August 2016 (3) - scans fast approaching, teeny tiny bumps appearing, and sickness easing....we hope!

[FourForYouGlenCoco]

Well we filled the last thread up fast! Seems we talk a lot round these parts

Oh and not planning to find out the gender here. Haven't a scoobie what it is. Pre DS I secretly hankered after a girl but now boys aren't so daunting :) Now I'm easyosey. There are pros and cons either way for us, based on nothing very meaningful!

Really disappointed to find out there are no baby shows in the North East! Looks like there used to be but none this year :-( Think my mum would love going (she has already signed up to various baby equipment selling groups and is stocking up on goodies from TK Maxx) - first grandchild is going to be spoilt rotten I think!

Tk maxx had in some skip hop changing bags for the third of the price and some Aden and anais Muslims/swaddles last week.

Hello Ladies :) thanks for all your advice :) I'll keep you all updated :)

I think I'm having a girl. Find out in 2 weeks, I did the ring on a string thing and it was right last time! also did the flip a coin. If it's heads 3 times in a row it's a girl! It's all bollocks I know but I still think girl lol. I have names finally and I don't think they're going to change now. 19+1 today

Got a posh work do at end of month, and one of my best friend's weddings at start of May. Just tried on some of my formal dresses and there is absolutely no way they are fitting over my boobs! Any recommendations for dresses that would suit both occasions?

Hi Pear welcome! I had a look at the September group (just to be nosy) and it's so sad for those experiencing losses a few left in the early stages on this thread too and there's been a few scares for some. I'm hoping we're all going to continue having healthy pregnancies from now on! I keep looking up the stats for viability! I figure if I get to 24 weeks we have a fighting chance!

Biscuits according to old wives tales, dry skin is a sign of a boy!

Hi everyone! Welcome cake and pear and welcome back BergamotMouse! jw fingers crossed for healthiness all round from here on in!

I've had a bit of a shit week. Started on Tuesday at work. It's been quite stressful lately and I found out I made a mistake last month (work for a medical device company) which could possibly result in a recall which completely sent me over the edge and I ended up having a panic attack and taking the rest of the week off because of stress. My manager is completly inept and emailed me every single day with questions and asking how I'm feeling but the subject of the email was always 'urgent work to be done'. He's a useless prick and I'm so miserable in my job because of him. Dreading going back tomorrow.

Then yesterday I ended up going to the walk in centre and queueing 3 hours because I have thrush and the pharmacist wouldn't give me anything without a prescription. They dipped my urine and found ++ ketones in it which has freaked me out. They said it could have been because I hadn't eaten much that day but I have to go to my GP again tomorrow so they can retest my urine. hoping it will all be fine.

Going to start pregnancy yoga on Wednesday and hoping it will help with my anxiety. Have a history of anxiety and I'm terrified it's going to harm baby (even though GP said there's no evidence it does).

Need to try and calm down, I just feel like it's constantly bubbling under the surface. Work is the biggest culprit of my stress as they've basically doubled my workload since January. I feel constantly bombarded day in, day out. Roll on maternity leave so I can🖕 as I walk out the door.

Phew! Rant over!!

Sophia1984 asos have some gorgeous maternity formal dresses that I was looking at for a wedding in April. Or a nice formalish maxi dress?

Ooh jw didn't know that about the dry skin thing, in that case this baby is definitely a boy!
Mslg you poor thing, sounds like you've had a rough time! This pregnancy lark is hard enough without everyone else making it harder. Good luck at GP's tomorrow, hope the ketones have gone!

Am feeling a bit sorry for myself this eve, saw my mum earlier and she said my grandad was very poorly but had a few days left so decided to go and see him with DD tomorrow to say our goodbyes. Had a call a little while ago to say he died this afternoon, and I'm just kicking myself for not going today he was totally senile and had no idea who any of us were, so he wouldn't have cared even if we'd been there, but I just wish I'd seen him one more time. And wish DD had seen him too - now he's just suddenly gone with no preparation. Told her and she's taken it much better than me, little ones seem to handle this stuff so well! He was so frail these last few weeks, like a little fluffy-haired goblin, and even though he didn't know us he always had a smile for us, and loved seeing DD. Will miss him. Feel a bit weepy and emosh!

Omg mslg I was going to say the exact same thing re asos - their maternity range is huge and something for all budgets!

On a further not re your job and anxiety I really do sympathise. I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mummy now following redundancy 18 months ago but I used to have a really stressful job. I know what it's like to be kept awake at night worrying and feeling like the whole world is on your shoulders.

Anxiety is awful and I find distraction is a good tool so you don't end up driving yourself crazy. I found doing cross stitch in the evenings really helped! Not too complicated and did it in front of the tv but gave my mind something else to focus on - if that's not your thing maybe adult colouring books?

In bed at night I find reading to get to sleep invaluable or watching silly tv like family guy or if just laid there id fantasise about nice things like winning the lottery and what I'd spend the money on lol

Jw I think I'm too much of a cynic for dry skin=boy ;) But it's a good a reason as any I suppose to decide a gender!

Mslg sorry you're having a crap week. Your boss sounds thoughtless :( I did pregnancy yoga last time and it was great. As much for an opportunity to share experiences and worries and realise how normal it all was. I also made some amazing friends through it. I'm not bothering this time, mostly because of the practicalities of getting there, and slightly because the centre I used was distinctly pro natural birth. Which I am, but more than that I am pro being as relaxed as possible and having a birth that it is as stress free as possible. So if that means interventions or extra pain relief then so be it. Different things stress different people out at the end of the day.

Have just ordered myself some yesmum cards though :)

Oops, cross posting galore. Sorry about your loss Four. Hope you all get the support you need over the coming days/wks

Hello hello all!

Love the bump photos! Gorgeous bumpage. I dug out my maternity jeans today & praise be! So much more comfy, the waistband on my regular ones were really starting to dig in, & the hair band thing wasn't keeping them up well enough. Anyway, non-stop Lycra days soon come.

We told our 14 month old about the "baby in mummy's tummy" a while ago. He's really sweet about it, will often randomly sign baby at me, or try to pull up my top & give my bump a cuddle. I'm savouring this because he will no doubt lose his little mind when he has to share his beloved mummy with a squalling new creature. I reckon once he's gotten over that trauma he'll be a pretty wonderful big brother. He is a ridiculously affectionate little chap.

Huzzah for all the 20 week scans & those who've found out the gender! I'm outright hoping for a girl this time, but I'll probably wait to find out when they're born. It was just so lovely meeting this little person who was familiar in some ways but a complete surprise in others last time, that we'd like to do that again. I found gender didn't matter once I'd met him (it didn't even cross my mind to ask or check for ages), so hopefully that will eliminate any shred of disappointment that I might feel if it's another boy!

Four, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. 

And sorry about the anxiety & work stress Mslg. I found yoga really helpful last time & am squeezing in a class this time too, even tho it's a serious challenge. I also found hypnobirthing really, really helpful for my anxiety.

This week's bump. Starting to feel very real now that
I can feel the little one wriggling around lots more.

GlenCo I'm so sorry
Mslg your boss sounds horrible! Why do you need all that pressure? Grr!
Here's my 19 week bumpie!

I don't know why I'm the only one to call you GenCo Four! Everyone was saying 'sorry for your loss' I'm scanning down looking for someone called Four! Hopefully everyone realises who I'm talking to!

Haha Jw I'll answer to anything! Am the same in real life, have about a million nicknames, hardly ever get called my real name
Fab bumps rum & Jw! I love seeing them all, we're all expanding quickly now!
Thank you for your thoughts ladies, feeling better now, was just having a wobble. It's been coming for a long time (recurrent infections, etc) but at the same time pretty sudden - we were all at my mum's 3 weeks ago and he was smiling away and joining in with DD. I have some lovely pictures of them together and a video of him and my mum, which I am so, so glad I took now.
He had a good innings, I'd put money on him having no regrets, and he died peacefully and in no pain. What more can any of us really ask for, for ourselves or our loved ones?

Mslg My midwife found proteins when she dip-tested my urine, but when they got it tested was all normal.

A good innings is all any of us can ask for Four. It's lovely that you have those memories.

Can I check - have we got a facebook group going? Just wanted to be sure I hadn't missed anything...

Four I'm so sorry for your loss. Years ago I had a similar thing with my gran, decided it was too late after a shift at work and would go in the morning. At least you have those memories of 3 weeks ago, it sounds like a lovely time with him.

Mslg ketones tend to be dehydration and lack of food rather than anything else, so hopefully will clear quickly. It took me 2 slices of buttered white toast and some juice and biscuits to get from 4++ to zero when I was in the hospital.

I'm back to work tomorrow, I was out for 3 hours today and was exhausted and sick feeling, no idea how I will cope with 10 hours tomorrow!

fourforyou so sorry to hear your loss, like you say it's good you have recent nice memories of the two of you together as much as you would love to have seen him one more time. I hope you don't feel guilty I can understand how upset you must be. Hope you got a good sleep last night x

N'awww Glencoco, I had similar with my gran last year... My mum got there (she lived 6hrs away) but we didn't It was just before Valentine's Day and she insisted on writing a valentine card to my Grandpa as her last act. His one to her went in her coffin {sniff} the saddest and most romantic thing...

Absolutely cannot wait for the 20week scan now, I'm always amazed when I see/hear proof there's really a baby in there!!!
We've been hitting the house sorting/shopping hard over the last week or so, hit ikea up and even managed to fit a whole new kitchen floor, 2 chest of drawers, 2 dining chairs, a massive rug and two big bags of stuff in my Mini Cooper!! (Going back with my sisters land rover for cot and storage unit)
Got a pram/pushchair that actually fits in the boot and my dad is buying us the car seat and base :)
Shopping frenzy!!