Due in February 2017 - thread #9

[twocatsandatoddler]

New thread - hope everyone finds this! I'll try and post the link in the old thread if it will let us go over 1,000 posts.

Good idea Fenella, maybe later but I need to wait here for a delivery and have to get a report finished today. Cannot focus and have lost all interest! I think I'll turn to chocolate for some solace.

Oneiroi I managed to cut out caffeine completely last pregnancy and in the first trimester of this one. I went off it so it wasn't too hard. I've given up now and am allowing myself a couple of cups of tea a day because I'm so tired. The perils of a non sleeping toddler! I can't even imagine having to concentrate on work. I think the only solution is chocolate!

Wow FriendlyGhost, that is impressive! I have been trying to substitute coffee with weak tea, but couldn't possibly go cold turkey. It's bad enough not being allowed nice cheeses and wine, the list of contraband is cruel! I have just eaten a large bag of giant chocolate buttons to console myself.

Work is tough right now but I'm sure a toddler is harder work...

Apparently baby approves of the chocolate binge. Been quiet all day and now suddenly having a somersault session!

I cut caffeine in the first trimester too but am now allowing myself 1 coffee and a few cups of tea each day.

One I am dreadful, I can't cope without a wee bit of caffeine so I am allowing myself one nice coffee a day in the week (we have barista-type machines at my work, but for about a third of the Costa coffee price!). At weekends, we have a tassimo at home so I have one of them on a Sunday, and maybe on a Saturday a big mug of sugary tea!

I neeeeeeed it! And I took solace from the book Expecting Better (I think London recommended it) which talks about how much caffeine is roughly ok - she (the author) seemed to drink at least three coffees a day if the book's to be believed!

I've also sort of ignored a lot of the contraband list.... so I've had soft cheeses (but cooked, to be fair) and once per week am allowing myself one glass of something nice - a red wine, or a prosecco or something.

The only stuff I've been officially strict with - more because I don't like it! - is cured hams etc (though I've still pepperoni'd on pizzas) and pates. I always associate pate with christmas, so I haven't missed it at all! I'll be jealous of family eating it with crusty bread over the festive period, I'm sure! I'll just get stuck into the Quality Street

Kiki the ham thing is also dreadful! I am obsessed with Spanish ham, my DH orders me whole legs from Spain sometimes as a treat. I can't bear to go near the Tapas restaurant at the moment, it would just be too tempting!

I hadn't thought about eating the cheese hot. Camembert or Brie baked would be fine because any bacteria would be killed. I think you have just given me a plan for this evening!

On the wine and caffeine it's true that it's fine in moderation. Like so much of the advice in the UK it's overcautious and absolute bans are not backed by science. I've been reading up on the evidence. There is a great book summarising some of it if people are interested, separating (sometimes WHO and NHS driven!) myths from facts, called Bumpology. I first got suspicious of the guidelines we'd been given here when we were visiting family abroad in the summer and discovered that they are different in different countries, when everyone has access to the same medical and scientific papers.

Same as friendly I've been having a couple of teas or a tea and coffee every day because I need it to function. Last pregnancy I didn't touch a drop!
Not had any alcohol because I haven't fancied it.

One we went on holiday to Spain for a week only a couple of weeks ago and you're right - the "rules" are so much more relaxed over there. We went on a food tour and the guide was lovely and understanding about me being pregnant; I tried everything but the only thing she didn't recommend was anchovy in vinegar, because it's basically raw-cured. We went to one bar, though, where I asked for a Virgin Mary cocktail, because I love Bloody Marys but overseas spirit measurements are always far too generous, so I didn't want to take the risk! They looked at me as if I'd asked them to wee in it, when I told them no vodka!! I explained (in bad Spanish) that I'm pregnant - the barman just looked completely bemused!

That's hilarious Kiki! It is amazing how much it differs. A friend's Dad is a gynaecologist in my husband's country and when I declined a glass of wine early on in the pregnancy he looked bemused and said 'why on Earth not?'. I do get the impression we are infantilised here because they don't think we can be trusted to make sensible judgements. But agreed that Spanish measures are not pregnancy appropriate! That story reminds me of a trip to Italy with a vegetarian friend. She asked a waiter for a pasta dish without the meat, explaining that she was vegetarian, and when she got to the bottom of the bowl discovered they had just buried the meat underneath! They couldn't understand why she was upset and kept telling her they'd done it because they didn't want to spoil the flavour of her meal

Just a warning about heating the cheese - I once gave myself and my friend horrific food poisoning by microwaving Camembert!

Oh no Sparkles! Thanks for the warning, could do without that! I'll make sure it's heated to volcanic temperature in the oven...

I always oven my Camembert - I have it super rarely anyway! But microwave-Camembert food poisoning sounds like a miserable experience Sparkles ...noted!

Hi everyone.
Have been watching for several threads but not spoken, so Hi!
I was wondering for any bottle/mixed feeders what brand of bottle are you hoping to go with? I can't make up my mind! Hoping to go with mixed feeding.

Hi turquoise, welcome!

I'm having my first baby so have no experience, but have been advised by several friends that Dr Browns bottles are the best, they massively reduce burping and wind apparently so have been a huge help to a few new mothers I know.

www.johnlewis.com/dr-brown's-natural-flow-options-newborn-gift-set/p3013810?navAction=jump

Just found this thread - saying hi! I'm due Feb 11th. First baby so no idea what to expect!

Just catching up after a few days away. I know what you mean NewMummy and Oneiroi - I've had quite a mixed experience with the NHS - lots of mixed up appointments and hassled 20 week scan. And I haven't really felt comfortable that they'll guarantee an epidural if I want it etc.. I spoke to my GP and she assured me that care will be good if we have any complications. We're also getting a doula to give us some additional comfort that we'll have someone "on our side".

Welcome aboard turquoise and frankier

Oneiori Your allowed 200mg of caffeine a day!! I couldn't live with fizzy juice and a cuppa! Plus found out there's only 10mg of caffeine in a normal bar of chocolate and white chocolate is caffeine free!! Woohoo!!

So today I went for a mummy to be massage today as a birthday present from my best friends for my birthday!! Absolutely amazing!!!

Another question... is people's bump sometimes soft at the bottom???

My bump always seems soft at the bottom but then rock hard at the top, especially by the end of the day!

I know Shell, but the 200mg doesn't stretch far with the strong stuff! Having to have the milder, milkier varieties for now and make up for it with supplementary pastries!

Hi everyone, been ages since I posted but I've been following. Glad I'm not the only one breaking preggo rules....I even had champers in a hot tub the other week! Tut tut.

I had a consultant appointment today & am so relieved that they've booked me in for a growth scan at 34wks. DS was 10lb & until today they'd refused to treat me any differently to last time as 'clearly my body is capable of delivering a large baby'. I only just got him out on my own (after a very long labour, nearly 2hrs pushing & a lot of stitches), so I'm so scared of baby 2 being bigger.

I've been having an interesting time at work fighting against our sexist maternity policy. I'll be taking shared parental leave & HR have been dragging their heels so much that I've now decided to make up my own policy & given them a week to check with legal & confirm my 'approach'. It makes a bit of a mockery of the policy & gains me an extra £2k, but in the absence of any other policy I think they're going to have to let me...hopefully it'll make them finally get their act together & amend the policy! I'm 26 weeks now so running out of time to get it sorted.

Otherwise I'm doing ok, feels like we've still got a way to go but I guess 3rd trimester is nearly upon us...

Cheers

Oooh keep meaning to ask - does anyone know when the third trimester officially starts? When I googled it it says different things!

Mmmmmm ready, lovely wine! Sadly white wine gives me heartburn even without a baby on board, so I have been sticking to the red! I had one sip of prosecco yesterday and got insta-heartburn! Still finished it though