Hi guys!

Lovely to hear from you Jumping, Wasabi and Irish!!

So in alphabetical order..

Irish - your typing is like mine - the letters are all there but in the wrong order . I have to preview everytime or my posts would rdea lkie thsi . Sorry to hear abour your poorly cat. Wait 'til you have children then you'll know about shelling out money . When DS was born I bought DH a mug which stated in a dictionery type statement 'Father' noun - someone who has a picture in his wallet where his money used to be . Good Luck on the 2ww, it will happen soon, I just feel it...

Jumping - great to hear your still cooking your LO . Can so relate to all your concerns re: their early appearance. Your Mum sounds fab and glad your freezer is full. You may be our first 'Issy's girl' to deliver' - must copy list over! Have you narrowed down names?

Wasabi - love your 'omnishambles' statement - I may just have to adopt it and drop it into sentances . Your house move sounded something else but feel you're getting there now? Getting new carpets laid always makes everything feel and seem better and at least your DS's room is good and snug. hope you got/get your cooker sorted. At least your not due to deliver so will have plenty of time to settle in before your lo arrives. Remember my not-scientific-at-all prediction is for you to have a girl! We have decided on names - I love my girl choice but still unsure of boy one and hop back and forward between three. All secret and under wraps tho'

Had my second weekly scan at lunchtime and baby has decided to behave this week . Heart rate back up to 134 bpm and irregular blip hardly distinguishable. Consultant said if it had been a run of the mill scan he would have sent me away with a big tick. So baby blue can incubate for at least another week barring any emergency and if it remains on a par with today they may allow me to go past 38 weeks and even go into labour but I daren't even think that far ahead. Just getting to 35 weeks is a milestone in itself.

I'm just so relieved as today was the last day that I had to leave work for scan with hospital bag in boot of car. All future scans will be when I'm on mat leave with no work worries <relief>

Anyhoo, better get back to tidying my desk and hiding all my good pens!

Have a lovely weekend everyone x

PS. Sunny how are you feeling now? It is a weird stage, early second trimester, so much easier once LO starts to give distinct reassuring kicks. Sending you lots of hugs xx

Hello all!

Sorry it's been so long. Really nice to finally read all your messages. Seems like a lot has happened to everyone, what a mad a few weeks!

Am struggling a bit with carpel tunnel syndrome so apologies if typing is squiffy. Anyway am still here with baby still in tum! Been a bit of a mad couple of weeks as BP has been all over the shop, so had to stop work a week last monday (hence no internet, and we've now only finally got broadband at home!), was admitted for monitoring last tues but thankfully when resting my BP is stable and diastolic under 90 mostly- and the meds seem to be working. Midwife has been out nearly every day to check everything, felt a bit like a ticking bomb! Anyhow was at the big hospital again yesterday to see my consulant who's doubled my BP meds and wants me in next Thurs, with a view to close monitoring for a few days then delivery. I am actually chuffed we've got this far- I'll be 36 weeks next Thurs. So hoping LO will avoid a long SCBU stay, and all will be well hopefully.

Blue I am so sorry you're on such a rollercoaster too, and sorry I missed it all too being offline. You are at a safe gestation in terms of risks to your LO of being born now but I know too well how it feels to experience SCBU, especially juggling an older sibling too, trying to establish feeding etc etc., so I really hope you can keep LO inside until 37 weeks if possible. Glad your consultant is so good, it's very reassuring and helps you relax a lot more. Fingers crossed your scan today goes well xx

Head hope you are coping with the post house-move general chaos (wasabi too- am so with you on the "joys" of buying an older house!). DD was transverse until 34 weeks, then finally went head down, so I hope your LO does shift.... Though in a way having a planned c-section I think wouldn't be too bad, and you'd know LO will definitely have arrived before christmas!

Irish good luck on the dreaded 2ww- and really hope you cat gets better soon. I hate seeing pets poorly, though dread the vets bills!

Issy well done on your purchases! You are very organised! Sadly our LO won't have a nursery, as we're trying to keep that room as a spare room for relatives/friends to stay in. Have been given a crib so am getting that set up in our room, and have sheets, blankets, sleeping bag, clothes etc. washed now, and a small stash of nappies, cotton wool etc... But still think it'll probably be chaos and something critical will be forgotten!!

Anyhow have a week to prepare the last things, as far as I can while "resting" with 2 DCs , and am lucky in a way to have a bit of warning this time. My Mum helped cook lots of freezer food while she was over last week...missing her this week...

Right am beginning to ramble...gosh have I missed the internet!! Love to you all xxxx

OOh - just realised I missed Sunny - we took your advice of less is more this time around - I'll let you knwo how it works. Hope youa re well too and that you are keeping the positive vibes around you.

Talk soon

Hey ladies,

No time for personals as quickpost at work but said I'd let you know I haven't fallen off a cliff

Actually - feck it

Blue God you've had such a time haven't you? I hope the scans do reassure you and you'll be grand with teh consultant being so attentive. SO of you having your LO around Christmas - it's not that far away - so for you though.

Jumping hope your BP is steady - and that everythign is going well for you.

Wasabi I hear you aboutthe house moving God it's a night mare isn't it? I did it abotu 15 months ago adn still haven't got everythign the way I want it. I am plannign a new bathroom at the mo. I can empathise withteh toilets problem - people are so strnge aren't they?

Head god bless youwith your house move work - you are a complete trojan to be going onthat way in your codition.:-)

Issy you sound like everythign is coming along nicely for you - Hope teh heartburn isn't playing up too much for you.

Hello to everyone else, I hope I've not left anyone out if I have forgive me am rushing like mad. Hope you are all keeping well adn I will post better at the weekend.

On 2ww - had BD sesh but don't think got the right days as we were maniacally busy for the past week and weekend (DH doing exam revision, me ferrying family around and various social events to occupy us)

Plus my cat got some mad kind of anaemia - God bless him we were in the vets on Friday last and he was kept in for 4 days - nice bill coming my way! :-) He's on tablets for another month so hopefully he'll be getting better everyday.

Also apologies for any spelling mistakes - I willget teh hang of touch typing sometime soon

Helloooooooooo. <wasabi wonders if you all still hang out here as it’s been so long>

Well, as house moves went the word “omnishambles” (which I think is a word invented by Armando Iannucci) comes to mind but things are at last starting to settle. More of that later as I have been catching up.

Blue Yeeesh what a time you’ve had. I‘m glad to hear that things are under control and that the weekly scans are giving you some reassurance. It must be comforting to know that even if the Baby Blue has to arrive ahead of time it will still be ok. Your comment about munching pate at Xmas made me . I was thinking the other day that I can’t wait to have my favourite Waitrose peppercorn pate on toast after Baby Peanut makes its appearance!

You sound like you are wonderfully organised. Have you got names sorted out now? I must admit that I haven’t seen any pink accessories that really caught my eye but to be fair I haven’t been looking that hard as we are going for the same non specific look (dark wood cot, cream walls and stronger coloured accessories) that we did before! Your consultant sounds very nice! One day to go until you finish work – yay!

Irish So sorry that AF got you – it was all looking so promising. I am sending a big removals van of baby dust over to you pronto. Here's to a busy month

Jumping I was sorry to read that your BP has started to head up but also happy that you’d managed to keep going for this long. As you say you are getting into fairly “safe” territory. Hopefully your Mum is installed Chez Jumping by now and that has eased the burden on you a little. I hope to see an update from you soon. I can imagine how worried you must have been about managing the care of a tiny baby and your DC’s. It must be so difficult sometimes.

Issy It gets pretty uncomfy at this point doesn’t it? I don’t have much recollection of my DS’s head being stuck in my ribs because he went head down pretty early but by god I remember him kicking me in the ribs – all the time! It was an eye waterer to say the least. I also know what a bugger heartburn is – I think I have my trusty fruity Rennie in every single room now! You are however the most informed new mother when it comes to baby kit that I have ever known! I’m glad that you are so sorted and nested!

I’ve been looking at your comments (and indeed others) about the swine flu jab with interest as I have the same decision to make. My inclination at the moment is “non” but I will do some more research. I think there is a possibility that DS had it a few months ago and did indeed pass it to me as we were both really quite ill for a few days and the last thing I want is a jab for something I’ve already had. As others have said I'm loathe to take any drugs of any kind at this point. I'm also twitchy about the fact that this vaccine has been speeded through the usual processes and that the manufacturers have been granted special indemnity.

Sunny Yay you have passed the trimester of doom! Great news on your scan. I do understand the lingering paranoia and the boob prodding (although try and go easy on that because you really will make them sore) but I’m sure yoga is a good, constructive thing to do and will not have harmed the little Sunnybean. Try, try and try again to stay positive – as someone with a tendency to take the negative train I know how difficult it is but it is worth trying. Promise

Head Having your LO in the hammock position must be really quite uncomfy. Still, at least you will have your little girl in your arms by Xmas and be all together. I know it’s wrong to feel envious but I can’t help feel a twinge – I would have loved to have this baby before Xmas and not just because of the pate and wine. Althouth that would be nice. Still, I know that is silly really. I’m glad to see that your “nesting” ie. working your fingers to the bone” is progressing. I can sympathise believe me, especially with the bouts of gloom when you realise how much more there is to do! I will tell you what people keep telling me – it will all be worth it in the end. I know, I know.

Bubble, Girl, Sif Big up to you all if you are lurking.

Well, we have been in the new place for a while now but bloody hell everything has gone wrong. Really. It’s actually quite funny now. Everything has taken tons longer than we thought – it wasn’t until we actually got in that we could see how much the previous occupants furniture was hiding. The place was filthy, the kitchen sinks had leaked and needed to be fixed, the kitchen cupboard drawers didn’t fit properly, the fridge door only had one hinge etc. All the decorating had to wait until we’d fixed the basics – which isn’t easy when you have a toddler whose new favourite words are “screw driver,” “Daddy fix,” and “Help Mummy work” etc. We then found out that the electrics were iffy and we needed a whole new junction box thingy. The loos were in a state that one could only describe as heinous. I spent the first weekend welded to my Marigolds using incredibly frightening chemicals to clean them. Why did we want an old house? Why??????

Oh and we haven’t started on the cooker. Ordered one weeks ago. Am now on 3rd cooker due to previous ones being damaged and whilst it looked good when delivered yesterday it became apparent this morning upon installation that one of the oven knobs was broken and that whenever the cooker was on so was the grill in that oven! And the light. I’m now waiting in for the engineer to come and fix it. As I said, omnishambles. And all this time I’ve been dealing with a very demanding client and my design partner with a broadband connection that we are “borrowing” from next door as we only got Broadband in a couple of days ago.

We managed to make DS’s room lovely and the family room carpet went down yesterday and it is starting to look like a home but there is still so much to do. We can at least now unpack the dresser and hopefully get cracking on the snug and Baby Peanut’s room – both of which have been used as dumping grounds for boxes we can’t unpack yet. I feel so guilty – with DS we had his nursery all nearly finished by now. With this one we haven’t even started yet. <sigh>

Amazingly the baby seems remarkably unaffected by all this. I am officially in my 3rd trimester now (well am 27 weeks so I have decided that should count as 3rd tri.) I had a midwife check up a couple of weeks ago and all seemed well. I can feel her (am convinced it’s a girl) kicking around as I type. She is a good deal quieter than her brother was at this point but still makes her presence felt! Am seeing the midwife again next week as she has to take my blood for testing before I have my anti D jab the week after next so fingers crossed it remains that way.

Have just realised how long this post is. This has to be a record surely?
I have missed you all. Am so happy to be back. <sob>

Hi girls,

Thanks for the moral support and good wishes .

My nesting excelled itself at the weekend and we are officially good to go pending a 'head hugger' for the car seat and new pyjamas pour moi for the hospital photos (although I ended up wearing my hospital goonie wrong way round last time as it was ideal for breastfeeding ).

Only thing still to potentially purchase is nursery accessories if we have a girl. Nursery is white walls with white cot etc. but currently has a blue theme (border/curtains/cot bumper etc). Any of you ladies having a girl seen any nice 'pink' accessories? I quite like the 'made with love' pink theme in Mamas and Papas...

Got my dates wrong in previous email. I'm now thankful they've always dated me a week ahead (i.e. due on 18th not 25th Dec)so I'll be hitting 37 weeks 27th Nov and hopefully can hang on until 4th Dec.. Got some lovely reassuring posts following my question on premature thread. Basically baby is fully mature by 32-33 weeks and just fattens up after that which is same advice consultant gave me. Of course I want baby to be as cooked as it possibly can be so continuing to keep all our fingers and toes crossed.

Head - so your DD is still lying the the hammock position ? Looks like you'll get your wish and have her here for Christmas! I'll be thinking of you on Christmas Day as I (hopefully all going well) sit there breastfeeding and munching on my pate! So glad to hear you're gettgin there with the house. You so deserve a medal for coping with it all and working, looking after your DS and post-op DH - the whole shebang.

Sunny - didn't quite need the whale music at the weekend but have downloaded some gems from I-tunes which always gets me in a good mood (The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys/When a Child is Born by Johnny Mathis and some others I won't admit too ). Hope you're keeping on keeping on, have you got a date yet for your 20-week scan?

Issy - lovely to hear from you missy. Its tricky one re: SF jag... Glad you have a plan for birth partners and have the same frustrations with your Mum! My Mum was officially torn into by my DH and has her mobile constantly on now and fully charged - miracles do happen . You seem to be full on with nesting too, its so exciting getting everything ready. I hope you're savouring it all .

Jumping - how are things with you? Are you still holding on?!!!

wasabi - hope the move went OK. Come back and fill us in on everything!

Irish - how are you this month? It must be coming up to BD time again?

<Waves> to Sif, bubble, Wishing, Rip and suzi.

Sooo glad this is my last week at work...

Adious amigos, a tout a l'heur x

Hi all. Hope you've had good weekends. No trick or treaters at my house, so will just have to eat all the chocolate myself .
Blue - Sorry not been on sooner. Last Wed must have been so scary for you. Glad that baby's hanging on in there a little longer. My mum always has her mobile off too and I'm quite worried about going into labour early and her not getting here because I can't get hold of her, esp. if she's home in Whithorn as it's a 6-hour drive to me. Think she'll be in Cambridge or South Wales with other family though. Have three back-ups now, so not feeling as bad. Have you decided on a name now?
Head - Did you get all moved in OK? Any luck in determining where baby is lying? Did you get your course finished and is ds sleeping OK in the new house? I'll be decorating the nursery when I'm on leave in two weeks so good to know you're managing the decorating OK. Thankfully mine is a box room so not too difficult to paint. Just have to sort out the holes in the wall where my curtain pole fell down and some settling cracks where it was replastered a few years ago.
Sunny - I remember being at your stage when the sickness wears off and you nip to the loo at work to prod boobs. It's perfectly normal.

I've decided on balance to have the SF jab, I think, though I did sign the petition to request that we get Cevlapan. New data from WHO shows that SF is particularly bad for more pg women than they thought (10 times more likely to have complications than non-pg people) so they've changed their advice on Pandemrix saying that on balance better to have it now. Also sounds like my dance teacher's hubby had it really bad. Since it's in my social circle I think I should have the jab. Also feel better about baby benefitting too. Just hope it doesn't cause any adverse effects. It's a really horrible decision to have to make.

Baby still has head in my ribs most of the time which makes using laptop very difficult, like now, big hard lump in the way - hope I'm not squashing her too much while I type. Preparations are continuing, managing to get some stuff even though I still hate shopping. Have ordered two prams, which will arrive Tuesday, as couldn't find one to do everything I need and got a Mura on offer (unfortunately in pink, but that was all that was left) with carrycot and footmuff for £220 and then got a Streety for using in car/on public transport. Made sure I got the 09 version as the 08 one has wheel issues and no car seat base. Still means I only have belted base not ISOFIX for car seat, but my car model initially had issues with the ISOFIX points so was a bit nervous about using them anyway. All combined was still cheaper than other options. Have also got a SnuggleNest for first bed, a few bodysuits and sleepsuits, a Close sling and a play gym, so slowly getting the essentials. Also picked up all the freebie Huggies using the tokens in the Emma's Diary and Bounty booklets. Next big research to do is washable nappies.

Just seen time, best get my heartburn-beating hot milk and get to bed. Hope everyone else is doing well. Take care.

Hello all, just a quickie to give some moral support to Blue - good grief girl, what a tale. That must have been so very scary for you, and your mum not answering her phone as well. So glad Baby Blue is hanging in there and that you're being monitored regularly. Sounds like a good plan to finish work early - the last thing you need is any extra stress. Wishing you all the best - deep breaths - calm, calm, blue seas, whale music, tinkling bells, cold cloths on the forehead, er, can't think of any other relaxing things but sending you lots of love and please keep in touch with how things are going xxx
Hello to everyone else and happy Halloween

Wow Blue What a roller coaster!! I'm glad to hear they're keeping a close eye on you and your baby, but how nerve wracking must that have been? Great news that you've managed to work out a solution, and although I imagine it's not the scenario you'd pictured, how exciting to think you'll be meeting your baby so soon!

Sorry I don't have much time to post as I'm at work and have an online course I have to finish by today! Just wanted to reassure Blue I hadn't disappeared. Had no internet at home for ages... we're in but with stuff still lying around everywhere. Dh and I keep having troughs of depression when we realise how much left there is to do...

Anyway, my dd is still transverse so I'm booked in for a scan in four weeks, if she hasn't turned (looking less likely now) then I'm being booked in for a section on the 22nd Dec.

Will catch up more as soon as I get the chance, I hope everyone else is well!
xx

Hi girls, hope I've not scared everyone away!!

Wee update 'chez blue'. Had first weekly Friday scan and things still same, still OK but consultant (who I'm beginning to fall in love with a tiny bit ) has decided not to let me go past 37-38 weeks as they don't want me going into labour as it puts potential strain on baby's heart etc. So long story short, I'm finishing up on mat leave next Friday and will be continuing to have weekly scans until end of Nov with a view to getting c-section anytime between 20th Nov and 1st Dec.

I've decided to finish up early as every Friday scan could result in me being sent straight to delivery theatre and I don't want the stress of having unfinished work/outstanding meetings to worry about. I also need to finish my nesting and clear out a couple of cupboards .

So there we have it. Its all getting real and nearer and I can't wait to meet this lo albeit hopefully not for another few weeks .

Hi girls,

I'm sitting here at work although my nerves are lying at the side of a road halfway to Stirling .

Had my 32-week scan/consultant appointment this morning, baby measuring 33 weeks, all looking good bar the heartbeat which was still irregular. Cue lots of panicking midwives, doctor called, failed to get a trace as machine wasn't working. DH and me sent to Stirling with the view that we might have to have the baby today - me in floods saying nonsense things like "we've not even agreed on a name yet", how is DS going to cope, its too early etc. etc. etc.

Saw the same consultant I saw four weeks ago who scanned me right away and calmed me down to a panic. Yes hb is irregular but regularly irregular if that makes sense . Emergeny scenario that they would c-section me today was not required nor giving me steroids to mature baby's lung not required. Instead i'm getting scanned once a week until my due date to reassure me that baby is still growing well etc.

Of course my bloody mother who has her mobile only on 'for emergencies' as long as they are her emergencies was incommunicado and I just want my Mum in these situations .

Anyway, I'm back at work, feeling baby kick away and just glad I don't have to give birth today... I will probably have a delayed nervous breakdown when I get home tonight. This pregnancy has been so so stressful, it never ends does it?

On the plus point its given DH and me a kick up the arse to get our names agreed .

Anyway enough about me!

Sunny well done you for keeping up with some excercise. I'm afraid the worry never goes away (see above!!) but holding our lo's in our arms will be just the best things EVER as we can't believe it actually happened. Keep hold of that thought...

Jumping - update from you please!

Love to everyone else xx

Hello everyone
I don't normally post at work but sod it - I haven't had time in the evenings or weekends. Lovely to hear from so many of you.
Irish I'm so sorry AF got you this month , but am glad you're feeling positive. For what it's worth (probably nothing) three times now I got pg by BD'ing less, but on the right day, bang on ovulation. My theory is that DH had more swimmers that way (or a higher concentration, at least) which must have made up for my ancient eggs. I realise it's hard to know when you ov sometimes, but someone told me not to try too far ahead, as it can deplete the sperm count for the big day. Sorry, I hope that doesn't annoy you. I remember sometimes all the conflicting advice drove me a bit mad. Apologies if so.
Head, you really are hardcore for coping with the house move @ 7 months pg. I hope you are in soon, and manage to have a restful weekend, even if surrounded by boxes. I live in London too - I'll pop round for a virtual cup of tea and a cupcake when your new sofa is in
Blue, god, last Christmas must have been awful for you. So sorry that you went through that. I remember last Christmas myself, trying to put a brave face on things, and that was months afterwards. You well deserve your new bundle to arrive before Christmas, and by the sounds of it, maybe he/she will. I have everything crossed for you that you'll be munching pate and downing champagne come Dec 25
Jumping sorry about the BP, and vv sorry you are sad. Please don't beat yourself up about it: there is nothing you could have done and when the baba is in your arms it will all be forgotten. I have the fingers on the other hand from Blue's crossed that the baba hangs in there for as long as possible. Good that your mum is arriving to take the load off.
Issy sorry you are suffering a bit - probably a good call to take your leave a week early and try to relax - while you can! Hope the symptoms aren't causing you too much grief and unrest.

I don't know what to do about the swine flu injection. I wasn't gonna have it, but both my mum and DH started banging on last night about how I should. According to them, the point is that once born, the baby can't get immunised until 6 months, and therefore has no immunity to the virus. Everyone seems to have an expert opinion, but my instinct says not to have it and I feel fairly vindicated that you all seem to agree. Oh dear.

Well, I'm 13 + 4 and still paranoid. I went to yoga yesterday for the first time since being pg (in a bid to relax!), and am now worried it has damaged the fetus, even though I did it every week when pg with DD. I don't feel pg at all today, but am trying to remember that could just be because I'm starting to feel less sick and tired. Also, my tummy looks really flat, though again, that could be because I had an upset stomach in the night (excuse the TMI) that required many, many trips to the loo. So I'm sat here in the office surreptitiously prodding my boobs and hoping to feel sick again soon. God, I really hoped I'd stop feeling paranoid after the 12w scan. I have this fear that I've jinxed the pg by telling people. Most of all, though, I just don't believe I could ever be so lucky as to hold my new baby in my arms. What's wrong with me? I am so convinced something will go wrong! I wish I could screw my head off and put it in a jug of water to cool down. Anyway, sorry to vent, much love to all and please keep in touch whenever you can

PS. I'm also not planning to get the swine flu jab. Have never had flu in my life (touch wood) and just don't want to expose this LO to anything more than necessary.
DD on the other hand is getting her swine flu jab a week on Monday, but I feel for her the benefits will outweigh the risks. Just hoping she doesn't suffer too much from it!

Just popping on to update briefly..

Head so glad you're nearly in, hope the move is at the weekend so DH can help- how is he getting on? Hope the physio's helping speed recovery. I totally empathise with the pile of toys/books thing- we still have this issue but unfortunately no one to help build shelves and DH won't let me buy some cheap shelving/storage from ikea (though am tempted to ignore him as it's driving me mad) so meant to wait until we find something suitable for the style/age of the house, oh and some money too!! I bet you won't know yourself once you're finally settled in.

Blue great news about your LO's position! Wishing you tonnes of luck already in your quest for a VBAC xx

Issy glad your LO is still growing well, though sorry to hear you've been hit with all the pregnancy gripes now! I've had a lot of under-rib stretching pains this past 8 weeks, as my LO's bum seems to wedge under them and it can get really sore! Finding gentle stretches help, and swimming too, but not finding much time to do the latter sadly!

Well my BP managed to get to 145/99 yesterday, while in hospital, so had to be monitored for a while- thankfully we got some normal readings (132/83) and some high ones, so they think I'm entering the "labile" phase of BP which often is a warning sign that PE is rearing its head. As such my consultant started me on BP meds as she feels overall it is now too high. Hoping ithey work and we get another couple of weeks, but I've got carpel tunnel syndrome now, and hands fairly swollen, which doesn't bode too well Really hoping for a bit more time...although I know we're in fairly safe territory I am already worried about how I'll cope trying to get a prem to feed while also looking after my 2 and not being able to drive- basically I would have to stay at the hospital until LO could come home which is really hard as it's 1.5hrs from home.... Anyway off to bury head in sand, as not much I can do now Thankfully my Mum arrives tomorrow and I'll be very grateful for her help about the house!

Will try to keep an eye on the thread and sending much love to you all- sorry I've not done more personals xxxxxxxxx

Morning girls,

Thought I'd post before I knuckle down to a day's work - ahem!

I was exhausted reading your post Head - moving when seven months pg - yikes! hope you've taken plenty of biscuit breaks and your DH is worshiping you for being so resilient and hard working! At least the light at the end of the tunnel is appearing and you can finally relax - well until Xmas planning kicks in - eek!

I'm not getting the swine flu or regular flu jag either. I work for NHS and have spoken to my boss (who is a Midwife by profession although now in Management) and she says to avoid it if I can. Like Head I hate taking anything during pg. I also got the flu jag this time last year and ended up with a horrendous chest infection early Dec which I'm sure contributed to my mc at xmas...

Had my 30-week check on Wed. and baby's head is 2/5 engaged - yay! DS never fully engaged even at 40+ 2 which was main reason for c-section so I now think I'm going to go early and get my VBAC (fingers crossed). This baby just feels more 'ripe' if that makes sense. The more I think about it the more I think I'd prefer if baby came before xmas, we would all be together as a family, I could have pate on xmas day and it would be the best way to cancel out last xmas's heartache (MMC confirmed on 22nd had to carry lost baby until ERPC on NY Day - awful).

Issy - snap with the pains - heartburn? check, pelvic girdle pain? check, can't get comfy? check! I'm also on iron tablets which have given me 'loose bowels' as my Mum would say - I normally get constipated with them so happy to go other way this time.

Wishing - glad to see you post again. You'll be the first baby perhaps if Jumping doesn't get in there first!

We got the carrycot for the pram down from the loft and its in mint condition. Pram is all set up and waiting patiently in nursery (don't want it in garage getting all cold and damp). DH was laughing at me as I keep going in and 'playing' with it . Well its been over 3 years since DS was in carrycot pram so its new all over again.

Anyway, that's enough rambling from me.

Have a great weekend everyone x

Hello everyone, sorry for going AWOL for so long, moving hell... but that's for later. Catch ups first

Wishing lovely to see you back on here, keep coming back to see us won't you? Please?

Issy sorry you're feeling uncomfortable. I'm getting there too, dd is transverse currently, has been for four weeks now and is battering my left ovary. I think she occasionally sticks her head up too because I can sometimes feel a hard lump under my ribs, kicks are all still very very low down so I think I have another unco-operative baby here! I hope the yoga helps you.

As for the swine flu jab.... I've pretty much decided not to take the jab. I wasn't offered the flu jab when I was pg with ds so I don't understand why this is different, esp as it's no worse than seasonal flu. Also, I've only got 9 weeks to go, I'm not travelling on public transport any more (for other reasons, not SF reasons) and I don't like the idea of taking any kind of medication unless absolutely necessary during pregnancy.

Jumping So sorry to hear the bp is rising. I hope you make it to 36 weeks, that's really pretty good so hopefully LO will need minimal care, if any. Fingers crossed he/she stays put. Take it easy. I'm starting to feel very pathetic for getting upset that my bp at my last mw appt was 126/85 which is the highest I've ever had.

Irish about af.... I'm sooo impressed at your positive attitude. I hope it translates in to a positive result very soon.

sunny that's great news about your scan! Congratulations, you can now relax

Hi to Blue the nesting is going... erm... ok (ish). If by nesting you mean working 10 hours a day non stop painting, cleaning, unpacking and clearing away until my fingers throb and my head pounds, then yes, I have been nesting

We're actually still not in the house, but very very close to it. Dh and I both had to work the first half of last week, so Thursday and Friday we blitzed the painting, Saturday and Sunday was unpacking time. Then this week dh was back at work so I did as much as I could on my own, put up curtains etc and did some major cleaning. We had no heating until yesterday as there was a slight problem with the boiler, but that's fixed now so in theory we can move in any time. We may wait until the weekend so dh can help me, otherwise it'll be the third house move I've done on my own since getting pg, and I'm having a bit of a sense of humour failure about that!

We still have one big room to do, the family room has piles and piles of books and toys in it, my uncle is coming next week to build us a massive wall of shelves to put it all away. It's a shame because it's between the hallway and the kitchen so I have to walk through this hellhole every time I go to the kitchen, but the end is nigh. I've got a new sofa on order for in there, but it won't come until December, so we'll be able to stand in there, or more likely sit on the floor to play with ds's toys, but when the sofa comes it should be fab.

when we had no heating the other day and I was freezing cold, I decided to test the fireplace in the living room, and it's fab! I spent most of the day in there with the fire blazing and the telly on while I waited for the plumber to come. It was far too cold to work you see

Anyway, we will definitely be in this weekend, I'm already starting to get nervous that ds will react badly to another house move and stop sleeping. We've introduced him to his new bedroom a few times, but each time we've moved he's gone through a few weeks of messed up sleep.

I hope everyone's well and dandy... I'm stuck at work this evening eyeing up the protesters outside the office praying they'll all go home soon so I can go home myself... selfish? Moi?

xx

Hey everyone, thank you for the lovely messages back! I remember Sunnydale you were the only one who kept me going most days! im so glad to read your update its fab news and im so pleased you gona try and relax now and enjoy your pg!

Irishmum im so sorry af put in an appearence for you, sending you loads of baby dust! and have everything crossed for you, i often think back to how hard it was and how it felt which is why i always come back to this thread cos it always feels like people do actually know what your going through on here xxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So sorry AF got you Irish . Really hope next month is your month.

Great news on your scan Sunny - my friend went to FMC for her nuchal scan and they were correct about the gender of her baby. At the time they said 70% sure.

Wishing - lovely to hear from you. Are you still gender guessing?

Jumping - great that you're hanging on in there. Hope you make it to 36 weeks but at least you've passed the magic 30.

Blue - Hope you're spending that HiP grant wisely . I sent off the form for mine today - think the money is going on reusable nappies.

Hi to everyone else. Hope the house moving and unpacking is going well for those of you on the move.

I've hit the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy - heartburn, aching ribs and sciatica are my current companions. Going to antenatal yoga and an antenatal swim session, so hoping they will help. Measurements are still a week ahead of dates so coming out ~70th centile. I've changed my official maternity leave to start a week earlier in case she comes early, which also meant I could take an extra 5 days annual leave so down to a 4-day week now.

How do people feel about having the swine flu jab? Mw confirmed it's Pandemrix in my area and that's the one the WHO says not to give to pregnant women. On the other hand my dance teacher's husband has swine flu so it's already lurking close by. Have had to cancel my lessons for a couple weeks to be safe.

Oh Irish - damn TEW . Hope you're OK...

FWIW AF came 3 days early for me the month I got my BFP - was due on 23rd March and she came on 20th and I was gutted esp. as colleague at work had her 12-week scan that day... anyhoo, got my BFP on 14th April so fingers crossed for you this month...

Hi Jumping glad to hear your still inclubating your lo . You've done your best and well done for getting this far... 36 weeks is not too early at all, only one week shy of being term. Keep us informed on how its all going, if you can get on the PC that is!

<Waves> to everyone else. Its a bit quiet here again .

Irish so sorry AF reared its ugly head again, and sooner than expected- at least I guess this cycle's wait is over. Really gald you feel positive about the next cycle- sending you couldron's of baby dust from up here xxx

hery ladies

Just a quickie - AF got me this morning - not expected until Wednesday but there you go.

feeling a bit but will pick myself up and dust myself off and start again this month..

talk to you ll later

Hi Ladies

Just a quickie, as afraid not getting much chance to post at work at no internet at home still...

Sunny so so pleased all went well with your 12 week scan, what a relief! I agree avoiding a CVS must have felt like a huge weight off your mind, I really did find mine quite traumatic, especially as it took 3 visits before an attempt could be made and then still needed 2 goes. The wait just drives you insane... I honestly wouldn't be able to go through it all again but am so lucky that all was well this time and won't need to!

Wishing lovely to hear from you! I hope the last 6 weeks go smoothly and soon you'll have a beautiful healthy newborn in your arms. I think I will be having ours around the same time, but possibly before due to BP issues... Will keep an eye out for your posts!

Irish so sorry the first response was BFN, but still got everything crossed it's a false negative and you get your BFP in next few days... Glad you have lots in your diary to keep you busy anyhow!

Well all going ok here... had another hospital apt last Thurs and sadly my BP is now sitting at 135/90 consistently so the trend upwards has definitely started As a result they want to see me at the big hospital weekly and midwife to visit inbetween to keep an eye on pressures and protein in urine. So far I only have borderline high BP so they don't want to medicate yet, but baby's growth is slowing so they think everything is going the same way it did with DD's pregnancy... Therefore I probably will only make 36wks tops...which is less than 4 weeks away now!! . I'm trying to reduce my hours slightly at work for my last couple of weeks, partly because having fun juggling childcare, hospital visits etc., but also because we still have so much to sort out in the house before I end up in hospital and LO arrives.
Anyhow feeling ok about it all, resigned to the fact that this LO may well need some time in SCBU etc., and just grateful we've got as far as this with LO still inside! I guess I'm just never meant to reach term!

Big hello to you all- anyone heard from Bubble or Girl recently? Thinking of them. Hope the house moves went ahead and as painlessly as possible Head and Wasabi! xxx

Oh Irish - so hoping you've just tested too early.... Keeping everything crossed for this week x

Hi Ladies

So tested this morning with a first response - but nada - BFN. I'm not due until Wednesday though so will keep on trucking and might do another test (got a twin pack)in teh next few days.

hope everyone is keeping well - talk to you all soon

WOOHOO hgrin]

SUNNY well done you and Sunnybean (and Sunnydh). I obviously have no experience of this - but you have been through the mill so often I am so happy that you have had such good news.

Blue thanks for the babydust - I will let you all know as soon as I get any kind of result - well maybenot a ssoon as but I'll update you all tomorrow.

Hope the rest of you are all well and I am now off to bed happy that things went well for you Sunny.

Hello to all of the rest of you ladies - hope that you are all keeping well and that we'll see you all back here soon.

Huzzah indeed Sunny . That's just the best news to kick start a weekend - YAY!

Kick back, relax (well as much as we paranoid Mums to be can) and enjoy .

Irish - have dumped another batch of babydust over the Irish Sea to you tonight - fingers, toes and eyelashes crossed for testing in the morning xx

Hello all

Hurrah and huzzah!

Well, it was a tense old hour. Not sure how I got through it. My statistics according to age were 1: 88, but because of my previous history (not sure if any of you know about my previous history, other than the miscarriage, but won't repeat myself here if you do) the odds were adjusted to 1: 58. Thank god I only knew that statistic AFTER the scan, as I was labouring under the misapprehension that they were 1: 110!

Anyway, the nuchal fold was fine, there was a very obvious nasal bone, no reverse flow and a normal triscupid (sp?) valve, plus my bloods were fine.... so.... now my risk has been adjusted to 1: 1155 I'll take those odds any day!

It's the best of all outcomes for me, more joy than I'd ever dared hope for, because I was convinced I'd have to have another CVS, which in itself carries a 1: 100 risk of mc. The thought of that needle did not appeal, nor did the further waiting for results. I am absolutely over the moon. It hasn't even sunk in. I had prepared myself for the worst, which you may or may not relate to, depending on your outlook / experiences. The doctor was lovely, and explained things very clearly. When she gave me my adjusted risk I just bent over double and wept like a baby. Even DH was crying.

I just want to say a huge, heartfelt "thank you" to everyone on this thread for their support and friendship. I couldn't have got this far without you. I am now gonna try to RELAX and ENJOY this pg.

Also (I'll shut up soon) I know from past scans at the Fetal Med Centre that, using the machine that they do, they can sort of give an educated guess as to the gender at 12w, though they don't like you to hold them to it. "I know it's a boy," I said emphatically. "Actually, it looks more like a girl," said the dr, pointing out some shaded bit on the screen and explaining that it didn't look like a boy's bits were visible, more like a girl's bits (I think they can tell by the absence of, er, protuberance, shall we say) I don't care what it is so long as it's healthy!

Irish, you have me so excited. All fingers and toes crossed for your testing over the weekend. And hello to everyone else, sorry for the long post

Hey ladies -

I still feel really nauseous - DH's coffee made me retch inteh car this morning - bacache as well. First response will be done in the morning.

Sunny do tell all. Am babysitting tonight for my sister but will check in when I get home.

Sorry Blue. I'm still reading but never seem to have time to go back and reread enough to post personals after I've been on holiday - can't rely on my memory as it's rubbish. I'll just start again from here.

big not mig - <slaps forehead>

Hey laydeez!

Sunny - sending you and sunnybean good positive mig wave vibes for tomorrow. You will be fine and will be clutching a scan photo this time tomorrow . Big hand hold until then tho'... xx Know the choccies you mean as friend gave me box of dark, milk and white ones last week - delic!

Irish - I'm starting to get a bit excited pour vous Any more symptoms today?

Hey Wishing - thanks for opopping back to let us know how you are doing. Only six weeks to go, fantastic! Do you know what you're having?

Got my Health in Pregnancy grant today - $190 (PC doesn't do pound signs for some reason ). Don't tell the Government but its going towards the hall/stairs/upper landing wallpaper which will make me feel healthy and shiny when its finished .

Head and Wasabi dying to hear how the moves went and how the nesting is going .

Issy - hellloooo?! where are you?

Hi Ladies,

Sunny many shiny, happy, positive vibes are heading your way for Friday - we will be wiating to get an update on Sunnybean - fingers, toes, legs and arms are crossed (that might be why I am getting so many funny looks in work today

Blue my social diary is filling up nicely too - hopefully your IO dress will get a few more outings.

Wishing good luck for teh next few weeks - can't believe it's getting so near for you.

Well, I have a few more symptoms that I've been maniacally spotting -
boobs while not like rocks are feeling quite full these days especially when I lie down for some reason. Another reason could be more exercise though
Nausea is ever present - this morning eth smell of the traffic nearly made me sick and funnily enough never bothers me. Another reason could be something I ate
Foodwise, I can't seem to eat at night - am never hungry. (It may be I just had big lunches those days)
have quite a lot of backache as well (could be from incorrect posture in work all day...)

So I am symptom spotting but as you can see am also giving reasons as to why tehy may not be symptoms - mightbe testing on Sunday though if nausea persists.

To save my sanity I'm going to spend the weekend stripping paint. :-)

Hello to everyone else - hope youa re all keeping well.

Hello Wishing! So good to hear from you! So delighted you only have six weeks to go. I remember us both being on the paranoid 2ww - all the best to you for what's to come.

Irish, sounds like a good sign to me. Any more news? Cramps definitely a good sign, too... ach, listen to me, I should know better than to get your hopes up. But for me, it was always nice if someone got their hopes up for me, so I'll get mine up for you. The 2ww sucks whichever way you look at it.

Though not as much as the 12ww for the nuchal scan! Only two days to go - please would you all keep your fingers crossed for me and Sunnybean. I truly believe in the collective power of Mumsnet Finger Crossing and Positive Vibes

Blue, am well impressed with your social diary over Christmas. I did toy with getting all my presents early off Amazon, but the mere thought was enough to make me lie down with a bar of chocolate instead. Green & Blacks new extra milky for me. Or whatever it's called. The one in the pale blue wrapper! Though not dunked in tea, as tea makes me heave.

Hello to everyone else {wave emoticon}

Hey Ladies
so glad to read up on all of you and see how you are doing, i just thought i would drop in to say hi and see how everyone is, im still going strong, though struggling a bit now, only 6 weeks to go, still cant believe this is happening, still doesnt feel real some days, due the 25th nov and all still a daze

love to all hope everyone ok xxxxxxxx

Issy - yoswer - over 11 lb eye watering stuff . Have you caught up with the thread yet? Not heard your news for ages...

Irish - fingers crossed .... How's the appetite been since?

Not much to report this end, getting bulky and stiff and just counting the days 'til my mat leave (seven weeks/19 working days and counting all going well ) <fingers crossed>. Already have some Xmas nights out in diary on 5th/11th and 19th December . My IO dress will be getting a good airing and bets are on if my waters break over dinner..

Later dudes!

Hi Irish - am a veggie so can't really comment on meat tastes, but fingers crossed it's a good sign.

Just had to pop on to say that last night my friend had an 11lb9oz baby - natural delivery - . Now I'm scared .

Hope the house moves went well. Will post properly soon. Started to catch-up but then you all wrote new posts, so back to drawing board.

sorry for spelling - in work and don't want anyone to notice what I'm doing

Hey Sunny hope you are feeling better today adn the rest did you some good.

Ladies - opinions please...

I am 5 DPO, and today for my lunch I had a lovely ham and coleslaw sandwich which I prepared for myself from a brand new pack of ham and a brand new tub of coleslaw. DH had the saem sandwiches. (I love ham sandwiches and eat tehm all of the time)

I took one bite and BOAK - had to spit it out of my mouth it was disgusting. never before had anything like that. DH on the other hand didn't notice anything off abuot his.

Am I reading too much into this? Dh wolfs down his food so may not have noticed (although I can't see how it was so disgusting)

Methinks I'll leave it for a while and see how things go - do have cramp type things in my stomach so might just be a bug.

Hello all (another guilty head pokes round the door)
Too tired to post any personals - v sorry - feeling sick as a parrot today with plenty of dry heaves (sorry for the TMI) and a stomach that doesn't have a clue what it want to eat. But hey, that's a good sign, right?! 12 week scan in 5 days, so pretty strung out about it but trying v hard not to be.
Aaaaaanyway, SO GOOD to see so much activity on this thread, and to hear back from some old familiar names. Sounds like everyone is keeping v well, so that's good. Irish, am so impressed with your marathon BD session - have everything crossed for you this month. Good luck the house movers - hope you've settled / are settling in and that all went smoothly. I'm back from my work trip now - no more 15 hour days - think I still need to recover, though. Er, that's all I can manage to type right now as I can feel a lying down session coming on. Much unmumsnetty love to all xxx

Good morning all you lovely ladies -

sif I'm sure it's a temporary blip on the bloom - you'll get it back I'm sure. By the way nice to see you back again.

Head and Wasabi = hope you are getting the new houses all ready for the big move in - good luck and I hope it all goes as smoothly as possible for you.

wasabi I'm what they call a Business Intelligence analyst. Not really major IT but kind of middle of the road technical.

Blu hope the heartburn isn't giving you too much grief.

So no news really to report - had major BD session that culminated last Thursday - we did it every day so if that's not enough God knows. DH currently making me yummy chese toasty so can't wait for that. I do feel a bit nauseous today but that might be cos I didn;t eat properly yesterday.

Went out for my friend's birthday - had virgin mojitos in the pub as was driving cover for the 2ww nondrinking phase. They wre most delicious - I think I will deffo be having them if I do get a BFP.

my kittens have cat flu poor lambs. I was a ditz and thought they couldn't get vaccinated until they were 6 months old, but that's the neutering age. Vet wasn't very impressed with me Ah well

No other news - hope you are all having lovely weekends and I'll talk to
you all soon

P.S. Did you hear that Stephen Gately died in his sleep last night - was never a boyzone fan but they are so well known over here - it's all a bit shocking cos he was so young.

Hi lovelies. Well the bloom is over i think - sooo tired this week and
Head full of the unpleasant anxious hormones. bleurgh. however the little one has started t react to noise and when i asked it to say hi to mummy i swear i got a high five back.

blue - so sorry you have been getting bad heartburn. that must be horrendous. i really hope i don't get it back. i had it with the puking and it hurts like hell!

Head and wasabs - can't imagigne how tiring it is moving and having a toddler and working - no wonder you're not feeling the bloom. really hope it all goes well. once it's done it's done eh? xx ok got to dash again but also want to say hi to issy who has also got a girl flavour i seee! congrats to you xxxx hope you're well

hi to everyone else

Hi Guys,

Just sitting at my desk munching on an Aero and having my lunch cuppa...

Wanted to wish wasabi and Head all the best with your respective moves and hope the stress levels are kept at bay .

wasabi - My DS's room has bright red curtains! He has a red/white/blue theme but don't know how long I can get away with it as his favourite colour is green (ugh!) .

Nothing much to report my end other than I'm wishing the weeks away now but trying to savour my bump too IYKWIM.

Issy - come back and update us girlie!

Love and waves to all xx

Yay – lots of people are back!

Jumping Sooo glad that all is well for the time being. Taking it easy sounds like a good idea which is of course, a lot easier said than done when you already have 2 DC’s! We’ll keep sending you good, low BP vibes and hope that little bambino can stay put for a good few weeks more.

Sunny Good to know that you have your scan booked but that you sound pretty positive too. A lot of people start experiencing reduced sickness at around the 10 week mark so that would certainly be within the “normal” range. Working to distract yourself sounds like a pretty sensible approach to me. Not long to wait now.

Blue Sorry to see that you had a bit of a scare but also very relieved that all is well! It’s so cool that you are only 8 weeks off finishing work (well, paid work anyway ) and that your nesting continues apace. Fingers crossed that your prediction is right and that the pregnancy gods won’t keep you waiting for too long! I am planning on getting the old birth ball out as soon as we are settled in the new house. Am also doing my pelvic floors religiously – apparently it ups the odds of a successful VBAC (or indeed any birth) because you can push the baby out more efficiently. So, I am squeezing away!

Irish Hello again! You’ve been very busy you social butterfly you! Spa weekend and Edinburgh trip sound fab. Sorry to hear you are unhappy with work – it does sound pretty manic for you at times. What is it that you d exactly? I have an idea it is something technical but not quite sure what. I wish you every success with this months ttcing – sex everyday sounds like a jolly good plan!

Head Good to hear you are all on schedule although I am sure you could have done without your bank fraud people bouncing your transaction! We exchanged yesterday (finally) and have a similar plan to you – we are packing Thursday, moving out Friday, going to my parents, having the Saturday and Sunday to clean and maybe do a spot of painting and then having our stuff delivered on Monday. DS is going to stay with his grandparents until Weds so we have plenty of time to concentrate on getting his room all nice and cosy so he (hopefully) settles well into the new place.

Actually DH and I are sort of in agreement on decorating – we both like colour luckily! I have ordered a Farrow & Ball catalogue which has frightened him slightly but I think I can sell him the concept of more pricey paint (which is, apparently, really worth it) in certain rooms provided we go with a more robust Dulux job in the halls and landing which, lets face it, will see a lot more action. I am tending towards a more neutral wall in DS’s room but with bright red curtains, lovely bright rug (both of which he already has), darker wood furniture and a possible cowboy type theme
Best of luck with it all – I am looking forward to seeing updates! I hope your DD is co operative when you decorate and doesn’t cause you too much discomfort! Being kicked in the cervix is really quite unpleasant isn’t it?

Rip We haven’t spoken before as I think I joined this thread after you left but hello! It’s jolly nice to meet you. So you are due 30th November? Are you all organised/ready? Feeling good? I hope so.

Sif Great to hear from you – really glad all is well and that you are enjoying your second trimester. After all you had to endure in the first few months I think some good pregnancy karma was definitely due your way! Good luck with the hypnobirthing. I am planning on doing a course too as hypnotherapy helped me a lot when trying to come to terms with the mc and trying again. A friend of mine who did hypnobirthing (and practiced her affirmations religiously) had a great birth with number 1, no intervention, no pain relief needed and only a very minor tear. She did it again with number 2 and, some may remember me posting about this, had a birth at home and all of a 2 hour labour, not so much as a scratch. No guarantees in life but hypnobirthing does seem to be getting some pretty good results. Best of luck!

Big helllooooooo to Bubble and Girl too. Sending loads of babydust your way.
I’m not going to be around now for a week or two so a big, slightly embarrassing and very unmumsnetty hug to everyone and I look forward to seeing you all soon x

ooh then there's one update I can do pretty quickly but we don't know what we're having yet.

Sorry to see that some of us are still TTC. I'll read through to catch up on where everyone is at.

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???.
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD 30/11/09.
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09. Blue predicts girl
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl
HeadFairy BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09. Blue predicts boy, scan says GIRL
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl, scan says GIRL
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10. Blue predicts boy
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10. Blue predicts girl
Sunnydale TTC#2 BFP ??/8/09 EDD ??/4/10

Hey there Rip . In honour of your return I've dug out our stats list:

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???.
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD ??.
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09. Blue predicts girl
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl
HeadFairy BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09. Blue predicts boy, scan says GIRL
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl, scan says GIRL
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10. Blue predicts boy
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10. Blue predicts girl
Sunnydale TTC#2 BFP ??/8/09 EDD ??/4/10

OMG this is where everyone went. I didn't know this thread existed - it just popped up in active convos.

This is me - I'm an Issy's girl!!!

I've got so much to catch up on so I'll try to read through and post a proper catch up tomorrow.

*big waves to everyone*

The girls are back in town

Irish and Sif - lovely to hear from you - its been simply too long dahlings . Sif - I still have you down as having a boy according to my back of a fag packet mystical musings and maybe your DP is just throwing you off the scent . Fabulous to hear you're blooming and still have the energy to apply St. Tropez - I salute you!

Irish - you have had a lovely busy few weeks and hope all the fun has had a great get knocked up effect on your body! Careful the babydust doesn't start to leak and float about a la talcum powder .

Head - I am lucky re: mornings. DS has known for a long time that its his Daddy that gets him up at the weekend (although he does snuggle in beside us for a good hour before they both go downstairs and I go back to zzzzz). Really hope everything goes well this weekend and you can get nesting in your new abode! Have you had your 28-week check up yet? Where are your kicks this week? Still low down?

Jumping - hope that BP of yours is still behaving itself...

wasabi - how is your move going?

Sunny - hope your 15-hour days aren't too gruelling...

Issy - what's the latest on the purchase front with you? How was the Lakes? Get back here!

I've just calculated that I only have eight weeks to work, which on my three day week minus some hols mean I only have 21 days left before mat leave . Of course baby might come early and above goes out the window but it is getting nearer... I'm starting to think I will go early just with baby being big for dates and head down and my Brixton Hicks (for some reason I think of Ghost Town by The Specials when I think of them now) so am going to start bouncing on ball in a few weeks to try and prepare 'doonstairs' for birth and try and get that VBAC I long for...

I do feel like I've been ttc and pg for a million years!

Hello all, it's time for me to guiltily poke my head around the door too

So great to hear from you Sif, I'm very of your blooming.. I just look tired all the time! I am indeed having a girl, how exciting that you might be too... girls names are definitely easier than boys names I think. So many pretty ones out there.

I have load of friends who've done hypnobirthing and swear by it. For some reason it's very popular in Jersey (where dh is from) so they all do it over there. I hope you get your lovely water birth.

Great to hear from you too Irish. Your spa weekend sounds bliss! Just my kind of break. And I love Edinburgh, I've only been a couple of times and one of those was during Festival so pretty hectic, but I'd love to go back. You sound very chilled about the bding and that's great to hear... I hope that means that your time is very soon. Good luck for this month!

Blue I'm very of your lie ins.... I don't know why, but I assumed that being at my mum and dad's would mean lots of lie ins for me, but so far not one Oh well, ds has got such a set of lungs on him, that he could be at the bottom of the garden shouting "muuuuuuummmmmeeeeeeeeee" and I'd wake up, so it's not surprising. He's not the quietest little angel in the mornings Glad your floor looks good... how lovely to be able to do some major nesting...

Sunny oooooh pleeeeeaaaaaase come to the meet up!!!!!! We can meet beforehand and both wear masks! Oh pretty pleeeeeeaaaaaase!

So glad you've got your scan booked now... it's really hard to not brick it. I've only made it to two 12 week scans but each time I've been convinced there's been something wrong, and spent all morning with terrible butterflies, only to be proven wrong. The relief is so wonderful though!

Jumping - talking of relief, how fantastic your bp listened to us all and started to behave a bit more I hope it continues! It must be such a weight off your mind. I have a friend who's had PE with all four of her pregnancies, the last one ended in cs at 35 weeks, only her first was a naturally started labour, the others were horrible inductions. It's awful, but really you're not a terrible mother. It's one of those things, we're so lucky that today it does mean we can have more children and know that with all the monitoring we have, the docs can react fast when it looks like things are going south. Thanks so much for posting on my other thread about my puffy legs by the way... I'm seeing the mw on wednesday so I'll ask her then if it's worth another look.

wasabi wey hey, we're going to be completing on the same day!! We finally managed to exchange yesterday, but not without it's excitements. I made an online transaction to pay the deposit, but the online fraud people pinged it back.... 6 days later so I'd been all smug thinking I'd sorted everything, but then had a panicky call from our solicitor yesterday saying "your deposit's gone from our bank account, we can't exchange without it, the whole thing's going to fall apart!!" Cue frantic dash by me across London to get to my bank branch to do a CHAPS same day transfer thingy before 2.30pm to keep the whole thing going. Made it with ten mins to spare! So we are exchanged, and completing this Friday!

Are you and your dh arguing over the decorating as much as my dh and I are? We have very different styles... he wants all his pictures of sportsmen all over the place and I'm like WTF?? This is not a bar! No sportsmen! Now we're arguing over the colour of ds's room... (he wants blue because he has so little imagination that he thinks all boys rooms should be blue and I want nice sunny yellow) My mum's an interior designer so I'm slightly winning the battle, but it's going to be ugly!!!

Anyway, I hope your move goes well. We won't actually move in on the 9th, we're going to get all our stuff delivered from storage on teh 10th, and then take the next week to decorate and unpack, so you'll definitely be in before us.

No other news from me, although unlike Blue I think my dd is still either ceph or transverse as all my kicks are low low low down or waaaay out to the side. My poor left ovary took a real battering for a couple of weeks, thankfully she's taken to kicking my cervix for a bit. I say thankfully, I could do without that too. As ds was breech, I don't know what it feels like to be kicked in the ribs, however, I am far too familiar with the sensation of being kicked in my nether regions!

Anyway, I'm of to my wee bed now... got my sister's girls coming round tomorrow as it's my nieces birthday. Plus my grandmother's coming round, the first time since she had her stroke and the first time since she left hospital, so that should be interesting. It's always really noisy when the girls are here, with ds, the dog chasing the cats, the children chasing the dog and everyone yelling. And I can't even get drunk!

Have a good (remaining bit of) your weekend everyone xxx

Joins the front of guilty queue!!!
HI GIRLIES!!!!!
Soo soo sorry i have been away for such a long time. Work have given up trying to get me back on and also have been busier in the evenings since as much as I hated the first trimester i have loved this one. Have felt great, have huge bazoongas for the first time in my life, a proper bump and good skin. Have also been told i am blooming tho haven't fessed up to the added assistance of the old st tropez everyday. Anyway have just found DP's laptop and thought i would steal a couple of minutes to hi to you all.

So from what i can gather HF is having a pink flavoured bambina, a fragolina, but no one else has found out?

I haven't either though am now suspecting a girl too. At the scan DP suddenly decided he did want to know and cheekily found out from the sonographer while i went for a pee. He seems to be focussing much more on girl's names. hmmmmm. anyway am determined NOT to find out so have in fact stopped discussing names. Not that I have any anyway since all my original ones were treated by such disdain by family i've gone off them.

Sunny humoungous congrats to you. I will read through the thread beyond the first page when i have a chance and even check up when this london meet is.

ooo my other baby news is that i am going to get hypnotised to help me through labour. Again most people i have told think it's a hilarious way to waste money but I would love to try for a water birth and can't imagine coping with a painkiller free birth without some kind of jiggery pokery, but we'll see. It will prob end up being a 35 hour followec by emergency c section like most of my friends.

lots of love to you all beautiful blooming ladies and those who are on the BDathons
oo on that note have been hearing lots of lovely stories recently about friends who have had struggles on the TTC front and have now hit the 12 week mark, It's totally lovely.
God i have turned to a serious gaylord. everything is beaudiful and heartwarming to me these days

peace out dudes xx

OK, so that took a little shorter than I thought. So now for the longest post I think I'll ever write on MN.

So starting off with ....

Blue sounds like you have been to lots of weddings - I love weddings lucky you. Thanks for the special delivery of babydust - am keeping it in the press for this month. Loved the "Brixton Hicks" - hope they aren't troubling you too much recently. Have you thought of any boy names yet? I hope the anxiety from your last appointment has eased off a little. So jealous of your new floors - I have to strip, sand and varnish mine.

Head hope the house move is still on track - did I imagine that you might be moving this weekend? Hope it all goes well for you when it does happen. I am also a fan of the mojito - yummmy. Now, on the subject of the Christmas meet - it's actually the weekend after DH's exams and he has bought us tickets for the Arctic Monkeys in Dublin so it's not good for me. I would love to meet you all some time though - it'd be very interesting to put faces to names. On another matter - hope your DH is getting through his physio ok.

Sunny I hope all of the travel isn't getting to you. So glad that your scan went well and Sunnybean is growing well. I'm sending you lots of positive vibes to get you to that 12 week scan.

wasabi glad to hear babypeanut is getting on well andbehaving for scans. Glad to hear you have a completion date now and that you will hopefully have less stress from now on.

Jumping I'm so glad to hear that you got your PhD thesis in - well done you. Sorry to hear about your DD being unwell. I really hope your BP behaves itself from now on and that you get to a stage where you can't wait to get that LO out. {smile}

Issy your scan pics are absolutely brilliant. I hope you had a wonderfully restful time in the Lakes - we went to Windermere with a friend a few years and it was absolutely fabulous. We stayed in a cottage in the middle of nowhere and the DVDs that they had for us to choose from were "The Blair Witch projec", "Nightmare on Elm Street", and various other horror type films.Are you watching Strictly come Dancing - I love it - my friend and I are going to the show in Belfast after Christmas.

girl, Sif*,*Suzi, Bubble I hope you are all lurking and you'll come back to us soon. (I realise I'm the pot calling the kettle black )

Anyway on to me, well as I said before I had my visit but have gone on again. I've also been to the doctor and she was lovely - she's said if nothing happens in the next few months we will look into what happens next.

Since I was here last I've been on a spa break midweek with one of my friends, where we did nothing for 3 days but laze around a hotel and had facials and manicures. We then went to the west of Ireland for a surfing weekend with our extended group of friends. It was brilliant fun and we had great time. Poor DH wiped out twice though and really hurt his back so we went home early on the Sunday. He's grand now though.

Last weekend I was in Edinburgh with my work girls - again a brilliant weekend.We obviously had to celebrate Arthur's day aand it just went on from there. AF had arrived at that stage so I was free to have a G&T or 5.

We all got on really well, I think because no one had to do anything - we all did our own thing during the day and had a brilliant few nights out.

DH was at Oktoberfest last weekend as well and he was so unwell for a few days after. I don't think he'll be back there anytime soon.

No other news, I'm around CD13 - and have since hte MC gotten a 29 day cycle - forgot to get some OPKs but we're just BDing every day.

Anyway better go, DH on his way home from work, poor guy, so I've got his dinner to get ready.

I promise to be around a bit more from now on - really not happy with work so might just try and see if there is anything else out there for me.

Talk to you all soon

<Joins Issy in the guilty head poking> So sorry I haven't checked in in ages - I'm now going to sit here and read through the thread for about an hour to catch up and then will post all my news.

Oh just in case you are all getting excited - the news is that we are back to the military regime - BD is the name of the game.

Anyway I'l go and find out what you've all been doing and will write more then.

<pokes head guiltily round door> Been back a week but not had time to catch up with the thread, will post soon I promise .

Hi guys!

Jumping - so glad to hear yor BP is still behaving. Really hope you can get a few more weeks and take all the help you can get .

Sunny - some lucky Mum's do start to feel better @ 10 weeks, so fingers crossed you're one of them! I know its nerve wracking waiting for the 12-weeks scan, my nerves are still recovering! BUT you will be fine, just believe OK?!

I'm just up but <bliss>. DH and DS let me lie in both mornings and DS now goes to a wee footie class on a Sat. morning so precious silent golden time for Blue .

Baby is kicking away here, head must still be down as I can feel his/her feet up near my ribs .

New wooden flooring is down in hall and looks v. classy. Just the wallpapering to do and we're all set .

Better go and have my shower, later ladies!

Hello lovely ladies

Sorry not to post for a while. Had to jump on quickly now to say yay to Jumping for the good BP news - my stomach lurched back there - so glad it is back to being okay and as you suspected, sounds like it was caused by tiredness and stress. Poor you with a poorly DD - how is she now? Better, I hope. Nightmare with your DH being away. Bless them and all, but sometimes their ability to keep going out and drinking beer (grr) when we are laid up can be a little trying! I hope you are feeling calmer now. And you are not crap at pregnancy! Never think that!

Wasabi very best of luck with your house completion date. You must be all over the place what with moving and worrying. Deep breaths! I do find the Cath Kidston catalogue v relaxing to look at. All that chintz. All those polkadots and distressed chairs. Imagine having that life! Alas, I only have the tablecloth and a couple of bowls...

Blue glad you are nesting - sounds lovely. There's nothing like a new sofa! I'd love one but we are not only skint but massively overdrawn, so that's out for the moment. I looked at our joint bank statement last night and nearly had a heart attack. I'm ok for money, but my DH is really screwed on account of being a penniless writer. Not that I'm rolling in it - I just have a regular job, so at least I know what my monthly salary is, whereas he never knows. Am trying not to think about it for now. But you can tell I'm thinking about it or I wouldn't have posted about it. Anyway, moving on...

Head hope your house move is going ahead ok too. If you are at a similar stage to Wasabi then deep breaths, lady. I am mulling over the Mumsnet meet but (don't laugh) am really worried someone there might "out" me as Sunnydale, which really cannot happen. I don't mean any of you, as you are lovely and I'd love to meet you. It's just that such a massive gathering is bound to include someone I don't want to see in that context. Or am I being pregnant and paranoid? Probably! I guess I could go and not be Sunnydale. But then how would you know I was me? Oh dear, I'm confusing myself now

I booked my 12w scan at the Fetal Med Centre - Friday 16th October, 10am. Crapping it! This morning I have no pg symptoms at all, but there is no way I'm having another scan until then. I have read over all your words about symptoms coming and going, and am trying to think that this is just a "quiet" day. I'm 10w today - would it be normal to start feeling slightly less tired and sick? I hope so, because I've got to do another work trip on Sunday that will involve 15 hour days, prettymuch. Tbh I'm hoping all the hard work will help keep my mind off things, as I become a wreck whenever I have time to think about what might go wrong. Will still be posting from where I am.

Hello to everyone else - Issy, you must be back soon. I hope you had a fab time and would love some lakes tips. Lots of love to you all and may wherever you're at be running smoothly

Hellooooo! I'm back!
Thankfully BP listened to all the good BP-lowering vibes and after a few attempts the registrar managed to get a diastolic below 90 (84), had a quick scan and baby is still growing fine (in fact their estimated fetal weight is slightly above what DS was when he was born at this gestation), although fluid level is slightly on the low side. Registrar didn't seem overly concerned as no protein in urine etc., so sent me home!

Spoke to community midwife to arrange a BP check for next week and she's not so happy that I didn't actually see my consultant- but she's away until next week so will have to trust in the registrar's opinion, but my midwife wants me to call the consultant next week just so she's aware of what has been going on... I'm due back down to the hospital anyhow on 15th...so just praying all stays good until then. I am a bit nervous as it seems BP is trending a wee bit upwards, and the fact it took a few attempts before they got a diastolic reading of below 94 also makes me a bit nervous, but trying to stay positive and trust in how I feel etc. Anyhow am back at work (so on MN!!) and trying to take things easy ...I hate asking for help but so lucky my MIL is a star and stayed up yesterday to help me make tea for the kids and sort laundry, newborn baby clothes etc., and took DS to school today so I only had the creche run to do. As she said if the baby came really early again it impacts on the whole family, so she wants to help in any way she can to get me through next few weeks. I really am so grateful to her. Think my poor Mum feels so powerless over in England...it's hard on her all the worrying I put her through from such a distance.

Anyhow enough rambling... Blue so sorry to hear you had such a scare- but so relieved they really checked everything over so well and LO is fine. Great to get an extra scan in a way, and good that your measurements are on the bigger rather than smaller size I reckon! Hope you can relax again.

Hope everyone else is keeping well, it is very quiet on here! Especially wondering how our TTC ladies are doing- Irish, Girl & Bubble? Also really hope no news is good news from Sunny...the weeks are passing slowly but surely til that 12 week mark...

Hi wasabi - been outdoors all afternoon - catching the last of the sun . My Braxton Hicks have settled down. They just feel like my tummy is getting tight and fit to burst then it goes away . Hope your house move goes a-ok and your in your snug soon .

Think Issy's still away and Head can only really post when she is at work. But yes, where is everyone else???!! Sunny how are you?

I had an eventful afternoon yesterday, had my 28-week midwife appointment and all well other than heartbeat sounded a bit irregular on doppler. Midwife sent me to Stirling for trace (you can imagine my nerves on that 20min drive) and I sat with fetal monitor for good 10 mins. Lovely Consultant came and immediately said everything was fine and normal and babies heartbeats can be all over the place as they are still maturing (cue tears of relief from me). Just to make sure they scanned me too to look at heart and surrounding area and all fine too. Baby is already @ 3lbs and still slightly bigger than my dates. My bump is measuring 31 weeks but that's probably down to sweetie consumption .

My anxiety levels are back up a notch but feeling better today as had nice relaxing day with DS and sniffing my new leather couch .

Helloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Where is everybody?

<wasabi sulks until someone posts>

Oh shitbags Jumping am really hoping this is a one off blip due to all the stress round your DD being poorly.

<sending chilled low BP vibes your way>

and PS you are not crap at pregnancy.

xx

Oh Jumping - really hope this is just a blip after your stressful week - your poor DD and poor you!!! Don't you beat yourself up about it being your third pregnancy either, our bodies are out of our control, just remember you've gotten this far and will hopefully get a few more weeks.

We're all rooting for you x

Quick post as may be disappearing for a wee while... BP hit threshold yesterday- 135/90 . Not massively high but the diastolic is cause for concern with my history. Midwife took it 3 times to be sure, then called the hospital where they've made me an appointment with my consultant for tomorrow morning. I'm still hoping that yesterday was just a blip, have had a hard few days as DD had possible swine flu- didn't get tamiflu in time but she was very miserable and running high temps for 4 days- highest hit 39.2 which really had me scared. Typical as it was the weekend when DH was away at friend's stag do! I naively thought she "just" has an ear infection- which she did- and called the out of hrs doc on Sunday and he just switched her antibiotic without seeing her. Monday she was still bad and as the temps had started Sat morn it seemed a bit strange it was still ongoing. But it could have been any number of viruses to be honest....the CF nurse said as long as she improved yesterday and her breathing was ok just to all stay home.... OK am waffling. But I reckon the lack of sleep etc. with DD being poorly should explain my rise in BP, and am hoping tomorrow all will be fine...fingers crossed. Just hate the coincidence that I'm just a few days off the gestation DS had to be delivered at due to PE...makes me stupidly nervous. I am just so crap at pregnancies, worried I've pushed my luck too far by having a 3rd attempt

Glad to read you finally have a completion date wasabi- keeping everything crossed it does happen then!
Blue your redecorating etc. sounds fab! We still have lots to do on our house but have to wait a while as completely out of cash, DH is adamant we don't use credit cards (we don't have any) or overdrafts (wisely) so just have to save for a while! Hope you enjoy the nesting xx

Lots to you all, hopefully will be back posting soon xxx

Ooooh hello everyone,

Ok, I have officially been rubbish and not
posted for ages. <wasabi slaps wrist> Just been treating myself to a catch up.

Sunny I am so, so happy for you that your little bean is growing happily! .Only just over 2 weeks to go until that 12 week scan now. I remember my utter joy and relief when I had a scan at 7 and then 10 weeks as I was ultra paranoid. It seems ages ago now which just goes to show how you can slowly start to relax. As Blue says I was a nervous wreck between that 6-8 week mark and I haven’t suffered the pain of more than one mc. I will never relax completely (for instance I still knicker check every time I go to the loo!) but it does feel easier now when I can feel Peanut wriggling around. One day at a time as a really naff song somewhere says! <huge hugs> As Blue also says, try and believe that it’s your time to be happy. And Spring time is a beautiful time to have a baby.

Head Hello there fellow victim of house moving horror. You have seriously been through the mill. We are now looking to exchange on the 5th Oct and complete on the 9th! Fingers crossed you will complete before us! Given that your transaction has been going on since March I think it’s fair that you go first! Ours looks like it’s all on – we just have to wait for the tenants at the top of our chain to move out this weekend and then the owner and the rest of us will exchange on Monday. Hopefully. If not we are homeless <oh shit emoticon> I
I would LOVE to meet you all sometime soon but that London meet up is on DH’s birthday weekend. I think I might get shot if I tell him I am going. He already thinks I spend too long on MN as it is! It would be fab to meet though.

Also hoping your DH continues mending well. I am a rubbish nurse too.

Jumping How are you doing lovely? I hope that BP is behaving itself still and that your DD has settled a little. You sound like you have so much on your plate. What it is to be a woman eh? When do you get feedback on your PHD?

Blue We sound like we have scarily similar taste – as I type the Cath Kidston catalogue sits on out coffee table calling out to me! Am loving your tales of nesting – I still have my single gal sofa as well although ours is carrying on a bit longer yet! We just have to buy more nice blankets and throws to cover up the jam and biro marks. I am definitely more shabby chic these days – just as well really given DS’s capacity for mess making. We will be treating ourselves to a nice new one for the room in the new house we are calling the snug – office/adult room only! We will have the existing one in the family room! I am so excited – I just want to move so I can get cracking on what will be our family home. I am NEVER moving again.

How are the Braxton Hicks? I think I get them sometimes but am never sure. My bump goes very tight occasionally but there doesn’t seem to be any pattern to them. Doesn’t hurt but it can feel a bit uncomfy?

Lots of love to all. <wasabi waves hello to Sif, Irish, Bubble and Girl> Are you all still out there?

Head I would be up for Xmas meet up if you chartered a private jet and flew me down .

Got my mat leave signed off on Friday . Fingers crossed, wind in the right direction I finish up on Friday 4th December and go back to the same three days per week from Monday 5th July 2010. God I hope I've not tempted an early labour by writing that down !

We're in full nesting mode at home . New living room couch being delivered tomorrow (tan leather from M&S - gorgeous)which finally replaces my old single-girl-flat IKEA one of yore. New flooring in hall being laid on Wed. Playroom being revamped tonight to accomodate IKEA couch, hall/stairs/upper landing being wallpapered next month. Kitchen repainted with new shelves and Cath Kidston accesories. Just the nursery to be potentially changed to remove blue border and replace with pink one depending on flavour . We are officially skint and I've saved no money this time around but needs must!

What's everyone's news?? Irish and Girl - did AF rear her ugly head??

Yipeeeeee! That's brilliant news sunny I've still got my scan photos from 8 weeks and dd was still very much a blob, albeit one with leg and arm buds... those leg and arm buds are now kicking me in my ovaries (ouch!) Won't be long now before you're just as battered

I hope the next three weeks fly by and that you are able to relax a bit in the meantime! And a perfect way to do that is to plan to come to the London Christmas meetup (see I haven't forgotten, I'm going to nag nag nag!)

So so pleased to read your news Sunny!
DS was an April baby (though due at the end of June...!) and to be honest it is a very lovely time of year to have him, all the night wakenings were somehow more bearable with the nights shortening and spring in the air. Watched some very lovely sunrises!
Will definitely keep you and sunnybean in our thoughts to help you through the next 3 weeks....now try to relax!!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Sunny

Just knew it would be OK, its your turn for happiness and don't forget it OK? April/May is a lovely time of year to be having a baby...unlike deepest darkest winter .

Right, on with some work - grrr.

grin]
(smiley emoticon just so you know that good news is coming)
Hello again, sorry not to post sooner. All was fine at the scan! Hurrah and double-hurrah for Sunnybean! Man, I was so so so nervous and scared I don't even know how I got through it. Why do I always think the worst? I suppose I was just trying to prepare myself for it...
...Anyway the bean is 22mm long, heartbeat 175bmp, I'm 9w tomorrow and my due date is April 30th! Oh, such happy statistics to type!
They gave me a pic of the 3D scan but tbh it doesn't look much like a baby yet. Apparently it has two arms and two legs, so that's a start . Everything was normal insofar as could be told at this gestation.
So now it's just lots of deep breaths until the 12w scan. 3 weeks to go! Much hand-holding needed, and thank you again for all the hand-holding thus far. Hello to everyone - it was lovely and hot today and I hope it was where you are, too.

Good luck sunny, I hope all goes well xx

Thinking of you Sunny, really hoping for good news. Won't be able to check online now until tomorrow but you'll be in my thoughts xx

Hello all - just a quick one to say thank you so much for your kind words - I'm off to the scan in 15 mins, and absolutely cacking it. Prepared for the worst. Just wanted to say that your positive vibes and words got me through last night, they really did. Will let you know results as soon as I can, which may be hours mind you, but anyway. Thanks again xxx

PS. Head would love to come to the London meet- but that week is when I'll be 38wks pregnant!! So probably LO will have arrived , fingers crossed. It's weird as am now in the needing a letter from doctor to fly territory (which I'd never get, given my history) so am effectively stranded in Ireland, apart from my parents, siblings etc... could get on ferry I guess... Luckily they're all coming to visit at end of Oct

Just wanted to wish Sunny lots of good luck for your scan today- will be checking as often as possible for any news- am mentally holding your hand xx FWIW my early pregnancy symptoms were all over the place- often I'd not even know I was, and even the tender boobs would stop being tender for a few days. Also each pregnancy has been very different on this front, but it's so hard not to become obsessed. I really hope all is well at the scan and you can relax a little, and as Blue said try to just trust your body- much easier said than done of course.

Head I'm with you on the thread veins! In some ways I'm lucky that I don't seem to get stretch marks, but I seem to have easily broken veins, and am not sure I'd want anyone to see my legs bare as they stand! I'm really naive- what can be done for thread veins? My mum's are awful, so it's obviously genetic (and weight related)!!
Really hope the move in date of 2 Oct stands, it's so hard waiting again and again.

Blue hope the braxton hicks aren't unsettling you too much. I've had a few recently too, and they feel so strange- often I get them when rushing about, e.g. walking fast, which makes me worry a bit that they're a sign to slow down, but I know ythey are not really related to actual contractions that would start labour... We think we have some names, but beginning to doubt them already as the no.1 boys name is shared by an ex-colleague who was a bit of a d*ckhead. It's just so hard! Trying to find something that is not so unusual as to be strange or hard for the kid in school, but something where there won't be 3 in the same class and means something to us...

easabi really hope you can kick the higher chain holders-up into gear, it is so stressful. Nothing worse than sitting in limbo when so much rides on it. Will keep fingers crossed it all starts moving again.

All ok here, DD still not sleeping well so had a very tired i.e. grumpy day yesterday (DD and me!), really made me feel like I was the worst parent, she was just such hard work. Have to keep reminding myself she is only 2. Today so far has been better, and she slept better last night- work up at 6.45am instead of 5.30!! I do worry how on earth at times I'll cope once baby arrives...
Finding it hard to have much energy past 8pm at mo, can barely manage to tidy up and make lunches for next day... It's a bit tough as had promised to do some consultancy work in the eves and we really need the cash, but I honestly haven't got it in me at the mo. Going to try getting on with some tonight...

Another hello to Bubble & Sif, really hope you are ok

Any AF news Girl and Irish? Thinking of you both xxx

Hi everyone...

sunny welcome home. Glad you had a good time in NYC. Sorry you're fretting more now you're home. To echo Blue, what you're feeling is totally normal... as is a mixture of symptoms in the early weeks, ie sometimes they're there, sometimes not. I was so convinced I was going to have another mc, I completely forgot I was pg, just put it to the back of my mind to wait for the inevitable. Quite a few times I almost indulged in non pg type behaviour, accepting that third glass of champers at a wedding and tucking in to the pate with gusto, until I remembered, that's how fleeting my symptoms were at times!

I hope all goes well for your scan tomorrow, I'm sure it will...

Blue - I did chuckle at Brixton Hicks... sorry, it's just that I've lived down the road from Brixton for years. I was wondering if Brixton Hicks give you a kicking and steal your wallet afterwards

Glad to hear you're blooming, I'm loving my pregnancy skin, but you're right about what goes on under the clothes... I have thousands of thread veins appearing daily on my legs. I look like someone's been doodling with a biro! Time to get them blasted when dd has made her appearance!

I do have a couple of girls names in mind, but I'm going to be very irritating and keep them to myself because I'd hate to have loads of people tell me a name I love is horrible. It's odd how they do that if you're mulling over names, but then when you say your dd/ds is born and called XYZ no one says "ew what a horrible name!" We did the same with ds, and I'm glad I did because the name we chose has come under quite a bit of fire on here. Mostly people think it's a bit pretentious, but we are at least partly the nationality of the name.... I'm thinking of going for a name from the same country for dd, so at least they'll both have Italian names.

wasabi - glad to hear you're little spaceman was looking good at your scan But how annoying are your house move woes? Why on earth can it never be simple. I hope you've managed to give everyone further up the chain a kick up the bum. I know we've had to jump through hoops to keep our move on track. We currently have a completion date of 2nd Oct, however the agent has warned it may not be until the 9th as there are still three vital documents somewhere in the post, probably lost due to the strikes, so will have to be resent! Argh!!! I can't believe we put our flat on the market in January, accepted an offer in March, and still won't be in our new place until nearly Mid Oct!!!

On a lighter note... have you seen this thread? For that matter, anyone else who's in the South (or even beyond, I know there are some people coming from Wales!!!) We should all get together to meet face to face and laugh at my thread veins compare bumps I know Sif is somewhere down here if she's still around... Issy you're not too far away <cheeky wink>, bubble - Hertfordshire is practically London , for that matter, there's no reason why Irish and jumping, you guys can't come over too Come on!!! I really need some friends want to meet you all! Oh pleeeeeaaaaase <whines> <stamps foot> <generally acts like a toddler with a headache> I'll even buy the lemonades

Irish I hope you get your internet back on soon, look forward to hearing all your news!

Jumping I hope your dd is better and you're getting some sleep... great news about the growth scan and the blood pressure results. I'm keeping everything crossed for you for the next few weeks.. it'll be so fab if you can get to 38 weeks!

Not much news from me... I'm obssessed about moving dates. Dh has had his first post operative physio appointment today, and for the first time in 6 weeks will be putting his right foot on the floor and trying to put some weight on it. I'm really frustrated that I'm stuck at work until 11.30pm, cos I really want to see him attempting to walk. I've been running around after him for 6 weeks so I've got a vested interest in him getting moving quickly I'd be a terrible nurse, I'm so mean!!!

I hope everyone else is well, we've got quite a few MIAs..... Bubble girl suzi et al... I hope you're all well.

xx

Sunny - welcome home . What you're feeling is entirely normal and a sad fact of any pg post mc especially for those of us who have had more than one.

I was exactly the same, almost wishing another mc so my state of uncertainty would be over . By 9 weeks I'd had three scans (remember I bled every day for 5 weeks..)and only after my hypnotherapy session the day after third scan did I try and obtain a positive mental attitude. I took the day off work, lay on my bed and tried to connect to my baby.

As for symptoms, they vary SO much. I didn't have sore boobs but had outrageous morning sickness instead. Colleague at work had nothing, not a craving, nauseous moment, sore boobs, nothing and has just given birth to a bouncing baby boy.

Its bloody hard, and even now at 26 weeks I don't take anything for granted, not for a second but we have to have faith that its our turn for happiness so hang in there. The fact you've not bled or had cramps is such a good sign...

<waves> to everyone else x

Hello everyone

Hope all is well. Girl, how are you getting on? Post soon! No, don't if you don't feel like it. But I hope no news is good news, and that if AF did come, you don't feel too down. Thinking of you.

Issy, hope you are having a lovely time in the lakes. Which part are you in? I went years and years ago when I was 18, but would love to go back again. Maybe being away from the internet is a good thing. It's v relaxing to step away from the computer some of the time. I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel I'm on it too much.

Blue, hope your tummy is not too uncomfortable. I've never had Braxton Hicks but the name has always amused me. Don't be scared, though. Although I'm sure they must feel mighty strange. Can you share your name thoughts, or would you prefer to keep them close just now? I find boys' names so much harder than girls'.

Wasabi so glad your scan went well. How many weeks are you now? Great that you are feeling movements. No doubt you have another wedding to go to this weekend?!?! Or maybe you have a weekend off? So sorry to hear about your house hassles - there is nothing more stressful than house buying, I remember. I really hope this pulls through for you, as it's the last thing you need on your mind at this time.

Irish lovely to hear from you, but sorry you are snowed under at work. Looking forward to hearing your news (esp since AF was due last time you posted!) when you have more time to tell us. I hope she stayed away

Head hope your aches and pains aren't too bad - how's things with the house situ? All good I hope. Still haven't got round to making any of your delicious juices... maybe that can be a project for the weekend.

I've been back from New York for nearly a week now, and am feeling much more paranoid here than I did there. Not sure if it was because the jet lag was making me feel more ill, and therefore more pg, but I've had so few symptoms since yesterday that I am now really paranoid something has gone wrong. Is it normal to feel pg one day, and not pg the next? I can't remember. I am so trying hard not to stress and obsess, but it is very difficult. I just don't trust my poor body any more. I keep prodding my boobs (still tender, though again not as tender as last week) but the dumbest thing I do is suck in my tummy, in a bid to feel some resistance. And I keep thinking: shouldn't there be a bump by now? Why does it look so flat? I've booked myself in for a scan tomorrow, as I should be about 9w and I figure that's halfway between the last scan at 6w and the next, hideously terrifying one at 12w. I've had no bleeding and no cramps, but this doesn't console me at all as I've read all about missed miscarriages. What cruel things they are. Am preparing myself for the worst. Not sure how I'll cope though. Have decided to give up after this, as it'll be the third one that has gone wrong and I can't handle any more sadness. Listen to me! I know I'm not being fair on the bean, projecting ahead like this. But much as I'm keeping it together in RL, I guess I need to vent on MN and share my worries. Sorry, everyone. I know you will all understand, and I don't think anyone in RL would - even my DH.

Hello to Jumping, Bubble and the elusive Sif (waves) - really hope all is well with you all xxx

Evening All <small curtsey>

Wasabi - so lovely to hear your scan went well, I remembe ronly too well how anxious you were in the early 5-8 weeks stage and look at you now . Agree we won't fully exhale until lo are in our arms. So you didn't find out the flavour eh? Still thinking a girl for you so only 20 weeks til my theory is proven correct-- shot down in flames [winkj. Yoiur house sale sounds very very stressful but was that a light I see at the end of the tunnel? REally hope so so you can get nesting .

Hi Irish - I'm doing my "stay away AF" chant tonight whilst fedexing some babydust your way so finger crossed....

Issy - hope you're enjoying your week at the lakes, sounds lovely . I was paranoid about gardening TBH and avoided it completely until I was 2nd trimester. Even now I make sure I always wear my steel lined gloves and wash hands afterwards. I do love a potter in amongst the geraniums tho' .

Jumping - hope your DD is feeling much better, everything is copeable if they sleep! Great to hear your 28 week check up went well and baby is growing nicely . Fingers crossed your BP continues to stay steady and you are posting here in 8 weeks saying how fed up you are and want the baby out NOW!

Sunny - are you back from NOOO YOIK? How are you and your oatcakes doing? Big hug and hairstroke for you <little house on the prairie big sister emotion>

Head - hope your Ds is still enjoying all his new Thomas toys . Got a date yet for your big move?

Girl, Bubble - how are you two doing?

Not much to report chezblue. Think I'm starting to get brixton hicks which my pg book says are quite common from now on. My tummy is very tight and feeling fit to burst sometimes. I am terrified of going into early labour but it is irrational as went over with DS but I have to worry about something! Thankfully my constipation hasn't returned and i'm being told I look 'blooming' by a few kind souls. If only they knew what goes on underneath your clothes .

Anyhoo, DH is at footie, Ds is sleeping so i'm off to have some me time downstairs.

Love to all XX

p.s. how are you all getting on with names? I have NO boys names at all and starting to worry. I have two girl's names but DH not too keen on one of them... Its so hard and I know what impact it can have as I have a name that is constantly mispronounced and have had years of folk rolling their eyes when I correct them - ho hum.

Hi girls,

Just a quick post to say that scan went well. Baby peanut looked like a little spaceman floating around on screen! However, whether it's a boy or girl will remain a mystery as we decided not to find out!

Unfortunately after the scan we were brought sharply down to earth by a phone call informing us that our house buyer was about to pull out in sheer frustration at the amount of time it was taking. Hence a manic 48 hours trying to sort out the issues at the top of the chain holding us all up. Upshot was that we exchanged on our sale but not our purchase – we now face 2 weeks in limbo before finding out if this is all still on. The moral of the story is NEVER get involved in a chain where there are tenants involved. This is what’s been holding everyone up.

Sunny I get the spicy food craving too! The feeling of impending doom never really goes completely but it does get better after the 12/13 week scan. I was a right misery before my scan on Wed - convinced myself something was wrong. The sonographer said to me at the end "right, I think you can chill now" and she meant it nicely but I know I won't relax completely until the baby is snuggling in my arms.

Irish Good to hear you are still there – even though you are clearly snowed. Look forward to some more detailed updates some time soon.

Jumping I hope your DD is on the mend now and that you have a slightly easier week than last. One the upside it’s great news that your BP is staying stable and that things are developing well. One week at a time! I hope you enjoy your weddings next month – I’m just grateful that we don’t have any more for a while!

Issy You won’t read this for ages but I hope you are having a lovely time in the lakes making lots of plans!

So, how’s everyone else been? It’s been really quiet in here lately – not surprising given what everyone’s got on.
<wasabi waves hello to everyone>

really quick post - sorry for long absence - work mental can hardly post when in here now.

Also, stupid builders have done somethign like cut through my phone line so no internet access at homoe at teh mo either adn can't use MN on family computers - lots of questions abotu why etc. :-)

Will write long post later adn try and upload it

AF due tomorrow I'll let you knwo who wit goes.
Talk to you all asap.

Hello ladies

Issy I know you are probably in your car heading up north now but just wanted to wish you a fab holiday, hope it does you the world of good! I just love the lakes. And don't spend all the time reading your new baby equipment book- it'll fry your head (as they say over here)!

Wasabi lovely to hear from you- hope you have a great time at the wedding, and it's not too exhuasting. We have 2 weddings coming up in October, one without DCs and one with. I have to say I'm quite looking forward to 2 nights without DCs but will also worry a lot I think, even though my PIL are very capable and the kids adore them. But there's quite a lot of driving in getting to both weddings so hoping I won't drive DH mad with constant fidgeting and needing to stretch my legs (or tummy!).

Sunny- glad you are managing to enjoy NY! Can completely understand your feelings of trepidation, even though I've been so lucky not to have had a mc, my pregnancy history is annoyingly complicated so endless hurdles it feels to get over. I really do find to a certain extent the only way I can cope is a fair amount of burying head in sand and trusting to lady luck and greater powers than mine. It's such a powerless feeling but you have to find a way to stop stressing I find or you just get so worn down. I'm with you on the nairns oat cakes- I eat so many still and find them fab for general munchiness to minimise any potential nausea!

Head that's wonderful news that you finally have a move in date!! Hoorah! Really hoping it all goes well-not too long now- and that it's not overly stressful! I'm sure your DS will just love it. We have finally run out of cash for any more repairs etc., and are left without curtains eek (which was way down DH's priority list, but higher or mine)! Luckily living in the sticks we have no immediate neighbours to look in on us- just cows or sheep! But still, as the evenings close in (very rapidly up here) I feel it's not cosy without them... Hoping to get some in November so will just have to be patient (and try to persaude a friend who is great at sewing to help make them...I'm poorly lacking in quite a few domestic skills much to my mother's shame!!)

Girl lovely to hear from you, though I'm not surprised you're finding it difficult to post etc., I do feel it's hard when some of us are so far on in the pregnancy road to read about it having gone through what you have. Did AF show finally? My cycles became pretty irregular after DD and found the waiting for AF so infuriating as so hard to predict- I imagine after a mc it could take a while for things to settle down but seriously hoping AF didn't show on time for a much better reason. Thinking of you and sending lots of un-mumsnetlike hugs xxxx

Blue good on you with the gardening! Struggling to even make a dent in it at our new place, so much to do and no time (or energy if I'm honest)! Every time we try to start serious pruning, weeding etc., the DCs have a way of roping us into endless wheel barrow rides and picking apples (so much more fun, obviously)! Great news about your SIL too, I do like sharing pregnancies with close friends or family, something very special about it. Hope all goes well for her.
Issy I think it's fine to garden so long as you wear gloves and wash hands well afterwards in terms of the toxoplasmosis risk... I certainly have played in plenty of soil (often not gardening, but messing about with DS) in last 2 pregancies and all has been fine, but can understand the fear!

Bubble long time no hear- how are you my lovely?
Irish hope you are ok?
Sif if you ever get a chance do let us know how you are getting on.

Well had my 28 week consultant apt at the big hospital yesterday- and all is going fine so far (touches wood furiously)- BP still stable (131/82), baby's growth is bang on 50th centile as measured by scan an fundal height, blood flow through placenta is good... However they decided given my history with DS to give me the lung-maturing steroid injections just in case things kick off in the next couple of weeks, have to have the second one this afternoon (with DCs present, which'll be interesting as they have to be in my derriere!!). I am now just hoping to get past 30wks when DS was born, as will feel like on the downhill slope after that... If all goes well the consultant did say they could plan a c-section for 38 weeks, which would be just fantastic- can barely hope to get that far! But she still warned me things could follow the same pattern as DD's pregnancy, when BP started misbehaving around 33 weeks and I was admitted at 35 weeks (she was born at 36). Still, it's as good as I could hope for right now, and great to see bubs on the screen again- though LO was so active it was hard to focus!!

Right, ought to be working... DD was quite poorly this week so spent day down at CF unit on Tuesday and missed yesterday at work too, feeling a little guilty as a part-timer.... Hoping for a more settled week next week and more sleep- DD is waking from 2-5am at the mo with chest issues She's so good in the day though in spite...

A quick post from me before I disappear to the Lakes for a week with no internet access.

Girl - I hope AF has stayed away for you and you got a BFP instead. My mc changed my cycle from ~35 days to ~26 so it may be just be settling down again.
Head - Are you still surrounded by Thomases? Reminds me of a hospital in Swansea where they had boilers opposite the children's ward windows so they painted them as Thomas and friends. Thanks for warning me about the pineapple side effects. Hope everything goes through OK for you on 2nd and you can settle in and get nesting.
Blue - Bet your garden looks lovely. I should really plant lots of snowdrops in mine since I'm probably calling lo one of the Welsh names meaning snowdrop. I've avoided gardening all through this pg and it's now overcome with weeds. Cut some back yesterday but haven't dug any up as scared of toxoplasmosis. Lovely that your SIL is pg with you. She's lucky to have you holding her hand through the scary 1st trimester.
Wasabi - How did the scan go on Wednesday? Great that you're feeling so much movement. I'm feeling lots too but perhaps I should be grateful for my anterior placenta as they're all very cushioned and not at all uncomfortable. Just feels like I'm going over a bump in the road.
Sunny - Glad you're managing to enjoy NY. Understand your can't believe nothing has gone wrong feeling completely. When I read your baby not bean comment my first thought was that if I lost her in the next week and a half she would still count as an mc not a baby. Have to stop myself from thinking like that sometimes.

Thanks everyone for your lovely comments about the scan pics. I can't stop looking at them whenever I log in to facebook. My cold is still lingering but not yet had the day where you can't stop blowing your nose, so hoping I don't get it tomorrow when I have my long drive to do. I got my new books today and read the 'What to buy for your baby' one for 4 hours this morning - kept just reading the next chapter as have so many questions. Probably doesn't say much that can't be found on internet sites but is good to have it all in one place and has helped make my mind up on some things and recommended some brands I'd not heard of.

Hi everyone else - hope you're well.

Hello all

Girl, lovely to hear from you. Completely sympathise with your confusion: I felt exactly the same after my mc. I started temping just to try to make sense of what was going on, and one of the reasons I suspected I might be pg was that my temp was sustainedly (er, is that a word?!) higher after some ewcm had appeared and we'd had one solitary BD. I agree with Head: it's a win-win situation for you coz if AF appears, it means your body has recovered really well and fast and if you're pg... well, even better! Also, it's no disaster not to be pg this month (even though it may seem like it) as your body will just get stronger and stronger each time. Did you BD when you thought you might have ov'd? I really, really hope it's good news.

Head am so impressed with your soft drink selections! You should post some mocktail ideas on MN for all to enjoy! I'm far less adventurous than your good self: sparkling water is about it for me, sometimes (inexplicably) with Welch's grape juice. V glad your DS enjoyed his party and that you have a moving in date for your house.

Wasabi wow, you do have a lot of weddings to go to! Am quite jealous. All my friends are either married or perpetually single. I would love to go to a wedding. Glad you can feel strong movements - what a lovely feeling it must be.

Blue glad to hear you love your oatcakes.And lovely news about your sister. Quite natural to worry but hopefully her healthy young body will prevail and she'll be just fine. Lovely that your babes will be a similar age - does she live near you?

Issy your bean already looks a cutie. Actually what am I saying - she's a baby now, not a bean. Bet you can't wait to hold her in your arms!

All fine here in NY - am currently looking out on the most beautiful sunset over the Hudson River. Wish you could all see it. Would post a pic but that would assume more tech knowledge than I possess. Have been waking up at 4am every morning, which makes the days vv long indeed, esp as most of my work takes place in the evening. But the bean is being v good to me: I haven't puked and I haven't felt too exhausted. I can't do my usual stomping around the city (I get tired after a few blocks) but the weather is gorgeous and I'm v lucky to be here, as if I was at home with less to do I know I'd just be worrying more. As it is, I'm too busy to worry (well apart from about all the c**p I'm eating: pizza, burgers, eggs benedict and cupcakes ). Might have a Chinese tonight. Really craving spicy food. What a strange one. Stomach is so fat after the aforementioned food that I look about 6 months pg. Still can't quite believe nothing has gone wrong yet. Does anyone relate to that? Tell me, does it get better after the 12 week scan? Or will I always have a feeling of impending doom? Maybe it's normal after a mc.
Hello to everyone else - hope everyone well xx

The syrupy thing is worth the faff, keep it in the fridge so when you're gasping you can just top up with some soda water... and if you have any left overs in a few months time you can add some rum too

Ooooooooh Head I will make some of that I think. We have tons of mint in the garden and I am loving limes at the mo. I have had cravings for Thai food with lots of heat and sourness - has def been my thing this time round!

wasabi I am rather partial to the real Mojito when not pg too... if you can be bothered, a really nice thing to do is make a lime and mint cordial... heat up some water in a pan (how much depends on how much syrup you want to make) add an equal amount of sugar and heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the zest of three limes and a really big handful of mint leaves and leave to cool. When it's cool, strain it and keep it in the fridge, then all you have to do is add a bit more lime juice to taste, a few mint leaves and some soda water... LUSH!

How nice we'll both be in new houses before the end of next month! Fingers crossed your sale goes through ok with no hold ups.

D'you know blue I'm such a baaad mummy, I hadn't even thought about being able to hold dd in my arms and know everything was ok in 15 weeks, I was thinking more about not having aching hips I'm terrible Muriel Of course, it'll be lovely to meet dd, and see what she looks like. DS looks so much like dh, I'm kind of hoping she's got blue eyes like me, not her daddy's brown eyes (lovely as they are!)

jumping I hope you're enjoying some post thesis relaxation, and keeping that bp low low low!

Hello all,

I hope the week has got off to a good start for you all and that we all had nice chilled weekends.

Girl I really wanted to reply to your post as I became fascinated with temping post mc. You say that you had a temp rise which caused you to think you ov’d 11 days ago. Has you temp rise been sustained? That’s the important bit to look for – a one off temp rise can be caused by all sorts of things but a sustained rise of 0.2 or more degrees def indicates ovulation occurred as it is the collapsed egg follicle that releases progesterone which causes the temp rise (and, indeed, sustains the pregnancy if conception occurs). Getting EWCM a day or two later is interesting – in theory you aren’t meant to get it as progesterone dries it up but you can also have a surge in oestrogen immediately after conception which could cause it to be noticeable for longer. I actually started temping to make sense of my cycles after my mc as they were all over the shop for the first 2 months – best of luck with it and lets hope that all these are positive signs for this month! X

Jumping A huge congratulations on handing in your thesis – you must be so proud (at least I hope you are). Hope you all enjoyed the celebratory noodles! Great news about your BP staying constant as well. Best of luck with the consultant on Thursday.

Blue My eyes watered reading about your, erm, toilet experience! Lots of fibre for you missy! I am meeting my consultant for the first time next week and I am doing some prep work on stats re CFM etc. My very fab community midwife said that nothing is non-negotiable and whilst I don’t want to go in being all bolshie, I am also determined to stand up for myself in a quiet, polite fashion. I am aware that some of these procedures are in place for a good reason but that should also mean that they stand up to some scrutiny. Great news about your SIL – it’s lovely to think that your DC2 will have a cousin close in age.

Sunny Hang on in there. Am most envious of your NYC trip although can totally understand why you’d probably rather be at home. I joined a “paranoid 4 weekers” type thread early on and I did find it helpful to vent! The nausea and exhaustion sound pretty normal to me and a good sign as well. I found continuous eating was the only way to stave it off initially – Calippo ice lollies were most effective. At 7 weeks the world seemed pretty scary to me. I kept reminding myself that the odds were always heavily in favour of life. ‘Tis a tough time there is no doubt. What is your EPU policy on early scans?

Issy Thanks for the tip on Snugglebeds – will look those up. TBH I didn’t intend to co sleep last time and I won’t this time but I also know that at 3am after a few broken hours of sleep the path of least resistance is by far the most attractive. I just want to be prepared. Hope the cold doesn’t prove too difficult to shift.

Head Glad your boy enjoyed his party, We now have lots of toys cluttering up our living room as well! This is what comes of living in a gnome home – my god I am looking forward to moving. Am glad you have got your completion date – by the end of October fingers crossed we will both be in our new homes! We are now looking at third week of October in all reality which is fine if it doesn’t slip again. BTW, your virgin mojitos sound well nice – I might try some at the weekend and feel like I am having a treat! I am rather partial to a conventional mojito when not pregnant.

No news from me really. Another weekend another wedding which was fun as we actually got to take DS for a change. This was my favourite actually as its my friend who loves in the US and married there in the Spring but this was the UK church blessing. It was a lovely service, we had lunch at a pretty country pub and they gave us all commemorative tea towels of their UK tour! They had a child’s drawing of the pair of them on it which was so cute.

I’m ok, can feel quite a bit of movement (pretty strong movements actually and not always comfortable!) so I’m not too worried although obviously still counting down to Wednesdays scan.

Big wave to everyone and Sif, Bubble, Irish if you're lurking.

Hi Head - x-post! Glad your DS had a ball on his birthday .

Great news about getting date for house move too, its all slotting into place .

So with you on wantng the next 15 weeks to fly in, I CAN'T wait to hold this baby and finally exhale...

Sorry girl we xposted.... I don't know much about cycles after ep... I do know that it's not uncommon for ewcm to hang around for a day or so after ov. I never got the hang of temping, does your temp rise happen after ov or just as you are ov'ing? Either way, I'm sure it's normal to have a bit more ewcm after ov.. I know it's thrown me a couple of times. I hope your different symptoms are a sign of something good, but try not to get your hopes up too much. It's always good to adopt a neutral position at a time like this... af would mean your cycles are settling which is good, no af would mean you're pg which would also be great, so it's a win win situation. Keeping everything crossed for you, and hoping you can find some distraction for the next few days!

Hi All and welcome back girl ,

girl - must be v frustrating/confusing for you this cycle post EP. From a 'sanity' point of view I would go with thinking your cycle is still settling down and if AF is still not here by Wed. then test? AF may be late too as can be all over the place after mc/EP... Fingers crossed xx

Hi Issy - love your latest scan piccies - there's - like - an actual baby in there . Its good to look at yours to compare where my wee one is like development wise too . Well done you for saving so much . Have fun with the 'best buys' book.

Sunny - fret not re: symptoms - sickness and exhaustion are bang on for being 7 weeks. about you being in New York, went there for DH's 30th and had just the best time <ah memories...>. Know its hardly where you want to be though when you're early pg and knackered. How long are you there for? I'm a fellow Nairns oatcakes devotee - got to be the rough ones .

wasabi - you'll be two parts excited, one part nervous re: your scna on Wed. It will be grand x

I'm a bit stiff today as spent all yesterday afternoon in the garden making the most of the weather to kick the weeds into touch, plant daff bulbs for spring and prune my roses. It was lovely being able to get outside after weeks of rain! Also heard my SIL (27 just a bairn is pg, due next May so my DC2 and her DC2 (her DD is 2 on Friday)will be close in age . Can't help but feel a bit anxious as she is only 6 weeks but that's life post-mc and I'm sure she'll sail through..

Love to All xx

Hiya,

Issy ds did enjoy his party thanks.. he was pretty excitable all day, didn't eat or sleep much, luckily I managed to shovel a few sandwiches and cakes down him after everyone had gone, otherwise he'd have been up and down all night asking for food! He has soooo many toys now, lots of Thomas the Tank Engine which has made him very happy.

I think I'll avoid the pineapples as a means of getting this baby out before Christmas. At the ante natal classes I went to when I was pg with ds, the midwife said they work by giving you terrible diahorrea, which in turn gets your uterus contracting, it's the same with castor oil/curry etc etc. She had us all weeping with laughter telling us the story of when she tried the pineapple trick with her first, and the combination of extraordinary diahorrea and labour contractions was apparently very difficult to manage She didn't know if she was coming or going. I think the only way it's coming before Christmas is if I can persuade the consultant to let me have a cs, rather than go for VBAC. I'm booked in for a cs on 2nd January anyway, so why not move it a week or so forward?

Your scan pictures are lovely... you'll have to decide in a few months if she looks like she did on the scans... maybe I'm just scan blind, I can never see the difference, but they are lovely. So much clearer than my fuzzy ones of my uncooperative daughter

sunny I hope you're able to enjoy NYC. I'm very I love NY at this time of year. It's totally normal to feel exhausted and nauseous at 7 weeks... in fact it's totally normal to feel nauseous and hungry at the same time which is a bizarre experience! I found keeping eating is a really good way of dealing with it... I did alternate between needing sweet things or savoury things, but generally sweet things helped with the nausea mostly... citrus is good too. I used to make up a drink which I called a virgin Mojito, a spoonful of sugar in a glass, add the juice of a lime and the spent halves of the lime, bash it around a bit with a spoon to dissolve the sugar, add a big handful of mint leaves and bash a bit more, add loads of ice, top up with sparkling water, and more mint/sugar/lime juice to taste. It definitely helped me when I felt really sick.
I hope you manage to get on top of the jet lag!

We do now have a proposed completion date for our house, 2nd October, which means if we take a few days or so to unpack, we'll be in by the second week of October and we can move in to a fully unpacked house, with curtains up, boxes unpacked, everything in it's place, which will be fab.

No more exciting news from me really, just the dull old usual... the next 15 weeks can't pass fast enough as far as I'm concerned, my pelvis is starting to get that familiar old feeling of falling apart at the seams. I was on my feet most of yesterday and could hardly move at the end of the day...

I am an aged old crone

Have a lovely day everyone xx

Hi guys, sorry I have been awol, its all been getting to me a bit. Glad to hear all is well with everyone!

I am very confused, I am due AF on wednesday, and usually I get really sore boobs a few days before, and they aren't. From temping I think I ov'd 11 days ago, although I still got EWCM a couple of days after the temp rise, which is also confusing. I am not sure if I just didn't ov, ie. it could have been the side I don't have any more and as this is my first proper cycle since the EP I not have anything to compare with. I am worried I am not ov'ing, and confused about when AF is due... don't want to get my hopes up just for them to be dashed again.

Hi all,
Sunny - Thanks for the pillow tip. Yoga is one of the few forms of exercise that is encouraged in pregnancy so I think it's a good idea to stick with it. I've never done it before but am going to join a yoga for pregnancy class next month. Hope you're managing to enjoy NY and the Nairn's are getting you through. I ate the ginger ones constantly for first 12 weeks. Had some by bedside, in my handbag and in my office drawer. Nausea and exhaustion is a good sign. You're reminding me of how I was in first trimester, worried when symptoms fade and worried when they appear.
Head - Your mum and dad's sounds great. Did DS enjoy his party today? Sorry your grandmother is in hospital. I'm also a terrible shopper - have to investigate everything before making a decision and then make some silly impulse buy at the last moment and realise it was a mistake. Lol at getting the baby out before Christmas - get those fresh pineapples ready - I think you need to eat 13 to start contractions. Hope the house move speeds up, so you can start nesting.
Blue - Thanks for the tip on product reviews. Have seen them but not great coverage and they always contradict each other - same with those what to buy threads. People say don't bother buying x, then loads of people come on saying they couldn't live without it . Have caved in and ordered a book on what to buy . Your mat leave is similar to mine, I get 8 weeks full, 16 half + SMP then the 15 weeks SMP, so I'll be unpaid for 2 months at the end. It's not bad but a lot of unis have 6 mths full and some even have a full year of full pay! Too late to move to Manchester. Thankfully I had to save so much for IVF, I've just carried on saving the same amount each month. Hope your constipation has eased. I seem to go through phases of having it, but haven't taken anything for it yet. Tried prune juice but couldn't drink it.
Wasabi - Good luck for the scan on Wednesday. Such a milestone. Hope the house move picks up for you too. If you want to cosleep you could get a Snugglebed - friend has one and is quite good and cheap. Thinking of getting one if putting the baby back in the Ambynest at night becomes a problem.
JJF - Congratulations at getting the PhD thesis handed in. Glad BP is still behaving and growth is on track. Enjoy the nesting.

I'm still fighting off the cold but think it's about to beat me as I called mum today and she could hear it in my voice. Hoping, but not really believing, it's just hayfever. I finally got round to uploading pics from last two scans, so they're on my profile now. Head - you can decide if the stills from the 4d scans look like all the others you've seen (noticed your discussion of the day). Placenta was in the way this time so not as clear as my 16-week pics.

Hi Bubble, Irish, Sif and Girl. Where are you all?

Hello everyone
So lovely to hear all your news. I haven't been on in a few days and it is so nice to come back and catch up on everything. The first thing that struck me was that so many of you (well, three?) seem to have had dc birthdays around the same time!

Blue Glad to hear you had a glass of champers, albeit washed down with Gaviscon. Lol at your poo troubles - v funny (though not for you). My dd is on lactulose for the same reasons. Hope all is well in that "area" now - as you say, good practice for the birth

Jumping well done on completing your thesis. Can I ask what it was on? (and apologies if you already told us and I've forgotten). That must be a weight off your mind - now you can concentrate on buying nappies

Head - sounds like heaven at your mum's - can I move in too? sorry to hear the postal strike has held things up with your house. Do you have a date for moving in? It will be so nice when you are finally settled - and just think of all the nesting fun you can have

Totally second you on hoping that Irish, Girl and Bubble are quietly sitting on a stack of BFPs somewhere. Hello, ladies, and wishing you all the best.

Wasabi glad all is well with the little peanut. It's so good that you ladies are all on a nice bit of your journey - my other thread (I can only cope with joining two at a time) is so full of sorrow, it's v hard to read, never mind know what to say. Just a bunch of paranoid women in the early stages of pg - I'm sure you can all relate! Good news and bad news in equal measure. Big hurrah that you're all past that stage now.

I'm in New York with work, which is very scary and I am very scared. The two nights before I went, I was having to go to bed at 9.30pm because I felt so exhausted and nauseous. I was terrified with how I'd cope with the flight (and the lovely 2 hour queue at immigration at a time when I am normally comatose on the sofa) but happily I didn't puke or faint. This is my first day here - woke up predictably at 4am and feel mighty strange right now. I think the way through it is to eat, eat, eat. It feels like having a tapeworm inside me (it's obviously a boy, then! ) as I notice that I only feel really sick when I haven't eaten for a couple of hours. Am carrying Nairn's oatcakes around in my bag (quite hard to come by in NY, oh dear) and am just gonna try to take it easy. I love NY but really I just want to be home. Is it normal for the world to seem scary when you're 7 weeks pg? And also, is it normal to feel nauseous and exhausted, or am I too nauseous and exhausted and it means something sinister? Ha ha, listen to me. What a loser.

Hello to Issy and everyone else - hope all is well

ROFL blue

I currently have the opposite problem due to over indulgence of fizzy cola bottles from the pick 'n' mix in WhSmith!

Hi all,

Jumping - you'll be away off by now handing in your disertation <pat on back emotion>. Well done you and enjoy your noodles! Glad to hear BP is still OK and your bump is right size . You seem to be on the home straight with all the nappy buying! Size 1's look so tiny don't they ?

Head - I'm definately up for a VBAC although know I have a fight on my hands re: continuous monitoring etc. Saying that if I have to have a CS again due to failing to progress again then so beit! I did get a taste of natural birth yesterday - stay with me here - as I had the worst bout of constipation EVER and had to abandon my initial attempt as feard my insides were going to fall out. I was then all swollen and sore for an hour waiting for my lactoluse to kick in and when said (massive) poo did arrive it felt like what baby's head 'crowning' feels like . Of course there was no gas and air so surely can't be much sorer than that ? I'm still recovering one day on .

I remember you saying before about early Jan birthday's being rubbish and my hairdresser would second that (3rd Jan). Let's hope for a December delivery we both want - slightly early for you and slighly late for me .

wasabi - fellow IO wearer . Was it the long crimson one you have? Its gorgeous - very Ava Gardiner! Enjoy your scan next week, are you finding the flavour? Happy b'day to your DS too .

How is everyone else? Hope its sunny your way, it is here for once and I'm back in my summer clothes possibly for the last time - don't think black winter tights and white fit flops are a very good look .

Oooh lovely to "see" all you girls!
Glad all is going well- keeping fingers crossed for the house moves head and wasabi- it's stressful enough without being pregnant as well! Nearly there though, so hoping it's only a little while until you're both in your new homes, preparing nurseries etc.! Head your parents' place sounds fab, bet DS is loving it! Enjoy the hospitality too, I really miss my Mum's cooking!
Blue your friends wedding sounded fab- good on you getting on the dancefloor!
wasabi not long now until next weds' scan, bet you can't wait to see the little one. It always amazes me how fast they grow between 12wks and 20.
issy enjoy your break- agree sometimes it's quite nice to be offline for a while, and I definitely think I spend less as less temptation. I'm the worlds worst shopper on the highstreet etc., just hate it, but online it's just so handy- can always find something you really want!

Well all fine here, I'm off down to Belfast in an hour to hand in my thesis!! Can't quite believe it's finally got to the point of submission... DH & the DCs are picking me up from the train afterwards and we're heading to a noodle bar for dinner as a bit of a treat.
Had midwife apt on Tues and BP still sitting at 120/80, so feeling pleased it hasn't started to trend upwards. Was beginning to worry that my bump is a bit small for my dates, after quite a few people have commented on it, but midwife said when measured from the pubic bone the fundal height is spot on, though if she measured from my tummy button it looks a little small. Traditionally they always used to measure from pubic bone and she thinks this is more accurate, but warned me that some may just measure from tummy button and make me worry! Anyhow she thinks all is fine- my consultant will be scanning me next Thurs anyhow when I'm down for my apt to check growth etc. then so I'm not going to stress between now and then...

DH was to see I have started to stockpile newborn nappies etc. in our spare room... but I keep saying this is due to knowing I'll be having a cs and not able to drive, and bless him he's pretty bad at shopping, getting the right size etc. so think it's better I'm well prepared for the LO! Also they had some offers on huggies newborn 1 nappies which I always found particularly good for the early weeks in terms of minimising leaks...so couldn't resist! Think the nesting is starting arghh!

Right, the train beckons...can't wait to shift this mountain of paper off my desk (I keep finding mistakes even now, just have to stop looking at it!).

Have a fab weekend everyone- really hope Girl, Irish, Bubble and Sif are all doing ok too xxx

Blue don't talk about hooks or anything like that, you'll scare me As ds was a planned cs I haven't had so much as a contraction in my life, so ever so slightly nervous!! I haven't made my mind up about a VBAC yet, I'm seeing the consultant in November to discuss delivery methods so I'll see what they say. If I get a load of rules imposed on me (labouring no longer than 8 hours, continual monitoring etc etc) then I'm really tempted to opt for a cs again if I'm allowed. I would really hate to have 8 hours of labour only to then have a cs. I know some hospitals sometimes place restrictions on what they'll let VBACs do, so we'll see.

I'm not totally against a VBAC, I was terrified of labour last time, but strangely enough, even though this would effectively be my first labour, I'm not scared of being in pain... someone said to me when I was pg with ds, "don't worry about the labour, if you're lucky its about 12 hours of unbelievable agony... it's the next forty years of your life you want to worry about!!" They are soooo right!!

That said, if I go over (and my mum went two weeks over due with both me and my sister) I'd be booked in for a cs on 2nd January anyway... which is my sisters birthday, and according to her the crappiest day of the year to have a birthday as no one feels like celebrating anything, and she always ends up eating out with her dh in an empty restaurant and feeling rather deflated! I can't do that to my little girl can I?

wasabi I hope your ds had a lovely birthday last sunday... and I hope your house move goes through soon... I'm feeling twitchy too. It's a bit like this pregancy game, I didn't want to jinx anything by getting excited too early, same with the house. Let's hope some of the luck of this pregancy rubs off!

Is anyone else hoping that Bubble, Irish and Girl are off somewhere getting their bfps and staying off here just in case they jinx their luck? I do hope so guys!!

Hello everyone,

I am still here – been up to my ears in work/weddings/family stuff and DS’s 2nd birthday so am treating myself to a cheeky few minutes to post a catch up. I haven’t had time to post but I do lurk with my iphone some evenings to keep an eye on the thread – I like to make sure all is well!

All seems to be well with the little peanut – we have our 20 week scan next Wednesday which I am already getting nervous about but judging by the movement I can feel (and the fact that I still start most mornings with a nice chunder) I think all is well.

We have had some serious faffery with the house move. It’s a long story and frankly too boring to relate in any detail but we seem to have found a way forward and are pushing everyone along now to exchange. I just hope it happens soon – we are getting a bit twitchy about the whole thing and just want it done.

Sunny I’m so glad you had your scan and that it set your mind at rest. Don’t beat yourself up for worrying. I remember spending virtually an entire morning sobbing when I was about 6 weeks convinced it had all gone wrong as my symptoms were so weak. Happily that wasn’t the case but I think we can all sympathise with you on experiencing those doom filled moments. Something my hypnotherapist said to me when I saw her after my mc was to try to imagine my uterus filled with light and love. It sounds a bit wanky but I tried to visualise it when conceiving and in those early days. It helped me to feel a bit more positive and connected to my little peanut. I think continuing with yoga is a great idea both for mind and body.

Irish I’m glad you are approaching this cycle with so much optimism and determination! I’m glad you’ve had the support of your close friends and sisters. It means so much to have sympathetic and understanding people around.

Issy Congratulations on being officially halfway and on having a good scan! It’s lovely that you have started feeling movement – it’s such a fabulous feeling. I am looking at the Amby Nest too. We bought a moses basket for DS when he was a baby and he hated it and ended up co sleeping with us on a shallow pillow between our heads! Not really ideal. I would prefer for junior to sleep in a crib or moses basket but it may not oblige. BTW I never bothered with a drop side cot – most just seem to have the adjustable bases instead and we never found the lack of a cot side to be an issue.

Blue Ouch – I sympathise wholeheartedly (geddit) on the heartburn issue. I invested in a giant pack of fruity Rennie the other day as mine has started to kick in as well. It was awful when I was pg with DS – my friends said I should have had my trusty rennies and gaviscons in a Pez dispenser I was popping that many. I’m sure you looked like a hot mama in your IO grecian dress – I know the one you mean it is gorgeous. I invested in the crimson wrap dress for my current run of weddings and I really do love it. It must have been lovely to be back where you married sporting a nice bump!

BTW you are not an old fart because you look forward to Autumn – well, if you are so am I. I like a bit of summer sunshine but much prefer to snuggle under a nice blanket in front of better telly! I also think winter clothes are lots nicer than summer ones – although perhaps this is due to my squeamishness about revealing flesh.

Head Good to hear that all is well. I chucked when I saw you hook or crook comment – I feel much the same way. I have my heart set on a VBAC and the odds of that will drop with every day I go overdue so I am planning some serious pro active ways of getting my little peanut out on time! Your parents house sounds fabulous. My in laws have a similar size garden and its heaven for little ones. I hope your DS has a fabulous birthday on Sunday. Mine had his last Sunday and was thoroughly spoilt! Best of luck with the house – all those hold ups must be so annoying. We are in a similar position – apparently our searches on the one we are buying aren’t back from Newbury council yet die to “holiday backlog.” I mean, really – how hard can it be? It isn’t difficult to predict that a lot of people might be on holiday in August.

Jumping Your house warning sounds like it went brilliantly. I’m not surprised you were knackered afterwards. Having that many adults and kids around would knacker anyone out never mind an expectant mother! Am liking your reverse psychology on the hospital bag. I laughed at the sanitary pad comments. I remember opening my first pack of maternity pads with DS and nearly fainting at the size of them. It felt like riding a horse. Annoyingly, like Blue I did need them although only for about 5 days. Even though I had a CS I bled a lot. You’d think than up upside of CS would be reduced bleeding but noooooo.

Bubble Well done to you on shifting a stone in weight – that’s quite some loss. Are you planning on losing more or are you happier that you are now at the right weight? I’m glad the clomid is working and straightening out your cycles a bit. Fingers crossed for a result this month.

Right, I need to do some work and stop playing. <wasabi waves to everyone>

See Jumping we've not been deserted .

Sunny - I had my first sip of alcohol since my BFP in April at the wedding - the welcoming glass of champers - which was lovely but hell for my heartburn, yowser! Can you request an early scan at all??? Most women who have had previous mc are at least offered a scan @ 8 weeks for sanity reasons!!! Don't worry about doing yoga/excercise in general. My Doc said you could stay in bed for weeks or run a marathon and neither would have a bearing on whether a mc is going to happen. Just be sensible and listen to your body . Really hope the next 7-8 weeks fly in but know how bloddy hard they are, just post here and we will hold your hand and stroke your fevered brow.

Hi Head, can I move to your parents with you ?! Great to hear your new house has its 'sold' sign up but understand you not counting your chickens yet, I'm so like that too... at you getting baby out before xmas 'by hook or crook' - it may come to that <wince> if your waters are broken! I'm the opposite and at odds with my DH as would rather go after and have a wee Hogmanay baby so I can give DS his last xmas day on his own and enjoy my xmas dinner without leaking boobs . of you not bleeding much after CS, I bled for weeks after mine but I have since been told that I have a very 'vascular' womb (the things your learn from having a mc..) Our healthboard provides free pads and nappies whilst you're in hospital so we don't have to take any in. Good tip re: bf cushion though... Are you going to try for a VBAC?

Hope your DS has a lovely 2nd birthday on Sunday .

Issy - have you looked at the product reviews on here? There are also lots of threads on here vis a vis 'what you actually need v what you are seduced by the advertisers to think you need' which are really useful as its so easy to think you needs to buy everything. Cute clothes are a must tho' - get thee to the Mini Boden site!

I'm taking seven months of this time, same as with DS. I'm lucky that I only work three days so not too much of a thought to come back and DS is only at nursery one day a week as my Mum/MIL look after him. NHS is pretty good pay wise, we get two months at full pay, four months at half pay + stat pay then 3 months stat pay... I've not managed to save much though as my nesting/doing up the house is eating away at any spare money. Like Sunny though, I don't spend much, well unless I have a girl then its 'someone stop me .

God, I have wittered on for far too long . Better get back to work, sandwich has been eaten, Gaviscon swigged.

<Waves> to all xx

Hello everyone, sorry for going AWOL for so long, we're now at my mum and dad's until the house purchase is finalised, and we have a proper dinner every night and are usually chatting until about 10pm so I never seem to get on the computer any more!

I don't have long as my mum is coming back from visiting my grandmother in hospital and I'm on dinner duty today so I'll try and catch up without doing too much scrolling back, sorry if I get anyone's details mixed up!!

Issy sorry to hear the shopping is losing it's lustre... I get very weary of the whole shopping thing anyway, I'm a terrible shopper, can't be arsed even for myself, so baby shopping is a real chore. Luckily, because of ds, we have most things, we've got to get another cot, but that's easy, I'll just get the same as last time, and my sister is donating all her girls clothes, which saves me a lot of time. Mind you, there's a preponderance of pink in her stuff, so I may have to go and buy my dd something a little funkier, so she doesn't look too much like a pink princess!

sunny congrats on being official now... My docs have always been horizontal with each of my pregnancies. I always want to yell at them "don't you know how important this is for me?!!" I hope the yoga has helped and made you a chilled out flexible bunny! I'm 24 weeks now... my due date is 27th December but my master plan is definitely to get this baby out before Christmas, by hook or by crook!

I did take a pillow to hospital with me last time, I took my V cushion to help with breastfeeding, it was nice having something that didn't feel so institutional with me but we did look like we were moving in when we arrived at hospital, three bags plus cushion!! I didn't end up using half the stuff I took. I hardly needed any maternity pads as I'd had a cs and hardly bled, and I had three huge packs!

blue I bet you looked fab in your IO dress... glad to hear you had a good time and I'm very impressed at the twirls on the dance floor. I'm rubbish at dancing at the best of times, but pg I'm just rotten. All cooordination goes out the window!

Jumping I hope that hospital bag is gathering dust!

I don't have much news to impart really... still waiting to move in to our new home, flaming postal strikes are slowing it all down as everything's stuck somewhere in a sorting office! Still they do have a sold sign up at the new house which is a good sign. I'm so superstitious I won't believe it until we've signed on the dotted line. In the mean time I've got a quarter of a million pounds in my savings account!!! Argh!!!! Scary! Just as well I don't like shopping eh??

DS is loving living at my mum and dad's, they have a huge 2 acre garden, and my dad has a ride on lawn mower which ds loves going for rides on. My mum has also got two of the cutest fluffiest kittens in the world, and ds is running around playing with them all day long! It's his second birthday on Sunday so we're having a few of his friends over for a tea party in the garden, hopefully the weather will hold out.

So that's it chez fairy right now, I hope everyone else is well. Look forward to hearing of some more bfps soon!!!

xxx

Hello ladies

Jumping, am laughing at you thinking you killed the thread - exactly the sort of thing I would think. I joined another thread and every time I post, there's a huge delay, tumbleweed grows and I fear I've driven everyone off . Also laughing at your sanitary towel purchase: how organised! I went into hospital without them last time, and had to dispatch poor DH to the nearest chemist. I'm sure you won't need them for a long time, though. Btw did anyone else take a pillow into hospital last time? (if there was a last time). Someone told me to, and it was a great tip. It was lovely to have something that was "mine", with a nice pillowslip on it. Tragic as it sounds, this did matter to me at the time in my minging old ward.

Blue, glad you had a good time at your wedding. Post a pic of yourself in your lovely dress! I bet you looked fab. Was it a pain not drinking, or did you have a wee dram? A few bubbles never hurt babby. Hope your heartburn isn't too bad.

Issy hope your cold doesn't come to anything - it's a pain, isn't it, when you can't dose up on Lemsip as per usual. You're quite right to take a year off work: as you say, you'll never get that time again. I was terrified about my loss of earnings when I had DD, as I only get 6 weeks full pay and another 6 at 90%, then it was on to the govt minimum. I know it could've been worse but it was fine in the end. I just didn't go out much. All I did for 6 months was sit at home eating cake

I'm fine - went to the dr today to tell her I was pg and as expected, she was pretty horizontal about it. "No need for another scan until 12 weeks," she said breezily, which I was quite surprised about, given my history. I went to yoga today in a bid to be normal and stop treating myself like an invalid: it sorted me right out. It's 10pm now and for the first time in days I've not fallen asleep on the sofa. I did have a few ligament-stretchy feelings afterwards, which threw me into paroxysms of guilt and worry, but I keep reminding myself that I did yoga throughout being pregnant with DD and she was fine, as opposed to not setting foot in a yoga studio before miscarrying my last dear bean. I just want to try to live life as usual - is this a good plan, do you think, or a foolhardy one?

Hello to everyone else, you quiet girls, you. Irish, I'm pretty sure you're in the midst of a BD session right now (well, not literally) and Girl, I think you might be, too? All fingers and toes crossed for you. Hello to Bubble, Head, Wasabi and Sif, too. I'm so out of touch with how many weeks you all are now that I'm gonna trace back through this thread for a list of due dates.

Don't worry JJF - this thread is always quiet at the weekend - that's when I usually manage to catch up with it . How frustrating that you don't qualify for mat leave. Ours is no where near as generous as most universities' or my previous employer's but not awful. I get very frustrated with the way researchers are treated in unis, though we have made significant improvements for ours since I started. Hope you don't need that maternity bag for a while.

Blue - Bet you looked georgeous in the IO dress. How lovely to have been back at your wedding venue. Am sure others think you're blooming even if you don't feel it.

People have started telling me I'm blooming, despite feeling so tired still I didn't go to work today. Feel better this afternoon, but I think I'm fighting a cold, feel quite bunged up and sneezy. No doubt it will arrive in force at the weekend when my annual leave starts. So looking forward to two weeks off and being cut off from the internet in the second week. No fretting about baby shopping for an entire week . I'm afraid I'm not at all enjoying the baby-related shopping, probably doesn't help that I started looking way before I'm willing to actually buy anything, but I find it all so confusing and contradictory and I think I'm going to end up spending way above what I originally budgetted on just about everything, which is scary with the new car to pay for too. I'm stretching myself to the limit to take a full year's maternity leave too, justified as means I should get better tax credit (£700 instead of £45 a month) the following tax year and I can never get that time back with her, so I think it's worth it. My parents got into a lot of debt when I was a teenager though and I'm terrified of ending up like them, so taking on loans and having no contingency left for house repairs really frightens me. I do still have the option of putting the mortgage to interest only for a while if anything catastrophic happens though. And of course, I wouldn't change my current predicament for the world, it's a nice one to be in and I'm loving feeling her move so much now, even if it is all a bit dampened at the moment .

Hi everyone else, how are you all?

Fret not Jumping! I used to worry about that too and they always come back .

Liking your reverse psychology re: hospital bag. Let's hope it has a lovely layer of dust on it before you actually need it .

We need everyon'es news, come on don't be shy!

I'll start:

Aired my 'Isabella Oliver' long black dress at the wedding on Friday night and it was worth every penny as v. comfy and I felt v. glamorous. We were back at Dundas Castle where DH and I had our wedding 5 years ago and it was lovely being back with bump . Even managed a few turns on the dancefloor and I had 3 inch heels on!

No other news other than I now have Gaviscon and lactulose on prescription for heartburn constipation repsectively - blooming? moi? NOT!!

ach I killed the thread!
Hope you are all ok

Hooray for Sunny and her little bean!! So so pleased for you . How many weeks did they date you at? Sending you lots of believe in your body vibes... no more stressing about symptoms, or the lack thereof missy! You wait, I bet in a month or so some sort of annoying symptom will set in, even if it's just a thickening waistline!

Issy- brilliant news that all was well at the anomaly scan with your DD ! From what I've read anterior placentas often make it a lot harder to feel movement. Mine is posterior this time which probably explains why I could feel so much earlier on. Enjoy the retail decisions! I am a bit sad that I'm not allowed to indulge in any baby-related spending...bit tight on the money front but also to be honest we still have a lot of stuff (actually gave quite a lot of important things like moses basket, baby bath etc. to a Polish colleague of DH's whose wife was expecting last year, and we said to hang on to it...) and fortunately 3 friends had babies earlier in the year so are giving us a lot of their newborn stuff. There is something nice about getting a few bits new rather than all hand-me-downs, so I may get a lovely soft baby blanket soon for the first cuddles...

Bought a load of night-time sanitary towels with wings that were on offer yesterday (hate the official maternity towels), ready for my hospital bag. Interesting questions from DS about them (he's used to tampax and has stopped querying that!!)! Decided to get a hospital bag ready for my apt at 28wks though of course don't expect to need it- reverse psychology and all that

Hope all's well with everyone, nice to have a positive vibe here at mo Hoping it works wonders for Irish, girl and bubble xxxx

Hi Issy, glad your scan went well and every thing looks a-ok with DD . You can get back to buying stuff .

Sunny - I am way over the moon for you . I have so been there - convinced pg was doomed, not daring to believe, the whole nine yards and if you remember I ended up seeing a counsellor (after my third early scan for daily bleeding) who told me to start believing in my body and my pregnancy. I took the day off work the next day, lay on my bed and started stroking my tummy and trying to connect. As we've said before, our default setting becomes expecting bad news and its hard to get away from that feeling. I truly hope this baby is here to stay and you will be joining us in complaining about heartburn etc. in no time at all. big hug for you missy .

Hey everyone else xxx

Here endeth the lesson

Fantastic news Sunny . Don't beat yourself up for being worried, we've all had those moments.

My scan was fine today. Still looking like a girl. LO wouldn't stop moving, which made it difficult for sonographer, but I couldn't feel her. I have an anterior placenta though so will probably be a while before I get a proper kick. She was within the range for the four measurements - everything slightly above average for dates except femur length, which is just below, so looks like she's taking after short-legged mum there.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOD NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWS!

Very un-mumsnetty to use too many vowels in a row on a post, but forgive me - I am so happy! Have just seen a 2.7mm bean on a screen! With a heartbeat of 95 bpm! I have never been more surprised or relieved in my life! I was so prepared for the worst, I just thought the scan would be a formality. As soon as she stuck the wand up my fandango (excuse the tmi) I could see a "thing" in the sac, unlike last time when it was empty. I cried like a baby. I know it's v early days but this is further than I came last time, so I'm just gonna stop stressing and obsessing about symptoms and take one day at a time.

Thanks as always for all your good wishes. I feel really foolish for letting my own pessimism get in the way of what my body was doing naturally. I guess when things go wrong for so long, it's hard to imagine them going right. I will try to learn from my mistake and enjoy this pg - regardless of my history this poor bean deserves a relaxed mum and a relaxed uterus, not some doom-mongering stresshead who doesn't believe things will turn out for the best.

Issy, good luck for your anomaly scan, let us know how you get on.

Hello to everyone else xx

Hi Sunny - just wishing you well for scan today.

Afraid I can't stay on for personals either as I'm having a quick lunch before my anomaly scan this afternoon.

Take care all.

Just a really quick one as work mental - Sunny hope things are ok for you with teh scan- I'm mad busy but will check in later to see if you have posted -

Hello to everyone else - sorry for no personals but jsut had to wish Sunny well.

talk later.

Sunny just sending you a virtual hand hold for your scan today. Really hope it goes well. It must be so so hard to believe this may work out ok, but I so hope it does. Big hugs xxx

Issy yes I've worked for unis for past 8 years! though for a while was based in a government lab though paid by a uni. As research staff though I don't get to avail of the great holidays some of the teaching staff seem to make the most of! Unfortunately as I've had 2 short-term part-time contracts in past year, with a 2 month gap between them, I can't avail of the good maternity leave uni offers- at least though I'm eligible for maternity allowance. Got to get cracking with those forms, come to think of it!

Bubble wow that is amazing about your weight loss! Way to go! I will be needing all your tips after this LO is born, I didn't manage to get back to pre-pregnancy weight before conceiving this time (hmm and that was nearly 2yrs after having DD) but am determined to look after myself better and try to get trim again. I have read sometimes that losing weight can increase chances of a BFP, so really hoping this is 3rd cycle lucky with the clomid. Good luck- & enjoy the BDing!

Blue have you tried zantac for heartburn? I found it really effective when I had reflux probs (unrelated to pregnancy) a few years ago. Definitely push for prescriptions though, you can spend a bomb on all these meds. I'm chuffed I've managed to get spatone on prescription- can't stomach the iron tablets and as I'm veggie even before becoming officially anaemic my consultant wanted me to start iron. Was paying for spatone but now have tonnes of the stuff for free

Hello to everyone else too!

Sunny - willing you a good scan tomorrow, don't want to say anything too upbeat and reassuring for fear of tempting fate on your behalf xxxxx

Hello everyone

I've been at my mum's, without t'internet. How lovely to get back and hear all your news.

Bubble so great to hear from you! Glad the clomid is working and that AF is at least back on track. And how amazing to have lost a stone! Wow wow wow. Well done Bubble. Best of luck for the final cycle.

Irish, so glad AF has arrived and that you're all set for a marathon BD. Sorry to hear about the bad PMT, though not surprised as had heard can be awful after a mc. Wishing you lots of babydust for this cycle.

Jumping, your bbq sounds lovely, and as though you warmed your new house in good style. Laughing at your DH - totally agree with you about men and their "take it easy" while simultaneously not lending a hand. Hope he improves - you need your rest.

Wasabi hope your DS isn't too bothered with his teeth, and that his ears remain bug-free. Do you love Wasabi peanuts, then? They are very mustardy. I love spicy things but those peanuts defeat me: they make my eyes water.

Issy congrats on making the halfway stage - wonderful. Hope you are having fun with all your retail decisions.

Blue, how is your heartburn? Hope it's not too gruesome. Totally agree with you about autumn telly. Bring on the costume dramas!

I've booked myself in for a private scan tomorrow morning as I just don't feel pg any more. It feels exactly like last time - symptoms just decreasing until there's barely anything there. There are no words, so I won't try to find any. I don't really know how many weeks I am, owing to not having had af since previous mc, but I'd say about six. Am prepared for the worst tomorrow. Oh, it hurts. So much. Hideous. Oh how I long to puke, or have a bloated tummy, or a craving, or anything at all. Sorry to be a downer - was so so so hoping for a better outcome this time but I don't think it's to be. I googled "blighted ovum" and they don't seem to recur v often twice in a row but hey ho. Will be straight on here tomorrow after the scan, however upset I am, as honestly knowing you are all out there helps so much. If I had your addresses, I'd send you all new baby card(s) when the time(s) come, I swear to god. Gooey, I know, but you feel like my proper friends just as much as if you were sat next to me in a cafe or whatever. Hmm, I guess I must def have some sort of pg hormones swirling around in my body then
Hello to everyone else, Sif, Girl, Head xxx

Sorry Bubble - we cross posted the other day. Great that Clomid is working but sorry you found out by AF arriving not BFP. Fingers crossed for next month.

Blue - Hope Gaviscon works. Apparently sale on until end of month so may buy when I'm on leave as I'll have had a chance to have a proper look at it then - didn't really look closely at friend's house, just saw it as I walked passed room and thought it looked nice. And you're right about telly - autumn definitely has better telly. I love Strictly. Speaking of which, I must go as have one hour to get home from work and eat before leaving for my dance lesson.

Hi everyone else.

Issy - if its exactly what your after then go for it. You can hide it away unti next year!

Bubble - lovely to hear from you and yes I am armed with Gaviscon <boak>. Off to docs tomorrow to get it on prescription as i will go through a bottle a week, God I hate the taste of aniseed/mint/peppermint. Wish it came in full bodied red wine flavour . Were your DS's born with lots of hair in a heartburn = hairy headed babies? It was true big time in my case but just wondered if it was one of those silly old wives tales . Well done you on the weight loss, lets hope it starts going up again with good reason! Fingers crossed clomid helps your cycle this month and your BFP is en route.

Jumping - glad your bbq went well, you hostess with the mostess! re: your DH, if he is keen to help out, you could give him a wee 'to do' list every week <cheeky emotion>. You never know....

Big Hi's to everyone else. I do love this time of year, the turning of summer (Ha!) into autumn, cosy nights in, winter woollies and better telly .

I am officially an old fart .

JJF and Blue - Sorry you're having to work today.

Blue - I think that's the first time she's been referred to as my dd - feels good . My friend swore by probiotic yoghurts for her heartburn. She would stay with me every month or so and towards the end she'd bring a pack of 4 with her for tea. I'm sure you'll look fab in your IO dress.

JJF - Glad your bbq went OK. You must be exhausted after having so many people around. Tell your dh we said he needs to get the marigolds on . Annoying not to have the same bank holidays. When my parents lived in Fife they had different bank holidays to each other (different counties) which was a pain for them. I hadn't realised you work for a uni. I do too.

I have another shopping dilemma. The cotbed my friend has is really nice so asked her about it and she pointed out it was the only one with drop side in the colour she wanted. Made me realise I hadn't considered the drop side thing, so went a-googling last night and her cot is indeed the cheapest drop side one and I've found it in the PreciousLittleOne sale £120 cheaper than full price. So am thinking should get it while it's cheap but feels too soon and a bit jinx-y to get it now, esp as not needed until July next year.

Hello everyone ... its been really busy in here..

just wanted to congratulate sunny. Fingers crossed for a nice sticky bean.

head so glad your scan went well.. and 1 of each will be lovely

blue i had terrible heartburn with both my boys... i used to drink a milk shake before bed and take the gaviscon up with me...

how is everyone else??

issy how lovely you are feelin movements now.

well...... no news from me... the clomid is working tho coz AF arrived this morning. i have 1 more go left so fingers crossed something happens.

ive also lost a stone. been tryin hard to do more exercise and it seems to be working. i was hoping that if i shift some weight that my body might work again..

hope your all well i have missed u all loads

issy so pleased you've started to feel movements! It's such a lovely stage of pregnancy (until the start to keep you awake in the middle of the night!)

irish sorry you've had PMT from hell. Really hope though this is the lucky month, and it sounds like you're going for it with guns blazing!

blue my bump is very high too, and giving me constant rib-stretch ache! Trying to remember if this is more like it was with DD or DS, and just can't recall... Felt at first that we're having a boy, but now wondering that it could be a girl... Have nearly decided on names but keeping schtum even here as have silly fears about jinxing things! Sorry to hear about your heartburn, I've not had this too much with any of mine, but know how debilitating it can be (SIL had it really badly, could barely eat at all because of it).

Well we managed our bbq on Sat! The rain stayed off pretty much until about 7pm, by which time we'd all finished cooking/eating- but had 15 kids under age 6, and 20 adults over, so it felt pretty crowded once everyone came inside! The house was well warmed anyhow Pretty knackered now, truth be told, and still clearing up! DH is slightly driving me mad, says he's worried that I'm overdoing things and will endeavour to make me take things easier, but doesn't seem capable of helping with domestic chores in spite of various promises... He's DIY obsessed, always something to do, then wonders why I'm doing all the cleaning/washing up/laundry etc. late into the eves... Grr. Men. He's also beginning to make me worry as thinks my face is getting puffier, which I know is very normal in most pregnancies at this stage, but for me was also related to onset of BP probs etc. It was fine last week and apart from being tired I don't feel anything has changed, but he wants me to get it checked if I can by midwife tomorrow... Still debating whether or not to, as quite like burying head in sand and trusting my own feelings (am barely 26 weeks, I am not allowing PE to cause probs at this stage)... Anyhow have an afternoon to work- DH is off for bank holiday but uni don't recognise this one...

Hi guys,

Had time to catch up whilst on lunch, yes no Bank Holiday for us Scottish lot - boo!

Well done Issy for being halfway there . I didn't feel DS until I was 22 weeks so you're lucky to be feeling your DD at 20 weeks . Good luck with all the pram/cot/car seat buying. It is v. exciting but stressful too as there is SO MUCH to choose from! I'm treating this one to a moses basket that will sit beside my side of the bed. We had my sister's swinging cradle for DS but I couldn't bend down to it post-c-section so used his pram carrycot which was a bit of a pain.

Jumping - you must have been full of pride watching your DS go off to school, I can well up just thinking about my DS starting school and being exposed to the big bad world. Good to hear your BP is behaving itself for now. Although I have completely different history to you I'm also willing my weeks on as my miscarriage fear has been replaced by premature labour fear which is irrational I know as DS was overdue but I can't get to 30+ weeks fast enough... Hope your bbq wasn't a wash out!

Irish - lovely to hear from you but sorry your had intense PMT. Maybe your hormones just needed a bit of a clear out before AF resumed as normal. Really hoping your BFP is round the corner and you have a wee summer baby on the cards.

wasabi - I was out for lunch on Friday and there were 'wasabi nuts' on the menu! I always wondered where your name came from . I'm not going to buy a buggy board as DS will be 3.5 when lo arrives and is very rarely in his buggy (although i've had to use it recently as I can't carry him for any length of time). He will no doubt regress though and want back in the pram nae sling . Let's hope the regression doesn't involve demanding to be breast fed again <shudder> I'm still feeling it strong for you having a girl so not long to wait now....

So how is everyone else? Head, Sunny, girl, siftheelusive, Bubble?

My heartburn has kicked in royally so looks like another hairy headed baby for blue . My bump is so high I struggle to breathe at times. I am so not one of those women who feel gorgeous and sexy come the second trimester - I wish. Although I did go 'sod it' and order the long black 'grecian' dress from Isabella Oliver for the wedding we're off to on Friday. Figure I can wear it to DH's b'day meal in November, my work xmas night out and xmas day if I've not popped by then .

High fives to all xx

Hope you're all enjoying the bank holiday weekend.
JJF - Glad the midwife check went OK. You'll be 30 weeks in no time and you have the 28-week milestone to reassure you in between. Lol at 'Bugsy'. Quite a milestone for DS to start school. Did he look all grown up in his little uniform? Hope your cold has passed and you managed to enjoy your bbq. Did you escape the rain?
Wasabi - Nice to have you back. Does 146bpm give you any indication of gender? Glad DH is getting over the ear infection but poor love with the teething. I think nature gives us wisdom teeth so we can sympathise with how painful it is for them. I'll have to check out Boden for non pink clothes. Oh and I too have the downy fuzz but I have typically celtic dark hair and pale skin - not good.
Head - Congratulations on your baby girl. So great that you're feeling movements. I'm with you on the aversion to pink, though that leaves people having to buy lemon or green and I particularly dislike green as it was my brother's favourite colour. I'm afraid I'm not well up on Spanish/Italian names. I'm going to Lakes again for my hols, but to Ennerdale this time. Feeling very greedy for having a 3-bedroom cottage all to myself.
Blue - Glad you enjoyed Berlin, but with you on the family dynamics. I can only bear my parents' company for 5 days because I get so annoyed with myself for reverting to child behaviours. I actually don't speak to my brother at all, but he is a particularly nasty piece of work and I had to tell social services about him when his son was born, but said son is staying with my mum at the mo and is starting to ask her awkward questions about why we don't like each other. I feel bad because he gets excited whenever I call mum and wants to speak with me, but have to keep it short so no time for questioning.
Irish - Sorry AF got you and with such bad PMT. I think PMT is always worse when you have something to be upset about as you can't shrug it off so easily as just PMT making you feel down. The cry probably did some good though. Fingers crossed the ttc kit works for you this month. I'm glad you've managed to tell people about the mc.
Sunny - Congratulations on getting the 2-3 weeks. I was a week late on those indicators though so don't worry if the 3+ takes a while to come up. When the sore boobs really start I recommend Mothercare's sleep bras. They don't look like they do much but really makes a difference.
Hi Girl, Bubble, Sif - hope you're all well.

I started feeling movements on Thursday evening. Wouldn't have recognised them if friends hadn't told me about the bubbles bursting feeling. Not very often at the mo but had some more about an hour ago. My car passed it's MOT so have it back until new one arrives at the end of the month. Still not decided on pram/car seat issue but going to the big Peterborough Kiddicare store on 15th September with a friend who's 38 weeks so will check them out then if not before. Also looking at somewhere for her to sleep until 6 months that will fit in my room and may go for an Amby Nest. Alternative is the Universal co-sleeper as smaller than other similar ones but still leaves her close to radiator, whereas Amby Nest is a bit more flexible. Nearly forgot to say am 20 weeks today, halfway to motherhood .

Hi All,

Right so now for a massive catch up while the work has died down for an hour.

Jumping Goood to hear the BP is staying where it should - here's hoping your bean gets far too comfy in there to make an appearance for as long as possible. The house warming soudns like it will be great craic - hope you have fun. Happy very belated birthday.

Issy wow a new car - am so jealous. Although now we have changed offices I am "train-ing" to work and don't need the car but still would have liked a new one. Hope your car seat indecision has sorted itself out - there is so much information either way available these days you wouldn't know what to do.

Blue sounds like you had good fun in Berlin. I know what you mean about regressing around your family - I'm a completely different person when I go to family things - and each time I say I won't let myself get dragged into it... ah well.

Head how lovely to have a girl - you made me remember when I was five and my mam had my little brother - upon being told it was a boy I threw an almighty strop and said "God was supposed to send me another sister - I don't want a boy" Hope the night shiftss aren't too bad for you. P.S. I never buy my niece pink clothes etc - she has too much of it already so ther is a better variety of clothes around.

girl so glad you have had AF - and let the bd sesh commence (or has it already) fingers crossed for you.

wasabi It's mad isnt' it the way work ebbs and flows - even if you're not freelance it seems to have it's cyclical pattern. Hope your poor DS is better now and getting more sleep - you too.

Sunny it's a pain to not have any pg symptoms - hope you are ok and that everything is going as well as it can I'll send you on some sticky vibes!

Sif, Bubble, hope you are both lurking and everything is going well for you. Come adn talk to us soon.

Right, so on to me - well AF finally showed up yesterday so I am now on CD2 and back on the vits, EPO, Grapefruit juice and the OPKs will be broken out next week. DH has been warned not to smoke anymore and to eat lots of steak and brazil nuts. {grin] If fertility is high after an MC well I'm going to give it an even bigger boost. [army drill sergeant emoticon]

I've told a few people about themc - 2 of my sisters, and a few friends and they ahve all been really supportive so that's been really nice. Oh and Sunny were you wondering abotu different AF after MC - well I used to spot a day before but nothing this time, also I had teh worst PMT ever the night before it started and I cried for abotu an hour (so much it physically hurt me to cry) That has never happened befoer either. Poor DH didn't know what to do - I was crying one minute and in a foul mood the next. God bless him

So that's me - no other news to report - will keep you updated on any news.

Good morning all

Sunny how are you feeling today? Like you I am usually completely symptomless in early pregnancy, at least until around 8wks, and with DS I hardly had ms- more so with DD, but not much with this one either. Boobs don't start to grow much til past 8wks either, so those first few weeks I find it really hard to convince myself I'm pregnant and nothing's gone wrong. I was lucky this time to have a dating scan at 7wks, which provided such a sense of relief (even though you know you're not yet through the 12-14wks of the first trimester uncertainty). Have you spoken to your GP at all yet? I'm sure given your history they should arrange an early scan for you?

Wasabi glad your DS is all better, and things are on a more even keel! Both my DCs were very late teethers too- first tooth didn't come through until 13.5 months, and DD is still cutting her last canines now. She has been really out of sorts this past couple of weeks while they came through, poor mite- coincided with a nasty cold so her sleep pattern isn't great.

Well my check-up went fine- it was just a BP check and heartbeat listen. BP so far has been 120/60 in late first trimester, now sitting at 120-130/78-83 since 20wks. So it has without doubt rise but I'm still a way off the threshold of diastolic (second number) of 90. As soon as I hit that they'll medicate and hopefully buy us more time. I'm just desperate to get past DS's gestation (30wks)- I know somehow we coped with that, and if it happened again hopefully we'd be as lucky (obviously praying we get a good few more weeks yet). Anyhow it was lovely to hear LO's heartbeat again, such a beautiful sound.

DS started school yesterday! So far so good, he seems to really like it (and loves his school uniform- wonder how long that'll last!). I'm so relieved it's all going ok...
Anyhow short mornings at work for a while as DS finishes at 12 for first 2 weeks, so better get cracking!

Hope you are all keeping well and our TTCers (Girl, Bubble, Irish) are all getting plenty of BDing in...sending lots of baby dust your way. Irish any sign of AF yet? Hope you're ok x

Have a lovely weekend all- we're supposed to be having a house-warming BBQ tomorrow, with some friends camping in our paddock, but not sure if the rain will ever stop so could be a full house! Bit full of the cold at the mo and could really do with hibernating all weekend but too late to change plans now...

List update, post to follow (have written my little notes ready to post at work waiting for traffic to subside but need to go home now). Sorry I know there were more Chinese Gender Chart predictions to add but can't remember them:

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???.
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD ??.
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09. Blue predicts girl
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl
HeadFairy BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09. Blue predicts boy. Scan says girl.
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl, scan says girl
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10. Blue predicts boy
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10. Blue predicts girl
Sunnydale TTC#2, BFP 22/8/09

Oh no I forgot Jumping - so sorry. How was your check up? All good? I'd love to hear some more of your DC's name suggestions!

Hi everyone,

Am enjoying a slightly more relaxed week this week so am making the most of my MNing time. DS seems to finally be over this ear issue ( 2 separate infections in 10 days – how unlucky can one little boy get?) so enjoying slightly better sleep all round. To be fair we’d had a pretty good run before that – he hadn’t had anything for months so he wasn’t doing too badly. The only downside is that I can see 2 whacking great canine teeth sat under his gum line which are going to come up any time now so we will have some teething grumbles I think. DS is a mega late teether – he was still all gums at a year old so when they come through they tend to do so in pairs which can’t be much fun for the little fella.

Fab to hear from you Head and fab to hear your great scan news. So, a girl? Much as I can empathise with the “I’m used to boys” sort of feeling as it is one I share myself, it will be so lovely to have a little girl too. Pink plastic would by no means be obligatory. I caught myself flicking through the mini Boden catalogue the other day going mushy over girls clothes. My heart had sank going into places like Mothercare and seeing this sea of pink everywhere but there does seem to be some really lovely bright colour options around.

I think Ines is a really beautiful name. It makes me think of always think of Ines De la Fressange who was a Chanel model and “muse” in the 80’s. She was, and still is, incredibly beautiful – not in a girly sort of way but a slightly haughty, stylish, dignified and very French way! Hope the nights pass quickly.

As time passes I am more convinced I am having a girl this time. I’m sure by now I had a little blonde downy fuzz on my bump (and on my jaw! – thank god it was blonde) with DS and I don’t this time. Plus I am still being sick. With DS I had awful sickness up until about 15 weeks bit then it went completely. With this one I have had less severe sickness but it has been far more prolonged. It isn't too bad – I wake, puke and carry on with my day. Sorry if TMI there. However, as we aren’t finding out flavour we’ve got a while to wait before we find out whether Madame Blue is correct!

Blue Yeah we got the Bugaboo first time round – just went for the sandy colour as MIL knitted a lovely red pram blanket which would have clashed with everything else. We still use it pretty much every day so I guess the investment is sort of justified. I am now torn as to whether to shell out for a new double buggy (not an attractive prospect) or whether to go for a buggy board for DS. He’ll be 2 years and 5 months when baby arrives . He’s very active and has a habit of trying to climb out of his buggy when mobile so I guess the board is the intuitive option. The alternative is of course to keep the new one in a sling and keep DS in the buggy. Opinion seems somewhat split on buggy boards – some love them and some say they keep whacking their shins!

Sorry to hear that the old family stuff kicked in on your girls long weekend. As I said before, regression around family seems to be a natural response. I just have a brother so the dynamics of sisters aren’t that familiar to me but I can see how you may be a little sad that it wasn’t perfect for your mum.

Irish Your work sounds crazy. Hope all is well and that AF hasn’t shown! If it has I hope the hormones haven’t been too evil.

Sunny How are you feeling? Is it all going ok so far? I know what you mean about joining other threads. I stayed away from the Due Feb ante natal thread as I thought I was tempting fate and now the thread is all well established and I’m not sure about joining. This is my fave thread. I am comfy and cosy here! I think keeping busy is a good plan generally – what else can we do after all? I drove myself nuts in those early weeks – analysing every symptom or lack of it. Something Sif once posted to me I think is worth repeating. The odds are massively stacked in your favour – it just feels like exactly the opposite. Try to keep this in mind in the difficult weeks ahead! X

Huge hello to everyone else - Sif, Bubble, Girl - how are you all?

Hello everyone

Thank you so so so so much for all your congratulations - I was in tears reading them. It is so lovely to hold them to my heart, esp when I don't feel right telling anyone in RL.

Headfairy, so delighted to hear from you - obviously my irrational worrying was hormone-related. And congratulations on your girl bean! Lovely to have one of each flavour. So glad everything is ok.

Blue, welcome back from Berlin; so glad you had a good time. It sounds amazing. I'm off to Scotland to see my mum tomorrow: I've heard it's freezing and rainy. Plus ca change there, then!

Irish, lovely to hear from you, too. Hope you are feeling okay and not too tired by your job. I found I felt worse a month after my mc, then it eased off a bit. Really hope you're over the worst of it.

Jelly, hope your scan went ok and that you are feeling more relaxed about everything. Just realised we usually shorten you to Jumping, not Jelly, but never mind. Maybe Jelly is better for a nervous day?

Wasabi, glad the little peanut is doing well. How are you feeling? Less nervous? I have joined another thread as you suggested, but I'm not that in to it yet. I feel a bit like an intruder who always posts the wrong things.

Girl, hey, you'll be gearing up for a marathon BD session soon, no? Good luck with that. They say you're more fertile after a mc and I can't deny it!

Issy I don't know much about car seats as we don't have a car. What I would say in the Bugaboo's defence, though, is that it is brilliant for non-car families who walk everywhere (comfy, durable, lasts forever) AND the resale value is excellent. It costs a lot, but you'll recoup at least 90% of it if you sell it on ebay later. At least, that used to be true in 2005 when I was looking for a second hand one! That said, I probably wouldn't buy one if I had a car. They take a while to deconstruct and store in the boot, which can be tedious / stressful with a newborn. Hope you are edging towards a decision. Oh, I loved that part of being pg. Deciding all these delicious things!

Well, I think I am probably still pg but am worried by my lack of symptoms, predictably. I did another test on Monday (Clearblue digital) and it showed 2-3 weeks. But I do wish I'd puke or something. I keep reminding myself that I didn't puke once with DD, and in fact always fancied a pint as well. I do have sore boobs, and when I try to suck my stomach in I feel resistance (always a good sign for me, and one that disappeared shortly before I mc'd last time). But oh, it's so terrifying. I'm just trying to keep busy. I think I'm so used to things going wrong that I can't imagine them going right. Anyway, sorry, will stop waffling. Hello to everyone else xx

Lovely to hear from you all again- been a busy evening!

Wasabi your poor DS, and poor you. Interrupted sleep is a killer. Hope you are back to decent sleep again and DS is much better- and work has eased up too? Know exactly what you mean about it all coming at once- that's the story of my life!

Head so pleased to hear the scan went well, and a girl eh?! I have a DS followed by a DD, and like you I really was so in love with my DS I almost couldn't imagine how it would be bringing up a DD, but 2 years down the line I'm so incredibly grateful to have one of each, they are very different characters but usually play really well together- DD is already turning into a tom boy, inevitable really! And worryingly she kicks a ball better than DS!!

Blue glad you had a really lovely time in Berlin, definitely a city I'd like to visit- on my very long list of places I want to see (once children are teens/older/so DH & I can go on our own sans guilt!!)

Irish you poor thing working such horridly long hours- hope AF doesn't leave you in limbo for too long...

Off to see midwife for another BP check this afternoon...find myself getting oddly nervous but it's always good to hear LO's heartbeat too. LO is jumping around a lot which makes me think could be a boy, but my Mum felt that with my sister, and obviously she was wrong!
We started thinking seriously about names, well, as serious as DH can ever be about such things! When DS arrived at 30wks he caught us so unawares that we're hoping by being better prepared this LO won't make an early appearance (excuse my odd and inconsistent superstitions). Baby names are sooooo hard though, matching two sets of memories/experiences/relatives/inherent preferences! Especially since we decided not find out the flavour... The DCs have been putting in their pennies worth too, bless them (no, we can't call it "Bugsy")

A big hello to Sif, Girl, Bubble and Sunny too

Blue I didn't brush against his arm, but I was sorely tempted to "casually" touch his bum I've never seen a firmer buttock before! Must have been all that running around a football pitch <hf giggles at the thought of Gary Lineker's firm buttocks>

Ines is a good start, though it sounds very similar to our surname, so doesn't work too well. My mum says we should call her something Christmassy but I'm a bit doubtful. My dad's mum was born on Christmas day and she was called Natalina (Christmas is Natale in Italian) but we don't have the best memories of my grandmother, quite a bitter harsh woman so I don't think it's got good connotations in my family - shame, cos Natalina's quite a pretty name!

Irish nice to see you back, I hope the hormones are kind to you - or even better af stays the heck away from you!

Hey everyone,

Sorry have been MIA - work going mental - no time to post personals as hve to go to bed. I am wrecked - AF due tomorrow if I get it according to my normal cycle.

SUNNY that is such brilliant news I am delighted for you and am hoping everything goes well for you. Gives us all a little hope

I'll talk to you all sooner and wil do a big mega post to catch up

Yay again for you sunny - oh and "Head" that's so cool about your scan.

Talk later

Head I KNEW you would have posted by the time I finished my ramble .

So its a girl for you - FANTASTIC so brill everything is fine. My prediction coat is now on a shakey nail bit you may be the exception that proves the rule . To get the Spanish/Italian girl's name rolling - Ines?

The Tiergarden was beautiful, and know exactly the building you mean. Oooh, Gary Lineker - did you brush against his arm at all ?

Oh I do love logging on to news . CONGRATULATIONS Sunny - what fabulous news and your pre-BFP symptoms are just like mine (be afraid, be VERY afraid ). Seriously I know you are now in terrified land but each pg is different, you have a DD so your body can carry a baby to term, so deep breath and plough on in there. We'll be here every step of the way and know only too well how utterly stressful early pg is. don't worry about your dates either, they ONLY go on your 12-week scan now, and you know when you bd so fret not!

Head - waiting here with bated breath re: flavour!!

Issy - sorry if I've confused you with all the car seat comparisons, there are gazillion of options for everything to do with babies, it boggles the mind. I have a travel system and used it well. Carrycot birth-4 months, car seat for car til 9 months, puschair facing me 4 months - 12 months then pushchair facing away ("much as i love you Mummy, I really want to see what's out there ") puschair facing away 12 months 'til just shy of three years when his legs were too long. Saying that though, DS was hardly in the pram after he could walk as - fool that I am - used to carry him when he got tired and I never really took to my MacLaren buggy (purchased by MIL), as I didn't want to be one of those buggy Mum's down the town <snobby emotion> . I realyl fancy a sling this time too, had a standard baby bjorn one for DS but used to get myself all tangled up. Really fancy a soft fabric one this time around...

Crikey I've now boggled my own brain!

wasabi - lovely to hear from you and sorry your DS has had the lurgy and is early rising, it is a killer. So you succumbed to a Bugaboo ? What colour??? Great that you heard the hb too, not long til you can add flavour to our chart .

Jumping - really hope your heeding your midwife friend's advice and getting some early nights in, easier said than done when you've got so much on but be kind to yourself. Your DS sounds just lovely .

Girl - hope your AF is on her way out and your gearing up for some BFP making BD .

Well Berlin was beautiful, really sunny and clean and full of handsome Germans. We saw the men's marathon leaders run past when we were walking past the Brandenberg gate. Unfortunately family dynamics kicked in and me and middle sister may as well have been 15/12 again rather than 41/38. We just know what buttons to press and they were duly pressed. My Mum had a lovely time though but can't help but feel for her and at myself and my sisters for being so bloody petty.

Anyhoo, was LOVELY to get home to DH and DS and see my calm, laid back self return. DS seemed to have grown in 3 days and his words are just a-tumbling out now .

oop! two mega posts eh? I told you my brain was fuzzy

Hellloooooo all, Sorry I haven't posted much, been mega busy, and had the MIL to stay for two weeks so I felt it was rather rude to sit on Mnet every evening instead of chatting to her

First of all, let's the the catch up done...

sunny that is fabulous news, a billion congrats!! I can't pretend being pregnant after a mc is particularly easy, but whatever you do won't change the outcome so try not to worry too much. There's lots of us on here who've been through it so plenty of hair stroking and hand holding to be had But good going Especially after only one bd.... way to go!!!

wasabi Glad to hear you had a good holiday but about poor ds and his ear infection, I hope he's back to full strength now. It's so knackering being pg and dealing with a sick child, I hope you get a chance to catch up on some sleep. Glad to hear you had a good mw check.... I'm quite of you feeling movements already... I only started feeling things last week and it gave me the major colly wobbles!

Issy I wish I could help with the car seat thing... I'm using the one I had last time... It's a bebe confort Creatis Fix, I think they've been taken over by Maxi Cosi now as I've seen our model seat but with the Maxi Cosi label on. I haven't done too much research on these things to be honest, I'm not a very good mummy am I? Glad to hear you've got your new car sorted, I hope it's ready sooner rather than later. Where are you going on holiday to? Are you driving a long way?

Hi to jumping, I hope you've managed to get at least some of your stresses sorted. No washing machine would be the killer for me as we do so much. I do remember being without ours for 8 weeks the Christmas after ds was born. He was only three months old and I had to lug giant bags to the launderette every couple of days with him in a sling.. in all weathers, usually collecting in the evening, in all weathers (one memorable occasion in the snow - poor ds bundled up like a snowman!) NOt a happy memory! I'm very impressed at you taking so much on though, I hope you don't tire yourself out too much.

Blue I hope you had a smashing time in Berlin. I looooove Berlin. I was based there for 8 weeks for the World Cup in 2006 and had an amazing time. Our offices were on Pariser Platz so we had a cracking view of the Brandenburg Gate (we were one floor down from the Match of the Day studio so we had the same view - plus I got to share a lift with Gary Linekar every now and then ) We went to some fab bars and restaurants, and I spent many a happy lunchtime wandering through the Tiergarten. One very cool city!

I hope that's everyone, a big hello to girl and anyone who's MIA Sif Bubble et al. Sorry if I've missed anyone out. I'm on nights this week so brain is a bit fuzzy!!

Well so my news..... ok I had my scan today. Baby looks perfect, all measurements are good, organs look good, in the right place etc etc.... and I'm afraid Blue you were wrong, it's a girl!! I had a tiny twinge of sadness because I love baby boys so much (esp if they're anything like mine ) however, we are very happy of course... dh was slightly taken aback as everyone has been saying boy to us, and he'd decided too that it was a boy, and he was planning all the football camps he'd take them to... oh well, girls can play football too

At least I won't have use his choice of name - Enzo Not sure I could have stomached that one! Got to start thinking of nice Italian/Spanish girls names now... I have a couple up my sleeve but I'm keeping schtumn for now. Oh and there's to be absolutely no pink plastic in the Fairy household!!! Ever!!!!

Anyhooo... I'm off to bury myself in my nights, I hope everyone is well. Speak to you soon xxxx

Hellloooooo all, Sorry I haven't posted much, been mega busy, and had the MIL to stay for two weeks so I felt it was rather rude to sit on Mnet every evening instead of chatting to her

First of all, let's the the catch up done...

sunny that is fabulous news, a billion congrats!! I can't pretend being pregnant after a mc is particularly easy, but whatever you do won't change the outcome so try not to worry too much. There's lots of us on here who've been through it so plenty of hair stroking and hand holding to be had But good going Especially after only one bd.... way to go!!!

wasabi Glad to hear you had a good holiday but about poor ds and his ear infection, I hope he's back to full strength now. It's so knackering being pg and dealing with a sick child, I hope you get a chance to catch up on some sleep. Glad to hear you had a good mw check.... I'm quite of you feeling movements already... I only started feeling things last week and it gave me the major colly wobbles!

Issy I wish I could help with the car seat thing... I'm using the one I had last time... It's a bebe confort Creatis Fix, I think they've been taken over by Maxi Cosi now as I've seen our model seat but with the Maxi Cosi label on. I haven't done too much research on these things to be honest, I'm not a very good mummy am I? Glad to hear you've got your new car sorted, I hope it's ready sooner rather than later. Where are you going on holiday to? Are you driving a long way?

Hi to jumping, I hope you've managed to get at least some of your stresses sorted. No washing machine would be the killer for me as we do so much. I do remember being without ours for 8 weeks the Christmas after ds was born. He was only three months old and I had to lug giant bags to the launderette every couple of days with him in a sling.. in all weathers, usually collecting in the evening, in all weathers (one memorable occasion in the snow - poor ds bundled up like a snowman!) NOt a happy memory! I'm very impressed at you taking so much on though, I hope you don't tire yourself out too much.

Blue I hope you had a smashing time in Berlin. I looooove Berlin. I was based there for 8 weeks for the World Cup in 2006 and had an amazing time. Our offices were on Pariser Platz so we had a cracking view of the Brandenburg Gate (we were one floor down from the Match of the Day studio so we had the same view - plus I got to share a lift with Gary Linekar every now and then ) We went to some fab bars and restaurants, and I spent many a happy lunchtime wandering through the Tiergarten. One very cool city!

I hope that's everyone, a big hello to girl and anyone who's MIA Sif Bubble et al. Sorry if I've missed anyone out. I'm on nights this week so brain is a bit fuzzy!!

Well so my news..... ok I had my scan today. Baby looks perfect, all measurements are good, organs look good, in the right place etc etc.... and I'm afraid Blue you were wrong, it's a girl!! I had a tiny twinge of sadness because I love baby boys so much (esp if they're anything like mine ) however, we are very happy of course... dh was slightly taken aback as everyone has been saying boy to us, and he'd decided too that it was a boy, and he was planning all the football camps he'd take them to... oh well, girls can play football too

At least I won't have use his choice of name - Enzo Not sure I could have stomached that one! Got to start thinking of nice Italian/Spanish girls names now... I have a couple up my sleeve but I'm keeping schtumn for now. Oh and there's to be absolutely no pink plastic in the Fairy household!!! Ever!!!!

Anyhooo... I'm off to bury myself in my nights, I hope everyone is well. Speak to you soon xxxx

Helllooooo everyone. Did you miss me? grin Been away for what feels like forever. The week before last we went to see the in laws for a week in Norfolk (great for DS as has access to huge garden, a very relaxed dog and the beach but less so for me as have to deal with MIL for entire week) and last week was a blur of yet another ear infection for poor DS combined with DS deciding to wake up about 4 times a night and to start his day at 5am. I spent all my spare time either sleeping or working (yes as freelance law dictates I had loads of work on when I was least able to do it!). But, we seem to be coming out the other side <wasabi crosses fingers nervously>.

God I am knackered just typing that. The little Peanut is fine and dandy – I had a 16 week check last Friday and heard at happy 146bpm heartbeat! I actually started feeling the faintest movement last week which was reassuring. I had a feeling all was well though as am STILL being sick (yuck) although not every day. The tiredness resulting from DS’s illness and bad sleeping has seemed to make it much worse. Gross. Anyway, have been catching up on all your news.

Sunny Aaaaaaaggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. That is just fantastic news, I am so, so happy for you. You were so due a break and now you have it. Is it possible for you to see a gp or midwife early to try and allay your concerns over the fact that you conceived straight away? There are loads of people on early pregnancy threads like the 4 weeks and bricking it lounge that are/were in a similar position and their outcomes have been good so please try not to worry too much (I know I am a fine one to talk). The fact that you got a BFN 2 weeks after your mc is a good sign.

Sif Hello – I missed you! Glad you are feeling better and that all is well. You must be coming up for your 20 weeks scan soon. Such excitement! You must let us know how it goes x

Blue Hope you had a fab holiday and enjoyed that time with DH and your DS before the pre pre school sessions start! I want to weep when I think about DS starting school so I can kind of relate there. I love your gender predictions although on the CGC I am predicted another DS so we will have to wait another 23 weeks or so to see who is right! I hope your trip to Berlin with your Mum and sisters went well and that you didn’t slip into any old habits. It’s scary how we regress when around family – well, I do anyway.

Issy Happy very belated birthday. I’m glad to see that this test turned out to be ok and that all is well although I’m sure it was a very worrying time. Sorry to hear that work isn’t going great right now – it’s a bugger when someone lets you down isn’t it? You’ve been busy elsewhere – the new car sounds great. I am a small car person – I had an ancient Fiat Punto before DS came along but we flogged it and consolidated to being a 1 car family. Got a BMW estate thing now which is very practical and super reliable, but will never win my heart like my little Punto did.

You are clearly having some issues with car seat/buggy etc. We had a Bugaboo and Maxi Cost travel system thingy which was a waste of money. We used the Maxi cosi seat on the pram frame about twice and DS hated laying flat and was quite a clingy baby (Velcro boy) so spent most of his 1st 3 months in a sling. Obviously we used the car seat until he was about 1 but ended up buying a cheapo stroller as the Bugaboo is so bloody heavy that slinging it in and out of a car boot is impossible. Plus we can’t take him to nursery in it as it takes up so much space in the buggy park. If I had my time again I wouldn’t buy a Bugaboo thats’ for sure – we just got seduced by clever marketing and pretty colours. I know – how lame?

For this baby we plan to re use the original kit but without the same expectations! I am also going to treat myself to a lovely fabric sling (had a Baby Bjorn last time) – have got my eye on a Moby. Jumping what one did you use?

Girl Glad AF has shown up (and it isn’t often I type that) and that you can now get back on the ttc rollercoaster! Wishing you all the positive vibes out there x

Jumping I was sorry to read that it had all been getting a bit much for you. As others have alluded to, you have so much to juggle that a bit of a cry every now and again is the least you deserve frankly. If I had been without a washing machine for 6 weeks I would prob start to initiate divorce proceedings against DH so I think you have done pretty well! Your DS sounds lovely and sensitive. I don’t think it hurts then to see that Mummy is human every now and again. Better a few tears than to bottle it all up and then explode at them and scare them.
On a more cheery note, well done on your masterpiece being complete! I know what you mean about formatting – I have to sometimes submit pieces to magazines in incredibly strict formats that change line by line and it absolutely does my head in – and these are just 1500-3000 worders. God knows what formatting a whole PHD must be like. I hope the rib pain is easing a little. I had this when pg with DS too and it lasted around a month or so. Either that or I just got used to it.

Head Hope you are ok – how was your scan? Am hoping you have just been too busy to post x

Phew, another mega post. Right I am off to have some lunch while I still have some peace!

Just wanted to say a whispered, but very heartfelt, CONGRATS to Sunny
I was secretly hoping that while I typed about spotting pre-AF etc. that you were really pregnant Sending lots of sticky bean vibes...it's got to be so hard but really sounds like this one is very much meant to be, after only BDing once! A quick line for a BFP means that your HcG level must already be pretty high- always a good sign.

Head good luck with the scan today! Hope all goes well and you get lots of pics of your LO.

Issy congrats on the new car! The car seat issue is so complex- I wanted a flat one/carry cot style, but finances restricted us when DS was born. As he was premature and prone to some reflux it actually ended up that a "standard" car seat was better- with a special prem insert to support him. We were very nervous when he was in it though, as it's not great for keeping airways nice and open, so really kept trips short for a good while until he developed some neck muscles and was better able to hold his head up. I never used a travel system with either or mine- had a second-hand mamas and papas traditional lie-flat pram with a carry cot. It was enormous but felt it important to have DS flat as much as possible until older. With DD I just didn't use a pram at all- just a sling! Used a sling a lot with DS too, much handier and also very good for supporting the spine, reflux., etc. I have a long piece of cloth type sling which takes a bit of getting used to in terms of the various tying options, but was fantastic.

Got to run but will keep an eye out for you all! x

Blue - How was Berlin? Hope your mum enjoyed her birthday there. I'm totally confused about what to do about car seat. I hadn't read anything about side impact but I did read that, apart from the cot death thing, for rear impact flat is better, but for head-on wedge is better. Also for a bad crash a carrycot seat offers more protection from flying debris. It seems half a dozen of one and 6 of the other. Don't know what I'll do when visiting mum and dad though as is a 5-hour drive plus stops and read that baby shouldn't be in a car seat for more than 2 hours a day and 1 hour at a time. Maybe get the Streety which has both and keep switching between the flat and wedge one. I'm also really confused about prams. Why do so many people say a travel system is a waste of money? It seems the only option if you want a true lie flat, which is recommended for the early months. Haven't seem any prams which are just a carrycot style on wheels. Am I missing something?
Head - Good luck for tomorrow. Hope baby is in a good position for all his/her measurements and finding out the flavour if you want to know.
JJF - With so much going on I'm not surprised you had a wobble. Your ds sounds so sweet though.
Girl - Hope the OPKs, grapefruit juice and EPO do the trick. Your holiday in France sounds lovely and hopefully being relaxed on hols will help.
Sunny - I have a new face pattern for you:
Has it sunk in yet? I understand your caution. I still have moments where I think that I can't possibly be allowed to actually have a baby and something will go wrong before January, but they are reducing as I get further along.
Bubble - How's the Clomid going? Have you been referred to the fertility clinic yet?
Irish - How are you doing?
Sif - Have you got your 20-week scan coming up? Mine's week on Thursday and I seem to remember your dates moving forward a little at your last scan.
Wasabi - How are you doing? How's the move?
Wishing - Have you left us or are you still lurking?

I bought a car yesterday, but not a micra. Boot was too small so upgraded to the rather unexciting Note. Quite ugly and doesn't have the cute factor of the micra (or the nice purple-black colour) but much more practical and nicer to drive. Have to wait nearly a month for it though. Garage is MOTing my car tomorrow and is going to loan it back to me if it passes but otherwise am carless. They have promised to lend me one for my holiday though as new car won't quite be ready in time. In baby news, still waiting to feel bump move - hopefully won't be too much longer.

Congratulations Sunny . What fantastic news.

Haven't caught up with all posts since my last one, but just had to congratulate Sunny.

Hello all

Don't think many of you are around at the mo, so by the time anyone else has read this I'll probably have mc'd again. But today, this afternoon, right at this moment...

BFP! BFP! As B and F as a P can be!

Absolutely cacking it, obviously, but just trying to enjoy the feeling of being pg while it lasts. Realise the outcome isn't great: not ideal to be pg without having a "normal" cycle first after a mc, or so the doctors say. We only bd'd once - just to get back in the swing of things, really, rather than with any expectations. Just goes to show, I guess: once is all it takes! Admittedly I had a hunch I was ovulating but didn't know for sure.

Blue, you are so right about progesterone making women crabbit: I thought it was PMT but it must have been progesterone that turned me into a moody, melodramatic eejit this week. I only tested because I fancied a drink tonight, and just wanted to be sure I wasn't pg, as opposed to thinking I was. I nearly fell off the loo when the second line came up. It came up right away, nice and dark, not like last time when I had to squint at it. Is this a good sign? I've taken a photo in case the pink line is as far as this pg goes - something for posterity in lieu of a scan. I don't mean to be negative - I'm just trying to keep things in proportion and not get too excited.

Jelly, sorry to hear you are feeling overwhelmed, but from what you have on your plate it's not surprising. Anyone would feel the same and it's probably stuff like having no washing machine that will tip you over the edge. I know it would me. Don't feel bad about your ds seeing you cry - I also feel bad when that happens but they can take it; it's part of life. And also, how lovely that he is so sensitive and caring towards you. You are obviously raising him beautifully.

Head I'm getting irrationally worried not to have heard from you (am I turning into your mother? Oh dear) - really hoping you're ok and just busy.

Hello to everyone else, oh god I feel so nervous, I have to keep it together

Sunny hope AF appears sooner rather than later so you are out of limbo land, it is so frustrating waiting for AF at the best of times while TTC, and a lot more so after a mc. My periods changed a lot after DD was born, and whereas I'd never had spotting pre-AF I started to every cycle, often for around 24hrs, followed by a day of nothing (cue getting hopes up that spotting was an implantation bleed), then AF would finally arrive in full flow.

Bubble not heard from you in a while- really hope you are ok?

Blue have a fab holiday!

Issy what a relief about your test results, but very annoying they took so long to tell you.

All ok here, had a big wobble yesterday about everything- house (still DIY chaos, still now washing machine since we moved in 6 wks ago etc etc), work, PhD, pregnancy, getting DS ready for school (still issue with wiping after toilet etc.!)... Ended up crying in front of the kids for an hour and then felt awful for them witnessing that- DS is a sensitive soul and kept asking why I was sad, and today has been giving me lots of hugs and asking me to stay happy... Think it really was just hormones and tiredness- been going to bed too late for far too long. Midwife friend came round yesterday afternoon and basically instructed me to get more sleep, said I look too pale etc... Easier said than done, but will try to as I am worried about pre-eclampsia etc. and I do need to do my best to keep me and LO in good health.

OK long rant over. Sorry all. Hope you all have a lovely weekend and the sun shines (we finally have some sun over here- first time in a week)!

Thanks Girl and thanks Blue for your coloured faces - they cheered me up again no end! I'm v sorry for yesterday's rant, which I've just read back and realised made me sound like a complete mental case.

I went to the loo today and there was a tiny (TMI alert) bit of dark brown blood - I guess you'd call it spotting - but still no AF. Am going to check out other mc threads, as I seem to think spotting is quite common after mc. Still not doing a pg test for all the aforementioned reasons, plus don't feel pg at all. Just have really bad PMT! Really, really hope AF comes tomorrow as this spotting is taunting me.

Girl, glad your AF was pretty normal but sorry it was emotional. On the bright side, now you know where you are with your cycle.

Issy glad all ok with your bean, hurrah.

Hello to everyone else.

Yay! Issy - I can go off on hols now knowing your a-ok.

at your doctors...

Hi all - just nipping on quickly to say that everything is OK. Phew! Still a bit at docs though as they did the test in the surgery on Monday so could have told me that when I rang on Tuesday or even yesterday. Sorry for lack of personals, still at work at mo.

doh!

Sunny FWIW I got insansly bad tempered before all my +HPTs. I don't normally get PMT but the pregnancy progesterone turned me into a crabbit old cow! Had to LOL at Fertility Friend being 'bossy' . Your sense of humour WILL see you through this!

Girl - glad your fully stocked for this month and OV on holiday is fab, all relaxed and raring to go . Its Issy not Head who has a new car .

for Sunny

Hey sunny sounded like you needed a vent, we all do now and then, good for the soul! Don't mind you asking at all... it was pretty normal actually, doesn't seem heavier or lighter than usual, had pretty bad PMT though, but was already low so I think it just made it all worse and harder to cope with rather than anything to do with my body.

blue yes, went out and got a new pack of digital OPK's and some grapefruit juice, also started EPO as soon as AF came as it really seemed to regulate my cycle. I have looked at the dates and it looks like I should Ov when I am away on holiday... with DP, and my best friend and her DP, sharing her parents cottage in France. Will be lovely, but its not exactly private. She knows everything though and has just said to send them out for a walk if we need to

another new car head didn't you just get one? I got a new one recently and after the successes with a new volvo did consider it, ended up with a skoda, which was a surprise to me as I never thought I would, but you know, its actually really nice!

Hi to everyone else, issy jumping sif wasabi irish

.... although I have to say, my little repeat pattern of blue and red faces has actually cheered me up a bit

Hello all

Issy, can't believe only 59 days to go! That sounds so soon! Boo to the rude receptionist, but stretching pains sound positive so hope you're not too worried. Loving your car dilemma. I can't even drive. What a loser. I've recently got it into my head that I'd love to learn (spurred on by the promise of cheap rental of a Mercedes A Class) but I've heard it takes ages at my age.

Blue have a lovely time in Berlin. My friend went recently and loved it. It's supposed to be amazing.

Girl how is your AF, if you don't mind me asking? Is it different in any way to your usual one?

Head, still waiting with baited breath for you to spill the beans about the flavour of your bean!

Bubble I totally forgot to say hello to you in my last post. How are you doing? Is the clomid still making you feel rubbish, or has it settled down a bit?

I feel bloody awful tonight. Furiously angry for no good reason, after feeling pretty happy all day. Something is definitely stirring down there, but whether it's AF or not I do not know. I think it is, but it just won't come. I think I'm angry because of Fertility Friend. Don't laugh! I went on it for the first time, and filled in all my temps, and it told me my temperature was erratic, which might be a sign of not ovulating. It also told me to take my temp at the same time of day. I do that already, you bossy website. So tonight I'm feeling really sick of temping at 7am, licking my microscope to look for fern patterns, checking my mucus, eating baked fish and spinach, abstaining from alcohol and watching fecking box sets. Is this what the rest of my life will be? Also, I worked out I'd been pg for 21 weeks since this time last year, which is almost half. That made me think. I just don't know if I can be sitting here this time next year doing same.
Sorry for venting. I know it's my hormones really. But that doesn't make it easier. Anyway, am not doing pg test as am not throwing another £5.99 at the "problem" when am skint and have already spent about £2000 all in all in the pursuit of having baby two. Jeez, almost enough for a round of IVF when you think about it. I keep trying to think: "good times are coming, good times are coming" but good times don't come for everyone, life isn't like that. Golly, what a misery guts I am tonight - AF MUST be due

Hi All!

Issy - only 59 working days, that doesn't seem long at all . You have been busy a la new car! I used to have a Micra and it didn't give me a days bother. Traded it in for a VW Polo as I'm a VW girl at heart but miss the Micra's electric windows! re: car seat, its really important that baby isn't flat in car as lying flat is the worst position for a side impact. Mothercare actually have a disclaimer on the 'Jane' pram car seat/carrycot as it goes flat, along the lines that they don't recommend it etc. I'm with you on not wanting baby in car seat for any legnth of time too and DS was literaly only in his in the car, I never clicked the car seat onto his pram. The carrycot part is much cosier, cuter and most importantly best for them. I've got the Mamas and Papas 'Ultimo' and will use it this time although I'm going to treat myself to new chasis/wheels. Glad you've had some ligament stretching pains and hope your next post is telling us your urine was fine. Great news about ilovebeingamummy*!

*Jumpingbigbrain - well done you on your PHD, hope the formatting is nearly finished and you've not spilt coffee on it .

Sunny - how are you feeling today? Any symptoms?? Crap thing is AF symptoms are identical to pg ones - grrr. I've not been to Islay I'm afraid, it it one of the islands (I should know that ). I'm sure its blustery and gorgeous and good at fish and chips .

Head - you have alot on your plate just now missy. Just think by Christmas you'll be in your new house, MIL free with your new kneed DH, DS and (maybe if he/she is early)new lo - hold onto that thought! Will be thinking about you on Monday and hope everything goes OK and baby behaves so you can find out the flavour.

Girl - have you gotten a new shiny batch of OPKs?

wasabi - not heard from you for a whie. Hope the house stuff is going OK.

Sif - are you finding out the flavour at your 20-week scan?

Irish, Bubble and Suzi - how are you all doing?

I'll probably pop back on tomorrow to see how Issy's results are but i'll be away all weekend 'til Monday as I'm off to Berlin - Achtung Baby as they say! My two big sisters and me are taking my Mum for her 70th birthday. It should be very interesting as we've never been away all four of us and will we slip back into our old 'family' habits i.e. me being bossed about and becoming surly before shouting at middle sister and calmed down by oldest one - I can almost hear David Attenborough giving a commentry . Good thing is we're all lazy mares so long lies afoot - yay!

Hi all ... Blue - Hope you're enjoying your time off. I've already started counting down to mat leave - 59 working days to go.
Head - Hope you're coping with your MIL. I get where you're coming from there - am steering my mum away from coming for Christmas and staying until baby comes - thankfully dad's on my side as he can't cope with being a veggie for that long . Must be great feeling baby squirming, I'm not sure what's baby movement and what's just everything growing. Hopefully won't be too long before I feel something definitely baby.
JJF - Congratulations on getting your thesis finished. Hope the formatting is finished now - it takes so long doesn't it. My bra tip is sports bras - wore mine on Sunday as both maternity bras in wash and so much more comfy, even though it's my pre-pregnancy bra size, I've been wearing it since. I think they are measuring me wrong for the maternity ones - doing that adding on 4/5 inches thing so they ride up and cut into bottom of boob.
Sunny - I was going to ask the same questions as Girl. I guess if thinking you might be is making you feel better then maybe wait, but I wouldn't be able to, I'm rubbish at not testing.
Rang docs yesterday to ask when result would be back and got very arsey receptionist - we have x patients here we don't have time to call people back unless there's something wrong - to which I nearly replied there already is something wrong you stupid woman so a bit of understanding and courtesy wouldn't go amiss! . Anyway after getting a little emotional on her she told me to call back after 5pm today, which I did, but nothing back yet. Nice receptionist today told me to make sure someone chases it if it's not back tomorrow. I've started having stretching pains again today though so less worried. Thanks for the doppler suggestion Blue. I thought about it but someone told me they cause more anxiety than they solve, so prob best to give it a miss. Hope all will be well tomorrow, in the meantime I'm keeping myself busy and continuing my one woman attempt to prop up the economy by buying a new car. Nissan have extended scrappage scheme and guaranteed £2000 trade-in for vehicles 8 years old and they've found me a 5-dr purple Micra which will be available on 29th, so test driving similar car on Saturday to be sure, but probably going to get it. It'll be bye-bye to beloved 106 I've had for 9 years. Snap decision as MOT, service and insurance due on Monday. Initially wasn't going to but then researching car seats I came across an article about how baby should be flat and possible links to cot death from the usual shape baby seats. Thinking of getting a pram that comes with carrycot that can go in car but only in the back and also read that back seat is safer than front passenger. People keep telling me that putting a child seat in back of 3-dr is a 'mare, so new 5-dr car it is. All mumsnet's fault for making me think about prams and stuff so early when I saw a thread about how much people are paying for them! Mine will not be a Buggaboo.

Hi Bubble, Irish, Sif, Wasabi & Wishing. Oh nearly forgot to say (again), we've had another success from one of the early posters on the thread, Ilovebeingamummy posted on my babynames thread a week or two ago and was 8 weeks then.

how do you feel sunny any signs other than no AF. I guess doing a test won't do any harm, do you know when/if you ov'd?

Hello all
Head, lovely to hear from you. Hope your MIL is not being too obtrusive. Know what you mean about house guests - even the most well meaning relatives still require extra TLC. But never mind that - you must have had your scan today! Spill the beans! Dying to hear your news!
Issy, glad your day got better. Hope there is no more blood in your wee. Boo to office politics.
Blue, have you been to Islay? Apparently it's lovely and someone was telling me I should go one day... as a Scot, what do you reckon?
Girl, so so so pleased for you that AF has made an appearance. You must be so glad. It's six weeks today since my mc, so I was hoping AF would have showed for me, too. Which brings me to my next question for the room... am I mad to do a pg test? We only BD'd once since the mc, so it's super highly unlikely. And yet...
Despite all the very valid reasons for not BD'ing so soon after a mc, I don't mind too much simultaneously hoping AF turns up and wondering whether I'm pg. It's an individual choice, I know, but I've found the waiting for AF easier, knowing that it might be late because I'm pg, rather than that it's just not here because my body is all screwed up. Does that make sense? Probably not! Hey ho. Okay, the pg test is staying firmly in the bathroom.
Hello to Sif, Jumping, Wasabi and Irish too

Hi ladies

Struggling to keep up with you all, so apologies for lack of personals.

Issy really hope the blood in urine is just a strange "blip", it's so annoying they can't be more definitive with what may cause it other than a UTI. I hope you get your results from the last sample asap. Do not Google! I remember the consultant who diagnosed DD's CF telling me that, and of course I ignored her, but then spent an awful week as an emotional wreck after reading too much on t'internet. As she said, for people to write on the internet, a bit like most media, it has to be because it is something dramatic or dire and they need to share such rare situations with others as it's unlikely their immediate circle in RL have had such experiences, so it is of course horribly skewed. But you know that of course! FWIW I didn't feel distinct movements with DS until around 24 weeks. With DD it was from 18 weeks, and this time from 16 weeks. All normal! And at first the movements do feel more like wind- gentle flutterings like gas bubbles- and very sporadic. It is very reassuring once the big kicks start! Personally I have veered away from using a doppler, as I do think I would get paranoid, but for some it does provide much needed reassurance. Never worry about calling your midwife though if you are getting concerned- even if it seems minor.

Head sounds like you are having a crazy time. How long now until DH can be more mobile? Hope you are coping ok.

Girl yey that AF returned! Here's tonnes of baby dust for the coming cycle!

Sunny how are you today? Any sign of AF yet? Hope you're ok.

Well all fine here- have been having a lot of rib pain on my right side, especially after working at my desk, but recall this from DD's pregnancy and know it lasted about a month then eased, so hoping it will soon. If not will have to trek to physio just to see what I can do. Think part of the prob had been wearing inappropriately sized bras - am bigger than I imagine!! But no time to get measured at mo, so just working through my assorted maternity bras from last 2 pregnancies...
Otherwise PhD is all written! But now on horrendous formatting, which is more time consuming than I'd realised (so a bit stressed)... Work is going well, very peaceful! Kids have adjusted fairly well to my new hours but DS did say he wanted to stay with mummy all day today, which nearly broke my heart as I go ready to leave. At least his nana's looking after them today (i.e. lots of spoiling!).
House is still in chaos, but that's a whole other (dull) story.... DH promises me things will be more in order by the time this LO arrives, so praying for no early entrances!

Right, work beckons...

A big hello to Blue, Wasabi, Bubble, Irish, Sif & Wishing hope you are all doing ok xxx

Hello all.. Sorry I haven't been around for a while. Been mad busy as usual. My MIL is over from Cyprus to help us out while dh is unable to walk, but much as she tries to help, it is still like having a house guest to look after as well as dh, ds and all the other crap.

girl I'm glad your af showed up and you can start ttc again. Good luck for this month.

Issy sorry to hear about your work woes and worry about blood in urine. I hope it was just a blip. I know what you mean about wishing baby would just give a big kick... I get some squirming, but really not many kicks (it could just be that I'm too busy to sit down and concentrate on feeling them) but this morning I got up for my 5am pee and the baby was pretty active after that so rather than doze off again I lay there feeling him/her moving around. I'm sure you little dd will start moving more soon.

Blue enjoy your lie-ins. I'm very I haven't slept more than 6 hours for aaaages! And enjoy your two weeks off, so nice to be at home and just potter, not having to do anything really. My dream day off

Sif lovely to hear from you... hope you can make it back on here soon!

sunny I hope you're feeling better. Tummy upsets are rotten, they so exhausting. Poor you.

I hope everyone else is well, Irish, Jumping wasabi and Bubble. I've got 22 week scan on Monday so I will hopefully be able to update you all as to whether Madame blue's prediction was right for me

xx

Girl so glad AF has returned and you can get back to TTC. Fingers crossed for you this month xx

Issy - ah office politics, we have that here too with who gets the best position in the office (me as I was there first - he he!), who hates being near the window, too hot away from it la di dah... Have you thought of hiring a doppler so you can hear baby's hb? One of the girls on my other thread did for reassurance. Its a bit of a double edged sword as sometimes hb is hard to hear if baby is curled up and can lead to undue anxiety but worth thinking about.... Really hope your urine is NAD (to use a preganancy abbreviation .

Hi all. Thanks for the birthday wishes. The day did get better in the evening, thankfully.
Sunny - Hope your tummy is better.
Blue - It wasn't anything as serious as that, just some very selfish colleagues who don't want to give up or share their great big office even though others have nowhere to sit. One of them blanked me today - I feel like I'm in the playground. As if there talking/not talking to me is anything I give a damn about in current circumstances. Hope you're enjoying your time off.
Glad you're back on track now Girl. How're you feeling?
I handed in my new sample this morning, but presume I won't hear anything until Friday as I gave the last one to them Monday last week. Forgot to pick up an empty sample tube though, so shall have to go back before next appointment. Just wish little one would give me a good kick to let me know she's OK. Thought she was doing it the other day as had sharp pain whenever I stood up, but consulted the pregnancy books and realised that it was prob just round ligament pain.
Have to dash now. Hi everyone else, hope you're well.

Hello, AF arrived to today, so we can officially start trying again! yehay!

Hope everyone is doing well, any news issy?

Firstly belated Happy Birthday to Issy. Hope your week has gotten better after your 'mare day at work. Working in HR is such a delicate business, one part secret service and two parts lawyer land! Really hope the blood in your urine is nothing to worry about - step away from Google its mad, bad and dangerous.

Sunny - I'm not giving away any of DS's blue clothes just yet as I have nothing scientific to go on, just my hunch and the Chinese gender thingy . Elgin is beautiful and so near so many beaches. If the weather is kind, there is no place nicer than Scotland at this time of year, its just awe inspiring.

DH and me are off this week too, yippee!

Hope everyone else is doing away, love to all x

Issy sorry you're having such a crappy time. And belated happy birthday! That's rotten of your director to do that when you are pg - I remember my (female) boss was much the same when I was pg - she didn't take it into account at all and once bollocked me in front of 3 others in her office. It will feel all the worse for you coz of your hormones. Try to let it go... not easy I know. Remember, soon you will be on maternity leave, hurrah!
Not sure what to say about the blood as know nothing about it. Anyone else? Nurse Head? Don't google! It is probably nothing to worry about and hopefully a one-off.

Blue congrats on your female bean! Lovely news. Have a lovely hols - never been to Elgin but I've heard it's gorgeous. LOL at your optimism that my "runny" tummy might be a pg symptom. I'm not even going there. Of course, I have no idea when af is due as it'll be my first post mc... 5 weeks and counting.... oh well, que sera sera and all that.
Hello to everyone else, sorry not to post individually but dd is getting restless, better go...

Blue very jealous of your morning lie-ins, though I had one yesterday as I was working from home. Hope you're having a lovely few days away.

I'm not having such a great day today. I got hauled in front of the Director this morning and got a grilling on something that I'm not meant to know and had told someone I thought I could trust. Wasn't pleasant - on my birthday too. Then got a text to say my friend who was coming up tomorrow is feeling unwell. The other one cancelled last weekend because of swine flu at her work. Got home to get a call from doctors saying they've found blood in my urine sample but no infection and need to repeat the test. Googled and read that it's a sign that pregnancy is struggling or something wrong with baby, so now I'm worried. Going for a drink with a couple of friends later so hopefully will cheer me up.

Hi everyone else. Hope you're all off enjoying yourselves somewhere nice.

Hi All,

Issy - I'm having a girl on the CGC too and have duly updated

Sif - lovely to hear from you and yay! that you've got a bona fide bump now . It is a relief when we get past the churling stage and can stay up after 10pm . My appetite is still awry tho', I can still only eat little and often. No filet steak and all the trimmings for me any time soon <boak>

Sunny - sorry to hear your innerds are playing up again. Is your DH the saem or just you? Let's hope its a pre-BFP symptom....

Really enjoying my fortnight off, DH has let me lie in every morning which is bliss. Don't think you realise how tired you are until you can take a step back from it all. We're off up to Elgin tomorrow to stay with rellies and go to the beach <optimistic emotion>. DS is loving having us around every day and starts the morning with "its the holidays" . REally spoiling him before he starts his ante-pre school place next week. Only three mornings but its the slippery slope to him leaving me and going off to school - sob!

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Sunnydale TTC#2
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???.
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD ??.
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09. Blue predicts girl
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl
HeadFairy BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09. Blue predicts boy
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl, scan says girl
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10. Blue predicts boy
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10. Blue predicts girl

Thanks Sunny - the last 3 are 3D ones - benefit of being a research guinea pig. Hope you're feeling better.

Lovely to hear from you Sif. Hope work eases up for you soon.

Updated the list with Blue's gender predictions. Maybe we should also add in what the Chinese gender chart says to compare for a bit of fun? Says girl for me too.

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Sunnydale TTC#2
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???.
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD ??.
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09. Blue predicts girl
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09. Blue predicts girl
HeadFairy BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09. Blue predicts boy
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10. Blue predicts girl, CGC predicts girl, scan says girl
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10. Blue predicts boy
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10. Blue predicts girl

ps Head i just meant no time to indulge in a good 'move baby move' fest which is what i have been doing when should have been working
sorry if sounded a bit odd!

Hi it's mE still haven't got round to name changing which is a bit reckless but can't get on at work anymore and am crazy busy anyway.
But goodness it's all be go go go here. irish i am so sorry you had an MC. It's crap but you sound like you're keeping busy and staying positive which is great.
sunny i found i had a big down a bit after mine but i think it was also to do with the fact that i went very anaemic which was only picked up about a month or so later. It takes a wee while for your body to readjust. Pleae be kind to yourself until it does and with TTC like the others say it's totally personal. I wanted to wait cos I was physically a bit traumatised by the epic nightmare of my natural one, but I think a lot of people hop back on so to speak. Hope things are getting happier in your house again.

Can't believe how sick you have all been!

Head You too have been having a hectic time. No wonder you haven't felt kicks. I have felt a few but until today only when i really concentrate and have hand on tummy. IT's so lovely though i have a huge smile each time junior does his little swan dives or whatever crazy shapes he happens to be throwing in there.

Hope the move is not too horrendous and knackering.
bubble hope things good with you too. that clomid will work its magic soon enough don't you worry.

issy lucky you with all these scans. it must be lovely to get to check in so often.

blue gorgeous photos! I have a bump now too but it seems to change drastically in size as the day goes on. must buy some clothes.

sorry all a bit rushed as i keep promising will be back properly soon but only once work has died down alas.

oh wasabs i nearly skipped youoff the list! congrats on being 14 weeks. I'm sure you'll be feeling better by the day - just be happy about that rather than worrying. I have totally stopped worrying for the time being because i went for a private scan at 14 weeks having had a tiny bit of brown discharge and the doctor knew everything was fine before he even scanned me and i felt a bit of a fool. i'm just so happy to have FINALLY stopped being a chunder monkey. i can even stay awake til like 10:30. woo woo! Rave On.
laters chicas. PROMISE to be back properly soon xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello all
Just a short one as I'm only bloomin' ill again. Been in bed all day with the squits. Same hideous squitting-every-10-mins-for-8-hours that I had when I was pg, a mere 7 weeks ago. Hideous! Can't think what is wrong with me to be so pooey this summer. Hormones? Dodgy salmon?
Anyway, just wanted to say well done to Issy - fab and gorgeous scan pics. Are they special 3D ones or something? They look a darned sight more impressive than any I've seen, other than those of Suri Cruise (or did I just read about those? Probably...). Glad you are feeling less worried now, though as you say the worry never stops, so we may as well get used to it! So cute it's (probably) a girl! I have a girl. I love my girl.
I must say, I didn't realise you were supposed to wait to ttc after mc in case of "lingering tissue". Gross! Sadly your info came a bit too late for me, as we already BD'd once. Anyway, it's fair to say there's as much chance of THAT happening as Gordon Brown choosing a nice suit, so I won't worry too much. I did get a BFN two weeks after my mc, so hopefully everything is ok in there.
Hope everyone is well - it is quiet, isn't it. Girl and Irish, how are you doing? I found I felt worst a month after my mc, and was sure it was coz AF must be due, but nopes.. still waiting. Sending you much love, and to all the pg ladies too xxx

Hi Blue - well I was wondering . Think I gave Head and Wasabi a run for their money with that one. Yes, I'm Welsh, but I don't live in Wales anymore unfortunately.

With you on the maternity wear. Most of my skirts still fit at the moment, but I can only get into 1 pair of trousers and they're quite thick. Determined not to buy work maternity wear until the autumn though.

Had mw appointment today. Heared the baby's heartbeat for the first time . Womb is already at my belly button though (I'd read that happened at 20 weeks) and she noted my fundal height as 18 which I noticed just now is ~90th centile . Might have a big one in there! Hoping it's just fluid or the fact that I'm short. Mw certainly didn't seem concerned. She said my weight was fine too, even though I've only gained 2lb so far. Have really low blood pressure though, which explains why I feel faint so often.

Gosh Issy - think your mega post has frightened everyone away . All threads seem to be quiet just now, must be the hols...

So lovely that your having a girl (well as sure as you can be). I got my new autumn/winter 'mini boden' catalogue the other day and the girls clothes are gorgeous as are the babies - drool!

I'm sorry if I should know this but are you Welsh? Or do you just like Welsh names?

I need to get more mat trews as am wearing my velour joggies to the ground already. Hav elots of skirts for some reason but hardly any summer trews.

Hope everyone else is well, come back and post soon!

Thanks Blue - I can't stop looking at them. Glad you had a good scan on Tuesday - all your pics are lovely - you have a very photogenic family. Hope your shingles clears up soon. Celtic names are quite good for beginning with vowels - I'm going for Welsh names and nearly all my girl choices being with E or A and the boy's name back-up also begins with A.
JJF - Congrats on new job. Hope you're enjoying it. Can't believe you're juggling new job, house move, phd and being pg, we'll have to start calling you superwoman. I wouldn't hold too much store by the 'come on wee man' statement, the woman who did my scan on Wednesday kept saying he even after she'd told me she thought I was having a girl - I think it's their default setting. Hope your blood pressure keeps behaving itself and this is third time lucky.
Irish - wow you really do have a busy job. Don't envy you those horrible hours. I hope you're getting enough time to look after yourself.
Bubble - So sorry AF arrived, but great that Clomid has kicked in. Fingers crossed for next month for you.
Sunny - Seems you were also right in your prediction for me. Hope SATC and biscuits did the trick. Glad you managed to have a nice time with DH in the pub. I read an article recently which said that men don't want to talk they just want to do nice things together instead. Not great for us when we feel the need to get all the unsaid stuff said, but I guess they are just programmed differently. My first AF post-mc was incredibly emotional - just the similarity of the two things brought the sad memories right back. Sending lots of hugs your way.
Girl - Hope you're coping with not being able to try this month and next month will be your month.
Wasabi - Sorry you're feeling under the weather. Hope you feel better soon. Remember that paracetamol has a lower risk than high temp, so don't be afraid to take it. Great news on the nuchal results. Hope you're damp and timber survey comes back with good news. Enjoy meeting your nephew next week.
Head - Happy Belated Birthday! Hope the first part of the move went well and you've managed to smooth things out with your sister. Try not to worry about lack of movements, woman who did my scan Wednesday said some women don't feel anything until 24 weeks! In answer to at what point do you stop worrying, well there's the anomaly scan, then 24 weeks (possible to survive), then 28 weeks (likely to survive), then 34 weeks (more likely), then 37 weeks (considered term), then birth, then cot death worries, then all the other worries for the rest of their life - the goalposts just keep shifting . It does seem to get easier with each milestone though. I remember thinking in the early weeks that I wasn't going to be able to cope as a mum because the worry was driving me crazy but am actually starting to enjoy it now.

No more shopping sprees from me. Now have 3 maternity tops, a pair of leggings, combats and jeans - though have to decide whether to keep jeans, they adjust really well (side pocket stretchy stuff with elastic with ~10 buttonholes each side) but have front button which I think may get uncomfortable. Have only worn one of tops so far as trying to hold out as long as possible. I also won £76 on the lottery the night before I bought the watch I couldn't afford (although didn't realise it at the time) so can now enjoy the watch guilt free as it was £80 after all the discounts. I say guilt free, I feel a bit guilty that the number I didn't notice I had was baby's due date - shame on me!

My scan was great yesterday. The woman is a researcher not a trained obstetric sonographer so I don't know for sure that everything's OK but she couldn't see anything that stood out to her. Baby was keeping her legs firmly crossed during the abdominal scan, making it very hard to determine gender but she moved when I went to empty my bladder (she emptied hers too - how weird is that?) before the dildocam bit and then couldn't stop flashing her bits, so pretty sure she's a girl. I'm being over cautious in saying 'they think' when telling people just in case it's a boy and also to avoid her having an entirely pink wardrobe. She was thumb-sucking, waving, hiccupping and crossing and uncrossing her legs a lot which was very cute. I still can't quite make the connection that those movements are going on inside me though, I think I need to feel them before that'll become real. I keep finding myself suddenly realising that I'm having a baby even now. One day it'll sink in. Have to wait until I can speak to a native Welsh speaker before deciding on her name though - I had a definite one for a boy. Thankfully one of the researchers is from North Wales and she will be at my next scan on 9th Sept. Unfortunately they have enough data for the research project now so I'm not getting the scans at 22, 26, 30, 34 and 37 weeks now - just the one on 9th and my anomaly scan on 3rd. Grateful to have the extra 2 so far though and at least I won't have to suffer the nerves that build up in the week before.

Hi Sif, Suzi, Wishing and Rip if you're still lurking. <waves>

oooh Issy - loved looking at your pics and a girl too (well maybe). My predicition credibility is in your hands!

Hi everyone. Just popping on quickly before I leave work as have company this evening so won't be able to get on later.

Sunny - the reason they suggest waiting a month before ttc isn't just for dating purposes it's also (sorry this is a bit grim) to make sure that there are no remnants of the mc left behind which could cause infection and therefore risk to a new pregnancy. I did leave the month after my first mc, but after the second I didn't as the mc was so early that I just got AF when expected. BTW I had AF exactly 4 weeks after mc started on the first one, but doc said it could be 2-6 weeks.
Girl - Glad you finally got that rise. Hope your body is good and ready for next month now.
Blue - lovely pics.

Sorry haven't had time to catch-up with everyone (hi everyone else). I had 16-week scan yesterday and I'll post more about that when I post properly but just wanted to say everything seems OK (researcher not a trained obstetric sonographer though), scan pics are on profile and it looks like Blue's prediction was right, they think baby's a girl.

Take care all, T x.

Hi all.

sunny I would go for it if i were you, lots of people say you are more fertile just after a MC, can't do any harm!!

I finally got a temp rise this morning, so 2 weeks until AF. At least I can be pretty certain about this, however that will be 6 weeks since I had the laproscopy. Oh well, i guess my body just needed the time to heal.

Hi Sunny - hope your DD enjoyed C&L - I love the theme tune .

I say got for it, as you say it can't hurt throwing some swimmers up there . Have you bd recently so you know its definately not a BFP type of EWCM????

DS certainly has the strong blue family gene. We all have big features and lots of hair!

wasabi - hope the parac has helped. Yum to tomato soup. I know what you mean re: CFM et al. I will be drawing up my list of rights this time around before they attach/stick anything into/onto me! Its really to hear your birth experience caused you so much anguish. Really glad the hynotherapy helped and you have a gorgeous DS which is all we ask for . Hey maybe you and me will just pop them out a a la your friend .

Hello all
A quick post as DD is engrossed in Charlie & Lola.
Wasabi sorry to hear you have the lurghi (sp?) - hope you don't feel too grim. And you too, Blue - never had shingles but they sound nasty. But hey, what a lovely bump you have! And a lovely scan pic! That baby looks healthy as healthy can be. I'm sure I won't be the first to say it, but how much does your DS look like you?! He's a replica!
Irish lovely to hear from you and glad you have such a positive attitude to ttc. Boo about your long work hours, though.
Thanks everyone for your advice and thoughts on AF after MC. Sadly, despite the world's worst PMT, bloating and crop of acne, AF is still nowhere to be seen. Instead (TMI alert) what did I notice when I went to the loo but loads of EWCM! Not the pre-AF kind but definitely the other kind. PMT before ovulation is a new one on me - POT (pre-ovulation tension), anyone? You know, I'm half tempted to do a little BD tonight - nothing to lose, after all, so why not chuck a few swimmers up there and hope for the best? This after all my reading and advice to Girl to wait a cycle. Hmm, maybe I shouldn't. Not sure which is worse: the 2ww or the post-mc-waiting-for-a-period wait.
Hello to everyone else [waving emoticon - think MN should add one to the list]

Oooh Blue I feel guilty for moaning now - shingles OUCH! Yes, I have succumbed to some paracetomol as I read it was safe and I am feeling so shit that anything will be an improvement.

I hope you are feeling better for a day at home. I have just had some late lunch in the form of some Heinz tomato soup and marmite toast which is my cure for everything. Am just about to progress to some nice fresh berries with ice cream to ease the fire in my throat and get some fruity goodness.

I know what you and Jumping mean in the whole missing out on the natural birth gig. I was induced with DS because my waters leaked and no sign of labour after 3 days meant I was on the clock big time. I put up a fight because I knew the odds of a successful induction were slim (my cervix was still not ripe - in fact it was still facing backwards!) but they kept going on about risk of infection so I felt as though I had no choice. 18 hours later I was told that I was "failing to progress" and that an em cs was the only way forward. I held out against the epidural for 9 of those hours but eventually cracked - gas and air and breathing techniques ain't much use against synto induced contractions. I beat myself up for a long time about "caving in" to an epidural and blamed myself for the eventual outcome. With the aid of my hypntherapist I am now of the belief that I made the only choice I could have based on the info I was being given at the time. I don't blame anyone anymore and I lost the anger and guilt but I'm buggered if I'm being pushed around like that again. If there are no complications and a VBAC is feasible then I want to make sure it has the greatest chance of success - which means no to the canula, CFM etc.

Sorry wasabi x-post. I'm all a gaga over newborns too, not had my hands on any for a while though... Thanks for kind comments on DS, his little brother/sister has big boots to fill in the cute stakes!

Its rubbish not being able to take anything, what about some hot water with lemon and paracetemol? I've had to succumb and take some parac as my rash is sooo nippy.

Hi Jumping - how's the new job going? Hope you've got a big corner office with a view . I know what you mean about feeling 'diminished' about not delivering naturally. I had a mega diva strop last time when I was instructed to get up on bed for epidural as knew it was the beginning of the end of my natural labour (I had been labouring for 30 hours by then part at home, part on ball in labour room with gas and air all very natural, with cd playing in background etc. etc.). DS was not for coming, hadn't engaged and head was at an angle so I am hopeful for VBAC this time but won't beat myself up if I don't. They say its just like shitting a massive poo anyway and I've done lots of them recently . Hope your BP behaves itself over the next few months.

Irish - so lovely to hear from you and glad you've been busy at work. I think jumping right back in to ttc is the best way to go and really hope your BFP is just round the corner.

wasabi - I wanted to wrap you in a big blanket yesterday, poor you! FWIW I only started feeling flutterings last week and didn't until I was 22 with DS. I've got the lurgy of sorts too - shingles! Thankfully mild patch left of left boob but they are really sore <poor me emotion>. I'm off work today as had no sleep last night, felt like I had really bad sunburn, and DS decided to wake up at 5.45am this morning. Thankfully he's at Grannies today so I'm working from home and 'airing' my rash.

Head - hope all's going well with the packing, don't lose the IO top in the move . Can't wait for your 20-week scan and see if I'm right in my predicition

Issy - how are you, any more purchases going down your way?

Sunny - has all your ttc kit arrived?

Girl - how's your temp today?

Bubble - hope TEW is on her way out and the clomid is setting you up for a BFP later this month.

Oh Blue congrats on your scan! For some reason when I posted yesterday I couldn't see your most recent post. I looked at your pictures - your bump is looking mighty fine! Worryingly mine doesn't seem much smaller and I am a good 6 weeks plus behind you. I think perhaps mine is more cake related. Also looked at your older pics - your DS is just ridiculously cute. I am getting so mushy over baby pics at the moment. My friend who had the 2 hour birth last week sent some of her new one over - utterly scrumptious. I've also got a newish (will be about 4 weeks or so) nephew to coo at for the 1st time next week!

Head Good luck today!

Irish Best of luck stepping back on the horse so to speak!

Well, day 2 of the lurgi has been pretty grim. I am feeling very sorry for myself. My whole head, even my cheek bones ache as it is all so bunged up and of course the usual lemsip and sudafed combo is out of bounds. And of course this is the week when I suddenly have loads of work on.

Arrgrgghhhhh.

PS. I would have liked to try for a VBAC too, but sadly got told that it's out of the question for me- I hoped for one last time but my blood pressure had other ideas, and as I've now had 2 CSs, and too bad a BP history, they just won't risk it. Sad that I will never even experience early labour, feel in some way a bit diminished- crazy I know but it'll be strange to have had 3 children (fingers crossed) and not had even a shot at giving birth naturally. At least in a way we should be able to prepare for the inconvenience of not being able to drive etc... and I'll know what to expect with a cs... The latest they'll let me go is 38 weeks (around the 23rd Nov) so can make some plans, hopefully BP will let me get that far!

Just popping on quietly while sitting at my new desk...

Irish I am so, so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. I hope in a way working so hard has kept your mind off it all, and you get back to TTC asap!

Girl, I know this is very late, but I was so saddened to read the news of your ectopic. I hope you are managing to somehow stay positive, and can start TTC again soon. Huge hugs.

Sunny how are you and your DH bearing up? Hope the AF-from-hell passes as quickly as possible. Definitely agree- chocolate and wine are the best solution (maybe not wine at this time of the day though... ) FWIW after each of my DCs, I had the worst periods when they returned, very heavy, often much longer than usual, and very emotional. But I'm incredibly fortunate not to have had a mc, so not sure if it can be that way too.

Head good luck with the move!

Blue love your pictures! The 20/22 week scan is wonderful with the detail that can be seen- I found I was very anxious leading up to mine and it was such a relief once the sonographer finally got through the ever-lengthening list of abnormalities they now check for.

wasabi hope you are feeling better today?

Big hello to everyone else- hope you are ok bubble and feeling ready for the next cycle...at least the clomid seems to be stimulating ovulation, so really hope next month is your lucky one xx

Love to all x

Obviously I meant Hello I am such a muppet for the spelling - thank God for spell check in work.

Hey everyone,

just a quick one - blue your pics look fab

girl and Sunny hope you are both keeping well.

wasabi hope you feel better soon

Head good luck with the move(s)

Bubble sorry to hear AF came - hope you ar feeling ok.

Haven't been lurking and not posting -
we've had the launch of the new system in work - I did a 16 hour shift yesterday and silly hours for most of the weekend - and to make it worse it was a bank hliday weekend here but it's in now so I can catch up on sleep, mumsnet and real life now thank God.

So hope you are all ok and anyone I'v emissed Hell!

Talk to you all soon

Oh and DH and I are going to get back to ttc asap - have ov sticks left from the last time so might put them to use and see how things go. Fingers crossed.

HI everyone, quick post before the computer is packed up!!!

wasabi Sorry to hear you've been ill, I hope it wasn't the dreaded you know what....
My 22 week scan isn't until the 24th August, feels like an age away!! I think I'm getting some squirming and some tiny movements, but it's hard to tell. I'm so busy at the moment I don't get a chance to stop and think about it, and I fall asleep so quickly at night I don't get a chance then either. If this little fella is kicking me at night his mummy's far too tired to notice

Blue great to hear your scan went well, it's so nice to see those legs and arms waving about!! Lovely pic by the way. Oh and the scan pic ain't bad too There's no way you'll be getting a naked bump picture from me, it'll be heavily disguised by layers of clothing to hide white flabby tummy!!!

sunny I don't remember my first post mc af being particularly heavy, but I did have the most terrible pmt, lots of aches and pains and really strong ov pains that lasted a few days. Very unlike me because I normally have pretty ok-ish af's. I was really spotty too, grim!! I'm sure it's quite normal to have a slightly odd af after a mc so I wouldn't worry too much. My first af after both mcs was exactly 4 weeks so you could well be about to come on yourself. I always took it as a good sign, to me it meant my body was still working properly so I felt quite reassured I slipped straight back in to my normal cycle immediately. I hope you are too. My prescription would be lots of chocolate as it's the only way to deal with the af from hell!!

bubble so sorry to hear af arrived, please come back to us soon

I've got to dash cos we're going to ferry everything we need for the next 8 weeks over to my sisters now... have a good evening everyone xxx

Hi everyone,

Well Head I think you trumped me on the longest message competition! Glad to hear things are going well for you in terms of your move (and best of luck with tomorrow) but am sorry to hear that your family forgot your birthday. I would be in the most monumental sulk if my parents forgot my birthday. Top marks to your DH though for taking you out and spoiling you.

I can kind of empathise with the fact that you are not entirely relaxed about this pregnancy. Sadly I fear that the answer to your “when do you stop worrying?” question is “When the baby is in your arms.” I have started to fret again because at the end of last week I didn’t really feel pregnant. I am 14 weeks now and in that quiet stage where the sickness peters out but you don’t feel any movements. Having an anterior plecenta would cushion a lot of movement – a friend of mine had this and it seemed to drastically affect what she felt. When is your 22 weeks scan?

Best of luck with the move tomorrow and the following weeks after your DH’s operation. I share your enthusiasm for vac pack bags!

Bubble Sorry to hear AF showed up. Retiring to lick your wounds I think is a good plan. I used to find that gin, wine, chocolate and really low rent TV used to help me at this time. The order is of course up to you!

Blue Hope your scan today has gone/is going well. I will lurk for an update later. So much for this idea that you feel movement earlier in a subsequent pregnancy. I was getting my hopes up that I might feel something around 16 weeks or so as I was around 18 weeks with DS when I felt those little bubbly sensations. Maybe I should lower my expectations.

A VBAC would be my preferred option too but I don’t think my health trust really like the home birth option either! To be fair I think I would prefer to be in the hospital. I believe the recommendation is that you should be no further than 30mins away from surgical facilities and if and when we move, I will be so I think in my case the hospital route is the safest.

Sunny I’m sorry you are feeling so blue. My 1st period after the mc wasn’t too bad as it confirmed to me that I was functioning again and DH and I agreed to wait out one cycle before trying again. The next one however was brutal. I felt exactly as you describe – my moods were black to say the least. I cried incessantly and went to a very dark place indeed. I had set my heart on conceiving again instantly and when it didn’t happen I was utterly crushed. The upside is that the one after that was a “normal” period – the spotting and weirdness stopped and it was on that cycle that I conceived again. There is hope I promise you x

Well I am feeling thoroughly grim today. Whatever DS was suffering with last week has now made its way to DH and I. The 4 nights of no sleep last week probably didn’t help. I am bunged up, my voice is almost gone (which made the case study interview I have just done a very interesting exercise) and I have the most horrid painful cough. Plus to add insult to injury I have also got an eye infection so I can’t even wear my contacts – I look awful. The bunged upness has also made my sickness come back. Arse!

Hope everyone else is feeling more lively wherever you are......

<sniff>

It can be done girl - just keep marching on. Its a struggle but please don't give up. I want to see you and Sunny and Bubble and Irish's 20-week scan photos up here too!

blue great to see the piccies, and glad to hear all is well!! so happy for you!

Sunny - great to hear you're going gung ho with OPKs etc. AF can be a bitch post-mc, although mine was fine post-ERPC but all over the place after natural one... Glad your pub sesh was a success .

I had my 20-week scan this morning and all well with baby blue . They were quiet so sonographer really took her time looking over everything and legs, arms, head, brain, heart, organs all present and correct <relief>. We don't get told flavour up here although DH was trying hard to find a willie (to no avail ) so we'll just have to wait and I like to be kept guessing anyway .

It was so lovely being back in that scan room the one with all the heartache, seeing a BABY in there, all kicking and waving, makes this torterous journey all worthwhile.

I've uploaded a scan and bump double photo, (only if your interested like ).

Love to all x

Hi all!

sunny I can't remember my first AF after MC being worse than usual, but I would have thought it would be pretty normal for you to be all over the place emotionally, I would expect depression and crying etc. after what you have been through, its still really raw and you need more time, especially as you haven't had as much support from your DP as you should. AF could be on its way, are you normally a regular 28 dayer? Glad to hear you are all kitted out. It does make you feel a bit better doesn't it, like you are making a positive step!

I still don't have any sign of AF, I thought I was ov'ing, but still no temp rise. Going to be a few more weeks yet I think. All though like you sunny have been feeling pmt'ish, not weepy, just irritated etc.

Hello all. Bubble, sorry to hear AF arrived for you. Don't give up. We mustn't give up. Next month could be it!

Head, good to hear from you - how busy it sounds chez Fairy. Try not to worry about being 22 weeks - think how far you've come. Over half way! Brilliant! Good luck with the next stage, and the house.

Blue, the pub was nice, thanks. It was definitely good for us to go out together. Although I'm not sure my head can handle drinking much at the moment.

Talking of which... does anyone remember, after their mc's, whether their first AF was horrendous or worse than usual? I have been feeling brutally depressed the last couple of days, like my hormones are in a blender. It feels like really bad PMT, but I wouldn't think AF would show up yet, as I MCd less than 4 weeks ago. Honestly, I feel awful. Crying all the time. Really black. In a periody way, you know? I just wondered if this was "normal".

Went online and bought a bumper pack of OPKs, some Pre Seed and a saliva microscope thingy that detects fern patterns when you ovulate. So you see, I haven't given up, even though I am feeling pretty hopeless. Down but not out!

Hello to everyone else. Irish and Girl, hope you are both as ok as can be expected.

Oh Bubble - that's crap . Still good though that clomid worked this month. Maybe needs another month to really kick in?

Hi Head and belated Happy Birthday for last week . V. impressed your DH got you an IO top - lots of brownie points for him. Hope the move goes well this week - I take it you'll be putting the Volvo to good use ? Please don't worry about feeling/not feeling lo. We are in a mini limbo land between 12 and 20-week scan but any feeling at all is good. I sometimes just have 'wind' then 'bubbles' but no kicks or anything... Its just mini milestones; early scan, 12-week, blood results, 20-week, 24 weeks (when baby is deemed viable) and so on and so on. The worry NEVER ends, it just gets a tiny bit easier.

wasabi - lovely news about your friend - a birth I can only dream of! Getting a VBAC is my aim but my healthboard sadly don't allow them at home. Gutted about your house and additional costs, these things are set to test us... Great news too on your blood results, fantastic .

Girl - as Head says lots of EWCM is a good sign your body is getting back to normal. Have you used OPKs at all? I've never tempted but swre by those bloody little sticks.

Sunny - how did your pub sessin go with your DH? Sometimes a good bevvy is just what the doctor ordered. Hope you were able to open up and share your feelings.

Irish - if you're lurking, I really hope you'll be back soon, back in the saddle, you're young and will bounce back.

<waves> to Jumping, Issy and the elusive sif xxx

Have updated list

TTC
Girlwithacurl TTC#1
Bubblebell TTC#3
Sunnydale TTC#2
Irishmumwannabe TTC#1
Suzibhoy TTC#1

BFP
Wishing BFP 16/3/09 EDD ???
RipMacWinkle TTC#2 BFP 30/3/09 EDD ??
JumpingJellyFish TTC#3 BFP 31/3/09 EDD 7/12/09
Bluesatinsash TTC#2 MC Aug 08 MC Dec 08 BFP 14/4/09 EDD 25/12/09
HeadFairy - BFP 22/04/09 EDD 27/12/09
Issy TTC#1 MC Mar 08, CP Sep 09, IVF BFP 9/5/09 EDD 17/1/10
Sifuentes TTC#1 MMC Dec 08 BFP 11/5/09 EDD 12/1/10
Wasabi TTC#2 MC Jan 09, BFP 25/5/09 EDD 2/02/10

hey girls!

AF arrived this morning

im gonna go and lick my wounds and will come back see how you are all doing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

i will be thinking of you

HI everyone, sorry for the long absence, been mega busy with trying to sort out the move.

Catch up first...

Irish so sorry to hear your bad news... it's utterly dreadful and frustrating. I hope you are not too down. As sunny said you've got many fertile years ahead of yourself, and what I felt about my mcs was if I did have to have one, then an early one was preferable. For me it was over so quickly it gave me a chance to get back on the ttc wagon quickly. I did try the next cycle, but that's a personal decision. I felt ready, raring to go in fact, but as sunny said to girl... it is actually quite handing having a cycle between so dating becomes easier.

Girl I've never temped, but I do know it's very easy for it to get messed up (hence my total lack of patience with something that isn't 100% reliable ) so don't lose heart. Lots of ewcm is a great sign, it's not wasted, it's reassurance you're body's getting back to normal and working well.

wasabi congrats on your fantastic nuchal results... I had just after my 37th birthday, so I had my first nuchal at 36, and I only got 1:1000, so well done! It's scary how quickly those odds fall though, I only got 1:400 this time, and it's only 2 years later! eek!

Sorry to hear about damp problems, I hope it's only superficial. We've discovered quite a bit of damp in our place, it came up in our buyers survey, but it was a case of replacing some guttering, treating the brickwork and replacing some internal plasterwork. In all about £2000 of work, which we're knocking off our sale price so the new owner can get the work done. It may be worth negotiating something similar with your sellers if you're keen to get moving.

Blue I hope things go well at your scan next week. I can totally understand about not going over to the dark side, I've wandered there myself a few times this week. I've got to wait to 22 weeks, 24th August, until my scan. I'm really worried because I haven't really felt any major kicks yet, some squirming which I can't really differentiate from wind (I am super windy at the moment ) so as you say, when bad news is your default setting, it's really hard not to expect it. We'll have to have a bit of mutual hand holding.

Sunny so glad you're so up for ttc again, but boy those 2ww are a killer. I hope it's not too awful for you. I was really ill right after I ov'd at Christmas and I was convinced my high temp and terrible cold had caused my mc. The mw at the EPU tried to reassure me that that really wasn't the case.. if a pregnancy wasn't going to work then it really wasn't going to work, if it was going to work then nothing really would stop it. It did help reassure me that nothing really would have saved that baby, it was never meant to be.

Sorry you and dh are still struggling with your grief seperately. I wonder if he feels he doesn't want to upset you by being upset himself, so he's emotionally removing himself to protect you. Whatever it is, I hope you find a way to talk to each other, comfort each other and come together sometime soon. Can you arrange a night out for some fun and bonding? A way to try and move away from some of the pain and reach out to each other?

bubble That's great news about the Clomid. Any signs of AF yet or are you pretending trying to not think about it? It must be such a relief to get back to a more normal cycle, so the ttc can start again in ernest!

Issy I'm very of your shopping spree! I've decided that the only place I'm going to buy mat clothes is Mamas and Papas, they have some lovely stuff but it's quite expensive, so I'm keeping it all very minimal. Plus I'm not going to make the same mistakes I made last time and spend a fortune when I'm working and have nothing saved for mat leave. I was totally brassic after my 18 weeks on 90% pay stopped, it was such a shock to go down to £108 a week! I had a terrible SpaceNK and Neals Yard habit that I had to break

Jumping glad you had a good scan... hope the new job goes well and look forward to hearing more from you soon.

So news from the fairy household....

We're finally moving out this Wednesday... we actually haven't exchanged yet, but our buyer insisted on a totally pointless change on our leasehold agreement, so he's the one holding things up. We'll probably exchange and complete on the same day this week (fingers crossed) We've got to go in to my sisters as we're looking after her cats, so Wednesday it is. The packers are in on wednesday and everything goes in to storage on Friday. Busy week ahead.

Then dh has his operation.... and the fun and games begin. My MIL has grudgingly offered to come and stay and help us out for a couple of weeks (she's such a ray of sunshine ) but that nearly caused a diplomatic incident of epic proportions earlier this week. My sister yelled at me all day on Wednesday, which was my birthday, she didn't even remember to say happy birthday until the evening, so I was in a sulk. My parents forgot my birthday (they're on holiday in France - that's their excuse) and my grandmother forgot too... so it was rather flat. My lovely dh took me out for dinner on Thursday though (as I was working on Wednesday evening) and he's bought me a lovely Isabella Oliver cardigan/wrap thing. So who needs families eh?

I'm starting to get very nervous about my 22 weeks scan. I'm still not getting much identifiable movements, which I would have thought I'd be feeling by now. I do have an anterior placenta which might explain some of it, but it doesn't help with the worry. I'm going to see the doc next week to get my Mat b1 form and I'm going to ask him to have a listen to the heartbeat to reassure me everything's still on course. The last time I heard the hb it was so fleeting, I didn't feel terribly reassured.

I wonder at what point you stop worrying? Last time it didn't even occur to me that things could go wrong.

Anyway, I'm at work all weekend freaking out about planning everything I've got to pack up. I've discovered the joy of vacuum pack bags, so I've reduced most of my clothes to a tiny, compressed lump! It's very satisfying

Take care everyone xx

wasabi did I pip you to the post on the longest message front?

Hello all

Wasabi good to hear from you - congrats about your nuchal results, that's ace. Phew. Sorry you've had such a crap week in other ways. But what an amazing birth story! Two hours and the son asleep upstairs! God, what a lucky woman. I can only dream!

Girl so sorry you're feeling rubbish. You know you still might have ov'd - temps never worked for me, even though the clearblue fertility monitor said I had ov'd. Try not to worry about "wasted" ewcm this month - I totally know what you mean, but I read a really useful article somewhere that explained why it's worth waiting. The writer had got pg a few weeks after a mc, and because it was impossible to date the pg, she had loads of unnecessary worry when it came to dating the baby, eg when it was small for dates, she freaked out but only because there was no way of telling when she had conceived. So try to think of it not as a wasted month but as a way of avoiding 12 weeks of worry and torture.
Er, sorry if that doesn't help.
No idea what's going on with me, but I guess it's only 3 weeks after the event so I just need to sit tight. Me and DH are going to the pub tonight - hopefully it will be just what we need. Booze!

Irish, hope you are ok and hello to everyone else.

Hi everyone,

Ok, here is a very long update! It’s been a bugger of a week. DS has been really quote poorly with high temperatures, horrible coughing and wheezing like he’s a 40 a day man. Really started bricking it about swine flu but the doctor this morning said it was just a coldy type virus and that he was already over the worst. His chest was clear which was a relief as it was sounding dreadful a day or two ago. The cough will prob hang around a while though which is a bugger as we have already had 4 nights with next to no sleep.

Other news – had my blood test/nuchal test results back which gave a 1 in 1200 risk - odds I will quite happily take. That’s been one of the rays of good news in a fairly crappy week! We had our survey results back on the house we are hoping to buy and they have found quite a bit of damp so we are now having to get a damp and timber survey done to see the full extent of it and will have to decide what to do. We expected a bit of damp in a house of this age but it seems to be a bit more extensive than that. We’ll see.

Ooooh other news – one of my close friends had her second baby at 1.55am this morning in all of a 2 hour delivery! Bless them – she’d been really getting down because she was getting on for 2 weeks past her due date but then bingo! A home birth was planned but the midwife only got there just in time apparently. Really happy for them. We were going to look after her DS1 if necessary but as it was they put him to bed at 7ish and he woke up in the morning with a new brother to meet. Fingers crossed she sends those super speedy birth vibes my way in 6 months time!
And now for some messages.

Irish I’m so sorry to see that it looks like the worst has happened. There is nothing I can write that will make you feel better but as and when you want to talk about it we are all here x

Girl I’m so sorry you are getting so angry and frustrated. I just don’t know enough about this to give any advice but there are loads on MN that do. What does your doctor/consultant have to say about it?

Bubble It’s fab news that the clomid worked but step away from the early tests! It brings nothing but trouble or, at best, considerable expense. I had a cast iron rule that I tested on the day after I was due if I made it that far. I did actually break that rule this time by testing on my due date but I was 99% sure that I was pg at that point. Fingers crossed those PMT symptoms are actually early pg ones!

Issy Yay for your one woman attempt to prop up the UK economy. Glad you are narrowing down the names and enjoying some serious planning!

Blue Glad its all ticking along for you too. Not long till the 20 week scan now. I’m sure it will all be fine and you can enjoy seeing your lovely LO giving you a wave! I do understand what you mean by assuming the worst being a sort of default setting. I tend to be the same. My DH is a real “think positive” type which is great but I often want to scream back “Why????? It won’t bloody change anything. I’m not a real pessimist – just a worrier.

Jumping Hello! You sound crazy busy so it’s nice to see you even briefly! Your sonographer sounds a bit naughty – saying hello wee man when you had said you didn’t want to find out! I guess the important thing is that everything was ok though so that’s good news – and about your blood pressure behaving itself too.

Sunny Sorry to hear that you and your DH are still not really talking. Perhaps a few days on your own isn’t such a bad idea – it can help. I always have an inclination for solitude when I need to sort my head out. After my mc it took me a good couple of months to really accept that sometimes shit things happen for no reason. I was torturing myself trying to figure out why I miscarried but with the aid of some hypnotherapy I finally let it go. I don’t know why it happened and I never will. It took me a while to get there though. 3 weeks to your AF since the mc isn’t long remember – around 4-5 would be quite normal so hopefully not long to go.

Head Hope you are enjoying some quality country living!

Sif Hello wherever you are.

Good grief this has to win the longest post ever award!

Moning all,

So my temp hasn't gone up, so it looks like I haven't ov'd yet, however getting lots of EWCM, loads more than usual and its so frustrating that I can't make use of it!! someone talk sence to me and tell me to wait because I know I really do have to... urrrg i want to scream, wish I would just hurry up and ov so temptation is taken out of my way. The alternative is that my temp hasn't gone up because I am not ov'ing, and that makes me scared that I only ov'd from the right side, which is now gone, I have read of this happening. If that is the case then i am NEVER going to get PG.

irish how are you doing?
sunny how are things with you and DH, is he back yet?

Oh Irish I'm so sorry. If the worst has indeed happened, and that's not for me to surmise but rather for you, your body and your instinct to know, then please, please take heart that you are young, you don't need to panic and you have many many fertile years ahead. I know it may not seem like it now, when it's now that you want to be pg. And fwiw, I think you're so smart to have started ttc now, and not left it late like I did. Be kind to yourself, don't work if you don't feel up to it, and remember many of us on here have been in your shoes, and are here whenever you need us. Thinking of you and your DH xxx