The shiny new Pregnant after MC due December 2014 thread #2

[FranksBobot]

Shiny new thread ready and waiting for the highs and lows of the second trimester.

Lovely 20 weeks scan Penguin also reduced me to tears! Look at mini penguins little fingers, so cute.

Thanks pengs. Only had the test today so I won't find out the results for a while. Feel dreadful tonight though, not sure if that's related.
Enjoy the antenatal class and I hope you make some nice friends out of it!

thanks for your views ladies, I'm sure I'll need help, considering my total lack of experience with babies/kids. DP on the other hand is wonderful, and I expect will be very involved (before he goes touring mid-jan )
I don't know how you lots are coping with kids, busy work, commute and everything, i've got it pretty easy and I'm struggling.
regular how lovely to feel the baby moves, it's definitely my favourite part of pregnancy
penguin how did it go last night? I hear you about meeting new people, I'm the same.
Happy Friday all

Eek that's quite a size strawbs will you be having more growth scans? I know that here they induce early if baby is predicted to be over a certain size.

Sorry to hear you had a stressful day regular Make sure you ask for help if you need it re: kids & work etc. We women often think we can do it all (which we can) but we really shouldn't!!

I've reached that momentous moment where I now pee when I sneeze Pregnancy really isn't glamorous is it!

Argh pressed send before I was ready!

penguin I hope your class went well. I hate meeting new people. I've been quite the loner since moving house but to be honest I am rather enjoying it! Sure I will meet people once baby is here. There is plenty on around here such as buggy walks which I'll feel more comfortable at.

Pleased to report that ante natal classes are going well and it seems like a nice group of people. We did a whole day on Sat with everything from stages of labour and birth positions to bathing, nappy changing and swaddling. All starting to feel quite real! The course leader is great, really experienced as she's been leading courses for 20 years but she's kept up to date with current research and the best thing is that they're not at all prescriptive about what you should be doing. They present you with the information but acknowledge that what's right for one couple may be different to what works for the next.

I'm sure you will meet people in your own time when you're ready Franks. We've been in this area a year but still don't know many locals though I'm sure that will charge when mini penguin arrives.

UGGGGGH. Monday looms. Been a while since I had that Sunday night dread feeling. Must keep remembering the end is in sight!

penguin thanks for the cd names and agree-anything that may add a bit of calm into my panicking mind is worth trying, including hypnobirthing. I start my antenatal classes this Weds and feeling a bit nervous but if they're anything like yours, that'll be great.
We had a scan for the baby's heart today and got to see her face. She looked very squashed in my tummy poor thing but all seemed okay with her heart.

30+1 eeekk

No GTT!! Thank goodness. At last a test that comes out negative!
Glad the antenatal classes are going well and I am sure Wednesday will be good. It does feel weird not doing any of that this time but we really can't fit it in with the older kids, work etc and there is very little in offer for 3rd timers!

Fab news regular always nice to get a negative test!
I've got my 28wk bloods on Thursday and need to book in for GTT as strong family history of diabetes.

Good luck on Thursday and don't be surprised if you don't feel great after the GTT. I think I had an almighty sugar crash and was absolutely exhausted!

The 2 women I know who did hypnobirthing both told me it's wonderful, i hope you're enjoying it as much as they did. Despite struggling with exercise, i'll stick to yoga, swimming and pump for now.

shanels good luck with antenatal.

high five regular, my GCT result came back normal too, on the other hand my iron levels are too low, so they gave me tablets, which i'll supplement with steak [sick face]

and the maclaren quest arrived, youhou, i think we've got the basics covered, apart from the nappies, of which we only have a few samples of disposables.

29+5 and a massive belly

Good news on negative tests all! :)

Hey covent sounds as if you're doing loads... Yoga was my fav thing before I became pregant and then suddenly I stopped. I'm so lazy. Well done you! I've also become anaemic and am on 3 iron tablets a day. Hope they work for us. So is steak the answer too? I've been eating baked beans and spinach but need to have more red meat.
I've been quite stressed this week with work and husband being a bit difficult but then I feel guilty for losing my temper and getting tearful as I feel as if I've done damage to or hurt the baby. It's a viscous circle. However, really internally I'm ever so grateful for everything.

Woo good news on the negative GTT tests ladies. Glad everything was ok with dd's heart too Shanels and how lovely to see her face Good luck for tonight. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I feel your pain on the work front it's no fun for you but the good news is that only prolonged periods of extreme stress are actually bad. Did I imagine that you were doing a hypnobirthing course? If I didn't you will hopefully find taking some time and learning techniques to relax really beneficial for helping you to cope.

Covent I am so impressed you are staying so active. I'm afraid that now walking is increasingly painful my activity levels are rather pitiful. I have been so lucky in this pregnancy so far that I can't really complain but it is getting me down a bit. Work is so full on that I have only just managed to make a private physio appointment for next Tues. Looking forward to the Trustee meeting tonight which doesn't even start till 6 pm and is always massively tedious. At least it's the last one for a whole year. Woot!

Hey ladies!

Great news on the results girls and good luck with all the antenatal classes too. We're on our 4th class tonight and still really enjoying them.

Just had my 31 week midwife appointment. All is well but my iron levels have dropped so I'm on the iron tablets too. Feel like I've only just won the constipation battle but no doubt it'll be back! Any tips for avoiding constipation when on iron tablets?

My activity levels are almost non existent too apart from the occasional stroll when my PGP isn't too bad. Work is so manic at the moment and my diet is shocking as well so all in all I'm thrilled my midwife appointment went so well! Can't wait to finish work and properly take care of myself. 4 and a half weeks to go!

Sorry to hear so many of you have a difficult time at work, it doesn't sound fun

shanels, your levels must have dropped quite a bit to be on 3 pills a day, I'm only on 1 a day. And yep, I believe red meat is the answer, the (heme) iron in it is more easily absorbed by our bodies than the (non heme) iron found in plants - dixit google - and cakes non sure if it's a coincidence but since I'm on iron pills, my bowel movements are a lot better. If problems are coming back, maybe you could try one or two teaspoon of ground flaxseeds washed down with a big glass of water?

DP came back last time after 5 days abroad, baby went crazy, she was so excited she hasn't stopped moving ALL night, also we've had so many hand me downs that she now has more clothes than me!

Is it bump pics time soon? 30 weeks tomorrow, I might mark the occasion with one.

Remind me not to complain about tedious trustee meetings. Would have taken tedious any day over chief exec making my ever so lovely colleague cry and walk out!

My top tip for digestion-friendly iron top up is dried apricots. Very easy to snack on and they contain fibre too. Need to replenish my supply actually. Been munching on them throughout and, touch wood, no anaemia so far.

That is so sweet that your baby went crazy to welcome your DP home Covent. She probably picked up on your excitement

Gosh penguin work is stressful where you are ? and I meant to say as well that you are too conscientious, you shouldn't have to fit medical appt around work, you are first on the priority list right now.

Cooking smells from a new restaurant is reaching our office on the 5th floor, I'm tempted to go and claim a free meal to make up for the torture endured all morning ?

Iron tablets do appear to help with breathlessness and tiredness, I've started feeling a bit better.

30w today and DP took a pic to celebrate

You're looking great Covent. All the activity is clearly keeping you in great shape. Congratulations on reaching 30 weeks too

Beautiful neat looking bump you're growing there Covent
Congrats on 30 weeks!

Penguin I hope work has been less stressful for you today.

My hormones are on full swing again, I cried at school pick up this time. Not sure why!
Had my 28wk app with evil midwife today. Bloods have been taken and she is going to phone in a few days with results. Cow bag that she is told me I look knackered. Umm well you would be too if you weren't sleeping and had spent the last few days nursing a poorly 8 yr old back to health. She has decided that I no longer need a GTT despite both previous midwives recommending it as apparently she will pick up on it if need be. Clearly she has magical powers.
Anyway on a happier note, I managed to grab a bargain maternity/nursing top from mothercare. £8 instead of £22. Was the last one in my size and is super comfy.
Anyone else been getting braxton hicks? I've had some ridiculously uncomfortable ones today. Bouncing on my gym ball seems to help though

Hope everyone is keeping well, am I correct in thinking we are now all officially in the last trimester? I'm sure I'm one of the last!!

Unfortunately I think work will be incredibly stressful until I leave in 4 weeks but it was eclipsed by the sad news that a lovely ex - colleague from when I worked at the Red Cross has been killed by a shell in Ukraine kind of puts things in perspective. Does anyone else ever have fleeting moments of wondering what the hell they are doing bringing a baby into a world full of so many bad things?

Sorry, don't mean to be a downer. Not been a great week but meeting with a good friend tonight who is a couple of months behind me so something to look forward to.

Just in case anyone else is feeling like the hindenburg thought I would post my 31 week photo to show you are not alone

Oh Penguin, how awful about your ex colleague, that is terribly sad and certainly puts things into perspective. My work will also be mega stressful until I finish but I'm determined to put myself first, something I'm usually crap at, but we have to take this opportunity to look after number one. So I'm leaving early today because I have a crazy busy weekend ahead and I neeeeed a break! They will have to get used to managing without me!

Lovely bumps by the way ladies. I'm getting huge now and losing all spatial awareness! Keep getting dirty marks on my bump from bumping into things!!

Dried apricots purchased. My sister also recommended them-high in iron and have a natural laxative effect to combat the constipation. Nice!

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the weekend!

oh penguin i am so sorry, this is such a horrible news .

franks please change mw, you don't have to put up with this.

Franks I'm sorry I forgot to respond to what you said about your evil midwife in my last post which was all a bit mememe. That seems absolutely ridiculous that she would make that decision on GTT against the advice of the other midwives. She just sounds generally not that pleasant to deal with so I would seriously consider changing as well.

We'll done for putting yourself and your baby first for a change cakes. Sorry your work is stressful too but before we know it we'll be outta there and then there will be just a few more weeks before newborn baby squishes!!!

Thank you for the tips for raining my iron levels girls. Yes, I'm pretty low covent- I started taking a tablet a day at 24 weeks but my levels cont going down so have been put on 3! Apparently, you can either get constipated or go the other way with diarrhoea- for me it's the latter so you might not have any issues *cakes.
penguin we loved our first antenatal class- interesting midwife, useful info and sound looking friendly couples. Learnt so much already. Sorry to hear your bad news too. :(
franksyou can insist on test if you want it- try another midwife and better to be safe.
Here is my 31 week photo. :)

Looking lovely Shanels. Also yay 31 weeks! Is that a victorian house? I absolutely love a bay window. Glad you're enjoying your classes.

penguin thank u! Not Victorian though- we have a standard 1930s house, but very very small.
I forgot to say how lovely and well you and covent looked too.