June 2014: New Year, new trimester, new thread! June bugs no 7!!

[hackneybird]

Ding dong!

Meant to say - great news clever and liquid !

eliza - I think that the latest you have to tell work is 15 weeks before your EDD, but I could be wrong. That would put it at 25 weeks along so anytime before that. I've already discussed with my employers what I am intending to do as we did planning for 2014 in which my absence would have been material for the business and my team. They know that I may change my mind or circs may change and were fine with that.

Bee - I have succumbed twice to paracetamol this pregnancy, and the doctors have been actively prescribing it. As long as you don't take over the dosage and don't take it for too long (ie more than a few days) then it should be ok.

I have been taking paracetamol every morning for about a month if that makes anyone feel better for 'succumbing' to it

Me too Sleepy - I couldn't live without it & no side effects to baby so I don't even think twice

You just inspired me to check - I've got 50 days to work until Mat leave, woop!
Although my waters broke at 34wks with dd so I may have to rethink that.
I did make an official complaint about our labour/postnatal care in the hospital. I won't scare people with all the horrific details. However there is no other option for me. The next nearest hospital is over 100 miles away and because of a complicated pregnancy and all the risks. I can't go to a midwife unit.
It sucks. Anyway, I know what to expect this time and my hospital bag will be full of dettol and a note pad to keep an eye on our drugs...

I went to bed and slept like the dead for three hours and I feel much better, though a bit woozy.

Mitchell2 SleepyNess I always avoid painkillers so I'd hate to start taking them now. (besides, my mother tells me off )

I won't know my exact EDD until Monday but I have to let them know by roughly mid-February at the latest with my current date.

Ooh counting is inspired this close to going back to work as I'm very anxious about managing full days teaching from Monday since my days are currently spent on the sofa! I have about 60 days to work. That sounds better than 5 months.

I'm not looking forward to going back to a bunch of excitable 7yo on Monday either. Also trying to hide my pregnancy, from the kids, until 20wks is going to be really difficult. Oversized cardis for the next few weeks, I think.

I wrote a long post this morning but it crashed then I had to leave for work, Greer. Bumble, so sorry you're struggling - hope you get the help you need. My current plan is to take mat leave the week of my due date and a couple of weeks annual leave before. Last time I had about 10 months off in total but this time I tink it will be more like 6 plus a few weeks leave -deliberating over DH taking the last 3 months of my leave to

ElizaB3 just tried it with DH, heartbeat wasn't loud enough, but we could hear it, made me cry a little)

I had a horrible cold virus from about 26th to 31st dec and was taking paracetamol daily, checked with pharmacist as felt so dreadful and so guilty and pharmacist said completely fine to baby for me to take up to 8 per day. Sure it must be fine or they wouldn't be able to say it was safe to take?

What does paracetamol actually do for you when you have a cold? I mean, my main complaints are the thick mucus, stuffy head, and dry hacking cough at night. I've been using nasal spray before bed, and I took pseudoephedrine on my transatlantic flights, or the sinus pressure would have resulted in migraines. The occasional use of it after the first trimester is fine according to my GP, just that there's not a huge amount of evidence out there.

I take Benadryl a lot for a runny nose and allergies, I took it pre pregnancy and that helps me and I have read it is safe in pregnancy.

Ladies, anyone found any good trendy, not mumsy mat clothes? I have bought 6 pairs of mat jeans looking for the perfect pair, the next and gap ones are going back as baggy but I have just discovered seraphine maternity clothes online and they do some lovely things and OMG the jeans are amazing bought 3 pairs. Bit more expensive than other makes at about £50 each but worth every penny, they look great and fit amazingly, got to share the word with you.

Dispel, be careful with Benadryl, I found out that Benadryl in the Uk is a different active ingredient than Benadryl in North America, where it's diphenhydramine, an older kind of antihistamine that makes you drowsy. Benadryl in the uk is a different drug, and only the first generation antihistamines are considered safe in pregnancy.

Copied from Wikipedia (easiest place to run to for the name of the drug in the uk): In the United States and Canada, Benadryl products contain the first-generation antihistamine diphenhydramine. In the United Kingdom, Benadryl products contain either the second-generation non-sedating antihistamine acrivastine (marketed as Benadryl Allergy Relief, with a suggested efficacy duration of eight hours) or the long acting antihistamine cetirizine (marketed as Benadryl One a Day Relief).

Sorry dipsey, autocorrect changed your name!

Ok thanks for the advice Wispa I will look into it in more detail.

dipsey I like ASOS best for mat clothes. Although I agree worth spending more on well fitting jeans if you wear them a lot.

bee what could possibly be wrong with taking paracetamol occasionally? I'll take it quite happily if I have any nasty aches and pains, pregnant or not.

based on very little, other than irrational PFB fear I avoided paracetamol for the first eleven weeks. I struggled on with week long headaches and felt awful. I then came down with a chest infection. Doctor prescribed me antibiotics and to take a full dose of paracetamol every fours hours. I've now been doing this for almost ten days. Doctor was not at all worried about the prolonged use of paracetamol, but was more concerned about me not being able to shake my cough/fever/swollen throat.
I did feel bad/guilty, but after a week of very little sleep and feeling quite I'll Ive no idea what state I would be in if I had continued to avoid medicine! FX I can shake this soon -
as going back to work is probably going to kill me!

Maternity clothes - despite not being able to pull off 'trendy' myself I always think the people that pull off 'maternity chic' the best are those that manage to still look like themselves throughout pregnancy. People that jump from skinny jeans and tight t shirts to tent like tops with leggings are, in my opinion, going to look 'mumsy'! So if you live in jeans, them I think it is sensible to invest a little more in some you like.
My bump had exploded in the past week (DH confirmed this last night too!). So I will unfortunately need to tell work next week. However, I am excited, as soon Ive Ive told work I can stop wearing really baggy tops, waterfall cardigan and scarf combos that cover me up! I am looking forward to bump hugging knee length dresses, black leggings and boots - which is much more 'my style'. I have lots of dresses with stretch, or that are too big as my weight used to fluctuate a lot. I am just struggling to find a nice tailored black jacket to go with. All the maternity ones I have found have no structure at all. Larger sizes just make me look like Ive borrowed my dad's jacket as the arms and back are just too long!

Quick question - any other vertically challenged MNers out there? My bump is nothing short of huge. Given it's my my first, and I was on the plus size to start with - I am surprised to be showing so early (14+3 today). Ive read online it's might be cause the gap between my hip and bottom rib is so small, so the only way is out! But be interested to know if others are feeling the same.

I am also avoiding the scales! I put 5/6lbs on really early first trimester carb baby so decided not to weigh after that. Given Im overweight I'm only supposed to put on 10-14lbs over the nine months, so it's worrying last time I looked (week 5 or 6) Id already put on half what I should be. Pretty sure my gain has slowed now though, despite Christmas and fairly terrified the consultant will weigh me when I see them week after next anyway

Hi ladies hope everyone is ok? Im 18 weeks today, these weeks are passing by finally!

I started maternity shopping yesterday. Fashion is a big part of my life and i have a bit of a quirky style in that Im heavily tattooed and like to look either like i stepped out of the 1950's or grungy like the 90's. I feel my style is really going to suffer until June as there just aren't any clothes i like. Also Im plus size which makes it even harder.

My bump has just popped out now and i can feel the weight of it when i turn over. Getting lots of flutterings toward i swear the odd kick bit is it too early for that? X

Dipsey, I found out when I told my midwife I'd been taking Benadryl and she told me I had to stop, and that if I needed antihistamines I should take piriton or another one that makes you drowsy. I explained that it was Benadryl I'd bought at home in Canada, showed her the bottle and told her that I had looked it up on motherisk (then explained what motherisk was!), she frowned and looked confused then grudgingly said she hadn't seen it before, but supposed it could be alright.

Jaykay, it's all about risk/benefit, right? If you were really sick it's better to take the meds and get better because you will better be able to support your growing baby that way.

Morning ladies.
The paracetamol was the only thing kept me feeling roughly ok.
Had splitting headache, achy bones, sore throat, sinus's blocked and definitely the paracetamol helped. Helped to ease symptoms and then could feel them building up again within 3 hours.

Was also worried if I didn't fight the virus I had it would develop into nasty chest infection. Had a horrible chest infection in last pregnancy and was not nice.

Paracetamol is one of the safest drugs in the world as long as taken within limits (even slightly over ie taking 3.5hrs affects risk dramatically) & 'prolonged' means every 4 hours for months not a week. I find it hard to understand why people would put themselves through extra pain for no reason - there are far higher risks attached to most contraceptions & even 'prolonged use' of caffeine etc. But I am aware I am really really biased as my Mum is a Consultant so I know some people find drugs scary.

Jay - excessive weight gain isnt ideal in pregnancy & does increase risks of a variety of problems, but it's important to try not to stress too much. I put on 6 stone (!!!!) in my 1st pregnancy and started pregnancy slightly overweight (around a stone overweight) so had absolutely no room for extra. I found it so depressing watching the scales. I was also about 6lbs up in T1 but obv your body will get better and better at keeping fat the later you get. I lost 3 stone within a week of birth (!) - so do remember some of it you will rid easily. Obviously drink lots of water & be as healthy as possible (walking is ideal) but I'd avoid the scales if you possibly can - it's upsetting & prob won't change what you are / aren't doing.

Of course this time I'm way too obsessive re food I'm monitoring everything & eating 2,000 calories a day. So far I've lost almost a stone (but I hadn't lost 1st preg weight so obviously if you're obese eating healthily will equal weight loss as obesity takes more calories to 'maintain'). Almost 16 weeks pregnant now which is when weight really rapidly increased before so despite how careful I'm being I'm still very nervous & am constantly on the scales (I'm well aware not healthy & not following my own advice!)

jaykay987 im overweight as well, or per sonograper 'above average' lol i have a small bump but as i was big before pregnancy no one can notice it really (only me and DH), according to my mum and i think i agree with her i wont have a big bump due to having wide hips bump will stretch rather than grow big for everyone to touch