May 2017 #4

[WishIWasSleeping]

Oh, obviously I do know how!

Honey / lemon hot drink McBaby?
(I also always find a hot shower helps as you inhale the water vapour which helps clear your sinuses)

Adventure I can understand how you feel I think but honestly, boys are amazing! And clearly it's a long time until he's a teenager but every single stage of my DS's growing up has been a privilege to witness and share in. You might not get a boy who's very boyish, likewise a girl might not be feminine or girly. But you do get an amazing new baby and you'll adore him I promise.

I'm not buying anything for ages. Also superstitious!

Rasperry I felt a bit of sadness for what might have been when I found out I was expecting a boy during my first pregnancy. I might have felt the same if it was a girl too though - it could just be the fact that you can only have one or the other, whatever the result is you've "lost" one of options so it's normal to feel disappointed rather than overjoyed! We build ourselves up to finding out the gender but at the end of the day you don't gain something new when you find out, you actually lose a world of possibility.

It helps to search Mumsnet for threads about how lovely boys are. I think there are a few. I'm not normally into gender stereotyping but I think at the time it did help reading about how boys love their mummies and are very cuddly, whereas sometimes girls can be the opposite

Also, that stuff did come true for me I am now very happy to have a son and wouldn't mind if the second one is another boy too! My 2 year old boy is so cuddly, he gives me kisses and says "mummy I love you loads loads LOADS!" and he is usually not boisterous or noisy like the horrid stereotypes of boys. He calls me "my lovely" and always says sorry and gives me a kiss if he thinks he's done something wrong or hurt me by accident. He always wants to sit next to little girls and give them feathers and acorns and sticks etc at a woodland toddler group we go to, but they always push him away! In my personal experience I have found the boy babies and toddlers we know are less whiny and tantrummy than the girls.

When it comes to teenagers, teenage boys can be "mummy's boys" and can sometimes be more chilled out than teenage girls too. I know my teenage brother was a lot more chilled out than I was as at that age. If he got told off he'd just go and sulk in his room for an hour or so, and then emerge as if nothing had happened. Whereas if I got told off, I would have a big hissy fit and I'd perpetuate arguments with my mum all evening. My teenage brother was also a lot more helpful around the house than I was!

(Not saying girls are awful, just wanted to shine a positive light on boys for those feeling a bit of disappointment about their gender result!)

This is partly the reason I'm waiting to see what it is. Having already got one girl I think it would be nice to have a boy (even though I have no idea what to do with one!) but by the time it's born I'll just want it out and will be happy that's done.

I'm living on honey and lemon here, plus Halls to stop coughing when out. Sucks that you can't really take anything else so I'm trying to ignore it.

I bought a star wars babygrow in 0-3 just after the BFP but we're already got heaps from last time so not really going to make a difference to that. Very different last time round, only got the travel system ordered at 35 weeks!

Ooops! Just ate half a jar of mixed pickle! Not having a particularly healthy day

Hugs Adventure remember a lot of it is whacky hormones.... can't offer any advice on boys but if it makes you feel better I spent a whole day a couple of weeks ago in floods of tears because our 5 month old puppy was so cute!

Oh Adventure I think that's a much more common reaction than you might think. Although I don't know for certain what I'm having I'd say I'm around 90% sure and it's different to what I imagined when I first imagined having a child. But I do feel so fortunate that so far things are progressing well, and both sexes have plusses and minuses. I know things are changing but I often think life is a bit more straightforward for boys.

Okay here's my bump. According to my scan I'm only 12 weeks so bump not massive yet.

The weird thing is that my belly has grown (it's bigger than it looks in the pics!) and my boobs have inflated rather a lot too, my non-maternity clothes all feel too tight... and yet I haven't actually put on any weight when I stand on the scales. The human body is truly bizarre.

Can't see my feet already when I look down...

Thank you all for your lovely messages. We also found out what we are having but as I know some of you on here I will keep quiet till all our family knows!
My bump is tiny compared to some of the photos uploaded. I'm sure most people just think I'm a little chubby!

I dont think I've got a bump, I just look like I'm putting on some of the 2 stone I just lost!

Been really ill this week with a chest infection. Have ended up on antibiotics as its made my asthma go crazy. Just want to feel normal again!

Oh adventure. I feel for you. Try to not to think about it like you are having a boy, but that you are having your boy. And he will be the best boy in the world to you. Just wait til you hear his little voice say 'mummy' for the first time, or fling his arms around you. It's the best thing in the world, regardless of their sex.

Some lovely little bump pictures! Mamushka I can't see my toes either, I have an awards ceremony to go to on Friday and am considering asking DH to paint my toenails for me!

LittleEm!!! That's too exciting! Will everyone know before I see you on Sat!?...

Mamushka my boobs have definitely grown, and my non-mat clothes are too tight. But at my 12 week appointment I hadn't put on any weight either! Will be interesting to see if I have at 16 weeks - appointment next week.

Have you all had the whooping cough vaccine, and do you know if it should be at 16 or 20 weeks? I'm very confused.

Raspberry yes everyone will know by Saturday so will tell you then .

I haven't had the whooping cough vaccine yet, I can't remember when they said to have it so I'm not much help - sorry!

Mrs JW the note on the front of my yellow file says from week 20 to...
I can't remember the to bit but it was much later on.

I think the midwives will tell you when the time comes to have the vaccine, or you receive a letter, and then it's a case of booking it at your GP surgery.

Thanks everyone - you've really helped me get my head round it !! And I bought some cute baby dungarees from White Company to cheer me up ! X

It's 16 weeks in Scotland, 20 weeks everywhere else for whooping cough. I've got an appointment next week for it. Appears to be clashing with my 18 week scan but will work round it somehow.

Whooping cough is later, needs to be closer to delivery as you pass immunity on to the baby and the baby needs to be protected until it has its own jabs. I think it was 28 weeks? Last time i was pregnant as they announced it to great fanfare on the news, i had a midwife apt same day and asked, no one had told them!
Got my screening results today, 'lower risk' same as last time. Here that's all they say.

Well best follow your local guidelines.

Current UK NHS guidelines ladies

Maybe they had too many people missing it if they only started at 28 weeks. Will have a rummage in my notes to see when mine's due this time. Or perhaps they just corner you after the 20 week scan! (I had a doctor's appt after my 12 week scan, which they'd not told me about... cue me being at the hospital a whole 2.5 hours!!)

Thanks all - I'm seeing midwives at the hospital not at the GP, and there seemed to be some confusion between the two of them about who would do the vaccine!