! She winds you up, so ignore her.

Bought myself a steam mop - it's BRILLIANT. So easy to clean the floors now!

possom are they suitable for solid wood floors? I've heard lots of good things about them, are they 'spensive?!

Hi there

I have finally caught up! One weekend away from here = a lot of posts!

Tramp Congrats on your scan - fantastic news

Turkish well done on some good maternity shopping. Which Topshop jeans did you get? I did NCT classes with DS1 and am still good friends with most of the other mums 6 years later. I think they are more for meeting people due around the same time as you. I personally found the stuff we were told to be a little wishy washy and they were very anti drugs etc.. This can all make you feel a little crap if you have any. I found the hospital antenatal class gave me a much more rounded view on birth and the options available.

TIddley My DS was 6 at the weekend. Is that the same age as yours? It was absolutely boiling the year he was born. I think that was the reason I went on to have 2 winter babies! I hope your DS had a good birthday. My DS had a Mario cake. For first birthdays I have made a dog, a penguin and then poor ds3 had cupcakes! For the last 2 cakes I have made I have bought a pattern from here Bake My Cakes which have been brilliant and very straightforward.

Ethel & Shield Congrats on good scans .

MrsR That sounds like the food I did for my ds at his party on Saturday! I've given up trying to make more adventurous party food because all the Children ever seem to want to eat is jam sandwiches and hula hoops anyway!!

Tiddley that is such sad news about your SIL

Backwards I think I need a steam mop. My kitchen floor is always disgusting after Children's meal times! Where did you get it from?

Well we had a lovely, busy weekend. DS1 was 6 on Saturday and so we had a party and then family over in the afternoon. It was such a beautiful day which was good because the party was outside! Yesterday, we had more family over and went out for lunch and then made cakes for ds to take to school today.

DS2 started at a new nursery this morning and had a fab time. He didn't want to come home so fingers crossed he is as excited to go tomorrow!

Does anyone else find that they are eating really strange combinations of food? I just ate 2 soft boiled eggs, an avocado and some endamame beans. It was all just what I felt like and delicious but even I could see it was an odd mix of food! I am eating an avocado a day, can't get enough!

I hope everyone else is well.

Empathy, Tramp, hope you feel better soon. Welcome twinkle and tiddley, so sad for your SIL's bad news.

Jojo I don't see why not - it doesn't shoot out loads of steam, just enough to keep the head of the mop wet and I assume sanitised because of the temp. pink I got a cheap one from Asda - was £25 but doesn't come with any attachments. Seems to do the job though

Shield & Ethel - so pleased to hear the good scan news. You must be feeling relieved. I think you need cake to celebrate

Ladies out of abusive relationships, well done. It takes time to stop listening to those negative voices in your head. And it's tough to find your positive outlook again. You're doing brilliantly by the sounds of things.

sheild and ethel .. Lovely news on your scans. Wow we do have a good batch cooking!

tiddley .. Your poor DB and SIL. I hope they are as well as can be expected.

pink .. Yup, that is the menu I will be dishing up at DS2 4th birthday next month. I have lived and learned the hard way with party food! My masterpiece "rainbow display of fruit" was pushed aside for the little swine to get handfuls of party rings. Never again! Sandwiches, crisps, cocktail saus, cheese cubes and party rings, followed by a batman cake! He is very excited already!

Hi all, fab news on good scans, bargains and good weekends. Sorry to those with sad news / unhappy stuff going on.

Went to Gaga last night and it was immense, we had fab tickets and it was amazing. I think I felt the dust bunny move, though it is far too early, so probably just vibrations in my bowels from the noise and bass!

Had to go into London today, it was shocking! I now have a TFL bump on board badge, I am going to make it my profile pic if all goes well on wednesday!

Heartburn has started, never had this before, bit scared of gaviscon, I hate mint, weird things make me gag and I am a right pussy, so might just put up with it!

Where did you go? I last looked on Friday went of to a Christening over the weekend and I seem to have missed a huge chunk. Marking my place now....

Ted I'm Bristol based. Thought I was the only one!

PP I got the light blue skinny jeggings! I can't remember the name now- but they called them ankle grazers? I cannot recommend them enough- SO comfy!

In hospital now, seeing consultant about gastro stuff but am waiting to go in- as always there is a delay! Grrrr

Finally going to try and get my booking bloods done today- at almost 16 weeks!! FX they will be able to take them as up until now they haven't- however, I've been 'well' for a good few weeks now so am hopeful!

Is it wrong that I want bad weather so I can wear all my lovely clothes?!

so about all of you that are soo much further along than me! Like friend, because I have been put back two weeks she is snapping at my heels and I have been pregnant forever!!!!

FX blood goes well and gastro stuff is ok Turk!

Right then, have caught up...

Manda you were asking about cleaners a while back. I have one having to go to a stage that we simply couldn't do it all- both working full time plus I was spending every weekend and evening on my thesis blah blah - anyway my good pals sat me down and told me that I had to get over my 'working class northern guilt' and boy did I - I hired a cleaner to come in once a fortnight and we agreed a cleaning schedule. It changed my life and I started looking forward to time off rather than dreading starting on 'that mess'. Cost is about £10 an hour. Reliability is the issue - ours tends to come when she feels like it (She has more money than we do and knows that we trust her and finding someone else rust worthy will be a pain in the butt) Agencies charge a little more but they bear responsibility if the cleaner doesnt turn up.

sheldon booties are soooooo cute. I welled up when I saw them. Feeling inspired by your work to get my knitting needles out again.

zoey that is one helluva shoe and bag collection. te Mulberrry factory shop is not too far from my house in the SW and it's hard to drive past!

Gummi hope you feel better
Turkish I booked into NCT course but refused to pay an extra £40 to become a member - could not see the benefit
Tiddley so sorry to hear about you SIL. Its just an awful emotional rollercoaster. You'd be made of stone not to feel a bit down hearing that news.
tramp make the bugers believe it was their idea - your husband training sound like marketing to me!!! nice one.
mrsr just to echo what other's have said in my northern blunt way Mrs perfect is not worth worrying about - but it sounds like you have some things to sort out. If making your home a more relaxing place for you will make you feel betterthen do what you have to to make it so. Tramp had some brilliant ideas - and doing up a place can be done without huge expenditure. When I set up home I got lots of free stuff from freecycle, made covers for chairs, painted stuff myself - it wasn't perfect but I got better as I went along and I learned from people who could. You do need to have a happy, comfortable space to be in - with those hormones demanding that you nest tough I think Mrs perfect is the brunt of your frustrations but not really the cause particularly when you said Mr perfect was nicer than MrR. God I sound like a right lofty cow. Hopefully you know what I mean...talk to Mr R - take an evening to have a bit of time together - just you and him....and if that doesn't work - wait til he goes out and get your mates round to do a 60 minute makeover of one of your rooms!! xxx

Am lost re: facebook - are we doing it? do I need to PM someone to get on there?

Dame, 'working class northern guilt' is kind of my problem, haha! I think two hours (floors, bathroom, mainly) would do it … which makes me feel bad that we find it so difficult. Thanks for the advice on finding someone good (if not quite as regular as you'd like!) Yep, the FB scan-fest is go! About 10-12 peeps on there now, methinks? Will PM you 'structions.

Sundae did you send off for your 'bump' badge? I emailed an address I found online … but nothing, and that was about 6 weeks ago! Do you know if they hand them out at the kiosks?

I am on strike. Neither of my printers are working. I even had a little cry. Feel hormonal and pathetic, but am putting the radio on and sticking two fingers up at my book deadline and my work's inability over the past 15 months to provide me with a functioning printer despite many polite requests and the fact that our project brought in around 200K profit for them, out of which - you'd think - they could afford either to fix my printer or just buy me another one. Rant over.

I went and asked at the TFL ticket / info desk and got given two and a big congratulations to the girl. Apparently they hand em out at all the tickets / info places, this was at Euston.

sundae try a glass of milk to help with heartburn - only thing that helped in my last 2 pg. glass before bed made all the difference!

would milkshake work? I hate the taste of milk!

Hi all,

Finally caught up. Have spread good news to most people. Just trying to get hold of my auntie now and that's everyone told.

DD was excited and said she'd like to have a little sister...and a little brother. Ha ha!

Mrs R, I know what it's like when someone really gets on your tits, but to my mind, it's not worth working yourself up so much about it. Everyone has people who some across as having the perfect lifestyle, (our neighbours are a bit like that, we call the man of the house Ned Flanders) but as people on here have said lots of times, you dont know what goes on behind closed doors. And even if their life is as great as you think it is, I can understand you feeling resentful, but letting it wind you up to this extent is not good for you or the baby. Tramp had some really good suggestions re the house, and if all else fails, you need to have it out with your DH and let him know just how low this is making you feel.

Welcome twinkle and congrats shield on great scan news!

Love Tramps suggestions for taming OHs - I also tend to go for the logic & convincing him it's his idea approach with DH and it works well, perhaps because he is an engineer and I am a marketer so it plays to both our natural inclinations!
Turkish hope all went well for you with gastro stuff

Sundae you can get strawberry flavoured Gaviscon, it's really nice although I had a bad bout of ms while taking it so I've gone off it a bit, but it was nice before the ms and really helped!
Ladies I need your help, I've been nominated as a role model at my work (! I laugh every time I think about that, the last 8 weeks have been a bit distracted!) and I get to go to a black tie event in London. Dress code is ballgown or cocktail dress - does anyone know where I can get something that will look nice? I'll be 22 weeks by then, and it's a few days before my 30th birthday so I'll be a bit strapped for cash. I don't mind hiring but have never hired before so don't know where to start! I'm a bit of a tomboy so any tips for hair and general glamming up that I can do myself would be much appreciated!

hermione maxi dresses are always good when preggers and if you're a tomboy you won't be flashing lots of leg. If you happen to have a lovely pregnancy cleavage I'd go with something halter neck style. I find with hair the simpler the better, just a pretty clip would do it! I'm terrible with make up so everything is natural for me... Depending on what day it's on though you could get a free make over at a department store or the body shop!! - saves you the hassle! And there's no obligation to buy!

Tiddley so sorry to hear about sil Have they been through mc before? Really hope that you can stay close and that she gets all the support and love she needs from other people around her too.

Welcome Twinkle really hope you have a great pregnancy and peaceful new start from now on for you and your family!

Congrats on scans, , yay for good news!

manda thanks for sorting the fb out, hope the extra admin hasn't tired you out too much!

My sister has come today, she arrived at 11.30 and promptly fell asleep at 12 and slept till 5pm! She is 21 so probably too much partying. Also she works at London Zoo which I heard can get pretty wild.

Sis is going to look after dd tomorrow as its my first day back at work. Feeling really happy about going, though I don't know entirely what my office based role is going to entail. I'm not sure how many people know that i'm pg. Just going to walk in with my little tummy after my 7 week absence and see what happens!

Well FINALLY am home from my pre op it was only booked for 1.30 they wanted bloods to check my itching, they are all fine but they are going o keep an eye! Everyone else there was for c sections on Wednesday - was rather jealous as I have forever left!!!!!!
Was so hungry I even ate some hospital food in the end, times were that bad!!!!! Really annoyed with DH and actually don't want to look at him, I understand he couldn't come but could of at least texted or bothered to reply!!

Hermione - what dress size are you usually? how tall are you? And is your budget closer to £50 or £100?

Let me know the above & I'll have a ton of suggestions for you. Black tie is my thing! Even if you're at 22 weeks!!! Seriously, this is my idea of fun.

Wow, not been on since this morning and so much to catch up on!

Been out to meet my cousin, her DH and DS. He is 9 months old and so adorable - always smiling and waving. We had such a lovely day and it has made me even more excited about ours She couldn't believe how big my bump is as she didn't get hers for ages. Ooh, and I pushed the pram

Also did a bit of shopping and bought another three balls of wool. I seem to be hoarding the stuff, I wonder if this is a pregnancy symptom? I tried on a grey dress in mothercare which was lovely. I think I will end up buying it online as I didn't today.

Nice to see so many lovely pics on fb, I will try and do a bump picture and put it on there. Will definitely be making all my posts on here but fb is great for the piccies. I love this thread too much to stop and I don't think I would like to discuss my bodily function on fb. Don't mind on here though

Congrats on the happy scans ethel and sheild and welcome twinkle.

tiddley So sorry to hear about your SIL, so sad. I hope they can have some success with it in future.

dame and manda I am interested to hear the cleaner talk. I would quite like to get one but I have the 'northern working class guilt' too. I don't know if I would feel weird watching someone clean up the mess I had made. I think I would find myself wanting to clean up for the cleaner!

Sorry to anyone I have missed, I'm so exhausted after walking around town all day.

Hermione do you mid/ long hair, bun ring are only £1 and so simple to put in and very stylish, and a number of ways to wear it

Sheldon I have vomiting with my migraines but have had some visual disturbances lately, they completely wipe me out these days,

Pm me someone

Thanks, sundae will do the same! I want to get two badges for twins! Yay!

Cor Hermione that's impressive! Can you get a mate to help with hair? Up dos are always nice with evening dresses. Oh, and I saw some smartish dresses in Mamas and Papas. Not sure if they are quite as posh as it sounds you need, but worth a look? And I'm sure you might find something here: http://www.seraphine.com/maternity-clothes/designer-maternity-dresses.html. I think this one is lovely http://www.seraphine.com/short-colour-block-silk-dress.html but have absolutely no posh dos in my calendar! (Bit pricey tho…!) I have my eye on this http://www.seraphine.com/knot-front-cap-sleeved-dress-navy.html which is more affordable (praps what you'd pay for rental?) and you could glam up with a bit of jewellery and wear it again / sell it on eBay?

Boo to your DH, zoey but glad you are home at last! Put your feet up, if you can.

Sheldon I love pram pushing! Always do it for my friends (when they let me!) Where I was grew up it was quite usual to have a lot of v.v. young mums but when I used to take my baby brother out in the pram (I was 13 when he was born) I used to get such filthy looks!

Three, no worries - it's been such fun getting the FB group together, altho I'm terrified I've missed adding someone - the requests came in thick and fast. So if anyone is awaiting reply or a group invitation message me asap and I'll rectify!

It's been a nice distraction today as I've had a pants time with work. I won't bore you all with the details, but work have failed to replace my crappy non-functional work printer for, oh, nigh on a year (and it took them about four months to supply it in the first place!) Reason is because I am unable to bring it in, on public transport, for them to look at first. (Why they won't courier it back to themselves I don't know, but that's university-think for you.) Director of the School (i.e. Faculty) 2 months ago said, yes, this is ridiculous and I'll sort it instantly. So I sent him details of what I needed and have enquired politely ever couple of weeks since. Nothing has happened! And now my home printer, which is a good laser one but is on its very last legs, has totally gone bonkers. I spent two hours trying to get my book to print today, and failed. (Nevermind the fact that I've been paying for own paper and ink since I've been in post because I can't claim for my own machine, grr!) So I got into a bit of a (totally hormonal!) tizz. Phoned DH and cried my eyes out. Threw a stapler at (my) printer (like that's going to help!) and went shopping …

… after which my mood has improved considerably! Got a cheerful polka dot top (only £8 so got two in different sizes!) from Matalan. Thanks to whoever shared that tip! In TKMaxx I picked up a beautiful and very 'me' silk top - baggy, but draped and tucked and perfect for those days when you'd just rather not have bump so prominently on display - some Danish label I've never heard of. And also a wheely briefcase. Not the black boardroom style, but red and quilted and quite smart. And when the drag-handle folds down you can pick it up by regular 'handbag' handles which make it look like a proper (if big) bag. This is a purchase on DH's instruction as I was properly exhausted after coming back from London last week with rucksack full of laptop, papers, books, and another bag full of videos and DVDs from my boss.

So I'm quite chirpy now. And I'm sticking two fingers up at my book deadline. Seems increasingly ridiculous that I'm working flat out to get book in so my Department can enter the book into a national (sort of) research competition, so that it can keep it's high status and get awarded more money … when they really can't get themselves together to provide basic facilities which I need to edit / prepare the book properly for press! (I don't have an office so I'm not costing them a bean on campus…) Sorry, I did say I wouldn't go on … ! I'll stop now

Gummi you want a PM re FB?

Yeap please I was about to pm you

Sorry a really quick me me me post but update from 16 week appt:

Listened to heartbeat - 140bpm (boy predicted), nuchal results 1:71000 (pretty good odds), haven't got syphilis, low blood pressure as always. Midwife super & centre couldn't have been more different to Birmingham women's.

Thanks for all loveliness re: SIL. So very appreciated

Must go but will catch up properly soon. Steam mop eh....

I'm so glad you don't have syphilis, tiddley

grey dress this dress? I am wearing it now, is fab!!!!

I don't have syphilis either tiddley or mrsa so a good day all round!! Is the heart beat faster or slower with a boy then? I am only 13+5 so haven't heard it yet (apart from at scan). But can't wait to find out what this one is- 2 weeks 2 days till sexing scan

I did hear women in labour at hospital which was rather scary ESP with the final cow grunting noise of pushing, suddenly all very real!!!!!

Well operation Wednesday is now going to be under spinal and sedation using a new method cos of hyper mobility but if don't work will move to a general- I will not be amused if I end up having both again! There was some confusion when I got there with one doctr thinking it was today and bringing me a gown to put on, I nearly wet my pants until the midwife stepped in!!!!!!!!

I don't have syphilis either tiddley or mrsa so a good day all round!! Is the heart beat faster or slower with a boy then? I am only 13+5 so haven't heard it yet (apart from at scan). But can't wait to find out what this one is- 2 weeks 2 days till sexing scan

I did hear women in labour at hospital which was rather scary ESP with the final cow grunting noise of pushing, suddenly all very real!!!!!

Well operation Wednesday is now going to be under spinal and sedation using a new method cos of hyper mobility but if don't work will move to a general- I will not be amused if I end up having both again! There was some confusion when I got there with one doctr thinking it was today and bringing me a gown to put on, I nearly wet my pants until the midwife stepped in!!!!!!!!

Blinking iPad

LOL@backward, yes good to know you don't have syphilis tiddley glad your MW is a good one, I haven't met mine yet - she was on holiday when I went for booking in appt.

Oooo tramp in dresses I'm usually a size 10 as I have a small waist but usually a size 12 in everything else. I'm 5ft6, my budget is closer to £50. I have a halterneck maxi dress like this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Monsoon-Dress-Size-18-uk-Maxi-Dress-Halter-Neck-Style-Green-Navy-Cotton-Silk-/200817846254?pt=UK_Women_s_Dresses&hash=item2ec1ad27ee#ht_1086wt_922
But the more I look at it the less sure I am that it's black tie enough. I'm also thinking it'll be November so I might be rather cold!

Thanks for the links manda I will take a look when I've finished this post, knowing me I'd take a look and lose this post! Argh if only you worked at the same uni as me, I'd have you sorted in a jiffy! Printer problems are so frustrating and most of the time easily fixed by IT, but I admit they often get pushed to the bottom of the pile because printers are so unreliable and irritating. Plus we usually get the brunt of academic's frustration with their printer - obv not suggesting for a second that you would do such a thing! I hope your Faculty get you a printer soon.

Gummi yes, that's a good idea, I made my own bun ring and it's perfect for when my hair isn't behaving itself.

JoJo I'm nodding to the pregnancy cleavage, I am a 32E so far so might be knocking myself out by the time I get to 22 weeks! Mind you DH's boss says that my body shape won't change until 9 months, obv he knows all about it, he hasn't seen me for a long while and has no children and basically clueless about women in general. * sigh *

Tiddly - great news.

Zoey - that sounds Bearable, the op details not the grunting woman in labour.

Mand - your purchases sound marvellous and your printer nightmare sounds ridiculously fixable and up to the Uni department to sort. You'd be frustrated whether you were hormonal or not.

Hermione - I'll link to some ideas later but black maxi jersey dresses are fab for black tie. They're not too pricey, can be worn elsewhere after and glam up perfectly with a good necklace, a good bracelet or two and a evening clutch. They also hide fact that you're wearing flats if heels are too much. Because the jersey stretches it'll fit with bump whatever the size and you can get v neck or sleeved versions if you're worried about maternity bra being on show.

Is Oliver have one in the sale, which looks like it would need a strapless bra but could be worn with a shrug and there's plenty in the department store summer sell offs - just buy a size larger than normal and let the fabric do the rest.

If you're not a fan o Maxis then there are some cute LBD type dresses but I think it'll be more important to buy a maternity designed dress if going short. That said - LBDs are perfect for flanking up or dressing down, so you could see it as a maternity wardrobe purchase and then splash out on a serious statement necklace. There's some good ones in Phase 8 and coast of all places.

manda I love the dresses on that website! Omg I'm going to have to get some overtime in so I can get me one of those pretty dresses!

Arrh just lost a post!! Need to go to sleep now so will leave it as yay all round for no syphilis!

Hi all. Been all quiet from me but thought I'd drop a quick line to say I also had a successful scan today . Measured as per dates so am 12+6 & EDD 19th. Will have to wait a few days for blood results but nuchal measurement was 1.4 which I think is ok.

Shield and Ethel congrats on your scans too. This group must have just about a full compliment now?!

Great news dontsay!

Thank you for all your suggestions tramp I'm going shopping next pay day so will take your suggestions with me, black jersey maxi sounds blummin perfect! Comfy and can dress up, I'll have a look at IO website in the morning. Very excited

Great news dontsay we are EDD buddies!

Morning all! This is a bit too bright and early for me … in fact, it's pitch black. Ho hum, best get used to it I suppose!

Was struggling a bit last night so DH packed me off to bed at 10pm and it seems that now I'm back on my normal antihistamines I don't need more than 7 hours sleep - yay!

Oh, and he managed to get my printer (my own one, not the stupid work one) back onto its last legs so I have my book all nicely printed out and gulp ready to work on today. Wot a star.

Hermione, aw thanks! There is nothing like a brilliant person who knows how to fix printers - yay for you! DH has a mate who is an IT officer who came over to tried to get the practically new Dell laser printer to work with MacBook Air and he failed, saying Dell machines communicated badly with Macs (or he isn't as good an IT bloke as we thought!). Dunno why this shd be - is this true in your experience? Oh yes, I know ... IT (and other) support teams can bear the brunt of academics' frustrations, and I apologise for us en masse! But I promise I've been nothing but nice and polite this time at least! (perhaps too polite, as people have been largely ignoring me?!) I've escalated the problem and just hope bossman will throw some weight behind this. It is ridiculous. (Oh there I go again, moaning, agh!) Sounds like the outfit is getting sorted - yay! I know, aren't the Seraphine dresses pretty? Black maxi dress sounds like it will do as a good longer-term purchase. You know you're going to have to post a pic when you're all dolled up now?!

TIddley so pleased your new midwife and centre is super nice and you got to hear the heartbeat! That's very cheering. Can you explain about the heartbeat rate predicting girl/boy? Mine were slightly different at last week's hospital appointment, so put me right before I indulge my fantasy of having a boy and a girl!

And great news on your scan, Dontsay! Team March 2013 is doing so well!

Oh goodness me, Zoey, the panic in your eyes when they came towards you with a gown!! I can imagine…! Phew! Glad you've got a plan.

PS am 15 weeks today, woop!

Ah the joys of being pregnant, waking up and being sick on self at 1am! Why did no-one tell us the glamour?

Pardon - great news on scan, mine is tomorrow and I am nervous!!

Sundae - because no one likes to admit that

I however spend 4 hours getting sick last night, both pregnancies have induced night sickness and last time it didn't end until about 39 Weeks

Suffering today after staying up most of the night to watch Andy Murray. Zzzzz and I didn't even get to the end of the match! Am made up that he won!

Yay for printer manda hope today is productive for you.

sundae, the joys.

I've just done my first hour back at work So nice to feel normal again! Was lovely driving through the sunny countryside this morning as well. Had an extra half our in bed too as dsis has dd so no childminder run or getting toddler ready, bonus! Hopefully rest of year will be as smooth.

Urgh, morning <cave woman stomping across the floor> is it bed time yet?
slept well again but loads of nightmares, last night my DB was trying to kill me and my DSis. Somehow I discovered an invisibility cloak... Not that it helped in the end!!
It would be nice to have the occasional break from my head

Morning guys - well last day at work this week and have a million things I need to get done ready and my boss has scheduled a meeting to go over studd he was meant to do weeks ago and one of the other managers has decided to schedule the training everyone was meant to have months ago!

Does anyone understand blood tests and what the different things mean as was flicking through my results from yesterday and there are 2 results that are outside the given 'normal' range and have stars next to them and was wondering if I gave the names of what these were if anyone on here would know what they mean? DH has banned me from Dr Google he never said I couldnt ask you guys

Loving how successful this thread is and every had lovely scans and perfect baby beans its def a lucky thread

Morning! Just taken my car in for the MOT (positive thoughts please) and am now planning our trip to the peak district tomorrow. I love walking but I don't know how much I will manage.

Oh sundae sorry to hear about your sickness. It will surely wear off soon.

Glad you got your book printed manda.

Great news dontsay!

Well, better think about packing for my trip. Have a great day!

Zoey is there not a list of actual meanings in your notes, dd1 gets regular blood tests and I think there is a list in her blood book if you want me to look for you. Although if they haven't said anything its maybe nothing too important but something to check again at next bloods.

Manda get on with that introduction!

Waves to everyone hope you are all getting some sunny weather like us for change (although don't be mislead its still freezing!)

Great news dontstay

Oh and meant to say yuck to all who have night sickness, bad enough during day with out getting our precious sleep interupted

Sorry to hear so many started the day less than ideally with nightmares and nightmare-vomiting. It's a real pain that some are still having such awful sickness. But hurray for those who are keen on tennis. Andy Murray seems to be on great form this year! (But for all my enthusiasm about the O/Paralympics my interest in sport only goes that far and has now, predictably, reduced to the extent of being excited that Victoria Pendleton is taking part in Strictly!)

It's cold in Oxford, but bright and sunny. A lovely blue-skied autumnal day. And I feel I should only say this in a whisper, but my book-work is going great! I am actually re-writing my introduction!!! Eeek, don't want to break the spell, so had better get back to it. Thanks for encouragement, Three, Sheldon and Gummi

Sounds like you had a good re-entry into work, Three (hurray for your sis!)

Peak District - you're making me jealous Sheldon!

I had a couple of things outside the normal range in my bloods, Zoey, but they were raised by doc / consultant straight away and addressed with either meds or further monitoring. I'm sure someone on here will be able to help!

Will go car and get them out in a second and see actually what was out - another doctor come on and said she wasnt happy with a few things but would be test when I am back wednesday but I want to know now, lol!!

My lovely DM has just texted to say she bought me the secret garden, black beauty and The blind side on dvd and some sweets/ treats for operations and recovery - got to love her even thought DH says I am spoilt

Another day of feeling blurgh - I think I may have over done it a bit in last few days, although frankly it was hardly stressful. Ah well.

Right, Hermione as promised, some ideas for you...

1) Red maxi dress from Alexon, perfect for dressing up or down - just think of it with a really great necklace and bracelet and a litlle black clutch - it also comes in black so you could have a silver or gold clutch and BIG statement necklace. www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Alexon+Red+long+sleeve+grecian+maxi+dress/174653842,default,pd.html

2) Purple Jane Norman dress - downside is its polyester and not jersey and it is one shoulder so you'll need a strapless bra. Good news is its £60, there's only a size 12 left and looks black tie so you'd just need shoes & a clutch. www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Jane+Norman+One+shoulder+embellished+maxi/171504272,default,pd.html

3) Black grecian style dress which is under £50 but you would want to splash out on a belt and a good necklace to work with this to make it glam. Good news is it would work wonderfully with flats, there should be bags of room for boobs and bump and you flash a bit of shapely leg. Bad news is its Polyester. www.houseoffraser.co.uk/True+Decadence+Grecian+maxi+dress/170945205,default,pd.html

4) Isabella Oliver offer up this column dress in the sale, which is a great party dress. However its significantly above your budget even in the sale at £110 www.isabellaoliver.com/maternity-clothes/uk/100/sale/all/DR070.html I think the fact that you can play with how you wear it, so strapless, one shoulder or with sleeves is rather nice.

5) Seraphine have a midnight blue short dress in the sale. I think this is a marmite dress - you will either look fantastic in it or like you're wearing a nighty. Plus point is its dead on budget and a clutch and a kitten heel would pull it altogether. www.seraphine.com/cap-sleeve-silk-evening-dress-midnight.html

6) I'm not a huge fan of Boden, but this simple maxi would look great with the right dhoes etc. You can see how they have dressed it up with a good chunky necklace www.boden.co.uk/en-GB/Womens-Maternity-range/BP023/Womens-Elegant-Maxi.html

7) if you want to splash out then Tiffanyrose is the site for you (gorgeous dresses!) but cheapest is about £150 - only oggle if you are brave enough www.tiffanyrose.com/maternity/clothes/dresses.html

8) Short and simple, this should have enough voume to cope with a bump without exposing too much - a little v neck dress from French Connection. It would be far too short on me but if you're 5ft6 it may be just right. It begs for some bling gold jewelrey to make it look 'expensive' and some good shoes. www.frenchconnection.com/product/WOMAN+COLLECTIONS+SALE+DRESSES+49+or+less/71BE7/Nix+Nights+Flared+Dress.htm

9) John Lewis have this empire line dress from Coast in the sale, different prices depending on colour which again would look great glammed up www.johnlewis.com/319453/Product.aspx

10) Finally, another IO dress, this time one that you can clearly see works as a day to day dress. However, with a really good necklace, a shawl, some sparkly shoes and a bling bracelet it would look fantastic for the evening www.isabellaoliver.com/maternity-clothes/uk/100/maternity-dresses/DR087.html (the black, not the blue)

What do I mean by BLING and statement necklaces etc? Obviously what suits you will be different to what suits me, but there is loads of stuff around at the mo that you can try on and basically anything gold, silver or bright of colour and chunky will stand out on a black dress.

See the Phase 8 tribal, feather, collar and wooden necklaces www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/garment/jewellery?resetFilters=true

Wallis also have a few goodies and 30% off today www.wallis.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogNavigationSearchResultCmd?catalogId=33058&storeId=12557&langId=-1&viewAllFlag=false&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=230107&parent_categoryId=209327&beginIndex=1&pageSize=20#catalogId=33058&storeId=12557&langId=-1&viewAllFlag=false&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=230107&parent_categoryId=209327&beginIndex=1&pageSize=200

Hope that is helpful. Only wish I could go shopping with you

Wow, my first morning sobbing over something pathetic... I took myself off to bed!

Right paper grabbed they are both in the 'Urea and Electrolytes heading' my Urea level is 1.6 normal range is 2.9-7.1 and Creatinine level is 37 normal range is 50-90??

Zoey - that sounds ok

I googled it <hangs head in shame. it says I super effient kidneys, lol!! I am such a worrier and the one time I dont google something is the time it makes things better!!!

Best of luck with your op tomorrow zoey, and I hope you get to have it without a GA. Do check in when you can to tell us how you are and meantime & grapes & forehead stroking (the latter you can refuse if you think it's a bit early in our virtual friendship, I promise I won't be offended. Much).

manda the gender predictor based on heart rate is utter bollocks. I have 'researched' using a reliable mixture of hearsay, personal experience, memory of friends and dr google - the latter completely refuting the former. I hearby resign from position of thread gender predictor-person, except to say that you are clearly, definitely having boy/girl twins

There is a link between heart rate and gestational age however. In case you were interested.

pink the forthcoming birthday of DS is for his 1st birthday - so ours don't share a common age at all. Not sure where I picked that up from, silly me. Loved the tips on cake making though...

tramp your personal dresser services are most valuable, I only wish I had an 'occasion' to dress for. Also liked the vision of your 50s dress with bright tights the other day - clearly you are a well dressed lady (and not indeed a tramp at all).

Well I went to an antenatal swimming class today run by the local midwives. It was really very pleasant and I felt quite 'worked out' despite it being relatively sedate. I had the smallest bump, but not so surprising as mine was the 'youngest' by 12 weeks! There were 4 ladies post 38 weeks (one going to work after the class at 39 weeks, crikey) - very inspiring. One expecting her fifth baby (4 sons at home) and all very nice (class of about 10). The water was a bit too cold for me, but I shall definitely go regularly, especially when told how beneficial it will be to my health and fitness (and pelvic floor). The poor young (male) lifeguard looked a bit embarrassed by it all however.

This is turing out to be an essay. Must go and achieve something. It's a windy but sunny day here, perfect for sheet washing; that should occupy me till DS wakes.

TTFN.

p.s. dontsay I was chuffed to hear about your happy scan

Thanks tiddley and I am sure as soon as I am home and back in bed the ipad will surface to fill my MN addiction I prefer back rubbing to forehead though if you could

Zoey lots of luck for tomorrow. I hope it all goes smoothly

Dontsay congrats on a good scan

Tiddley that class sounded fun. I am watching my older boys in their swimming lesson at the moment whilst catching up on here but reclining on a sun lounger instead of doing something active!!

Tramp are you a personal shopper? I love your dress advice!!

Sorry to all those feeling rubbish this morning. I hope it passes very soon

Manda definitely get a cleaner, no guilt required. I have one and she is worth every penny. She has been on holiday for the past two weeks and been sorely missed. My house needs her back!! I always get mine through recommendations and pay £10 ph (In London) but an agency can be a good starting place. The bonus with an agency is that if they send you a rubbish one they will replace them for you without you having any hassle.

I too love my cleaner, but she has just moved away so I have a new one starting, I didn't like her on the phone, fx she will work out.

My bad day continues, heartburn, backche and now a migraine. I have one of those cold things on my head, not really cutting it!! Can't think straight, boo.

Zoey lots of wishes and backstrokes from me!

We are going to the RSPCA to look at kittens this evening, our beloved boy was killed a few weeks ago and we feel so lost without a miaowing furrbaby.

Kitten shopping, oh that sounds like the perfect antidote to a horrid day. I hope the migraine lifts soon...

<keeps quiet about the 'gift' from tiddleycat I had to scrape off the kitchen floor yesterday morning>

<I actually miss Bobby's gifts, how sad is that????>

Hey everyone!

Those of you who have had babies before- is the weight gain each week steady or did you find it went up and down? Since falling pregnant I've gained only 0.8 kilos and given my history of over obsessing about this kind of thing, can you reassure me that at 16 weeks this is ok? I'm seeing a consultant about my ED and how it will impact on my pregnancy in a few weeks, but nothing I can find on line says how the weight gain will be paced out over the nine months.

Thank you!

Are you feeling better, JoJo? I find a bit of a nap helps. Which makes me sound like a toddler. In fact, I think I am regressing, perhaps in awareness that for the rest of my life I'll have to be super responsible and able etc!

Pink, thanks for the encouragement re cleaner! I think it's going to happen. As is a dishwasher. And possibly a washer-tumbler. All of which are totally against my principles! But I'm not going to be a martyr about anything, I've decided! I've been reading a lot of stuff about women with twins who continue to function as academics through maternity leave (as I plan to a little bit) and back to full-time work 9 months after - and all recommend shortcuts, quick fixes, cleaners and the like.

Tiddley, thank you for the most welcome gender prediction and please find yourself reinstated to the role - you do it so well! So it could relate to gestational age as well … ah, interesting. I've been dated on the size of the largest twin. The other is a couple of mm behind, and that's the slower heart-rate one too. I wonder if I popped two eggs out a few days apart? Oh and antenatal swimming class sounds nice! Good way to meet potential new buddies?

Tramp you are completely awesome providing all that brilliant wardrobe advice!

Poor sundae: hope you can take something that helps with the migraine and have fun picking a new furry friend at the RSPCA

Funny I'm no expert but from what I've read I don't think it's out of the ordinary even to lose weight in the first trimester because of feeling off food etc, and what I've read suggests you gain the bulk in the third trimester. But I guess there's no hard and fast rules, and as long as you feel reasonably confident that you're taking on enough calories for yourself at the moment, and then some extra as the pregnancy progresses (not sure from when), plus pregnancy vitamins to cover all nutritional bases, you should be okay? Good luck figuring it out. It can't be easy if you have a history of food and weight-related worries, but just trust your body to tell you what it needs to look after yourself and baby. Great you're getting some advice from the consultant soon and that this helps to put your mind at rest.

Zoey, hope tomorrow goes well for you - and do let us know how you get on when you're feeling up to it. We'll be waiting with a +

So today I went to the library to chase up some odds and ends for the Damn Book. And I bought some Big Pants. M&S, size 16, full briefs. Oh yes, my DH is going to find them such a turn-on! Also got eyebrows waxed, which makes me feel a little more together. Oh, and I had to promise the lady who advised me on pants in M&S and the lady who did my brows that I would bring in the twins to show them - crikey, the world is a lot friendlier when you're pregnant! Is anyone else finding this?!

Hi everyone

Sorry for not posting earlier. Everytime i caught up on the post and gone to post i got distracted. Still not caught up though but thought id better mark my place.

Congrats to those who have healthy beans.

Paris was lovely but i struggled with food. Very envious of thosue feel better. Turns out i have low iron as predicted.

Now its time for me to catch up.

Turkish - everything I've read and everyone I know suggests weight gain differs from woman to woman. So fret not. As long as you're not calorie counting or denying yourself you should be grand. There's some good food advice on the NhS and I've just ordere a book Annabrl Karmel, Eating for Two - that had some great recipes and EASY to follow nutritional advice. Too many books just batter you with stuff that just makes my hea spin.

Manda - loving the big pants. I bought some the other day, god help me but I feel like I'm wearing my mothers underwear. I was bemoaning fact that I'm finding the ugly undies and fact that my bras and briefs don't match really tough to deal with to some friends. They find it hysterical that I only ever wear matching undies. Hey, we all have our weaknesses.
Can't say I'm finding the niceness yet, but then I think I'm still looking more chunky than preggers - unless of course you know me. Something about being tall. Also, I'm not carrying twins. Seriously how are you coping, I've been 7 shades of useless all day today and retired to bed at 4pm.

No I'm not a personal shopper & to be honest I'm not the worlds greatest dresser - but I do do black tie and glam well. Lord knows how that happened because I'm a total tom boy and never wore dresses til I was in my 20s but there's just something about glamour that I find irresistible. An addiction to all things 1920s from a v young age I think. I'm rubbish at hair & make up though - lord praise the free makeovers if you buy a lippy at the Givenchy or Benefit counter of your local department store and hair straighteners!

Sorry to hear France wasn't food tastic. Ya know it just means you'll have to go back once baby is born

Thank you tramp and Manda!

I'm eating when hungry and having small regular meals. Making the most of school lunches! They are yummy.

My bump is seriously popping out- and I live it now. My normally very deep belly button is way more shallow and I can touch the back of it. Weird!!

Newsroom tonight! Anyone else addicted?

manda I sobbed myself to sleep after 2 hours of uncontrollable crying over 'getting some porridge on the bin lid'.
Woke up at about 2pm, the OH came home from work and bought me some full cat coke and cadburys - from then on the day started to improve!! I just find it so hard to eat in the mornings no matter how hungry I am so it can't help my mood!!
Anyway I've just had hotdogs and onions and have some apple donuts too eeeeh that's better!!

Oh my word! Don't seem to have had time or energy
(or a look in on the computer) to MN for about a week and half adn I think I've missed an entire thread, plus the end of the one before that adn 13 pages on this one! I can't hope to catch up - got to page 4 on here and have given up!

Hope everyone is well, or as well as can be. I am flippin fed up of fefeling sick. OK, it's better than at 7 - 10 weeks when it was bloody awful, but improvement has totaly plateaued (clearly not spelt correctly but can't get it right). 15 weeks tomorrow and really want it just to go away. And what's with all the spots, I never really had spots as a teenager and now I'm covered in them. And I thought hair should get thicker, mine is all falling out. This is NOT how it was with DS1. Herumph.

We had lovely weekend with lots of friends this weekend and got to tell them in person, though due to size of bump now there was really no announcement required. We were last to arrive and someone shouted, 'wow you're having another one' before we'd even said hello (which was lovely actually).

Had appointment with the consultant on monday to go through my concerns about previous birth and it was awful. I was kept waiting for 2 1/4 hours, and stupidly spent the whole time thinking about last birth so was not in a good sate by the time I was seen (not to mention feeling horribly sick as it was past lunch time by then and I'd only taken an apple). Cue hopless and endless crying. Worried the poor doc who started talking about how worried she was about me and if we needed to consider medication. I'm honestly not that traumatised by first birth, just feel it would be useful to deel with it a bit more now rather than panicking later, but really got myself worked up so it was all very stressful. Still felt exhausted from it this morning!

Well, sorry for the very 'me' post. I will try to catch up a bit better so I can think of others and not just my self! DH out tonight so might get a chance, though I do need to do an absolute mountain of washing up, adn will probably then fall asleep!

Turkish I didn't put on weight for ages with dd, maybe till about 6 months, and then it was steady. Have put on quite a few pounds already with this one, but have quite an earlier bump.

So my first day back at work was good today DD had a lovely time with dsis, they went to a farm so lovely treat for her. My boss explained my new role and it sounds fine, a project I should be able to get my teeth into but that shouldn't be too much. Was so nice being back in the office and seeing everyone. Lovely to be able to share the news as well.

Ah I love Paris KF!

Flowery you poor love you have been through the mills. Hope life feels better soon

Turkish I don't know when you should start to put on the weight or how much at each stage but if it helps I do have some info on the overall weight gain and how it is broken down such as baby weight, placenta weight, extra breast tissue, increased blood volume, amniotic fluid etc... All of these add up to be the overall weight increase which obviously varies for woman to woman but might put your mind at rest!!

jojo gimme some apple donuts!! Never had anything sounded so tasty to me!! I have seen that break down, thank you. Think I will just relax until told otherwise.

flowery massive huge soothing pats on the back- it will go, I promise!

three that's good to know- thank you for sharing that. I will not worry about my lack of gain- my tummy is round and bumpified and so that's reassuring me!

I really really want cheesy Doritos. Really want them. Salivating thinking about them. Mmmmmmm cheesy...

Nothing to add really but need to mark my place had a busy weekend/start to the week & feel really rough. Was hoping for an early night but just had a call saying Grandad rushed to hospital so waiting up a bit for news.

ood hope all is okay with your grandad and it's not too late a night for you!

Someone mentioned bagels and cream cheese this morning. I bought bagels and cream cheese to try and tempt my taste buds in the morning I'm almost looking forward to breakfast!!

Ood hope Gdad is ok, do you know what is wrong?

Very jealous of those who have not put on much weight. I've put on at least 5kgs so far. That's even with running 20km per week with spin and boxing classes. Hate to think how I will go as I slow down.

Excited about my scan tomorrow. Am now 13 weeks so belly is coming out. Have to hide for another 3/4 weeks at work for any hope of maternity leave. Otherwise will get my redundancy notice first. Fingers crossed my boss continues to be unobservant. I'm expecting her only to bark at me once she finds out.

Good luck for op and scans tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow Vivee, mine is 8.30, when is yours?

Flowery that all sounds rotten, poor you!

Ood, fx things will be ok.

Our furrrrrbabies come home on Saturday, 5 months old and very scared little things, one ginger and white and one longhaired tabby, both boys and brothers

Just that he collapsed. He's in a home so they are used to minor stuff. Mums gone to the hospital & will let me know what happens. She's an only & I'm an only so not a lot of support other than my Dad/dh.
He's 90 and only been in the home a couple of months but is frail although rarely ill. He has been enjoying the home better than he expected and is looking much healthier than he has for ages.

Thats good he sounds fairly sturdy in general Ood let us know how he gets on.

Vivee your exercise regime sounds amazing ! You can be in charge of the postnatal work outs, I know i'm going to need it, have been sat on my bottom for 3 months so far!

Flowery I was really pathetic at the children's centre midwife drop in last Thursday, was just the culmination of so many weeks of feeling shit with no seeming end in sight. Real sympathies and it will happen, even if it takes a few more weeks, and with any luck you'll get an amazing sleeping-through-the-night-at-one-week-older to balance it out

Vivee good luck with scan and the hiding

Ood - hope your Grandad perks up and is back to his usual self soon

Hurrah for kittens! My two old cats have clearly
Missed us at the weekend. Even MrM is getting meows and leg rubs and I have two cuddle limpits - silly cats

Sundae, mines at 10:20am. I've got no notes with my appointment letter. Am I meant to go with a full bladder????

500ml of water an hour beforehand is all you need. With all your exercise you must be lovely and slim so you probably won't even need that! (well jel of slimmy people, I feel blimp like and have put on tonnes!)

Definitely a well padded belly here. Have aunt and uncle coming to stay so cleaning up and doing huge clear of all my clothes that now don't fit. So far about three large ikea games to garage... Hope to fit them again one day.

Oh Tramp so glad I'm not alone on the big pants! I tried them on earlier and we fell about laughing! But, goodness me, they are SO COMFORTABLE! Do you think I can just keep going till I reach the end of the size range? I am quite the opposite of you in that only on VERY special occasions do my undies match. Wedding day was one. Sometimes on date night I'll whip out something a bit nicer-than-normal. I've always been amazed at women who match most if not all of the time … don't you have to spend an awful lot on bras? Or do you have, say, three pairs of matching knickers for each bra? I remember going out with a bloke who only had one type of underpants so mornings were less complicated and I thought that was so clever that I did the same. M&S black high-leg pants? Yes, that will do nicely, thankyouverymuch. As for how I'm coping (sorry this is turning into an essay!) I am definitely knackered, but this is nothing compared with the unhelpful druggy tiredness of the last ten-ish weeks on the sleep-inducing antihistamines and I'm having a small cafetiere of coffee each morning, oops!

Funny sounds like you are eating really well, my love

Ood, hope Grandad is okay?

Awwww JoJo! It doesn't matter what the trigger is, I think our emotions are just so close to the surface at the moment! Glad a sleep worked, and the cadbury's + coke! Your bloke sounds great. Hmmm, could you do a smoothie in the mornings? Or fruit juice? Anything to get something in your system? I know you've probably tried everything…bah. But it will get better - it has to!

Vivee, that 5kg is clearly all muscle so I wouldn't worry! Wishing you a very happy scan for tomorrow! You too Sundae! And thinking of Zoey too.

Hello flowery! Sorry to hear the hospital appt wasn't as great as it could have been if you'd had less of a wait and more of a food stash … which is my main 'take-away' from my 3+ hours in the high risk clinic last week! I was soooo hungry afterwards I scoffed kitkat and crisps from the kiosk downstairs in about 30 seconds! I'm 15 weeks today and my spots the past week or so have gone - hopefully soon for you too.

Three yay for new role looking good!

I've been a right nana today, worrying about not being able to see any legs on the scan pics of the twins. On the day I was so amazed by the elbows I forgot to notice the legs. Anyway, I've been really worried but then DH came home and reminded me that in the scan report it says 'Feet Visible? Yes.' for both babies. Honestly, I'll find something to worry about in any circumstances!

OD- sorry to hear about your granddad. Hope its nothing too serious.

Flowery-our symptoms seem to be similar. Its not as bad as before but still sick and zero appetite. I get so fed up then feel guilty for feeling that way when i know there are loads of women would kill to be in our position. I dont think tiredness helps. Try to sleep as much as you can.

Big knickers? I love them.

I found advice on baby centre that suggests in the 2nd and 3rd trimester I will gain 0.4-0.5 a week on average- so less worried as we all know that the last few weeks we shall turn into little whales!

*Water for scan*- I was told drink it all one hour before- I was so dehydrated from my UC flare up even after drinking 1000ml and waiting an extra 30 min my bladder was still empty they could still scan me though and gave me extra pics out of pity!

Good luck on scans today people and will look forward to hearing all about them when I get back on here!
DH is driving me insane and we ain't even left for hospital yet moaning its too early and dark and then bringing me a coffee up- I nearly bloody cried as am nil by mouth and am really thirsty!!! Then moaning I took wedding ring off so I explained can't wear it in theatre and didn't want them lost to which he replied 'ow yeah good thinking' why didn't he just ask why instead of 10 ,mins of moaning! Think I am just panic'ing and stressing myself out and he is an easy target as is the only one here
tuurkish I haven't even thought about weighting myself as still feeling sticky and reaching when I want to eat so just eating what and when I can and not worrying about that side just yet but have put on a bit! However have just put on a hoodie that's not maternity and 3 weeks ago was a lot tighter than it is now so hoping am losing my fluid retention.
Right time to go and face the music- hope you all have stress free lovely days

Only vague news from hospital. Doing tests & he's not very responsive. Doesn't sound anything obvious ( he has a history of strokes). Luckily it's raining so dh doesn't have to go to work and can sort dd2/3 out so my Mum doesn't have to today , I couldn't take any more time offas I'm way behind as it is!

Zoey is it wrong I'm giggling at the idea of you being sticky and reaching?!

Zoey - we'll see you after the op. And then you can breathe again.

Manda - I just buy undie sets & wear a set a day. They're not necessarily glam, but I do amuse myself to know I'm wearing polka dots or stripes & only MrM and I know...

I almost wore my IO stripey dress today but I felt too self conscious. Isn't that ridiculous! I think I may need bigger bump to feel secure in my head that I look preggers & not just like a fatty. Every rational voice in my head is telling me I'm being ridiculous but rational didn't win out this morning.

I'm still feeling meh but compared to last two days a functioning meh. My Mun has suggested being in bed by 8pm every night.. How on earth am I going to manage that one? Maybe I'll try for 10pm. Which means MrM can't be slinking to bed at 1am and no more 9pm suppers. Honestly all this reorganisation is exhausting

I was reading an NHS nutrition guide which made me chuckle because they start at the second trimester, seems they're happy to acknowledge that first three months and nutrition are poor bed fellows.

Right work calls. Have heartwarming scans today ladies who are having them.

Hope it goes really well today Zoey

Just a quickie as I'm off to the peaks for 2 days. Good luck today zoey and to all coming scans. Hope your grandad is ok ood.

Have a lovely day everyone!

Good luck today Zoey

Ood hope your grandad is ok

Good luck for scans girls

Manda 2 things my mum called the other day with a lovely maternity top from new look AND M&S full briefs they are SO comfy, plus a set of really fancy ones that were on own hangers 3 for £10, but pulling them up over my belly they no longer seemed fancy

2nd thing With dd1 I bought a washer/drier, I found it really inefficient and and also it broke down after a year or so, then when we moved house I got a cheap tumble drier which I love and does the job although I only use for smalls and bed clothes, I don't tumble dry big loads of washing.
So I would definitely recommend getting a seperate tumble drier if you have room, as I found that the clothes didn't seem to dry as well and I was usually wanting to get another wash on.

Waves to everyone else sorry for no more personals but I have another headache today, I think a bit of sinus pain triggering them, but I just feel bad as I never took this much paracetomol with the other 3.

manda I must have missed a post somewhere! You're thinking of getting a washer dryer? My advice would be - don't. Seperate tumble if room allows!
I used to work in an electrical superstore and had nothing but trouble from washer dryers!! You can wash a full load but to dry you must split that load into two... With babies you're going to spend your life washing this way. Plus the dryer function is really bad and your clothes will still be damp!! I have one in my student accom and can see why we got so many complaints!!
In my new kitchen we've opted for washer and tumble instead of washer and dishwasher!!

Good luck zoey hope GF is ok ood sorry in a rush bust week at work

Er that would be BUSY week at work....... !!!!! Good luck for any scanner trips today also x who will be bringing up the rear to complete the "12 week" club or is that everyone? Roll on 20 wks

Oh JoJo and Gummi that's what I secretly feared, dammit! My Mum has problems with hers but I didn't know they were practically universal. We've quite a small kitchen because it was knocked through to the dining room by previous owner, so it's a U shape if you know what I mean. At the mo we can envisage the space where a dishwasher will have to go, losing two cupboards, but hmm, fitting in a dryer as well would be tricky. But maybe it can (or has to) be done, especially as we're expanding the top cupboards to the ceiling. Could you have a tumble in a sort of boiler cupboard that has slats on the front for ventilation? (Sorry if this is daft question…) Really grateful for this expert advice!

Gummi I looked at the fancy ones at 3 for £10, but got the 5 pack for £7 instead! (Cheapo!) I'm wearing them today and loving them!! Joked with DH last night that after pregnancy I can keep them till I'm 68 and wheel them out again! Hehe…

Tramp we're still having 8-9pm dinners but then I am tending to crash out and DH stays up filling his boots with episodes of Breaking Bad (which I can't watch anymore - too nervous-making/gory!) or geekery. We prefer going to bed together but this is working for us at the mo.

AW Zoey your DH is probably just worried about you and coming across as a bit of a pain as he doesn't know what to do for the best! Hope it goes well today.

FX for your DF, Ood.

I've been wondering that, Chefette - who has still to get through the 12 week point?

manda you can get condenser tumble dryers which means you empty the water yourself instead of needing a vent. They are a bit more in cash though and tend to be a little bigger but would be quite safe in a cupboard!!

Good luck today zoey! And ood, I really hope your G'dad is OK!
Tramp I feel your pain re:knickers & bras. I hate the maternity stuff I have bought but am reluctant to buy nicer things at this stage as I know I will need different ones for nursing and later on.
Been a bit quiet as work is manic - I'm off on holiday next Tuesday and seem to have a thousand 'priorities'. Feeling a lot better and can't believe I will be 16 weeks on Saturday.
Hope everyone is having a good day.

manda my dh loves breaking bad too, but I really can't take it at the mo! I feel I'm somehow more emotionally frail while pg somehow!

manda what you describe re boiler cupboard is exactly what we have. Boiler up top, condenser dryer below. No vent to outside, we just open the door when using. Had it 7 years, no probs. there is a sort of concertina pipe thing that came with it that you can attach to the front of the dryer and put into the sink or out of the door, but we never bother with that.

In other news I am finally feelin normal. Haven't had the energy to post about it but for the past three days, since I came off he steroids completely, I have had a massive crash - unable to do anything except sleep and lie around - total wipeout! Consultant wasn't very helpful, said it was just me experiencing pregnancy after being on a buzz from the steroids - um, hello- I have had a child before and I never felt like this! Pretty sure it was cold turkey. Bleargh, nasty. Anyway woke up this morning feeling much more second trimestery. Hurrah for that. Off to see what I missed. Oh and word has finally started to spread round the office which is good as I'm tired of hiding it!

Lexi - so pleased it's not just me!

Manda - I've foregone a drier for all reasons noted and frankly if rather have a dishwasher. Instead I bought a heated clothes horse - on sunny days it goes outside, rest of time it gets plugged in and I pop a duvet cover over top and everything dries in a few hours. Bought it on Lakeland and it's fab. Holds loads o washing too. Works without a sheet on top but faster when I do that.

tramp heated clothes horse? that sounds amazing!! I want one now... is it too late to send my dryer back ?!

Brilliant! Thanks ladies! Cupboard it is (once we replace the old boiler which fills the whole space!) And there is a little window in there so we could perhaps do something with that and ventilation if nec. I have never possessed a tumble. I imagine leccy bills will go through the roof, eek. I like the idea of the heated clothes horse too, Tramp - never heard of them! Will investigate...

Three exactly the same about BB. I only got as far as three or four episodes of series one, and sometimes I was just willing it to end! :-o I'm sure normally I'd be fine with it…

Sarah sorry you've had a bit of a post-steroid crash but FX you've turned the corner into 2nd trimester! Sounds great

Marking my place and joining in on the big knicker talk. Like lexi and tramp I quite enjoy a maching set and am not enjoing te look and fel of the mothercare maternity range ...why is it so hard to do bras and pants that match?? In fairness I haven't had a proper look at M&S the one in Cambridge was so hot when I went in last week that I made it to the thrid floor underwear section, hot tailed it back down to street level and barely made it out of the door before I threw up on myself in a jojo inspired hobo chic moment.

I'm missing my pretty underwired bras a bit and my pants are all digging in so I really will have to sort it out soon.

Today I am looking at long term business strategy and how my role will be covered whilst I'm on maternity leave. Ladies I do not want to let go - will there be a point where I don't mind handing over my precious department to someone else?

I am going to a wedding this Saturday and haven't a thing to wear - tramp I'm going through your evening wear suggestions for a work do - thank you!

tiddley your gender sorting methods are no more barmy than those I keep hearing ' ooh your bumnp is tidy - you'll have a boy' yeah? I'm 15 weeks pregnant and my 'bump' is nowhere near what it'll be. "You're eating apples it'll be a girl" ...and I ate apples before...

I don't have a bump (too poodgy probably as am size 16) and can still wear my normal underwear. Oh well. Means no one asks if I've got a bun baking at work yet!!

Should we update the EDD and stats thread as lots folk have new dates, or start a new one, as some poor ladies from the early days may be on the original who have not been able to stay with us due to MCs? We could add 20 wk scan dates on at same time?

Heated clothes horse?????!!!! OMG am going on Lakeland website!

Have decided that the work getting done in the house is upheaval, but might as well continue the torment, and get kitchen and bathroom done too (oh well will be skint anyway next year!) as there is no way it could get done with a few month old babee next year!!!

Howdens and local joiner top of the list to do it, any other suggestions jojo as you are doing work and are local, or backward?

Just heading back to work. Have one dancing waving baby Delilah. Downs measurement was great too (I'm 38!!!). Yeah...

www.lakeland.co.uk/21736/Dry-Soon-3-Tier-Heated-Tower-Airer There you go, the heated clothes horse.

Flamingo - my view has always been that if my staff can cope without me it's because I'm such a bloody good manager that I've trained them well and that makes me look good. Delegation is a skill you have to learn though and it can be really hard. Let go, you'll feel better and believe me - if you're a good boss no matter how well teams cope whilst you're away they can't wait to have you back. And because they can cope you can do all the tough stuff you don't normally get the time & space to do once you are back.

Pleased the dress tips are handy

How hot does that clothes dryer get? Just thinking toddler safety...

So hungry today. Ridiculous. I was supposed to be meeting a friend for lunch (we normally eat our packed lunches together) but she was going to be half an hour late and so I have eaten mine already! Am nnow planning coffee and millionaire's shortbread when she finally gets here. Nom.

chef my kitchen has been supplied by howdens (builders get a trade discount so it worked out cheapest). My bathroom and en suite are both coming from B&Q. As are floor and wall tiles and the oak flooring.

Just opened my emergency can of sweet potato and carrot soup for lunch only to discover it's made with chiocken stock and I'm a veggie. Had a little sob at the idea of having to drive to tesco ( its 15 mins drive to the nearest food outlet from this office) then colleague donated a spicy curry pot noodle and all was well with the world again.

tramp you are a wise woman and 100% right - I'd advise others in a similar fashion but it turns out I cannae take my own medicine!

jojo I would KILL for an en-suite. My flooring is from b and q too. Howdens got nice stuff, but seems there is no guarantee that the trade discount (which varies from joiner to joiner depending how much try spend there) may not be passed to customer. Kitchen planner coming Monday so we'll see. I typically want one of the most expensive looking kitchens, however, DP is a settler, I imagine I'll get my way though, as a) I live in the kitchen and b) I'm paying!!!!

B and q for plain white suite, DO having trauma over short or bath, but with only one bathroom u vote for bath with luxury shower over it, there's not room for both!! The trials of a 250 yr old cottage!!

Have a bath in teh middle of my kitche currently - its delightful, egg shaped, free standing. We ordered it before we found out roof needed to be redone and thus pennies probably too tight for dream ensuite... still if anyone fancies coming round or a cuppa they can have a sit in it.

Sarah - it's not hot enough to burn and the rails are plastic so toddler would be fine.

Chef - I keep being told that you splash out on the surfaces & accessories but buy the cheapest cabinets. Not sure if that helps reduce the cost of the kitchen or not. If it does, well the money you saved means you can buy that (insert here) that you both wanted but didn't think you had the budget for...

Flamingo - you can you just need to give yourself a strict talking to and take heed of your own words. Failing that we can all keep reminding you. After all, you're not letting go of control, your just loosening the leash

It seems that the scan people messed up & have lost my video scan of Socrates. So they've invited me in for another scan for free. I already have a scan this week - the NHS one - where I expect at least a 3 week wait in bloods and little effort to pin Socs down (hence the reassurance of having a private scan). Would it be v bad of me to have a scan next week as well?

Manda I would also recommend a separate tumble dryer. We have a washer/dryer (and LG one so one of the best) and it is hopeless for drying. I just bought a LG condenser dryer which is amazing. We keep it in the cellar which works well and you just have to empty the water out and de-fluff every now and then. A full load dries in under 1 hour. It has revolutionised my laundry (of which there is masses!!). They sell the heated clothes horses in Lakeland and there is one in Bicester which is handy for you isn't it? (My Mum lives close by so we go a lot!) I would also say a Dishwasher is an essential Mine is on about twice a day!

Sarah Glad you are feeling better today, fingers crossed that is the end to feeling rubbish!

Zoey I hope all has gone well.

Vivee Fab news on your scan V of your exercising. I was banned at my 12 week scan because of a low lying placenta and so feeling very unfit after 4 weeks of no exercise.

I hate big knickers. I bought the low short knicker things for my last few pregnancies which worked well Knickers

Ood I hope your Grandad is Ok.

Water for scan - I have never had to have a full bladder for any scan with any of my pregnancies.

Chefette I would really recommend Ikea for kitchen units. They are fab. You can then get decent worktops and splashbacks etc... So many friends have them and they look very comparable to a lot of very expensive kitchen companies and much cheaper. We had our bathrooms re done last year and used Colourwash (who I think are now called CP Hart). They were amazing and did a full design service. They really utilised the space well and the quality of the fittings was fab. They also recommended a builder who was fantastic. If you live in London, I can give you his details!

I found this amazing blue goats cheese in Waitrose that was made from pasteurised milk. I just ate loads for lunch so hope it's allowed! Was really craving stinky blue cheese

Tramp Definitely have the scan! I had one at 12, 13 & 14 weeks!!!!

Chef we've not opted for a cheap kitchen... Cabinets fairly cheap (cream colour) but indulged in solid oak work top! Eek. Will look beautiful though!! The builders have even offered to cut up the excess work top to make some solid oak chopping boards for us!! They are a lovely bunch!! We're renovating a 2 bed cottage into a 3 bed so the en suite is do able but the master bedroom and both bathrooms are downstairs! We can do nothing upstairs due to the style of the house. I quite like the quirky charm of the upstairs rooms though and there is a beautiful view of the hills just before the mountains

JoJo - it sounds lovely & as a woman with a wooden kitchen surface - yay you!

Pinky - well it's my NHS scan Friday and I've just booked in for free private scan Friday following, so looks like I too will see Socs at 12, 13 & 14 weeks. I feel greedy.

Jojo - we have solid oak worktops too, v thick and lovely - along with cheap cabinets. Kitchen looks great. In fact you can see it here as I'm on airbnb: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/507959.

When we moved in the place had been bedsits and was a bit dire. We did it all up ourselves - can't imagine doing it now! DH was a musician then so had plenty of time; now he's a head of department at a school so if we ever do it again we'll have to rely on builders. We also extended into the side-return to make the kitchen a kitchendiner; typical london terrace house with a pokey dark kitchen. Not now!

I really want my kitchen done! It's big enough and functional but I'd love it to be pretty. Next job is redecorate the lounge though and we just spent the summer sorting path and decking for the garden so maybe next year for kitchen.

Also planning to get a dryer soon, its just so hard to get sheets and towels dry in the wi nter. And then between baby and my baby sick/milk spattered clothes later on will just make life a bit more pleasant to have one

Congrats for good scan vivee

Just been sick.......with all over my key board at the loveliness of Sarah's house!!!!!!

Bootifool!!!!

Aww, thanks Chefette. We did work for many years on it, in between babies and real work! ALso it looks much more amazing than it really is in those photos as it was a professional photographer. IN particular he's made it look much much bigger.

sarah lovely looking house!! looks quite bright and airy... we're hoping our house will feel the same once ripped out and re built!! Hence the cream and oak kitchen get some light colours in there!!

Had my 12 week scan, got a date, all good, no NT as baby was doing back flips and would not lie in correct position despite maximum jabbing and walking and jigging.

Sundae - what lovely news and you have yourself an acrobat

Twas funny as it was on it's back for a second and then did a somersalt about twenty times. Also had legs crossed and hands either over eyes or over ears, it did seem asleep after my walk, so I think it was "bugger off, it is early and I am sleeping, I don't like sleeping on my back..."

No idea what the triple / quadruple test is at 15 weeks.

Also got a date for the 20 week, it seems so soon! 6th November.

Sorry not caught up yet, feeling knackered and a bit sore from the scan still!

Ohhhh heated clothes horse! That's gonna solve all my problems!!

I'm thinking leaving it on and going out is a massive fire risk?!

When I told Mr Turkish his eyes lit up!!

Yay sundae

Grandad is back home now. Was an infection and over night ABs have kicked in so he is at the home with tablets now. Mum was at the difference in him since last night ! So can relax tonight after a hectic work day.

Ood - great news!

Turkish - I doubt it. I tend to leave it on over night, no probs at all. Think radiator - a clothes horse radiator - and you're there.

Sundae - Socs was all " here's my feet, wahoo, here's my hands, wahoo - wanna see my face yea - feet again wahoo!" I had ultra sound and dildo scan, full bladder - empty bladder. The combo of my inverted womb (?!) and Socs boisterousness meant the poor sonographer had to try everything to get what she needed & it took ages.

Woo-hoo!! First scan today (12wks and 2) and it has finally actually sunk in now (as if all the chundering and feeling rough wasn't enough proof!) Baby was jumping and leaping around even turning to face the scanner and waving (well lifting hand up!). Just magical. EDD 26.3.13.

Oooee - yippee!

Is that everyone scanned now?

I think so!!

How exciting!

I am ordering heated clothes horse! I am SOLD!

Ugh just opened my post today and have a letter from GP asking to come on to discuss my ovarian cancer test results next week. Thinking- cant be urgent, but still not feeling great about it.

Stupid cyst, stupid tests. Even now it's burst it's still trying to upset me!

turkish I hope everything is okay with results, I'm sure if it was urgent they'd get you in immediately. My gp used to send letters asking me to make an appointment to discuss 'test results' for me to work myself up and them to say 'oh yes, everything came back clear'!! Think they've stopped wasting NHS time with that one though now!!
I have my appointment with a consultant tomorrow 9am to give consent to surgery... Fairly sure I agreed two weeks ago but hey Jo if they insist on seeing me again who am I to complain, fx I get an op date - I am a little nervous about it though!!

Hey ho not Jo

Evenin'!

Thanks for all the kind messages yesterday, I was having quite a grump! Sadly today more sick not less and it generally does seem to be getting worse again not better but hopefully another couple of weeks and it will calm down - was 16 or 17 weeks when it faded with DS (though was never this bad!) and am 15 weeks today. Posative attitude and all that

Three I would love and feel I definately deserve a sleeps-through-the-night-at-one-week-old baby this time given DS1 was 19 or 20 months before he ever slept through and at 2 still doesn't do it consisitantly. Not holding my breath though, we seem to be a family who bread bad sleepers!

Ood, glad to hear your GD is back home and much improved.

Turkish fingers crossed for your test results, though as others said, if it was urgent they'd have had you in quicker.

And since there has been so much chat about house renovations, just adding our offer that was accepted about 3 or 4 weeks ago now is finaly progressing so fingers crossed it all goes smoothly now and we have a new house soon. We've always rented until now so this is our first home of our own. There will be very little for us to do once in (which is good for us as we are both useless at DIY and lack energy and motivation for that sort of stuff). Probably touch up some paint and the attic room could do with decorating but the rest is pretty lovely as it is.

Great news on teh alst wave of scans. Looks like (unless I missed it in my brief absence) we just have Manda for twins then.

Right, it's my bed time. night night all.

Dd1 was my sleep through the night baby <reminisces>

Dd2 however <wipes memory>

Dd3 has been somewhere in the middle. Slept through once in nearly two years but as long as she gets mummy milk she's fine so I've not pushed it. She's been v easy child up until now though is developing a two year old mind

Turkish - get thee to GP & find out what they wish to discuss. Letters like that really aren't helpful. Last time I had one it was to say they'd messed up & could I have test again.

Thanks everyone. I will call first thing tomorrow. I think it's irresponsible to send those letters out!

FX we all have sleep through the night babies!! We deffo all deserve it!

Oooh new Grand Designs! Going to watch and try to catch up with the thread all at once

Ood, that is really great news for you and the family. What a relief!

Don't worry too much Funny about the docs next week. Like you say, it doesn't sound too urgent … ooh but yes - have just read latest advice to call tomorrow. V.g. idea. Do it!

Good idea to update the stats thread, Chefette! Yep, Flowery, think I'm the only twin-pregnancy on here. There's another thread with FOUR ladies with twins and we're all in the same week! I find that really exciting but I think I have scared everyone off with my enthusiasm!!

Yay for good scans, Vivee, Ooee and Sundae! Now, if my babies are not doing backflips at the next scan I'm going to be

Woop for extra free scan, Tramp

Thanks to you too Pink for dryer advice. And the LG recommendation! Yep, Bicester's just up the road but we've only been once or twice!

JoJo you're going to have to post a pic of the hills and the mountains from your upstairs when you're finished with the renovations!

Very nice place, Sarah! So light and lots of clean lines.

Dame the woman advising me in M&S yesterday showed me a matching pinky-purple maternity set. The knickers are the only mat. pants she says M&S do - under the bump, but very stretchy. I know others have given good advice about the job, but I reckon the moment you get too uncomfy with the bump, or once the baby arrives, work will seem as if it's in another world! A friend of mine at about 35 weeks, who is as determined as me not to let go of work, has suddenly got all nesty and can't wait to stop work! So I think it will just happen.

Yeay for happy scans!
Another household v excited about heated clothes horse. Thanks for the recommendation!

Manda I heart grad designs a lot. Love the end bit best!!

Lexi we're gonna have the best dry clothes ever!!

Didn't sleep well worrying about stupid test. Grrrrr. Phoning first thing...well, once I get a gap in teaching!

Hospital at 9am and surprise, surprise I feel nauseous! I'm detecting a pattern here,,, nerves perhaps?!
Happy Thursday everyone!

Tramp oh my gosh thank you so, so much for the list of dresses and accessories - you are amazing! At work the ladies who are going have organised a personal shopper at Debenhams but now I can say I have my own! one of the ladies (never been pregnant) asked me why I can't just buy a dress a size larger than normal - 'that'll hide the bump' she said, I don't want to hide the bump! Me and baby Boo have worked hard for it!

I was in tears at work yesterday, not in front of anyone thankfully. I work in IT and I've found that I just can't cry at work, in my first IT job I was in tears after a customer laid in to me and I never had any respect again amongst my colleagues. All men teams and tears just don't mix. Anyway, I just suddenly had the realisation that my life is going to change and there's so many bits of my identity that I've had to give up and now I feel like I'm disappearing. All my friends that have babies are very very babycentric and were before babies, I knew I didn't want to be like that and that I still wanted my hobbies that make up who I think I am, but I haven't been able to do any of my hobbies and don't see how I'm going to change in to a mum, I can't even say out loud that I'm going to be a mum! I spoke to my BF who was amazing and very understanding but she did ask why I hadn't had this realisation before now. DH thinks its a sign I'm getting better ms wise that this is sinking in now. BF suggested that I should start cycling again as this was one of my main hobbies and makes me so ridiculously happy, makes me think of my late dad and I've sorely missed it. However, everything I read says no to cycling, what do you ladies think?

I have a pedometer and I find every time I walk 5 miles and above I get cramping, I'm taking this as a sign I should calm the exercise down a bit but everyone else says they were exercising well in to their pregnancies, I have no idea how you are running and spinning Vivee !

Yippyyay for yesterday's scans, good luck for getting to the bottom of tests/letters.

My car has decided to be in a sulk so is bound for a garage today. Lots of sucking of teeth by DP, and furrowed brow, he said it feels expensive, def not what we need given the house costs that will hopefully not spiral out of control

Happy day everyone, thanks all for kitchen and bathroom suggestions.

JoJo I've found that every time I'm nervous or angry I am sick, making me giggle cos it makes me think of the girl in Just William who says 'i'm going to scream and scream until I'm sick!'

Hope the hospital appt goes well JoJo. Really good this is getting slowly sorted. Let us know how you get on.

I too love the end bit, Funny, when Kevin does his summing up! not that I have a tiny crush on him at all!

Hermione, maybe think of it as you evolving rather than you disappearing? That's what I'm doing. Am determined to maintain important bits of my pre-baby life post-birth, to the extent of already having a provisional plan for a mother's help / nanny during maternity leave so I can keep working on my publications etc. Work (i.e. research) for me is my main 'hobby', what makes me fundamentally happy and is closely bound up with my sense-of-self. (This may not sound healthy, but it's pretty standard for academics!) I accept I don't know quite how I'm going to change as a mum, but I do know how hard I've worked to get where I am now and I also know that if I were to give it up and look back from, say, my 60s, I'd be really sad for the things lost. Plus I have been busy carrying on organising conferences for next October and commissioning work for edited volumes I plan to edit … so a continuation is already built into the diary!

As for cycling, funnily enough, one thing I have given up this summer is co-running and administering a women-only cycling group in Oxford. It's been going for 4 years and I've handed it over to a perfectly able team. TBH I became less interested in the minutiae of the group once I got settled/married and wasn't so energetic about meeting new friends etc. BUT this is just to say that (a) some things you may choose to give up and (b) other things things you may decide to make time for and (c) cycling rocks!!!

I have been annoyed about the advice against cycling. True, I'm feeling I don't have the power to cycle as safely as I'd like to on the road (i.e. I'm a bit slow as I cramp slightly if I try to go really fast!) but towpaths etc are great. If you liked weekend leisure cycling then I think that's perfectly fine. I think my speedy drop-handlebar bike is now in the shed for the foreseeable, but my shopper-with-a-basket is definitely going to be used whenever I got out till I'm too damn big! Who was it on here who said she knew someone who even cycled home from having her pre-labour 'sweep'?!! That's my kinda girl!

(Sorry for the essay!)

Hermione - I can tell you now that I've no intention of losing myself. Everyone is different. Some women spend their lives fantasising about getting married & hyperventilate at thought that table napkins don't match the flowers. Others long for babies from a small age and just want to be Mums. Thats fine. Personally I wanted to find my own way and as a Mum I'll be helping my child to do the same. I'll continue to run my business. I'll continue to have a good social life - it'll be a tiered baby and non baby social life but that's cool. I'll continue to find me time when I need it, because if I don't I'll go mad - and no one would like me when I'm mad. I'll be honest I'm looking forward to the challenge and the evolution of myself and my relationship with MrM. And also, once Socs is older, I'm looking forward to playgrounds, water pistols and adventures.

If you love cycling but are cramping, try a gentler cycle as noted above. Or give swimming a go - it'll be nice tinfloat when you're bigger too.

And you'd be crazy if the enormity of it all didn't hit you.

Lexi & Turkish - we could start a heated clothes horse club

Zoey - thinking of you today.

Zoey hope all has gone well and turkish hope you find the doc's letter is all a fuss over nothing!

re:Hermione and losing yourself - I can totally relate to this, and it's one of the reasons I didn't have children earlier. I've been quite focused on my career and enjoy my rather nice 'DINKY' lifestyle, and during the first few weeks of pregnancy all I could see were the sacrifices DH & I needed to make and the things I'd have to give up. Now I'm starting to come round to the thought that things I've learnt at work and about myself over the last 33 years will help me with my little one, the experience of being a mother will surely inform and improve the way I face the working world afterwards, and that I will still be able to socialise as 'me' even if I am with the baby. I appreciate a few child-free friends will probably drift away, but certainly not all; many of my dearest friends have children and I didn't see them any differently or find them boring once they gave birth! And I hope I'll meet some new friends to fill the gaps. I'm trying to spend time over the next few months talking to DH about the kind of parent I want to be, the things I really feel I can't give up (like the odd night out with the girls on my own!) and the ways the LO can fit into our dreams rather than us changing everything around them. Anything is possible!

Just popping in to say that NCT lady just phoned and booked us onto a class that starts mid-November, when I'll be 24 weeks! Very soon, but she says it's often advisable with multiples as they can come so early and I'll be too big to move soon after that! Glad we decided to do it after all. Oh, and there is another couple locally who are expecting twins in the same month so I hope she can get us both onto the same course or at least put us in touch with each other for moral support! Hope everyone's having good days.

Hmmm. Am reading the thoughts about working and 'losing yourself' with interest. Before I had my son I had the same sorts of thoughts, but for me everything changed once I was a mother. Because his early arrival was so dramatic, and things were literally life and death for a few months, what was important to me came very clearly into focus and has never really gone away. Although I am a full-time worker (we couldn't afford anything different really though I would love to be part time and plan to be, somehow, after this next one), my priority is my family and always will be. I think one of the things you don't anticipate before you have kids is how much you change as a person and how much your priorities can change.

Having said that, I do remember the utter shock of going from being an 'acheiver' to the endlessly long days of feeling like I was 'acheiving nothing'. I truly believe there should be orientation courses for working women to get them used to the idea that there is no tickbox and no intray to empty with a baby, and that you are acheiving things all the time but they're just not measurable. It can be very hard to adjust. I definitely found it so.

But you will 'lose yourself' a bit. Don't beat yourself up about it, it's inevitable. You have a tiny human being utterly dependent on you for everything and you can't change that - it will change on its own eventually as they get older, and you will pick up the old things you used to do. But don't give yourself the added stress of trying to be and do everything you used to as well as be a new mum - you'll drive yourself mad!

Not lecturing. Just thoughts. Hope it doesn't come across as being a bossy boots. Just my experience.

My interpretation of "losing myself" was that you become one of those ladies who ONLY talks about their child. The sort of women who either lose their way a bit and channel all of their ambitions and energies in to their children(deeply unhealthy), or just seem to only exist in the context of motherhood(fair enough, but eventually your children have to leave, then what?). I have no intention of becoming this sort of woman and if I do MrM is under strict instructions to get me committed.

Reassessing your values and what is important to you etc must happen, if it doesn't, well what the heck are you becoming a parent for? And the idea that life will be exactly as it was, albeit with a small human - as seductive as that thought is I am under no illusion that it is going to be a right hook followed by a left followed by a gut punch in life terms and there is sod all I can do to prepare for it apart from just go with the flow and take life as it comes. Once again - Manda, woaha!

Sarah - your wisdom is much appreciated.. I think all the first timers know only too well they are in for a shock. Its more, can I still be me. And of course the answer is yes. Unless you are a crazy person

Turkish - let us know how you are won't you

...The working/career-woman Mothers support group made me laugh by the way. What a fantastic idea! Although I would be shocked if I had a small human that was open to any sort of organisation. I am expecting a minature subversive contrarian. Considering MrM and I it would be a huge surprise if any child of ours wasn't. On the plus side, we're both pretty easy going so fingers crossed Socks will be too.. but you never can tell.

sarah wise words! It's so hard to know how we will feel as first-time mums. I know my life will change in ways I can't even imagine...but I guess my point was that I've realised this will be overall positive, not just a 'give things/bits of my self up for the baby' situation. Great to have the benefit of your experience on the thread

Hello all - sarah I officially have serious house envy!! and thank you also for sharing your thoughts on the idea of 'losing yourself' hermoine and tramp too. My thoughts are that perhaps with every major life experience we all gain another dimension of ourselves in this ever evolving thing called a lifetime. I'm an eternal optimist as you can see!! I'm aware that there will be really big changes but I'm looking forward to many of them- some scared me a bit, for starters I realised that my parents are almost 7 hours drive away (you'd have think I noticed that before?) which may be a bit harder to manage for a Friday- Sunday visit. Being that we wont be able to do our usual of drive like loons after work on Friday with barely a break aiming to hit home before midnight ( and failing)- and leave as late as we can Sunday to be zombielike at work the next day and thus we'll have to change the routine - this probably doesn't sound like a massive deal but in my head it translated to mean I'd be seeing my family even less frequently than I already do. My mother put me straight on that one " that road runs in both directions, and there are things called planes". Holidays will be different - unlikely that we'll be able to spend hours in a dusty museum for years 2 and 3, work patterns will also change, but like you all I'm up for the challenge.

Ooee and Sundae - congrats and hurrah for the scans!!

Flowery - that sickness just marches on, I am thinking of you. Hopefully not long to go if your past history can be used as a guide. A baby that sleeps through at a week is definitely required.

Turkish - someone has already said it but GO TO THE DOCTOR!!! I speak here from the experienced position of one who put it off once and wish I had not.

Manda and all thanks for work advice I have given myself a strict talking to and submitted the strategy ( am strong woman of substance ha ha)...also thank you for M&S sugestion. I am off there tonight.

This evening a team of friends are coming around to remove the futon company thingie from te backof my car where it is currently living and to move it and the bathtub currently situated in front of the oven and dishwasher up to our third floor. My DH has got on the case with the builders and the roof fixing has been planned in...perhaps the ensuite will even get done before March.... and manda I am changing cleaner for one who turns up when I want not when she fancies. Today is a positive - can do day full of promise..... as soon as I get up off the work bathroom floor and mop this hobo chic vomit mark off my top ; - )

..and lexi thank you also for joining the discussion - my name checks are RUBBISH!

anyone I have not mentioned it is not purposeful, bad memory and mobile phone MN.

Flamingo - wow get you!!!

I was all set for a cheese & beans toasty for lunch, then remembered the left over cold pizza from last night. Yum.
....I really am going to have to force myself to eat healthily again.

Phew, what a morning.
Saw the consultant - surgery could be next week or the week after. I tried pushing for keyhole but it's not likely to happen. Despite being 17+4 I apparently have a uterus the size of 20 weeks...? Which means it's already at belly button level so probably unsafe for keyhole!! Telescope has to go in through belly button etc
So likely to be a cut with a 3 day stay in hospital, risks to the baby have same odds as amniocentesis which I think is good.
They can't guarantee I'll have two ovaries when I wake up but until they open me up they can make no definite statements!
I now have to wait for a phone call on Monday... Which I have no idea if that'll come or not as the last 3 haven't BUT this time I walked straight to reception and got their direct number!! I'll chase them up myself!!

JoJo - not ideal then but not too awful either. Are you OK with it all?

It's really fascinating to hear everyone's thoughts on motherhood and the shift in one's universe that ensues -- both from the perspective of first-timers and those who are already living it!

Okay, so the following starts a bit me-me-me, but moves on to general philosophising about parenting as social construct and lived reality. But this is not a class and you may totally skip this post and I will not be offended!

So, all the various unknowns aside, I do fully anticipate that my research and my book-writing will maintain, and hopefully this will be associated with an academic job post-Feb. 2015 so that I am paid for my efforts and able more easily to be part of wider supportive and collaborative academic community.

DH (ex-academic) understands the issues and is 100% supportive. He is also cognisant of the fact that both of our lives as they are at present must, albeit to different extents (a point I'll return to below), adjust to embrace and make sufficient nurturing space for the new people in our lives. In this short term this involves, for me, 9 months mat. leave, during which I will be engaged on some activities which most people would perceive as 'work', and for DH, the idea of going down to a 4-day week so he can contribute more in terms of day-to-day, hands-on parenting, plus us paying for childcare during mat. leave, both of which will enable me to do my 'work' activities in a phased return to f-t work.

But this raises a question for me which it would be really helpful to get others' perspectives on, especially those who are already mothers and who also work. I'm really interested in the extent to which your partners' or husbands' professional lives may have shifted or be about to shift to facilitate co-caring for your growing families. The social tendency (although I know of many examples otherwise) still seems to be that it is the woman's professional life that becomes the more expendable factor. It's really interesting to hear that for some this is a welcome and positive shift, a change many actively choose, but is there something inherent in parenting roles that means it is the mother, rather than the father, who more usually makes this shift, whether out of choice of necessity (e.g. the shocking gender pay-gap which means women on average earn less than men)?

In my case it's been kind of assumed, by both of us, that I will take 9 months of maternity leave, when in reality I could share half of it with him. DH appreciates the impact that will have and has volunteered to take some steps to ameliorate that (going down to a four-day week; possibly also some more working from home if his company allow). I am not sure I know what my overall question is precisely, but it's to do with the gender factor in assumed or chosen parental roles. Perhaps it's a slightly existential thing about whether motherhood (whether as social construct or lived reality) is perceived to be fundamentally different (more essential, maybe, to child development?) than fatherhood? A lot of the books I'm dipping into at the moment lament the fact that our choices are dictated by binaries (SAHM or work+childcare; mother or father takes bulk of parental leave). I would like to achieve more of a gender balance than the either/or, although I think the real issue here is my own curiosity about why I'm not pushing for more of a 50:50 split.

Sorry this is such an essay, but it's actually just really helpful to vocalise these issues which are playing around in the corners of my mind.

Dame you're mother sounds great and am loving your can-do positivity today. Go you!

Oddly yes. It has to happen and I'd rather it's under my control than an emergency op further down the line.
The consultant thinks I'll need about 4/5 weeks to recover fully but is happy for me to return to York earlier providing no lifting etc so that is good - I just need to get some degree of normal back I think!!
I'm still confused about the large uterus, is that likely to be lots of fluid??

Xposted with you, JoJo: this is good, feels like some progress has been made. As early as next week! Still feeling okay about it? Obv. would be better to have keyhole but if it's best for the baby not to then there's no argument to be had, I guess. At least you can get out of some DIY, hehe!

*ok I wrote this earlier on my desktop cus I'm at work (they're so lucky to have me back!) but couldnt post until now. Havent caught up with all the other thoughts yet but will later:

Hermione I remember having exactly the same moment when I was first pregnant! I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep up at work, worried that I was doing the worst possible for my career and tbh some people around me really didn’t help. The ‘full time mummies’ I knew used to go on and on about how great it would be when I finished work and that I could go round and play all the time and have coffee (in some cases I couldn’t really see what else they ever did) And other women my age (uni friends in particular) who didn’t have and didn’t plan to have children for a while saw me as a complete novelty, as if I was making a controversial lifestyle choice! I was 25 when I found out I was pg with dd. I felt a bit stuck then between these two possible worlds, wanting a bit in both but felt massively like both ‘sides’ judged me! When I was pregnant I made some grand plans for myself post baby, went for a promotion to management which I got and set myself some ‘goals’ to achieve while I was on mat leave. Intended to return to work for four days a week and work from home for one day.
Unfortunatly I became really ill for around five months when dd was born, and a having a baby around was harder than I thought it would be so I didn’t ‘achieve’ anything! Luckily so many friends helped me out, kept me in touch, came over with dinner, helped look after dd while I was in hospital and generally just reassured me that a. They saw me as the same person and b. I was the same person, just with a scrummy baby and c. barely anything happens in my control and my best chance for a satisfactory life would be to work things out for myself as well as I can and stop worrying so much about what I ‘should’ or ‘should not’ be doing. I think the things that have made a total difference for me were not letting a baby routine control my life (used the Baby Whisperers E.A.S.Y to some extent) so that I usually did the things that I wanted to do when I wanted to do them rather than base the day around dd’s whims. The other thing was though dd was BF for a year I did manage to express and was able to get her to take a bottle so that I could leave her. This just meant that I could go out in the evening/daytime. Leaving her at quite an early age meant that it was easier later on. I think she was first away from me overnight at 7 or 8 months old. At other times I just took dd with me eg on a hen weekend to Cornwall when she was 6 weeks old. (we are talking a rather tame hen though!), and on a girls holiday to France when she was 6 months. It was great to get away with other girls and they were all so helpful and accommodating that it was almost easier than being at home. When I met people in the evenings up till she was about 6 months I would usually take her with me and put her in her carry cot in a bedroom with a monitor. Letting friends and family share dd to such an extent is I think the single most thing that helps. It definitely share not dump, and she honestly just is so loved by so many people. The last thing that I would say to anyone is to learn to travel light! There is so much ‘stuff’ associated with toting a baby around that can really restrict what you do and where you go. If you can manage to get out/go away with just the essentials you are so much freer, and feel more yourself somehow. And dd is a secure little thing, and we love being together.
I have just thought that how I look after my dd might seem terrible to someone else , but really is what works best for me/us and I think that the key really is feeling the freedom to make your own way, and know that deep down you probably will make the best decision for your family. I chose to take a step down at work at the end as I did not want to work full time and I was (by time dd was six months) under no illusion that I could work from home productively without help with dd! I was a bit sad to be ‘moving backwards’ but have come to terms a bit that long term there will still be a lot of opportunities, and it still bites some days but I know I did the right thing. I’ll be able to do even less with two babies, I know, but its almost like with the new baby I won’t be taking any attention away from dd for it, it will be carving out another section from my life for it if that makes sense? A long post from me!

manda I've been loving the DIY but must admit I think I've been overdoing it so will be nice to have done morphine days floating on the sofa.. Hehe!
Will be nice to have a date- I still feel like I know little more than 2 weeks ago when I had this initial appointment. So I really really hope I get the call on Monday as promised!

jojo gosh, yes, I remember that morphine is bonkers stuff, haha! enjoy :-D

Manda - I know women who are main earners and after first 12 months their partners became primary carer. It works for them, although they do say they tend to be more 9-5 once they return to work. Weirdly they say biggest problem they have is not connecting with mothers of their kids friends who did stay at home. How much that's being ostracised and how much just an understandable lifestyle difference I'm not sure.

Most of the people having kids at the mo that I know are splitting the burden. So both are working in office fewer days a week and so splitting the nursey run etc between them. This, I think, reflects fact that both partners are on a fairly even economic keel.

I do know a few people where assumption has been their hubby will work and they will make the sacrifices. On the whole they're women who seem to except & expect that - so I presume that their relationships generally are more 'traditional' in that way.

Discussion with MrM has been how he'll need to learn to multi task a bit. When he's working on a movie - forget it, you hardly see him or he's not in the country so no go there. Between jobs, when unemployed, he still works like a work-a-holic. I'm working effectively from home, as my co's office is below our house. We'll arrange childcare & I'm going to talk to a couple of friends who are due this year but have at least 6m mat leave if they fancy a private arrangement which MrM will oversea when he's not working and I will rest of the time (shared cost of a nanny sorta thing).

I'm with you on this - it seems daft that it seems to always fall at the woman's feet & I know that would happen if I dont push for more of an even split with MrM. It's all new ground though so in reality who knows how we'll split it or cope generally. I think he'd be quite up for a more hands on role but I also think he has no idea how life will change.

Really hope it all gets settled soon jojo was the consultant nice? Also is this fairly standard procedure for a pg woman?

three I have two consultants, one from the obstetric team and one from gynae. I've only met one who is lovely, his job is to make sure the correct decisions are made for the baby and the gynae team are making the right decisions for me.
Apparently cysts are quite common in pregnancy but they're not removed if they're small. Although - this does seem strange to me... Cysts occur in one in 1000 pregnancies. This is classed as common. Stillbirth occurs is one in 200 pregnancies (according to my Scottish NHS booklet) this is classed as rare??!
From what I gather they perform surgery daily on pg women (though I think that includes c sections) I'm not sure on the stats for cysts only!

manda we considered dh taking 3 months when I went back as we were on about equal pay then. Also considered him doing 1 day a week childcare. The trouble was when it came to it dh just really struggled during the baby stage if left alone, so it just wasn't practical. Wheras when i'm home I do housework and bits he finds it hard to do anything else alongside. I know that some men are wonderdads, but in my experience they are few and far between. I don't know if that's social conditioning or what but its our here and now!
Dh is a great dad, he has completely renovated our house in the last few years, things like building sheds, paths fences, fitting the bathroom, building a fitted wardrobe.. things I'm certainly not conditioned to do! ...but though he has got much better with dd over time there is still a massive difference between us that we have to work with.
In my house growing up all five of us were given the same chores and tasks to do and the same toys/colours by my mum who was quite determined her children would grow up without gender stereotypes. We all had dolls bought for us as well as meccano etc. However its my sister and I who are the most domesticated and maternal and my brothers poor to middling around the house, so her attempts to influence her boys didn't work that well

jojo gosh that sb stat is high I had two cysts seen at 12 week scan, but I think fairly small (but one still 4cm long) am hoping they've shrunk by next scan. Glad you have a nice consultant anyway, must be a little better than a cold or scary or inept one.

1 in 115 in USA, 1 in 200 in england and wales and 1 in 167 for Scotland apparently. Much higher than I thought!

Is that cysts or still births sundae?

Still births are much more common than anyone would like to think. Its sad, but nature is cruel at the best of times. People don't tend to talk about it or publicise it much, quite understandable. Due to family history etc I'm high risk for a still birth, but at least I know that - so I'd be better prepared than most to cope, but even then it would be beyond awful.

JoJo - it sounds like you are being well looked after my dear and as if it's a proceedure they are used to doing. I just hope recovery isn't too hard on you.

I too have a few cysts on my ovaries, but at present they don't seem to be too large and don't appear to be growing. I'm hoping the burst after the birth, which often happens I was told. I'm refusing to google all this stuff though because if I do I shall start worrying and I don't think I have the capacity to worry about much more right now.

Three - ah yes, the amazing male inability to multi-task. One job at a time and when undertaken naturally undertaken with more dedication and excellence than a female. OK I am being harsh, but its a fairly common male trait. And it's bloody annoying.

Afternoon ladies- have finally managed to catch up as kept nodding off after a night in hospital!
Yesterday wasn't quite as easy as planned - first I met my surgeon who I honestly thought was part of the russian mafia, big bruiser bloke, Russian accent, shaved head and massive scar down face- however he was lovely and very helpful just looked like an axe might be his weapon of choice, lol!
Anaesthetics were determined a spinal would work with sedation and he was an expert in hyper mobility - they got spinal in but when testing it hadn't worked at all and then I panicd so they sedated me to the point I didn't remember DH leaving or being knocked out! I was really ill coming round due to sedative still being in and they said was sick everywhere- I don't remember a thing to be fair! Blood pressure was low and cos of the pure amount of drugs I had I had to stay in over night but cos they weren't expecting me to they had no private rooms so at midnight I went to day room with a pillow and slept on a chair as I can't sleep if I can hear things but not see them esp in hospitals- I now have a neck in agony!!
DH was being all funny yesterday afternoon and I was going to kill him as thought he was moaning as was tired, so had a go and it turns out his grandad died about an hour before and he didn't want to upset me! God I felt awful I had told him off! So will have funeral soon to go too and that's means MIL will see I am pregnant which will open a can of worms with the crazy old cow-!
So not a great day but home now in bed watching DVDs, mum sent me homemade Irish stew that I had for lunch and was amazing

And, baby bean is perfectly happy and totally unaware of everything that happened which is the main thing andeverythinglooks perfect and bleeding has near enough stopped too which is great have got a cough from GA which does um pull something in there when I cough which is a little sore, so coughing and holding my bits, lol! Plus got got tablets I don't swallow twice a day

Glad people's scans went well and everyone has perfect heathy little babies

Zoey - so pleased it is over but blimey that sounds like drama and your poor OH. Enjoy more tlc and stew and wear your best baggy black dress to the funeral...

Bless you zoey that's a lot to happen in a short space of time. Glad baby bean is fine and you on the mend. Really take care the next few days.

*So true Tramp, dh idea of multi tasking is 'watching' a sleeping baby and playing Call of Duty at the same time!

zoey relieved to hear all went well, sorry about the bereavement.
JoJo fx you get your operation sorted soon and all goes smoothly.

manda in terms of gender, I think DH is more than willing to help with childcare and wants to be an involved parent. However with him starting his own business in March I have to accept that he needs to put time into the business at this point . We've discussed me working 4 days a week, and him working his usual hours but flexing so he could do 1 day childcare - meaning LO would be in nursery for 3 days a week, but he would be working even more evenings and weekends to make up the time. I heard a lovely story from his Nan this weekend; her husband used to push DH's dad around in a pram when he was a baby, apparently the neighbours were all really shocked and used to say things like 'But what will he do if the baby wakes up?!'. So I think attitudes have changed, though progress is frustratingly slow

Our CEO just came up to me and said 'Congratulations'! I said 'Thank-you' - he followed it up with 'Of course I'm furious....'.
Definitely meant as a joke (and very typical of him!) but I must admit it left me a bit uncomfortable....

Welcome back Zoey!

At the risk of getting onto a feminist diatribe I think the whole going back to work and sharing the childcare issue is a murky one and therefore 'whatever works for you' is the way forward. I'm always delighted to hear how hard people work to make it work for them.

Let's face it the odds are stacked to make the woman the main child care provider from the outset. Case in point maternity leave packages vs paternity leave of two weeks. When I rule the country....

Anyway I said I wan't going to start a rant.

I'll be a first timer so my plan is tinged with teh niavity and hope that comes with this position. I'm hoping to BF so that will obviously have an impact on who stays at home for the first year - so far DH has managed to master all sorts of amazing feats and yet this one eludes him!.
I'm hoping that I can return to work flexibly and with some WFH to facilitate this - they are a fab organisation and I see no reason why they wont continue to be utterly supportive -after all I am a pretty good employee and the benefits to the company of this are high!

DH and I talked about how we'd work together to 'split' childcare we're in the pretty equal in terms of position, income etc bracket which gives us more freedom to do this. My employer is more flexible but we're both in professions that could easily be translated to freelance should we choose therefore we're going to take stock and reassess after the baby arrives. I will however take months out for to BF which gives us both a bit of space to think!!

Oh God I cannot type and I need a new keyboard - ignore dreadful typos above.

zoey sorry to hear your sad news although great that the hospital bit is over& done with.

manda dh changed jobs when dd3 (his first) was born. He was in an important job and changed to a p/t min wage job as we weren't prepared to take the stress any longer. We now both work part time although his ours fluctuate and are often nearer full time (but there's no stress, mine has the stress!)

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and experience re childcare and gneder issues - a murky topic indeed, as Dame wisely says! And I am taking heed that, as in Three's experience, something like illness can send the best laid plans awry. Really helpful, though, as I think through our situation - ta!

I like your idea for sharing a nanny with friends, Tramp and love your story from DH's Nan, Lexi! (Hmm to your CEO, though! Mind you, I did say to my boss 'I understand if you need to take 5 mins out to go and swear a bit in the corner…', acknowledging that having his only colleague bugger off for a few months on a short-term project isn't ideal! I guess the positive spin is that it means he values you a member of staff!)

DH and I are roughly equal in terms of main salary, but on top of that I do part-time tutoring for the OU, PhD supervision for another university and occasional freelance consultancies. (We contribute to the mortgage equally and then proportionately based on income to the joint account to cover our communal outgoings based on what's come in each month; we also have joint savings and separate savings. This is, I think, still quite a pre-marriage arrangement so we may have to re-think money more in terms of being a family unit when babies come along!)

As for multi-tasking and housework, well my DH has been in a serious training programme since we started living together (not that he knows anything of this, of course!) Still, multi-tasking and proactive effort lie some way in the future…(or, we'll just get that cleaner after all!) Glad I'm not alone in being frustrated at male seeming inability to m-t!

Tramp, and others, is it known what causes still birth? Does the term refer to situations where the baby dies in the last weeks of pregnancy as well as during labour? Crikey.

Zoey welcome home! Hurray that your bean is happy Poor you, though - it sounds as if it could have been a smoother experience in hospital, and then your DH's GD passing away as well. Any chance of wearing a long jacket coat through the service to put off the dreaded MIL conversation?

Hi all, I can't catch up, so just wanted to say that I hope you're all well and beanies are still bouncing (even if we can't feel them yet!).

I got my NT test results today and am low risk (1 in 2161 I think it said) which is obviously a relief. Had a crappy day at work, the kids were lovely, but everything seemed to go wrong! Rubbish! Ah well, have an OU tutorial tonight and will have a nice cup of tea and put my feet up after and try to forget about it all.

Hi all,

Hope you're all ok. Just scan read first page, sorry to hear about your stressful day ZOey and Jojo hope op goes well when the time comes.

Had a busy week at work and then packing to go to devon for the week tomoz, so not got much time to write tonight. Anyway, just to say, I think Sarah's comments on parenthood were a pretty good summary of how things were for us too. As I've said on previous posts, the way in which people change once they've had children can be really quite surprising. And you just dont know really how you will be until the time comes! I work part time because I am the lesser earner, but I also love having something else to do besides being at home with DD. I love her dearly, but if I spent every day at home with her, I would end up loopy!!!

I've just rung my friend to ask her if she knows anyone who will clean for me tomorrow for a couple of hours at short notice! Mil is coming at four when I get in from work to stay! I've completely run out of energy for today and dh is out. Mil is generally ok but she can be rude and sarcastic and I'm just not in the mood at the mo to listen to her comments! Fx friend will get hold of cleaner and save the last scraps of my pride!

No manda I expect MIL knows about baby as DH sister talk to the old witch still but we have no contact (per a police order) so didn't think we would to be near her but no such luck!!! When DH rang her she was all about how it's sad that this has to happen for us to to talk again and be a family- she is going to have a short sharp shock, he rang to get details not cos we want her EVER!
God it's good being home in your own bed with your own stuff- just makes you feel better!
SIL's have just turned up - what joy might go to back to friggin bed!

Haven't caught up yet but quick question for hayfever suffers, I have had an awful day where I could happily scratch my eyes out and cut my nose off, so went to chemist, no sorry you're not allowed anything
Me: Emm I was on something last time
Then stomped down to gp
Secretary checks my file, yes gummi you were on cetrizine in July 06, dd2 born Nov 06, let me check with doc
Doc comes out, oh hi gummi no you are definitely not allowed anything [grr]
If I still feel like this tomorrow I'm sorely tempted to take a swig of ds's clarityn, so remembering back to an old thread did anyone get a prescription for an antihistamine?

On the upside I am allowed yellow migralieve for migraines so don't feel as guilty about the amount of paracetamol I have consumed the last 2 weeks

Going to try and catch up before I fall asleep infront of fire, finally 13 weeks today, because scan put me back a few days I felt I was 12weeks for ages

Hi guys, really interesting chats about return to work and careers etc. very topical for me today. After recently finishing my MBA and spending four years on a large sporting project that has just finished, this should be the time for me to take advantage of my experience and opportunities that are coming my way. Today we had recruitment consultants come to work talking about opportunities some of which really interested me. I know that I will now struggle to find a new job prebaby and definitely post baby. Worry that my years of effort at work and study will not be rewarded especially as now I have a small window of opportunity to take advantage of my experience, but baby is coming on the middle of that... I'm really excited about being a mum but have always wanted to have a balance between my professional career and Motherhood. That's without the idea of losing my financial independence without a job.... Yes I'm stressing a bit...

You can take some antihistamine. I think it's the one that begins with a L, certainly is for bf anyway. Hospital wouldn't let me have piriton. When I had the wasp sting NHS direct said what I'd taken was ok but should check first next time ( while my tongue swells ). It's better to get the Dr to ok it first though. Chemists say no to everything IME. Send someone else for things you need when you get obvious!

Hi Gummi I took piriton quite regularly when preg with dd. Doctor told me it was the only thing that isn't really dangerous to take. He did say don't take it in the last trimester though. On the label it says to see a pharmacist or gp or something if pregnant, but I know the other antihistamenes say a definite 'do not take if pregnant.'

Vivee ooh, was it the Olympics??

Thanks Tea I have an attractive red blotchy nose now not going through this tomorrow

Hi everyone - had 16 week check up today, and nearly died when the MW spend an age trying to find the heart beat. It seems I have a very mobile little bean in there that wouldn't stay still and kept disappearing off to the left. Anyone else got a lopsided bump? Am I weird? MW didn't comment but this being dc1 I have no clue and now keep looking at my left handed mini bump and wondering. It is noticeably off centre

Panic - I have an inverted womb.. I think there's always something, don't worry about it. How lovely that your baby is active & bouncing about - albeit total pain for the sonographer.

Vivee- an understandable worry. Women still get a rough deal in the work place particularly when they have kids. I think if you want it fight for it. Your child's important to you but so too is your job/career. I hope it all works out as it should.

I'm sooo tired. We went out this pm and I thought we'd be back for 9pm, more like 11pm. I think I may nix the whole away for weekend thing in favour of dull, boring but sensible taking it easy.

Just told two good friends the news - they're so excited. I really do have the loveliest friends.

Right, I'm away to bed. Zoey - chin up, MIL sounds like a nightmare but I think together you and your OH can tackle her.
Turkish - hope you're ok. Flamingo - well done on step one of delegation. And all with scan results today - fab news, so chuffed for you. I think the March babies are proving to be an active old bunch. Just like their marvellous Mums.

Gummi, am back on certirizine/zyrtec (1/2 a tablet a day is all I need). The doc (not my regular one) prescribed me phenergan (sp?) when I went in to say I was pregnant. These made me really sleepy but I persevered until the consultant at the hospital last week said it was fine to go back on certirizine; my regular doc okayed it this week. I don't think it matters that I take them for urticaria (itchy skin condition) than hayfever - it's the same drug. And I don't know if a factor was that I'm past 12 weeks. But life has improved HUGELY since I went back on them! I know you can't take my word or the word of my consultant but perhaps you can investigate further / get some more medical advice? I feel for you…

Panic, I'm sure if it was something to worry about the MW would have said, and your bean is clearly very happy in there! 20 week scan soon, anyway, so try not to fret too much

Glad to hear of your excellent NT results, Backward! Hope you had a good OU tutorial to take your mind of the stress of the day

Ah yes Zoey I remember now about your difficult situation re MIL…agh, my heart goes out to you. Not at all easy. Glad you're back home and enjoying it!

Sounds like a v.g. plan re help with cleaning Three … and the naughty part of me wonders aloud if you can't just say to MIL something like 'I'm really sorry if I come across as a little less tolerant than usual this weekend but I'm sure you can understand that the tiredness etc from the pregnancy is taking its toll and I'd really appreciate your patience with me' as a bit of a warning that she had better be careful with her sarcy comments! Too much, maybe? I'm always straight up with people TBH and not v.g. at tolerating difficulties without just saying something! (This isn't always a good thing!)

Enjoy Devon Ethel!

Vivee, sounds like a tricky moment when everything is taking off professionally yet baby is coming soon. I'd recommend trying for a new job regardless. You might get some go-ahead firm who are fine with the mat. leave. Or do you have opportunities for freelancing which could work around baby more flexibly? I'm sure it's not at all impossible to re-launch self in a year's time, but it might be sensible to try to capitalise as much as poss on the energy and drive (and time!) you have at your disposal now?

Nightnight all <yawn...>

Morning ladies-
I actually slept last night all the way through which was amazing and even dreamt about a cake shop, lol !
I to am like amanda am am very straight up and say what I think, it's not always a good thing but everyone knows where they stand with me which tends to work out well most of the time! Sarcastic comments wouldn't go down well with me in all fairness and I would say something back equally as sarcastic until she got the hint!
* panic* really don't worry your bump will change shape all the time and baby will soon run out of space to hide so much- wait till ur bigger and in the bath and your whole bump changes shape that's a weird thing to see! With DS my MW couldn't find a heartbeat for 2 weeks so sent me for a scan (even though I felt baby move all time) and there was baby right in the back squished in half with his feet by his ears, which is why she couldn't find heart as legs were in way! I have a lovely scan of top of head with 2 perfect feet at side!

Thanks for the reassurance ladies. I have a lot to learn I think
Another vote for straight talking here - saves a lot of fuming on my part. I'm lucky with my MIL though, she's a sweetie. FIL though - ugh.

panic I have 2 DC and am still learning

Morning

Just wanted to quickly mark my place so I can catch up later. Feeling exhausted today. Ds3 decided he didn't feel like sleeping last night so was awake a lot and then decided 5am was a good time to get up. He'll be cheery today not already l

Sorry stupid phone!

Already counting down the hours until nap time! Zzzzzz have a good day all

three :-)

Thanks manda and tramp. Still playing the game with potential future employers to see what comes my way. Also trying to hide bump to get and extension at work and hence maternity leave. But don't know if I'll be successful at that.

Good luck to all today. Nearly the weekend. I've just had the 5am run to heathrow to get my aunt/uncle. So on the tourist trail for the weekend.

Have fun

zoey I loved that bit when your whole bump moves to the side. Totally freaked dh out the first time he saw it!

morning campers!

have nothing to add except I'm off to get my hair done in a bit and I fully intend on feeling like a new woman! it's been a looooong 15 weeks as I debated whether or not to get t-section highlighted!

hope everyone has a fab day with no grottiness or sickness or anything.

Nice hair - fabulous. I hope you go for a glamorous coffee afterwards to show it off to the world too.

Morning all!
manda good point about being a valued employee - must think positive! :-)
Had the most horrid dream last night of waking up in hospital to find I'd had a Caesarian under GA - and DH wouldn't let me hold the LO as I'd 'not managed to give birth properly and now she's really poorly, we don't need you!'. Brains are weird aren't they?! Still felt quite upset when I woke up despite ridiculousness. DH has taken this as a sign that we are definitely having a girl!
Have started baby blanket crochet too - currently frustrated by wonkiness of square despite stitch counting. Hoping it will all come good. 2 more days at work till holiday!

breakfast 3 days in a row. must be feeling better!
am feeling very grrr at the hospital! just flicking through my notes and they've written stuff in which hasn't even been discussed with me..like my recent CA-125 blood test, has increased from normal (20) at 12 weeks to abnormal (99) at 15 weeks, two weeks ago. That could of course be down to the Cyst increasing in size but you'd think they'd at least discuss it with me!!
Also called my york MW yesterday to let her know about the surgery and my late return to york, she gave my my booking bloods results and I'm borderline anemic... sigh.
Need more bloods doing. Still, on the positive side I am feeling less sicky and more energetic! Whoop.

I feel ur pain jojo I think sometimes hospitals forget the tests are actually about you and you have a right to know and understand stuff!! I always read my notes and learn a lot from them, but do get annoyed that they don't just tell me!!
Am bored of laying in bed now but tried to do bits this morning and TMI information alert- had some very light pink bleeding so DH has banned me from moving, he even offered to get some sort of bed pain for me, lol- I declined!

Oh blimey you two. Zoey - let your OH look after you. JoJo, start taking iron tablets and keep pushing them to tell you everything.

zoey get back to bed and don't move!!! Even to pee! Though using a bed pan at home does seem a little unsettling!!
tramp I've just restarted my pregnacare - I stopped because I thought maybe that was causing me to feel unwell in the mornings but it made no difference so I need to start eating my greens again!! And become more of a demanding patient!!

Afternoon, fascinated about changing bumps zoe and Ood mine's not so much lopsided but yesterday was pretty much not there I have a posterior tilted uterus so I suppose in these earlier months that's nothing to be concerned with. Today though I cannot fasten my jeans!! thank god for the button spece increasing hair bobble trick that DH reminded me of. Yes I know I need to get some casual maternity wear.

Talking of which heres a warning tale of woe involving Dorothy Perkins online if anyone is thinking of using it.
I spotted some maternity trousers on their site ( desperation of finding something I don't have to take up as I am feeling lazy!!) and ordered them - when they arrived the size 8 was clearly mislabelled and more likely a size 16 so I rang to see if they'd exchange - they explained that they don't do online exchanges but I can order another pair ( and pay again including a £4 delivery charge) and return the wrong trousers (see what I did there?) to a shop or via post for a refund.

Sounded like too much fuss ofr a pair of cheapie trousers so I just took them into my nearest store as advised ( on phone and on the letter that came with said pants) only to be told that whilst DP accept clothes back that they don't usually stock this doesn't extend to their own label maternity wear. Blinking discrimination! Stern email written.

Anyhoo, manda hope your hair looks fabulous and that you're showing it off over a delicious lunch.
Zoey take tramp's advice - your DH wants to look after you - let him for his sake if you cannot do it for your own!
jojo feel better soon - just focus on how much better you'll feel after that pesky op.

I'm off to a wedding this weekend - all that lovely champagne and Pimms and Dame on OJ...it makes me all emotional just thinking about it.

Thanks Manda I definitely took it with dd2, although this was prescribed by my very laid back gp who I've being seeing since I was 11, it was the younger gp who deals with all my dcs said no way but today I feel like someone has punched the left side of my nose so I think I shall buy a pack tonight, as I have no sickness today but just horrible fuzziness of the mind becasue my nose and eyes are annoying me!
Oh and I got highlights a few weeks ago, the hairdresser said it was more black dyes you had to worry about.

Oh Jojo you'll have to get the green veg in, I was thinking thats a good excuse to have a chicken saag and now I have put myself in the mood for an indian!

Panic you'll be amazed the shapes your tummy can take by the end of the year

Dame my friend had the same problem , she also said that the DP she went into no longer stock maternity clothes in store, or maybe that was next, she gave the poor assistant a right telling off then apologised because it wasn't his fault

Oh another straight talker, although I have now found that if the person I am talking to won't like what I have to say, I don't say anything so people who know me best will always know my stance on a subject wiether I say something or not

Flamingo - that's rubbish. Please pop on the maternity clothes thread and forewarn anyone tempted by Dotty Ps.

JoJo - the pregnacare seem to be working for me. I think the only thing to watch for is constipation, but that's something to watch for regardless. ah, the glamour of pregnancy. Where is that glow?

Well I'm just back from my NHS 12 week scan, which is of course 13 weeks. As predicted, I was in there for about 12 minutes. When I went in I was informed that I shouldn't have been booked in today because they don't take blood on a friday (?!?) - so if I was worried about downs etc I would need to make an appointment to come in next week or week following. At which point I explained I had paid for my bloods to be done privately because I was concerned that there might be another administrative error that seemed designed to make me worry for longer. I wasn't horrid about it, it wasn't her fault. Anyway, she said that was a smart plan and asked to see the results, which I gave her. The scan I had was perfunctory, although she was nice enough and I explained I'd had some cramps recently so she checked for an increase in size of cysts or anything else. And then out the door.

If I hadn't had the scan last week I would be left with more questions than answers and there is no way I would be happy with that service. What I don't understand is if the private sector can charge £150 and make a profit, why the NHS can't do this more efficiently and effectively. And I am willing to bet the cost on the NHS works out more than £150 a head as well.

Sorry, I am moaning. I'm just very unimpressed. The people are perfectly lovely but the service is non existant really and if you're a first time Mum the lack of time and information you're provided with is appalling.

Anyway, my advice - if you're worried pay for a private scan, it was worth every penny as far as I am concerned.

Also Lewisham Hispitals Womens Health reception has to be one of the most depressing spaces in London. And it is full of women who are pregnant and should be happy. How is this possible?

Hi everyone, I'm back from the peaks. Got a little bit of walking done but kept ended up in bed by 9 both nights. Still, it was a nice break and we ate some nice food.

I have been reading as best I can on my phone, lots of nice chat going on. Glad to see you are doing well after your op zoey.

Tumble driers - I have a condenser and it is great, will join in recommending them.

Returning to work - I had all the same worries when I was pg the first time, about losing my identity and the like. I cried a lot about it. After the mc I realised it wasn't really worth worrying about and this time have just decided I will muddle through a bit and hope it all works out. I know I want to work, so will find a way to make it happen. I am usually someone that needs to have an exact plan for the future but after everything that has happened I realised that it is hard to have total control, so am just going to see what happens. I really really hope I can return to study and do a masters. This is my main aim.

dame I've had that problem ordering from Dot P's too so have decided not to bother again. So many places are hopeless with mat wear aren't they.

Is anyone still wearing heels at all? I just bought some lovely wedge boots as there was a deal on in John Lewis but I don't know whether or not to keep them as they are a bit high. They are comfortable and I'm not likely to fall off them. What do you think?

tramp I'm loving all the glamorous talk of the pregnancy body!! Constipation, sore boobs, peeing, vomiting. We're all so classy!
I found a massive difference in the NHS hospitals Aberdeen and York when I wend for scans.
Aberdeen was a narrow corridor waiting area with no pictures, dull grey walls and lots of posters telling you to turn off your phone and to not ask the sex of your baby!!
York is a lovely spacious, bright area with a tv advertising baby products, happy posters of little ones and lots of information!
Oddly through I found the sonographers in Aberdeen friendlier than those in York!!
None of them rushed the scans though and I don't think I've had a scan that lasts less than 20 mins.

Hey! Just trying to catch up.

All ok- doctor wanted to talk through the results. Made me worry over nothing really.

Feeling crap today. On the sofa with two massive pile of books to mark: 34 books and one weekend. It has to be done!

Sheldon I'm still wearing my medium heels
Tramp sorry you have had a bad experience. I've had better experience at our hospital, that said the labs have lost my 12 week bloods twice!!

Shel - welcome back

JoJo - I'm writing a book called "What the F is that about?" which is all about the glamour of pregnancy. All additions welcomed.

Turkish - really pleased you're ok. Mean GP.

The staff are lovely but the experience isnt. If I had the money I'd donate it to just give the reception a face lift. Thus far the NHS Lewisham is proving not to be the best organised unit.

Lexi - they lost your bloods twice?!

theTramp, for your book - suddenly throwing up in the car whilst stopped in Newmarket waiting for the ponies to cross the road. It was not just me who was thinking "What the F is that about?"

I don't wear Heels anyway, I am too clumsy, except in winter boots, I need some new ones!

Turk, glad it was nothing!

Tramp that sounds crap!

Zoey - rest up duck!

Sheldonella welcome back!

I wear heels on occasion - sturdy & chunky for day time and less so for events where I get to sit down alot (I am rubbish at coping with painful feet), but I'm already feeling back twinges when I'm wearing heels so it'll be flats with some orthopaedic in soles soon I think

Tramp yes, the hospital labs have. Midwife, sonographer and clinic staff have been great (Lister Hospital, Stevenage) but I had my bloods taken at 8 weeks, the phlebotomist didn't label the samples, so I had them done at the 12 week scan and the lab have lost them! So annoying. Am sure nothing is wrong but it's not great - and equally frustrating for the antenatal clinic staff who have to keep calling me, doing new forms, etc.

But buy them they sound fab!!!!

(channeling my inner Imelda - not hard for me to do)

Lexi that's really rubbish. Glad that otherwise all is good

Tramp, so with you on lewisham women's health. Whenever I'm lining up to be patronized/shouted at by that foul receptionist I always look at that photo of Laurence Llewelyn knob face opening the 'new, improved' women's health services and think Christ almighty, what was it like before???? And what really gets my goat - those bloody vending machines. They sell exactly the same fizzy drinks and crisps that they sold when I had my son 7 years ago and yet all they do is nag you to eat healthily! How about starting in your own back yard!!!! It's a disgrace. Particularly as lewisham has a very large percentage of people whose diets are not all they could be. Daily mail rant over....

gummi may have accidentally just been for a cheeky chicken tikka saag and Becks blue... For the sake of my health naturally ;)
tramp for your book - don't forget to add the hobo chic style vomiting in public places... I've achieved the local park and outside the library... I'm sure someone else had a hobo chic moment too!!

Tramp - it is not "understandable" that people done don't tend to talk about stillbirths or publicise it much as you suggest. 11 babies are stillborn every day in this country - thats 8000 grieving parents every single year. To say its understandable that people ignore this topic is incredibly cruel to the thousands of us who find ourselves in this position each year.

It's been very very reassuring to read everyone's take on the losing identity thing, it's just good to know that I'm in no way alone in feeling what I'm feeling!
Been feeling a lot of baby boo today, had a very active day today and yesterday as we gear up for enrolment and handover of several projects at work so I've been running around like a loon. Plus I was manager today, I hate being manager, I can't manage people to save my life! Persuade people to do things for me, yes, but not manage anyone.
Did anyone see that Hilary Devey program that's been on? It was really interesting and showed why women aren't represented equally on exec boards and the like.
I found at my scan that it was over before I could get my head around it. It's a new hospital and the staff are nice, not overly so but they've seen it all a hundred times I suppose. We were scanned and blood tested within 20 minutes so I felt a little dazed and like it was all a dream when I left. However, got the downs test result back and came back as low risk - no other info than low risk though!

Hermione do you mean movements? I am pretty certain I have felt movements this week, an hour or two after my scan I felt a bubbly, fluttering, twirly feeling right where I know bub is. Have since felt it a couple of times since!

I am feeling quite overwhelmed with the idea of having a baby and what will happen, so it has been good to read so many opinions and insights.

Rainbow - I meant it is understandable that it is painful, personal and private grief and a grief that parents would find hard to share, to talk about. I don't and didn't mean it is understandable that the topic is ignored. I am sorry that you took it that way, but that really was not what I meant and reading back I don't think I come across as sounding as if that was what I meant either. You have been through that pain and you can share that with others which is very brave of you. My mother had one still birth and one child who died a day after being born. It was 24 years before she talked about it with me and I don't think she had talked about it with anyone else until then either. I can understand why. Even after 24 years I could see how painful it was for her.

Sarah - I am so glad it isn't just me. I have just been told by someone who had their baby there that the MW led birth unit is lovely and the staff are lovely. I really hope so. I'm starting to think it may be worthwhile booking in a private 20 week scan as well.

Hey ladies! Well, I must say, I feel like I've just stepped out of a salon! Everyone so excited at the hairdressers and joking about what a beached whale I'm going to look like next time I'm in :-/ hmmmm…! Had about two inches off and it's lighter and I feel great! Unfortunately took best part of three hours so there were no nice coffees or lunches afterwards: I just hot-tailed it home and continued with my pesky book introduction (boo).

Cor what a horrible dream you had last night, Lexi. Mine are all really vivid at the moment (and some are horrible too!) I read somewhere that this is a symptom of pregnancy - weird, eh?

JoJo, impressed by the breakfasting! You can get the anaemia sorted out really quickly though. Am sure they will look after it with the op coming up. I'm only nearly borderline and was told to take vit. D3.

Zoey, has the pink bleeding stopped since this morning? Am sure it must just be from the sutures, no?

Dame thanks for sharing the Dotty P's story - I shall avoid them like the plague! Feeling pretty good about my wardrobe at the mo. Tried an old (and non mat.) dress on with a sort of waterfall front and it's perfect for the bump and looks great with my grey mat. tights, so that'll do for a big meeting next week! Have a great wedding! Hope you got a nice outfit sorted. I'm sure you should have a glass of fizz. My MW told me I could have occasional glass of whatever, so it must be okay

Bah, sorry your NHS scan wasn't up to much, Tramp. I've been really lucky - people nice and waiting rooms not grim at all. Feeling very lucky.

Welcome back, Sheldon! Like you're philosophy of muddling through. That's what DH and I do. Our motto is 'see what happens' and usually good stuff does. (Tho left to my own devices I'm also a ferocious planner!) Not wearing heels at mo, but I never really do anyway - I spent teens and early 20s in DMs and Converse so missed the necessary years of training!

Funny - phew! Hope the marking goes well this weekend and you get some time off in between!

Hermione, whoop for feeling baby boo a lot! <bit jealous!>

On another note … and please forgive the rant which is not at all directed at you but the programme from last night!!! … I saw it too but I'm afraid I was immensely irritated by it! It could have been really good in its presentation of really important issues, and yes it's criminal that only about 15% of exec. board members are female, but it was the entire programme was all about (a) the professions, esp. commercial sector and (b) rising to 'the top'. What about the challenges that face people in other sectors and other kinds of career? What about childcare for them? Deeply uninterested in the very successful engineer woman who gets to drop her child off at the work creche: good for her, but what about people who don't work for companies with a creche? What about the women, unlike her, who can't actually afford childcare on their smaller salaries? My nose really got out of joint when they showed two work-from-home BT employees. The way the woman was represented was v. much, 'oh look, isn't she clever - she gets the breakfast, then drives boys to school, then does terribly important job, then fills the boot with home-baked goods, then drives to school to organise some event'. By contrast, the bloke said, 'yeah, it's great, I get to be around for breakfast a couple of times a week'. Wasn't sure what kind of helpful 'ideal' that sequence was trying to promote! (Womderwoman?!) In my experience of working in the public sector (and entirely within the universities, so v.v. limited) is that a great number of women 'at the top' are pretty good at shutting the door behind them (perhaps from some weird sense that they had to fight and scramble and compromise and don't want to give others an easier leg up - that's my pop psychologizing of it anyway!) and, interestingly, not one of the women 'at the top' in the programme wanted quotas as a way of evening things up; instead all said 'Oooh let's just encourage companies to hit a target' … erm, if companies wanted to increase female representation on boards they, perchance, would have done it already?! I really wanted sociologists, economists etc telling me some hard facts, not some woman in a Bentley (was it?) having her make-up done, and trying to learn (and, forgive me, she may be uber successful businesswoman but she wasn't v. bright!) about the complexities of why societies are so gender-unequal in the sphere of work.

Rainbow, I think Tramp just meant that it's understandable that people who have experienced stillbirths don't talk about it or broadcast it much. I don't think she meant that it's understandable that society as a whole ignores it or however you read it. Obviously it's a really painful thing to happen and not everyone can talk about it openly or comfortably. My Mum can't even talk about her MCs and my DH who lost his father last year - they understandably find it difficult to talk about those losses. Tramp did also say that it's 'beyond awful' to go through a pregnancy and not leave hospital with your baby, so I think it was just a mis-reading of the first bit. Hope you are doing well.

oops x-posted with you tramp

OMG iwas in bed earlier and heard a delivery and DH said it was the next book so went back to sleep, went down earlier for dinner and there all unpacked and built is the blinking iCandy peach blossom he bought me in black - he bought it as a surprise to cheer me up weeks ago for delvery after operation! I actually cried as he had been saying £1000.00 was far to much and there was no chance I could have it, plus he has been saying its too early to buy anything etc!!!!

Have pushed it round front room and blinking love it and love it more than he surprised me with it as normally a hint of a surprise and I am all over it I ruined his proposal that way but this time I had no idea it's now packed up and pit away in garage but am soooo happy- plus he said to keep the we quinny (I won it in a raffle a few months ago)

Mand - no worries. I was just thinking I would look that programme up but after your description I think I will avoid as I am feeling shouty angry just reading your review. I bloody hate anything that purports to be about "female power" and/or "equality" and turns out to be a bunch of women juggling everything apparently perfectly and Saying "well of course I had to make sacrifices". This extends to shit like Sex in the City and Desperate Housewives which I am apparently meant to connect with because its smart sassy women. Oh go F yourselves TV execs. Every single one of those women is hideous and if that is what I am supposed to want to watch or aspire to then I might as well give up right now. I appreciate I sound a bit crazy here and that most women seem to love these shows. It's a bug bear.

I just watched 3:10 to Yuma and cried during the gun fight. Hormonal much? I'd best steer clear of the Naked Spur or I'll be crying like a baby.

Zoey - your OH sounds absolutely wonderful. Awwww. I'm so chuffed for you. that's just fab. Now get back to bed, rest up and get better.

Oh Tramp I feel bad that I've put you off your viewing! I think it's a series but I haven't bothered to look up the rest - v. possibly she goes into other sectors to see what's what, but I don't think I'm going to bother watching and from what you say it sounds like you would have found it equally annoying, haha!

Zoey I adore your husband - what an utter love! I'm so impressed with him and sooooo pleased for you - just the boost you need after your op and looking forward Hmm, you know you're going to have to share your 'ruining the proposal' story someday?!

I didn't get proposed to. I initiated a not-at-all-very-elegant 'Look, are we going to get married or not, because if we're not I need to know right now' discussion in the Barbara Hepworth garden in St Ives. He didn't sounds very positive, so I concluded that we wouldn't get married, but I got really upset next morning about it and he was a bit confused, thinking I hadn't wanted to get married, so we had a chat and just decided to. On a bench outside our tent, overlooking the sea. It was lovely in the end but, you know, it could have been a bit less, erm, forced! Think I just wanted to know as (a) he'd been with ex for over a decade and no movement in any direction, and (b) I'm very impatient, and (c) think the old biological clock was starting to tick!