Due February 2007 - 2nd Trimester

[CurrantBun]

For those of us due February 2007 and moving from the first to the second trimester ...

We've made it this far - only another 6 months to go! (Gulp!)

Suzi, very true about all these things being unknown in (say) our mums'/midwives' day and they still produced healthy offspring. Think I'll lie on my back if I feel like it then (while I still can)!

I don't have a problem with the cat thing - simple reason being that I don't have a cat! Am allergic to cat fur so we can't have one even if we wanted to ... although to be honest I'm not really a 'cat person'.

at not being a cat person! TBH, ours is driving m insane at the moment wanting out at 3am etc!

My dad has sewn me a great cushion. Is filled with polystyrene beads and is about half the width of a pillow but the same length - tis fab as it goes between my knees for sleeping, or behind my back or neck for watching tv.

think the cat thing is so cute - amazing what animals know, isn't it.

Hoping to complete on our house on Friday, so fingers crossed for us please!!!! Am so excited as it's our first home. The littlest bedroom is actually off ours, so ideal for nursery! Just want to get into the house and start nest building!

By the way, parents purchased a great deal from argos today - a buggy, travel cot and rocker chair from Argos reduced from £100 to £59! A far cry from the super-duper travel systems we've been looking at but absolutely fine to keep at their house for when baby comes to visit. It is actually really nice quality stuff, so worth a look if you want a spare set or a cheap set!

bargainbuggyset

I've heard fab things about that set from Argos. But my mum had already got a travel cot etc by the time we heard great reviews.

What a fab price though... must e-mail my friends!

Does anyone else get swelling in the 'knicker region'? By the end of the day I am all puffy and so uncomfy down there. I suppose I should try and sit down mid day to relieve some of the pressure but it can be agony. Haven't found anyone else who gets the same thing

I get that a bit. And when I go for a wee I feel like I'm all puffy there!

I think it's quite common btw

sounds like vulval varicose veins I got them with DS2 and then was really disappoined when I discovered them a couple of weeks ago as well.

Last time, I saw the GP but she couldn't reccommend anything except for sitting on a bag of frozen peas when they got bad. I also used one of those femme pad things which are usually used after the birth to relieve sorenesss from stitches.

Horrible isn't it?

Dear God, would I have gone into this pregnancy business knowing what I know now!!!!! Vulval varicose veins...yikes....

No sign of them yet but think I have piles after being very constipated...sorry TMI. It's not pleasant producing new life, is it?!!

Right - thanks everyone. Knew Mumsnet would come up trumps! I sympathise with anyone suffering too. It will all be worth it in Feb when we have our little bundles.......even your piles Plumpbump I promise!

hi all just wanted to post about the cat thing - our cats are driving me made. We have two and the smaller(luckily, female one of the two is obsessed with my bump and laying draped over it and has been obsessed with laying there since about a week before i knew i was pregnant!!! Our other much bigger male cat sits and stares at me!! A lot - its quite freaky actually!!!

... suddenly my aching back and restless leg don't seem so bad..

On cats... both of mine seem to think that the new bumpy bit is ideal for standing on to get a bit more height in the bed and are very dischuffed that they're not allowed... and for the 3am door duty... get a catflap. I have no idea how people without them cope. Both my mogs like nothing better than nipping in and out of the house which would drive me demented if it required my intervention every time.

...and I feel very jealous of everyone decorating little rooms already. In order to create ar suitable room for the wee one we are having to have the kitchen re-done, a new doorway put in and redocorate another 3 rooms in the house. I can't wait to get the new room ready, but there seems like such a long way to go before we get that far....

My DS thinks my bump is a step for him to climb on!

We had a cat flap in the last place and it was great. But darling cat would still come and 'chat' to me and paw me during the night just to say Hi. We've put off getting one so far as it's a new house and we prefer to wait until the years warranty on the doors etc is up before we cut a hole in it. But DH has promised me that perhaps the new baby can bring a cat flap with her for the cat! Hope she goes shopping for it afterwards rather than literally brings it with her

suzi2 don't worry about the room. we got ours all ready well in advance of DD and filled it with every little thing down to the mobiles, and then of course, they don't even need it for months, assuming you have them in with you at the start, so there really is no rush. I know its such fun to do it, but to be honest its not important. this time around all the baby stuff is in the attic, have just bought a double bed for what will be the babys room so we can use it as a spare room til the very last minute when he/she is a few months old. And I don't intend getting more than the baby gym, rocker chair and car seat out of the attic before the birth either!

Hi everyone, have been away for a week so just catching up, everyone seems to have been very busy! I am about 22 weeks now (have lost track), having my anomoly scan on Monday, it all seems a bit strange as I haven't really had any care yet (my choice, I just feel like I want to be left alone this time!) and as baby is now moving like mad I am starting to feel a bit more like things are real. Am really looking forward to the scan experience as have booked a private scan this time and just want to know what it will feel like being able to have all this tachnology but away from thw hospital policies and waiting! The scan is going to cause a bit of friction between me and DH though, he want's to know the sex of the baby and I don't, didn't find out with DS (hosp had policy not to tell you the sex of the baby incase you terminated if it wasn't what you wanted......thought that was awful as I had thought long and hard about continuing with my preg as had split up with my "not at all D"P and was only young at the time, 11 years ago!) and my DS wouldn't show us so I think it's going to be strange to know this time. Also I have a strong feeling it's a boy, knew DS was a boy and that DD was a girl, infact would have been knocked for six if they hadn't been I was that convinced!
As for buggy's etc, have ummed and ahhed about a double pram (DD will be 23 months when bump arrives) but have decided to wait and see how I get on with a sling and my Mountain Buggy (which cost a fortune when we bought it for DD but has been worth every penny, just taken it on hols and it managed rough paths, sand on thebeach, cobbled slipways to the beach and off road). Am looking to buy a better sling than last time though, want one that comes in two parts so you can take the baby off the straps without undoing the whole sling, anyone used one and have a recommendation? Also looking for a two part first stage car seat as don't fancy struggling to get the seat in and out of the car like I did last time (the seatbelts in the back are quite short and I struggled to get them round the seat without a lot of manhandeling) and cope with a rebellious toddler! Again any suggestions, car is new but no isofix points, seems to be a general rule!

snuggle - www.thebabywearer.com is a great site. The forums are helpful, and there are reviews for pretty much every sling, mei tai, harness and wrap on the market.

The only thing you have to watch is that some carriers support the baby by the pelvis which is bad for the spine. the ideal is that they should be supported by their bum so they're in a sitting position with knees slightly curled up.

I'm looking into trying a wrap with the newborn. Recently bought a ring sling for support when hip carrying DS and am very pleased with it. I had a wilkinet when he was wee but found it too fiddly to do. Although I was inexperienced as a mum too which didn't help. I did manage it easily recently with a friends wee one so maybe I just needed some confidence.

Hi everyone
I've got a cat too (who is now clear of fleas) but she loves my DH best in our house so hasn't paid lots of attention to me.
We don't have a cat flap either but have found it's not too bad,except when she sits outside taunting us at 11pm and we are trying to coax her into the house
My mum is here and we are all set for the baby show. We might also have a trip to Oxford /Regent St too, to have a look in the shops while I have lots of energy.
It's also half term next week, hooray. Maybe I'll catch some of you during the daytime for a chat?

Helloooo...Hope you are all ok? Hope you enjoy the show, Peachy and anyone else who is going/has gone! Am jealous as would have loved to have been there! Anyhow, we're a bit busy as we completed on our first house yesterday! It was so exciting to get the keys last night and it still hasn't sunk in. Has been a full day of cleaning (thanks mum) and painting (thanks DH, Dad and I) and another full day tomorrow. It's amazing how quickly things start to look different even with one coat of paint!

Am exhausted tonight, but happy-tired. Look forward to hearing the goss from the show and what bargains we've missed!

Hi.
I have to say I had a great time at the show, it was well worth the visit. There is another one in March (though that may be just a bit too much for us all to manage) and then one in Birmingham I think, but I would definitely go again even with baby in tow!
I got several bargains, two lovely outfits for £10, a coorie sling for £20 (which I'm very pleased about) A reduced rate tens machine hire - and great advice from the midwife on their stand, who encouraged me to ask for a different midwife, which I am going to look into now it's half term. Reduced price halos and horns bubble bath (which my DH uses due to his dry sore skin) and a swaddle wrap for a newborn which is like a giant sock you slip baby into for £5.
I got freebies from persil, fairy, avent, pumpkin patch, huggies, bounty, pampers, practical parenting and lots more.
I got lots of flyers, 75% of which are now in the recycle bin but some to put away for future reference.
It was great to look at products you see in catlogues and magazine and handle them, like the real nappies.
There were these wrap things which you can put baby into in their car seat like a blanket with legs in it, they sound strange, but looked really good. I'll try to find a link. DH commented on how our baby is going to be trussed up like a turkey for the first few weeks of it's life!
Me and Mum looked at the buggy package I'm thinking of and if you were nearer your due date there were lots of 'show prices' on all the big things like cots / buggies etc.
We should organise a bus trip next year!!!!!
I'm getting quite a lot of movement now, not just in the evenings. In fact we went to the cinema and saw a film, the other night which was quite noisy - The Departed and baby was really leaping about a couple of times during the loud parts. I'm off the the opera on monday and am looking forward to the movement I'll get then.
Congratulations on your house Plumpkin! I remember how exciting it was to collect our keys.

Ooh Peachy - sounds great. The Glasgow one isn't until afer baby arrives and i can't imagine going with DS in tow too. Mind you, I reckon I've seen every baby gadget on the market and DH wouldn't let me buy anything else!

Would be interested to hear how you get on with your Coorie. The maker is local to me so i keep meaning to arrange to see them in the flesh as I've heard good reviews. I did buy a bargain Ellaroo Lightly padded RS though for £19 which is proving fab for carrying DS in so hopefulyl it'll get some use with DD.

Well, having said I?d never have a 3 wheeler, wouldn?t bother with a double and would never spend lots of money on a pushchair I?ve now fallen head over heels for Phil & Teds. I went to look at one in Mothercare today and DD enjoyed whizzing around in it and I was really impressed with everything about it. So now dh has promised I can have one for Christmas/birthday (Feb) if I'm very good!

Hi! Just wanted to say hello! I'm new to the board and due in February (obviously as i'm posting here! lol)
Very excited, can't decide if its going fast or slow right now!
Hope everyones doing ok! and nice to meet you all! X

Glad you enjoyed the Baby Show, Peachy, and welcome to MrsJ. We went to the Baby Show too - got there early which was good news as we mainly wanted to have a play with various prams/travel systems, and later on it was so busy you couldn't get anywhere near most of those sections.

I really like the Quinny Buzz, DH is keen on the Britax Vigour 3. But we really need to decide how the pram is mostly going to be used. If I'm just going to do short trips here and there, mostly using the car, then we may as well go for something really small and light like the Quinny Zapp plus Maxi-Cosi car seat. It's just so hard to know what to do.

All I bought at the Baby Show was a really soft, crop-top style maternity bra and a maternity support band (which despite being small is too big for me at the moment and doesn't really support anything!) I'm not wearing the bra at the moment - shoot me down in flames but am still wearing my pre-pregnancy underwired bras which are still perfectly comfortable!) but it's really nice to change into in the evening when I'm just slobbing round the house.

Had a depressing day in Oxford Street yesterday (pouring rain didn't help) trying unsuccessfully to find some maternity clothes as my regular trousers are becoming a little tight. Problem is that nowhere does anything small enough - except TopShop, which does go down to a size 6 but barely had anything in that size and what they did have was only available in a 32" leg length which is far too long for a 5'1" short-arse like me. Dorothy Perkins had a dreadful maternity section - the only size 8 jeans they had hung off my hips and bum and looked truly awful. My dreams of being a trendy pregnant woman are rapidly fading - I can't even find a halfway decent pair of jeans! I really don't want to look a complete frump for the next 4 months but am beginning to wonder what on earth to wear! My mum is going to New York in 2 weeks' time and I'm hoping she'll be able to find me some nice small maternity clothes in the US Gap. They go down to a size 0 (which is my usual size in Gap) in their maternity wear and have shorter leg lengths too. The downside is they don't ship to the UK - wish they stocked Gap maternity in this country.

Have you tried Pineapple? I don't know if they go down to a size 6 but I lived in some of their normal trousers with DD1 and am wearing them again now. They're good at doing stretchy waists without making the rest all baggy.

I bought a huge bundle of maternity clothes - about 4-6 pairs of trousers, 3 skirts and loads of tops on eBay, and laughed when I got them as they seemed so big. I'm not laughing now...even the ones two sizes my usual size are looking possible in a month or so. Oh dear.

Feeling very heavy 'down there' - anxious DH asked whether I thought the head was engaged, and I had to stop and think about it - it does feel a bit like that, plus the baby is very lively, bless 'im. But it can't be - that doesn't happen until close to the birth. I think it is second-pregnancy-lack-of-muscle-tone which means that it all feels a bit heavy. Must restart the Pregnancy Yoga DVD which went by the wayside a month ago.

Oh and big pants sound like a good idea - any recommendations for cotton ones please? Or just buy M&S ones two sizes too big? And is it worth buying maternity ones? What's the difference?