September 2013 Babies-the Glowing Trimester

[JammyTummy]

New thread! May it bring lots of good news, funny stories and happy bump mummies!

Bump bands ordered, thanks ladies. Will report back!

ION my husband won't go to the shop to buy me a strawberry split. Unsupportive!!!!!!

Dorita don't worry about not feeling movement - I'm 22 weeks on Friday and have only just started to feel movement like bubbles popping and flutters.

So, digestive system is very 'slow' and need to find a while to sit still for anything to happen in the toilet department, not easy with a toddler! Is it fybogel I need from the chemist?

Morning!!!

I'm back from a lovely week away in the Canary Islands - we had brilliant weather all week so my vit D levels have been well and truly topped up and I'm all chilled out and relaxed which is nice (what's the betting this mood won't last all morning at work!)

Haven't a hope of catching up fully but will take a flip back trough the shiny new fred now so I'm vaguely up to speed.

Hope everyone's ok!

Congrats on all the lovely scan news ladies! We had ours yesterday, all well and we stayed team yellow . Baby was a little pickle though and it's head buried in my pelvis so the sonographer had to jiggle and poke quite a bit to get him/her to move...after which it wouldn't sit still for the measurements . Oh yes and apparently my baby has a "fat little tummy" - its off the end of the waist measurement chart thingy on the printout in my notes so it appears I have a little chunk in there!

Oooh dietcoke you have two girls? Congrats! Are they identical? (Sorry if I've missed that somewhere...)

Someone was after kids dress up costumes - TK Maxx are also pretty good on that front.

I second the vote for bump bands with trousers - mine is from H&M as is soooo comfy. Also like someone else said, I find it gives you a nicer shape if you have a bit of chub as well as bump like I do (sorry for my name checking am on phone)

Ooh and ladies looking for swimsuits/bikinis - I got a nice one piece from M&S online, and a tankini from Next Directory, both really comfy

Thanks all for your advice! Will be sure to have a look for a good costume. I actually saw one in a magazine and I thought it was AMAZING- it was a proper astronaut suit from the science museum shop. Went on the website to have a closer look/ buy it and it didn't include the helmet! What good is an astronaut outfit with no helmet?! So it's back to the drawing board for me.

Is anybody finding that their bump is moving higher? Mine has definitely moved and looks almost a bit pointy!

Good to know I'm not on my own on the no movement front badguider and dorita not worried as such just a bit frustrating. Keep thinking I might be feeling something though so hopefully not far off...

Been getting quite a few bargains on ebay including a brand new Mamas and Papas tankini which fits brilliantly as does my good as new Jojo Maman Bebe denim skirt.

If anyone is buying a lot of stuff online it's worth joining Kid Start which has money back and discount codes for loads of major retailers (some in-store too) www.kidstart.co.uk/Users/PageView.aspx?p=myhome&k=1 It all starts to add up especially for bigger item baby stuff

I am 24 weeks now and boy am I feeling the kicks. Quite comforting at the moment as it's all low down and gentle, but past 30-35 I remember well the jabs under the ribs which we all have yet to endure enjoy!!

Think my feet are fatter/spread out now, but strangely my hands are suddenly skinny - my wedding/engagement rings are sliding about.

Met up with a friend last night who works overseas and is back for a couple of weeks. Typical unobservant type of bloke, didn't notice I was pregnant till I pointed it out while ruefully drinking lime and soda in the pub. I was particularly enjoying what I was wearing yesterday though, a grey cotton dress from Mamas and Papas (sale, £22!) which had a fab asymmetric gathered style at the hips. I'll see if I can find a link...

Hi all, just calling in to catch up and to ask......is the emotional wreck stage nearly over or does it last the full 9mths??

Last night when I got home from work there were a load of sheep in our garden (we keep sheep so I dont mind) but one of them was in a really bad way and I thought it was gonna die. Obviously in my condition I cant go near sheep especially ones that look close to death! But I was SO upset I cried for over an hour about the poor thing.

kimjayne know what you mean about maternity pay. In laws not helping by saying "they understand" when they're basing knowledge on SIL who got an AMAZING package where she works. I'm only going to get statutory and whilst I'm extremely grateful to be getting something.... I'm sad it's not more!

jennimoo there's one more which I can't remember the name of which did wonders for my constipation. Will check when home after work and let you know.

Kitten hope you had an amazing holiday :) (suitably jealous!)

Jammy my bump is still quite low, but if I lean back by even about 5 degrees, I look like a toblerone! So pointy!! (my friend said it was my muscles separating??)

Had a bit of a nightmare with Next Directory online (including them randomly "refunding" me £122.99, then phoning me to tell me I owed them £150 after I bought my swimsuit! Nightmare :(

Went to a MASSIVE mothercare in Oxford yesterday to grab a gorgeous stripey jumper some more bras (this time feeding ones) in a slightly bigger size but seems I'm still a c-cup having been a d-cup for years! Ah well! Comfy bras are good! I was a bit overwhelmed by the mothercare tbh, it made me want to buy everything. Oh and was in a big tescos this morning and there were all these gorgeous soft cotton babygros for £1.50!! bargain. I bought none (long story, I was buying breakfast for 50 people and had to carry it on my bicycle....)

Hello all, sorry been quiet, was my best mates wedding all weekend and I was bridesmaid...am getting too old for that, surely that's the last bridesmaidly duties!
ION had scan yesterday and everything is fine, apart from having leg length 3 weeks ahead of the due date, long legged! We are having a baby boy (I am a little sad I cant get pretty girls things, shallow admission), really had no preference already having boy (7) and girl (5), DS is thrilled, DD remains totally nonplussed/indifferent!

If anyone's still not feeling their baby then I can recommend doing a Pilates bridge....very weird sensation but soo much more fun than when there wasn't a baby in there!

Fl0b0t - as this is our first kiddy I've never done much research into maternity pay before ... But needless to say I was highly disappointed when I found out how much we get! Thank god I saved some emergency money after the wedding. Fortunately we have bought or borrowed most of the big stuff for baby now (cotbed, pram, changing unit, car seat, isofix and even hot a breast pump given to me). How are we expected to live off the pennies that they call maternity pay whilst bringing up a new baby? it really annoys me.

Ohhhh fl0b0t I had a complete nightmare with next directory a few weeks ago where they kept setting me up with a credit account that I didn't want every time I placed an order, even after having assured it wouldn't happen again when I called to complain. I got so annoyed with them that I closed my account and now just order stuff on my bf's account

Oh and emma did the sheep make it??

What gets me is that all my public sector friends (teachers mainly) get enhanced maternity packages. If the government think that smp is sufficient why do they give more to their own workers?!

Is anyone else suffering with twitchy legs? In the evenings, I lose all control of them. It's driving me mad!

ready - Try being self-employed :( I get maternity allowance for a bit but it's very low and I have to keep my clients and keep my hand in so I have any work to go back to!
Also, no pay while I'm at maternity appointments. And nothing if I'm sick either.
Hopefully in the longrun the flexibility will be family-friendly but right now it's not great. I will have to be doing some work again from 3months.

Zombie - would love to hear your recommendation for other remedies for the slow digestion. Getting fed up of having to sit on the loo for 15 mibs every day or having stomach ache...

Flip flop - I'm getting a bit of restless legs, again in the evening. Feels like the beginnings of leg cramps though, which I've so far avoided but had last time around...

I sat at my desk on hold today watching my bump move :) and DH felt his little boy kick did the first time today too!

Oooooh thank god it's not just me with uncontrollable legs!! Very annoying!!
Can't even imagine how I'd cope on just smp so I really feel for those having no other option or are self employed. I'm lucky I suppose in that I get 90%wagr for 6 weeks and then half pay for 12 weeks. Even that's not a lot, but I feel much luckier than some.

Frog, I get practically the same package as you, though it's contractual mat pay, not statutory, meaning that if I take the enhanced amount I'll be contractually obliged to go back and stay there for 13 weeks before I could leave without having to pay back the enhancement. So that's why public sector workers get more - they need to ensure that we come back!!

Yes yes yes to weird restless legs in the evening! What is that - it's driving me crazy. The only thing I can do is have a bath, try and get DP to give them a bit of a massage then go to bed.

Speaking of bed, is anyone else really tired again? I'm in bed as I write this (albeit with the curtains open)! I just can't seem to get enough sleep. I guess growing a person is a tiring business.

Yes sgj that's what I have to do, boooooo! Am trying to work out if I can afford to extend mine to 12 months off. Have also asked that my 12 weeks half pay can be spread over 24 weeks instead so its less of a drop. Might be worth asking if its something that might benefit you too?!