December 2013 - steaming towards 3/4 cooked

[LadyMedea]

Our shiny new thread... Pile in!

Well I just spoke to my HR and it looks like I may have to start my mat leave in 3 weeks. While I was planning on working remotely from the US after I move there and only starting ML in early December, HR is now saying that for that I would need to get on the US payroll. I don’t want to do that because the US maternity benefits are horrible compared to the UK. Plus they'll never get me a visa on time. I’d rather get my mat leave (I get 16 weeks full pay here in the UK) than work remotely part time for 6 weeks. This stuff really stresses me out.

I still have two weeks holidays so I’d be starting my official ML Oct 21st. While I’m REALLY excited to not be working, I’m a bit scared of being bored by myself in a new country where I know absolutely nobody…. And my team is going to freak out when I tell them that they have 3 more weeks with me and then they are on their own for a while. My replacement only comes back in December…

Anyways, I’m avoiding buying anything winter related as it won’t be of much use in California really. But all I have that fits is this old oversized rain jacket that I received at my old work and it’s bloody cold and windy out there! Let’s hope that snow waits until at least October 9th (I leave on the 8th :) )!

Hope you’re all having a good Monday. I’ve been feeling rather dizzy and lightheaded today. I hope I will be ok for my yoga class because I really don’t want to miss it.

Yep NL coat sold out! Grr! Ended up buying another one from there, only £5 more so still a good price.

rose I've had a few dizzy spells and weirdly not when standing but when sitting down. Seem to pass after a few seconds but really disconcerting. I'm starting a pregnancy yoga class tomorrow. Looking forward to it. It sounds great- very holistic as it includes a relaxation cd, breathing techniques for labour Etc plus tea and a chat at the end.

I seem to actually have a rather nice and sweet midwife which seems to be a rarity reading these boards. Only the second time I've seen her today (28 weeks) as she was on honeymoon for booking in. Twiglet managed to kick the doppler which made me laugh. 29cm fundal height so bang on for 28w+4. BP is still a bit high so referral to consultant clinic next week, think I'll probably up my meds again myself (still not yet back to the dose I was on in 1st trimester) to see if I can get it down again.

DH is back! Yeah! He did 1 hr 48 mins in the Great North Run and I managed to catch him on TV!

Went in to the office today to clear out my desk and finish handover so I'm free - feels rather weird but very relaxing. Even though its boring at home (and I still feel pretty poorly) somehow being off the hook means its more relaxing and I can just plan nice stuff to do in the week. Final work report to do tomorrow, see very pregnant friend Wednesday, see friend and her two kids on Thursday, bake bumb & boobs cake on Friday, baby shower for very pregnant friend on Saturday... and DH is on hols next week! Suddenly things are looking up.

Hi everyone, hope everyone is keeping well?

I still haven't managed to get a winter coat and froze my pregnant behind off this morning going to work in my thin cardigan

Had my whooping cough injection on Thursday, she said i might have localised swelling the size of a 50p! But it would go after 2 days, well it's now 4 days later and it's still sore and 50p my arse!!
It's the size of a bloody fist but all worth it so bub is protected until he gets his own at 8 weeks.
She tried to get me to get flu injection but I'm full of cold now and the thought it might make it worst was enough to say no.

I can't rest my arm or anything on my bump without "Lleyton" kicking it off

I am so ready or my mat leave now, have to wait until November 4th

New look charcoal snood coat in stock on asos at the minute.

So......What colour should whatever is coming out of my nipples be? It's sometimes clear and sometimes a pale orangey colour. Is that normal?

Ermmmm...... I think the first time anything came out mine it looked clear, I don't think mine ever looked orange though.
Nothing leaked with ds2 and nothing this far either.

Thanks alyssa. Yeah, mines normally just clear. Maybe it wasn't as orangey as I remember - I dunno. Maybe more yellow?

Any other experiences would be cracking, thanks :)

Ah yes...... Yellow, now I remember.
My first breast milk (colostrum) with ds1 had a yellow hue.

Colostrum is generally yellowish... I started leaking last week, sometimes clear, sometimes yellow. Lovely.

Urgh been leaking for a few months although its increasing and I'm having to use ultra lovely pads now ever since I leaked through a bra, top and cardi at work last week .

Now on white pads I can see colour- it's creamy/ yellow ish.

The boobs better be up to the job when gizmo arrives seeing as they started dress rehearsals so very early!!

Im not looking forward to the leaky boob thing .... The whole thing freaks me out!

Thing we pretty much sorted moving into the BIL house :)

Was watching the end of dirty dancing earlier. Had tv up bit loud and Bubba was going crazy dancing bless her.
Can't believe how quickly it's got cold! Taken the hot water bottles out of hibernation!!

Haha, I gave one nipple an experimental squeeze the other week and some clear fluid came out, I was really quite freaked out then - I'm not sure why as I do plan to breast feed!

I think baby had the hiccups this morning, I could feel some strange small flickering type movements, at least I think that's what it was!

I'm finding the whole leaky boobs thing strangely reassuring - I didn't manage to bf DS for long due to a number of issues (not being able to take him out of the incubator for 3 weeks wasn't a good start!) and I'd love to successfully bf this one, so I'm pleased my body's already thinking about it!

Colostrum can at first be a weird mix of clear and orangey, then it settles down to yellowish. You're more likely to get the orangey stuff with your first although it can happen in subsequent pregnancies too. It's totally normal and nothing to worry about.

mildred if you're leaking loads then I recommend lilypadz for now and maybe some breast shells if you're planning on BFing to collect the drips - helps build a nice stash for the freezer and saves on breast pads. I used to leak through several per feed!

Why is it raining????

I am just learning to work my baby out and I think is likes to on the right like a low slung hammock. Minimum effort maximum impact; from there is can sit on my bladder and push my stomach at the same time. It is a clever bean. It does travel around, but seems to come back to the same place each time to sleep :)

Morning all

Brrrr, think I will have to bite the bullet and buy a winter coat after all. DP's I was planning on nicking is huge in the arms, all mine are too tight and I can't actually move when I wear anything with sleeves underneath lol. Tried the charity shops in town this morning but no luck. Going to raid Ebay I think,

Anyone else struggling to walk around much at the min? Everything aches like mad when I walk any faster than a waddle or any further than the school run. Not good when I'm only 26+4. Long way to go yet! Don't want to give up doing the school run both ways (its half a mile one way) as I think the fitter you are before giving birth the better recovery you make and easier labour you have but it ain't half getting hard work. Its 2 miles in total if I walk both pick up and drop off and I don't think thats too much to expect is it?

Felt a lot fitter last time I was PG though I was 9 years younger and a lot fitter then!

Done school run and then nipped to town for an hour and an knackered now. Sofa is calling me for a snooze lol.

mum i've really enjoyed my preg yoga class. while I'm really tired after (I do it in on Monday evenings after a long day at work), i feel weirdly much more energized on my walk home. looking forward to hearing your impressions. did you do it with your other pregnancies?

This weather business isn't great is it lol. Had to buy new shoes cause all old ones got holes in them, am just living in a battered old jumper till I can get hold of a nice wintery coat.
No leakage for me as yet, an experimental squeeze (glad I'm not the only one pistachio) produced a small amount of clear fluid but cautiously checking out breast pads just in case I get taken by surprise lol.
MW messed up appointment bookings so they're completely out of sync now... just another thing to worry about

Oh I'm so glad I'm not the only one, frouby! Discovered at the weekend that although the town centre is only a 10 min walk away, by the time I've got there and wandered around the shops for a bit I'm completely knackered! Ended up with sharp stitch-type pains in my bump after doing so much walking the other day, which is annoying as I feel fine physically but still can't seem to drag my exhausted body around for long periods of time!

As for coats, I'm still yet to pluck up the courage to try on last years winter coats... Got a horrible feeling they won't fit, so I'm just putting off the disappointment and living in jumpers and chunky cardigans at the moment! Definitely need to stock up on some nice snuggly socks soon though, and I've already started dropping hints to DP that we should invest in a cosy new duvet for the winter
Can you tell I'm actually enjoying this change I the weather?! Haha!

Got my 25 week appointment with the GP this afternoon,not sure what to expect but fingers crossed it'll be nice and straightforward...

After all this leaky boob talk I feel like I should have a squeeze to see! Never had leaky nipples with my other two pregnancies so not expecting to this time. Probably a good sign that you're all topped up nicely already!

I'm getting really pissed off with my maternity bras- they're too tight and are far too high at the front so show above some necklines- grr. Should probably invest in some bra extenders as I don't really want to buy new bras if I can help it. Bloody freezing today- wish I had a snuggly warm maternity jumper- mine are all quite thin.

rose I've not done pregnancy yoga before so I'm quite intrigued. I'm more of a Pilates girl but looking forward to a change. I'll let you know how it goes!

mumoftwoboysS My Mum got me a three pack of these and they're AMAZING. Granted, they're Granny bras and not the most aesthetically pleasing, but they're SOOOO comfy. I'm so glad I had them, rather than ending up with angry looking red marks on my side and tearing my bra off as soon as I get in the door.

ok so one nipple I got clear liquid, the other nothing! maybe it needs a few more weeks to catch up and get ready!...

ccsays I think I saw those in Boots- I may well try them if it means more comfort- I'm always taking my bra off before the end of the day and find it also makes heartburn worse.

anyone else had serious movement recently? baby seems to be having a 24 hour party in there! Started early hours of the mornng and still feeling it on and off now. It's lovely but just not used to so much. I'm sure he/she will be quiet for the next day or so now and I'll start worrying!!

Alyssa Looked @ that snood coat in ASOS - don't have it in my size shame as it looks nice. Will just have to hope the one I ordered is ok. I think it should be, just prefer hip length coats (the one I bought is shorter) as I do wear leggings and longer tops a fair bit and hate that look with it all hanging out under a coat!

meant to ask- ccsays your Genie bras- are they in your usual non-maternity size or did you go a size or two up? I'm obviously bigger than usual so not sure...

I was wearing a 12 before I fell pregnant mumoftwoboysS, but found the 12 maternity stuff a bit snug, so I've been buying a 14. Bought the genie bras in a 14 and they fit great