We're now halfway and it's PMA all the way - Nov 2011

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Halfway there now ladies. on the countdown.

Our thread spans twenties, thirties, forties and fifties- it's great.

I think the average is now 28?

First ever house rocks H007, I'm just got my first ever house last year (ooh a garden I muttered incessantly for about the first month) after very first ever flat two years before that. Tis great after renting for years and years and years...

I'm just out of my twenties, and boy how I don't miss them!

I'm 27 weeks today! Weird how time just flies - I remember when I was 13 weeks and had 27 weeks to go!

I've not heard back from the hospital yet, so I'm praying my GTT was ok...

Anyone else getting the insomnia? I can't seem to get to sleep at all before 2 am :(

I'm 35 and feel quite old - when I attend antenatal appts etc, everyone seems to be younger than me. But, in reality, that might be just because I am concious of it, because I felt really old when I had DD at 30 too! I think I'm concious of it, because I always dreamed of being a young mum - I married at 23, and assumed that we would start a family maybe three years later or so, and have it all out of the way before I hit 30. We married both thinking 'yeah, we'll have children sometime', and as the years went on, he changed his mind and decided he wanted no children at all, whereas I started to get mightily broody. They were hard times, as I would never have tricked him, but he would never agree to starting a family. Then nature stepped in, and I found myself with an unplanned pregnancy, and that was that, there was no going back. And DH was besotted with DD from the day she was born, which was a relief. I didn't plan on waiting to 35 for another, but that is how long it took to persuade him, so that's how it ended up. But I'm a much fitter, healthier 35 year old than I was at 25, so its maybe all for the best.

One of my sisters had her first baby at 39 (not by choice, she had been trying since the age of about 26 ) but told me recently that she never felt old or out of place, so I think me feeling old might just all be in my head. Certainly I see loads of mums at DDs playgroup who are maybe around 40ish, so would presumably have been in their mid 30s when they had their babies...

Am I your sister Snoozle?

I'm 39, unplanned - I've been revising but never tried the conception exam.

I felt old initially, especially reading all the age related risks. I'm not fit either so what the bloody hell am I doing!?! I'm sure the age thing will be worse at parents evenings - that's the incentive for getting fitter. I'll be retiring as they go to Uni - bad financial planning there!

Frankly though I'm a big kid in my head, I've never grown up. I'm still playing tricks on people - I recently hid in a cupboard and jumped out on DH under the persona of the tickle monster.

Cal I didn't miss my 20s until I got to 35 and wondered where the last 10 years had gone. It wasn't a case of wanting to have them again in the same way but jeez I wished I'd made different decisions and done more. So I missed the opportunity. What the hell, I can't live in the past.

PamSco I wasted my 20's definitely, 7 years at uni, no degree in the end, one marriage, one divorce, nearly another marriage, no kids...
Now I'm 31 and feel like my life is at least partially getting there, despite never having owned a house, not being able to even buy an egg timer on credit, and unable to find a job I want to stay in.
I think I'm valuing being in a good relationship for the first time in my life, getting the baby I've been trying for for 6 years, and being rid of the late-20's "Oh dear oh dear oh dear, I've wasted my life, it's all at an end now!" that I had at 29...

I always thought I'd be a Mum by 26. Don't know where the time went. I'm 34 now and pregnant with number one. But on the plus side I'm married, have a house, a decently paid job and we're financially secure. I'm a big believer in fate and that things happen for a reason. We tried for almost 3 years before it happened. I'm just glad it happened at all!

Oh and Cali I can't seem to get a descent nights sleep either. I have a constant blocked nose so find it hard to breath and can't get comfy. May have to take a trip to Mothercare for a dream genii.

I'm using our spare quilt rolled up instead of buying a Dream Genii - plus side is that it's a bit longer so I can fold it between my knees as I prefer a bit more padding, and I can shape it better (due to being wider) under my bump.
If I had my way, I'd probably make a big nest out of the duvets and curl up (I may or may not do this in the mornings when DP leaves for work...)

I was a hard-core stomach sleeper, too, so I'm probably getting no sleep because I can't get comfy in the bed - I toss and turn so much, and right side sleeping is nigh on impossible. I even had a bit of a confession to the MW last week, guiltily admitting I couldn't sleep on my right side and her words were:
"Sleep on the side which you're comfortable with. And if you wake up on your back, don't panic. It's your body needing to be on the back, so don't fret. Now stop crossing your legs!"

Another in their 20s here; after having had an unplanned pregnancy at 17 I knew it would be a while before I settled enough to have another!! Now at 23 with a 6yr old it felt right for myself & DP to start trying - though we didn't expect things to be as easy as they turned out to be!! After this one I'll have 2yrs back at uni to do my MW qualification & then we'll look at having a third... It's scary to think by 30 I will be a mum to 2 (possibly 3), a qualified nurse, a qualified MW (hopefully)...would be nice to be married & have a house but think that's something to look forward to in my 30s!! Although didn't plan to have a family complete by 30 but think it is nice & leaves us open to do it again later when they start leaving home!!

Lovely to hear all your stories! I hoped to meet someone young but just couldn't find anyone! More or less single for all of my 20's with a few disasters, some great flings, good times and terrible lonely times, thought I would be on the shelf forever but hit my 30's, met him at last (had to travel a couple of hundred miles!) and three years later here I am in a new town, ditching my career for a job, buying a house (after renting in flat shares FOREVER), pregnant and now engaged!! Whole new life, but still see my good friends from London regularly :)

I am really struggling with sleep too, oh might try the spare duvet tonight Caliphora. The heat isn't helping though. I keep getting a 'dead leg' type sensation on my thigh and hips when I lay on my side too long.

sunshine I moved to London for a career, only to find Mr Perfect in South Wales, and then moving to Manchester together!

I do miss being able to go into the Thames at half past midnight and just sit by Cleopatra's Needle and talk... But I don't miss London rents! What we paid for a room in a houseboat in Twickenham, we pay for a lovely stone cottage here!

Hello Ladies,

It is HOT today, have just sweated it home on the bus and now stripped off to try and cool down. I'm 27 weeks on Thursday which is crossover into 3rd trimester I think - whooo! I'm feeling 3rd trimester, sort of heavy and tired, think I'm defo going to be willing the baby out from 38 weeks!

Congratulations Sunshine, what fantastic news, two big things to plan for now!

I'm 32 and I feel young to be having a baby, I'm the first of my friends in London to go and they're all fascinated by it which is quite nice. Hopefully they'll get the bug now and start popping some giblets out :)

Two of my three tenants are moving out this week- it's very exciting watching them pack and clear their MOUNTAINS of stuff out of the flat. Mr Smiling has started work on the house, bathroom has been de-moulded and is sparkling white again. The kitchen is due to arrive in 2 weeks so he's started the building work before that gets fitted - hurrrah!

Haven't bought anything for the baby yet, going to get it all in the last couple of weeks when the house is all done.

Poonani ache (SPD) seems to be under control, I'm basically trying to keep my knees together all the time and limit the walking I do.

Cali I hope you get the results you want, have my fingers crossed for you.

Have been trying to keep up daily but every time I've gone to post something in the last week I've been sidetracked!!
Congrats sunshine...what lovely news.
H007 hope you're enjoying the new pad and the boxes are decreasing daily?
Old house sale went through and completes on Friday (huge sigh of relief) which means new kitchen can start....yay!
26 weeks today...yikes it seems to be flying by now! Hoping to be quiet at work this week so can start my online baby shopping. Got some great bits from my dads wife at weekend (I have little ish half brothers so she was wanting to clear out all the baby stuff) bedding/toys/2nd stage car seat/baby DVDs(!!)
Sleeping rubbish at mo-and think DH may be about to murder me if I continue to disturb him!
went to a BBQ at weekend and was talking to a good friend, who has a 4m old now, about hypnobirthing...anyone done/doing this? She really sold it to me....said it was really useful and helped her massively through the labour and she's still using the calming breathing exercises now. Be interested to hear peoples views on it.
Anyway...apologies for loooong post!

kate I'm doing hypnobirthing and finding it really helps with the pregnancy so I believe it will help the birth.

I'm just back from yoga and we had a visit from one of the previous attendees with her new baby boy. She had a mega 15 hour labour - back to back, and chin out so he was kind of stuck for a while. No drugs no epidural, she did have gas and air in the last couple of hours and used a tens machine at the end too. She reckoned hypnobirthing made the whole experience positive.

Hi All!

Congrats Sunshine! It's funny how life spins around and the man of your dreams walks in unexpectedly! I met mine on Ebay!!!!

Glad everyones saying good things about Kiddicare! Looking forward to my trip there at the weekend now!

MissyR I have a Welsh DH too, but not embracing it as much as you! We're having a bit of a debate as to the nationality of our dear baby girl!

Pam I was laughing at your 'tickle monster'! It's the tickle bug in our house!!! It hides behind the gap in the back of the sofa and sneaks out when DH is least expecting it! :-)

Re Bristol Meet up I'm happy to orchestrate something. Does everyone that's interested in coming want to send me a pm, and perhaps let me know if you'd prefer weekday/weekend or if you've hols etc coming up and I'll try and find a date and location to suit all!

Re DreamGenii I spent ages searching on line, cheapest I found was the pregnancy pillow company online, £39.99 with free delivery. Took about 2 days to come. Saves a fiver on mothercare!

I'm sleeping religiously on left side, have I got it wrong?

Anyone else have really puffy water-retaining feet and hands? I'm beginning to worry about mine, will be showing MW on thursday. Is this the norm or a sign of something very sinister that I should be googling to freak myself out about?!

Ye what? on ebay Staceroo?! Did you give him very good feedback? Do tell all..

Folic I was feeling guilty about sleeping on my right hand side, so I confessed to the midwife, who told me to sleep on which ever side I was comfortable, and stop fretting about it, as lacking sleep would be worse than sleeping on the "wrong" side.

folic puffy hands and feet are normal. By 36 wks legs r like tree trunks and you can't put on your shoes or have to get other half to fasten em!

It's only a concern if you have an unusually puffy face, protein in urine, headaches and flashing lights in your eyes. That can be a sign of pre-eclampsia and not even I would take a chance on that one! But fewer than 20% of all pg women get it.

Staceroo...you're going to have to expand on the eBay story!!!

Cali fingers crossed for good GTT results soon!

H007 first ever house is great! Enjoy it

Staceroo I am intrigued too about the Ebay story..?

I love all your stories.
I was married to a guy (from Ghana) my Mum hated by the time I was 18. I moved to the UK the same year to make the language barrier easier. I met a lovely man in the UK that helped me out a lot and motivated me to go to university.
XH then joined me in the UK when I was 21 and it took less than a year for our relationship to fail. Met my DH a year later. Got divorced at 23 and DH and I've been together for 4 years now, married for 1.
I have reached the highest aspiration I had for my career at the beginning of this year and will take time out now to raise DS1 and DC2 at some point in the near ish future. After that I will restart my career, but in a different field, as my current one is a bit demanding with a family.

Ebay?!?!? Tell us more!!! I'm wide awake, having terrible trouble sleeping at the mo. Carpal tunnel playing its part plus I would LOVE the bed to myself for just one full night! Lying here just counting off jobs I need to do etc. Sigh!

Morning all,

I'll join the carpal tunnel party, ergh, horrible thing, been waking me up in the middle of the night, apart from trying to sleep with my hands down by my sides, have found that just getting up and standing for a minute or two helps to get the blood flowing again.

Folic, swelling is normal apparently, although I would keep your midwife up to date with it all, if you press into the swelling and the indendation doesnt go away straight away or the other symptoms described above, then you should see the doctor asap. Apparently the fluid should generally go away straight after the birth.

I have had a terribly sore neck for the last couple of days, I think I am just sleeping badly, probably due to the carpal tunnel making me toss and turn less then normal, but am going to buy a new pillow today and if that doesnt work, off to the doc's i go!!! Has anyone else had this?

Stace, we are all waiting for baited breath for your ebay story!!!

TwoJack I knocked out a couple of vertebrae in my neck last year and going down to one pillow really helped. I had to make sure my spine and neck were straight so I wasn't kinking the nerves. Strange at first but have got used to it now.

OH has demanded I go back on the complan because I couldn't eat anything last night. Zero appetite. Afternoons fine, evenings a no no.

Folic up your water intake - my mam said that flushing your system with ven more water gets your kidneys working better and some of the retained water gets flushd out too. I'll add she has no medical training but she is a witch

I found my MatB form in the envelope on my desk yesterday. I was having such a poopy day I nearly changed it to go off earlier. Resisted the temptation but still thinking about it.

folic pam is right in that increasing fluid intake can reduce fluid retention (can't remember how it works though) if you are able to sit with your legs up as much as possible - equal to hip height is best as it counteracts the effects of gravity making it easier for your body to remove the fluid. As others have said mention it to your MW but most odema is normal; keep an eye out of other symptoms of pre-eclampsia though.

pam I too am thinking about asking to bring my mat leave forward as struggling at the mo- though realistically in order to keep summer hols covered next year I can only take an extra week!!

TMI alert - I am getting a lot of fluid discharge, I know that it is normal for vaginal discharge to increase but it has become more viscouse & seems excessive in panty liners!! Not sure whether or not to worry but baby very active so taking comfort in that.