July 2013 Part 3 - happy new year, happy new thread

[dinkystinky]

Happy 2013 one and all!

My M&P under bump jeans are great, it's got the elastic stuff in the waistband that you can tighten. I've got some over the bump from there too which are good in the evening when the tummy is even bigger! Going to try the belly belt - a friend has kindly sent me one, so at least I might have more than one pair of work trousers! (Have a very exciting looking parcel I can't wait to open from her, but going to wait til I'm more awake in the morning!) hooray for the weekend!

Photographer - I would say hypnobirthing is money well spent but doesn't cover what to do with a baby, bfing or what to take/what if you have a csec. If you are going to read up you will get that info though. Otherwise you could get the Marie Mongan hypnobirthing book and CD and do the exercises yourself. But don't set your heart on a water birth as you may not feel like it on the day. I had one for Ds2 but it wasn't planned - just felt like it at the time.

photographer dinky has a point - I set my heart on a waterbirth and then wasn't allowed it as DD born 36 weeks. I used the hypnobirthing CDs though. Have no idea if they helped - nothing to compare it to - but I was v calm and enjoyed the process of chilling out with hypnobirthing cds.

I also had a doula. She was great, especially to calm me down when I was really freaked out by baby arriving so early.

I have a question - I think I have thrush (pretty sure it's thrush) - do I need to go to doc or can I just go to chemist?

17 weeks today - saw midwife, heard baby's heartbeat, and sure I am feeling movement.

Hope not too many of you are going to be snowed in again. Happy weekends!

PS photographer your waterbirth thread made 'discussions of the day'

ohgood all the books say that you should go to the GP if you think you have thrush during pg, so I guess that's the official advice, especially if you're not 100% sure. Personally, I would just go to the pharmacist as it's something I do get from time to time. I did check out with the GP what is safe to take (just as I was pre-empting an attack after being prescribed antibiotics) and he said the cream is fine and the pessaries are too, as long as you do not insert them too far. The oral capsules, however, are a definite no-no.

Oh good - go to the go. That way you can make use of your free prescription - and also make absolutely sure it is thrush. Glad mW appt went well.

OhGood nice I've so enjoyed reading it.

I think I want to try to prepare myself for birth. I understand that I may not get the pool, I may have 48 hours in labour or something really unpredictable I just don't want to get scared at the first sign of panic and end up drugged to the gills feeling terrified (I am already scared of hospitals ).

Hello Highlander and MummyKammy

AmaDablam it's so exciting when you start wearing maternity clothes isn't it. Thinkingof4 do Boden really do maternity clothes, that's just made my day - Had a really disappointing delivery of an IO sale dress yesterday and was beginning to despair!

Just a quick sling question too, I had a Lifft last time which I just couldn't work out how to use. Looking at the Molby this time but for the new born position doesn't the hold mean you have their knees sticking into you? Just doesn't look that comfortable to me!

photographerlady I know the birth is a big thing but I found in the scheme of things the weeks and months after are far more defining so I'd go for the NCT. Best advice I had was from a friend who really wanted a natural birth, but ended up with a c-section and felt cheated. She made me realise I could prepare but not plan. Just wish someone had told me something similar about breast feeding!

Right off to Boden, I may be some time - browsing that is, not buying

Hi! I have just got this bodyshaper www.blanqi.com/ because i found belly bands roll up and down (though still great i think) and so far i like the blanqui. It's sort of smoothing and shaping my emerging bump (which is at least 50% my own squishy middle). It held up my skinny jeans nicely, though wasn't great under a dress. Kind of pricey, but i hope i can delay maternity wear a while longer with it. Plus it's supposed to help with back support later, too, so let's see.

Today i wore over the bump h&m jeans and had to keep pulling on them. If i was trying to keep bump hidden from my students a while longer, tugging at weird fabric in midriff area has likely sabotaged me.

I think i am feeling teeny movements. Maybe?

13+6

photographer I was exactly the same as you - but there were lots of things that suprised me about the whole birth process (one being that at the end of it there was actually a baby. Could not have been more surprised.) Argh I have to go to bed but will PM you or come back on thread and say more - like the whole medical/hospital aspect was much less impactful than I expected and I had a pretty medicalised time of it - monitor, drips, syntocin, the works.

And PS I agree with Marie in that I found having a group of people with newborns all at pretty much the same stage to be an absolute, absolute sanity saver. No guarantee NCT will deliver that though - but scope out all the baby classes and new mum stuff in your area.

Marie the Moby is very soft and stretchy so no, no uncomfortable knees poking! It is literally like having the baby lying froggied up on your chest as they like to do naturally anyway, just hands-free! Do borrow one from a local (or postal) sling library if you aren't sure though. The Close is great too, very comfy and much quicker to get on/off due to no tying, (although a bit less adjustable).

Morning all! Have had a couple of successes on eBay now, few maternity dresses and tops to make me more comfortable, now that things are starting to feel a bit tight. Would definitely recommend.

And finally told work (first one!) yesterday so promised myself I could finally buy something baby related - wish me happy bootie shopping! DH and I will take our first look at prams today. Would love any more recommendations for city dwellers, 6ft3 him and 5ft5 me. Today should be fun!

We also decided in favour of the local nct classes this week as not as expensive as I thought, plus as first timers it'd be great to meet new people in our area.

No ms still for me, though sneezing is beginning to hurt my stomach muscles (what little I had). Has anyone else had this?

Morning all!

Not much to report here, just rumbling along.

Agree with what others have posted photgrapherlady. NCT gives you a good support network as well as preparing you for labour. Hypnobirthing CDs are supposed to be good. I didn't bother with a birth plan just a 'let's see what happens, a water birth would be nice' approach. However, I had a 72 hour labour with synto etc and I was glad I didn't have 'a perfect birth' in mind. More than happy to give all gory details if wanted!

Am managing with a pair of under bump mamas and papas jeans plus my mums size 14 skinny jeans (I'm a 12)! My
bump is quite high (no stomach muscles). Off car shopping later - need a decent sized second car for 2 kids. Thinking focus or Megane. Then it's date night tonight!

Happy Saturday all

14 weeks today (this is going slowly)

Morning!

I've bought a couple of things from eBay now - mainly topshop maternity clothes which seem to fit me well. I have a small waist but was carrying a little paunch pre-pregnancy so am only looking slightly more paunchier now. So not really in maternity clothes yet although all my smart workwear is starting to feel very tight. I can't wait to have a proper bump.

I was thinking of trying hypnobirthing too - I don't really have the fear of childbirth yet (despite watching OBEM) but quite like the idea of a relaxed/meditative birth. I didn't know that CDs were available - think I've may have just saved myself a fortune!

MrsRoss congratulations on telling your workplace! I found it made it all the more real for me. Good luck with the bootie shopping, enjoy! DH and I are scopibg out prams today too. Seems that everyone in London has a Bugaboo Chameleon but I like the look of the UppaBaby Vista too.

Have a great weekend all!

15+2

photographer I think quite like others have posted, that get yourself as prepared as you can for birth while knowing you may need to be flexible with your plan. I wanted a water birth w ds, but was told when I got to hospital that a woman was in the pool (only one pool) but that 'you probably arent even in labor so dont start worrying about birthing pools yet' haha condescending laugh. I was 8 cm dilated when I got to hospital. Still bitter, me? No!
Actually that is the most important thing I learned firat time around, that even if its your first trust your body and your instinct and dont let anyone talk over you so to say.
Anyway have a great weekend everyone! Going to get a much needed haircut on a couple of hours.

aaargh am 13+3 and got really bad back pain, slight strain feeling in my lower tummy too, should I be worried? x

p.s. we told our boys this week, showed them the scan picture but it has only made me worry more really because they are so excited im living in fear of something going wrong! x

Re hypnobirthing/NCT, NCT teach you breathing exercises and other ways of moving/swaying to help with pain too. I only did NCT but was quite open minded and relaxed going into it (I think it did help that it wasn't the unknown for me, I suspect, as looking after pregnant/labouring women is what I do for my job....). Anyway I managed with birth ball, gas & air and TENS all the way to fully dilated and somehow stayed pretty calm won't go into the bit after that although it was all still nice and calm and a good experience

Anyway, anything that helps is good but I do find some women who have been through hypnobirthing classes have VERY high expectations and a lot of the teachers are very anti-doctor.

Meant to say, if I had had a long labour or induction, I'd have had an epidural in a shot! Just didn't coz mine was too quick!

Mrsross26 yes I just sneezed lying down and it hurt a little,.not painfully

My friend takes the tube alot with her kids and recommends mcclaren

Should we.be signing up to.nct.now then ? Gosh. I guessed it was something you did.much later as in the films they always show people waddling to their classes!

Thanks ladies for all the advice on NCT and hynobirth. DH and I spoke and we agreed it wouldn't hurt to do both. Hypnobirthing does a two day workshop so it wouldn't be weeks and weeks of breathing :).

Besides we aren't going crazy on a pram (was £60 second hand) and hope that we will have few one day so sure the classes and CDs will come in handy.

I sneeze A LOT! I squish my body and legs together to avoid the ripping type pain!

We need a new thread!