Graduated Elerberries - 30+ and expecting DC1 (thread no 4)

[HazleNutt]

Welcome old and new graduates and everybody else who wants to join us, elderly primigravidas aka Elderberries.

I assume baby's arse is massive generous like mine as it's wedged under my ribs and it's bloody uncomfortable!

I feel your pain Cavort, although it's hard to be certain, it appears that one side of me has a head poking out from under my ribs and the other side my poor ribs are being jabbed by some sort of arse/legs combo. Not very comfy. This whole pregnancy thing seems to have quite a few design flaws to me!

Oh, and none of us are going to believe you have a massive arse either, we all know you're a skinny cow person.

Mine must have inherited my arse as well, DHs is tiny. He keeps stretching and sticking it out on top of the bump. Well, at least I really hope he has not turned around and it's arse and not head..

Hola all - sorry to hear you're feeling grim Alex. It does get better!

I was sat on the sofa last night with DP and put his hand on my side where Baby Bear was having a mini party. I'm pretty sure it was feet, maybe bum, judging by the size of the impact and the fact that junior likes to have its head on my left... anyway, DP was convinced it was a head, bless him. Soon after that, junior migrated said body part(s) into the 'let's scrape under the ribs' position.

Youch! I find myself having to sit in weird positions to take the pressure off that area, or just keep my hand there to stop it sneaking under the ribs. Don't really mind though

I keep telling myself that Junior will be taking after our crazy running, orienteering and mountain-biking ways (oh how I miss them!) or maybe my martial arts background

Purple I completely agree that the whole creation, propagation and entry of a new human being into the world is fundamentally flawed. There is absolutely no way evolution has concluded that this crock of shit is the most efficient way. Surely after millions of years of practice, us homo sapiens should be able to grow a new one in a greenhouse or something?

Work have started a sweepstake on the baby. On what exactly I hear you ask.... DOB?.... weight? Nope, my lovely caring colleagues are taking bets on the length of my agony labour.

Is anyone up to anything exciting for the bank holiday weekend? I feel I should perhaps make something exciting up because all we've got on is DIY and preparation for the decorating which is starting on the first Monday of my maternity leave and means I still can't have a sodding lie in.

Yes it's a hugely inefficient system, very badly designed, no reason it should take quite so long, or be quite so uncomfortable, and they should definitely have fixed the extraction issues by now as well, I mean, if they can put a man on the moon...

Nothing remotely exciting in my bank holiday plans I'm afraid, hopefully we will be getting some vital DIY/work on the attic done, this would be the royal 'we' I will mostly be providing cups of tea!

Morning all! Off to a wedding today, so glad the weather has turned around for them. Now just hoping I can last the day without an energy crash. Lots of people there already know I am pg, but have decided on the 'carry a glass of bubbly' strategy in any case. It's going to be a nice bank hol for us I think - Tues is our 5 yr anniversary (since we got together) so we are planning to do something nice then as well.

have a fab time quod, I love a good wedding.

wedding certainly sounds more fun than my plans for the weekend - the nesting instinct has kicked in, cleaning bathroom cupboards at the moment. Actually quite satisfying activity..

Ooh I've got no weddings to go to this year for the first time in about 10 so am v jealous! Nothing too exciting here - played golf today but have to drop DP at airport at 6.30am tmrw am as he's going away till weds. I am going round my friends after tho to cuddle her newborn (2wks) as its her birthday. Am not going to make it through the day without telling her my news I know! Monday I'm going to do a Hazle & throw out loads of junk while DPs away & can't stop me.

What a lovely day for a wedding! I have one which I am not looking forward to when I will be 39+3

Hazle I agree with cleaning out cupboards being satisfying. I am a bit of a saddo when it comes to taking satisfaction from cleaning even when i'm not upduffed.

We are DIYing ready for the Painter & Decorator to start. It's a bit mind numbing so DH is on his second beer and I have eaten a Solero and some Carte D'Or to make it a bit more bearable. The heartburn seems to have stepped up a gear to the point where I have it pretty much all the time at the moment but ice cream does give a brief reprieve and tastes a hell of a lot better then Gaviscon.

Ha I'm going to remember that cavort! Mind you will be winter by then so may not feel like eating ice cream.

Well, wedding was lovely but has left me TOTALLY shattered! Wonderfully, I discovered that a friend of mine is also pg and due the day after me - how nice to have a real-life pg buddy!

Ahhh how lovely quod! My friend is due 2 weeks before me, its so nice to have someone in real life to chat to about the silly little things.

That's good news Quod, I have a good friend due 12 days before me and it's been great to have someone you know on the same journey at the same time.

Yeah take it easy, the smallest thing can leave you absolutely knackered never mind a whole day at a wedding. DH was busy working his way though the massive list of DIY I had given him so I thought I would mow the lawn - no big deal eh?... I had to keep stopping as I was finding it so tough and we've only got a Flymo! It was boiling as well though.

Morning all, enjoying your day off? As you might guess, just a normal working day here.

Went to our antenatal class this weekend, I really liked it. There was a bit of a whalesong and aromatherapy, but just a little and the teacher fully recognized that not all people will like all parts of the class. But for the most part, it was very interesting and relevant and the teacher is funny and entertaining.

And while we're all expats, from all over - UK and Sweden to Singapore and Mexico, we are all more or less Elderberries, which is quite nice. Nothing against younger mothers, but a 20-year old is still in a totally different place in life.

I think I might have to start making up some complaints though so people wouldn't hate me - it's amazing how different pregnancies can be, there was one more woman who said that she's pretty much fine, the rest had massive lists of problems. One even said that this will be the only one as she has been sick pretty much the whole time

And how is everybody here?

Morning Hazle, I hope work isn't too much of a drag today.

I am also very thankful that I don't have more complaints. Apart from manageable SPD and worsening heartburn that's about it really apart from minor niggles. Even the constipation has sorted itself out. I hope I am not building myself up for a fall by saying that!

My antenatal was also full of old fogeys older first time mums, which was nice.

I know Purple has already mentioned this with her OH going on a boys' weekend, but my DH has asked me about what to do about going for work meetings near the due date? He has clients in Scotland and near the South Coast (among other closer ones) so he could potentially take several hours to get back when labour starts, but life goes on and I can't expect him not to work properly for 2 weeks before and after the due date? I'm just not sure what to say for the best?

Hm difficult. How many hours are we talking about? And you could get to the hospital yourself, with some friends or taxi? On the one hand, I would not feel too comfortable with DH hours away, but he doesn't really have the option to send anyone else instead, does he? Not a good time to lose business, so I would probaly not restrict the trips - first labours usually take ages anyway.

Morning all! Work sympathies to you Hazle I'm sat here at home contemplating watching some horror movies birth vids before heading out for a wander in the sunshine. DP has had to go into work today - because he switched to his new role just a couple of months ago he's not eligible for paternity leave, so is saving up his holiday instead.

PG buddies are great Quod very useful - if only to demonstrate how different everyone has it. One of our friends is four weeks ahead and has been big from the start (showing from 12 weeks), not had ANY sickness, but has had lots of aches and pains and bleeding worries. I didn't show for ages, was sick for a fair while, have an asymptomatic low-lying placenta and only now beginning to get a bit physically disadvantaged!

New symptom alert... went for a wander round the local market/car boot yesterday morning in the sunshine and realised when I got back that my fingers were swollen! Was so weird. They looked like when I used to play basketball and forever had a popped finger... Went down later in the day though.

Tough call Cavort... difficult to turn away business. Does he need to physically be in the same room? Would they be understanding of a skype meeting or could he pay their travel expenses to meet halfway perhaps?

Otherwise, just make sure he always has his phone on and answerable... and have someone closer to home on standby just in case.

The furthest away he might possibly be is Edinburgh, which is about 5.5 hours driving and not much less on the train.

I suppose I'm just going to have to say carry on as normal unless I get any signs of imminent labour. I think he will be as gutted as I will if he misses it but it's silly to let business suffer on a what if. On a positive note, if he misses it means I will have had a fast labour which will make me happy even if I have to manage without him

Cavort can you not take it on a case-by-case basis, eg if an Edinburgh meeting comes up in wk 39 he'll try to Skype it, but do the nearer ones as long as poss?

the antenatal class teacher took a photo of all of us, in due date order, she just sent it.

Yes, I knew there was a reason why I haven't had any photos taken of me during this pregnancy, I really look like a walrus. No chin either. No, strike that, several chins. Yes, I know I can lose the weight later, have done it before, but still quite grumpy now.

That's a bit mean, setting you all up for bump comparison!
I bet yours is all muscle though Hazle, probably no coincidence that you are the one with so few complaints being as fit as you are. I've really got to pick my fitness up off the floor - went swimming today, which is a start, but it knackered me out for the afternoon.

Morning all

And back to work it is this morning... Was pissing it down with rain as I walked to the tube - quite a change from the lovely sunny weekend, although like a true preggers moaner, I have to say I'm glad - the tube in the heat at 34 weeks would not be much fun.

hazle - I'm sure you look amazing, I really am. I look HORRIFIC and am SO UNFIT. A very dear friend rang at the weekend and asked me to be her bridesmaid on 28th September. So lovely of her, but how on earth am I going to look less whale-like by then?!