December 2010, where we waft about in mat gear eating icecream

[Miffster]

Yo December 2010 ladies, here we go - the mid-point of our pregnancies...and beyond!

Wow, GGG, you're the first other person I have ever met who is hyper-sensitive to hormone based contraceptives. I am too though I did for ages wonder if it was all in my head. I wish there was something like PMS Harmony that you could take during pg - I took it all the time to balance out my hormones during my monthly cycle and it made me feel totally human - unlike now when I'm a complete basket case. I bit the inside of my mouth recently (when I sneezed - damn pg-increased-bloodflow-bllcks!) and couldn't stop crying - like I was six years old! Glad you're feeling stable at the moment though, and I'm sure you're at no more risk of p-n depression than anyone else.

mrsSL -sorry to hear that they cancelled. It is SOOOOOOO frustrating dealing with such mind-numbing bueracracy beaurac redtape for something that should be so straightforward. I don't know how you cope working for the same bunch of loons and dealing with that redtape all the time. I can't remember - are you trying to get a house near work so your family can move there? Have you tried quoting the book at them? I thought there was a 14 day limit to find you suitable housing? I'm sure it will all sort itself out eventually though, so hang on in there...

Randomly am feeling nauseous again today - even eating my salt and vinegar crips at 10.30 am hasn't done its usual trick of helping. Bleurrghh! Time for the old seabands to come out again - thank goodness they're in my handbag still (she says hopefully).

WhatWillSantaBring - they have 14 days to offer you somewhere which they did in May when we first applied but they offered us something unsuitable (distance from work and size) so were asked to withdraw the offer by welfare. We have been waiting since then for them to offer us something suitable, yes needs to be close to work as I currently can't drive for med reasons, PT down here is not great so have difficulty using that and I currently have reduced exercise tolerance. According to the regulations they should provide suitable accommodation - at present they have not offered this. Currently family in N London area and me in Portsmouth area. As of about an hour ago they are now talking about breaking into the property so we can view it today - I won't hold my breath! The frustrating thing is if this was one of my members of staff going through this I would be all over it like a rash but my line managers have been about as supportive as a chocolate bra! Unfortunately one of the senior managers phoned me today and caught me at a bad moment - he did at least say - let me know if there is anything I can do! also been told the single living accommodation I am currently in down here is closing so may be booted out of there soon as well and have to find somewhere else. If that happens I will ask to work from home with a laptop and maybe see if I can go to my old office to work from at least then I will be at home!

Thats frustrating MrsSnaplegs!!! Really hope they get something moving for you soon. You must miss you DH and DD a huge amount...

Glad the assessment went well C&G. Good that your DS1 wants to try, but like you say it must leave you feeling so worried for them. I guess DS2 is too young to really know what he wants? Hope your DD is OK?

PJEN - Very pleased there was no come back on your e-mail . It sounds like you are quite sporty and used to feeling fit so I can understand how tough it must feel when your body is changing so so much. I feel pretty porky at the moment but I know that once the LO is here I can spend time getting back in shape. I had no problems getting things back to normal with DS1... With DS2 however it took longer because I just didn't make much effort and I think I pigged out a bit. Hope you dont worry too much about it - you'll look fab and pregnant not fat!

Speaking of this though, I went into my usual sandwich shop today and the lady said "you can't have long left!" When I said I had another 8 weeks left at work and then another 4-6 weeks after that, she was so shocked! She said I'd had the longest pregnancy and its like I've been pregnant forever . Which bascially means I must have been showing for an age!!!!

Hows everyone else - Sorry to hear of so many up and down emotions and painful kicks. I'm on a pretty even keel at the moment the movements from the baby are lovely. Long may that continue!!! DS1 was loving feeling the baby move last night - so sweet. DH thinks I'm mad for wanting to take DS1 to a 4d scan but I think he'll love it so much and will enjoy seeing his brother.

Hi everyone.
Sorry to hear of people's ups and downs! Hope you're feeling better today DF.

MrsS that's really appalling treatment. Hopefully they'll allow you to work from home, they can't expect you to work there with nowhere to live surely!

C&G yaay for supervised access! Also good to hear DD's assessment went well. Hopefully this will lead to a permanent arrangement that is best for the children.

pjen Don't think about feeling fat. I feel like I'm a porker, but people who see me say I look amazing and glowing (I don't FEEL glowing I have to say!) I'm hoping to do the couch to 5k after baby's born and all the post birth oozing has finished.

I'm 21 weeks or thereabouts (I think hmm]) Scan isn't till next Tuesday though. I'm also applying for a job. Doubt they'll take on a pregnant woman, but hey you don't lose anything by trying! If I DID get it, I'd be able to pay off my debt by Christmas, which would be a huge relief. DP's birthday tomorrow. He'll be 27 he does like to remind me that I'm older than him!

Afternoon all. Managed to get the dining room painted this afternoon! Yay, looking lovely now, dp's mum and 2 younger sisters are up tomorrow so they'll be able to see it all nice and newly decorated. I've suddenly decided that I want to get married before this baby is born, am I mad? We are engaged and have got an appt at the registry office on Monday to get the next available date! I think I'm worried she may arrive early to and I really want to be married and "settled" if anyone can see what I mean! I'm really excited. Just thinking of something with immediate family at the registry office to celebrate our marriage rather than a big party, then some food back at the house maybe a bbq if the weather holds out.

Any ideas where I could get a nice dress from? I wanted something cream, not white but nothing expensive and I don't see the point spending loads on a dress I'll wear for one day.

MrsS hope something gets sorted out, that sounds like such a nightmare, I really feel for you.

Cheryl glad you had a lovely day :) You're lucky the car was there never mind the things inside hehe, I used to live in London myself.

GGG glad that you're coping well, I'm sure it doesn't mean anything for afterwards.

whatwillsanta Could your sick feeling be linked to heartburn? Mine has started up now (great) and I always start off feeling extremely sick and then the heartburn comes, I've got a stash of Rennie tablets in now do chew in for when it happens.

Chooster Thanks. Yes ds2 is 3 and a half so although he says about daddy hurting him he obviously doesn't understand it all properly so it's more confusing for him. I'm so conflicted about it all, as obviously I don't want them hurt but I want them to see him if they want to, safely. If ex won't get help then how can they be safe? Grrr, I hate feeling like this. I swing backwards and forwards so many times a day that it makes my head spin.

QOd I hope so too, it's all this not knowing and uncertainly that I'm struggling with but I'm trying to stay upbeat and not quite so moany lol. Getting the hearing over and done with has really lifted a weight off my mind so I kind of feel back to myself. Good luck with the job application, they aren't allowed to discriminate based on the fact you're pregnant but in practise I can see exactly what you mean.

C&G I would post a thread in the style and beauty forum on here.

Just list a description and budget, there seem to be lots of people who love finding outfits and will scour the internet for you. My friend wore an allsaints dress and changed the sash, it was very flattering this?

and Congratulations on getting married, I think it's a wonderful idea

Not sure I could get my bump in that dress though, I keep forgetting that we're all pregnant, hormones again

Lavita thank you :) I think I'll do that after. That's a lovely dress but I think I'd have the same problem in getting my bump into it hehe :o

C&G Congratulations! I know exactly what you mean about spending a fortune on something you wear once. I got my wedding dress half price in the monsoon summer sale about this time of year and you never know they might have something empire line that would fit the bump - definitely worth a look. Also, Tiffany Rose have some quite reasonably priced wedding dresses. I wonder why maternity weding dresses are so much cheaper than regular ones? Good luck finding something.

Actually just had a brainwave ... clearly you should hire something. That way you get to wear something really nice and special but don't have to spend a fortune on something you only wear once!

Here's a maternity dress that might work well as a wedding dress (and not too pricey!)

GGG Thanks. I've had a look at that site and this is really nice. Although not sure I want to spend that much.

MrsChris I really like that dress too

Thanks for all your thoughts, am going to be a woman on a mission tomorrow and start writing a formal complaint - they can't keep us hanging on llike this!

C&G Congratulations on the plans - it's great news. I got my dress from Monsoon and there is a great outlet shop down here where most things are half price. May be worth seeing if there is an outlet village place near you!

Ooooh great idea C&G...

I had a quick look on ebay and there are some on there - the tiffany rose one you were looking at was on there (strapless though) for £80... There is only 33 mins left on it and I got all excited and wondered how I could bid on it for you! . Then I remembered that I dont know your size (it was a 10) and I dont actually know where you live, or even your real name! . Its funny, we've got to know each other but still dont know each other... Strange! .

Great idea to get married and have a nice family bash - with the new baby as well it'll be a nice start to married life for you

Hope you have a good hormone day tomorrow then MrsS, think everyone could do with a few of them!

Congratulations C&G! Thats a really nice thing to look forward to in the long wait for LO,finding having nice things to focus on really helping while PG and you can't get more special than that:)

I have this really annoying man at work, he's a dad of about 5 kids and 4 stepkids keeps making the stupidest comments ever, dead seriously; not just 'you're not ill, your pregnant' but 'do you know why you're feeling sick? you're not doing enough excersise, thats why, go for a run'

What do you reckon I could get away with saying to him as opposed to... something that could get me into trouble? ;)

MrsS Good luck tomorrow, I hope they get things moving swiftly for you as it really isn't on. I'll try and find an outlet store, I'm in Cambs.

Chooster Aww thank you for thinking of me, I'm an 8, I had a quick look on ebay earlier and couldn't see much. I've been browsing about tonight trying to find something suitable. I know what you mean about knowing each other but not hehe. I'm really looking forward to it, something good on the horizon before the baby comes :o

Button It's definitely helping, as is our new puppy, he's still sleeping and has been for a couple of hours now! I think the children wore him out! Ooh that would really annoy me. Seeing as he's a man, he's never been and never will be pregnant, so how he would know what you're feeling like is beyond me. Can read all the books you like but it's just not the same. There isn't a cureall either, what works for one woman, won't work for another so he's not exactly being helpful to you. I'd probably be really sarcastic back to him and just patronise him. I'd probably tell him that he was the reason I was feeling sick lol but then I tend to get wound up pretty easily and snap quickly, depends on my mood though.

OOh, C&G congrats! Hope you find something lovely.

mumatron think it was you who asked about skin? I look awful. I have millions of spots and a weird red patch which has been there for weeks and weeks now. It fades a bit then comes back again. Nice. I have found sudocream helps a bit, but then they flare up again.

GGG we're going away on the 3rd so won't be able to do 5th, sorry :( If others can make it go ahead though and I'll make the next one. I've found hormonal contraception has some odd effects on me. I went on the Mirena after DD was born but I reacted to that. I also had an extreme reaction to antidepressants (sertraline) even at the lowest dose.

PJen glad no come back so far on the email.

Whoever was saying about painful kicks, I'm still getting majority of mine low down, so think baby is settling breech. Fine for now, as long as it doesn't plan to stay there! Only problem is, I feel like it is dancing on my bladder which does hurt a bit.

Was looking at a story and comments in the Guardian on HB today on lunch break and I'm starting to waver now and wonder if hospital would be better. Weirdly, DH is now really keen for HB although will respect what I want. I still have to wait until my Group B Strep test at 36 weeks anyway as if positive I'll be in hospital.

button my response to him would have been "do you know why you are really annoying? because you don't have a zip on your mouth" - well I am hormonal

Wholelotta I think you need to do what you think is best. I've ummed and ahhed over a HB but I've come to the conclusion that with my previous pregnancies and births not being totally straightforward (births ended well but were close calls and if I hadn't been in hospital may have ended differently I don't know) I'll go into the hospital to have her. Plus I might not be able to anyway as this pregnancy isn't going smoothly! I was talking before about painful kicks, still getting them too but low down and up high, I think she moves around a lot!

I've been getting loads of tightenings tonight, not painful thankfully but very frequent. Feels a little odd.

C&G that is exciting news!!!! I totally understand you and think you should do it! That is so exciting!!

button tell him "do you know why you have time to comment on my pregnancy? because you really don't have anything useful to do with your time. Go get some work done!" now honestly.

Today in a crowded tube a gentleman stood up and offered me his seat . A woman was going through a door but saw me, stood and hold the door for me to go before her and two ladies checked my bump and smiled at me. I am so looking pregnant now!!

Hi all, will catch up with you all in a bit but wanted to share good news. My SIL who has been trying for 8+ years just came to tell us that she is 11 weeks pregnant after her 3rd round of IVF Due in March so my baby will have a cousin very close in age and close by. Am so so pleased for her. She miscarried after her second IVF early last year so this is just such great news :)

Lovely new DF Congratulations

Oh that's fantastic news DF, congratulations to your SIL.

WLL - I've just had a look at the Guardian article, and found the actual editorial it refers to. From reading it, it looks like it's from an American perspective, and one quote stood out for me. ^"In the USA, for
example, only a third of home births are accompanied by a certified midwife"^. It also seems to suggest that women are having home births after having a cs as the hospitals there refuse vaginal delivery. So therefore, possible riskier pregnancy being forced to be at home. That's how I understand it anyway.

full editorial

button Not sure about what I'd say to him because I'd be using all my energy on trying not to knee him in the balls (I have very fast reflexes ). He sounds like the sort of colleague that must be endured with a steely grin - you really can't win with these people. Of course next time he's unwell you can tell him it's because he hasn't been doing enough exercise and see how he likes it.

Yay for your SIL DF - that's wonderful news! :)

Wholelottalove To be honest that weekend isn't totally ideal for me either so let's make it later on in September. How's the 26th/27th for you, DF and kiwi5?