February 2014. Bodystockings at the ready. We make pregnancy sexy.

[DawnOfTheDee]

Ok we don't. We're sick a lot, cry at adverts, moan about back/hip pain and if we got a quid for each new stretchmark generated we could all give up work and employ a nanny.

In fact if you know any teenagers feel free to show them our threads...we are the most effective contraceptive since sliced bread don't ask.

Ladies...as you were....

But I also did say to him that his parents were welcome to be involved even if he didn't want to be. So I left the ball totally in his court. At least when Leo grows up I can say I tried

Wow well done Laura on being so open to his family - hopefully they will take you up on the offer, but honestly, as someone who did not grow up with their own df or df family about (they flitted in and out until I was old enough to say stop - my dm was always open to them), baby Leo really will not miss out on anything. You don't miss what you never had.

I am finally feeling movement since my scan, or more confirmed that it was baby I was feeling, and this one is a non stop wriggler! Still gentle movement but constant! He/she even seems to be in tune with their big brothers wakings at the moment (My perfect little sleeper has broken!)

My dsis didn't know I was pg (my step df told EVERYONE last time in a matter of minutes!) until halfway through dinner last weekend and so must have assumed I was just fat. Unless people KNOW at this point, others who are not sure will be too scared to ask in case we have eaten all pies rather than being pg! Having said that, her dsil was there, also due in Feb and had a much rounder bump than me

Argh! I think I might actually drown in work this week and I just can't stop people pouring stuff in. Everything has to be done 'as a priority' - all by the end of the week - until bigger priorities roll in which also need to be done this week (or by tomorrow if possiblr...). The organisation has a few issues it's fair to say, and things are coming to a head at the moment, but I was already booking up my evenings and weekends to get this stuff done and I don't have any more to give . Boss keeps asking what he can do to help but my project work is all in the run up to going live in 2 weeks and it's too late to get anyone else to take that over (not that there is anyone - we're so understaffed ) but the only thing he can do is to stop throwing all the extra urgent corporate work in my direction which he doesn't seem to get. There's only one of me and I'm barely coherent by dinner time as it is, I can't work any later or any more days of the week.without making myself ill. I've said so many times I can't take anything else on but he just keeps throwing it in - then asks me to let him know if I'm feeling overloaded so that he can do something about it.

Sorry for the rant. Short of going to the MD (who's never here - she has better places to be than her failing business obviously) I just don't know what else I can do

ps any tips on red bull equivalents safe for pregnant women gratefully received

Laura That's so sweet of you - really decent thing to do. I hope the grandparents to be take you up on your offer even if he's still being a baby.

Sunflowered Is it an option to refuse any more work point blank? That's what I'd do, but I don't take kindly to unreasonable demands from authority figures and I've not been in that position.
Sorry they're exhausting you.

I told my boss this morning I couldn't physically do anything else and was told that's not an option. It just really frustrates me that this stuff has been floating round for months but somehow it falls on me to fix it in days hours
Plan b would be to burst into tears in the hr office but there's nobody there so wouldn't have the desired effect!

Wtf? If it's not POSSIBLE it's not an option ffs! Some people refuse to accept reality. I would be raging.

Meanwhile... I just realised our ultrasound showed baby sucking his left thumb, and am interpreting this to mean he is left handed like me and my mum :) (totally reading too much into this!)

Sunflower that's outrageous just tell your boss that you are exhausted and it's not good for your or your baby.

Juliette that's so sweet I have never heard a baby sucking his thumb in the tummy before, left handed clever boy.

still no movement here, 20+6 weeks apart from odd butterflies in my stomach nothing much.

Libee
Yes! He also yawned and it was adorable :D

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-311147/Thumb-sucking-womb-determines-hand-favour.html

julietee I'm properly raging and wasting more time doing so just need to get through today and think about how to deal with it tonight with a clearer head. I'm just really paranoid about people saying I'm not doing my job properly - was promoted earlier this year as part of a reshuffle (before then my work life balance was lovely...) so I worry I've not stepped up to what's needed.

You're not superhuman, which it sounds like is what your boss is expecting atm. Grr. Nobody could step up to what's needed here - possibly bar a 21 year old with no outside life whose willing to work 24 hours a day. Even then, did you hear about the intern who actually did that for a couple of days and died?

Plus you're pushing yourself harder than can be reasonably expected right now and something's got to give - hopefully not you!

I'm definitely not superhuman - have been finding it hard to slow down over the last few weeks but my body is clearly telling me to! The crazy thing is that my boss is just back after months off with a blood pressure related health problem (has had some pretty major health issues!) so he really does know how important it is to keep healthy at times like this. Have deflected some of it but don't know how long for.

On the plus side, one of my collegues gave me cake

oh - and I did read about that intern. My brother's just graduated and seeing him trying to find a job in this sort of environment makes me very grateful I'm a few years older -even with the current boss-related issues.

Just watching midwives from last night and I have never seen such a selfish reaction from a woman as with Audrey. I can't believe she wouldn't listen to the experts and then still maintained after having to have an emergency c section that it wasn't necessary and she could have gone full term!!!

Sassy I just watched it too. Unbelievable

Mmm cake. sunflowered it's true you know your limits better than anyone else, and and don't let your boss bully you into doing more - especially now!

Pretty sure baby is going nuts today, I've never felt it so mucj before, very surreal. 3 days till scan :) :) :)

I'd forgotten about audrey. Even dh started paying attention and had an opinion (and not a positive one!) when she came on. Usually he won't stay in the room when a birth programme's on. She kept talking about 'going to full term' but did they not start the first induction at 37 weeks aka full term?! It must have been very stressful for the midwives involved.

Busy day under control for now. My asos order has been delivered too so will have a break to try on clothes that (hopefully) fit before sitting down and sulking with the evening's work and some chocolate

Only 64 working days until maternity leave though (I might have made a chart last week to cross off the days!)

Gah don't make me watch Midwives again! Now I will have to! You do have to question the editing though and how much history/back ground they give....

sunflowered my top trick is to threaten to have my mw sign me off that afternoon . Sadly no use to me this time being se :(

I feel your pain sunflowered. Drowning in work this week and feeling overwhelmed trying to get everything done and so much to do on the house and have visitors this weekend again... Don't know how I'll fit it all in but I always do! Looking forward to Sunday already!

sunflower that's awful of work! I'd you end up being signed off work then they'll really be screwed, much better they let you drop a few things now.

As instructed by everyone, I had today off. I spent most of it in bed, even not working I felt exhausted. I wonder if I'm anemic, my diet has been a bit poor recently. Back to work tomorrow, I shall try and find the energy from somewhere!

If you're worried about anaemia Eeyore maybe try and get some spatone - it's an iron liquid thing you put in a drink and can really help if you're just a bit anaemic. Glad to hear you took the day off, I hope with a good nights sleep tonight you will feel better.

Sunflowered sorry to hear your work is so stressful at the moment. You definitely need to get your boss to understand that you cannot take on more work now! You will make yourself ill and exhausted and that's bad for you and baby.

Shropshire - so pleased that you've felt baby! I'm starting to feel mine to (think we're about the same dates) and it's lovely and a bit weird. Mine doesn't seem to like me lying on my left and has been prodding me in bed the last few nights.

Feeling your pain on the busy work ladies. School is just so full on at the moment - but at least it's only 2 and a 1/2 weeks until half term so at least us teachers will get a rest then! So lucky! I want DH to get some time off so we can have a couple of days away but he's on super crunch time at the moment with endless deadlines (he makes computer games so goes through stages of having ridiculous amounts to do when they need finishing). If not i might try and book myself some lovely things like facials etc and have a bit of a pamper.

Really need to give my maternity form in at work too! I'm thinking if going back for maybe 3 days after chrimbo if they'll get my cover in then too and have a bit of a handover (so fingers crossed my classes don't revolt against the new person which seems to be what most kids do when there's a new person).

Does anyone else sometimes find sitting very uncomfortable? I think it's worse when I'm bloated.

yes I do, although its often made worse by the giant toddler climbing up for a cuddle around the bump.

The Pride of Britain awards should come with a warning for preggos - cried after the first five mins so no hope for the rest of it!