Due in Sept '07 - part 3 - The Blooming Stage !?!

[canadianmum]

Due to recent sad news and at the suggestion of others, I have started this new thread. Let's hear everyone's news.......

luxmum -found mamas and papas shop excellent for maternity stuff (casual, work and smart stuff) - really good. Was completely disappointed by homemummy in selfridges- was prepared to spend a little extra for nice posh frock but stuff in there looked no better (actually a lot worse) than stuff for quarter of the price in blooming marvellous and was hardly what I call occasion wear (wrap dresses, jersey seperates -all very nice but can get teh same anywhere else for much cheaper)

Many thanks for the good luck vibes Mrsmar and Givememoremash.

Feeling quite sick at the mo,nerves I think rather than the ms back.

Re the hospital bed situation.The mat wing of my hospital has not long been built and apparently they have 45 beds,they have 3 bays with 4 beds in each one and all the others are en suite single rooms that you labour ,deliver and recover in.So you just stay in there until you go home and you dont pay .Knowing my luck I will end up in a bay.

Last time round I was in the old mat hospital and was in a 6 bed bay right at the end by the doors/sink/bin,furthest away from the windows that you could get.When they said I couldnt go home after 5 days of being in there I broke down in floods of tears.Some lovely old midwife had a right rant at the nurses saying that I should of been moved to single room anyway because DS was prem and promptly got me moved.

Bliss no more slamming bin lids or slippers slapping the floor as they marched off to the loo in the middle of the night for the next 4 nights .

Hi everyone, Just thought I'd add myself to the list!

20 week scan dates:
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki

PLP - which hospital are you hoping to give birth in?

Me too

20 week scan dates:
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
10th May - Diddle
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki

Feels like i've got to wait ages, but its only 4 weeks and fingers crossed it will fly by.

Baby spent most of yesterday evening wiggling around while i was online. I love it!

I would definitly have a private room if you can.

I had a c-section last time and our hosp has rooms and wards. I was given a room and i think everyone at the hosp is after birth. It was great, so much space for visitors etc. plus i had a catheter as well for a day or 2 which was not fun to carry around. i ended up getting a drip stand and wheeling it behind me round the room.
Plus you get your own shower with most rooms, so you don't have to leave your baby with anyone else. i definitly would have hated that.

haven't been on for a while and now my spacebar isn't working unless i bash it really hard will write a proper msg when I it gets fixed...oh one delightful thing happened to me the other day got measured for bras and I am now the proud owner of 32E's!!!!!!!!!! I'm normally a Bcup my nips also look like they are trying to wink at everyone through my tops...

willbebackwhenspacekeyfixed.

willaddmyselftolist,

20 week scan dates:
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

Hey Laksa - enjoy those 32E's! I am very envious - I have only gone up one cup size but have gone from a 36 to a 40. Your fella must be loving it.

I'm definitely up for booking a private room. This is my first pg so I can't be sure but I'd imagine getting some sleep afterwards is a pretty key requirement for all concerned. That must be a hell of lot easier in a private room.

This is totally bizarre but does anyone else have pins and needles going across their bump sometimes? On the plus side I am sure I can feel a bit of wriggly movement in there now

Heloooo!!!! Just to let you know (because I've already bored the poor office to tears) I had my scan today, and the little Bump is doing really well, waving to me on the scan. It's 12cm long and I don't want to know the sex, so i just looked at it's little wiggly arms and hands. i also had my Downs test today, so hope all is well there. It also moved for the first time that I felt last night while I was singing badly to U2, so maybe it just likes music.
I live in Luxembourg, and the maternity hospital is nearly 1 year old, all are single or double en suite rooms, really big and nice with TVs and little fridges, so I am actually looking forward to going there, I can see how lucky I am when I hear about the shared wards in the UK and Ireland, that's just not the done thing over here, and I count my blessings.
Oh - caught myself waddling today - are any of you waddling too? I felt REALLY preggers then, but i don't think I'm too big, obv preg, but I can still nearly see my feet, IYKWIM!

I had a room after my first section and I was oput on the ward after my second. I actually fouind it better being on the ward tbh. I felt quite isolated in a room. On the ward i was encouraged by the other mums to get out of bed quicker and I did just find it much nicer.

I suppose it depends on your personality though

sorry i am fiofio btw

Hiya, yes I keep finding myself waddling, partly because my hips are killing me lol! My bump is getting bigger so I'm standing different too. Once I'm up, its not too bad though...

I'm going to be in Basingstoke Hospital (otherwise known as North Hampshire Hospital). I was on the ward for a week with my first but only overnight with my second. I'm now steering more and more towards having a private room tbh, I'll save up if I have to!

So glad your scan went well Luxmum!

I do find myself worrying an awful lot just now that I don't feel anything. I think the fact I had early bleeds and this being my first pregnancy I am paranoid about everything. I actually feel relief when I get a twinge in my stomach if I get up to quick. Still haven't felt baby move so can't wait till 20 week scan (week today) to see the baby.

I've heard the babies heartbeat twice now. Once at an earlier emergency scan and once at docs but hubby wasn't at either. He is so excited about hearing the heartbeat he is on the countdown to the scan.

We aren't going to find out the sex. He wanted to but I really don't. When my sister had her baby she found out and although when she was born we were all excited I think knowing it would be a girl and her name it took away a bit of the excitment. He is desperate for a boy and I'm from a family of all girls so my family are also hoping for a boy so that means it'll be a girl. I think I'm the only one who doesn't have a preference

Anyway I've added myself to the list.

20 week scan dates:
19th April - Sparks
20th Aptil - Gils
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

Hiya girls. havent been on for a while! hope you are all doing well. im 20 weeks on tuesday! ive started buying little things, and now i feel naughty! been reading posts on pregnancy about when to start buying and feel like ive rushed!

gona catch up on posts now

h xx

can i add myself!!

20 week scan dates:
17th april - honey2theb
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

Aw Luxmum its fab to hear that your scan was so cool. Without wishing to sound like a total hippy I love that we can share all this. I am so conscious of being a baby bore to my non pregnant friends (ie. all of them).

Waddling has yet to kick in but I have started to compensate for my bump when I'm standing up I think. My whole centre of gravity seems to be shifting - I really struggle with heels now which is tragic if you are as much of a shoe obssesive as me.

Hi all!!

Luxmum -I'm moving to Luxembourg!!!! Only kidding but the hospitals sound amazing!! actually dh's company has an office there and they're struggling to get staff for there. we did joke about me taking a career break and living there for a year or two. Someone told me they have really good benefits for new mums too, something like a bonus of 4000 euros for per baby. Maybe I imgagined it, but it sounded pretty good to me, plus that hospital sounds incredible! Great news about your scan!

I'm not sure St George's Tooting do private rooms... anyone know? Canadianmum and Rin? If they do, I'm there! Like the idea of my own shower!

I hope the amnio went ok mMooMar, and everyone else has a very lucky Friday the 13th!!!

xx

I'm sorry you're worrying Gils, to be honest I'm doing a lot of that at the moment too. If pushed I think this is worse than the first trimester, because then at least I felt sick all the time so I could reassure myself with that! I still don't look that pregnant, I've even lost weight again (it does go up and down a bit, but down 3lbs again this week) and apart from the huge boobs and nips, there's nothing to indicate I'm pregnant. I haven't felt any of the tiny flutterings I felt last week, but then I could have imagined them. I've still got just under four weeks to the scan, and it's awful. Just trying not to think about it. What will be, will be! Try not to worry too much xx

Gonna have to add myself again, i seem to have vanished from the list:

20 week scan dates:
17th april - honey2theb
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
10th May - Diddle
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

Gils - you're totally normal for feeling worried. I won't feel relaxed until after 24 weeks when i know the baby could survive or at least the docs would try and help it, if anything happened.
My first 2 pregnancies ended in miscarriage, and even though i have had a successful pregnancy after, it doesn't take the worry away. which is a shame really because once my DS was born i really missed being pregnant. Wish i'd savoured it more.

Also first time round it is harder to feel baby move because you're not used to the sensation and don't know what it feels like. so you might be feeling it without realising.

honey2theb - its never too early to buy things, have you bought anything major or just small stuff?

I've not bought anything, 1. because it'd be boring white stuff as we want the sex to be a surprise, adn 2. because there is 3 bin liners crammed full of clothes from DS. I hope for No. 2's sake it's a boy, otherwise the girl will be wearing blue dungerees for quite some time..
Yes Mrs Mars, Lux is great for having babies, which is why i am! Seriously tho, it's great, you get 500 Euros before the birth, 500 just after, and then another when the baby has all its jabs. I think you get another 500 but can't remember when.. You get your healthcare subsidised by about 80-90% anyway, so prescriptions usually cost me less than 5 euros, once I paid 70 cents for some snazzy antibiotics which cost the govt 90 euros, who I was well chuffed with that! The hospitals are fab and really clean and well run, and of course, you get 8 weeks paid leave before the birth, 8 paid after, and then 1 month to BF, and either 1 year part time at about 80% of your salary, or else 6 months full time, also at 80%. I'm taking the 6 months full time off. Very lucky.
Better get back to work, hope everyone has a lovely weekend, it's going to be a scorcher here, so am planning to crash in the back garden for most of it.
And I agree Pennypops, I can't get enough of this baby/scan/ talk, it's a lovely vent when you know most of the world couldnt care two hoots, or just doesn't GET the excitement. It's real nice.

My scan isn't until 22weeks as I am having some kind of pre-eclampsia check too. Seems like ages, but we are not going to find out the sex. Both sides of my family are desperate for a girl but DH and I don't care at all and the grandparents will just have to wait .

20 week scan dates:
17th april - honey2theb
19th April - Sparks
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
10th May - Diddle
15th May - Canadianmum
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

mrsmar /rin - Is it pathetic to mention that I have never even been to St. Georges? I keep meaning to go for the tour but seem to always have plans on Sat morns. No idea about private beds but count me in if they do. From my experience at King's College they save the private rooms for mums of multiples (like I was!) or mums of preemies who need to stick around for a while.

puppie - luckily my tummy bug only lasted 24 hrs, are you better now too?

20 week scan dates:
17th april - honey2theb
19th April - Sparks
19th April - lou031205
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
10th May - Diddle
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

I am so excited. Went to work yesterday, & arranged my mat leave. Accrued 9 weeks Annual Leave, and one week TOIL.

Wanted to use it in one block leading up to September, so leave work 30 weeks, Mat leave start 40 weeks, but not allowed.

But, I am determined that this year I am spending all summer with Millie (last year I returned to work 30 hours per week in June after mat leave, so missed it.)

So, my boss and I agreed:
Work next week (I work 1 shift per week, 5 hours)
2 weeks leave
Work 1 shift
3 weeks leave
work 1 shift
1 week leave/ 1 week TOIL
work 1 shift
3 weeks leave
Mat leave starts 22/07/07

Couldn't take more than 3 weeks in a block.

I am chuffed - 4 more shifts to work, and vast majority of early summer off, with all of real summer!!

What are other people doing?

Hi everyone

Hope your all enjoying the sunshine, has everyone got nice plans for the weekend? We're having a bit of BBQ action and will be soaking up some rays.

Lou so jealous of your mat leave, you must be so happy. I'm finishing at the end of June (10 weeks and counting!). I'm taking the full year, which I'm so excited about. With my DD I had to go back full time when she was 3 months old, which was hard, esp as I have to work long hours and don't really enjoy my job.

Laksa, i'm impressed with your boobs, mine have also gone crazy, normally I'm a 34DD but my cup size has gone up to an F/G already and they still seem to be growing - even my DD has commented on how huge they are and she's only 3! I just hope they don't get any bigger...!

I've added myself to the scan list, I can't wait for my scan as I'm so excited to see my baby again,

20 week scan dates:
17th april - honey2theb
19th April - Sparks
19th April - lou031205
23rd April - Sophus
23rd April - Fiofio
23rd April - pennypops
23rd April - Nettee
24th April - FlossALump
25th April - Spraklynewthing (will be 22 wks!)
30th April - MMooMar.
30th April - EdieMcredie
1st May - FilBrit (will be 21 weeks)
4th May - Purplelostprincess
9th May - hopeitwontbebig
10th May - Diddle
17th May - MrsMar
24th May - Rin 23
25th May - kinki
25th May - laksa

Great to hear news about scans though mine isn't for ages. Also lots of similar experiences which again is encouraging. I've been feeling weird aches in my tummy which, looking on the net, seem to be growing pains. Anyone else?

MrsMar/CanadianMum - Re: St Georges - I'm not sure about the private rooms either. I went for a tour very early on (felt like a bit of a fraud with no visible signs) - I'd been in for an early scan after a bit of spotting. To be honest, can't remember much about it except that the premature babies were tiny. It seemed ok - but have nothing to compare it to. Don't recall any private rooms...

I think I will find out the sex - want to whittle down the choice of names - I have a few boys ones but no girls at all so if it is a girl we need to get thinking. But the baby was all the wrong way round for the 12 week scan so no doubt she/he'll be in the wrong position to see the sex... think this obstinacy may come from my DH.

Am also very impressed re Luxembourg. And looking forward to the weekend - Clapham Common here I come!

Rin - I had to call my sister this afternoon in a bit of a panic, I had a really big spasm, followed by period type pains. I've had these type of pains before, and even the big spasms but the strength of it shocked me. I called the midwife too, and she was reluctant to diagnose over the phone. Having walked around for ten mins or so the pains disappeared, so I think it was just a big growth spurt not helped by sitting down for nearly 5 hours solid (at work, bleurgh!) I HATE these pains, they send me in to such a panic. I've tried to reassure myself I've had them before, even before my 12 week scan, and everything was ok then, so there's no reason it shouldn't be fine. Plus all afternoon I've had a slight vibrating feeling in my lower abdomen which I'm hoping is the baby, in which case nothing to worry about. But blimey it scares me!

I haven't done the tour at st Georges at all, I've been a bit rubbish about doing those sort of things.... I might ask the midwife next week when I have my appointment if they have private rooms.

Lou - I'm glad you've got your maternity leave sorted. I think I'll be starting at the beginning of Sept, but using up all my annual leave will mean me finishing work at the beginning of August. My sister said I'll be sitting at home bored waiting for the baby to arrive, but I can't wait!!!!

Canadianmum - are you taking part in the pre-eclampsia study at St Georges? I am (because it's my first) and had the capillaries in my fingers counted. Apparently the number of capillaries you have in your skin is an indicator. All very interesting!

Oooh Luxmum - stop it!!! I'm sooo jealous! That's how it should be here!

Sadly I'm working this weekend (how rubbish is my job???) in a window less room (see, really bad!!!) all day from 0900 - 1900 (oh my God!!!!) so I'm going to miss all the lovely weather. I hope everyone enjoys the sunshine, have an icecream for me! xxx