November 2011. Bumps, kicks and less feeling sick.

[Missyraines]

Thought I'd take the plunge and go for it.

I'm also very happy for some good news! It is actually keeping me going at the moment!

Please knockedup don't be scared! I didn't mean to frighten you! You will be fine!

I think things are getting started, going to pack a bag now.
If you don't mind I will let you know how things went and what are angel baby will be named!

Good luck blue. And of course, please let us know how it goes and your angel baby's name! We're all thinking of you.

Good luck, Blue! Hope it all goes as well as possible and do let us know baby's name.

Caliphora I have only met one midwife who was really nice - we do most of our midwife care at our local doctors. I am going to book an appointment to tour the Midwife led delivery centre as it sounds amazing. The hospital itself is fantastic in all ways, I think you couldn't have a better hospital in all areas so I felt I was in the best possible hands there.

When I had ds2 the midwives were absolutely lovely - couldn't have been more different than my first birth at Trafford General which was unimpressive with the aftercare although the midwife who stayed with me for the birth was very nice.

Thanks for all the welcome messages. Have been reading back a bit through this thread today and would like to add my condolences and heartfelt best wishes to Blue. It s unthinkable and impossible to know the right thing to say. Good luck with everything and I hope that you find peace.

I have been in a state of mild panic all day as am ashamed to admit that I had 2 glasses ( largish) of prosecco last night.[embarrassed] Enjoyed it at the time but have been nervously awaiting flutterings all day today and haven't seemed to feel any. Mind you, it's still a bit hit and miss with the quickenings, so it's not unusual, but would still welcome feeling him especially today. I had a scan last week - it all works a bit differently out here, they scan you at every appointment every 5 or so weeks - so should feel confident that all is well with my baby boy. Noone but myself to blame. Just wishing I hadn't indulged in that second glass. Definitely not worth it and will not be doing so again!

Apart from that, weather is dire and I am homesick. Hanging out for the summer holidays when we come back to Blighty for a bit ( probably to more rain?) Bring it on.

How's everyone else doing?

Gosh, doesn't news travel fast?

It's incredibly early days (I'm 4+2 today) only had a +hpt yesterday, and to be honest i'm absolutely petrified. I really don't want to think about it in case it goes wrong. But i'm more than a bit a little excited. Thank you all for thinking of me - i think of you ladies often and lurk occasionally. Much love to all x

Evening all. Blue, i would welcome the news of your angelbaby's name. I hope the next few days and weeks are no more difficult than they have to be.
So, for some reason anxiety running crazy high again tonight, so tired of inhabiting this mind! And this body. Fourth bad headache day iin a row. I can think of scant positive to say, except that my partner is currently trying to get my son to sleep and its been ten minutes and the tantrums and shouts for mummy have stopped. Or paused, not sure yet. But it feels like progress of a sort.
Oh, and i'm 17 weeks and decidedly bumpy. Doesnt worry me visualy but makes me wonder how big i'm going to get.

Hello everyone, just been catching up with the thread.

Blue I hope things go as smoothly as they possibly can for you at the hospital and that you get all the support you need. Sending lots of love to you, your husband and daughter.

Caz I am so pleased that the walk went well and that you have had such a successful time with raising funds and awareness. Although I cannot imagine how sad you have felt, I hope that you also feel glad about the great things that have happened because of Annabelle.

Dee fabulous news, the very best of luck for a happy and healthy 8 months to come

Good luck to everyone with scans coming up, am looking forward to hearing all about them and also learning whether people who are finding out, are having pink or blue bumps! Our 20 week scan is 2 weeks today although we are not going to find out whether we have a boy or a girl growing away in there. I am not feeling any movement yet, but know this is normal for a first baby. I wonder if I will realise that I have been feeling movement but not recognising it as I've no idea what I'm trying to feel.

I'm 18+1 now and am delighted that my sickness has almost entirely stopped now. This week I've only been sick 3 times and not at all since Thursday - yippee! Am very much looking forward to a blooming time now and leaving the queasiness behind me. Am seeing the start of a bump now although it is not consistently there, definitely larger at the end of the day. It gets quite firm as well at times, which makes it feel more like a bump and less like just my existing little belly podge pushing outwards

Hello all

Blue I can't imagine what you are going through. Take time to heal. Thoughts are with you and family.

Caz your walk sounded a nice way to remember your baby girl.

Welcome libran

Great news Dee Time just seems to stand still for the first trimester doesn't it? This one seems to be going quicker though.

Truffkin I too have a changing bump (17+5) Night time it seems bigger. I woke up today and looked in the mirror to discover two 1cm stretch marks on my belly on the right hand side. I texted DH who is away all week to tell him and said will you still love me when I'm massive? He said, there'll be more of me to love! I told him that was the right answer.

Ah stretch marks! I was very lucky and didn't get any on my tummy last time at all (hoping that means good things for this one too!) but I did get quite a few on my bottom and a few teeny ones on my boobs! Why my bottom grew I have no idea! lol!!

Libran I'm sure the wine has not done any harm at all so don't beat yourself up. I haven't had any this pregnancy but tbh the thought of wine makes me sick which is very out of character for me.

Got a doppler and found baby's heartbeat yesterday but didn't find it this evening although I have felt him move later on so he is in there. ( Am saying him rather than it, I haven't found out what colour!) I am not sure if the Doppler is such a good idea for me, I think it may cause more worry than relief, somehow!

I am still re-using the stretchmarks from ds1 and ds2. Don't think they got any worse on the others!

Morning. Am also resusing the stretch marks I already had! OH asked if I wanted any stretch mark cream (I was forcing him to browse the shelves in boots, just in case). I pointed out that I had a way to go before any new ones could actually find a place mark their place.

I have been having a lovely daydream about not having to go back to work after giving birth. No worries about money or loss of sanity. I opened my bank statement and lovely warm feeling swiftly vanished!

morning Ladies

blue hope you're ok.

libran i had a glass last night as well. i don't think it would have done anything. It tends to be those that binge drink that are supposed to cause problems.

dee i'm so so pleased for you. will pm you in a sec.

chip i want a doppler but dh refused i think he's worried that i'd obsess and panic if i don't hear anything.

Caz My stretchmarks appeared in a similar way the first time around - my stomach was fine, thought I got away with none, then turned around one day and saw I had a zebra butt. Almost all my stretch marks are on my but and upper thighs and I have no idea how or even if they grew!

voo I had that a few days ago. Lovely thoughts of downsizing the business completely washed away by the rising prices on my bank statement.

I'm still having sickness, at random times of day. I've always had it right through my pregnancies (and for two it went into labour), though it seems to be starting later each time thankfully. People here are thinking it very odd when I say this pregnancy (my fourth) has been the easiest so far!

Morning all. I haven't posted for weeks as have been in a migraine haze and in a dark room most of the time, off work and feeling sorry for myself. Saw neurologists and all sorts of doctors who said it was just migraines and due to hormones so not much they could do. Anyway, finally (touch wood) seems to have lifted so I am feeling much better.

I was so sorry to hear the news of the difficult weeks some of you have been having.

Blue my heart absolutely goes out to you. What shocking and difficult news to absorb. I hope that some of the support from this site is helping and I hope that all your family and friends are rallying round to look after and care for you. Hope the hospital goes as well as could be hoped for.

I also had a glass of wine last night having not fancied it for weeks and weeks, but it was DH's birthday so I felt I should keep him company. I think it is supposed to be ok in the second trimester as long as not too often.

I've got 20 week scan on Thursday. Feeling quite nervous and constantly trying to monitor any flutterings and baby movements. We still haven't decided if we are going to find out flavour. I think it would really help DH bond with the baby a bit more as he is ever so slightly remote up till now - not in a bad way, but just hard for him to connect I think, especially since it's our first.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!

kanga, ah I feel your pain! Mind my dd did ask if I won the lottery if I would give up work and the answer was no. My colleagues think am nuts!

Pandia ah thats awful, especially as there is nothing they can do. Someone I used to work with had much the same and was most hacked off that nothing could be done!

Gosh we go through some stuff to become parents eh!

I had a glass of 3% wine last night too. Had a takeaway with the kids and OH after working so hard on the decorating and I just really really fancied it. Fell asleep about an hour later on the settee for half the night til OH went to bed and had to drag me up the stairs!

Just having a cuppa and then back to the decorating! Really have a bug for it at the moment

Hi everyone - thank you very much Chip, cep and voodoo - makes me feel better that I am not the only one to give in to occasional temptation. Have sworn off for the rest of the pregnancy though. Not worth the guilt and worry - and besides think how great that first glass will be in the end!

Good luck for those with 20 weeks scans coming up. We did find out with this pregnancy and I have to say I prefer knowing as I find it easier to imagine the baby once it has a gender ( boy btw). We had the surprise with my second and it was amazing, but didn't feel as close to the baby during the pregnancy.

I think that the prospect of returning to work is hideous when you're thinking of it but 6 or 9 months after delivering it doesn't seem so bad - quite a welcome break in my opinion at times! I am very fortunate not to have to work but choose to work part time as it suits me. Not for everyone, but we're all different aren't we.

Today we've been out in the fresh air for a huge walk and picnic finishing up with a pony and trap ride back. The sofa is now beckoning

I'm thinking of what I'm going to do during my mat leave, apart from not sleeping...

I thought an OU course (I've got to finish my degree at some point) would keep my head in practice - has anyone done this/similar things while on mat leave? They're part time (about 16 hours/week) and last time I did one I was working full time - and I managed just fine, but I really don't know what to expect with baby.

"Secretly" I am planning on writing a maternity book for alternative mummies (not beansprout-touting, sandal-wielding alternative, though). We'll see if it pans out.

happy fathers day hope people have managed to have a good fathers day esp for all the fathers to be.

blue thinking of you x x

Hi all we had a lovely Father's Day, DS presented his dad with a mug and some coffee in bed, and a homemade card. Then we spent the afternoon on the beach, DS unwittingly destroying all castles his dad was carefully building by helpfully dumping more sand on top and then walked home through a fun fair to DS's delight - his eyes were on stalks but he's still to young to nag us to go on any rides - perfect!
Stretch marks, aha ha ha, I had none and got quite smug about it... until week 38 precisely when the skin on my tum sort of gave up like one of those Autoglass ads. Spectacular and utterly worth the wait. This time I'm keeping quiet and saving my money by not reinvesting in Bio oil - even though it does smell lovely.
Caliphora I'd definitely look at courses but hold off on booking anything til after the baby is here and you're able to see how things are going. I had all sorts of plans but with DS being such an awful sleeper - think a night split into 3 or 4 chunks of maybe an hour or so, if I'd had two hours or so to spare each day a week I'd have happily been unconscious.

Oh lord i had all sorts of fantasies for what i was going to get on with on maternity leave. As it transpired, i was lucky if i got a shower many days. But then i think i set myself up for a problem by believing it was my job as a mother to entertain my baby constantly and it wasnt until it was too late i realised the mutual value of learning the life skill of entertaining yourself or at least being passively entertained by watching mummy do other stuff.

Not the best father's day here. I started another migraine last night so poor old daddy has had plenty of quality time with his son today. Hoping (again. Beginning to seem a futile hope) that it is now easing off, rather than just lulling. So due a break. This morning i resorted to ibuprofen.

poppet sounds a lovely day

just starting quality time with daddy, I'm sure DC & daddy had a great fathers day - so sorry you are suffering again though

cal whilst on mat leave with DS I hadn't planned to do anyhting but as I hadn't quite managed to finish all coursework prior to having DS I did the final 2 modules whilst on mat leave!!! Have to say it wasn't easy but in small stints whilst DS was entertaining himself/sleeping I managed it. My only plan during mat leave is to enjoy baby & DS, though will prob end up reading ready for the midwifery course I'll be starting when finishing mat leave!!

Have just given myself another headache today looking at annual leave/mat leave and mat pay/finances :( on the plus side it does look as though I can take just over 2weeks A/L prior to starting mat leave and then mat leave until September which is brill as no need to organise childcare over the summer & also I am due to start my MW course in Sept (though do need to discuss with HR re: A/L I'll acrue whilst on mat leave). Also need to speak to manager & HR as am due to go up a pay increment about now at the latest & still yet to hear!!!
I HATE FINANCES (but DP cannot cope with them)

Lovely Fathers day here too. Went for a nice meal, only one of our children ordered chicken nuggets and chips, they all ate their food and ds4 didn't wet his pants!

Then we drove to the beach and had a bit of a walk and a bit of a paddle.

Very happy! Unusual for us all to go out without there being a minor drama of some sort!

blue so very sorry for your family's loss. There are no words that will help, but please let us know what you name your angel.

dee so happy for you! Wish you a happy and healthy 8 months!

truffkin glad you are finally feeling better!

cali what type of 'alternative' would your book be? you have me interested already:)

As for stretch marks... I am rubbing cream into my sizeable bump every day and keeping my fingers crossed. But they fade pretty well don't they? DH actually has some stretch marks and they've faded well. I'drather have a baby and stretch marks than neither:)