December 2013 part 2.

[TakingTheStairs]

Just starting a new thread as we're starting to run out of room on the first. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/a1716486-December-2013#38680515

Had my 12 week scan this morning & Harmony test too.
result from Harmony test wont' come back for 10-12 days but everything looked good on the scan. Hoorah!

Holly I've got a cat. He pretty much avoided/ignored both DC's when they came along and I ignored that old wives tale about cats suffocating babies in their cots (what a load of tosh) they may want to sit in the cot /crib when its empty but not with baby in. We had a few problems with DC1 when he was a toddler as he would antagonise the cat and unfortunately altough he's the soppiest cat in the world, if he's cornered and feels threatened he'll lash out. So DC1 had a few scratches and took a bit longer to learn than DC2 that it's not a good idea to piss the cat off! DC2 is a bit smarter gentler

Its hard to know how your cat will react to a new little person in the house- you'll just have to wait and see and make sure they have somewhere safe to go to, away from the little noisy/annoying human when they need to!

izchaz sounds like your body is just naturally thin- and it's annoying when things like BMI make you feel like you're not in the 'norm'. I guess the only thing doctors would be worried about is that if you're underweight your body is less adept at coping well with illness as it has no fat supplies to fall back on.

How about swimming? I'm not talking the leisurely sit in the pool and natter that I see when I go to ladies hour at the pool, but you could still do lengths moderately (I think heartrate shouldn't go over 140?) and it's gentle on the joints.

Do you eat high calorie stuff? not lardy fish and chips etc (though wouldn't do any harm now and then!) but stuff that's healthy and high in calories. When I was trying to gain weight after loosing some I ate lots of avocado, fruit smoothies, full fat/greek yogurt, full fat milk, cheese, have puddings!, bigger portions of potatoes and bread, pasta etc. Always have dressings and sauces as they have hidden fats/calories. nuts are good too though I struggle to eat them- bleh!

Thanks mumof2. Yeah, someone else said that to me about cats suffocating babies, never heard anything so utterly ridiculous! I imagine they will want to sleep in the crib etc just out of sheer bloody mindedness so I think the biggest challenge will be keeping cat hair and mud (they're very outdoorsy cats) out of where bean sleeps. My cats are all (I have 3, I'm not mad!) very passive and have never gone for me but I can imagine they might do if antagonised enough and cornered. But that's a valuable life lesson for any child isn't it? I'd be more worried about my old now deceased cat as she was quite volatile and unpredictable but I'm sure these will be fine. As long as they have an escape route as you say.

When did you start feeling movement with your previous dcs?

I lived on peanut butter and full fat butter on toast after I'd been ill and was trying to put weight back on but didn't have much appetite. Loads of calories, tasty and easy for a snack. And slightly healthier than pies!

Ichaz, ashthanga yoga is really physically demanding but not really advisable to take up for the first time during pg I'd say. Highly recommend it for afterwards though. Yoga and pilates don't have to be as "easy" or sedentary as I think you think they are. There's always ways of ramping up the difficulty. Agree with mumof2 about swimming. If done properly, it's as good a workout as anything else (well ok not running!) and is much kinder on the joints. How about Zumba? Is that still popular?!

Holly peanut butter! forgot that- yep lots of that is great for putting on weight! (and almond butter is quite nice too)

yeah I found my cat curled up in a container that I keep DC2's cot sheets in - they were all covered in hairs and I had to wash them again- grr! I tried to remember to shut the nursery door so the cat wouldn't get in his moses basket. Funnily enough he's never gone in his cot.

There is always pregnancy yoga- might be good as it'll be properly tailored to pregnancy. Some pilates classes might take you if you're pregnant, depends really. Mine was reluctant as she has such a big class. I've got a book so I'm doing some at home. Agree with Holly, it may appear sedentary but it can be really tough and it definitely works the muscles and keeps your core strength, so worst case it won't be a great adrenaline work out but it'll keep you strong and fit for a healthy pregancy and birth and then you can resume your favourite sports once you've had your baby.

and yes I agree, I think kids have to learn to respect animals and not taunt and tease them. Hopefully after one or two scratches they'll treat them a bit nicer! I found showing them to stroke the cat gently helped, tho he still gets toys lobbed at him sometimes, poor suffering moggy!

My MW/Dr always got on about me not gaining enough. I either lose weight or stay same. Highest I've gone is from size 12 to 16 and that was my twin pregnancy. Blood pressure and diet was good so no idea why I didn't gain much.

Water exercise is great during pregnancy. I usually start it during my 2nd trimester. I also walk the dog a lot. I could never do zumba always looked like I had ants in my pants! After pregnancy I go back to playing Ice Hockey knocks the weight right off and get my fitness level back.

Pre-pregnancy I ate like a gannet, anything and everything you put infront of me (people joke that I must have spent time in prison to eat the way I do), but the sickness and nausea has really really killed my appetite, and my stomach feels full after just a few mouthfulls. I have always tended towards healthier choices food wise anyway, because I prefer the taste, but now anything with any sort of grease turns my stomach alarmingly fast (drove past a McDs the other day, nearly spewed on steering wheel). All of this said I am currently cramming apple turnover three-of-four into my face, because after weeks of begging DH has finally remembered to come home with some!
I will look into joining a yoga/pilates class after we move, can't face the hassle right now! Cheers for the helpful boot up the arse ladies, you're all stars.

Oh, and about the cats/babies thing - growing up on a farm the cats would always choose to sit ontop of the incubators where we kept chicks (it was nice and warm in the winter), so I think the old wives tale comes from cats sitting on babies before we all had nice warm houses. Anyway, in my experience cats don't hang around places they aren't comfortable, mine have always scooted out of a room when friends have brought their smalls round.

Hope you enjoyed your apple turn overs I'm trying to eat a bit healthier & had yogurt, fruit & wheat germ for my snack - usually my type of snack I too prefer healthier food but since PG I've craved junk & fatty foods I live dangerously close to a drive through McDonalds & made too many trips over the past weeks. As I'm approaching my 2nd trimester I want to take some control back of my eating & exercising.
I'm not going to deni myself anything but will eat a healthily snack 1st - cud all go wrong tho & ill just be eating extra!
Hope you find a workout that you enjoy & can challenge you.
I'm looking forward to swimming from next week hopefully twice a week.
I'm off work this week so enjoying time to catch up on the posts here it great to have so many people the same stage

Just made it home after a spectacularly well saved car vomit. Migraine induced (hope this isn't the start of something). OH was driving and I had eyed up a freezer bag containing boiled sweets in case we didn't make it home in time. 5 mins from the house, on a roundabout. Full stomach as with migraines it normally stops me digesting anything. Bless OH for disposing of said full bag.

Now in bed feeling a bit better after mor paracetamol (first lot not in there long). What a journey!

What's your best vomiting story?

Frenelder: I suspect my saving grace throughout my 20-something years of life has been not living near a drive-thru, I probably wouldn't be any bigger, but my arteries would be a "how to die young" poster for the NHS! I will give yoga a try, it can't possibly be as dull as I'm anticipating, hell, it'll probably end up being loads of fun! I'm not huge into swimming, but I think there's some nice Lidos where we're moving to, so might check them out. Problem is I've always been into intense sports that are either full or partial contact or require nerves/balance/physique of steel, so anything that I finish a session of with all limbs and faculties feels kinda like a let down! Time to get over that I think...

Oh poor you LadyMedea! Take to a darkened room and get everyone to be quiet, that's the only thing that helps with mine.
My best vom story has to be a few weeks back, when I'd made a lovely chicken and sweetcorn broth, only to hurl it back up with such force I had a piece of sweetcorn lodged in the back of my nose, cue several mins of alternating blowing and snorting of nostrils whilst gagging and coughing. DH thought this was hysterical, I hated him AND the corn.

Amazing! I just had the energy to do a basket of ironing plus I've not felt the need to nap today (day off today)
The energy levels are definitely up now at 11 weeks, whoop :D

Poor you Ladymedea migrains are horrible hope it was a one off.
I've just come back from a short (for me) bike ride & feel so good been able to be out next to the sea fresh air & slightly achey legs I was taking it slow so not to raise my heartbeat too much but feeling nearly like the old me & going to have a chicken salad for - followed by an ice cream snickers bar...
Hi FluffyDuck 11wks is great isn't it? Much better than all the others so far

Taking woohoo fantastic! Bet it was amazing :)

Well I finally have my booking in appointment tomorrow morning at 8.45. Need to take ds with me but I'm sure hell be fine playing with my phone and having snacks. Eek I'm quite excited :)

Multimama, nooooo! I'm getting quite a tummy on me already, same as my twin preg. Oh well, 3 wks till my scan.

taking glad your scan went well today, how exciting.

I have my scan in the morning, I know there's a few of us on this thread who have scans tomorrow. I'm beyond nervous right now. If anything it's a solution to constipation (TMI sorry). Not sure I'm going to sleep much tonight.

Good luck all you scanners tomorrow! I'm off to my scratcher before I fall over with exhaustion (if that doesn't improve in the coming weeks I am going to be one A1 crappy wife...)

Good luck fellow scanners for tomorrow... Hope we all get our minds put at ease...

Not sure i'll be able to sleep much!!

Good luck today scanners, let us know how it goes. Mine is next Thursday, I am excited and nervous, and also (crazily, I know) imagining they might tell me it's twins cos my tum is so big!! Some of us could be surprised with two... Good luck all xx

Good luck everybody today with scans.

Yogafan - I had an early scan (8 weeks) & was convinced I would be having twins & was really sad when she only found one baby, maybe the 2nd was hiding & it was show on my 12wk scan on Tue...hehe wishful thinking!

Good luck everyone going for scans today.

I'm in a foul mood today thanks to my bitchy colleague. Rant alert...

So last night on the way out of work she asked how I was doing and I stupidly showed her my tum which was bulging out of my trousers (which have subsequently gone in the "too tight, will wear after pg bag"). She basically said I'd put on far too much weight, if I wasn't careful my belly would end up "round my ankles", direct quote, that she didn't need ANY maternity clothes until she was 24 weeks and that I needed to watch what I was eating and start doing pelvic floor and stomach exercises. I replied that "well everyone's different aren't they" and that the midwife had said everyone grows at different rates and it'll be fine.

On reflection though I wish I'd said more and I've been mulling it over ever since whether I should say anything more today. She's such a fucking bitch and I've really had enough of her. It's bad enough that she's bitchy about my being pg at all and the effects it will have on the business but this is the final straw for me. She's always had issues with her weight, has struggled with anorexia in the past and has put a fair bit of weight on recently, which is I suspect why she's acting out like this. She's always had an issue with me being slim and not having to work for it like she does. Though the fact that I'm half her age and I don't drink a bottle of wine every night like her never seems to occur to the silly jealous cow.

She has said numerous times to me how she only put 1 stone on during pregnancy, how she fit back into her pre pg jeans 1 week after giving birth, how she was going to the gym 5 times a week right up until the end etc etc. She constantly compares herself to people, including patients. Anyone who comes in who's near her age and is fatter than her always gets an unfavourable mention. She's one of those people for whom happiness is relative and if she can put someone else down, it makes her feel better.

Which brings me back round (I'm nearly done!) to yesterday. I think she's pissed off that I'm pg, she may even be jealous cos she's a complete attention whore and I think the prospect of her not being the centre of attention and every conversation at work is bugging her (though this of course speculation on my part). She's anxious about the future of the business and is pissed off that I've refused to make definite plans yet, because it's too fucking early! And she's always been pissed off that I'm slimmer than her so my being pg in this sense is a good thing cos I'm going to (already am) get fat which makes her happy. Hence the bitchy put me down comments yesterday.

Phew, aaahhh, deep breaths. So, should I say anything? If so, what? She may say something herself when she comes in. She's said shitty things before then apologised after so we'll see. I've found myself rehearsing what to say to her and each time end up justifying how much weight I've put on (not much, big boobs, trousers all a bit tight round the waist) but at the end of the day, it's not of her fucking business is it? I was a size 8 before I got pg, BMI 24 and I eat healthily and exercise. So realistically I'm not going to put on so much weight that mine or bean's health is at risk. And if I expand more than she did, so fucking what? How I look isn't the number 1 priority for me like it apparently was (and is) to her. I want to enjoy this pg and if that means putting on a couple more pounds than if I dieted and exercised obsessively like she did, that's absolutely fine with me.

Ok, NOW the rant's over. Sorry guys, she really gets to me (about other stuff too) and I just needed to vent!

weechops good luck for today . How exciting!

holly she sounds like a right cow. I wouldn't bring it up. Just make sure not to be overly friendly to her. What a bitch.

Gah, she sounds awful holly - roll on maternity leave when you won't need to spend any more time with her. She clearly has issues with weight, jealousy, and finds it hard to be supportive of, or happy for others. If it was me, I would try not to engage with her or her comments. Easier said than done, but imagine all her negativity /anger/ whatver is like something she's offering you, you can recognise it but don't need to accept it. No thank you! It's coming from her warped place and had no place in your life or your reality. You sound like you have a really healthy approach to food and doing what's right for your preg, staying in tube with your body, ignore her! Don't let her try to mess up your thinking too!

Staying in tune!! Not tube...

Thanks guys, you're totally right. I need to disengage from her and her bitchy little games. It's difficult because we're often on our own in the office which can be quite intense. And she's a lot like my mum (also a bitch queen though she's mellowed since I got pg!) so she really pushes my buttons! I've talked all this through in therapy, particularly during my counselling training, put I think being pg has made me a bit more susceptible (vulnerable?) than normal. I suppose it's silly of me to expect people to change who they are (and be nice!) just cos I'm pg! That's a nice way of putting it, I don't have to accept the toxic gifts she keeps giving me. Thanks. Think I'll bring some cake into the office next week!

Holly she sounds a right cow. Do you know what I'd do? I'd flaunt the fact that I am pregnant in front of her. I'd delibrately exagerate what I have eaten and how big I am going to get just to feck her right off lol. I'd buy goodies to take into work like cream buns and muffins and make sure they are in pride of place on your desk. I'd take great pleasure in scoffing them in front of her and dare her to comment.

And when she does I'd reply with 'Oh don't worry about me, I'm half your age and naturally a size 8 so I'll just ping right back when bubba is here. I'd have got you one too but I know you have to be careful what with your age and metabolism being what it is'.

Then carry on scoffing your cream bun making a big fuss about how yummy it is lol. And if she brings up her pregnancy just reply with 'well midwife happy with my gain. They do things differently now from your day so don't worry. Better for me to gain a bit and baby grow well than work out and starve myself through pregnancy like these celebs do nowadays. They all end up needing surgery they look so old and haggard by the time they are 40. You pick your face or your figure when you get to 30 I'm told. I've picked me face love, and looking at yours today I bet you wish you had too!' PMSL, and when you make her cry you can blame it on pg hormones.

Want my scan now too sigh. Not whilst 13/06 so a long way (3 weeks) yet but looking forward to hearing all about yours!

Will be an excuse to keep coming and checking for updates instead of doing my bloody corporation tax return. Be interesting how that turns out with my babybrain lol.