Due in December 2006 (PART TWO)

[accessorizequeen]

Coz the first thread was getting too long....

I had my scan yesterday and like you DGirl, and even though it's my 3rd, I felt so blessed to see my wriggly LO . Then the radiographer had to go and ruin it by saying the kidneys were a bit on the large side therefore not emptying properly and I have to go back in two weeks to have them checked. Has anyone else had this? I'm not as panic stricken as I was with my 1st: with DS we were told there was an amniotic band and he might lose his feet & hands but not to worry (yeah right!), so we called him stumpy 'til he was born (no offence to anyone), and DD a suspected enlarged spleen. Both turned out to be not the case and both healthy but it gets the adrenaline pumping for a while. Humph.

HI higgin piggin, yes, they said that with DD, but it turned out to be nothing but that she needed to have a wee-wee! They wee in there, so therefore have bigger bladders etc. My DD's tummy also measured 2 weeks ahead of the rest of her! Nothing to worry about I'm sure.xx

Aw Higgin, sorry about that, I'll bet there's nothing to worry about and it'll be different in 2 weeks, but I feel bad for you to have to worry til then.

Thanks for all the messages everybody - and yes did find out the sex, and I don't want to make it too clear because there are spies on here that I know read it (hi to you) so I am just going to say that we were right in our hunch.

Jabberwocky - I had to have my wedding ring cut off last week, so yes, definitely noticing swelling!

Elibean - is carpal tunnel directly resulting from pregnancy? There are so many side effects! I seem to have had every symptom in the book, but not that one yet. Has anyone else had spider angioma? What look like broken blood vessels just under the skin? I have them on my chest - but apparently they'll go after giving birth. Weird!

Sorry about long post
x

Hi Devongirl. Funny you should say that. I've always had a red broken vein type rash on my neck, but it's got much MUCH worse since I've been pregnant. I have been wondering if it could be related...

Hope everything turns out fine with your LO, HP.

Maybe I should start a new thread for this, but maybe it's something Decemberers will all be interested in!

Does anyone have a favourite how-to-look-after-a-baby book for us first timers? I've just bought the Rough Guide to Babies, but will probably get at least another one so I can do some advance reading.

LouLou, I loved "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracey Hogg.
Thanks for the reassurances about my wee bean. Calmriver, that's exactly what I thought having bigger than average kidneys in a foetus meant but the radiographer was so cagey which made me nervous. She kept asking me if I was worried and I kept saying "should I be"?!
Devongirl, a friend had broken blood vessels during pregnancy and they did go afterwards. I've developed a couple of my legs which are still there, but maybe that's just an age thang...

Sorry you had a glitch in the ultrasound, hp, but I'm sure it will be fine. At least they are not making you wait very long for the second scan.

No broken blood vessels here yet, but glad I'm not the only one with some swelling. Too bad about having to cut your ring off, though, devongirl

The Baby Whisperer is one of my favorites too. I also really liked the No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley, although you would want to wait and see if you were even going to need that one or not. We certainly did with ds but hopefully not with this one.

Jabberwocky, I've been wearing my eternity ring instead of my engagement/wedding ones since about three months....actually prefer it, will have to find an excuse to keep it that way postpartum Otherwise, no noticeable swelling except in the heat - then my feet looked distinctly sausage-like!
DG, I've only got a few in one leg...they didnt' go after dd, but as hg says, maybe an age thang..or genetic: my mother has them too, and she had her babies much younger.
HG, I'm sorry yo've been given anything to mar the scan at all - I hate it when that happens! Yes, a friend of mine had same thing, worried right up until the birth, but it was nothing. At this stage, all sorts of bits aren't quite as they will be, I reckon. Hope the next scan brings reassurance so you can just enjoy.

I saw my belly moving all over the place last night, love that! DH and I were in awe, don't remember it being so early with dd1. Is everyone else watching 'Alien' too?!

ps yes, I liked the Baby Whisperer, though I picked out bits that worked for me and ignored others. There are NO books I can follow to the letter, but I did like her philosophy of attuning to a baby's needs, whilst not neglecting our own.

Hi everyone,

We are finally back off our hols and have just been trying to catch up. We had a lovely holiday but I am definately coming out the other end of the 'energetic, feeling ok' phase. Have also been suffering from blocked nose, jelly hips and general hormonal fogginess. Glad to hear so many of you have had successful scans, and soooo many boys too!! I am convinced I am having a girl - based purely on the fact that everyone at work has had boys recently so I am sure that the odds are I will be having a little girl. Not sure if we are going to find out or not yet - scan on Tuesday so not long to wait.

Still look more fat than pregnant and at 20 weeks have now gained 15 pounds!!! Although still fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes (except jeans of course!!) so not sure where the weight has gone. Sure I will find out once bubs is born! Hope you are all ok, will carry on catching up on all the news....

Ooh, I'm having such trouble keeping up with everyone's news I'm going to have to write notes to myself! Devong, was intrigued by your comments about spies, but really glad your scan went well. HG, hope the time passes quickly to your next scan & they give you the all clear!
The books I absolutely couldn't live without (still) are Mums on Babies, it's just brilliant and What Mothers Do which is all about motherhood rather than babies and helped enormously in those early months. Have loaned it to every friend & friends are now buying it for their friends. The book I absolutely hate (and actually binned) was that Gina Ford one, I think she does nothing but make new mothers anxious & rigid. But each to his own! right, must go and research nappies some more.

i agree . i can't keep up!
i read loads of stuff in pg1. Can't remember a thing now! i'm in the anti GF camp too. But it does suit some people. the only thing i took from her book was putting bubs in own room( blackout blinds fitted) from day one(not that he slept the first night-be warned NHS direct can't get then to go to sleep either!)So we never did the moving to his cot thing. This time however I think I was bonkers to do that( cos of SIDS) and Bean will be in with us(prob til s/he goes to Uni as s/he'll be my baby forever!)
Seriously I liked the Rough guide one(got the childcare one by her too called "kidwrangling")Mums on Babies got me into the whole MN thing.The best bks I found for the first few weeks were the Vivki iovine "Best friends guides to....." Not very useful as ref books but gave me a giggle.

Gosh i was lying on my tummy for a moment while typing.And don't I know it. I'm being kicked in defence. still no outer movements so still just me and Bean sharing this.

Suppose GF does have a few useful hints (like I read that she suggested expressing so you had some for growth spurts, which I always found unbearable), aq says grudgingly. As a not v.confident 1st time mother, I found some of these books (esp. her) just made me feel worse & doubt my own abilities & knowledge of my baby. And no-one knows your baby like you do. which is why mumsnet is so great as I can read 100's of people's opinions on an issue & pick the one that suits my child.
DP hankering to feel a kick, he's been waiting since 12 weeks when I first felt things, I do feel sorry for him, can't believe he can't believe, clearly my stomach wall is a metre thick...
Am so tired today & back aching, finding just being in shops for a few hours (choosing paint for new nursery) absolutely killed me. Surely it's a bit early to be finding daily life so knackering, am I the only one? By 6, I could go to bed but DP hasn't got home till past 7 last 3 days. And he's not really twigged that I'm finding chores increasingly harder to do. Should I really have to ask him to empty dishwasher, put on washing etc when tiredness etched on my face? [end of grump] Am loving my little chats with Hercules (as I am still calling him whilst we decide!) though.

beepbeep, surfing tonight as can't sleep, found site that does maternity wedding dresses if you're interested, a few on sale as well. Bjorn and me Hope all the plans are proceeding well!

I read every baby guide book going when I had ds (#1) and tbh, I think there's a danger of reading too much. It's too easy to get caught up in what the books say should/shouldn't be happening and what you should/shouldn't be doing and you end up in more of a pickle than you started in.

My advice would be to go with the flow and if you're having a total nightmare, come on here and get some advice from mums who are going through exactly what you're going through. It's totally demoralising to read something in a book and your baby will NOT do what the book says s/he should do, whereas on here there's always someone who's been through it too and you get a whole range of advice and approaches.

Lecture over!! (Spot the ex-teacher )

I so agree, olihan. I obsessively read every book I could get my hands on when pg with ds and thought I was such the expert Of course, it took only a day or two after he came home from the hospital to start feeling like an utter failure. This time around, I only read pregnancy magazines every now and then - mainly for the fashion and baby gear tips!

Oh, and dh got this really great book called the Baby Owner's Manual that we used more than anything. It's small, but has lots of very useful information. Not overwhelming at all.

aq, you are not alone in finding daily life tiring...I've been much more tired these past two weeks or so. Mind you, potty training dd1 and going to bed too late don't help...
Still, am starting to find stuff that was easy a fortnight ago (sitting on floor to play with dd, going up and down stairs, keeping eyes open after lunch...) much harder!

I have noticed that it's really hard to put on pants standing up. Putting all my weight on one leg is painful to my hips. Last time I was doing prenatal yoga with no problem Guess it's my age...

I don't think it's age, Jabber, just having another child to look after whilst pregnant takes more of a toll! I'm trying to do lots of yoga (partly to keep dodgy hormones at bay) but it's a struggle to find the time/energy. I think the baby might be breech at present because my lower back is so painful, and I can't believe it's just because I'm 21 weeks pregnant, I've only put on 4 pounds so that's not an issue yet. I'm increasingly leaving the mess in the house, and having a nap if DS does, so that's what I'm doing now..I dread doing potty training again, we've tried twice now & the thought of all that bending urrggh. But have been warned by friend that doing it with newborn around not brilliant either - think it's up to ds anyway.

Hi

Accessorisequeen - I had lower back pain and went to see a chiropractor (had already been before I was pregnant) and she was great, she gave me a very relaxing massage and then isolated exactly where the back pain was and did some gentle manipulation and the pain has gone. I am going to go back again in 3 weeks, because she said how important it is to keep your lower back in a good state so that your posture is correct throughout pregnancy. I can really recommend it.

Also am finding things a bit harder - like tying shoelaces! Did you gals who have already had kids have to resort to someone else tying them for you? I am nearly at that stage already and feel like a right idiot! Also can't shave my legs very easily so may have to go for the wild hippy look soon!

Thanks, devong, maybe I should go and see one as pain now spread to hips & neck so posture obviously rubbish. Feel I have that pg waddle already! Answer to shoelaces, don't wear any with laces! Hee hee (no, really I won't wear socks even until I have to in late November...). Flipflops all the way until then!

I have heard chiropractors can be great in pregnancy. Will definitely give it a try if/when! lower back starts giving me problems. I haven't done the yoga this time, mainly because of being so much more tired (ds!!!) but also because of all the hip problems last time. I thought the yoga was a good thing, but now wonder if it wasn't SPD so am trying to take things a bit easier.

AQ, how old is your ds? We potty trained this summer - I'm hoping doing it now will help prevent regression when the baby comes. DS will turn 3 on the 14th and we finished about a month or so ago. What seemed to do the trick was just letting him go naked most of the time.

Hi jabber, my ds a little younger than yours, he's 3 on the 14th, but of December (I'm due on 16th). Tried just before he turned 2, then again in early June as he seemed quite with it but didn't seem to be getting the hang of telling me when he needed to go. Now I'm waiting for 'mummy, i need to do a poo, potty now' before I start again! He has been naked quite a lot, but perhaps I am a little protective of sofa, floors etc. He found tester paint yesterday & put blue paint all over my living room so I guess wee can't be any worse! I find the thought of poo on my leather sofa hard to deal with though, don't quite know how I'll deal with more poo management with real nappies!