February Anyone...........

[VictorVictoria]

4+0
One DS 23 months
2 m/c in last 6 months
Due 1st Feb
Bloody terrified..........

I'm worried about work as well. I really don't want to be sussed out this early on. I should assume that no-one is really looking, but I do feel quite self-conscious!

It's hard to cover up pregnancy in summer, no big jumpers to hide behind. Am sure people will guess before i want to tell them as i seem to be expanding so quickly, don't want to temp fate by saying anything yet. Have early scan next friday, seems ages away. Countto10- have also looked at matenity wear in catologues, think it's part of the whole excitement thing, mind you by the end of the year we'l probably be sick of them. My philosophy is make the most of it!

So do I - especially as they've been on my case about having another one soon for ages. The girls clocked it by the time i was 8 weeks last time - just by how many trips I was making to the toilet!!!

Oh yeah ginger by the end I know I will be living in one pair of huge person jeans and dp's t-shirts again!!!

Will probably tell work after the scan, will be getting on for 8 weeks by then. Don't think i will be able to hide it much beyond that anyway.I think they will be surprised as we have been together for years and the dds are so big!

Am signing off now as have to make dinner- have extra maths lesson with dd2 at 7. DD1 insists i tell you she's going to the pub and her legs hurt as she did the race for life yesterday! Ah the joys! You'd think i'd have learnt my lesson!

Goodness you lot have been busy this afternoon. We headed out for some softplay and shopping.

I can't wait to get into the maternity gear again, but may have to treat myself to some new stuff as well as the old stuff. Am glad I dont have to worry about work, I do remember wearing my suits etc last time and having to keep my jackets done up even when I was sweltering so nobody could see my belly.

Ginge, don't despair at being all alone down there, we have vague ideas of moving to Winchester, which is kind of in your direction... I think . It seems very strange to think you have a DD who is off to the pub, I can't imagine DS ever being that "grown up" .

I am NEVER going to keep up with this thread

ps the cheapest vitamins are own brands. The best, imo, is fluradex (sp), from health food shops.

was at the price of pregnacare etc, though i must admit i DID take it first time. But BOY they know their market....

ps you really should take fish oils, i know, i have just fininshed an OU course on this

Which fish oils fillyjonk - is it omega 3?

its complex. you need omega 3 FISH oils. Sorry vegetarians.

you DO need fish oils. not linseed or whatever. the body can't, irrc, cope with converting it to the longer chain fatty acids which the developing brain needs.

linseed has omega 3s but they are not the right one

i can say more, its fascinating, but it is also science and i am learning not to do that

how would i go about getting an early scan? Can i just ask or would i have to go private?i mc at 8/9 weeks last time so i werent that far off 12 week scan. the waiting is killing me i keep getting really excited and then i tell myself to calm down cos ive a long way to go yet.

dunno but god thats hard, you have my sympathy

if you're round me they will do it only if there is a risk of say ectopic pg, if there is a possibility you HAVE miscarried. unusualy they might do it if you have had repeated m/c and a sympathetic mw

CAN you go private?

the thing is, pre about 7 weeks, i dunno how much it tells you anyway. i think if you can get to 7 weeks, and actually see a heartbeat, risk of m/c is much much reduced. but before that all bets are off, sorry

aaargh must get of ar$e and go to gym.

Blimey! I am amazed at how busy you've all benn today on here! I am shattered after 12 hours at work (and a lecture from Mr FlamingNora about working too hard - have to get this under control!)
I am appreciating the advice on vitamins and hospitals and stuff - and so pleased that I am not the only woman who feels horribly fat at 5 weeks. I am stunned at how sore my boobs are! When are you allowed to get a special bra?!
Ok - so can we talk stats? This my first and my due date is Feb 1st. I'm in Peckham & hoping for a home birth. Hugely excited and quite scared...!
Any thoughts on the home birth thing would be much appreciated - particularly how I raise this with my GP, who I'll see on Weds.

You have the right to have the birth in the place you want. They can try to deter you but it is up to you. You will need to consider where you want your ante-natal care too. There are plenty of people on here who will be able to advise on the best way of going about this.

Am feeling a bit miserable, I have a horrible cough on top of the flu (not a term I use lightly) I had last week. I can't take any more time off work but I can't face going in either. Plus, I have the belly of a 50 year old man with a love of beer and it's not a good look.

Oh, Beansprout - I do sympathise, I feel awful enough and don't have flu to cope with on top of everything else! A few people at work today were off sick with gastric flu and I really hope I don't catch it! I just need to hang on in there as I have a week's holiday next week and am so looking forward to just relaxing!
My belly is also not a pretty sight and my backside is getting huge (how much of this is in my head, I just don't know...).
Thanks for advice on the birth options too - any other viewpoints and ideas gratefully received!

Thanks, I'm really feeling rather sorry for myself this evening. Just need to get myself off to bed and get some sleep!! See you tomorrow!

If you're in Peckham you may be able to book with the Albany midwives who are a fab NHS team with a homebirth rate of something like 40%. They even have their own website I just found here

Then you won't have to have any arguing with unwilling midwives about whether you're 'allowed' a homebirth - yes you are allowed one no matter what the circumstances, but it gets very tedious arguing with midwives/doctors about it!

Oh and get a maternity bra whenever you like, but you may find that you keep having to buy bigger ones - I generally go up one cup size when I'm pregnant but some women get massive!

Slacker, thank you so much for that tip. I will contact the Albany team right away! Oh, and thanks for the word on bras - I juts want to know this stuff isn't just in my head!

You're welcome - would hate to see you go to your GP and be convinced that you had to go to hospital because it's your first baby, birth really has nothing to do with GPs so it's rather ridiculous that they're still the gatekeepers to maternity care. So if you can self refer to the Albany mws, you won't even need to see a GP.

And my last tip for the night - stick to cotton maternity bras, much more comfortable if you have sore boobs!

Thanks again - and goodnight!

Hello flamingnora, I used to live just off Goose Green when I was 21/22. Whereabouts are you? I am toying with the idea of home birth this time as last time I had a rather quick labour. DH is not keen though.

Beansprout hope you are feeling better today .

hi Flamingnora and congratulations on being on the feb thread.Theres a few of us due 1st feb and when we get our scans we could be looking at jan thread. i think i'll stick on this one anyway..I was thinking about a home birth this time as i was only in labour 1 1/2 hours with ds1. but quite like the idea of having 24hrs rest in hospital. so im undecided yet.

BTW Leesmum - I just saw you were asking about early scans yesterday. I had one with DS when I had a bit of bleeding (was actually just brownish discharge but i panicked...). I phoned my GP who booked me an appt at EPU at hospital. Obviously you could say GP or EPU that you have a bit of bleeding and are worried, even if you have no actual bleeding etc, but it is probably not worth tempting fate that way .

Personally I wouldn't go for a home birth because of the mess! When DS2 came out it was like someone had thrown a bucket of water there was that much fluid followed him out (TMI Sorry). They had to change the bed, mop the floor etc and the thought of having that in my house doesn't appeal!!

I'm sure the midwives advise how to deal with this though. I have had 2 really good experiences with my local hospital so will go with that again.

Hoping to leave as soon as possible this time though.