March 2016 #4 - entering the second trimester at last and (hopefully) waving goodbye to sickness

[marmitemofo]

started a new thread as the old one was getting full up. Thought I would post the link to stats here too so people can update if they want!

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CWO_z74sygCKB3cdMb7jXf2VP1TwJB8KCTF-M5XbTyY/edit#gid=0

I'm lucky in that I can wear casual clothes for work, so at the moment it's maternity jeans, longish tops and cardis most days with the odd dress to change things up or if I have a big meeting or demo. Definitely agree re maternity uniform though - it's really funny to look around at the antenatal clinic and see loads of women in very similar outfits!

beautiful my skin is awful too - I'm putting a thin layer or sudocrem on my chin every night before bed and that seems to reduce the redness.

I'm due 10th March so classing months as the 10th of each month, i don't class 4 weeks as a month because most months have more than 28 days in them IYSWIM.

maternity uniform for me is the one pair of jeans I own which still fit me, leggings, and then dresses and tights for work. I don't look bumpy yet - more like I've eaten all the cake ever.

Hi everyone! Just had my 16 week appointment. Heard the baby's heartbeat - 150bpm so no clues on sex!! Midwife said everything looking good and was v positive about having a home birth. My next appt isn't till mid December though! Seems so far away. I'm so pleased I got to listen to the heartbeat

ffaux I had exact opposite situation to you this week, went to pregnancy yoga and realised how massive my bump is! Was the least pregnant there and my bump looked as big as someone who was 20 weeks! And another who was 28 weeks and very slim had a tiny tiny bump. I was very jealous. I actually want as small a bump as possible so I don't get any more stretch marks

I'm also able to get away with casual clothes at work, so have been living in a pair of topshop maternity leggings, and the cheap maternity tops and jumper I got from the NCT nearly new sale! If anyone has a nearly new sale near them I'd strongly recommend it, it really is very good value for good quality hand me downs. Also you don't need to be a member to go, just means you don't get first dibs on stuff.

I'm also going to recommend eBay for cheap maternity wear, so long as you don't mind second hand stuff you can get some real bargains. I usually try stuff on in the shop to work out my size and then look for stuff from the same store on eBay!

I am also wearing maternity jeans now, bought a pair from H&M and got an old pair from my sister. Don't want to buy much as I expect to go up a size or two. My tops and jumpers still fit.

My bump is definitely looking like a bump in the evenings, but in the morning it's barely there! I keep sleeping on my back but I have heard you're not supposed to after 16 weeks (I'm 17 weeks) so I keep turning to my side but then again I wake up on my back. Maybe that's making my morning bump so small? Everything kind of sinking back in? How do the rest of you sleep?

I went to the dentist today and while there was nothing that needed to be done urgently, there were loads of cavities I should get filled after giving birth :( Hoping it was just an overly enthusiastic dentist who wanted to fix too many things.

marmite do you know if there's anything to prevent stretch marks? Like moisturising or something? I don't mind getting some but if there's an easy way to reduce them I'll give it a go.

dobby, tarmac smell is the worst! Really stays in your nose for ages. I feel like I experience the world through my nose at the moment, like a dog! I just wish I was as sensitive to pleasant smells as unpleasant ones, then I could walk around smelling flowers instead of car fumes and people's breaths!

Joanna I've been told to use bio oil or coconut oil to help stretch mark prevention, but I think any decent body oil/butter/lotion will probably do the trick!

Thanks me624, will go oil shopping next week

Joanna same here! I look massive in the evenings and tiny in the mornings! I've also got the same problem with sleeping positions, my midwife told me I need to start sleeping on my side as I always sleep on my back and she said that the uterus puts pressure on our spine and reduces the blood supply to baby, but I'm really struggling to sleep on my side all night I always find myself on my back when I wake up and every morning I've got the worse possible back pain :(

I'm guessing by evening all your food is pushing the bump up!

Caved and bought some muslin squares from Tesco today, in the sale for £2. Planning on washing the baby with one... although DD2 still cuddles up to hers! Actually I forgot I slept in bed with it every night from about 20 weeks, and she always loved it from birth. Might do that again...

As a long-time side sleeper (it's more comfortable with a large bust!) I'm not having any problems with that recommendation!

Have started using Bio-Oil too, I had a lot of stretchmarks from rapid weight gain when I was younger and it took years to fade so if I can minimise the amount I get this time it would be great...

I found the best thing last time was Palmers tummy butter, they have it in the baby aisle in boots and I wholeheartedly recommend it! It's kind of solid and melts when you rub it in, feels really nice and goes a long way. I used it last time and didn't get any stretch marks until about 39 weeks and then it was just a little patch under my bellybutton.

Ladies having trouble side sleeping, what's your pillow situation? I've got a big long one I have between my knees, and lots of people swear by a second pillow behind your back to stop you rolling over. I'm a tummy sleeper usually so my side pillow is helping!

MyName That's what I use Palmers, first time mum so don't know if it's good or not but everyone says its amazing!

I might try and put a pillow behind my back and hope it helps, really struggling as I'm so used to sleeping on my back :(

To be honest I think stretch marks are one of those things you either are gonna get or not! I had none till quite late, 30 something weeks and then they just spread everywhere. I used bio oil, cocoa butter, everything. Apparently moisturising doesn't do anything for stretch marks as it doesn't go deep enough. I think i was always destined to get stretch marks and I'm quite short and carried very low so I got lots of stretch marks under my belly button and along my front pelvis - none round the side and hardly any on top. I'm not even sure why I'm bothered about getting more stretch marks as I've got so many! They faded really quickly though as I used bio oil on them regularly, so I've made my pesce with them. What I've never been able to accept is that my belly button never went back in after popping in pregnancy! So I have a permanent outey I know its a silly thing to be bothered by but I absolutely hate it!

I usually sleep on my front so am struggling to sleep on my side at the moment but it is getting to uncomfortable to sleep on my front now as bump is getting in the way and my boobs are sore...

marmite I'm with you on the sore boobs, ive always slept on my side but they're so heavy that it's starting to really hurt - they've got up to a 32h so far
I've always had feint white stretch marks around my bum but nothing more, god knows if ill get them around my stomach or not - only time will tell.

I agree that stretch marks are something you're either going to get or you don't - doesn't stop me using tons of that Palmers stuff every day though!

I got loads last time because I had a big baby and I also put on quite a lot of weight. I felt very self conscious about it for months until one day I just thought 'screw it', put on a bikini and went swimming with ds . I feel a lot more positive about my body changing this time round.

I slept awful last night - I couldn't get comfy then I couldn't remember what side you're supposed to sleep on, can't sleep on my stomach any longer because I have the same problem with sore boobs. I'm hoping that tonight I zonk out when my head hits the pillow!

My Verbaudet package arrived and have to say am very happy with the clothes. Only sending the skirt back but then that's more because I hate my legs. I went a size up in everything and it fits well. PJ bottoms are lovely and only £10.
Hope you slept better last night Paper. I was awake at 2am as usual but dozed on and off all morning.

Thanks for all the stretch marks advice, will give Palmer's a go. And extra pillows in bed sounds good, my bottom leg hurts after I've slept on my side for a while so a pillow between them might help.

I have the opposite of the big-boobs problem, mine aren't growing much at all (from barely an A to an actual A cup...). A bit worried about future breastfeeding problems but that's ages away!

Don't worry about that Joanna, boob size shouldn't affect breastfeeding at all!

Joanna - flat Chested here normally but have become massive big this pregnancy. First baby I was an A cup and had tons of milk in fact an oversupply , but had other problems with flat nipples and a poor latch and it all ended horribly with a Breast abscess and multiple surgeries to remove it ( nothing to do with my boob size) . They cut through my ducts and said possibly could affect my ability to feed future babies . Second baby born shortly after was back to an A cup and fed her effortlessly and painlessly with plenty of milk for two years - exclusively for a year as that's what she wanted and she was a big baby! Went from an a cup to aa as lost so much weight breastfeeding but never had an impact on my supply . Hope this helps !

Today's top tips for a good nights sleep...

Tip one - One of my colleagues (who I now LOVE) suggested putting a little cushion between my knees because that stops the dead leg thing joanna

Tip two - This stuff - www.thisworks.com/deep-sleep-stress-less-10ml.html - is AMAZING

Tip three - threaten to chop off DH's boys bits if he stomps about when he comes to bed.

I is one happy mamma to be this morning

I love this thread, definitely makes you feel better about all your own worries etc!

Indom, re the hot tub, I went away for the weekend a couple of weeks ago where there was a hot tub. Have to admit i did go in. Did a fair but of reading before to see what the risks are. It's mostly about raising your body temp too much that's dangerous and mostly in first trimester. I had it on a low setting (37 degrees, which is cooler than I have baths and I've not stopped doing that), plus I only stayed in for 10 mins ish at a time. Was still lovely and I think very little risk doing like that. My baths are more risky!

Joanna, I agree with some of the other ladies, if your going to get stretchmarks I think.you will despite what you do. I religiously used bio oil from my BFP and still they started appearing at 37 weeks. I didn't get loads and they're all round my lower belly (so are hidden mostly by bikini bottoms, not that I've been in a bikini since having ds....because of no beach holidays, not because I'm too bothered!)

I had my 16 week app this week. The midwife wasn't going to listen in to HB until I asked. I remember from DS they wouldn't do at 16 weeks as not their policy. This midwife said, interestingly, that it's because since they started listening in at all midwife apps that still births and babies dying in utero had increased. It has been because mums to be would take it that, if they'd heard the heartbeat then all was fine and wouldn't necessarily report if then they'd not been feeling as much movement etc. She said now they'll only listen in if asked. So, obviously I asked! It took a while to find (I think that's another reason they don't do so early as it's often not found which then worries people) but then she got it, fab to hear! It was 155bpm, but then went to 145 and then 160...so who knows!

I'm in maternity wear full time now, definitely no squeezing into any pre preg gear, or hiding the bump! I'm pleased to be able to let it all hang out!!

Got some maternity jeggings and leggings from Matalan which are great, over bump, cheap and really comfy! I have a similar uniform, skinny maternity jeans (H&M and mothercare) or leggings, tunic/dress or long maternity top.

Last weekend I definitely felt baby for the first time, and again on Monday but nothing since then. Really looking forward to it being consistent so you can tell all is well!

Has anyone else been given their Mat B1 form for work? I'm sure I had it at this point with DS but haven't been given it yet and my
Midwife said she won't be seeing me until dec now which I think will be too late for informing work officially.

I was religious with palmers cocoa butter during my first pregnancy and still ended up covered in stretch marks. Didn't bother so much with 2nd as I knew they were inevitable. The old ones reappeared with a few more. Prior to this pregnancy they had more or less disappeared, no redness anyway. They have stated to show a wee bit now so I know for a fact I'm going to end up like a map of the world again before I know it. Just another joy of pregnancy some of us have to live with though I guess. On the sleeping front, I'm a front sleeper but have been on my side for a few weeks now. I do occasionally roll onto my front but I doubt I'll get away with that much longer. I've a V shaped pillow for between and under my legs to stop the leg cramps.
16 week mw appointment is on Tuesday and it's not coming quick enough. I'm a worrier and currently stressing because I haven't felt any movement yet. I know it's still early (16 weeks today) but this is my 3rd baby so I had expected to have felt something by now. Have had the odd wee flutter or so I thought but turned out to be wind lol

hopping back a few pages... QforCucumber we have a 56 plate Corsa hatchback.. Uppababy Vista goes in on its side with a fair amount of room at the bottom to put in various bags of shopping / bits and pieces. We took it away with us for a week, and if you take the top part off (puschair bit), the base will go in the boot flat. If using the pram bit would have to take that off anyway - but to be honest for a long time we used the base with the carseat just dropped onto it.