Jue in June 2011 - not even our growing bumps can stop us from wittering on

[neenewps]

Onwards we go with the 2nd trimester...

Thanks mummy. I've been thinking about what the doctor said and now I think he might have said it was minor but cervical ... I bled quite a bit after the smear-type exam he gave me and it's settled back down to its usual levels, and he said 'okay I can't see any blood at all but I can see what you're talking about' when he looked up there with the speculum. Then he said something else neither I nor DH can remember and said that it was really nothing to worry about and was very likely to be harmless ...

So maybe it's a bit of that cervical erosion.

Anyway, I'd heard the heartbeat, and I heard the word harmless, and I am happy.

Going to watch a football match today. You ladies up to much?

Oooh kara how exciting :) I've felt nothing since the twitching the other day but can't wait until it's more frequent :)

TTL cervical erosion would make a lot of sense - I have this too and at smears, they always ask 'is intercourse painful and do you bleed afterwards?' and are mega surprised when I say 'no'. Since it can cause bleeding at intercourse and smears, it's probably a culprit for pregnancy bleeding too.

Hope you're OK Dozydoll

Glad they said it's nothing to worry about ttl. I'm off to the footy today too hoping to pop to town this morning too

I can't stop shopping, but I'm not ashamed!

I think we have nearly everything now, we went to John Lewis yesterday and spent £200 of our wedding vouchers in the nursery department nothing to extravagent, mainly essentials like cot sheets, pram sheets, a change bag, a bath etc - however we have now fallen in love with a bugaboo chameleon as it seems to be the best all rounder from newborn to 2/3 and was easy to push, easy to fold, washable covers etc.
Anyway no way we could afford a new one but might look into a second hand - any advice? Foam filled wheels seem essential so just need to see what the 2nd hand prices are.

Am I the only one shopping? We've got nearly everything now either as presents, wedding vouchers or hand me downs! I am consoling myself by thinking we are halfway in a week or so - surely its acceptable!

Haha at those of you just starting to buy things and hide them away now. I have a couple of things I bought during my 2 chemical pregancies (in the 2 months before bean stuck). I was up duff for less than 3 weeks both times but still managed to buy an all-in-one and a maternity shirt (which I'm wearing now ) I've also bought a pair of nightshirts since this one and bookmarked the cutest soft toys on the Mamas and Papas web site (waiting for bean to be born before buying as need to know the sex) more . In my defense everything I bought was on sale and I knew I'd be successfully upduff eventually .

Well it turns out that my FIL does have swine flu (and is on the mend though still in hospital). The good thing is that even though we left the first day he felt ill and so were exposed, it's been 11 days now, so we haven't caught it from him. Also thankfulyl Scotland has a much lower rate than the rest of the UK so hopefully the chances of us catching it is very very low.

Oh Misshoohaa don't go anywhere near a pram with airfilled tyres. Such a pain in the arse!!! So many punctures... We're definately getting a new pram for this one and solid or foam filled tyres are right at the top of the requirement list!

Not much doing here. My bump seems to have made an apparence over night, which I'm quite happy about, even if it does seem to be a high fat tummy bump where the is no baby, rather than a this is where baby is bump

Hi everyone, not posted for a while but have been trying to keep up. nomirechocbiscuits glad you FIL is on the mend and you have avoided the swine fly. I have been in contact with several of my work colleagues who have had it so waiting to see whether I'm incubating it before I get the fly jab.

misshoohaa I'm with you on the cameleon-I was following a few on eBay but they seem to rocket in price in the last few seconds. In the end I found an ex display model that was new with the foam filled wheels and have been very sad wheeling it around the house!

I had my midwife's appt last week and heard the heartbeat which was great. Now got the wait until 25th for my anomaly scan.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend

If anyone needs maternity clothes and / or can't resist shopping then have a look at the jojo maman bebe sale, I just got some work tops for a fiver each!

Kara you are unbelievably thoughtful! how do you remember these things? Im starting my new job on the 17th (so monday week). Half of me cannot wait, half is very nervous - please cross your fingers and wish me luck. Thank you so much for asking. Oooh so exciting that you are feeling movements! - dh felt a kick last night

Aw dozydoll, bless you. You ok?

Thanks stargirl it seems everyone is spending the evening at jojo maman bebe rather than posting here! (It'll be my next stop even though I really, really don't need anything)

knackered I feel for your friend. At least I had the horrid experience first time round and it's got better, rather than the other way round. It will be 5 years on Tuesday, so I shall probably have a little weep and then get on with celebrating the birthday of my lovely, lovely DD1.

sarahmumtobe and misshoohaa Our chameleon has been in constant use since we bought it for DD1 in Jan '06. Lots of swinging off the handle by toddlers meant that we had to replace the chasis for DS in Jan '10, but I think the new one is an improvement on the original design. We've had very few punctures, but DH loves a bit of bugaboo maintenance (eg is obsessive about tyre pressure), so we may have had more than I am aware of.

lisascat if you wander round Wallingford often enough, you'll spot me eventually (as I run you over with the bugaboo fully loaded with children)

jasmine I've had 2 babies at the JR, and most of the staff are very, very lovely indeed. My 2nd birth particularly was great there. Very low key, chilled midwife, splendid. I have to admit that my birth plan for DD2 read 'This woman is hospital phobic' in big red letters and said absolutely nothing else - they were amazingly kind, including not making me go into delivery suite until I really, really had to and whisking me away into a private room afterwards.

Right sasamaxx off to knit the yoghurt now :) (and look at the jojo website)

of all the ladies with the chameleons :) I saw one in Mothercare with my SIL yesterday who immediately got broody at the sight of it, and tried to make me buy it. At £750 that would put us in even more debt than we already are, but she said these things don't matter when you're buying a pram ...

Obviously I didn't do it. Then yesterday DH and I went to Mamas and Papas after the football (there's one by the stadium in Norwich) and saw an ex-display 'Skate' reduced from £675 to £300 and nearly bought it there and then ... the assistant was even in the backroom looking for the footmuff and rain cover for us, and then we chickened out. Glad we did as we have a Nissan Micra and have now realised it would never have fitted in our boot ...

Going to kiddicare in Peterborough today. Don't think we'll buy anything. It's meant to be a 'research' trip, according to DH In our price range in there there's the Maclaren Techno XLR, the Hauck Manhattan, the Obaby Zezu, the Baby Jogger City Mini Metro, and if we really push it the Obaby Zynergi. I think they've all got air-filled wheels though, which sounds like it might be bad. Any advice?

Oh my. I've suddenly turned into a ravening beast who cannot be satisfied/filledup. I'm so hungry and yet I just ate. I was like this after dinner last night and apparently still going strong. Ekk.

When we finally come to making a pram desicion I think we'll either get one from Mothercare as they have a payment scheme thing over 6 months and if something you've ordered is reduced in price while you're still paying it off if you go in and say they'll reduce the price on your order, or I saw I pram I liked on the boots web site, which would earn us mega boots points.

Had a wee look at JoJo Maman last night and now wishing I had a few ound to spare as a couple of those £5 tops are really nice. And if you use the MN discount code you get 10% off and free delivery (not sure if the 10% applies to sale items though, but still free delivery).

I'm feeling happy this morning as I realised something in the night that is very very helpful to DH and I with our current rental situation. It makes being awake at 3am worth it for a change.

Sounds like we may need a South Oxon meet up in the next few months. Any Berks ladies of course welcome (am I correctly remembering a couple of people asking about the Royal Berks maternity ward? was that a different thread?).

TTL is a car swap at all a possibility? A Micra might drive (see what I did there!) you to distraction, not just for boot space, but also being only 2 door. A couple of the mummies at DD's nursery had the new Mini (being built in Oxford, the employees at the factory get massive discounts for friends and family, so you find a lot of people with them), and simply couldn't be doing with it once they had the buggy, the assorted baby crap and the baby itself to squeeze into the back seat.

Well the research trip was a disaster as we drove all the way there and it doesn't open on Sundays . Walked round Peterborough Cathedral instead ...

Ooh nomore double wahey for your appetite coming back and for your 3am rental revelations :) Normally when I wake up at 3 in the morning and remember something important I've forgotten it by the time I wake up again at a normal hour ...

lisascat we can't swap the Micra as there are 20 months left on our PCP plan. Maybe they'd let us trade up though ... prob worth a call (though I crunched it on the neighbour's car recently so it's a bit dented )

I seem to be addicted to Mini Eggs. Thank God Tesco seem to think it's Easter already

Happy New Year everybody!! I hope you all had a good Christmas, and are enjoying your second trimesters.

I just heard on the news that Victoria Beckham is expecting a baby in June and thought of you lot - I wonder if she'd like to join you! Or maybe she's on this thread already......

Seen a few comments above about air filled tyres - we've got a Jane Slalom Pro with 3 air filled tyres. It gives a very smooth, comfortable ride especially when off-road, and we haven't had a single puncture in nearly 3 years, so I'd recommend it to anyone shopping around for pushchairs at the moment!!

Lisascat I was born in the Royal Berkshire Hospital!! It was 35 years ago though!!! And they had a fire there the following day!

Hi ladies, good weekends?
Can I ask another of my very naive questions? I keep going on about DH being away and if things dont go completely to schedule there is a good chance he will miss either the birth or the coming home (dont worry, his dangly bits are well and truly on the block to sort out some better leave arrangements!)
Anyway - if he misses the coming home bit then I will have to resort to a taxi or a friend to get me and new bub home and it is a 45 minutes drive. Whilst I will have sorted out a car seat for my own car by then, how can I manage in someone elses car? Do car seats just unplug from one car and into another (if so, why do they need to be 'fitted by a qualified fitter'?). Are some makes more transferrable than others? Does it depend on the car?

Anyone who has travelled in taxis or friends cars with a bub, how does it work?

Meant to say sasamaxx thank you so much for your help re slings, really really helpful as dh and I are (were! ) both quite clueless.

Cuppatea so lovely to see you and yes, your right - I am in fact Ms. Beckham!! . Actually I've just seen that thread too. Was happy for them. Hows all with you?

Jasmine I think it depends on the seat, I know my cousin's ds's car seat wont fit in his aunt's car as its a little older and doesnt have isofix thingymabobs. That said, we have always being able to just pop our car seats from our car to another (i.e. my mothers/ from dh's to mine). I would advice though, having a few trial runs fitting and taking out the car seat (you will receive instructions on how to do this and also pay attention at the demo you get from "expert" at store you buy in) before due date so you are confident that seat is safe and appropriately fitted.

I have just had the best news ever.

My childminder (who has been absolutely fabulous with my dd) is quite obviously extremely pissed off that Im pregnant so soon after ds. She hasnt said as much but hasnt referred to the pregnancy at all/ congratulated us etc, when I make reference to the new baby she ignores me. I understand it leaves her in a difficult situation as Ill be going on maternity leave again quite quickly but I feel really let down by her. shes also annoyed, I think, that I didnt go back to work in November when I was supposed to but in Jan, despite me giving her 3 months notice of this possibility.

Im hurt to be honest, as shes not just our CM but my aunt (through marraige). We have been really, really "good" to her in the 4 years she has cared for dd and I feel this has been a bit of a kick in the face. I also know she has been bitching quite a bit to her daughters etc and I feel that after ensuring we treated her very well, this is what we got for our efforts. Theres way more to this story but anyway. The women is a fabulous CM - I mean brilliant but should spend all her time with either children or animals - she has no manner with adults and has stated this herself (well that she would prefer kids and animals - doesnt like adults).

We've been really worrying about the cost of childcare now with another dc due to need full time care combined with the above and worry of constant moodiness/ bitchiness. DH and I actually used to fight over who had to collect dd. You'll probably think Im crazy to worry about this now but with 3, we have to have some sort of plan in place. Anyway, my mother lives next door to us (i.e. at the top of the field I live in ) my dads dead and I've no other siblings, shes only in her early fifties and we are extremely close. She is fabulous with my dc. I believe the birth of both of them actually gave her a 2nd lease of life, her and dd are unusually close - with both of them asking can dd have a sleepover a couple of nights a week constantly. She has built on to her house and included bedrooms for each of our children despite living alone . Theirs is an unusually close relationship to be honest. Its lovely.

Shes out of the country for a few months at the minute but we chat a lot on the phone.

She said she has decided to pack in her current (part time) job when she returns as in current climate work has slowed down way too much. She said she hates the way CM treats me and is fed up with her, she said she would love if we would consider her as a CM when I return to work (when we had dd she had her own job and at the time wasnt interested in childminding. I've often dreamt of this happening but didnt ask her again as didnt want to put any pressure on her). She said she just wants to spend time with her beautiful grandchildren and earning a wage for it would be amazing. She will be greatly financially better off for this - almost doubling her weekly income while working from home.

This would mean I have no drop offs or collections anymore, She said she will take two for what we are currently paying cm for ds alone . I wont have to put up with any moods (as DM is very easy going) and she cares for the dc in the way that dh and I do/ want. DH's work hours are fabulous and despite him technically being full time, he is home by 2pm most days. So, dc will be with their grandmother from 9 - 2, their dad from 2-6 and me at all other times.

Everyone is winning! . Im sorry this was so long but I needed to share it with someone! I just cant explain the relief as I was sick with worry about childcare - I was actually waking some nights in a bit of a panic about it .

Barbie That sounds like a lovely arrangement and so nice to be able to relax about it all.

I did laugh though 'she lives..at the top of the field I live in'...had sudden visions of you being some kind of cloth wearing earth mother living in a teepee and your Aunt appearing wearing home dyed jumpers with herbs in her hair. Sorry, just amused me for a moment

Hello and Happy New Year all! It's Bauble here (under a new incarnation, I like to ring the changes ) We went away for Christmas and New Year, first to a hotel, then to friends in Scotland for NY. Had a great time, just catching up now!

So many pages to read! Great that we all seem to be OK. Will spend a few days hours reading up on everyone's news!

I can't stop shopping! I went to Meadowhall shopping centre yesterday with DH with the intention of getting loads of maternity clothes but was really disappointed because the ranges were really small and Dorothy Perkins has decided not to stock any in that branch or the one in the city centre any more . I think that the problem was that there was still too much sale stuff out from the non-maternity ranges and so there was no room left for maternity stuff. I managed to find 3 tops and a pair of jeans though. When I got home I ended buying 4 more tops on New Look's website and then after seeing the posts above I looked at the Jojo Maman Bebe site and ended up buying two more tops (only one in the sale although I did use the MN code to get 10% off and it also worked on the sale item ).

I must stop now, especially as none of the things which I have bought are particularly summery and it so it is bound to be really hot in May and June and I'll end up needing to buy a load more summer stuff in a few months time!

Supersunnyday I bought a top without trying it on it M&P so missed out on seeing the fake strap on bump. I'd have loved to have seen DH's face if I had come out of the changing room wearing it without any warning, especially as he kept telling me yesterday that he was sure that the bump had grown during the day!

stargirl thanks for the jojomamanbebe tip, just got 2 tops, 2 dresses and a pair of tights. Thats me sorted for work for a few more months for under £35, good work!

NurseS can you remember where you found that scan pic picture frame? If I ever get my 20 week scan date (19 weeks today!) may have to order one once we've got the all clear.

Freaked myself out today reading up on polycistic kidney disease. My mum lost a baby at 8 hours old before she had me due to it. I've never really looked into it but figured it was just "one of those things" and hoped medicine had improved in the last 25 years so never even mentioned it to my mw. Turns out it's genetic and medicine is no further forward on that front at least. Why do I insist on looking these things up?? sure it will all be fine but can't help but worry a bit.

Can I just have a bit of a me, me, me post and a sob? Had such a crappy day :(

Went to church this morning, stupidly didn't have any breakfast as we have a little break at 10 and usually have coffee and a muffin. Well this morning I managed to spill a whole cup of coffee into my lap so didn't manage to eat or drink anything and then ran around like a loon trying to find a new cassock before the service.

Then as we were lining up to go in, a friend of mine who knows that I haven't announced the pregnancy was shouting "why have you got a new cassock on? Is it because your bump doesn't fit in the other? Oh sorry, I bet this is really embarrassing you!" so filed into the choir stalls all het up. Next thing I know, a few minutes into the service, I've got a crowd of people, including the reverend around me and I've fainted. Apparently I went down like a sack of spuds and hit my head on the way down. Got my bearings and went outside, with kind people asking if I'm ok and have I had any breakfast. I had to say no, and felt awful, what kind of an irresponsible person would not eat properly at 19 weeks :(

Went home and BP was low side of normal, so had a bowl of cereal and sweet tea. Feeling headachy and sick so rang NHS direct who said it'd be 20 hours until someone could call back (!!!) so rang maternity assessment who said I should go in to be checked. Nothing out of the ordinary, just high heart rate (quote of the day: it's a bit high, are you feeling anxious? Errr, yes, that's why I'm here!) so told to go home and not get stressed.

Feel so guilty for all this drama over something that could have been prevented by me being more bloody organised and conscientious. Oh well, hopefully it's a one-off, I've definitely learnt my lesson!

Sorry it's so long, needed the cathartic post as been holding back tears all day.

Hope you've all had a relaxing weekend, off to catch up and read the past few days' updates.

O daisy that is so rubbish. I was told by my mw that I'd lost weight over Christmas so DH is on a mission to keep me eating. I will read your tale as a cautionary one. Tomorrow will be better :)