May 2013 - we've seen our babies and our trousers are tighter as we enter the second trimester!

[SevenElvesAndAReindeer]

Shiny new thread. Come and grab a and a .

Oh Frank I think I'd be pretty hysterical in your position. I have no real knowledge but have you called in professional pest control? If lots of poison might be required you might need to absent your pregnant self for a while.

Beaver - I've bought 3 times in London and I'm afraid to say that even the first time, when we were chain free, it took 5 months from offer to completion. I think I've been unlucky with my upward chains each time. I hope you find somewhere soon. What side of London are you?

Glad your liver results were ok Maybe.

I had a consultant appointment yesterday to discuss my history of Orr-eclampsia and huge babies. He wants to induce me at 38 weeks as that is when my kidneys have really struggled before and that would stop the last pound or so piling on the baby. I'm not sure, I had a terrible induction with DC1, although I've heard that by your third they can be pretty quick. I've got a while to think.

Re BF, my experience is that much depends on the baby. My first baby latched on and fed like a dream from day 1. It really was the hazy warm picture of perfection you dream of. We fed for 14 months without a problem. My second had a slippery latch and terrible wind, she fed irratically and it hurt for weeks and weeks and I got engorged and had repeated mastitis. I still carried on to 14 months but it was always more problematic. La Leche League helpline was great when I had problems, I'd advise saving the number in your phones just in case. I hope DC3 feeds like DC1.

beaver yeah I hear you re the buying thing. Don't worry am sure you will find something. The main thing is, don't stress too much, it always works out in the end. If it comes to it, perhaps you guys can rent somewhere short term in the area you're looking to buy whilst it all goes through? Our mortgage guy has just told us that our self-employment status is going to make getting a mortgage for the amount we need v difficult at the mo until we get more deposit (already have 10%, jeez!). Our area is improving rapidly so we don't want to miss out on our chance to own here :( DP's Dad is looking into ways to help us with the deposit and if not, our lovely downstairs neighbours are thinking of renting us their bigger flat for mates rates as they are in France for most of the year and fancy the extra income. We're trying not to get too excited about that one in case it doesn't happen because it would be perfect. Let's cross our fingers for each other, but it will work out don't worry
wilde yay!! Congrats on hitting the 18 weeks :) almost halfway through....

good luck for the scan elly!

frankie that sounds awful. I had mice over the summer when pg (mc'ed that one sadly) and it completely horrified me with hormones and wanting the place to be sterile not with disgusting invading mice. Have you got pest control in? We rent so landlord sorted it all out but they were brilliant and gave me so much advice and calmed me. the mice went from the poison. Oh, and we got a kitten! can you borrow a cat for a couple of hours to scare them off?!

thank you for the congrats wirra :) good luck with your house move plans... is such a worry isn't it?

Speaking of days that finish you off, frankie today already has been one of those days! I have spent most of the morning bursting into tears and almost planned to just go back to bed! Why?! Because I hadn't felt the baby move for a couple of days and hormones are raging, making me really anxious. Do hormones make anyone else overly anxious?

Anyway I put on my jeans that are tighter on my tummy and can feel the baby kicking away now. thank god for that :). and am working away and is not much else i can do. SO frankie, you are much saner than I, for you actually have reasons to be upset! Hope you get things sorted soon

Santa yes please re hand-holding. Will be clinging on for dear life! And a def yes to being anxious most of the time. Have found myself worrying myself near to death about utter nonsense. I think it's all v natural....

Wirra we've thought about short term renting, but the issue then becomes one of being able to provide three months' bank statements for the mortgage - my mat leave is so shite that there's no way the bank would lend to us for a London-priced property. So we're a bit stuck and under time pressure.

Artigene seriously?? Five months??? Oh god. I'd be giving birth on the welcome mat, paintbrush in hand. Will breathe deeply, try to find a pro-active solicitor, and hope for the best. We're in South London, but will need to move further south to get anything worth buying. Norwood, anyone???

Ho hum. No point stressing about something that hasn't happened yet.... [tears out hair]

No movement here yet, although I did feel a bit of popcorn-popping in bed last night and assumed it was wind....

18+2

Some friends bought recently in Norwood when they had a baby and found a nice 3 bed place for the equivalent of a 1 bed flat elsewhere! We have loads of colleagues and friends in Sydenham, Forest Hill, Honour Oak type area (it's musician central!), that bought for exactly the affordable price reason and say the area has some lovely cafes etc springing up there. We're considering it too, but are in love with North London! There are great places to be found in Sydenham and Honour Oak though, nice pubs and it's all going up in nice-ness. Just depends on how you feel about the public transport thing really. The new east london line has made some of those stations much more connected now. Norwood had some alright primary schools as well apparently. Good luck, will join the hand-holding and provide cyber- tea and support :)

Ooh Herne Hill as well apparently has good places. X

Woohoo suddenly feeling very christmassy! Christmas tree was delivered today (gift from work - nice!) and I can't wait to decorate it! Christmas shopping (entirely online) is almost complete. Just have DH to sort. Anyone got any bright ideas for man presents?? I seem to get him a jumper every year!

Sorry to hear of house/mice nightmares. Re. the mice, I think I'd get the professionals in. Sounds like a bad case. Poor you.

I hope that the scan goes well elly and that you feel reassured.

oh thanks everyone! feel much better about rodent-gate after posting on here! DH says we can get some quotes from the professional mice people, just hope they don't eat our new dishwasher in the meantime!

wish we could move to our own place (renting a house from my dad so don't have the benefit of a proper landlord to get the mice out) I think it will be a while before we can save a first deposit though!

thanks Wilde for putting things into perspective, hormones are definitely raging for me... cried again last night because I was cold. I mean seriously!

baby managed to cheer me up though kicking for the first time I think!

x

Frankie, do your council offer pest control services. When my friend had mice the council sent round some people who kept coming until the little buggers were all gone. I don't think it cost that much either.

Good luck

Frankie I had mice in the house when pregnant with my first.I used traps with mars bar on to catch them.I know some are against traps but I was petrified.I also found that the sonic plug in things kept them away in fact they were the most effective for us.Poison didn't work.

DP has his works do on Saturday and I can't wait.Im finally feeling better and have been pampering myself.Had hair done today and have a lovely outfit ready.

17+ 6

Thanks everyone, decided to stop trying to deter the mice ourselves which isn't working! and call in the professionals.

a guy called Peter is coming round tomorrow to be my knight in shining armour! he's going to hopefully find out where the little shits are coming from and finish them off.

I don't like the idea of killing things but it's a desperate situation, and if they chew through the oven cables which are very nearby it could be very dangerous!

enough about me! it is lovely and Christmassy with all this freezing weather.

how is everyone faring in the ice? our road has turned into a death slide so I've been doing my best granny driving today. here's to healthy Christmas bumps! Budapest put me in the mood for it with all the markets and snow! yey!

xxx off to stare blankly at computer for present shopping I just can't decide on

Although killing them isn't pleasant, frankie, mice are disease carriers and are also incontinent so wee wherever they go. It's too risky to expose yourself to that 'in your condition'.

My mw forgot to give me a 16 week appointment so I called her today and going to see her tomorrow. Glad to hear that others don't feel baby yet/much even when it's DC 2+. I've been sending myself a bit loopy with worry that something might be wrong (however, I was like this last time, even when I could feel movements clearly!) really hope she gets the doppler out to listen to the heartbeat tomorrow to make me feel a bit of reassurance.

frankie sadly you have to kill them. They spread toxoplasmosis and e coli on their paws too, nightmare. I asked on my FB about what to do when I had mine and a gazillion people posted back and said you have to kill the buggers. was surprised and almost relieved so many people had had mice and were so wised up before I started going down the humane, pointless route...

lolly I only feel LO sporadically. nothing for a couple of days and was starting to fret and today lots of really little jabs. More nothing than something still tho, when with DS I was feeling him regularly by now! If I lie down I won't feel a thing but if am at my comp I think the waistband of my jeans digs in a bit and makes less room! (I feel mean now!)

beaut that sounds marvellous! am so envious! What's your outfit like?

roast my DH is so hard to buy for. Is all done now though, thank goodness. The best pres I got was a onesie! I cannot wait to see him in it, he will look a total prat DVD, jumper, coat were other presents. pretty standard. What have other peeps bought OHs?!

I had fish and chips for my tea! soooooo yummy.

18+1

I got DH a large selection of Belgian beers.

Frankie, sympathies on the mice, we had them last year. I wasn't pg but still freaked out. Kill them!

Evening all

Posting from iPhone so apologies foracn of shoutouts!

Beaver-- if you can at all buy now then go for it- we have made some inroads with abbey but still waiting for a decision and only because we went to a independent mortgage advisor who doesn't ask whether pregnant or not! If you apply now you may be able to honesty apply and be accepted on your current wages- once your on maternity pay you will be a bit stuck.

Had 16 week mw appr today. Rather underwhelming! Refused to listen for heartbeat saying ' we don't do that anymore' didn't feel my tummy or anything. Just took blood pressure and sending my urine off. Not seen again for another 3 mths!

Blood pressure was 100/60 which I think may account for me feeling dizzy / faint / tired and bit crappy last few days as I think that's lowish- not that she cared despite me saying I felt tired!

Same mw was crap last time- can I refuse to use her?! She has no personality or people skills!

frankie you have my sympathies too re the mouse house. We had them at our old place a few years ago and it took the professionals to sort it. Hopefully they'll be gone in no time.

Hey is anyone else getting bloated at all (sorry, gross question)? Am sure the bump can't be growing and shrinking from day to day and tonight I suddenly look about 7 months gone!! That combined with unflattering changing room mirrors at Westfield today have made me all hormonal. It can't possibly all be extra weight as I have only put on a kilo so far. Mind you have been getting into the chocolate this week .

Wirrawoo- it's all to do with which way the baby is snuggled in on any given day ;-)

wirra, I often thought last time that my bump looked bigger in the evenings. I think the same this time round too. Def bigger after I've eaten too- not enough room in there for everything, I guess

Wirra, I think it's progesterone which slows the digestive process down which causes wind and bloating. Yet another delight that can be put down to pregnancy hormones .

Sorry scooby must have cross-posted. That is really crappy of the midwife, how disappointing :( they DO listen for heartbeats and it really sounds like you have a good reason to switch midwives if you're not feeling the support you deserve. Hopefully you can hear the heartbeat at the 20 week scan. What a bummer

Rats and squirrels and mice oh my! the professional pest guy just came round and diagnosed a whole petting zoo of dirty and deadly pests in our attic!

feeling much better that we now have a plan of action if ever so slightly freaked out at the prospect of hundreds of rats above my head.

we wouldn't have stood a chance of getting rid of them alone, esp since we thought it was just a few mice!

Scooby when I had 16 week appt they made a point of checking the heartbeat, though didn't feel tummy. I would query it if I were you, it's reassuring to hear so I hope you manage a listen soon somehow.

off to wash my hands and spray disinfectant around again! can't feel clean enough after seeing fresh rat pooh held up to me this morning!

x

wirra I am bloated on and off too and am back on the lactulose after suffering two days of the worst tummy ache of my life! I thought this stage had gone but noooooooo we are in it together tho, it will be ok!

frankie poor you! Great it is being sorted though.

scooby aw. I was listened into at 16 weeks tho i have heard some people don't any more. I think she was rude to you tho, and they could try?! Grr.

we have had snow today! lovely. am house bound again tho after some more spotting and treacherous (sp?!) icy pavements.

I have to make DS a birthday cake tonight/tommorrow. I love to cook but I am a terrible baker! Can anyone point me in the direction of a foolproof choccy cake at all?

arf 18+2

Horrible stomach ache today & yesterday
Feels more like digestion than any womb based sinister-ness but still v unpleasant
Feel the need for a hot water bottle. Not really possible at work!

I'm sorry for all of you with stomach aches/bloating etc - it's such a joy, isn't it!

My MW made my 16 week appointment for closer to 17 weeks because she said it gave a better chance of hearing the HB, but also that it wasn't always to hear it at that point so that could be why they didn't listen for it scooby, although that is no excuse for rudeness and not explaining it to you. Are there other MW's where you go? I don't see why you couldn't ask to see a different one - I have seen 3 different ones so far!!

Also, I have noticed that my BP is low (for me) too, and MW said that it would explain the dizzinness and tiredness etc, which is a relief.

Oh Frankie that's awful, but i'm so pleased that you have got someone in to sort it for you.

I have got DH a gilet for work and a watch - we don't really 'do' Christmas pressies, and will go for a nice meal, and we are going away for a couple of days at Christmas, so they will be 'joint presents'!

Can't wait to start feeling proper regular movements - feel the odd one, but not that often yet.

19+2