Brewing a March baby!

[Carlitawantsababy]

Hello! I've just found out that I'm pregnant and due on the 23rd March! I'm 29 and live in London with my husband, dog and cat. So far at 4 weeks things are going very smoothly! I'm very excited about going to the doctor (even if they don't care) as feel it will make things more real!
If you're expecting in March too please join the thread and share a bit about yourself and how your pregnancy is going!

word mine's pretty much gone too (PGP) it is wonderful!

Good news on feeling more comfortable both of you! I'm having a quiet but cosy night in for NYE- I'm blaming it on the disgusting iron tablets, but secretly I fancied a quiet one anyway. My dad said they have prescribed me the cheapest nastiest iron tablets and I should stop taking them and go back to the normal supplements I was on before, or buy the liquid stuff which is gentler, so I think I'll follow his advice.

Happy New Year everyone. 2012, eh?! Wow. it's going to be a big one! XX

Happy New Year!! Hope you all enjoyed the sober celebrations?! It was a quiet one for me and DH this year sat on the sofa sipping a thimble of fizz...

Kiki - I have a theory that all GPs prescribe the cheapest nastiest version of all drugs in an attempt to save the NHS money...not sure if it's true, but it's my theory!

Glad all the PGP sufferers' symptoms are easing up. Its a good way to start 2012!

Anyway, here's to a 2012 full of lovely bouncing babies, friends, family & fun!

Happy new year! we has a great one, lots of games and laughs..I went to bed at 4, not sure about DH who is still snoring beside me! It was exciting bringing in the new year with it being the year we will have our babies wasn't it? Last year was pretty exciting for us as we got married and had an incredible honeymoon, this one is going to be even better!

Happy new year everyone! So we're now on the home straight, wahoo! This year we are having babies!

We are off to buy our cot, wardrobe, changing unit, buggy and car seat on Friday. Cant wait! I went shopping with my mum on Friday and we got some lovely clothes, changing mat and a few bits so it feels like things are really moving now.
How are you all feeling? Anyone get anything nice for babies at Christmas? Xx

Wow, Broody that sounds good & organised. I'm still half-way through decorating my bedroom & want to get that finished before I buy too much, but think the crib I'm borrowing will be delivered to my parents soon, then I can sort out the mattress & bedding etc. I think I'll just get a chest of drawers & a flexible changing mat- my house is on the small side, so I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible. Do you know what kind of buggy you want? Despite having looked at quite a few, I still feel clueless about them. There's a secondhand baby shop near me, I might have another look to see what they have tomorrow. X

Happy New Year March Mummies!!! I can't believe that it's 2012, our babies will be here in our arms before we know it.
We had a lovely new year party at home with about 30 of our family and friends here to share it with us.

Glad to hear that someone else is in the buying mood broody, we went out last Friday and ordered the furniture for the nursery (Cot bed, wardrobe and chest of drawers with chaging unit on top). Also ordered our pram, so it definately feels more real, there is a six week wait, so my DH is going to start decorating the nursery next week.

Glad to hear that everyone is doing so well!!

I too got my cot, bargain from eBay yesterday, very pleased with it! we're going to use a chest of drawers we already have and buy a changing mat to put on top, keeping it simple too.
It is feeling very close! Missed my midwife appointment yesterday () so got one a week today now. Movements are getting to be amazing now aren't they? So strong and varied, I feel like he's going to lift me off the bed sometimes when I'm laying on my side!

Know exactly what you mean about the strong movements these days carlita Our little one has learnt a new trick today - why just kick when you can SURF? My whole tummy was literally shifting like waves as he/she was having a good old move about. It's not done that before so I spent a lot of my time at work today just watching my tummy amazing stuff!

Love the surfing thing, Broody!! I think mine is bodypopping. Or doing the Charleston. It's keeping itself pretty busy in there, anyway!

Hi All - glad to hear all the PGP sufferers are feeling a bit better - must be awful! Can't believe how close it's getting now - 9 weeks tomorrow for us!

We've started buying stuff - our pram got delivered to Mums today (DM is a bit supersticious anout it being in our house!) We went for a SilverCross travel system - all in with free car seat - bargain! We've also ordered the furniture (on sale in Mamas and Papas) which will also get delivered to Mums as our house is still a building site!!

Got a growth scan tomorrow which I'm looking forward to - I've had seriously high blood pressure and been put on a worldwide study (CHIPS) which is researching blood pressure management in pregnancy. It means we get 'extra care' (extra scans which I'm not moaning about!!)

Icky question - has anyone's belly button popped yet? i'm belly button queasy and mine's starting to I think - turns my stomach so I'm trying not to look but there's a definite lump behind it pushing on it! Ewww!!

Not long to go now ladies! Oooh - whilst I'm on with questions - has anyone actually started to think about the birth yet? I'm actually ok about it up to now - am interested in using a birthing stool and need to research whether my local hospital has access to them!

So who is going to be watching One born every minute tonight then?! I watched it before I got pregnant but not sure I want to now!
northern I'm thinking a bit about the birth - everyone seems to think I am or will be panicking about it but tbh, what's the point in getting all upset and stressed about it? Baby has to come out somehow and if it was really dangerous, women wouldn't do it again and again or the medical profession would've found some other way of delivery. I think my pregnancy yoga breathing will keep me quite calm and I want to go for a water birth if poss which will also help with any discomfort. I've not seen birthing stools so will have a look into that. I'm assuming the benefit will be that you're taking advantage of gravity so baby has a nice downwards stance, rather than having to battle the twists and turns of the birthing canal?

Hello ladies,
Was given some lovely toys last night by a neighbour whose grandchildren had outgrown them- the house is suddenly full of baby stuff! I'm really quietening down on work commitments to concentrate on finishing decorating the house, and every conversation with my mum seems to be about prams- it's beginning to feel very real now. Also just put a query in for Pregnancy yoga locally- so if there's a space that will start in a week or two.

Good luck with your scan today, Northern- hope all goes well. Sorry to hear about your blood pressure. I'm at risk for high BP too, but so far (fingers crossed) it's been OK. Do you know how monitoring will affect the birth? For me it means I'm consultant-led and will have to have the baby at hospital, but I don't know if it means being hooked up to machines or anything. Hopefully not. I see the cons quite soon, so hopefully I'll find out more then.

Broody- I probably will watch OBEM tonight- I found the first couple of series quite useful mainly in that they made me more realistic about how long it can all take, how the MWs leave you alone for quite long periods of time (I suppose I expected they would be there throughout) and how things like the baby's heartbeat dropping or EMCS etc are obviously traumatic, but actually fairly common and not the end of the world. Re: the birth, having spoken to loads of friends/ family etc and reading through threads on here, the one predictable thing seems to be that it never goes how you'd expect, so I'm trying not to plan it all too much to be honest, and be as calm and flexible as possible.

Has anyone had any particularly good tips from people they have spoken to? My mum says if people bring you loads of fruit after the birth be careful- she gorged on fresh fruit which made her feel great, but gave me the most terrible stomach upsets from the breast milk. I've also been warned about when your milk comes in about 3 days after the birth- to expect your boobs will feel like boulders, and that Lansinoh (sp?) nipple cream is an absolute must-have, which has saved a couple of friends from giving up breast feeding prematurely.

Carlita- how's it progressing with your house? I keep meaning to ask. X

Hope the scan goes well today, northern. In answer to your belly button question, no, mine hasn't popped. It's quite close to the surface and funny how soft it is! I hope it doesn't pop outwards.

Carlita, yes, the movements are getting stronger and stronger. It really makes me jump now. I am having a bit of trouble getting off to sleep because of it!

Broody, I am definitely going to watch OBEM tonight. I had never seen it until a couple of weeks ago, had never felt particularly interested in it, but we watched a couple on the Channel 4 playback thing. I think it was really helpful - gives you a sense of some of the ordinary practical things to expect as well as the possible birth scenarios!

I don't feel scared at the moment either. Maybe I will when things get closer! But right now I just feel that it's going to happen, whether I worry about it or not. I will get through it one way or another, and there's quite a lot I can do to mentally and physically prepare myself.

I wasn't keen on the idea of a water birth at first, but I have started to come around to it as a possibility now. It was the PGP - I was thinking that if it didn't improve, anything that eased the pain would be a boon!

Wow northern - 9 weeks! Please could we have a little stats update? I can't remember where everyone is and as it is getting soooo close now it'd be nice to know!

carlitaantsababy: DC#1 EDD 23 March 2012

Hope the scan goes well, how lovely to see your little one again! My belly button still hasn't popped but is getting shallower (I wanted it to pop!) stretch marks are spreading which is a little annoying, was hoping they stay on the underside of my bump but are near belly button now, oh well, nothing to be done about them, at least they're on a bit of me that I rarely show! Are you all still getting away without any?

I've been thinking about the birth for a while but in a positive way! I read Ina May's guide to childbirth and found it very helpful. It gets you in to the concept of trusting your body to do what it needs to do, after all, we've been trusting them all this time, we have had very little control over the development of our babies bar vitamins, diet, mood etc., our bodies just knew how to make them. Our bodies also know how to deliver them, we just have to trust that. The pain associated with childbirth is caused by fear, it is painful if you are tense, the more relaxed your muscles are the easier the birth etc. It is working for me - I believe! am really hoping he comes on time so that I can have him in water at home, I love being in water anyway and find it a great pain relief plus you can use gravity as mentioned with the birthing stool which I have heard great things about! I will definitely be watching OBEM tonight, I love it!

I just booked my 4D scan for next Tuesday afternoon! Can't wait! DH and my mum coming and maybe DH's mum too!

I will be watching OBEM tonight, I'm looking forward to the new series, have watched the last two and think it gives you a good idea of how it all works in hospital etc. I have been thinking about the birth for a while and would like to have a water birth. Which will hopefully help with the PGP/SPD........also hoping it will relax me more!!

I've got 11 weeks tomorrow to my due date, stats update;

Moffit : DC#1 EDD 22nd March 2012
carlitawantsababy: DC#1 EDD 23 March 2012

carlita - I have been literally covering myself in oil and cream since I found out I was pregnant and so I have just one tiny stretch mark on one side on my bump. I think a lot of it is genetics as to whether you get them but I've always been a skin care addict so have used pregnancy as an even bigger excuse to basically pay a whole store's worth of boots staff with the amount I've spent on creams and oils in the last 29 weeks

My stats for the timeline: EDD march 25th, so 11 weeks to go on Sunday.

Ooh also just to add - I am totally of the same attitude re birth. Our bodies are very clever and they know what to do - if we panic and get all stressy on the day, it's going to hurt far more because of the stress held in our muscles.

Pregnancy yoga has taught me exercises to use to encourage baby to get into the best position and breathing techniques that are good for me and baby. I've been practising my breathing every day (along with those pelvic floor exercises!) as I find it gives me a few moments of tranquility and a real feeling of closeness to baby. The yoga instructor also says that instead of eating for two (which as we all know is complete rubbish!) we need to be breathing for two so like taking those really deep breaths, with a straight back and eyes closed for his/her sake. Haha-I never thought I had it in me to be so new age!!

On phone, so can't repost other stats, but:

Knitterati: DC1 EDD 23rd March

No sign of stretch marks yet...but I am apparently measuring on the small side & have been slathering my bump in mamma mio body oil since I found out!!

Completely agree with the New Age stuff - hoping for a home water birth, but DH read an article in the Guardian at the weekend that said that 60% of HBirths get transferred to hospital, so now he's getting cold feet about a home birth!

Have my blood glucose test tomorrow, so I'm making a massive cottage pie to get me through the next 14hours!! Wish me luck!

Sure there's other stuff I wanted to reply to, but can't now remember! Baby brain/crap iPhone app!

Gah. It's nowt to do with creams or oils, just genes, you lucky people
knitterati there is bound to be a thread on here about the guardian article as many home birthing advocates around, will see if I can find it. Statistics are so easily manipulated aren't they?

Ha ha carlita you make me laugh!

knitterati - at my first MW appointment, she was quite keen on selling the home birth to me (which surprised me as I'd have thought it would mean more resources for the much stretched NHS?!) She then went on to sell the idea of going to a MW led birthing centre, which appealed to me more apart from the 45 minute drive. But I have decided against both because on research, I've seen the stats about how many women have to get transferred to the hospital from both. Real shame as I know I'd prob be more comfy here than in hospital and I'd be guaranteed my preferred water birth for both.

I can't find the article knitterati, can you link to it?
It is true broody, creams and oils can keep skin soft and prevent itching but genes cause stretch marks, says so in all the books!

We've run out of thread! New one here: [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1376370-Still-Brewing-a-March-Baby link]