Graduated elderberries

[janey1234]

Hello all..,
Let's clog up a brand spanking new club over here

(By hello all, I guess I mean hello hazle. Hopefully the others will join us soon...)

I'm with you on the eBay stuff. All the baby stuff has to be washed before it's worn whether it's new or not so it doesn't make any difference where it's from. I think many people get quite precious about only dressing baby in new gear (nothing wrong with that, each to their own) but I don't intend to spend any more than is necessary on items that will only get a few months use. No doubt we'll get a few nice outfits but the bulk of the everyday items will be second hand, hand-me-downs or from supermarkets. Quite a few recent new Mums have advised me to just get sleep suits and vests in bulk as cheap as possible because when the inevitable poo leakage happens it can be put straight in the bin rather than trying to get the stain out of an expensive one, and anything which means less work for me is a winner in my book!

Ah, I agree too. Maybe we'll change once we've had them, but I honestly can't see a problem with second hand stuff at all. Seems such a waste to buy new stuff when they will grow out of it so quickly!

Just booked a doctors appointment. I needed to go anyway, about eczema patches on my sides which seem to be worsening (and I think will just turn into horrible stretch marks if I don't sort out the dry skin) but this morning I also coughed up another load of blood. Not sure if it's normal/fine or not, but thought I would mention it at the same time as the eczema. I'm not particularly worried about it, in fact not worried in the slightest, but the few people I have told did seem worried so I don't think it will do any harm.

Janey I would say that yes, coughing blood should be checked out!

I have my regular doc appointment tomorrow, no scan but he'll check the heartbeat.

Ooh one other question...

Lying in bed last night I felt this WEIRD sensation. It was in the right place for baby, but felt like a kind of flutter, or like strange bubbles rising or something. Didn't feel like gas and didn't feel like right place for that (attractive I know). It was almost a bit ticklish....

Baby moving, or imagination?!

According to my dates only 17 weeks tomorrow so is it too soon do you think?

Afternoon all. Plus one on the periodic freak outs over whether this is actually a good idea or not Hazle. I'm delighted and excited and can't wait - but still, I get these moments of just utter doubt. What have we done? Will I be a good mum? How will I cope? Etc etc. So glad it's not just me

Not got very far down the purchasing line yet but did eventually convince OH that we'd be getting a moses basket for first couple of months - annoyingly, he's deadset against having baby in our room at all, but eventually conceded that he may allow it on the other side of our room, but not by the bed. Don't ask.

Anyway - after all that, we went to B&Q and have started decorating the nursery... have picked a lovely warm soft green that'll work for all varieties of child - and as we want it to be a surprise, didn't see any point in waiting before getting on with it

Oh dear Janey that sounds unpleasant. Is it a lot of blood? In my early stretches of morning sickness I had a few specks of what looked like red blood on occasion, which I put down to ruptured membranes on the back of my throat/oesaphagus from the force of it. It didn't last so I never got it checked - but definitely mention it if you're there anyway, Good luck!

Oooh Janey that's exciting! I wouldn't know either way but it's not beyond the realms of possibility... I think as they start getting bonier around 17-19 weeks that's when you start feeling things because there's more substance.

I guess you'll know for sure in a few weeks!

Out of interest... how far is everyone along? Is there a due date rollcall I've missed (not yet read all trhough back catalogue).

I'm 15 weeks today (by scan) or 14+1 by my dates. Due July 28 (me)/July 22 (NHS).

I'm 16+6 according to my dates, 17+2 according to NHS....

I am 18±5, due 26th June. I also disagree with NHS over due date as I was regular as clockwork before BFP, but mine is only 1 day difference. 6 days is a big difference though

Sounds like you've got a little kicker to me Janey

Umm I'm...about 17 weeks...oops, is it bad that I'm a bit vague about it and you all know to the day?

Congrats Janey, sounds like baby wriggling to me! Mine seems to be very active as it has rapidly gone from little bubbly sensations to much stronger movements which I have to say, aren't actually all that pleasant, I can only describe it as when you drive fast over a humpback bridge and it makes your stomach do that funny flip feeling. I'm sure I'm making some funny old faces when I'm sitting at my desk at the moment. On the one hand, it's nice to know that it is happily wriggling about in there but on the other, I can't help wishing it would stop kicking me quite so regularly in quite exactly whatever place it keeps poking! I guess it's only going to get worse though as it gets bigger, I'm quite small so I don't know if that makes a difference, maybe the poor blighter hasn't got much room in there!

Also, I'm really jealous that you've started decorating Brave! My OH has decided now would be a really good time to start (I say 'start' he mostly seems to be wandering around with a tape measure scratching his chin at the moment) doing a loft conversion so the room I was planning on putting the baby in is now going to be taken up by a staircase so I sense any sort of nursery preparations are going to end up being horribly last minute. He swears blind it will be done in time though, even though he's doing all the work himself and he already works ridiculous hours...(purple goes and sits in a corner and turns into a gibbering wreck) I guess we're also going to struggle to buy things too far in advance as we will have nowhere to store anything...this is a really bad idea isn't it...

We're in the same boat then purple! We're mid decorating the hall and landing, and OH now wants to convert the loft. Hall decorations put on hold whilst we get the finances and arrange that, and then lots of chaos, and then last minute decorating and sorting before baby arrives (of both hall, landing, new landing, and two bedrooms and en suite upstairs). Argh.

On the plus side, I think that the nursery won't be affected, as the stairs will just run above our current stairs. As such, and inspired by you brave, I've just been looking at nursery wallpapers (the room is nicely decorated as it is, have just decided to re-wallpaper the one wall that's currently got a lovely Laura Ashley wallpaper on it). Current two favourites below:

www.fabricsandpapers.com/item/view/9210-Meadowsweet-Childrens-Wallpaper-Ecru/category/childrens-wallpaper
www.fabricsandpapers.com/item/view/5316-quentins-menagerie-wallpaper/category/childrens-wallpaper

I'm not planning to decorate the nursery any time soon. First the baby would be in our room anyway and when it goes to its own bed, we'll just put the bed in the guest room. It's big, so plenty of room for the cot and would mean that one can sometimes sleep there if the baby is waking up a lot and give the other one a break.

Will turn the other spare room (where my shoes and clothes currently live) into a nursery once the kid starts accumulating too much stuff and toys.

I should be 19+3 now but have also got several different due dates, will ask the doc again tomorrow.

Oh, ordered a set of those Bump Bands as well. Excellent idea, can wear most of my normal trousers again, just need a long top.

They're cute janey! Our plan is to add lots of baby friendly accessories like pictures and soft furnishings - means the room will be easier to market when it's time to sell (in 3-4 years).

Purple and Janey at major house stuff! I'm sure it'll all be fine, even if it is late. You could always have a nursery painting shower .

The due date thing is kinda weird. My dates are pretty solid as I felt when I ovulated, on Nov 4. We also only did the deed twice around then - one the day before, one 4 days after. I remember as it was just after an early mc.

Was really shocked when they said it was 6 days ahead - 1 or 2 I could have gone along with, but that's nearly a week! Am planning to pursue this with midwife as I can see BabyBear wanting to cook longer than most anyway (all my sisters and I were 10-13 days late) and I wouldn't want an 'early' induction unless it was really needed.

The other thing is, it could just be a big baby! Dates are given with +/- 5 days accuracy so looked in notes and there is a percentile for each stage, could just be top end of 'my' date.

That made me chuckle Brave, I keep looking at my OH's MASSIVE shoulders and wincing a bit too!

I like both of those wallpapers Janey. They're really cute but not cheesy, IYKWIM?

I'm with you on the (not really) decorating front Brave. We're hoping to move next year so our baby room needs to remain as appealing as possible to potential buyers/renters (not sure if we'll definitely sell yet or just rent it out). We've got the baby room standing empty at the moment as we've already moved DSD out of it when she stays because we didn't want it to look like we were booting her out of her room in favour of the the baby when the time comes. I don't think her 7 year old brain will cotton on.

Hazle I have also ordered bump bands to go with my new belt extenders. I have also gone a bit mad and ordered this skirt, which is expensive for something that will only fit for a few months but I'm struggling to find maternity stuff I like and at 5,3" most stuff is too long. I also wanted under bump so it (hopefully) will fit now. I was very happy to see that New Look online do maternity jeans with a short arse 30" leg so I might invest in a pair of them. And I have ordered some bloody £8 a pair maternity tight to top it off.

I have bump envy. Went to gym and a girl there, I would guess around 7 months, had this perfect round moviestar bump. Not fair. I look more like
data.whicdn.com/images/48051639/article-2256526-16BBF7AB000005DC-1000_634x421_large.jpg

I bet you don't Hazle. As women I think we are predisposed to dislike our own bodies at the best of times. Whenever I see one of these perfect-bumped godesses I just imagine she probably has terrible piles I am such a cow
I feel my own bump is growing much faster now and it seems to be developing into what i've seen termed as a 'double bump,' where the defined waistline stays despite the big belly and makes you look really fat, especially when sitting down. My Sister has only just grown out of her double bump and she is 30 weeks. I am already feeling quite distressed at the thought of spending the next 12 weeks with 2 bellies

I have trousers! Oh joy! They may only be crappy New Look trousers but they do them in a 28'' leg (now THAT'S short arse Rach!) so I don't trip over them and they're not leaving welts and button imprints in my skin. Ah the joy of little things like being able to breathe. I had to order them online to get them but it was worth the wait.

So we have 5 ft Purple, Rach is 5'3'', I'm 5'6'' and Janey iirc is 5'11''. Anybody in the 5'8-9 range? We'd be quite a sight lined up.

Gah still the smallest in the class even after all these years! Unless Brave is an actual hobbit and just hasn't mentioned it before now?

Or Lol might be midgety? (Clutching at straws) where is Lol anyway? She doesn't seem to have been around recently hope every brings ok, anyone seen her?

We heard from lol a week ago didn't we, and all was well post-scan I think? Or am I going bonkers?

Am feeling very tired and very grumpy today. Barely slept, as my bad shoulder (have had for years, usually fixed with a lovely steroid injection into the joint which works miracles, followed by some physio) has flared up again. Hence I could barely take my own top off last night, and couldn't sleep on my left hand side, just leaving my right hand side as the only sleeping option. Argh it's so bloody painful, can hardly move my left arm, and can't take any anti-inflammatories for it I don't think. Really hope I can still have a steroid injection - will ask later at the doctors.

More coughing up blood followed by a nosebleed. All before 6.30am this morning.

Gosh, being pregnant really is lovely.

Hazle - good luck at the doctors today.

Oh, and sorry for the moany post. I'm trying my hardest not to be at all moany in real life, so am afraid it all just came out here.

Thanks Janey and hope the doc can do something about your problems too - it is very annoying that pretty much all drugs are off limits or at least come with some "not enough research, should only be taken if benefits outweigh the risks" warnings. Yes, thanks, a good way to make us suffer or feel gulity.