April 2016 babies. Nausea, bloating and wind - feeling HOT!

[Definitelysometime]

Thread two ladies. Hopefully this one will see us through into the long awaited second tri...

Yes... I do, I went to the doctors with it as I suffer from IBS and she said its most likely to be internal piles . Obviously not very nice but just another glorious part of pregnancy I suppose. It settles down every so often and I got creams and some lactulose to ease it off. Your maybe best speaking to the doctor about it.

Don't worry about TMI Raluca. I'm sure we'll all be over sharing at some point! There're far too many yucky side effects of pregnancy. I'd def. go to the docs or talk to your midwife if you have an appt coming up? Much better to talk to them than worry yourself.

I'm now past the half way mark: it's all downhill from here! This pregnancy has really taken its toll, much more so than the last two. Midwife has confirmed that I have pelvic varicose veins and has recommended ice packs and cycling shorts! Had hoped to work up until 38 weeks, but doubt that will be the case now.

When do we have to let our employers know when we're going off on maternity leave? Anyone know?

Hi mazzle you have to give 15 weeks notice officially but it's all
Down to your employers discretion. Do consider them and cover they need to organise tho ... Sorry but I run my own business and just got totally messed around by someone going on maternity xx

I've already set my maternity leave up and have plans in place for moving work to others should I have to go out on leave. I've triedto book my training for May and I'm having resistance. I'll speak to my HR partner because it's the only week that is going to work. Sadly they are doing zero training in my area so I picked Orlando. I figured we could bring our evening babysitter to look after the kids while we both work. The babysitter has an 8 year old DD so she can take them to whichever themepark tickles their fancy. Baby will be 8 wks old and sleeping.

Want2Be that sounds so hectic with an 8 weeks old! On the plus side, at that age they are very portable and other than eating and sleeping, do very little.

Thanks ash. I had no idea it was 15 weeks! Thankfully, I job share and my partner has already agreed to work FT when I go on maternity leave and has said to go when I need to.

I'm in the UK, but my husband works in the Middle East. He's away from home for up to 5 weeks at a time and isn't entitled to paternity leave. He has to work extra so he can take time off. Him being away makes it harder. When he gets home I'll have less to do at home, so work will be more bareable!

That's great for work mazzle but feel for you with hubby away I have the opposite have to keep working but hubby is on hand xx

I've given you the wrong info oops it's 28 days of leave notice. 15 weeks before due date is when you have to say you're pregnant sorry xx

I was just reading the .gov.uk info on maternity leave! It is worded in a confusing way though and doesn't make it very clear.

Thank you for clarifying!

mazzle I do find it hard when in my own with the two sometimes. Today was a bit of a disaster because we had a birthday party at 12. Poor DS fell asleep in the car. DH didn't put a stroller back in the boot and I didn't think to check. Its that sort of thing that makes life so much harder.

Anyway after drinking a slew full if kook aid DS passed out at 630pm as we were leaving the supermarket. Poor kid was beat.

That sounds awful Mazzle, I hope the things the midwife suggested help at least a little. That's good you'll be able to start your maternity leave a but earlier if you need to.

want2b, that must be tough having to be back at work or in training so soon after your baby arrives. I'm always amazed at people in the US taking so little maternity leave. Makes me v grateful for the UK's maternity leave laws! Hope your arrangements with your childminder all go to plan and it runs smoothly for you and your DC.

Also meant to say, I've found this website explains the law around maternity leave etc better than the gov.uk site: worksmart.org.uk/work-rights/family-friendly-work/maternity-leave

Actually I think it must be harder to return to work after a year. At that point the child is normally used to only being with mummy and they struggle with transition to daycare. My employer is family friendly giving me six months off at full pay. I want to take the whole time but training sessions are only held during this time. I could do a self directed training course but I would much prefer not to. It's so much easier doing the training in a group.

Thanks girls! I have an appointment tomorrow with my mw and will ask her.
I think I feel something in my tummy. It's not kicking like I felt with ds. It's more pushing. Like baby is stretching and some area in the tummy gets harder. Obviously, yesterday I was more active than usual and couldn't feel as much and now I am "hunting" for the next move.

Aargh, a week or so ago I was convinced I was finally feeling the baby (turning over feeling), now I'm not really getting anything, so I don't know if I just had wind or what, as a first timer I don't really know how it should feel. At 19 weeks I know there is lots of room for the baby to hide in there and not be felt, but I could really do with the reassurance that they are OK. My scan's on 25th and I am once again super nervous in the run up and convinced there will be no heartbeat or something.

Hi all, just catching up on here.

I had my scan on Friday (the 13th), and it turns out that's the best day to get a scan or hospital appointment as no one else wants one and the sonographer and mw have oodles of time for you!!

So we're team pink, shows how good my intuition is as I was convinced it was another boy! The baby is fine and the mw was really supportive about my want for a cs which is a refreshing change!!

Me too comelucky. I'm 18 + 4 with DC1 and I have my 20 week scan in two weeks. I haven't felt any 'flutters', just ligament pains at my sides low down. As always with the countdown to a scan I start to consider everything that can go wrong!! You know how easy it is to go to the dark side You will be fine!

Congrats mrwriter!

Really pleased your midwife is supportive MrWriter and congrats on your daughter!

I'm now 19 + 4 and still haven't felt anything. This is my 3rd and I def. felt more with my other 2. It is a worry and I too would love some reassurance! My scan isn't for another fortnight though. However, I think I know what you mean Raluca - although I haven't felt movement, sometimes I can feel a really hard bulge pushing at the surface of my stomach. Presume it's the baby. I can't wait until it grows and I can start feeling it properly!

Today I felt kicks. Different from what I felt with ds. 16+5 today and a bit more at ease. With ds I also felt movement around this time.

Mw appointment tomorrow, I hope I won't forget to pee at home in the jar she gave me. This pregnancy I am very forgetful.

I feel a bulging when I bend over/move around wrong, a feeling like a bowling ball inside me? I figured it was how the uterus is, could it be baby then Mazzle?

I went through my whole wardrobe today and took out everything that didn't fit to pack away. It looks so empty!

I think it's the baby as sometime mine is more to one side than in the centre and right under the skin.

I'm starting to feel lots of movements now, but the other night I felt a proper kick... It was amazing!!
This thread seems to be really quiet, how is everyone getting on?
I had a conversation with my OH's mum yesterday about breastfeeding ect. I want to try and BF Bit I won't push myself through pain and stress if there is an easier option... I know others will think that's selfish of me but I'm a very shy person and feel that i can only try my best, and I would rather be able to bond with my baby stress free than be overloaded with guilt if I have my heart set on it and I don't manage ect. Anyway... I explained this to her in a conversation and she was gobsmacked that 'I would give up so easily' I got the whole 'it's best for baby' 'formula is full of rubbish' 'you are willing to give up, rather than give your baby what it needs' it went on and on and it turns out she can be a horrible pushy opinionated so&so. She really upset me, I held back the tears and then cried my eyes out to OH later that night. What's the thoughts on BF and FF, what are you planning on doing? Sorry it's long...

I am feeling the baby a lot at the bottom. I am 20 weeks along now which is shocking. This pregnancy has flown by.

Purple I totally hear you. BF was impossible for me with DD as my milk didn't come in and with DS he was 10lb6oz so was losing weight rapidly before my milk came in. He was having problems with regulating his blood sugar levels and the specialist advised that we FF and pump. I HATED pumping so decided to FF. I think a happy mother is far more important than sticking with BF when it just isn't working for you.

What I have learned from having my first two is that people will always give you their opinion regardless of you asking for it or not. Best approach is to smile and nod. In your case I would have said to your OH's mum - that is great that you are so willing to support me trying to BF. I am nervous because I hear it is quite painful at first and the frequent feedings leave me worried that Dad is going to be left out. This gives her a role to help you BF - doing the cooking and cleaning! Also, she has done it before and values it. If (when, in my case) your OH complains to his mum that you spend all your time with the baby she will be highly likely to support you.

I will try to BF with this one again with the goal of making it to two weeks and if it doesn't work then we will move to formula. I saw it that my first two got the advantage of the first 3 days of BF which is more than what others get. My experience was that it was bloody painful and exhausting to BF so I am trying to set myself up for success. Get yourself the proper support if you want to make a go of it. I have already asked around for lactation consultants who do home visits but you also need to have help at home for the first couple of weeks otherwise the house looks likes a shit tip and you find yourself ready to eat spam out of the can because you are so damn hungry but don't have the time or energy to cook a proper meal. I am in the US and our health insurance covers 100% of the cost of a pump and in-network BF consultants. They also cover 50% of the cost of a night nurse during the first 2 months. I am damn tempted to take full advantage but I will be having a night nurse during the first two weeks home.

The hospital gave me nipple shields with DD and I used them for DS. Those things are absolutely awesome and I always suggest every mother BF for the first time uses them from the get go. Also, the creams are essential. I was given the lavenosh cream which is good but after DS was born my friend gave me motherlove nipple cream. I found that the motherlove cream worked better for me. Get both!

Overall though, when my mother got all huffy and puffy with me for not BF I realized it was her issue and not mine. I keep reminding her that she has had her turn at mothering babies and now its my turn to mother my baby. I do not suggest you say that to your MIL but I do suggest you tell your OH to say that to his mother if she becomes overbearing.

Congratulations MrWriter! We had our scan today and have to say my intuition turned out to be completely wrong too.

I've been feeling some movements but still more a bubbly or rolling feeling rather than actual kicks. They said at the scan that the placenta is at the front so I might not feel proper kicks until a little later. Still finding it a bit disconcerting when I don't feel baby move every day even though logically I know it's nothing to worry about. April, I get a similar feeling if I l lean on my tummy when rolling over in bed, sort of like I'm squashing something - hopefully not the baby!

Sorry you had such a difficult conversation with your MIL Poppy. It's not very nice of her to be judgemental of you like that. I think what you've said sounds pretty reasonable - you'll try to BF but you're also realistic about the possible challenges and open to the possibility of FF if you need / want to.

Personally I'm planning to BF and I'm going to try and be as informed as possible about it so hopefully I can maximise the chances that I'll be able to. I think in some ways it would be better if I was a bit more open-minded about it as I can imagine myself getting really upset if for any reason I'm not able to BF. I think you're totally right to say bonding with your baby is most important and you don't want to be made to feel guilty if you decide that FF is the best for you and baby.

It's lovely to see people so sensible about bf and ff on here. We're sold so much bullshit about bf and it makes me really cross (I am pro bf fwiw I just can't bear the guilt and judgement heaped upon women, especially by other women). Breast milk is just baby food, there are no magical properties, your baby won't suffer if they have ff instead, it's all about what's best for your family. There are practical advantages and disadvantages to both methods of baby feeding so it really comes down to what's best for you. Your baby will bond madly with you whether they get milk from boob or bottle.

My first was less than 2 and a half pounds. She couldn't latch on at all, so I expressed with an electric pump for a month and froze it. She she was tube fed/then bottle fed breast milk for about 6 weeks.

With my second I breast fed her for 7 weeks, then moved on to formula.

It's was very painful. My nipples were like open wounds. Every feed was torture and I was crying and curling my toes! Got very little support. I wanted to punch many of the health care professionals!

My DM and DMIL are completely against bf, so I had them to contend with too. I cried a lot! None of my close friends bf either, so didn't get much support there. Every feed was an awkward palava. I also put myself under too much pressure to lose weight straight after the birth, go for walks and go on adventures with a baby in tow.

This time I'm going to feel much more confident whipping my boob out whenever I need to. None of this discreet nonsense! If I manage to bf for a week I will be thrilled. Any longer is a bonus.

My DH had to go away for a month 2 days after my first was out of hospital and with my second, he was away before we were even out of hospital. At least this time with it being a planned section he can plan some time off after the birth. This will hopefully help with the feeding.