September 2018 #2: testing and symptom-analysing

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New thread. Will attempt to post link in old thread!

Fia256 I do. I get so worried and check for blood every time but apparently it’s normal as everything relaxes a bit more.

I love a bath. Bubbles, hot but not too hot, a good shave and a book. It makes me feel a bit sick coming out too but my temperature isn’t raised to dangerous levels.

Oh you’ve all reminded me that I need to have a bath before I have a stitch in- none allowed afterwards I believe! (I do shower daily of course!)

Is it tomorrow your appointment Paranormal? If it is I hope it goes well and your cervix is beautiful and healthy. Never thought I'd be so invested in a near strangers cervix, but here are!

Fab news re scans, lovely pic!! :D

Did aqua aerobics today since concluding I can't find my own way through first trimester yoga, felt great to have a bit of exercise, but emerged to much worse backache and this evening another small round of light pinkish/brownish spotting :/ wondered initially if it was connected to bouncing around a bit but maybe it's a water thing a la @monathemoaner @fia256 bath time? Might try a bath in the next couple of days. Right now feel too nervous to move, let alone green light DH's tentative enquiries about DTD

I know it's nonsense and if it's going to come unstuck none of this will be why but so hard to stay cool about it.

I'd love to breastfeed this time. With dd my milk took ages to come in but I think I underestimated how much she needed to feed. I just assumed I wasn't producing enough and we gave top ups. Slowly the top ups became more frequent and my milk dried up. We'll see what happens this time! I felt so guilty with dd when it didn't work out, I won't beat myself up so much with this one if it doesn't work out.

We have all the big stuff left from dd thankfully. I was tempted to buy a new pushchair, something a bit more compact than our current one but I can't justify the cost. The reality is I'll probably have baby in a sling most of the time because dd will only be 2.9 when baby is born, so if we go any long distance she will still need the pushchair (small umbrella fold). To anyone with older dc's, when did you ditch the pushchair for good? Would it be worth me looking at a second hand double?

Glad I'm not the only one then! I just don't remember it with the others but maybe I've just forgotten, like I've forgotten a lot of things during pregnancy and the early stages that I always swore I wouldn't 

@loveulotslikejellytots my ds was 2.3 when dd was born. I went down the buggy board route and it was the worst decision! Ended up having two pushchairs when I went out with dh or my mum etc, and then chasing him round when on my own! In hindsight my life would have been so much easier with a double! And I'd say that applied for a good year or so after she was born! So maybe a good idea x

@CuppaSarah thanks! I’ve been on about it so much sorry!! It’s wednesday afternoon. It won’t be healthy anyway, looked bad prepregnancy so just need to hope it can be patched up enough to get me through.

@passtheaftereights I found yoga made my spd worse but Pilates amazing in the second trimester on last time. Aqua aerobics sounds like more fun. Hopefully the spotting stops, it seems like most of us have had some at some point at least.

@loveulotslikejellytots the constant feeding in the beginning is overwhelming but it does settle after a few weeks, although they do always feed more often than FF babies. My mother found this very difficult to understand! As regards double buggies I think I’d be tempted to do without at that age- maybe sling and buggy board could be options?

Although Fia has experience so I’ll defer to her!

Just home. Toast for dinner I think. Again.

If it’s going to be used, a second hand double would be a good idea. Due to DD’s age though, have you considered a ride on board? I used one with DD1 who was 2.5 when her little sister arrived but was just getting out of the stage of wanting to be in the buggy at all.

I did think about a buggy board, I asked DH what he thought and he gave me this look to be honest I think dd would be a complete nightmare with a buggy board . She's a runner! If something catches her eye, she's off. That might get better over the next 9 months, but I still use her little back pack with the reins on it when out because she will just make a run for it!

Guess I need to start looking at doubles. I had dd in the sling for things like dog walking but I remember her getting quite heavy by 4 months, dd will only be 3 by the time this one is 4 months, she won't be able to manage great distances even by then. Any suggestions greatly received!

Nothing wrong with toast Paranormalbouquet! I'm going to look like a loaf of Warburtons soon! Why is it only white bread I want!

Ds was a runner too! But then on the flip side, had DD been child number 1, she'd of been fine with a buggy board or just holding my hand and walking. So I'd just say judge it by how you think it'll go!

I've got my midwife appt tomorrow. Got the rest of the day booked off work, really looking forward to day to myself at home and then going to midwife alone with no kids! Then dd has just woken up crying and coughing which is bloody typical!! I'm really hoping she's not going to be ill over night now and not be well enough for school! I never get time at home without kids being there as I work school hours mon-fri! I was looking forward to my day alone tomorrow more than I should

What are you going to do with your day alone Fia? Sounds like bliss!

Dd was nearly 3 when ds was born, we have a graco evo and she fit beautifully in the shopping basket underneath. In fact at almost 5 she still fits in it. The way it is, she can stand on the bottom bar between the rear wheels, and her torso is between the back of the seat but infront of the handlebar, so she can lean and rest her legs. It's been a god send as she can get quite tired after school.

Here is my helpful diagram showing my make shift buggy board.

That’s a damn good idea!

NICE DIAGRAM @CuppaSarah!

@loveulotslikejellytots my 2 were only 18 months apart so I definitely needed a double - I had an Oyster Max, which was fine - served my needs fine. My older one used it until he was quite old - over 3 - but as it’s pretty much the same footprint as a single, as it’s an in-line one, it was fine - no real disadvantage to just having a single buggy. If he wanted to walk I put my shopping in the lower seat. When he was older I used a buggy board in place of the lower seat. Does your little girl still nap? If so and if she’ll still be napping by the birth it is handy to have the 2 seats. It’s also an awful lot easier than having a tired toddler who wants to be carried!

@CuppaSarah very clever! My DD stopped napping very young, soon after turning 2.

I have discovered avocado is good for nausea (we got 10 accidentally in our weekly shop this week!)- had some last night on my toast and improved; same again tonight.

DS will be nearly 4 once this one arrives so I'm hoping to make do with a pushchair and him on a scooter. He was a runner but he's got a lot better with age.

I'm only allowed to breastfeed for 6 weeks max as I have to urgently start taking my other meds. Last time I got by with a manual pump which I might do again rather than invest in an electric pump.

Yay! The local EPAU finally called back and I've got a scan booked for next Wednesday lunchtime. I'll be 6+3 so hopefully it's not too early.

When should I tell work? So far I've hidden my appointments in flexi leave but I can't do that indefinitely and even though I've done literally nothing for the past 3 days the fatigue is horrendous which in turn affects my nausea.

I have an added complication of only being in post a month so this is going to go down like a lead balloon as it's a limited time project and I fully intend to take a year off!

Help!

jellytots it might be worth attending a sling library or similar in your area to talk about different slings. The stretchys don't give much support but the buckle carriers are much better at distributing the weight (DS was off the charts for weight but living rurally with dogs then I had to find a sling that worked! I settled on the Tula but we also had an Ergobaby for DH to carry because he didn't like my Tula design!) and also fitting them properly.

Planning to breastfeed here (or rather tandem feed as DS isn't going to give up boob lightly and will be 25 months). We introduced bottles at 3 weeks for bedtime routine so DH could be involved with that and to give me a break (I would pump at the same time as the bottle feed so we had nighttime breast milk for the next night with all of the sleep inducing chemicals!), although often all that would happen was DS would down 6oz and still want boob! And those 'happy' memories of cluster feeds....! Although I did secretly love being waited on hand and food by DH when I was sofa bound... be different this time round methinks!

Namechanged tell them when you feel ready to. You don't legally have to until 15 weeks before your planned leave date (if I recall!) and private appointments are your business. Last time I told my manager at 15 weeks and rest of my colleagues at 16 (those who weren't close friends anyway) and plan to do the same if I don't get too fat 😁

15 weeks before EDD infact (just googled)

That’s great news UppityStitch. I was weeks something on my first EPU scan (by my dates I was 6+) and with a transvaginal they picked up a heartbeat so I hope you can see something!

The legal time to tell work until 15 weeks from your due date like Flybynight1 says. Maybe tell them once the first trimester is over with and you’re happy ending ty the scans so far.

@Namechangedtoscream. When I was pregnant with DS I was terrified of telliy my employer. I'd just had 4 months off sick and was working part time on a phased return. In the end I told them at 16 weeks ish as I was desperate to get into some maternity clothes and couldn't hide my bump any longer. They weren't very happy, but oh well.

*with the scans so far.

No idea what I typed. I’m so tired.