we've smacked that rat now brooking for healthy pregnancys and sneeze births!

[cartoontrickster]

hope everyone finds me.

We save sunny blue skies

keep I wish. I'm from Northern Ireland. So not that far away and you wouldn't think things would change that much.

It's actually sunny here today. I've dodged the rain far too much recently so it's nice to see the sun.

I got ds a Noah's ark toy yesterday. It's so cool. He hasn't taken as much interest in a toy in ages.

It's grey and wet and humid here. A beautiful summers day

It's amazing the variation Sweetie isn't it.

You're right though Keep an extra sneaky scan wouldn't hurt . I think it was just the birthing options being reduced that bothered me. But I'm sure that everything will be sorted by then!

Thanks for letting me moan brookers. I realise I have done that too much of late

That you sounds amazing Pen! My niece is coming up this weekend, and we have her birthday present to give her. It's a toy oven. Not that I'm trying to turn her into me

Glorious sunshine here. You dropped off my TIO

rubber!! Are you thinking of joining us soon?

No. I'm starting college in Sep so won't be TTC until that finishes next year.

oh yes, i forgot about that. Great stuff!

What are you studying Rubber?

AAT. It is going to be very hard to get a job when I decide to go back to work and that will help me. I'm only planning on doing the first year though as I can't wait 3 years before TTC

Rubber I applied to do a childcare course. However I can't afford the fees. So although I'm in, I'm going to have to wait until next year. Hoping ill get a chance to go next year.

So I got my letter today. God I didn't even give birth a year ago and it's all different. So as I said earlier during my last 10 weeks of pregnancy I was moved to consultant led care as I was measuring a few weeks small. This wasn't properly explained to me.

However this time I am starting with consultant led care. I have my booking in app on 27th August. I won't get a scan and I have 5 pages of questions to full out. Didn't give me much time to sort anything out.

Just wondering as it seems like I'm doing something very similar to the rest of you. Did your Dps go with you to your booking in? Considering how Ill not get scanned I don't see the point as he wasn't allowed into the room the first time.

Water balloons indeed!! They're actually very refreshing in this hot weather

pen so when do you get a scan?
the mw here all seem to book you in at home. a load of questions to answer that they fill in, bloods and pee sample. then we get a letter through for our scans.

It says on letter

At the end of this visit please return to reception where an appointment will be given to you to attend the Consultant Clinic in a few weeks when your dates will be confirmed.

So I assume ill either be given a date then or sent one in post. I assume that's what they mean as there's no other way to confirm dates.

I think I'll be asking why I'm consultant led. It caused quite a few mess ups the last time. When the midwives cancelled all my appointments but never told me.

Hello all!

So I've got a bit of time to catch up with you all.

Maybe yes all is good thanks, just been busy with the family as it was I guess, what you'd call a culturally significant day in the hindu calendar which involved lots of tracking down of brothers!! Also I have a wedding coming up in 2 weeks time and trying to sort out my outfit for that and also as there are a few events beforehand too I need new outfits as none of my other stuff fits me [wail]. I am also consultant led, they put down ivf and over 40 as the reason for me in my maternity book, I too was miffed that I couldn't use the midwife led unit, the midwife said to me it's because there are statistically more issues with women over 40! I have an appointment to see my consultant in a couple if weeks and will talk about it then with her.

Pen I reckon you'll get an appointment for a scan in the post. Also my DH didn't come with me to the booking in.

Trix I feel that way too, I had been so spoiled with my weekly scans that I am panicking a little bit that everything is still ok in there. DH is also saying perhaps we shouldn't have a scan at 16-17 weeks [argh] I'm going to have to persuade him somehow! It's strange as i've not really had any symptoms anyway and the scans were my reassurance that at least there was a baby in there oh and the fact my arse and thighs have become bigger!! Thankfully I have finished my course of steroids!!

Keep I found it shy telling people at first about being pregnant and the first few times people said congratulations I was almost dismissive of them. Most of my extended family I told via whatsapp (we have a family group thing which is very convenient) or email. I met a lot of them at the weekend and it was really nice for them to congratulate us and I felt a bit better about it by then.

Right I think I've covered everything, will try and keep up a bit better now!

pen I guess the receptionist will organise it for u then. make sure you don't leave with out it all being explained to you.
solars you have been busy! good your off the steroids.
well the Doppler arrived at dhs office earlier so fingers crossed I get on ok with it. I'm going to have a go tonight.

So pleased everything's good Solars! We've missed you!

Pen DP wasn't allowed in partners are actively encouraged to go here, as there are questions for them too
I was booked in at my GPs, and they won't do bloods there so I have to go and get them done myself. I also had my scan through already as my GP sent off for it. It differs so much!

Great news about the Doppler Trix!

yay solars for finishing your steroids. That's great!!

pen my DH didn't come to my (uk) booking appt either. There was just loads of paperwork and it was really boring, so I wouldn't worry about him being there. There are a few questions about his family history I guess, but assume you can answer them at another time.

maybe they won't do bloods at your GP?! WTF?

Pen I went to my booking in alone, it was held at the GP surgery but with MW. I am sure DH could have come along had he wanted to but to be honest not a lot happened. I had my bloods done at the hospital at my 12 week scan, they lost them and I had to have them redone but hey ho.

Trix I am excited to know how you get on with the Doppler, I think another Brooker Popcorn had one too. Try not to stress if it takes a while to find hb, remember it takes professional mws a couple of goes sometimes. Is there a You Tube video to show you how to do it? I proper luffs a You Tube video.

Solars so lovely to have you back with us, and I hope you had a lovely celebration. Will you wear traditional dress to the wedding? We went to a christening last weekend and another this weekend, I felt very conscious of hiding my bump. I wore a dress that was quite loose so covered up well. I don't want to be one of these preggos who people whisper about saying she has piled it on or anything like that - people love a gossip at someone elses expense. I know this sounds mad but I suppose having struggled with my weight I don't want to balloon just because I am pregnant. Am I digging myself a bigger hole?

I have a confession too, I am a bad wife. It is our wedding anniversary on Monday and we had agreed only cards & no gifts. On our laptop the email opens at DH email account. I wasn't checking his emails but could help notice the one it opened to was about a gift. I closed off it as quickly as possible but obviously I can not unsee it. I have rushed out to get him some aftershave he was hinting about but what if he hasn't got me this very lovely sweet thoughtful gift? Or worse what if he has and I only have aftershave for him?

sweetie you say 'oh, I thought we weren't getting gifts, so I only got you this' so then he still thinks your Lovely for getting something anyway. iyswim.
I get what you mean about the weight gain/growing bump. I've moaned tonnes about this and probably bored you all to death. I think its really hard when you've been watching your weight for ages. its hard to get the diet mentality out of your head. I do get paranoid that people think god she's massive. I wish I had either a nice bump to show off or didn't really have any belly yet. not bloody inbetween so I don't know what to wear to flatter it. have I made things worse? hope not. .
I will def look it up on you tube, there must be one they have everything on there. I seem to remember olives having a Doppler too and finding it really reassuring.
its funny how all our booking in apps differ slightly. my mw took my blood at home, I was suprised though. she did offer that I could do it at the hosp instead if I wanted. pen you should be fine on your own. its just the bits about dhs medical history but I'm sure you would know if there was anything major in his family. dh did want to be with me but I said he'd be bored.

I've already told him he has to stay home with ds. To be honest it's at 10am and we will probably have no one to mind him anyway. Plus I don't want to go to the trouble of finding someone for Dp to be stuck in a corridor the whole time.

At the last one they scanned you first, then they sent Dp away and asked you loads of questions about everything including DV. It's crazy the stuff they have to ask.

sweetie is right trix try not to stress if you can't find it. I used my aunties during my last pregnancy and some times I found it and other times I couldn't. Just got to stop wait a while and try it again. I can't remember if you said you bought it?

I totally get what you mean sweetie I was like that last time, didn't want to put on too much weight. After a while I just stopped caring. People will always have something to say about you.

Sweetie I don't think you're a bad wife at all especially as you did agree no gifts anyway. We always say that as well, but this year I did buy him a linen shirt as all his other ones were looking a bit worse for wear, he didn't get me anything but I wasn't bothered although he did say 'I didn't get you anything, oh yes I did the baby' . I will be wearing a traditional outfit and the 'blouse' is made to measure which is great for the new stuff I bought for the actual wedding day but I have lots of other outfits I can wear for the events beforehand but none of the blouses are fitting and I'm having to unpick the seams and for the trouser suits none of the trousers are fitting [wail]. Can totally understand about the bump and people whispering, a cousin of mine at the weekend said I look like I've just had a lot of beers, at least he said it to my face

Trix let's us know how you get on with the Doppler

sweetie don't know how I missed that bit but you are in no way a bad wife. I'm sure he will be happy with his aftershave. Especially if he has been hinting at it.

Solars I remember that the gorgeous fabrics of traditional dress often are pure silks with no give. Thank goodness for a bit of lycra these days. You must be quite talented to be unpicking seams. I am sure you will look amazing. Any chance of pics?

ooh yes, please put some pictures up solars. Ooh pure silks - that is lush. Our new neighbours are all indian it seems - one of them gave us some food when we moved in (i was v impressed) and the other just came to say do we like asian food as they're holding a wedding at the weekend and are sure to have overcatered! Er, yeah we do!

sweetie i never want presents the last few years i've just been saying i want a baby but dh always gets me something, it's a bit annoying, though sweet. Aftershave is perfect.

The cat is growling at anyone that walks past the window, drives by, or the people in the other half of the semi going in and out. I think she's a bit stressed. She's still not done a wee or poo since we got back over 24 hours ago, but I think cats can hold it in for ages. Unlike me!!! If she's not gone by tomorrow night though I think I'll worry.

ive gotten on ok with the Doppler. checked for my own heart beat first and can confirm I am alive . I did that to get used to how it worked, how long it may take and what other sounds it makes/picks up.
I also heard the baby as well as some pretty funny tummy noises.