Graduated Elderberries (numero 3)

[BraveLilBear]

Welcome back oh graduated elderberries. Let us discuss the delights of being over-30 first-timers with google obsessions

Hi Quod and massive congratulations on your surprising but absolutely mega wonderful news! You go kick some GP butt and get yourself that early reassurance scan. Make stuff up if you have to

Oh, btw I am Rache1S in disguise

Hi Quod, congratulations, that's fantastic news for you (I'm a friend of Janey's and newly knocked up, just had my 8 week scan). Keeping everything crossed for you

It's getting warmer and as we are all bigger, finding something to wear becomes more of a challenge. So I wanted to share the following advice I found on internet:

How to dress for your shape: are you human-shaped? play up your confidence and natural sex appeal by wearing whatever the f*ck you want.

As the weather gets warmer, continue to wear whatever the f*ck you want. Flaunt everything or keep it cool under cover.

How to get a bikini body:put a bikini on your body

Another thing I found, obviously American, but here's a list of things we as first time pregnant people are supposed to be doing:
www.babble.com/pregnancy/10-things-you-probably-only-do-during-your-first-pregnancy/

So how many can you tick?

hazle that's hilarious - will be following those fashion tips to the letter!

In terms of which I've done, I think it's a mixed bag. Definitely asked Dr.Google things, but haven't had a single bump shot done. Mostly no though...

Apart from looking on the internet and having to phone the midwife a couple of times I haven't done any of these things and given how they reacted when I did phone them about the itching, I don't think it was a silly 'first timer' thing to do so I don't think I'm doing too badly. I'm still happy eat my steak mooing rare, I haven't bought anything a load of crap I don't need, I am not forcing anyone to come to a naff party and give me presents and I'm still managing to stay up until gone 11pm every night. Is my medal in the post?

Bonjour! And hello Quod! got everything crossed for you

Cavort Mr Brave was indeed very surprisingly nice yesterday... not only did he get me a lovely necklace as a gift, he also made me a home-made hunters chicken for dinner and even provided a small chocolate cake! Was very bowled over by it

Also got a pack of cocoa butter creams from my 10-yo DSS - I need to find a way to thank his mum (altho part of me worries that it's because she knows how neurotic Mr Brave is about stretchmarks and she's either taking the mick or being very empathetic!), that was really a very sweet present.

Have a few ticks on the list Hazle... have taken a couple of bump shots, only cos it's so amazing to see this weird blob instead of the flat bits I'm used to. Am basically living on the internet, mainly follow all the food rules (tho have been a bit more chilled out recently after learning them in more detail), am totally fretting about delivery - aren't we all? And, I keep thinking 'I don't see how I can get any bigger than this'... although I did thin I'd be bigger at 27 weeks than I am. Will not be having any parties though. Na-ah.

Does everyone have sunshine today? It's nice I can hear lawnmowers outside and everything

When I say bigger, I mean more rotund. The weight gain keeps weirding me out. I don't appear to get more rotund, but the scales say 'oh yes you have'

All worth it though have spent the morning in meetings with Baby Bear constantly wriggling away. Can't say as I mind

Thanks all. Nice to meet you Alex and also nice that there's someone here who is still 'early doors' as it were! Was your scan a reassurance scan or did you just choose to have one early?

LOL at Hazle's bikini body advice.

Hi quod, so pleased to hear your news!!!! I'm quite early on too, 12 weeks tomorrow. Cant wait till Monday for the scan

Oh I'm so going to have a bikini body (at least til end of June). They can feck off with their horrible maternity swim suits.

I've done the googling, but otherwise I feel like a neglegtful, indifferent mother already, as I'm not planning to have any gender reveal parties; I eat pretty much whatever I fancy and I am certainly not doing any henna tattoos to celebrate my belly, like another list recommended. How horrible is that, tsk tsk..

I'm not doing any of that stuff either, if anyone wants to throw me a baby shower then I'll have one, if not I am not fussed at all. I'd rather see people when bubs is here! I'm not doing a gender reveal either, tbh I'm about 75% 95% sure it's a girl anyway, much to my OHs slight irritation I don't know why, I just have a feeling. I am already showing....eeeek, I have a quite pronounced 'mini bump' now which is becoming trickier to hide at least after Monday I won't have to worry about hiding it anymore!

According to the internet, I'm carrying a 3lb cabbage, it looks quite small in the picture, if that's the case I demand to know why I permanently seem to have at least one knee or elbow poking out of my side in a weird lump. If it's only cabbage sized it can surely keep it's bony bits to itself instead of trying to jab holes in me with them alien style?

I've discovered a problem with not having that many pregnancy-related issues. I keep forgetting I'm pregnant. Then walk past a mirror, see this huge bump and have a mini panic attack - OMG I'm going to have a baby! Why? What will I do with him??

purple and hazel you guys make me chuckle! Purple your alien comment made me chuckle the thought of being poked by little boney limbs is a weird one though guess I'll have to get used to it soon enough. Hazel I forget too, my mum touched my belly when I was on the phone the other day and said I was showing, for a couple of seconds I was really confused.....doh.

Purple could be worse, could be Gangnam style

Has anyone else found their little one going for flurries of activity, like mini raves in one corner, then a few lazy tumbles, followed by another flurried pulse of mayhem??

Tis very weird. I think I'm just feeling much much more now, but it does feel bizarre.

Hazle with your no gender reveal parties, no henna bump celebrations and your keep forgetting... thank god you're not in America - they'd probably deport you for nonconforming or something

quod my scan was an early private scan, was only £75 and well worth it as I've been feeling really anxious. I don't know what NHS is like but there was a huge screen on the wall to see it and the woman was lovely! However my GP did say suggest that she refers me for an early scan (said she might have to tell a white lie and say I'm having pains etc) as she knew I was anxious, I just had the private one as we could do it on the weekend at a nice place.

DH and I were laughing at my bump last night (it's all swelling as I only have a green olive right now according to my app) but I def already have a little bump!

I definitely can't forget I am pregnant today, my bloody pelvis is killing me! It seems to have got much worse overnight and walking is really quite painful today. Purple have you got any SPD/PGP alleviation advice or shall I just resign myself to moaning for the next 9 weeks?

I also have a bikini body after shoe-horning myself into one of my normal bikinis last weekend in Spain. I think it's the first time I have ever worn a bikini without feeling the need to suck my belly in while walking around, it was quite refreshing. I am also refusing to buy a grossly overpriced maternity tankini. I shall just continue to hang out of wear my normal selection in the local pool and if I end up with a water birth then I don't suppose I will particularly care at that point if everything is on display.

Hazle I can tick more than I'd like to admit to off that list. I am obviously just a mug Lol at your realisation that you're having a baby. I keep doing the same. My Sis says she keeps looking at her own baby in her arms and doing it!

I know what you mean hazle, a couple of times I've caught a glimpse of my reflection and thought "this top makes me look huge" then realise why... duh...

brave - hilarious re gangnam style, properly laughed about that at my desk!

Some annoying bint at work just asked me how pregnant I was, then started banging on about me being the same as the "other kate" (my name is kate) - kate middleton "but it's weird, as you look properly pregnant, and you can't even tell with her. You're much, much bigger!". Urm, thanks, that's made me feel better. Thankfully another colleague told me I looked like Kate Moss compared to Kim Kardashian, who is apparently about as pregnant as me too - a much more preferable comparison!

It's just so weird that just because you're pregnant people feel they're entitled to comment on your shape and size?

alex - I was like you at 8 weeks - but for me was def bloat as was still the same at about 14 weeks. It's crazy how much it affects your body from day one...

I'm going to Spain at 18 weeks, hope I can get away with my normal bikinis then. Can't wait to let it all hang out and not have to do any sucking in after lunch!

OMG I can just imagine how much you're going to be eating alex . By then you'll, I think, have a proper bump rather than bloat - am sure you'll look lovely in your bikini as you don't have flab like me, and hopefully won't get a revolting brown line like your belly like I have

Waterproof mattress cover is now on bed. DP was hilarious as we were putting it on, saying helpful things like "so when are they going to leak? Will it just ooze out, or be like a jet going everywhere? will you be awake or asleep?" Urm, I don't know any of this, but thought it better to be safe! Accidentally had a little squeeze on boobs, prompted by our lovely chats, and there was nothing. Nada. So I have massive boobs for absolutely no point whatsoever it would seem....

A jet going everywhere? Yes he'd better take cover and sleep with a brolly facing towards you!

Janey I had to walk through a big open plan office at work yesterday. At one end I got, "My goodness, you've really grown over the last few weeks and you're really quite big now." By the time I had walked to the other end of the same office I got, "What a petite little bump you have, you must be so pleased?" I can only assume this particular office is like that corridor in Alice in Wonderland which makes me look 10 times bigger at one end than I do at the other. I think the correct response to comparisons to both Kate or Kim should be met with open-mouthed silence followed by a swift poke in the eye.

Janey my DH says he is considering sleeping in a life jacket following the other night's leakage incident