With angel babies in the sky, some of us expecting rainbow babies, others still ttc and definitely swi!!

You tie a hair (or a thread if you have short hair) to your wedding ring and dangle it above your tummy. If it swings in circles it's a girl; if it pendulums back and forth it's a boy. I tried and DH tried and it swung like a pendulum both times!

Glad that the injections are getting easier - the bravery! Ooh, I am getting closer to the time when a doppler would probably work.

I don't really feel pregnant either. My jeans are tighter and my tummy is bigger but it's not really a fully-fledged bump, if you know what I mean. I had forgotten how much pregnancy there is before you can actually see/feel anything much. In the What To Expect book it says repeatedly that symptoms may include a sense of incredulity about the pregnancy, right up until at least week 20. You've got no cause to feel guilty - you've got heaps to deal with as it is, what with both DH and DS2 being ill and your injections and the car crash, not to mention all your Scarlett-related emotions. I'm not surprised that this pregnancy is sort of taking a back seat at the moment. I think it is quite normal in anyone to feel a bit unreal about the whole thing - the last thing you remember is late pregnancy, with all the discomfort and the hugely obvious bump - this stage where everything is muted and small doesn't seem like the same at all.

too Wedding ring predicted boy for me too, but I've got 31 weeks to wait to find out if it is accurate! :) Chinese gender predictor says girl. Home POAS kit was inconclusive. (Not that I'm desperate to find out or anything! :) ) I was thinking of getting one of the casts made up as a necklace but I couldn't come up with a design I liked that had something from each twin and I refuse to wear just one, so we're just having them made up in bronze and framed, with their names carved into the frame.

We're not sure whether to put their date of birth on the frame with their names or not - what do you guys think? I think it would look better with just their names and we're not going to forget their birthday, but DH thinks it would be nice to include the date to memorialise it a bit more.

cheese Good to hear the injections are going well. :) of being able to hear the heartbeat on a Doppler! :) Don't feel guilty about anything. Being pg again after what we've been through is always going to be hard and we won't have any of the same feelings as a person who hasn't been through it. There is no right or wrong way to feel, we just have to get through it as best we can.

ciwi Glad you had a nice day yesterday. I hope today has been equally good :)

dachs we had casts too, the hospital took them and it was all free of charge. We have them hanging in the dining room along with the other childrens' ones.

ciwi I hope you don't get it too or at least late on, will be so stressful for you worrying about that as well. Will they be taking regular bloods to check for it too?

Too I've heard of the wedding ring prediction but have no idea how to do it!

I'm getting the hand of these injections now, usually only takes a few seconds to build up the courage to do it rather than minutes! We had the doppler out again today and heard the heartbeat again, was very reassuring. I still think a boy and dh thinks girl, one of us is right!

Even though I have a bump I still don't really feel pregnant, 15+1 today too, it's so surreal. I hope I'll start feeling it soon as I'm starting to feel guilty about it.

Mel, sorry you had a hard day. Our 6 month anniversary was 14 Sep, the same day as DH got turned down for that job. Not a good day!

Dachs, the casts sound so sweet! We didn't get casts - we had ink hand and foot prints. DH has a silversmith friend who did us little silhouettes of the handprint cut out of silver - we wear them as necklaces.

Cheese, thanks for the info re nuchal blood tests. I shall make sure they take the blood on Wed!

I have just tried the wedding ring gender prediction thing . It says boy! Has anyone else tried it? I didn't try it with Thea, so I have no idea if it works or not.

cheese I have been told I have a 30% chance of getting it again but that is at any stage of pregnancy, the consultant has said that he only knows one person who has lost a baby to it twice and that person had a significant underlying condition that meant she was very high risk. Fingers crossed if I do get it it will be late on and I can just be induced. Keep telling myself there is a 70% chance I won't get it at all though and like you am just taking it one step at a time.
mel sorry you have had a rough day, 6 months is hard and we all do unfortunately have all these milestones to go through. We are very strong women and will all get through our hard times and make our angels proud of their mummies x
dachs the casts sound lovely and although things like that can be upsetting in time they will give you lovely keepsakes and memories of your babies x
I have been to the pub today with mum, dad and dh. It was a nice day and my dad told dh that he thinks I look happy lately, thought that was nice to hear. You don't always realise that other people can tell when you are having a bad time but obviously they can if they notice when you are doing better.

mel . Sorry you had a hard day. The roses sound lovely. I hope the lasagne goes well tomorrow! :)

We had some casts made of the twins hands and feet and today we had to choose the ones we wanted made up properly and framed. That was hard. They were so tiny :( DH was finding it really hard, - he had tears in his eyes and he almost never gets emotional.

Mel hugs, I found 6 months difficult, it will be 9 months for us soon. We saw Scarlett today too, it was nice. How are you feeling now? x

ciwi Do you know if you're likely to get it again? I had PE with dd1 but didn't get it again. I'm more at risk now I have GD but taking it one step at a time. I didn't get it until late on and went into labour at 36 weeks anyway when my waters broke so I didn't need to be induced. You're just ahead of me on weeks aren't you if I remember right?

Also went up to see Ruby this morning as it's 6 months since she was born. DH bought 2 doz red roses for her and I was so sad when I stupidly said something about the amount of roses he'd bought and he replied "I'll get what I want for my wee girl". Tears a plenty. Never mind, we all have these milestones to deal with x

Hi ladies, I am so tired today. Only had 4 hours sleep after nightshift but that's me on days off now. woo hoo! We have the in laws coming round for tea tomorrow so need to try and get myself organised and get stuff made. Veggie lasagne and normal to be made. Hopefully won't fall asleep in the sauce!

too I turned down the nuchal scan as I felt that getting a potential risk number would just stress me out and I wouldn't get an amnio anyway, glad to see that cheese has already answered your question though as I haven't a clue.
cheese I am at risk of pre eclampsia again but it tends to happen later on if it does happen so fingers crossed the baby will be old enough and big enough to be born if I do get it again. I think they are scanning me at 18 weeks to check the blood flow to try and identify a potential problem before it affects the growth iykwim. I am really hoping the scan will just be normal as that will give me a much better chance of getting far along enough
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend xxx

green it's horrible isn't it, especially when there's not much you can do about the pain.

ciwi ah, I hope your doppler goes well. Do they think the growth will be similar this time or is it just to be sure? My gp told me a couple of weeks ago that he'd seen new evidence that questioned whether even paracetemol was completely safe to take and so advised trying to take nothing at all! I must admit, I've have to take paracetemol a few times though because I just couldn't stand it, even then it didn't do much to help at all.

Too Still have a headache, going for a walk soon shortly too, getting ds2 some fresh air. He should be ok now in his wheelchair as it's not too bumpy outside, have to be careful of his foot. Blood sugar is slightly raised after insulin still but I spoke to the hospital last night and they'll leave it as is for now and I need to call my numbers in again on Thursday unless they get worse.

I was 13+4 when I had my dating and nuchal scan, it's fine up until 13+6 but is more accurate at 12 weeks. They take the blood on the same day, should send you elsewhere in the hospital for it, if they're done on a different day then they're not accurate.

Dachs I thought about trying those cool headache/migraine sheets, don't think there's anything in them that shouldn't be used during pregnancy. It's really getting me down now. Constant throbbing and aching.

Off out to see the sunshine for a bit shortly, hope you all have a good day.

Ciwi, it is a bit late - I'll be 12+6 by then. I am a little confused by nuchal bloods - do they take the blood samples at the same time as scanning me, or do I have to get the community MW to do it?

Hope your headaches go away, Cheese and Dachs. Mine has gone after a nice long sleep and a walk this morning.

Dachs, ordering furniture stuff sounds like good fun! Enjoy.

cheese sorry you are feeling headachey. I've had a headache for four days now and nothing seems to shift it. People have recommended that I try a ho0t pack or a cold pack on the back of my neck, so I may try that tomorrow if it's still here. I hope you feel better soon. xxx

too Hope your headache also gets better soon. I can't believe your booking scan has come around already! Time in other people's lives seems to go a lot quicker than my own . Yay for having bank sorted. Enjoy having money! :)

Hi too glad you got the aspirin sorted, I was initially given the dispersible ones but I found them hard to take so I started buying the enteric coated ones, my consultant says that either is fine. yay for booking scan, is it a bit late? thought you were 12 weeks already

I'm another headachey one today - not migraines though, Cheese. Just the tired type. I am resting on the sofa when I should be packing a bag to go up to Mum's tonight. Mmm, sofa. I could so easily fall asleep.

Dachs, so pleased to hear that all is well! My heart sank when I read your post about bleeding and cramping, so it was a delight to read the next one saying everything is fine. All babies look like aliens at 8 weeks! Baby Bean looked like a roughly frog-shaped blob.

DH went into the pharmacy and asked for 75mg dispersible aspirin - mine wasn't the enteric coated stuff. I am also a big believer in getting free stuff, Angel, but I didn't have time to go to the surgery to pick up a prescription before the weekend. When this lot runs out I'll make sure I get the next lot on prescription.

Green, FX for testing next week!

Jane, sorry to hear AF is messing you around. I hope the wedding goes well - have fun!

Mama, grr for AF! FX for next month.

Cheese, sorry to hear you're feeling so rough. I hope your blood sugar stabilises soon. Did you get a call from the hospital?

August, you are so brave giving things away!

Shakey, I hope you get your scan sorted for week 18. They just don't get it, do they?

My booking scan is next Wed - must find letter and check what time! I got the bank sorted out yesterday and have money again, hurray. Now I must not spend it all at once...

I would say ig AF hasnt arrived by wednesday thursday next week then I shall be testing then.

Morning all (well it is for me as I was on nights last night too)
cheese I have an 18 week doppler scan because last time Ciaran's growth was already on the lower centile at 20 weeks so the consultant wants to scan me before that point this time. If you have a headache you should take paracetamol, I have been told loads of times by doctors and midwives that it is perfectly safe to take, hope you feel better soon x
mama sorry af showed up, fingers crossed next month will be your month
dachs yay for the scan, great news!
green I have everything crossed that you feeling rubbish is a good sign, when are you thinking of testing?
angel enjoy your pampering, sounds lovely
blue hope your cold clears up soon
jane sorry about the bfn, our bodies can play horrible tricks on us sometimes, hope you can enjoy the wedding without the witch though.
No real news here, just got up after nights and now trying to keep myself busy so I don't fall asleep again else I won't sleep tonight!

Oh Mama, how rubbish. FX this is your month. x

Cheese hope you get some rest and feel better soon, take it easy x

Dachs Hi, and great news on your scan x

hey cheese I really feel for you, when I was last pg I pulled my back while coughing and the pain never went away untill I had Ophelia. It think its coz your bones are so soft while pg it makes it harder to heal quick, or something like that. Everything is stretching aswell which cant help with healing and feeling better either. Poor you.

I have a splitting headache myself and finding it hard to focus.

dachs that's really wonderful, so pleased baby is looking well :)

Morning, feeling like crap today. My head is throbbing, cannot get rid of this headache every day. I'm still in pain and aching from the crash we had a couple of weeks back too. Blood sugar is on the high side again, sigh. Hope the rest of you are feeling better than me.

angel Enjoy your break! xxx :)

green Everything crossed that you soon feel even more rubbish and sicky! :)

mama5 sorry AF showed up - happy SWI in two weeks! :)

jane sorry for BFN - I hope AF doesn't show up at a bad time.

blue Sorry you're feeling rough. I hope you feel better soon xxx

mel Hope the nightshift went ok and you are now slumbering peacefully! :)

ahhh take care of yourself Green! and if your not well go home!!!!!!
AngelG- enjoy the pampering you SOOOOOO deserve it!!!!!!!!
retail therepy for me i think!!!!!

Sorry mama xx
Take care all. I m excited as off to gorgeous Thoresby Hall soon for 3 days of blissful pampering. Lush xxx

god I feel like crap! Im trying not to get my hopes up that its symptoms! But it is in the back of my mind. I have a headache now but generally feel unwell, a bit fuzzy. Im going to give it till lunch at work and then see how I feel but I think I might go home. Its funny isnt it, any normal person would be upset they are feeling unwell but when your ttc you start to hope you will feel unwell so it will mean your pg!

booooooooooooooo for AF mama5