July 2019 (thread 9): shame me about my bump, and I'll shame you about your complete lack of manners

[RooKangaroo]

Honestly, I go to catch up on the thread after a few days and you guys have filled it up! Love this chatty group.

How is everyone this morning?

Thanks for the new thread @RooKangaroo 🙂

@twickersmumtobe we can do this! 💪🏻

Also, quite a few people at work have already started touching my bump. I just smile because I don’t really know what to say haha.

I didn’t realise we needed a new thread already! Love the name 😂

Well I’ve just walked to work (only 1.5 miles) and I don’t feel good at all. I feel really faint and weak. I don’t know if it’s that I’ve not eaten enough but I had a bowl of cereal at 6.30am x

Morning everyone! Thanks for the new thread. I finally have my 20 week scan today!! I can’t wait to see him again, and dp has got the day off work so he’s coming too.

I haven’t had any bump touchers yet, but a lot of staring! When we were on holiday abroad everyone just stared at the belly.

@BeckyButterfly, how weird! Do they ask first or just come up to you and touch you? How do you feel about it?

@Giraffe888, definitely try and eat something. It's been almost three hours since that cereal, and that's a long time when you're pregnant. Maybe try sitting down and snacking on something small to bring your blood sugar up?

@Chinks123, good luck for today! Everything crossed for you!

Ooh shiny new thread  thanks @RooKangaroo

Get your feet up @Giraffe888 - I've had a few episodes like that and it's not nice. I think it's a listen to your body and rest time.

Only people who have gone for bump are my FIL which annoyed me and a few good work friends - which I liked. And my heavily pregnancy friends husband! Which was fine.

Woken up by cramps last night! Getting them in my calves and feet. DH was awake as jet lagged and the baby must have woken up too as I started being booted loads

How are we on thread 9?! Good luck for the scan today @Chinks123!

I've only had one bump toucher - from a friend who's due in September - she just walked up to me in Tesco and rubbed my belly saying 'hello bump' which was odd! Otherwise only people have touched who I have let to feel the baby (DH, mum and best friend!)

Reached viability today! Feels good (not that I've been worried, but it's a nice milestone!).

@RooKangaroo I’m not too bothered by people touching my bump but it is annoying that every time I’m walking down the corridor, people stop me to talk about the bump or touch the bump. I think people think I’m rude because I’ve just started to say sorry but I’m really busy right now! I can’t walk two steps without being stopped 😩

I have had a lot of people staring at the belly too which I find strange. My husband said I should be used to it because everyone always used to look at my boobs before my face 😂 (they’ve always been quite sizeable!)

Speaking of big boobs, has anyone bought maternity bras yet and if so, where from? I’m a 32G normally so I tried one on in Debenhams in my size and it was too small already 😩 but G is the biggest cup size they do..! I have some really nice bras from M&S which don’t have padding or underwire so are very comfy but they were £20 and are already coming away at the back so not great quality.

@BeckyButterfly I've gone up to a 36g now! I just bought a standard bra from bravissimo (underwired) for when I want my boobs to look 'good' and bought a 2 pack of maternity ones from mothercare for comfort. They only are worn when you can't see my boobs as much (such as under dungarees) as they don't give the most flattering shape. I've been struggling to get a decent maternity bra which actually doesn't make me look like a frump. Think it'll be the same for nursing bras unfortunately!

@Capybaras I’m thinking the same! I’m just really struggling to wear my underwired bras because they dig into my bump when I sit down. My problem is that I’m still a 32 back, I haven’t gained anything around there so I tried even a 34 and it just felt loose 😩

The only bump touchers I've had have been my mum and MIL so not too weird. Oh and husband of course, she is really active now so he's felt her kick a few times which is nice.

I had to buy loads of new bras in the first trimester because my wired bras were SO uncomfortable. I've even outgrown most of those now though. My favourite at the moment is the bravissimo zara bralette. It's really comfy. Only annoying thing is that the straps aren't adjustable and I'm quite petite so always have my straps very tight so I feel a bit saggy. I'll probably look into buying some nursing bras soon

Happy 24 weeks to those of us who've reached the milestone! Only 16 weeks left!

23 weeks today! 🥳 lol

Two more weeks for me until the 24 week mark. I didn’t realise 24 weeks was a thing! Got me worried now 😂

Hi all, place marking 😃

love the name of the new thread :)

I've not had any bump shamers, mostly people say 'ooh aren't you blooming now' which is quite sweet. But I have deff noticed if I'm walking towards someone, they can't help but stare at bump as I get closer. Its weird in't it?

re the Dispatches formula programme last night, it was really really interesting. Basically, all formula is regulated and the minimum and maximum nutritional content is covered by law. Any brands that claim the formula is good for anything else, like Colic or night time formula etc is completely unproven and shouldn't be allowed on the shelves.
Some mum's on the programme said their NHS midwives were recommending Aptamil- which is also against the law, the NHS is not allowed to be influenced by a corporate brand and should be agnostic.

They looked at the cost, and Aptamil is twice the price of supermarket brands, with no additional nutritional value.

Also, Infant formula and 6-12mths follow on formula are exactly the same from each brand, but there is some strange marketing law which means they market it as someone else. Again the second, according to tthe TV - should be taken off the shelves.

I plan to BF in the beginning (assuming ti goes well) but will move to formulal eventually, it deff opened by eyes up to it all.

Excellent new thread title, Roo! Thank you for starting it. 😊

I didn't realise 24 weeks was a thing until I asked one of the MWs to book onto the hospital's antenatal classes around 20 weeks and she said 'your baby isn't even viable yet' and left it at that. After so many losses it sounded awful and left me in floods of tears on the way home. When anxiety then really got the better of me a week later and I had a private scan they explained that it's the week from which the baby can survive independently outside the body, in a neonatal high dependency unit. That's why they talk about viability.

Saw the consultant today, ELCS confirmed for 39 weeks+, just waiting for them to call with a date over the next few days. I haven't seen the same person twice all pregnancy and it gets a bit tiring explaining everything all the time. They don't seem to like reading the notes.

Yukka I also found that programme really interesting. We've bought a little bit of newborn Aptamil formula in the pre-made bottles already, just in case it's needed (would rather not have to search for it when shell-shocked). The attraction there was the ready made element and sterile bottles. But completely agree with the programme it's unnecessary to keep buying it. I think the follow on milk point is that they're not allowed to advertise newborn formula in any way, so they build brands with the 6-12m stuff, and if course there's then association in people's minds. The NHS link, and it's extent, were really shocking.

Congratulations Reginaphalange!

@Stargazydrifter I intend to do the same thing, to have something available if the first few days are really tough, both my sister and friend recommended this and it didn't impact breast feeding at all, just helped remove the stress if baby can't feed/milk hasn't come through and is hungry, and you've not slept for 3 days . . that would be pretty distressing for everyone.

I was planning to breast and pump for the first 3 months i think, then go from there. Again, assuming it all goes well. would be ideal to have baby accept both bottle and boob so DH can get involved early. I was looking at some special teets you can get, that are shaped differently from standard bottles, so baby can't tell the difference as much and it maintains the same latch approach, they looked worth a try.

Just got home from my scan. Dp got called back in to work so I went alone, but he didn’t miss much- he wouldn’t play ball and didn’t stay still for one second I didn’t even see his face, he covered it with his hands! But he’s all healthy, so i think I’ll book one last private scan in a few weeks to get a look at him.

Out of interest what are other people’s measurements? I’m 20+4 and baby is measuring a week ahead..dd was a big baby so I’m expecting it, but I think he has a big head!!

FL: 35 mm
HC:192 mm
AC: 158

Google says 192 is a pretty big head..

@Chinks123 did they tell you baby was measuring a week ahead? The sonographer didn’t say anything to us but everyone asked after our 20 weeks scan if our dates had changed and I assumed we’d be told if baby looked big or small?

@HchyScott yes obviously my due dates stayed the same and I’m still 20+4 but she said baby is measuring 21+4. Didn’t really give any other information and I’ve just googled all his measurements and it seems like he’s pretty big! It’s a shame you have to go away and google I wish they gave more information.

Yukka that's really helpful to know about the special bottles. I will keep that in mind!

Hello all
Didn't join in with the previous threads as I'd had 4 miscarriages and was feeling very jinxy but I've had my 20wk scan now!

So I'm 21+3 and feeling very tight and uncomfortable. This is DC2 so I'm already quite big and getting excited. Feeling kicks a lot which is very reassuring.
Hope everyone is well

@Stargazeydrifter these are the ones I was recommended minbie.co.uk/
the principles of the design sound logical to support both types of feeding, worth a try.

@chinks123 on paper mine is measuring 2 weeks again on size and weight but they expect this to balance out as time passes. Prob just growth spurts ( or I really need to leave the choccy bics alone, but c'mon, no wine!?)

@Don'tBuyANewMumCashmere welcome to the thread, I had MC's too so understand your nervousness. I'm 21+2 so just a day behind you :) (and good advice in your name!)