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

[dinkystinky]

New thread to natter away on.

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Glad Ds is on the mend and you are feeling better Schro. Hope you find some fizzy laces and dp recovers soon Ginger. Some of my friends from when ds2 was born got so addicted to reusable, they set up their own nappy businesses.

Bug now morphed into hot and cold flashes, fever and headache so hope can sweat it out. Ugh.

Hilarious posts on boob guns girls - I didn't know this was possible this early! Anything else pregnancy can throw at us?

Boring topic, but has anyone gone back to work really early after having a baby, and how did you find it / manage it?
We've just moved to a new area & DH is looking for a job but it's hard going. I've kept my 3-day a week working from home job (jammy), but if things continue I'll have to start back at work 6 weeks after the birth. I guess I'll just be in the next room, but already feel like I'm missing out on doing things with DD (who's 15 mths) by not being able to go to many baby groups. I know things could be a lot worse, but just don't know how I (or DH to be honest!) will get on with him being the main carer so early on. I need to get over myself, don't I?

Sorry, promisse my next post will be cheerier & less self absorbed!!

Hope those with SPD concerns get their physio referrals. I saw a physio last time and their tips worked wonders - just things like how best to get out of bed LOL!!

dinky and schro hope you feel better soon, illness when pregnant just feels so much worse!
Ginger it's easy to go mad buying stuff isn't it esp on eBay when it's all so cheap! I was trying to buy a dress for a wedding on the net yesterday and ended up watching a lot of things on eBay but managed to hold back from bidding. Managed to find a lovely looking (new) dress on eBay for £20 but I'm fx it fits as they only had size 8 and I'm normally a 10. Seller says it's fairly stretchy so I think I'll be fine as long as my boobs don't grow too much more!! Wedding is at start of June when I'll be 36 weeks so anything other that looking like a tent will be a bonus

liz no experience of going back that early bit sympthies if you have to as I'm sure it would be really hard.

Evening all. Hope you have had good weekends and those of you who are ill get better soon. I've had a week of basically alternating night and day shifts - my fault for agreeing to a couple of swaps, but my body clock is seriously fucked and I feel grim. Highlight was projectile vomiting across the changing room at 3am on Friday morning, having been on my feet since 8pm and eaten nothing but a whole bag of Tangfastics

Had a lovely day with DH & DS today at the Museum of London Docklands - highly recommended if you are ever in the E London area, free and fab for little ones. And just on my way in to another night shift. Hoping for a night of well behaved babies all popping out on time, normally and quickly!

liz I would think you will be fine, especially as you'll be working from home. Will DH have your DD too? I went back at 6m last time & will be doing the same this time, including runs of 13 hr shifts, and nights, but even before then tbh in between feeds we tried to be very 50/50 from the word go. Actually DH did much more than me in between feeds in terms of nappies, winding, slinging, trying to persuade him to sleep...

I think it can only be a positive think for babies to develop a strong secure attachment to both parents from a young age. It also fits in much better with my gender politics and feminism!

Liz - lots of people working for themselves go back early - and as Vinegar says its lovely for baby to get lots of time with dad too. I think mat leave in the US is 2 months or so, so Marimama may have had some experience of this too.

Vinegar - those shifts sound super grim. Hope you have a much more civilised week this week and a straight forward peaceful night on the ward tonight. Mum worked in OBS and gynae when pregnant with me and told me tales of 48 hour shifts when I was knackered working long hours when pregnant with DS1. I definitely take my hat off to the mums and mums to be in the medical world!

Dinky!!! Thanks so much !!! V kind but are you talking dotty p or Newlook now!!

Sorry iclaudius - clearly not making sense in my current state - was talking new look. If you're size 10 and tall top shop under bump trousers may do the trick for you (I always have to get the petite ones as only 5 ft 4) if new look supply continues to have issues.

Evening ladies, popping on to say hello, have had a quick read through, deary me you girls know how to talk! Spent the weekend down in Windsor with my sister & her husband for his dining out of the army, was a lovely evening, very posh but felt gutted as drinks were cheap & I'm knocked up!! Spent the evening looking after everyone as some were that drunk they couldn't talk/walk.
Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow, why can't weekends be longer!
22+1

Phew, just caught up after a week with DS at my parents.

Sorry to hear so many of you are feeling poorly or have little ones who are poorly. Roll on Spring when hopefully the number of bugs will reduce.

I can't remember who asked but it's a statutory requirement that if you're off work with a pg related illness in the last 4 weeks before your due week your maternity leave automatically starts. If you're on annual leave at the time your employer should allow you to carry it forward and take mat leave.

All the holidays sound wonderful. We're going to the Yorkshire Dales in May. Wish it was somewhere warm but the break will be great.

I'm also eating like mad. Already put on a stone and only 25 wks. Wish I had a tomatoe craving, rather than cakes, crisps and chocolate!

Does anyone know where I can get cotton maternity breast tops from? I need them to go under my wrap dresses or I end up displaying my bras!

Vinegar - those shifts sounds horendous. Certainly puts my moan into perspective! Hope this week is much calmer for you.

I agree it will be lovely for DH to bond with the little ones - i think I'm just jealous :)

MarieKL - I'd love to know whether maternity breast tops exist. I sometimes used bump bands up higher if I needed to make a top more respectable (is that what you mean??). Mothercare do some simple maternity bras (no underwiring) that just look like the top of a vest top that might work??

Marie I just use H&M basic vests- they are not specifically maternity but are nice and long so cover bump and are good and stretchy. My usual size us find for now but I may need to go up a size in the next few weeks...

Phie just noticed we have the same due date

22+1

Found you wow, you lot can talk!

Hope all is well! 22weeks tomorrow and I have something pertaining to be a bump but to the outside world, when clothed, still looks like I've just eaten one too many hot cross buns!

Morning all!

Just catching up quickly after a busy weekend. NCT sale was great! We had a massive advantage as having gone to the First Aid course (brilliant - run by the Red Cross and organised by NCT, would highly recommend) beforehand, we had an hour to kill before the sale started and were allowed to use this to browse. Therefore I just loitered by the items I liked the look of until we were given the go ahead to start buying. I ended up spending £54 and got loads of stuff, including a Babasling for £10, a hardly used changing bag, changing box with loads of unused products in, a microwave steriliser, 2 pairs of summer maternity trousers and 3 packs of assorted vests and sleepsuits. Despite my opportunity to browse I did make a impulse couple of purchases I now regret - a breast pump - on the way home I started to realize a second hand breast pump, especially when you don't know the previous owner is more than a bit dodgy, which a quick google confirmed -, and a Dream Genii pillow which I couldn't resist at £4.50 but on closer inspection is covered with rather suspicous looking stains. Oh well, you live and learn...

Visited a friend yesterday too who has given me a few more bits, including a binliner full of newborn/0-3 month clothes. Last night I counted everything up and we now have 21 vests and 15 sleepsuits!! More than enough I should think. My only worry now as that we'll have a massive baby who'll go straight into 3-6 month clothing and have nothing that fits her. (Seems unlikely though given the current size of my bump - my friend yesterday kept saying "I can't believe how petite you are for 22 weeks" - perhaps she thought that was slightly less offensive than "wow your bump is tiny, do you really have a baby in there?!")

Hope everyone is feeling OK today, sorry to hear about those who are feeling poorly/achy/have milk leakage issues. Thankfully no milk in sight here yet, although my boobs have been really sore again the last few days and are having yet another growth spurt - the bras I bought a couple of weeks ago are already starting to get tight

22+1

Ama -sounds like you got some great bargains. DS1 was a 9 lber and was fine in 0-3 month stuff. He didnt go into 3-6 month stuff till he was around 2 months so you'll get plenty of use out of your freebies. I bet if you give your dream genii pillow a hot wash with soda crystals and dry it out (ideally in the sun if we ever get any) it will come up good as new.

Marie - hope you had a lovely time with your parents. Same as Cheese, I just wear vest tops/tank tops underneath wrap dresses/low v tops (dont need to be maternity, just super stretchy - good for after the birth too when bfing). H&M basics or top shop basics are good.

Phie - am impressed at you going to an Army do when not drinking. One of DH's best friends used to be in the army so we used to go to lots of those - drunken carnage is the best way to describe it. Must have been kind of surreal for you.

Feel better, just post viral today, so struggled in to work and keeping everything crossed wont have have a repeat of yesterday...

Well done Ama on your purchases! You've now got me wondering as I bought a second-hand Ameda Lactaline and didn't really consider whether it is safe to use them secondhand. Just googled it and it seems that closed systems are ok to reuse but not open ones. However I'm still unsure and don't know whether I should just sterilise it or buy a new collection system, or chuck it!!! Any wizened expressers out there know?

Sorry for late reply re holidays with babies all those who responded! I agree you can do holidays on the cheap (I should know, until my last couple ours have been about as budget-conscious as you can get!) and hope we can stretch to something even if we have to relive our backpacking days or settle for last minute packages. I do enjoy UK holidays but really feel the need for sunshine!

I really need to get myself to one of these NCT sales!!! Do you have to be a member to go to one? I didn't bother signing up for any antenatal classes this time but have thought of becoming a member of the NCT because they seem to have a lot going on. Anyone here a member?

I think you can go without being a member Trust - members just get to go in earlier. Check your local nct website for details of the next sale date.

Morning all. Hour delay on the train this morning .

On the plus side I am 23 weeks today and little one is kicking me constantly everyday now. Its so weird that all of a sudden last week went from no movement to a few kicks and hour. I always make fun of my DH cause he gently knees me in his sleep and say that she is doing the same to my bladder.

Marie hope you had a nice time at your folks and better weather than the weekend I had.

AmaDablam great finds at the nearly new sale! I will have to keep my eye out for a changing bag as I cant talk myself into buying one and you gave some great ideas.

Morning all!!
Anyone NOT had scan yet ? I am feeling a bit left out now !

Morning everyone. DS2 has kindly shared his cold with me so I've been coughing and puking more this weekend. This morning I got a phonecall from the HV saying she had contacted social services and they had decided not to take it further . Hope my experience hasn't put anyone off having a HV, there are some bad ones around but some of them are good. The one I had with DS1 was lovely when I had PND and anxiety. I used to ring her at least once a week, convinced DS1 had an ear infection, cystic fibrosis or meningitis and she never told me I was being an idiot.

Found out that one of the mums from school is pregnant too, due in June. Will be nice to have a RL pg buddy and DS1 will have someone to share the joys of big brotherhood with too.

24+3

Glad Social Services applied some common sense Ellie.

Iclaudius I think there are a few ladies due at the end of July yet to have their scan.

Excellent news from the SS ellie - great when you hear about them applying common sense!