Due in September 2009: we are now officially blooming!

[StealthPolarBear]

Even if it doesn't seem like it most of the time

[cherrylips]

Yes I agree. I'm 14 weeks pg, feel absolutely exhausted and very sick. But my skin looks great and I am not a bit wan or pale. Most annoying.

[FairySparkles]

Hi Girls!! great idea for a new thread Stealth- the last one was getting mega long!!

On the home birth idea - I can't think of anything worse than having to clean up my own mess!! lol!! Opting for the birthing centre this time for a happy medium, I loved the hospital I was in last time but trying to sit on the concrete hospital beds with a million stitches just ain't my kinda fun iykwim!!

My labour story from my dd is pretty lengthy and traumatic so I'll skip the details but thought I'd share a couple of really important things that I learned:

• About half way through (for me when I got to 5cm anyway) your contractions don't actually get more painful - they just last longer!This was a big thing for me to learn when I was ready to put a bullet in my head at 2am - the mw put the monitor on and it prints off a little graph type thing of your contractions and she said "right, there you go, your contractions are as strong as they're gonna get now" - happy days, gave me a wee bit extra motivation!!
  
  
• secondly - make sure you have a strong female figure with you - I opted for just me and dp and assumed I'd have a great mw with me too - WRONG! my mw was shite - she was a newly qualified teenager who was not too impressed with me shouting and screaming and she spent most of my labour somewhere else unless I called for her - she wasn't reassuring, she never said - "don't worry , this is meant to happen" or anything like that. I was scared shitless to say the least - bless dp, he was amazing but it was all new to him too - you do need someone who can slap you across the face and tell you to pull yourself together - and believe me; if your dp does that to you your gonna be up on a murder charge by the next day!! Dp needs to play the caring loving supportive role - someone else needs to be available to shout at you!!
  
  oh yeah - TPT update - 7 1/2 WTF!! I was 8 1/2 last week??? Whats that all about??!! Still sick tho so bean's still in there somewhere!!

[FairySparkles]

Only just noticed the thread title!! - am I the only one still waiting to go from spotty teen to beauty queen then!?!?! lol

[lizlemon]

No! I've had horribly perfect skin my entire life - no spots at all when I was a teenager - but this baby seems to be making up for it. Gah!

[FairySparkles]

Uuuurrgh - its horrible eh?! Lush do a fresh face mask called 'cupcake' which is meant for teenage outbreaks - it really works for me - just have to keep slathering it on all the bloomin time tho!!!

[BabyLady]

Another new thread - wow we are good posters!

I hear you on the skin thing. I had no problems with my skin from about 17 to 29 - (was on the pill don't ya know). Came off the pill to give myself a break and discovered I was actually a very spotty person to my horror. Has been going on for last 2 years.

Went to dermatologist who prescribed me some creams which cleared it all up after about 6 weeks - had to keep using the cream though. Therein lies the problem - can't use the cream when pregnant or breastfeeding so he gave me another one which is pretty pathetic. My skin has been pretty bad for the last 18 weeks - I was really praying pregnancy would fix it! sigh

Another thing that is bugging me is getting a good night sleep. I am unconcious when I hit the pillow but then dreams seem to keep me sort of semi-concious - at least I seem to become aware that I am dreaming rather than sleeping. Also getting quite an effort to lump my body from side to side as I turn over - it's not even as if I have much of a bump!

Still stuck at work too! I work in M&A and am in the middle of a deal. Getting home at 11:30 to toms and cottage cheese on toast isn't ideal.

Anyway, enough whinging - 18 weeks today which means 3 weeks until my "20" week scan. Yay!

[FairySparkles]

Oooooo babylady - your working much too late bless you!!!! Get yourself home in your p.j's watching a bit of crappy tv!! At least treat yourself to a McD's on the way home - or something equally as tasty ie. chinese, fish & chips etc...

[bigbang]

Fairysparkles, thats the best bit, the midwives clear it all up for you

Great scan news ladies! Snowfalls how was the NCT? Were you doing the classes? Did them with ds, they were great fun. Was also lovely to have a group of people to meet up with before/after birth too.

Was going to say, I had a 'tiny graze' after birth and according to midwife she could put a stitch in but it didn't really need it. Didn't bother and it healed up quickly but in a bit of a haphazard fashion. Will be getting stitches this time if I need them for aesthetic reasons (sorry TMI)!

I am also not blooming yet. I have more energy and am not as nauseous/sick but not gone completely yet. My skin and hair are terrible at the moment too! I have been having bad ear ache on and off for a few weeks now. I went to see GP about it and she said all looks fine, it is prob because the mucosa thickens in pregnancy and the ears/sinuses have trouble draining in some people. I have never heard this before and apparently nothing I can do. Bloody brilliant, ear aches for the next 25 weeks! Anyone else have this?

[LJ29]

babylady I know exactly what you mean about the sleep. I have no problem at all in getting to sleep but wake up just as tired because my mind has been active with dreaming all night.

My skin isn't spotting but very dry and pale. On the plus side my nausea has gone and don't feel anywhere near as tired. I know from experience that this phase usually lasts about a month for me and then back to feeling rubbish!! I have my next scan 5 weeks today and am looking forward to the reassurance of seeing baby again. I am sure I felt some tiny movements yesterday. This is my 3rd so I think its normal to feel things abit earlier.

Hope everyone else is well. TPT was 9.5 so up0.5.

[LJ29]

bigband I have also had earache! I would never have put it down to pregnancy but I do also suffer with sinus problems so it does now all add up!

[StealthPolarBear]

Fairysparkles, completely agree with the good MW comment. I had the opposite - my MW knew when to reassure me and when to bully me a bit. She never left the room and was completely "in charge" of the whole thing, without making me feel as though I'd handed control over to her. She was wonderful!

[AprilMeadow]

Yay a new thread!

I have had really bad sinuses and my right ear feels very blocked from time to time....weird that its pg related.

[lizlemon]

My nose is permanently stuffy too, and my left ear seems to be blocked half the time but I only realise it when it pops and everything is suddenly louder... Apparently it's our old friend progesterone again.

I've had sleep trouble since the beginning. I'm not waking up at 4am anymore, but 6.30 isn't brilliant either. There's also that thing of feeling half awake, maybe because I'm having to move off my back a lot now.

babylady you're working v late. what is M&A?

Have just eaten a whole bag of percy pigs and feel sick.

[ladylush]

I've got a horrible cold so feeling sorry for myself atm. I had ear problems when pg with ds and I had a balance problem because of it. Ikwym about feeling tired when you wake up. I've been getting a lot of bad dreams which aren't conducive to a good night's sleep.

[ladylush]

I was guessing Marketing and Advertising but I could be wrong.

[blue76]

bigbang I had stitches after DD1 - I don't want to give TMI, but I was stitched in a rather strange way, leaving a dangly bit! I'm supposed to have corrective surgery but I've bottled it a couple of times now....Might go for it when I've had this little one...

[blue76]

My skin has started to clear up - drinking loads of pineapple juice, water and tonic water so maybe they're helping??

[audreyraines]

M&A = mergers and acquisitions, unless we are talking about completely different industries. but it would def explain the 11.30 finishes. poor you babylady. i gave that all up long ago!

[audreyraines]

blue - i lurrrve pineapple juice. i swear my baby will be born resembling a pineapple

[TrixieBelden]

Hi all -- just checking in to apologise for falling off the face of the earth! Went to visit my parents for a couple of weeks and have been rushing about ever since, trying to catch up on life at home.

16 weeks today and feeling quite human again, and suddenly yesterday there was a bump. Itching to read back and see how everyone else is getting on...see you in a bit!

[blue76]

audreyy better get those prayers in quick...you don't want him/her coming out prickly end first!!

[blue76]

If anyone's wondering why I keep posting, I'm rather bored! Eldest off school today...I've just updated my profile and put some pics on of my little family and me (and a scan pic of this little one)

[ladylush]

Woke up with a really sore throat (blood in my phlegm so it must be really inflamed - sorry if tmi ). Anyone got any pg safe remedies? I am about to drink the juice of 3 lemons mixed with hot water. Not sure whether to add honey. Gonna google it in a mo!

[blue76]

www.affordablematernity.co.uk/index.php

just found this site - cheap branded stuff!

[lizlemon]

Liked the pictures blue Did you scan the scan picture, or just take a photo of it? I'm worried about ruining it if I try to scan it.

also have a sore throat ladylush, but was just planning on downing lots of juice to keep it lubricated.