July 2013 - Thread 6: cankles, bumps, strangely placed lumps, the glamours of pregnancy go on and on

[dinkystinky]

New thread to natter away on.

Link to waddlers and riders and stats list here

Ellie your post on parenting books just reminded me, I have just been leant a book called Birth Skills by JuJu somebody who swears it made a huge difference to her experience of having a baby (she only got it when pg with DC3 so had a comparison). I've only read a few pages so far but it seems really good. All about pain management during labour basically. It seems great at putting things into perspective (eg. reminder that the pain of labour is a sign that your body is healthy, not sick - sounds simple and obvious but hopefully takes some of the fear away if you keep telling yourself that). We shall see how effective it is once the big day rolls around but I'm already starting to feel a bit less anxious about the whole giving birth thing, which has to be a good start.

Glad your GTT is now over and you survived it Ellie. Know what you mean about needing to get on with stuff, unfortunately my backside seems to have developed a magnetic connection to the sofa!

Oh another great recommendation for a parenting book is What Every Parent Needs to Know by Margot Sunderland (be warned though, it's very anti controlled-crying/sleep training for small babies, so may not be for everyone depending on your personal viewpoint on this). I've also come across the 0-5 one Ellie mentions through work and agree it is a good basic guide.

Hello all, I'm new here. Incredibly late to the party but have been really struggling to let go of paranoia and enjoy this pregnancy! I'm due on the 30th of June, but can see me going over so I've hedged my bets and joined this one too, hope that's ok! Just wanted to say hi to you all :) xx

Hello all, I'm new here. Incredibly late to the party but have been really struggling to let go of paranoia and enjoy this pregnancy! I'm due on the 30th of June, but can see me going over so I've hedged my bets and joined this one too, hope that's ok! Just wanted to say hi to you all :) xx

Welcome indecisive and BigOrange

Welcome orange. Dont be anxious

Thanks.for baby book tips. I found a penelope leech one and what to expect in oxfam (for a pound each!) so swatting up. Also signed up to an nct class where we hope to move to (if we find a house). Wasnt going to but heard it was a good,way to meet new mums and im a bit worried about being lonely in a new area. Of course we might be in london for longer but ill take the risk.

indecisive im starting mat leave at 39 weeks too so im doing all things people say you shouldnt, move house, work to the end etc but well see how it goes. My logic is similar to yours and think first babies are often late, but im also planning to store up.annual leave in case I need it. do you have that option? There is a lady in my office who is trained in delivering babies,so if the worst comes to the worst ill be giving birth in the photocopier room with an ex air hostess

shiv congrats on the milestone. I dont think I fully understand what viability means for babies but I love the excuse to dance

Welcome BigOrange!

We've found somewhere to move to! The bedrooms might be a bit on the small side and there's no garden, but there's a tiny decking area and a great kitchen, bathroom and big living area. It's close to a little park and it's in a lovely little town. I'm a bit worried that we rushed into it, but things don't come up very often in the areas we want to live in and they go very quickly. We'll be moving at the start of June. It feels good to have a plan and know where we're going. I just have to get rid of that feeling that something better might have come up - even if it did we might not get it. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and all that. Anyway, I'm rambling.

Time for a lazy evening of munching, tv watching, newspaper reading and mumsnetting.

I like the Margot Sutherland book & the birth skills book but my top book recommendation is "What mothers do (especially when it looks like nothing)" by Naomi Stadlen www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0749926201

It's not a manual (turns out I'm not really a manual person when it comes to babies) but I recommend everyone read it in the first few weeks. It's really good for reminding you about all the really vital things you're doing for your baby - which it's easy to lose sight of when you feel like "all" you're doing is sitting in your pjs and feeding! Especially good if anyone around you is undermining you & making you feel like you're not doing enough.

Ama ask your gp for a prescription for gaviscon!

Re pre pregnancy jeans, it took me a lot longer than 2 weeks, probably more like 3-4 months and lots of hard work to get back into them... Had very bad spd towards end and was not moving at all. And probably eating a bit too much cake while not moving from the sofa/bed... Not that Ive learned from it, am eating doughnuts as we speak!

I know it has already been mentioned a few times, but I have only recently started researching and thinking of a homebirth. Who else is thinking of going for it? What are your major worries/thoughts on it etc?

Also, am starting to panic a little at the thought of trying to manage with a 2 year old and a newborn... Any of you wise ladies with experience who could (lie to me if must) calm me and say its managable?!

Evening all from a warm (well warmer than the UK) Lanzarote. Welcome Big Orange - add your details to the due date thread (link in first post on thread). Totally - congrats on finding a house - sounds ideal with lots of living space indoors for the winter and the park for the summer.

Baby books - i also loved the baby book by the drs Sears who have had umpteen kids - v attachment parent like but totally reassuring that all babies are different (unlike she who must not be named books).

Glad you survived the GTT Ellie - and Esme you will be fine with your 2. There might be lots of cbeebies watched for the firt few weeks but once the craziness dies own you settle into a new routine really quickly I promise.

Bellyfull of eels is right - it sometimes fels like Bean is auditioning for a scene in Alien!

Welcome orange!!

Sorry to come on and moan .... BUT is anyone else scared witless about size of bump? I'm not even 24 weeks and just look bloody huge !! Going to get the tape measure out in a minute as scared

Ooohh dinky SO jealous catch some sun for me!

iclaudius I am huge. Enormous. Almost 28 weeks but been big for a while. Midwife next week see how I measure...

Evening ladies, welcome newbies always nice to add more members to the gang. iclaudius I too feel huge and know I'm bigger than when I had DD at 31 weeks, eek, and only 27, seem to be measuring correctly tho, maybe it's all psychological?
Those not on DC 1, when are u planning on retrieving bits you need from storage? I thought I had ours sorted all in the loft with what wanted within reach for DH to get down when needed, but a sneaky trip into loft tonight whilst DH at pub (I'm banned from getting up there!) has revealed that there are a few essentials missing, which means there are in the black hole somewhere, but without taking some stuff out I can't see myself being able to find it, and this is making me a little anxious
Having just read this back makes me sound like a complete nutter!! I'm not really just a bit of a control/organise freak who panics when I lose things and hates relying on others to do things I could do, arrrh hope it's the hormones that's making me worse

Book-wise, someone at work recommended 'Birth and Beyond' by Yehudi Gordon. I haven't read yet it but she is a midwife I really respect and she raved about it.

Having an early night as I'm really uncomfortable and bloated and need to lie down. I love eating but need to learn that there's not as much room in there now!

Have a wonderful holiday, Dinky but so you don't miss out on vital info for your spreadsheet, Seraphine have tights for £3 in their sale!

Not princesskate and esme thanks for that I am hoping it is maybe psychological - will try and steer my thinking !!!im sure I sound like a terrible bore but I do worry about afterwards and feeling awful!

( reaches for jam rings)

Ahem! That'll get confusing so welcome BigO from orange

Dinky mn'ing on your jolly's, crazy lady. Enjoy that sun x

notprincesskate my dp got our stuff down a few weeks ago then put it back once I'd checked what we had, we had loads of plain white stuff and muslins missing oddly that I can't remember chucking out.

As long as I don't get abbreviated to BO I'll be ok! x

Notprincesskate - am getting stuff out of loft ( or rather dh is) at about 31 weeks.

Iclaudius - i look and have looked ginormous and full term for ages - but am measuring spot on for dates and know i carry that way. MW said you look bigger with subsequent pregnancies as you are pre stretched and your last dc is still pretty young so try not to worry.

Spoke too soon of sun - appears to have buggered off elsewhere this morning Esme so no need to feel jealous.

Slouching - am trying to rein in my mat tight purchases but those sound a bargain. H&M mama tights (nomal and knitted) clear winners on the spreadsheet so far....

Welcome, orange and indecisive!

I'm definitely feeling the whole eels in my tummy thing. She is certainly feeling a lot bigger and the movements are really super noticeable now. Also I definitely now look visibly pregnant (though haven't needed my 'baby on board' badge at all yet as I feel so much better than I did when I was in the first trimester and feeling sick all the time...

esme, I'm seriously considering a home birth too. But it's my first pregnancy, and I know the transfer rates are super high for first time mums (c. 45% I think) so I'm torn between that and a local midwife-led unit that I've heard good things about. Why are you considering a home birth this time, and what is swaying you either way?

Also - anyone else thinking of a home birth?

Eels in the tummy is such a good description, that's exactly how it feels!

Happy Sunday everyone.

Hope you are enjoying your holiday Dinky even if that sun is being evasive.

Just wanted to ask, did any of you lovely ladies manage to nab an Ikea chest of drawers/changing table off Ebay yesterday for the bargain price of £34? If so well done, but just so you know, we really wanted it! As it happened we were in a meeting with the bank as the auction was ending, but fortunately the bank manager shared that he has a 9 month old DS and was entirely understanding of us paying more attention to DH's phone than him, and nearly as disappointed as us when we didn't win!

On a more serious note though, I am still undecided about changing tables (only bid on this one as it was such a steal and the chest of drawers bit alone would have been useful). Some books/people say they are terrible, dangerous things and should be avoided in favour of the floor or your bed. However, I have dodgy knees at the best of times so the idea of being able to change and possibly bathe LO at standing height is most certainly an attractive one. Any thoughts?

25 weeks today

Oh and thanks for the tip about asking for Gaviscon on prescription Esme. I may try, but my GP has always been really stingy in the past about prescribing things that can be bought over the counter, eg. thrush remedies...

AmaDablam Am thinking I need to change it to 'IndecisiveNameChooser' now! After MUCH deliberation we've decided on an Uppababy Cruz So am now being indecisive about other things. I'm sure I wasn't this bad before I was pregnant?!

I know so many people who start their Mat leave at weeks 38/39 and were then 10-14days overdue..it seems such waste of leave. But needs must I spose. I'm not meant to store leave but I kicked up a fuss so would be sods law if I had to take it before baby arrives now!

I don't have heartburn at all! But I do have a really bad back due to the carrying low..Have resorted to buying one of those maternity support belts which has been a godsend - I highly recommend to anyone else suffering! I'm convinced I'm really big for how far along I am but MW said I measured fine - have looked at least 6 months pregnant since 18wks!

Another question - anyone out there had a water birth? Or ideally one of each so you have a comparison! We've got a new facility at my local hospital and am thinking that's the way to go!

27+1 (looking more like 33+6 in my mind though!)