The 2nd broadly Gemini luxury bus.

[FrustratedSycamoreBonks]

Welcome aboard, for the trip that will take us into the 2nd trimester and beyond, Make yourself comfy as we head towards maternity clothes, new bras, blooming, bumps, scans, and fading ms. Full of chatting, moaning tmi and mutual support.

Here is the link to our last bus.

I've had it twice - last pregnancy I had it at 40 weeks & did feel really rough for a few days. This time I just got a really sore arm for a day or 2 & had a headache for one evening. It's much less traumatic than having flu! I was just reading an article saying that flu season has really kicked off now & it looks like it's going to be a bad one! I'd definitely be booking myself in if I hadn't already had it.

Thanks for the finger wiggling, DH gave me the same. I didn't want it yesterday in case it made me poorly over Christmas and I've only just gove over an ordinary cold... but then I won't want it when I go back to work as I won't really want to be poorly then either! Anyway, the MW said she was too busy to give it me at a specific appointment so I should just have it at the next scheduled one which is, I think, 24 weeks.

You can't finger wiggle at me, I'm not allowed the flu jab (not enough long term studies for medical issue)

Phew, made it! Plane was actually the easy part! Both boys fell asleep straight away after waiting on the plane an extra hour to 'de-ice' it since it was snowing as we were ready to leave. I didn't get much sleep, never really do, but watched a few good films and voila, we made it! The worst part was the drive. It normally takes us only 3 hrs to get to Lincoln from London and with the weather and taking the 'shorter' route from DFIL (which actually added an extra hr and a half to the journey) it took us 5 hrs along with the youngest getting car sick all over himself, me crying out of exhaustion, a cold starting, and not wanting to deal with sick and being hungry...and getting lost on the back roads and going through giant puddles. Today has been very relaxing and the boys are already loving it here. My step MIL is the sweetest thing and has been helping with the boys and making brunch. REAL British fry-up. Mmmm, heading off to eat as much as I can and then a nap!!

Hope everyone is feeling well and starting to feel their babies. This little one has been jumping and squirming around for the last couple of days.

Has anyone seen Pear or Nick? Haven't heard from them lately!

Glad you got back ok trumpets. Sounds like a tough drive!

Libra I had flu jab in Nov and no side effects whatsoever. I've had about 4 of them over the years (not while pregnant) and never had anything other than a slightly sore arm for about a day. Definitely better than the flu!

I've yet another headcold beginning to creep up on my today. Am unimpressed. Hoping it'll just stay as a bit of a sniffle and not get any worse.

So, today's last day in work then I'm off to Ireland tomorrow morning for 5 days. Might not be on here much (will try and pop in) but if I'm not hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and your bumps keep growing, and wrigglers keep wriggling.

Sorry...I am about, but work / life is manic, so not much time to post.

Glad you got here safe and sound, bring :-)

Glad to hear back from you Nic, hope pear is ok?!
Glad you made it back in one piece bringon, that is my idea of a nightmare journey! You are to cool to attempt it
Hope everyone else is ok? I had abit more brown cm yesterday, again only lasted the one day, I'm hoping it's all ok, I just don't think there is any point in me ringing around etc this time as its Xmas and they will be so busy, the gps will be full, what does everyone else think? Apart from the scan for reasurance last time they still didn't test me for anything? I may go after Xmas to the gp and maybe get them to do some swabs ?!
Hope everyone else is ready for Xmas xx

Nothing too exciting to report. Started getting some strong braxton-hicks contractions.... and am still just trying to get over jet lag. The kids are taking a long time to adjust so we're up a lot through the night and it's starting to wear me down. Starting to feel like the 1st tri again with feeling nauseous and exhausted. :(

Kitty, are there certain times that you've noticed the brownish cm? After intercourse? After a bowel movement? Have you had any other unusual discharge that could indicate an infection? Sometimes there just is a bit of bleeding in pregnancy that can be really normal, as long as you're not seeing bright red blood. Often it's from the cervix which has a lot more blood flow than before which can make it more friable during sex or some women have their cervix facing backwards and having a BM for some reason will irritate the cervix (it's all so glamorous isn't it?). You could also just have them swab you for a bacterial or thrush infection which rarely causes some bleeding. Now that we're in the 2nd tri, you've already had a scan that shows a healthy baby in the proper location, small amounts of dark cm shouldn't be worrying. Have a talk with your midwife about your concerns though! Shouldn't have to worry your way through this.

Thanks bringon, it hasn't appeared to be after anything just on a weekend where it is as hard as poss to see anyone or do anything I have alot of cm and it does seem interchangable, some days very watery some days jelly like etc but nothing itchy etc, I wont see a midwife for another 10 wks now so may leave her a MSG after Xmas and see what she says, both times it's only lasted a day, wish I could feel more for reasurance it's a hard time as im sure I can feel her but at the same time they are so light you can convince yourself it's not aswell, now I know it's a little girl and she's allready a part of the family not just an imaginary thing I'm terrified in going to loose her, I'm much more paranoid this time round!
Still not going to let it ruin Xmas for anyone and put it out of my mind

Sorry to hear you've been up in the night and struggeling with the time difference, it's so hard when you have to put kids first when your exhausted etc I hope tomorrow is wonderful for you though and makes up for the hard work! X

Happy Christmas everyone! To you and your little avocados.

Hello all merry Christmas.

I'm in a mini humbug-y grump, I killed my dinner I can't cook my dsis bought me a food basket for Christmas, full of pâté and cheeses I can't eat not sure if it was deliberate or not and I really fancy a snowball, I don't have one, but I want one. Strange as a don't usually drink and nobody bought me chocolates so will have to raid DCs.

How is everyone else surviving?

I had a glass of bucks fizz yesterday and a bottle of corona Xmas eve naughty kitty first drinks in 12 weeks though since holl so not too bad?! Dd is now ill and has conjunctivitis so was up alot last night and then I foolishly went to the next sale at 6:30 and only got home at 10:30!!! For one shop! Still all part of the joy that makes up Xmas and I look forward to buffet at dsis later and my downton abbey from last night :) x

Poor show kittens I can't believe you didn't get there for 6 like I did I was home and back in bed by 8. and even bought some babygroes and tiny trousers

Hope your dd is better soon.

Oh frus I thought I was so clever thinking I'll get there for 7:45 no cues miss the initial rush.... Was queuing outside for an hour! oh well, got a good hoard, didn't really bother with stuff for bubs as have all dds clothes but got a few little vests ahhh don't blame you on the tiny things though only 2 weeks till scan day!!

I know! 15 days I'm so excited. Whens your scan?
i don't have many baby things as 4 years is a long time to hang on to stuff. I think I do have some tiny-baby clothes, will have to root around in the attic.
No queue at mine, but the sale stuff was rather lacking this year I thought. And what's happened to their bright stripy children's clothes?

Mine is a week on wed, 20 wks exactly, I'm abit scared now as for not getting reasurance after last spotting, I've got a hb listener but it's surposed to be from 21 wks so can't hear anything even though I remember last time it being so quiet even right at the end, shouldn't have tried really although think I've felt her keep convincing myself it's wind now!!
Bid que at mine but loads of stuff although I agree very bland baby stuff, not a bright colour in sight unless you cound this years red Xmas stuff

I am in shock as have just realised that I'm now 18weeks, how did that happen so quickly?
kittens my scan is the day after yours, are you excited?
I can't wait to find out the sex, then I can start prepping dd. I know she'll be fine as long as she is well prepped. Need to start looking for "new baby" books to read with her.

Yes can't wait, scared but excited, we won't tell the scanner we know the sex and see if we get the same result! Im just so desperate to know its all ok and start getting proper feelings as they are so sporadic and light at the mo, phoned mw just know after last weeks light spotting but she didn't think any need to worry but to try and rest and not pick up dd( how I'm surposed to manage this I've no idea!) how young is your youngest? Does she know your having a baby frus? X

Everything im feeling is sporadic too, bit something is better than nothing, felt dd1 from the day before her 20wk scan, and rarely felt dd2 even in the late stages (had extra scans with her and her lack of movement but she was born healthy* and full term)
I'm glad your mw has eased your fears a bit, I've never had spotting so think I would be a mess and highly panicking if I did. It is near on impossible not to lift a toddler when pg, just remember to watch your back. I'm still carrying my youngest there's no way around that

my youngest is 4.5, with a list of DXs including ASD, developmental delay, and a severe speech and language delay (hearing and speaking) due to a very late diagnosis of being profoundly deaf, but nothing hereditary, it's just who she is as soon as we know what this one is, we can start prepping her. She has noticed the bump, and we've told her there's a baby in my tummy, but because its so abstract at the moment she doesn't really have a clue any more than a 2yo. She doesn't understand abstract concepts. so will have to have lots of stories and prewarnings of what will happen and how things will change. And how she won't always be centre of attention. It won't be easy, but the better prepared she and we are, the better able to cope we'll all be.

Wow that sounds like a challenge but that your doing everything possible to prepare her, I think there are lots of really good books around to ease children into the concept of new arrivals, not sure my dd will be old enough to ask questions etc but she's always been around her nephew and sees him and now niece atleast 3/4 times a week, has baths together etc and loves it with them so I'm hopeful she is the sociable accepting type, may still go down your route with some books closer to arrival time, we are getting new words every day now, especially s ones?! Yesterday's was stairs lol

Stairs is a good word. we have random words or sentences but we're not yet on conversational level by any means. unless you count arguing over whether she needs another icecream and she can be hard work, but she can be so amazing at times, I wouldn't change her for the world.

Dd1 was fab when dd2 was born, but her level of understanding was much higher, and she was desperate for a sibling to play with.

Hello, glad to see the thread busy again, I missed you all over Christmas.
There are some really lovely books about expecting a new baby, my personal favourite is "There's a House Inside My Mummy" by Giles Andrae and Vanessa Cabon. I also like "It's Quacking Time" by Martin Waddell, this time it's ducks having a baby but they are very cute. Finally "There's Going to be a Baby" by John Burningham is beautifully illustrated and makes me well up just a little bit whenever I read it.

Can you tell what I do for a living!?

Hi librarina know any good ones for SN children, or ones that are along the lines of "mummy is having a baby but there's enough love for everybody"?

Ps how was your Christmas?

Ugh I'm ill, sick and stomach cramps, and really hoping I'm just weeing myself a bit when I'm sick, (never thought I'd hear myself say that) but think I am, not panicking yet
I hate being ill.