JS viroids are here in their 28th outing complete with exploding belly buttons. There's royal foofs and jiffy bag gifts, but most certainly NOT x-rated colouring books at the VAGINA party HQ!

[ChatEnOeuf]

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 28th grads thread... celebrating the success of Just Shagging in getting us viroids upduffed!

For those that don't know, a 'viroid' is from the original JSing thread 1, where someone was trying to type ladies (in reference to all the JSing ladies), but their phone decided to call us all viroids instead!

The name stuck and we've been the JSing viroids ever since.

The thread we have graduated from is here in its 46th outing. WARNING: they're all a bit kerazy not to mention randy!

There is also a Just Mumming thread in postnatal clubs here for once your babies come along, or to keep up with the graduated graduates!

There is also a private facebook group (so it doesn't give the game away in your news feed!)... if you want to join to see photos of new babies etc, just ask in-thread!

Here is the stats list, please update your own spot with any updates: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oLJqpadAb2givKYq8OJfGCti3s6xzsTGlI-GoaBfM_M/edit?pli=1#gid=0

hahaha Bat, I know exactly what you mean, it's going quickly and taking forever at the same time somehow. I am very jealous of all your scans too, are you finding out what sex you're having in the next one?

I'd definitely retract the ice cream comment dulcet!! It's funny how being up the duff totally ruins food for you in some respects. I usually love cooking and have the time to faff about trying new things to make, but I'm finding if I start something in the afternoon by the time it comes to tea time I'm so sick to death of looking and smelling it, I end up having cheese on toast, or digestives, or something else reasonably unsuitable. My eating fest was def 18-28 weeks, if I think about what i was getting through when I was still at work, it's a bit embarrassing, I'm sure NOT being at work has actually controlled my weight a bit.
Cold sounds horrid rhi - we are in the throes of hayfever hell here at chez tee, although Mr tee has it far worse than me. We have been inhaling hot bowls of steam with menthol crystals the last few nights before bed which is something my nan used to make me do and it's helped a lot.... Hope you're feeling better, and def push for that lie in!
pud I bloated like a dead whale carcass for the first 12 weeks, no actual bump to speak of, it was just, well, uncomfortable bloat. I was in mat leggings by then..... I thought I had a bump about 16 weeks, but when I saw the consultant around that time she was all 'ooh you're not quite showing yet!' And I cried on the way home because I feel super pregnant but didn't look it. Bump appeared soon after tho and then grew like a beast to the point where I look like I'm smuggling a very very very large tit under my vest, complete with poppy out belly button as nipple. (It's popped back out again, just as an FYI)

Had some interesting tightenings this morning, still have the dull periody Ache on and off which goes round my back (because I don't need anymore back pain...) and down my thighs. All very very irregular though, but must be quite strong as I can feel it 'through' my painkillers. It's stopped for the last 90 minutes though, I'm resigned to going mad with false alarms now! Going to sit in the garden with my jelly cooper and get some sun..:)

rhi no we are not finding out - we could have done at the last scan as doc says he knows! Very hard not to especially with so many scans but I really hope we can wait.

Eeeek tee not long now! Enjoy your afternoon in the sun!

Viroids I need advice - I only get 3 months maternity leave from work which I am not happy with so I want to request an additional 3 months unpaid. But I don't know how to put into words why I am not happy with 3 months. I am 'lucky' to get 3 months as the rest of the UAE gets 6 weeks but I work in an area that has its own law. Also another girl is about to go off on mat leave and is only taking 3 months - I don't know whether she requested more or not. I just want to request it in a sensible way without sounding too pathetic girly about not being able to leave my baby etc. Any ideas? I will request to my manager verbally and then put in writing if requested to. When I get nervous i waffle so I want to be confident that I have a good argument before speaking to him.

purple yessssss! I'm so up for a 'the north' meet up.
tee puuuuuuuuush! Ha ha!
rhi are you finding out? Were not cos I am boss and I say so. DP has been told.
bat aren't you worried your doc might just let it slip? Like "ok I'm just going to scan his arm now" kind of way?. tee/purple are HR whizz kids they should be able to advise on your mat leave.

Pregnancy symptom No.459. I've got an Adam Ant style red strip across my face, under eyes over nose. I already have Rosacea and two port wine stains in that area but now its all joined up. I look like Rudolph (and if you ever saw meeeee you would even say it glows!) thank fuck my face is a shrine to dermablend and CCs so I can still leave the house.

healthland.time.com/2011/07/21/study-why-maternity-leave-is-important/

No idea what quality of the study was Bat but it found mothers who are working with a 3 month old experience greater levels of stress and depression than those who are on mat leave or don't work.

Explain you want to breastfeed (even if you don't). Maybe talk about lack of family nearby and not wanting to put a young baby in childcare with non family for long periods. Also that in your home country - 9m is standard, so your request isn't unusual. Other employees decisions should have no bearing on your decisions.

ga yeah I am worried we might find out by accident although the last 2 scans he has asked as soon as we have gone in whether we want to know. If we find out by accident then it would be fine, just hope we don't.

Thanks wil I will check out that study

Ga we are indeed finding out, though not from the sonographer. I'm asking him/her to write it down so my DS can be the one to tell everybody when we get home. He's so excited that I'd love to take him and his sister along to the scan but it's going to be a long one, with the consultant, scan, blood tests and bp/urine done, there'll be a wait between all four things and they'd go bananas in the waiting room. He's only just learning to read so there's every chance he might announce it incorrectly but he's proud of his important baby-related job all the same and I'm looking forward to it.

I have to know, because I have about 12 black bags of clothes in the attic after DS and DD and I have no intention of washing them all, this way I get to halve the workload. We found out on both our other babies too, I'm not good at being in a room with people who know more about my baby than me, I ask too many questions and irritate medical staff all the time but I can't seem to stop myself. Bat and Ga you are waaaay stronger than me, there's absolutely no chance of me holding out until the birth.

Tee I feel for you and Mr Tee, hay fever sounds like a horrible thing to put up with for months on end. You have my sympathy. Have a good afternoon resting and soaking up the sun and then labour will start in earnest the second you aren't expecting it :)

Thank you purple and everyone else, I'm feeling more positive again today, I really hope when I (gx) get to 8 weeks on Monday I'll feel better again, and keep on feeling it as the weeks go by.

Just wanted to share with you the ridiculous insensitivity of some people though - in a casual conversation a colleague just said me "are you annoyed that xx jumped you in the baby queue?" (referring to another colleague and friend, who is 13 weeks pregnant so has made the announcement). Colleague xx is a couple of years older than me but I'm married so guessing that's why he said it - I laughed it off anyway as I'm not one for getting sensitive about things, but can you imagine if I'd been trying for ages with no success, or had recently had a mc??? I would've probably not been able to stop myself from crying there and then. Don't think I'm being an oveely sensitive pregnant person???

The colleague who said it is male and gay so obviously has no experience with this kind of thing, but still I think it's awful coming from anyone!

Viriods... hello and SORRY for the radio silence to those who remember me. I've just picked up a very kind PM (thanks La) reminding me of you. And Tee I spotted you on one of my posts and meant to say a proper hello - belated hello to you, I hope you're doing OK.

Me? 38+1 with lots of BH and backache yesterday, then nothing but MASSIVE pressure in my pelvis today. Want the baby to come now so I can get some mobility back (crutches since Easter Monday, long story).

Most of the reason for the radio silence is that this hasn't been the most delightful pregnancy ever. But then what is? I'm fine really, just hacked off by the lack of mobility for weeks on end.

I've updated the spreadsheet with a bit of new info. My due date (not that I believe it for a second) is now slightly later and due to the "envelope saga" (another long story), it's likely - although not definitive - that this baby will be DS2.

Anyone considering whether and how to find out the sex... don't ask the sonographer to write it down as they just caveat it, in my experience, and it's not much better than having not asked.

Right, will keep up with you all now until the big day and beyond. Thanks for keeping me on 'the list'.

toddles waddles off to read thread

Honestly looking you'll end up rubber skinned if some of the comments we've collectively had as viroids are anything to go by. Classics include: Was it planned, will you be disappointed if it's a boy/girl, various comments about your size (too big, too small) people watching your eating habits, the constant questions about how 'bump' is and not you, the assumption you are now a delicate flower that can't do anything, your life is ruined, things will never be the same, you'll never sleep ever again, it'll be so hard for you, we didn't think you were the type to have a baby..... it goes on, and on.....

Basically people are wankers and don't often know what to say to someone who's pregnant, so mouth engages before brain and things come out which I've learned to accept aren't malicious, they're just bloody morons.

Rhi I've had a word with Tiny Tee and given him a selection of days and dates which really wouldn't be convenient, (When Mr tee is more than 2 hours away, when I have my nail appointment, car MOT, Airshow, planned lunch, etc) and I've also asked if he can turn up either when the sun is out (SO ideally not the middle of the night) or in a thunderstorm. Plus if he could arrange for my waters to not break all over my nice new Vans, that would be lovely.

Marks and Sparks have got 20% off this weekend on Clothing home and beauty if anyone is in the market for new Bras or baby bits, I got an email this morning with a printable voucher so you can use it online or inshore, if you want it, pop me a PM or a FB message with your email address and I'll forward it on. fills up online basket with wild abandon
Bloody sun has gone in. Poo!

Bat Not sure how it'll work from a legal standpoint, is your company UAE or US or UK owned at all?

Hi before! sorry to hear about mobility, it fucking sucks! Good to see you back! xx

Purple - it's awesome to see you here, very belated congratulations. And the same goes for everyone who graduated after I did my disappearing act.

tee legally 3 months is what I am entitled to - I get 6 weeks full pay and 6 weeks half pay. It is a UAE registered company. So I just want to plead to their better nature to be nice to me and let me take more time off unpaid They like me but I have only been here since July so it's not like I'm a mega long term loyal employee that they feel like they have to give back to. I suppose it will come down to whether they would worry that I might quit if they say no. I would never want to threaten that but it would be nice if they were worried that I might haha

Aw Ollie is gorj!!

teejayem he doesn't know I'm pregnant (I'm only 7+3) that's my point! There's several women in my work who are married but childless, out of personal choice or not - I don't know! But I would never say to them "oh are you annoyed that so-and-so is pregnant and you're not" - I think that's way worse than commenting on the size of your bump (although that is also extremely rude!)!!

Before, glad to see you here again! Sucks about the crutches but the end is in sight now.

Dulcet, chocolate is an excellent snacking product...maybe vary it a little though...milk, white, dark... Definitely withhold the ice creams for the foreseeable.

We've thought we've found out on several occasions - sonographer saying he, consultant saying she...it's probably evened itself out by now and we're still oblivious.

Bat would a breastfeeding argument go down well? I think that's pretty much the only way mums here get any additional leave. Unpaid, of course.

Lovely to see you here Jelly :)

Oh Tori huge congratulations! He's a beaut!

Yay! Lovely pictures Tori :)

awwww squeeeee tori he is yummy!! Well done you, sounds a bit of a marathon, but so pleased you're both okay!

looking ahhh, I see.... yes that's pretty insulting. Like the people that say to you 'oooh you'll be next!' when referring to engagement/wedding/having baby etc.

Aww congrats Tori! Will get onto the laptop later to get a look at pics.

Well after boasting to my friend last night that my bladder had been fine I seem to have been to the loo about 10 times today! Should have kept my mouth shut!

Congrats Tori, that is one beautiful little man you've got there. Glad all is okay even though you didn't have an easy time of it by the looks of things. All these lovely babies and time isn't going fast enough for me :D

Tee glad you and TinyTee have an arrangement as regards when he's allowed out. I think if he can do that for you then you've struck it lucky and he'll probably sleep through from day one and teethe happily with no issues. Result.

Bat I think like everyone else has said that breastfeeding is your biggest card to play. It really would be hard to express enough for a 3 month old baby (even if you don't really bf they'll never know) and if they aren't paying you then you just need to extend the temporary cover they've got in for your maternity leave, it's not a massive ask and if they're keen to keep you (and who wouldn't be?) then you might find it's easy enough to arrange. Good luck :)

Evening all :) quick question, in your first few weeks of being upduffed did you get "wetness" downstairs?

I didn't get much of that early on Jelly but believe that others have. Glad things have settled down for you a little and Looking too.

Thanks for the bump info ladies (can't wait to have one!) How do maternity clothes work? Do you just buy one mega stretchy pair of trousers and wear them throughout? Or are there different stages (a bit pregnant, quite pregnant, mega pregnant etc)