due oct 2006 part 2

[totallyfloaty35]

Well lets fill this one up too

Glad to hear everyone's scans going well. I had mine yesterday and it was excellent, can't believe how much baby has grown since week 12. Didn't find out the sex although we were given the opportunity to know. Everything seems to be there and in the right place so thats good!!
Wondering if anyone can give advice re keeping cat out of nursery once baby arrives. Have read in lots of places to allow cat to explore everything before the arrival which I am ok with. After that though I'd like to know that cat can't get in!! I know it seems like the obvious option but not keen on keeping nursery room door shut. Any suggestions?

Sassy,dont worry about cats,i had 7 cats when my 1st dd was a baby,they took no notice,i think babies make to many movements and noise.In fact the only time they showed interest was when i used a cat net over the pram...they dragged it off and tore it to bits.i got 3 cats now and 3 dogs,one of my dogs is due to give birth in 3wks,have decided a baby gate is enough of a deterrant to all of them

Have added my details to the stats list.

I've seen those tummy tubs in John Lewis, but I don't know any one who's used one (not surprising, as I know lots of people with dogs and not many with babies.) I was considering asking about them at my antenatal classes. I've booked NCT classes. Has anyone had good/bad experiences with classes before? I chose NCT because they don't seem too new age or bossy.

Buggy-wise, we're looking at Mountain Buggy with the carrycot option. I think the best buggy depends on where you're going to be walking and what sort of transport you're going to use. I won't be using the car very much, but I will be doing mostly off-road walking. Depending on how things go I might get a lightweight fold-up one for using on the bus after six months.

My SIL used cat nets for her first as her cat was trying to get in the carrycot (apparently liked the smell of milk.) I think it worked for them. We're going to use baby gates to deter our dog. He's also getting less freedom indoors now, so it won't be such a shock to him. He will be allowed to sniff the baby and stuff, but only under supervision. I don't want to get too het-up about it. Most children I know have eaten dog-biscuits out of the dog-bowl and it doesn't seem to have done any harm so far.

Off for a choc ice in the sunny garden now.

Good evening ladies. Wow been reading everyones thread. Havn't you all benn busy? Ive been to my parents down the coast for a few days and have come home pink and kinda rested. Been feeling very bloated and stuck the passed few days. Quite painful actualy.

Im not too keen on the look of those belly bath things but has anyone tried those shaped bath things? You lay the baby on it and its shaped to hold the baby leaving your hands free to wash them etc. Thought Id get one cause my ds loves baths and would wnat to get in as soon as he sees me bathing baby. So thought he could share the bath with baby.
Lucky you Dogmum not having heartburn. Ive started getting it the passed few days. Had it realy bad the last ds. But no it doesnt mean the babys gonna have more hair though. An old wives tale Im afraid ladies.

No cravings as such but Im going mad for savoury stuff rather than sweet. Which is rely strange considering Im such a chocaholic.

I need to ask a serious question to the 'older' Mums here. After having the triple test(blood teast for Downs syndrome etc) does the midwife see you weather there is a problem or not after? I had mine a couple of weeks ago and have got a letter to see my midwife about it. Does this mean there is a problem or is it just standard practice? Please put my mind at rest before next Tuesday........

gingeme, that's the kind of bath seat I had with dd and will be using the same one this time round. was perfect for us - and will fit in with bathing dd at the same time too hopefully!!
been swimming this afternoon, so nice to feel weightless even though I haven't put on too much yet.... there's plenty of time for that :)

Excelent thanks nowanearly mum Ill definately get one then. I pressed my boobs today and some mechonium came out! Think thats how you spell it. Im 18+6 days today. Has this happened to anyone else yet? I love swimming anyway but its fantastic when your preg isnt it ?

Gingeme, I guess at 39 I'm an 'older' mum (my midwife seems to think so anyway.) Please don't worry about getting your results, as it seems to me that standard practice doesn't exist. They sent me a letter, but my health authority have sent letters for everything - I got one a couple of weeks ago saying I needed iron tablets, with no further explanation. I was worried sick until my doctor explained that it was a precaution only as my blood count wasn't that low.

Back to the blood tests, they consider 1 in 250 as high risk, which seems quite low to me (249 in 250 of a healthy baby.) And while they take age into consideration, I'm not sure they consider the new breed of healthy older mums, such as ourselves. It might be that your health authority is a bit more hands-on than mine at explaining what things mean and to offer you a diagnostic test. (Some offer it to all women over 35.) You've probably already decided whether you want one or not. I didn't want one, as this is the first time I've ever managed to become pregnant, so the risk of miscarriage was too terrifying for me.

My midwife wants me to have the baby in the medical bit of the hospital rather than the midwife unit, due to my age. Is your hospital like this too, or do they consider what you want? I've got my appointment with the obstetrician on Wednesday, so I'll be putting some pretty detailed questions forward (like why are they so worried about the birth, if they aren't worried about the pregnancy at all? Apart from a NT scan and the bloods, I've only had one check so far.) I guess I'm just a bit worried at the moment that I haven't significantly felt the baby yet - just a few minor gurgles and not very frequent. Concern added to hormones has made me grumpy with DP. He looked v. pleased to be going to work this morning!

Dogmum, don't worry about movements. I'm also a first timer, 21 + 4 today, and only had movements for the last week, and then only intermittently.. and clear kicks only the last few days really. do you have any hard lumps which then disappear? that was how I first felt the baby- from the outside.

Still no cravings, boringly enough, except the fermented horse milk and lots of fruit..

Looking forward to scan on Saturday but won't find out the sex, unless it's that obvious!

Started doing the lindsey jackson pilates video, and it is quite good, but happy to hear any other preg exercise vid recommendations.

Hey there. Have been away for a week in Spain which was more stressy than being at home - villa on the beach with no gate between house and beach, and floor-level easy-to-open windows on first floor so had to keep DS under constant supervision, not easy with a 2yr old. Then there were loads of other kids so every half hour we had someone stealing someone else's toys and tears and tantrums all round. aaargh. Managed to hold it together until about day 5 when I went to chemist to top up on the Gaviscon only to find out that it's not available in Spain without a prescription. Reduced me to tears at the time, and I spent last two days drinking milk and eating mashed potato whilst everyone else feasted away and got drunk. And then I heard conversation that went as follows: DS: "She seems to be lookign more pregnant every day", skinny-so-called-mate: "yes, she's looking really HUGE already" harumph. Then got back home at weekend and went down promptly with flu. Spent journey into work shivering and haven't been able to swallow since lunchtime yesterday. And nothing but ruddy paracetemol to dose it down with. Well, possibly.... have appt later with Company Dr and am hoping he will be able to prescribe me something to sleep at least, and also keepign fingers crossed for a sicknote as have shedloads of work to come back to and have no idea how to deal with it when head seems to be wrapped in cotton wool and for some reason I seem to have shedloads of 'floaters' in my eyes and reading screen not easy. yuk yuk yuk yuk yuk.

Anyway, will send another email re: meet-up and stuff when I feel human again and will also see if I can dredge up some 'worst moment' episodes from holiday to have a laugh over.

By the way, very pleased to hear scans all going well. Welcome DogMum, and Stella gets my vote, Rianna.

Oh, and also read v funny book about ex-pat wife living in Kazakhstan and talking about the mare's milk. Felt v sophisticated that I already knew all about it from this thread. But sounds like a not-very fun place to live... maybe life here in blighty not so bad even when viewed from flu haze.

Hi everyone

Glad to hear all the scans are going well! We had ours on Friday and all is well and we found out we're having a boy! Bit scary as I'm not sure what to do with them (!) but I'm sure I'll learn!!!

The scan was realy amazing. You could see so much - all the organs, the spine and the measurements were all thankfully normal. He was laying with his head on my bladder, so if he favours that position, that bodes well for the next few weeks!

Starting to feel a little bit 'whale-like' - yesterday my cousin and her family came round and just laying on a blanket in the garden involved a great big cushion and almost a whole blanket to myself!

Thanks for all the suggestions re. prams and baths. So much to consider - still very confused!

Thankyou thankyou thankyou Dogmum guess Im worrying about nothing, but then thats just me generaly. Never had any of these tests with any of my other ds you see as I wasnt an 'older' mum! Yes my hospital is pretty hands on thank goodness. Im having midwife led treatment too so at least I more or less see the same midwife each visit which is nice. I tried my doppler system again last night. No heart beat heard as yet but baby was realy kicking and the machine was jumping up and down a few times. Was so funny. Oh poor you whiffy. Your cold is probably from the air con on the plane. If its any consolation I have terrible hayfever not being able to take anything for it and my head is so bunged up and my ears pop when I blow my nose which hurts.Just picked up my second maternity dress from Ebay. Think Ill be living in it its sooo comfy. Its long loose and beige. The other one I got is a trendy denim dungaree style one which is also lovely if a bit short for my liking. Well thanks again Dogmum. Ill let you know what happens tomm. xx

poor you whiffy, make sure you get that sick note. sitting in front of a computer screen is the last place you should be at the mo. sorry to hear that Spain was pants - did you get some sunshine at least?
gingeme, don't you mean colostrum rather than meconium coming out of your nipples? would be a bit concerned if it's the second :)
if it's the first, then yes, I've had some too!! good luck with your appt tomorrow. I'm sure all is fine.
good news about your scan mrsblobby - all these boys!! we should edit the stats thread to include 'sex'. although I'm waiting for a surprise, me!!

Doh..... thankyou for correcting me nowanearly. He he. Youd think Id know by now this being my 4th baby. Will be able to add to the stats next week when I have my scan. Hopefuly Ill break the boys trend and be able to report a girly on the way. Everything crossed

Hello girls,
back from Amsterdam, had my scan today and chinese calendar was fourth time right : a boy!!

congratulations Rianna. we're over-run with boys on this thread!!

Whiffy: hope you get some time off work and get a proper rest - sounds like your holiday was rather un-relaxing! I'm getting the 'huge' comments as well, as my girth seems to be increasing daily! I'm eating pretty healthily and getting some exercise, though, so not worrying too much. I think this is the trimester of rapid expansion, so we should be getting larger.

Good to hear about everyone's scans, esp Highlander now you're offically normal . The mw notes for my last apointment read 'Looks and feels fine', so I presume I'm not causing any worry either.

Haven't ventured into maternity dresses, but have got some large and expandable trousers that are really comfy.

Meeting up: any advance on dates? What about the end of June at the weekend?

Hope everyone is enjoying the bit of summer we've had so far. Have a great week.

Am i the only one having a girl then?Cant do end of june as new aupair turns up,so cant just leave her with kids straight off,what about 2nd wk end of july?
We arguing over names now,as i thought i was having a boy we never really thought of girls names,but narrowed it down to Liberty Summer or Lexie Danielle.
I have loads of maternity stuff from H&M which is great,really comfy

nope totally...i had my scan today...im having a little girl too!!!! (congrats on your scan!)

hi all, back from week's holiday. had slight sense of humour failure on day 3 after watching everyone get more drunk and less funny every night. still good to have had a bit of sun. feeling dead tired. had scan today and everything in right place although dh only just made it half way through as got the wrong venue... had a good look to see if was boy or girl, think it's a girl but no idea. we just managed to hold back on asking but v. difficult to resist and think would def. find out with a 2nd baby.
would still love to meet up. could do 14th but seem to be only one.

Thank you so much for reassuring me, Gemmitygem. Actually some bits do feel firmer than others. I've also got my scan tomorrow. I don't know how our mothers/grandmothers managed without all this technology.

Gingeme - thinking of you today.

Wuzzle,i love having girls(better shopping) and i got 2 already,congrats on your scan,and to all the others who had recent scans,glad all is well.
Gingema,goodluck today.
I must say that my holiday was all inclusive and i felt pretty left out watching everyone downing cocktails til they fell over,but DH had the non alcoholic version made up for me every time he got one.Which was great as if id had to drink coke or juice all wk i think i would have had major sulk.
I been getting a few twinges in the lower back lately,going to see acupuncterist,she sorted me out last time.No heart burn yet but then i didnt get it in last 2 pgs...i got Symphis pubis instead

enlighten me totally, what's Symphis pubis?

Its where your pubic bone softens too much and starts to seperate,you can become very unstable,your hip displaces and you can end up in a wheelchair.I didnt have it that bad,but i saw an osteopath every wk and had to be realigned and have my hip put back all the time.
I would advise all ladies to see an osteo from about 24wks just to check there posture and especially if you start getting groin pain as some DRs are not very clued up and are quite happy to fob you off with "its just pg pain,you will be fine when the baby comes out"...Why suffer

Hi ladies its me. Im totaly confused as what to do now. Aparantly my results of my blood test show Im 1-89 at risk of a downs baby. So Ive been offered an amnio test. You know when they put a needle in your amnio sack to test the fluid. I was told there is 1-100 chance of mis carriage with this test but in my mind thats a lower risk than having a downs baby. Does that make sense? Im having my 20 week scan next Wed and seeing my midwife that morning too so gonna see what she can advise me. All you who have had your 20 week scan did they check the back of the head and that? I realise your not all as old as me but Im just wondering if I can get away with finding it all out on the scan. Sorry for such a long thread but.......

Sorry to hear your news Gingema,did you have a Nuchal scan at 11-14wks? thats when they check the heart valve,nasal bone and neck fold.
i dont know what your money situation is like but i know that the fetal medicine centre in harley st and the consultant who works at the portland hospital have a 1 in 2-300 miscarriage risk when they do amnio tests.
Remember though that its just a 1-89 Risk,they cant say for sure.Sending you cyber hugs