First-timers Due last quarter 2007

[geekInPigtails]

After hearing a couple of people complain about the lack of it, and then experiencing it myself, I thought I'd follow nomoremagnolia's suggestion and create an ante-natal thread just for us poor scared naive first-timers

Of course I'm not saying we shouldn't also be on the normal ante-natal club threads so we can learn from people with a bit more experience, but a little newbie club might be friendly and reassuring too?

So if this is your first baby and you're due Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec 07, please join me!

Please?!

hello! i'm a new mum-to-be, due 3rd sept, and can empathise with all you guys. am now 19 weeks and going for scan next monday (16th April) starting to get excited about being pg now, but still holding back til i'm sure everything is ok on the scan. still not felt baby move, but feel so rubbish i am either still pregnant or very ill indeed!!!! is nice to have people to talk to who can share my experiences!!! BTW does anyone have any strong feelings about what they're carrying? i'm sure i'm carrying a boy, not that i'm finding out - although if DH gets his own way we might know this time next week!!!

Hello everyone, and welcome Ambi, poppy and kerri!

Kerri - hope your scan goes really well, let us know! I've got a 12-week scan next Monday, I'm really excited about it

Poppy - I went to the GP at about 6 weeks, then didn't have a booking in appointment with the midwife until 9 weeks + 4 days. She said it was because she'd had a couple of weeks holiday, and then spent a week on nights, so was three weeks behind on a lot of basic appointments. When it's put like that, 3 weeks doesn't sound much and it's easily done right? Felt a bit weird not hearing all that time though. Still, I'm glad that I had the wait and then saw the midwife who'll be looking after me the whole pregnancy, rather than having an earlier appointment with someone I'd never see again.

I had a lovely week visiting both sets of parents - it was such a relief to finally tell them and be able to start chatting to someone other than DH about baby stuff! Though telling them seems to have helped DH get more excited, or at least verbal, about the baby too Still slightly nauseous and tired most days, but it's not as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago. How's everyone else doing?

Hi Geek and others - Geek, just nosed at your profile, I loved Cloud Atlas, it's really interesting isn't it? And reminded me that I can now update mine, how exciting!

I'm the teeniest bit pg (4.5 weeks) so taking my first tentative steps onto the ante-natal boards. Due December 25th, according to my calculations. Off to the doctor on Thursday, made an appointment once I'd tested positive, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do. What happened at your first appointments?

Sorry, that's gibberish... the profile reminded me, it wasn't a coded message in the book!

Hurray, congratulations fleacircus! How exciting, a Christmas baby

Yeah Cloud Atlas is the kind of book that makes me wish I was in a book club so I could talk to lots of people about it and see what they thought!

Re first appointments, I rang the GP surgery when I got my BFP and at first the receptionist said I didn't need to see a doctor until 8 or 9 weeks. But I was on repeat prescriptions for asthma and excema and wanted to check with a doctor whether it was safe to continue with them asap, so I actually saw someone about 6 weeks. She said congratulations, worked out when my due date was based on LMP, and then the rest of the appointment was just talking about my medication! At the end she printed out a referral to the local antenatal clinic and said a midwife would get in touch with me around 12 weeks - actually she rang at 9 weeks.

So that was my experience, but I think it varies from place to place.

It's cool isn't it... the first half I found quite frustrating, because of the series of loose ends (didn't know what would happen in the second half, didn't know anything about it when I read it). But the middle section is brilliant I think and I'm not going to say anything else about it as I don't know how far you are and I don't want to ruin it for you!

Doctor is probably going to think I'm being silly for making appt then... never mind, am still anxious about stomach bug week after ov so want to check what the implications of that could be just so I'm prepared.

Actually quite pleased about prospect of Christmas baby; I know they never come when they're supposed to anyway but it gives me carte blanche to stay at home with DP. We've never had a Christmas at home just the two of us, and he is an absolutely amazing cook so I'll be able to laze around doing nothing while he waits on me. Should be bliss. What's your due date?

Actually this is my second read of it, so I know roughly what's going to happen (though it was a couple of years ago and my memory is appalling ).

There's no harm seeing a doctor early at all - better that than be told off for leaving it too late!

My due date is 5th November (at the mo - the scan might change it I suppose).

Hi everyone! I am also a 'first-timer' due November 17th.

I've only just started posting on Mumsnet (was a serial 'lurker' before) as bit supersticious of 'telling' people before the 12 weeks. We've told imediate family and very close friends, but how long did you all wait before you told everyone your fantastic news?

Hi Lucy... I'm only 5wks and have already told my sister, a close friend and a couple of friends at work; DP has told his best friend's wife. All but one of them knew I was TTC anyway, I know a lot of people wait but DP and I have decided we're happy to tell people if it comes up naturally in conversation. Neither of us feels like making special announcements, but we aren't treating it as a secret. I can see the reasons for keeping it secret but I don't think anything I do or don't do now is going to make me any less miserable if I do have a miscarriage. Also I can't stop it happening, beyond not doing anything obviously stupid, so there's no point worrying about it. I'm quite a freakishly optimistic person anyway. I talk to my parents a lot, they're away at the moment but I'll probably tell them next time I speak to them. DP doesn't talk to his family that regularly, so will probably have to call them specially, although we're seeing his brother and SIL on Saturday so might well tell them then.

Morning all - saw the doctor today, he was very nice (I've never seen him before, only the practice nurse) and didn't make me feel stupid for going. He reassured me about being ill just post ov and is referring me to the local hospital - is this the 'booking in' or do I need to go back again for that? Bit confused about everything still!

Hey flea. Glad it was all good with the doctor. I would guess that the next appointment at the hospital will be your booking in with a midwife - don't really know what else it could be!

Hi Lucy. Well I'm currently 11 weeks + 4 days, and so far I've told one close friend, my boss, and both sets of parents - we visited them both over Easter. We're both quite close to our parents, so were keen to tell them before letting the whole world know, but I think we're about ready to tell people generally now - it just hasn't come up yet with friends, and it feels a bit odd doing some grand announcement! The other thing is, I've got my first scan next Monday, so hopefully that'll be reassuring as we see/hear the heartbeat for the first time. I imagine it'll come up with friends at work after that, as they ask why we had the morning off!

In a way it'll be a relief when more people know, as it'll feel more like normalality I think, and I'll have an excuse for being tired and pathetic all the time But I'm trying to take it easy - I know people say pregnancy goes really quickly, but from here it feels like we've got a long way to go yet!

Hi Folks, we didn't tell anyone until I was 12 weeks, I am not 16 weeks and we have only just told friends and work and so on. But each to their own, I don't like making big announcements either and it just hadn't come up.

Wiped out today; still waking up stupidly early, about 5am this morning but at least managed to get back to sleep this time. At work hiding away in my office, have achieved nothing all morning, drew blinds and was just about to put my feet up for a wee nap when pupil radio station project kicked in full volume from room opposite. Feel stupid being this tired when only 4wks+6. Think I'm the least pg on this thread - how early did you all start to get full on symptoms?

Hi Fleacircus. I'm only 7 wks and felt tired from about 4 or 5 wks. It's getting worse now though. I'm off work at the moment and think I only managed to keep my eyes open for about 8 hours yesterday. I still woke up tired this morning and I don't have even any morning sickness to blame it on. Think even my dreams are exhausting me - last night it was one about trying to get my hospital bag ready as my waters broke in Tescos.

Your dream did make me smile! Haven't dreamt anything that horrifying but did dream about morning sickness the other night - full on exorcist style projectile vomiting, but fortunately only in the dream. Lovely.

I've been having more dreams than usual recently too - I'd heard it was a symptom of pregnancy, but thought it was too obscure to be true! The other day David Tennant (aka Dr Who) was in one... mmmm.....

Hi guys, the tiredness is pretty bad I'm only 6weeks, but no ms to report so glad for that.

I had a pg dream that I went into labour so went into hospital, my family were around me, even my dog crying at me (she does this a lot, she's a baby) then the labour just stopped and I felt fine again, Then on a ward with loads of women holding their babies, whilst I was heavily pg but not in labour anymore, strange..

Don't think the mad dreams are enabling great sleep which in turn makes me tired during the day (plus the attempt at cutdown of caffeine isn't helping)

Hello, another 1st timer here, due 11th Dec if I can stay awake that long....zzzz! Glad it's not just me who is exhausted! fleacircus I nosied and saw that you are a secondary teacher - how are you finding being pg at work? I teach Yr1 and it is soooo tiring! I am coming home and sleeping for an hour every day!

Hello everyone - I hope you're feeling ok and having lovely weekends. Visited DP's brother and SIL and their two DC (5 & 0.5)yesterday, it was lots of fun playing with their kids. DP is in his element with little ones, which bodes very well for the future! Blurted out our news, they were very excited and have offered us all their baby stuff, hurrah.

Hi Caz10 - good to see another due in Dec on this board. That board moves on so fast, can't remember who everyone is (bit of a simpleton really) and also, as you said, they're all so youthful! I'm quite lucky at work, have an office off my classroom, classroom door locks automatically so kids wont nick PCs and my timetable is pretty light - I teach 18 out of 30 periods each week because my role is a heavy administrative one. I've always thought I couldn't cope in primary, it's so relentless, don't know how you do it! At the moment I'm going for a nap after work every day until DP gets home (anything between 1/2 and 2 hours later). I think as it gets worse I may even be able to hide away in my office with my feet up for the occasional power nap! What I am finding is that I lose it with kids much more easily at the moment, which isn't really fair on them. On the other hand when they're being really sweet I have to try really hard not to cry and embarrass myself - a year 11 boy accidentally called me 'mum' the other day and I was on the brink of bawling!

fleacircus I have been feeling SO guilty recently as I'm sure I'm snapping at the kids more than usual. They really are a nice wee bunch and they have a queasy ogre as a teacher the moment. One boy caught me muching on a ginger biscuit the other day and I just stared him out, as if to say "are you going to dare to say anything about this?!"

I don't envy you your paperwork but a locked office to nap in sounds blissful at the moment!

I'm in the bizarre position of teaching children whose parents are almost all younger than me, and some have 2 or 3 already. What was I doing in my 20's?! Actually I am glad I waited until now, I know I wasn't ready before.

Thankfully we have an early finish for the summer - end of June - it is later in England isn't it?

Caz10 just read your post about finishing school at the end of June and got all excited that you might be from my part of the world, I am from N. Ireland where abouts in the world are you?

Caz10 I am deeply jealous, we don't finish until the end of July. I was actually quite surprised at how much older than most pg MNers I seem to be. I was far too incompetent and feckless to be a mother for almost all of my 20s; and at 31 am among the first (as far as I know, anyway) of my friends to be pregnant. Didn't meet DP until I was 26 and certainly wouldn't have wanted to inflict any of the losers I was with before that onto my poor children!

Way-hey PolarMummy. You're from N.Ireland - me too!! Where abouts do you hail from? I'm not far from the bright city lights of Belfast myself.

BeachBunni weyhey a fellow Norn Irelander there don't seem to be too many of us about here, originally come from Hillsborough but now living outside Moira!

Oh I got all chuffed to see someone from my side of the water! Sometimes work in Portadown and travel past Moira. Nice to see the countryside. I see from one of your posts that you are going private. Do you think it's worth it as I'm starting to consider it myself?