the constant advice is boring me to tears... whose right this time..

[salempickles]

For the past year me and my ph have renovated our house, half way though were now back home and im 5 months pregnant, not had any problems at all throughout.

Im self employed and work from home so can decide when i start work finish, and schedule any tv watching and naps on the couch rest breaks when i want. so today i decide to paint the downstairs hall, im at the top of the ladder so not reaching up too high to do the ceiling bit, and the walls too. i kept having a break when i got too tired, ate properly etc yet the 4 people ive spoken to today have all been horrified that i would even think of painting let alone be up a ladder. I'm not stupid i'm not going to do any damage to myself or the baby intentionally. since i first told people i receive constant advice on a nearly daily basis, mostly of my nan who i choose to ignore and just tell her times have changed etc. But this today has got me thinking their main point (as always) is the cord could wrap around the baby head, the way i see it i could be bedridden for the next 4 months and the baby could twist around it itself.

Am i really doing any damage? i just need to unplug the phone till the baby's 18th birthday i think just to advice the do gooders!!

[Mikocat]

The thing about the cord wrapping around the baby's neck if you lift your arms up is a total old wives' tale apparently.

I think you are adult enough to know your own body and it's limits. If you feel tired, stop. If not, good for you!

[phyllisdiller]

Ha, I was up a ladder painting at 5 months pg with DC1. Most people I told where horrified! ALL of the horrified people, when questioned further gave the matter more thought and THEN admitted to the same sort of behaviour when they were pg!!

Don't change just filter what you tell people, and of course, as you are doing already - rest when you need to.

[kiki22]

I've avoided ladders incase i unintentionally hurt myself have fallen from ladders once befor and was black and blue with a concussion it was an accident but still bloody painful would hate to do that again while pregnant, but i have been up ladders a few times to change a light bulb etc when no one else is in. I wouldn't worry about the cord much more about falling off.

[lynniep]

What the others said. be sensible. be careful. if you think your body is up to it, it probably is, after all, you know it better than anyone else. We moved into a new home when I was 6 months pregnant, and I did all the DIY. Of course you need to be careful if you're up a ladder - especially since your centre of gravity has changed, but crikey its not the sistine chapel. I was up a ladder constantly, drilling, painting, hammering.
You are preparing your home for your family. If you dont do it now you're not going to get much chance later. Just make sure lots of cake supplements are had to fuel this activity ;)

[salempickles]

Ha ha thanks, im trying to do it all now so i don't have to do it when im 9 months pregnant, its really not that much my oh does the main heavy stuff and the only thing i can really do around the house is the painting, so to save him feeling stressed about doing everything i do things i think i can manage.

god knows what they'd say if they knew yesterday id been lifting wardrobes about, or only last week i got stuck in my own loft cos the ladder moved and i had to jump down to pull it back into place, think ive done more life endangering things since i got pregnant than i have in my entire life!

[nickelhasababy]

the not holding the arms above your head thing actually stops you from fainting.
the cord reason is bollocks.

don't climb up ladders because your centre of gravity is different, and if you fall, you'll injure more than just yourself.

[lottiegb]

I'd be really interested to see their references for the 'cord round neck' thing. Funny how it's not mentioned in any books about pregnancy.

There was a thread recently on 'most bizarre things people have said during pg' that explained it thus: lifting arms above head, classicly while pegging out washing, may make someone with low blood pressure, common in pg, faint. Women are more likely to heed advice about harm to their baby than harm to themselves.

I'd be a bit concerned about falling off a ladder - not likely but consequences could be bad - but am still (32 weeks) stepping up onto a chair to get things from a high shelf in our kitchen.

[MiauMau]

I don't climb up ladders because, even climbing a tiny stool gives me vertigo! But, yesterday I cleaned all of the kitchen including tiding the cupboards, moved on to cleaning the windows to the dismay of DP who tutted at me and took everything off of my hands and carried on himself with the window cleaning. He's been doing more and more house work and more tutting each time I do something slightly more demanding, even commuting makes him tut!

[SoozyWoozy]

I tiled a bathroom when I was 36w pg with DC2.

I wouldn't have gone up a ladder though, I am the kind of person who would fall off! Also, much easier to pull muscles etc while pregnant (simple but very painful!) - work within your own limits and take care :)

Suzy x

[startail]

at sooz
DMIL said she almost got stuck behind the basin tiling their bathroom floor, while heavily pregnant with DH.

[SoozyWoozy]

Strangely enough, I got wedged between the toilet and the wall... glad hubby was here to rescue me! DC2s labour was the quickest and easiest, I think it is because I spent the last few weeks of pregnancy with my backside stuck up in the air :o (think Jean Sutton / Optimal Fetal Positioning)

Suzy x

[salempickles]

Ive actually got some tiling to do in my bathroom too, maybe if i leave it till nearer my due date i can have my bum up in the air for a while too so the baby will just slide out!

[Hotpotpie]

My balance is shot these days, I couldnt get up a ladder, well more accurately I couldnt stay up a ladder lol, I think that you just need to stick within your own limits, if your managing, not suffering and not knackered then there is only you can decide what you should and shouldnt do - I decorated my house at 5 months pregnant too, Im seven now and everything is an effort so glad I did it then