Graduated Elderberries (thread 2)

[Cavort]

Oops, seems we ran out of room without noticing!

Quick question ladies, my OH wants us to book an early private scan YAY! No idea how I find out prices/places etc though....any ideas? Google wasnt a huge help, should I call my docs and ask?

Mother I had one at one of these clinics. They seem to have locations all over the UK so there should be one near you. The one I had was a very good experience. Mine was a gender scan at 17 weeks but they offer early scans from 7 weeks onwards. If there's not one near you then just search Google for something like, 'private pregnancy ultrasound [name of your town]'

I had an early scan at 9 weeks due to bleeding and after they had established everything was ok it was absolutely lovely to see the baby at such an early stage. I didn't know quite what to expect but it looked like an unmistakable baby even at 9 weeks and was even moving around quite a lot which I hadn't expected.

Thank you fairy godmother cavort, I turned the cold tap on fairly fast!

No probs Merkin, it's probably a bit over-cautious but better safe than sorry.

I can't wait to get this baby out; I am going to have a scalding hot bath followed by a sauna and then sit in a hot tub until I look like a prune!

I still go to sauna, everybody back home does. A family friend is a well known obstetrician, so I asked her and she also said that it's fine, just to take it easy. They've done research in Finland - 90% of pregnant women continue to use sauna and the rate of neural tube defects (that sauna is supposed to cause) is very low.
Then it might just be that we're built differently in northern Europe

Hazle I can very much believe that you northern Europe lot are much tougher than us namby pamby Westerners.

As you say, evidence of problems caused by increased body temperature (much like the possible effects of alcohol in pregnancy) is quite limited and a source for debate. It could all be a load of complete tosh. It is known that fever in the mother can be catastrophic for the embryo, but that is obviously accompanied by illness which is bound to be less than ideal circumstances to allow an embryo to thrive, but artificially raising the core temperature of a healthy pregnant woman doesn't seem to carry conclusive evidence that it is definitely a bad thing.

Personally, I feel there isn't that much I can control in pregnancy but I can choose to avoid alcohol and hot baths which makes me feel I have some control over a (hopefully) healthy outcome, however ridiculous that sounds! It's only for a few months.

I went to a joint Baby Shower last night. I haven't been to one before and didn't quite know what to expect - I was dreading being made to play silly games especially while sober, but it was fine and we all just had some food and a good man-free gossip. Five of us who were there are pregnant and one of the girls wanted to take a picture of all 5 of us in a row. This quite awful, cheesy picture has since made its way onto Facebook and I look absolutely terrible! To be fair, none of us looked great but I can't wait to get this baby out and get my body back!

Sure, we all need to decide what risks we are ok with and what not. There are way too many things that have not been proven to be totally safe, especially if you read US websites, pretty impossible to avoid them all.

I understand the frustration - ordered a pair of trousers, took them out of the package and thought that wow, those are massive! They must have sent the wrong size.
Nope. They fit.

I went to Primark yesterday to buy some PJ's and flip flops in case I have to stay in for a few days after the birth. I also bought a multipack of obligatory massive granny knickers and the sizing options were 8-10 no chance whatsoever 12-14 or 16-18. I thought I had better get the 16-18 as too big will be better than too small if everywhere is really delicate and they were only £2.50 for 4, but when I got home I put a pair on over my tights and they aren't too far off fitting now! I am distraught! They look like a parachute canopy, I really hope their sizing is wrong

Oh cavort I'm really laughing at your massive pants! Although wait a minute, you're teeny tiny and I'm usually a 12 - what size will I

Janey I am in total denial gutted! I have never been skinny around the bum and thighs and have always had a sizeable shapely backside, but 16-18?!!! And DH's laughing didn't exactly help! I haven't told him yet that I intend to wax his chest ready for skin to skin with newborn DD. Revenge is sweet

DH doesn't get that "But you're fine! You're just pregnant, you'll get back in shape!" is maybe not the perfect thing to say. I am in shape! Round is a shape..

Just got back, bought a beautiful changing unit, Babybjörn bouncer and a baby gym second hand, all in perfect order and fraction of the price. Car seat ordered, Bugaboo arrived. Tons of baby clothes. So we're pretty much good to go and there's still 3 months left - a bit over-eager, isn't it?

Morning team elderberry :)

I am very grey. The bits that aren't are very very dark brown. Have had greys since I was about 15, but since being pg, they've taken over- prob 200% increase, all thru the top as well.

OH who is also very dark hair but has olive skin (I rock the twilight look), was yesterday lamenting a grey eyebrow hair. we're the same age.

pah.

DH found some white facial hairs over the weekend (on himself, to be clear), so it's not just us.

Hilarious Hazle - I honestly thought for a split second they were on you!

DP hasn't got any grey hairs - due to being much younger than me - but he does have dark brown hair, blonde eyebrows and a ginger beard (if I let him grow a beard!) so heaven only knows what colour hair babyjaney will have. I'm hoping my mousey genes will block out the ginge!

Janey- gingers are hot!!

Some are zombies, yes. One of my best mates at school was a stunning ginger, absolutely beautiful. Am only joking, as I genuinely don't mind one bit!

Have just had a startling realisation that two of my uncles on my dad's side are ginger.

Don't know of any reddy streaks on DP's side though...

And, thinking about it, have figured a way of figuring out what colour eyes Baby Bear might have. OH has brown, I have blue - but if I find out what colour eyes his mum has, might be able to work out if there's even a chance of a blue eyed Baby Bear.

In other news... am a very unhappy bear this morning. Just been told I start pregnancy yoga because of low-lying placenta. I need a GP or MW note. Not got an appt for two weeks, and then that's with the GP (who Im not sure will know enough). Am worried that I shouldn't be doing other things if I'm considered high risk for something as gentle as yoga, even though I've had no symptoms whatsoever.

Feel totally gutted and a little worried. And annoyed. It's ok for a sonographer to say 'oh there's this but it's nothing to worry about' but then you can't speak to anyone about this for 4-8 weeks. Was given zero advice. What if I should be resting? Is it ok to walk 4 miles a day to and from work?

Ahem that should be

Next complaint - so as I can't find any decent work trousers here, I decided to order some from the US. I really like the secret fit ones from Pea in the Pod -the overbelly part is really thin and stretchy, not bulky under the clothes like many other brands. But they are almost exclusively available in regular and petite. I'm only 5'6'', but with any kind of heel, the regular is too short.
What do tall pregnant people do, pretend that all trousers are supposed to be ankle lenght?

Oh sorry Brave that's annoying. I have a low-lying placenta too and my doc didn't tell me anything about not being allowed to do things, and he knows I still do quite a bit of sports. Considering that I'm doing Bodycombat and go running, I would certainly hope that you haven't hurt yourself by just walking. Can you at least call your MW?
I have my next appointment (with ob-gyn who should know) in 2 weeks, so will ask again just in case.

hazle - I KNOW. I'm 5'11 and all my height is in my legs. I can't find anything, hence wearing short skirts and maxi dresses full time now.

Grrrrrr. Why can't they just make them longer - if they're too long for some they can just turn them up!

Oh and brave - what a nightmare. It does seem crap that you have all these issues raised but then have to wait ages for an answer. Sorry I can't be of any help but know nothing about it!

'I rock the twilight look' I LOVE that idea, me too! I never thought of my stupid dark dark hair and mismatched skin so pale half the GPs I've ever seen have though I'm anaemic as an asset before but now I know I'm not ill looking I'm vampiric, this odd combination is much more acceptable to me.
With the eye colour, I'm the product of a blue eyed mother and a dark brown eyed father and my eyes are neither, I think technically they would have to be described as hazle but they are an unusual dirty dish water mix of grey/green with brown bits. My eyes don't even match each other let alone my parents! My parents swear I'm not adopted so it just goes to show that with eyes you just don't know what you're going to get.

Thanks for indulging my whinge Hazle and Janey - comforting to know you're in a similar position Hazle but haven't been told not to do anything - mine was 8mm away from cervix so not that close. I just don't want to be a heffalump and am desperate to get some core stability back to support my hips a bit.

May just call midwife, but notes at home so will have to wait til tomo.

Purple I've always loved being a weird vampire, even though one of the barstaff in Greece kept taking the mick out of the fact that 'was it safe for me to be out in the sun' on my last holiday! Was rather funny, especially when I was still the whitest person on the island after a week of scorching temperatures. I also have very pointy canines (a family trait) which added to the effect somewhat.

I used to refer to it as 'snow white' but now Bella keeps sticking - not my idea - didn't help when I had very long hair, too!

The funny thing is, I used to always prefer the Edward types, but OH is absolutely Team Jacob in every way. I much prefer this now

My mum has hazle eyes and my dad brown, so it's weird that 2 out of 3 of their kids have bright blue eyes! Tho mine do tinge hazle in very bright sunlight and will probably grow more hazelly over time...

janey and while petite lenghts are readily available everywhere, tall sizes are almost impossible, even when not pregnant. All my shoes have 10 cm heels, I need longer trousers!

As for eye colour, both blue here. So even though it's possible, the chances to get anything else are slim.