graduates of the wine-and-shagging-after-mc thread come hither!

[wilderumpus]

Seeing as practically all of us have now got pg, here is a new home for all of us to come to carry on chatting after getting the BFP after our mcs. Today we are pregnant! :)

Ladies! Sorry for the radio silence - I have been reading your posts but unable to type much due to small wailing baby, or large annoying husband!

sheldon I have a funny feeling today, and my funny feelings are often right. Are you in labour?! C'mon little Sheldon, hurry up!!!!! Labour is such an individual thing and as wilde so wisely says your mw had no business saying such things to you. How can she have any idea as this is your first dd? Daft woman - she'll get out her crystal ball next. You will be fine - things may not go according to your ideal plan (what does in life?) but you will get through it, and it's one of the only times in your life that you get a fabulous reward at the end of the trial. How good is that?! My top tip from this time? Plies (is that how you spell it?) as in bending the knees whilst holding onto a bar or side of something (in a balletic fashion). Really helped to open up the pelvis and let the baby's head descend more quickly - I found it better than the bouncy ball. Carried on doing it in hospital too - including several times whilst walking down the corridor to get to the delivery suite. I didn't have any stitches etc with DS4 and he was the largest of the lot (9lbs4) convinced it was to do with all my plieing. Go with whatever you want to do but DON'T LIE DOWN ON THE BED! Sorry - lecture over. How exciting for you!! You're about to meet her - yay!

wilde - you've moved. Hurrah. Love Cornwall and will wave as we drive past in the summer on our way to Tresco! Heaviness - yes, it got worse with me each time as I guess the pelvic floors become less able to do their supporting job due to number of pgs and the increasing weight of baby (which is good).

boo if you want a home birth, have one! Beats going into hospital if you don't have to. I might have contemplated it this time, but have to be under consultant care. Have the builders gone yet? Not long to go now!

Have any of you read "french children don't throw food"? I've just started it for my book club and it's great! Am putting the sleep ideas into to practice - well, started last night! I see myself in the author - its quite funny for those of us that have already tried raising a child, but also contains some interesting discussions of child-raising studies. I learnt that only 1-3% of Parisiennes (spelling?) give birth without an epidural - and those women are usually from the UK or USA temporarily resident in Paris. I'm thinking I might have to move to France - they tend not to bf either, and I'm struggling with that AGAIN, so it is sounding attractive!

snow you're progressing nicely - wonderful news. Good luck with your scan in a couple of weeks. Will be brilliant to see the baby again.

DH back now. Must go before he catches me on MN rather than washing or something domestic. Hate this DH working from home - ruins my social life

Lovely to hear from you ice :) sorry bfing is being a pain for you chuck. Am keen to hear any more labour tips you might have!

I had a mw appt today at my new surgery. She is lovely so am very chuffed. Happy for me to have a hb and will come over to the house soon for my labour chat! Eek! Apparently am measuring small (ok ok it is nonsense but she kept saying am I feeling the baby move which freaked me out. I started wondering if I did even tho he kicked her while she was palpating me! ) but I have a scan next week sometime anyway so we shall see. Me and dh just aren't giants so think my babies are ickle ones (even tho am the size of a house!).

Better take ds to bed. Hope all is well with you Sheldon :) hope you are feeling betternnow snow? And plodding (cycling?!) Along boo! Waving to our friend twenty too :)

ooh yes all quiet from sheldon - could news be imminent?! I do hope so, I need some cheering up!

I had a terrible nights sleep last night due to horrendous heartburn/ reflux - mainly brought on, by myself, by eating too much chocolate, too close to bedtime. So no more chocolate after 6pm for me... (no choc altogether is just too depressing). Anyway, it's left me in a foul fed up with being preggers mood.

Anyway, good to hear from you ice glad you are getting on ok. Interesting what you say about the french children book - where I live I am surrounded by French folk who can be a little smug sometimes (not always, a lot are our friends) and I have to confess it put me off reading the book! But I suppose it's not really about that. I know lots of French children who are not brilliantly behaved!

So glad your new mw appt went well wild - it's always nervewracking first time, so that's great. After being reassuring to sheldon about worrying about having a big baby, I am now worrying myself. This is due to feeling absolutely enormous - awful heartburn and literally like my stomach is in my throat. I am seeing midwife on Sunday so hopefully will get a reassuring measurement even though I don't think they mean much.

Sorry to moan everyone!

19 weeks today!! Over last few days I've been feeling occasional v light kicks, feels a bit like twanging tendons rather than an actual full on kick but I'd say that's what's causing it!! Sorry I've been AWOL this week, still v nauseous and I've been throwing up everywhere I go, snowed under with the extra freelance work which is going to pay for my maternity leave and I've been getting DS's new room all beautified so we can be way more organised than last time and get a nursery set up before new LO arrives :)

Now to go back and catch up on what I've missed on here last few days!

Oh boo! I feel huge too. Getting out of bed, walking etc all a struggle. But am measuring small! I couldn't believe it! So think we just are allowed to start being a bit whiny and fed up about it all now.

Snow I can't believe you are nearly 20 weeks! Wowsers! Good luck with work - can't believe how well you are coping with all the Sickness and general poorliness.

Oooh Sheldon :)

Am waiting to take ds to a fire station open.day! Meant to be doing viva work but is only for a couple of hours and I couldn't miss this delight for the world! Suffering back, pelvis or just bump ache but that just is what it is like to be this preggers :). Heartburn etc too boo. I havea
Prescription for gaviscon now and have two fat bottles of the super stuff and can.just get repeat prescriptions as and when... Do you have that too? Would it help?

Also thought I was really fat but weighed myself and have put on two stone which I think is perfectly reasonable for 31 weeks. Very surprised, I really don't stop eating!

hiya

well glad it's not just me wild. I will find out my measurements tomorrow. I think I've put on similar amount of weight - I don't think 2 stone is too bad either. I have discovered that as long as I don't eat after 7pm and keep the choc to a minimum later in the day then the reflux/ indigestion is not so bad. My upper back seems to ache in bed though - not sure what that is about. Anyway, I have slept a bit better since I last posted and am not quite so miserable...!

Poor you snow still vomming that is really tough. It makes me think I should be focussing on all the potential pregnancy issues that I don't have... like being sick, PSD, swelling etc. It really does put us ladies through the mill!

Anyway, I am now winding down my social diary but I have one last dinner party tonight so have just finished cooking for it and off for a lie down. It's chucking it down with rain here so very glad I don't have to go out again. Enjoy the firestation wild! and yes... what news sheldon?!

Oh and wild have you or are you having the whooping cough jab? I can't quite decide and am veering towards having it, but as late as poss. I've not been to the GP at all so no prescription for gaviscon - I've just been buying it! If I go and get the jab I might try and get a prescription, but I don't know if I can face hanging around for an appointment etc. Anyway, I'd be interested in your view re WC - I'm worried about any after effects on baby, but also whether having the antibodies from my jab will make the jab less effective when she gets it at 2 months old.

Hey boo. When you see the mw ask for some.gaviscon and she will ask the Dr to write a prescription for you either there and then or you can pick it up the next day :) no Dr appt required! After you have that first prescription you just ring say 'I am preggers and need a new gaviscon prescription asap!' And they will get a Dr to write you up another one. Ta da!

Am in hosp being monitored as bubs has been really quiet the past two days and o freaked out. He is fine tho! Hurray.

Yes am having wc jab as I do actually know kids who have had it recently nd my friend was hospitalised as a wean. However the mw down here didn't mention it... Will mention it.

God using my phone is shite!

(would one of you please send smoke signals to Sheldonella?)

wilde - yeah i'd say fire station def wins out over viva prep!! Hope u enjoyed :) thats great they are giving u gaviscon on prescription! I had ranitidine with DS, luckily so far milk seems to help with heartburn which is lucky cos i really couldnt cope with that on top of throwing up.but its early days yet so willbe keeping that fact about getting gaviscon for free in mind! Hope hospital was able to put your mind at rest?

boo - i always close my eyes when.they weigh me lol so far all the sickness has made me look skinny and bump stick out loads lol but im not ruling out the possibility i'll just pile on loads in.last tri!

Cant wait to.be bigger and feel stronger kicks - keep forgetting and sleeping on.my back and waking up breathing really fast. First few times i thought i was having.panic attacks then i remembered baby prob starting to press on that artery now! Its a strange in.between time at the min but got DS settled in.new room. Next up...toilet training!!

thanks for that wild although only just saw your message now and midwife already been today. I will ask next time though - I have a fair stash of gaviscon bought in and am seeing her again in 2 weeks. Glad everything is ok with babe, what a worry going into hosp - but better to be on safe side! Midwife said bump is measuring large but she's not concerned as it's because baby is oblique and very high up - she says there is nothing down by my pelvis. But I'm going to have a growth scan around 36 weeks to see where we're at.

Hello twenty! yes where on earth is sheldon!? Hope all's well, surely we'll have news soon.

snow my midwife said don't worry too much about sleeping positions - she said back is fine as long as you are elevated on pillows (at head and shoulders/ upper back). I keep sliding down, though. I haven't actually been weighed apart from at booking in, so luckily don't have to think about it too much. I am actually finding it quite hard to eat much now because of this baby being so high up and pushing into my stomach, so hoping that will slow down the old weight gain.

snow is nice feeling kicks but honestly once you are bigger you'll be wishing you could: put your shoes on/ pumice your heels/ pick up small toys from floors so you don't perform a comedy fall on them, etc, so be patient as it will come soon enough!

Hope everyone has a nice Sunday - we are just chilling and it's quite nice (DH is hungover after last night - I am tired but grateful for once for being teetotal).

Baby Nancy born at 7:47pm on Friday. She is huge - 9lb 1oz and the birth was traumatic and did not go at all to plan but she is amazing and I am totally in love. We came home yesterday and I'm very fragile so won't tell the whole story in this post but will come back later and do it.

Just want to thank you for all your support and encouragement through everything in the last year

Yay for baby Nancy congratulations sheldon and DH!! What a lovely name too - I love it. I bet she is very sweet. Oooh how lovely

Sorry you had a traumatic delivery; rest and recover. Accept all offers of help! So pleased that your DD1 Is finally here. Fill us in on how you are doing from time to time? Xxx

Congratulations sheldon - and well done!!! Do tell us all about it if/ when you feel like it. Welcome to the world, Nancy! Very cute name, hope you recover speedily and enjoy the first few days/ weeks with your lovely newborn! and and s for you! xx

What a lovely name you've chosen Sheldonella. I'm sorry it was a traumatic birth. Sending big hugs your way.

Sheldon you star! Congratulations! Nancy is a lovely name :)

Am so sorry to hear the birth was traumatic. If it helps you do post about.it as talking about it can really help. Hope.you.have some.lovely days rooming in with.your Lo. Aw! :). Well done! Now rest, rest, rest.

I had my viva and was awarded my doctorate yesterday :) with minor corrections so all round super result. Was shit tho cause we left ds with his dgm who failed to tell us until we were the other side of the country that he was in a and e with sky high temp :( we couldn't drive back so I went to my viva the following morn and we drove back straight away after. My poor boy in hospital without his parents :( he is poorly sick upstairs now. Discharged yesterday. Am pretty upset with mil - why didn't she tell us? She left a panicky answer machine message at Lunchtime saying for us to call her but she doesn't use her.mobile so we couldn't get back to her. Then we rang a and e on the offchance that evening and found out from there he had been admitted! Wtf?! :(

My best friends are coming to stay on sat from.London and so we are having a party. I am going to get everyone completely pissed :)

Hope everyone ok! Boo I hear you on not being able to bend down!

Woohoo DrWild congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DrWilde - love it

Well done! And perhaps a very small glass of ?

Twenty - how are you?

Sheldon - hope you are some way to recovering?

ooh wild well done with phd, fantastic result! . Not so good with the mil & poor ill boy - how is he now? I think you could have a when your friends come up - have a great time.

Any more news from sheldon - would love to hear how Nancy's doing... And ice how are you getting on?

Yes twenty how are you? What's occurring?

I have precisely 5 more days left at work! eek!

sheldon - woo hoo congrats on baby Nancy's arrival!! Sorry delivery was tough going and I hope you get lots of rest & TLC til u get your strength back :)

wilde - or should I say Dr Wilde. Big congrats to you too!! Hope DS is ok, v stressful for you :( but hopefully he's on the mend now and you can relax and enjoy your weekend!

boo - only 5 days, wow v jealous!! I have at least 16 weeks to go grr!

Still snowed under with freelance work in cold rainy Belfast and DS just back from a work trip in England last few days so I've been keeping DS and the whole domestic front going solo last couple of days. Needless to say I'm wrecked today so will be sleeping by 9 lol Want to do an online browse for one maternity stuff tho, even with all the sickness I'm finally no longer fitting into my normal gear now eek!

Thanks guys and thank you for your support over the past year :)

boo am so envious of your mat leave! Am back to work today and have a deadline of 37 weeks to get my corrections done which with easter etc will be tough. Everyone wants to come visit us and mil is in hiding after hospital trauma! Definitely having a glass of champers at my housewarming! I plan to get everyone drunk as anything on my behalf :)

snow gosh I bet you are knackered. Rest!

Hello ice how are you doing with four?!
How are things with you twenty?

sheldon hope you are healing ok x

Hey guys, thanks for asking but there's nothing to report here and words mostly fail to express what I feel like so I don't talk about it, even in rl. I love reading your news though. I do hope sheldonella is recovering. A couple of sessions of EMDR can really help with traumatic experiences, worth going private just to get in there quickly and start the healing process.

Am giving you a hug twenty, dont tell anyone x

Hi everyone! Sorry it has taken me a while to update but I've been very tired, very anaemic, struggling with flashbacks and breastfeeding. The good news is that my baby is beautiful and wonderful and we love her to bits.

Ok the birth. My waters broke at 1 in the morning after the sweep. I went to be checked at th hospital, everything was fine so I was sent home to establish labour. Unfortunately I didn't get a nice build up and the contractions came on regularly and unbearably so I went straight back. I tried being in water but the pushing down feeling and pain was unbearable so I went to the room in the delivery unit and tried gas & air. This did work of a while but then I was hallucinating, lost control and was screaming the place down. After 13 hours I got an epidural and the relief was amazing. The difficulties didn't stop there though as my contractions just weren't working even on a drip and she got distressed. Eventually I went to theatre and she was delivered with forceps. I was begging for them at this point! I'm cut and torn and have been very sore but starting to feel better. I lost a lot of blood and had to stay in hospital for a while. Fortunately baby is fine and thriving. I am really struggling with the pain of breastfeeding and spend lots of time crying. Nothing about he birth went to plan really and I feel quite sad about it.

Sorry this is not a more positive post but I will be fine, honest.

Yesterday was one year to the day since my mc.

wilde hugest congrats on your PhD, that is an amazing achievement! sorry o hear about your poorly DS though, hope he is ok now.

twenty thank you for checking up on me. Thinking of you too x

boo are you on mat leave now? Enjoy every minute!

ice how are you doing with your DS now? Hope all is well.

snow hope you find some nice maternity wear. I am oddly going to miss some of mine! Still wearing it at the moment.