September mums-to-be - the bumps get bigger and we all get more excited!

[HettySunshine]

Here we are ladies. A shiny new thread for us all. Let the chatting continue!

It must be the day for it, I'm also feeling sorry for myself, sofa-bound, just left half a bowl of pasta to swap for chocolate :)

I applaud you ladies eating crap to self medicate, especially since I'm sat in my car eating a Big Mac! Just had to go to walk in centre to have my blood taken for the THIRD time as they keep losing my samples. Idiots! I'm rewarding my perseverance with a stodgy burger.
Sympathies to everyone with health issues, it's always far worse after you've had a bit of respite from the rubbish symptoms - false sense of security etc. Really hoping you all start to feel better soon!

Lardy Cake! Yes! This is what I need. I had forgotten about its very existence until you mentioned it Geese. Off to find a bakery.

moonster please send some! We don't get good lardy cake around here (my uni housemate's parents moved to devon or somewhere and used to bring it for him..... was amazing!)

I'm so sad to hear others are feeling crappy too- although glad to know it's not me being utterly pathetic.

Want to go to my first aqua natal tonight with a new mummy friend from preg yoga. She's booked and paid, so I'm desperate to go.

Today I've eaten:
-muesli (didn't stay down)
-4 crap birdseye fishcakes (bland and easy to eat)
-a co-op pineapple and banana flavour ice lolly
-an orange

I've just realised that a cup of tea will almost certainly help.

What is this Lardy cake you speak of, sounds just my cup of tea!!!

I havent been feeling the best either these last few days, back to being knackered and woke up feeling queasy the last day or two. I managed to avoid the real sickness in the first trimester so hopefully that stays true for the third!!!

Handed in my MAT B form today, suddenly feels very real and I feel totally unprepared!

To cheer myself up, I've been reading bitter MN women posting here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1784162-Did-you-get-a-push-present?pg=1

I agree that "push present" is a horrible phrase and comes with a lot of expectation (that a present was expected or that you only got it if you pushed a baby out)- but people buy other people presents for all kinds of reasons and eternity rings as presents to new mothers isn't exactly a new idea! I'd bloody love some kind of new and shiny ring to go with my stretch marks, cracked nipples, tearing and piles....... but I'm not going to be expecting it!

EmmaDee it's sometimes called dripping cake and I think is a southern thing, or a may be wrong! It's just cake that's 'dripping' in butter :) mmmmmm

www.google.co.uk/search?q=lardy+cake&client=safari&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=MiDDUfDQOeOz4ATHhYGQDg&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=672#biv=i%7C1%3Bd%7CSnA1SdnzmcE-CM%3A

DH has been warned that an eternity ring is expected this time around (DC2...), although he still doesn't believe it's traditional! I don't know if he's forgotten or has got something planned though. Could be the former!

Well talk of rings will always cheer me up...DH doesn't agree with the eternity ring thing (he thinks it should be saved for our diamond wedding anniversary!!), of course I'd love it to be 'his idea', but I know the man I married pretty well & if I really want to get the thing I want then I just have to buy it myself! Although, as it's something sentimental I will drag him around Hatton Gardens with me when the time comes so he can at least be the one who produces the credit card at the critical moment ;-)

Thanks for nausea support...thought I was the only one & somehow it feels better to know others are suffering with u! Fl0 I'm obsessed with ice lollies at the mo (soothes the heartburn!) there's little piles of lolly sticks all over the house....however I read ur message when I was out so had to swing by a drive-thru mc d's- raspberry flake mcflurry goodness (tho in my haste to get one in me I managed to miss the order point & go straight to position 2 where the teenager looked at me like I was from outer space for not knowing how to use a drive thru properly!)

I read a thread in a car forum about push presents and it was a real eye opener! A real mix of responses including bitter comments from divorcees, but most of the guys implying that if SWMBO demanded a gift, then best to get her one ... I thought, brilliant, I'm sorted, but sadly my DH frequents the same forum and made a point of posting a comment saying don't get any ideas

Back on to digestion related news (which seems to have gone quiet since we've all see each others faces on FB ) I think I've started world war 3 inside me! I had normal breakfast (Fruit & Fibre + banana), but got the munchies mid morning. I thought I should be healthy (before I caved at lunchtime) so I chopped up 4 apricots added nuts, seeds, raisins and hunted for yoghurt to throw over the top - the only thing I could find in the fridge was Activia and 1 just wasn't enough, so 2 x activia yoghurt, apricots, lots of fibre = my stomach popping and bubbling all afternoon - and none of it is the baby - in fact, it seems to have sent baby quiet - oops, poor thing! It's also a good thing I'm at home today!

Purple funny how you suddenly feel so much less inclined to talk about bodily functions when you know that you are talking to real people!

My aunt just popped round with delicious home made ginger biscuits yum

Its the only reason I can think for the polite conversation in comparison to some of the early threads

Latest cake sounds amazing, I'm sad I've never had any...
I've been promised an eternity ring a long time ago but it has also not been mentioned since then, and likewise, as I know the man I married I know that it's not because he is planning a sneaky surprise!

I had a big piece of dark chocolate ginger cake yesterday that had a buttery biscuit base so glad I satisfied that urge before reading all about cake on here!

Have been constipated so felt mega bloaty today, think all the cake and stodge have to stop for a bit!

My DP has surprised me with a weekend away in August, that'll be my pressie I think!

Glad all's looking good for you Hetty x

for everyone feeling pukey again, that sucks hope it's a short lived thing

"Push present" is a horrible phrase isn't it?! We've discussed it in passing and don't think we'll be buying presents - I'd rather spend the money on cute baby things tbh!

dorita thanks for that, I'm going to be singing about the buttery biscuit base all evening now!

And now I'm going to leave you all to sulk in the corner whilst you talk about cakes and lovely junk food - I have to be on best behaviour to try and get my blood sugar down before my GTT next week. Hmph.

Great, now I have "buttery biscuit base" in my head!

I had cheesecake cravings, so I make lime and ginger cheesecake earlier and am planning to have some after dinner. It will now be with that song in my head!

Hmm, maybe I should play it for DH too, just so he understands...

Thanks for all the support. I've had a bad day for the pain today because of moving around yesterday. Plus I had a MW appointment and a GP appointment. MW gave me the news that I'm measuring a bit small. I want to go back to the cafe from yesterday and say to the rude biatch waitress "IN YOUR FACE!". Still can't quite get over the mortification of her extremely loud exclamations at the size of me.

I've had a bit of nausea but nothing like as bad as the first trimester. My sympathies go out to all you sufferers. Maybe RunningBear will share the ginger biscuits out!

I've just mentioned push presents to DH. He looked at me blankly and said "I built you a house!". He's used this as a "present" for our anniversary, my last two birthdays and Valentine's Day. Does building a house = building a baby or do I get something else?

I had to take my wedding ring off today. Fat hands!

I don't like jewellery, so I would imagine that out plan of DH paying for DD to be in nursery for 2 glorious days a week (ie not having it come out of my wages like normal) so I can have quality time with the new baby will be a good enough present for me!
I'm sure he'd rustle up some flowers or chocolate if someone hinted about it but tea and toast post-delivery was fine with me last time... Oh, and a baby!

I got home late last night after two days of tests and worry. I had an internal scan yesterday (mmm lovely) which showed a blood filed polyp in my cervix which seems to the probable cause of the bleed.

The doctor doesn't think it has anything to do with my pregnancy and said they'll most likely look at getting it sorted after the birth. I think I just have to have one follow up appointment with a consultant and then I can go back to midwife-led care. The midwife also said she didn't think it would affect my birth options.

I am so relieved and so, so happy to be home, even though I have woken up really early.

I would also just say that the fact that I was carrying my notes with me made everything much easier. When I was in hysterical, terrified tears on Wednesday the fact that my colleague could take me straight to hospital without having to come home first was a godsend. Not trying to talk anyone into anything though!

I'm glad all is well hetty :) I think I'll put my notes in my car as then ill normally have them with me or within walking distance. Thanks for the nudge ;)

Hetty so glad everything is okay and they've given you a good check over.

Yep - I'm another one carrying her notes everywhere. When I had my bleed at 20w I had to drive past the hospital to go home to get them to go back again. MW said I should take them with me everywhere I go to avoid this happening. Just added a little bit more stress and strain to the situation, and most importantly, a delay to being seen and checked. And here endeth the lesson

Hetty glad everything is ok, and sympathies to all of you who have returning nausea.
28+6 today, go on holiday on Thursday so got my fit to fly note yesterday. Also my anti-d (ouch) and more bloods done. Mw also thinks I might have a urine infection but no symptoms.
Lots of running about trying to get organised and it's proper hot here too, but no complaining as I'm feeling much better than I was at the same stage with the other two!

So question for you wise ones... MW had me scheduled for a GTT at 26 weeks, despite having no particular risk factors.

The original reasoning was my cousin having type 1 diabetes. Which my consultant then said was irrelevant as not a 'first degree relative', so I was all set to decline the test.

However, I am measuring big. I am on top line of my personalised chart. So it has now become 'test postponed at maternal request'.

My question is am I being bloody minded in not wanting to have this test? Should I bite the bullet and have it done or should I be pushing for a growth scan first? I feel all but at the same time...

Hi all, I know I haven't posted for ages but I have been keeping up with your news. Sorry to all those feeling sick and in pain - it's rubbish. I ended up in hospital briefly on Monday after being unable to sleep on Sunday night because I had heart palpitations and couldn't breathe. Palpitations were apparently caused by slight anaemia and breathlessness by my hay fever. Now have pills for both but the hay fever stuff they've given me is the drowsy stuff so I can only take it at bedtime, just have to suffer the rest of the day! Also, though I was assured by the doctor and pharmacist that it was safe, the leaflet that comes with it still says don't take while pregnant. Anyone know why that is and am I harming my baby by taking this, even at a quarter of the dose the doctor prescribed?

In other news, I had a really interesting chat with a fella from hr at work this week. For anyone whose company does childcare vouchers and who's planning to use them, this might be useful. I was only going to start claiming when I went back to work rather than in the three week window in November when you're supposed to do it. But he told me to claim from as soon as the statutory maternity pay kicked in as they legally can't reduce that, and they can't discriminate against me because I'm on maternity by refusing the vouchers, so essentially the company has to pay and it costs me nothing. So you could build up a decent bank of childcare money paid for by your company! Obviously I don't know if it's the same everywhere but worth checking out with your hr teams.

Sorry, bit of an essay but hope it'll prove useful to someone - revelation to me!

Good news Hetty glad all is well and looking good for a normal birth (what ever that is!) and noted re the notes!

Joskar definately go back to the cafe! Some people just have no idea what pregnant ladies are supposed to look like.

Also, feel free to join me for ginger biscuits can i post some to anyone? they are goooooood.

Triple have a read of the link I posted earlier about GTT, it might help you decide. The bottom line is that there isn't really any treatment for it, our bodies just struggle to control blood sugar levels during pregnancy (possibly due to the quantities of biscuits and cake we're eating!?) so diet is the only thing that helps. You'll know if you are getting sugar hits from food (blood glucose lows from insulin over production ... it think. i get confused), they happen quite quickly and can be quickly reversed by eating something.

Hey Waggy if you've been prescribed things by the docs then they should be ok. i guess it up to you which is worse, palpitations and breathlessness which could also cause issues for the baby or low dosage drugs? if you are concerned, phoned the mw.

hmmm push presents. really? i got a bike for an engagement pressie and a recycled piece of boat railing for a wedding ring ... i think it unlikely i'll get a present for making a baby. Joskar i reckon the house building vs baby making probably makes you even. you should mention that before your next birthday/christmas