Due April 2008 - the food porn thread for expanding waistlines!

[SantasGotABigFatEllieG]

Hello

I've been lurking for a couple of days as loads of work on, so no time to post

Scorpio - wedding plans sound fab, as does your new porn fridge!!
VS - that dress for Ellie looks lovely. And sorry to hear all your vbac crises, hope you manage to work it all out for you

Ellie - thanks for asking all the q's I wanted to yesterday, about picking and choosing from various "gurus" - I'm exactly the same, want to have a routine and use a sling!! And thanks for everyone who gave advice and convinced us first-timers that we may actually be able to cope!

I got the Baby Whisperer out of the library before Christmas and completely agree with whoever it was (Scamp?) who said the author did her head in - all that "luv" and "ducky" every few pages, and saying things like "jam - that's what you call jelly" - wtf???? Sure she said some sensible things but just couldn't read it!

Now have to fill in all the forms to be allowed to go on mat leave - which starts in 10 weeks for me! Scary stuff.

I am so pleased that there are others out there who have used/ are planning to use slings. None of our friends have really, except for the odd outing, and we thought we were a bit unusual in considering them!

Which slings have you used and would you reccomend?

I'm planning on "making" my own sling i.e. just a simple piece of material. If I don't get on with that, but baby seems to like it in principle, guess I will buy a proper one, but no idea which yet. Slingmeets seem a good way to try and discuss, esp if none of your friends are using them - link here

Good suggestions re corsets and big pants thanks ladies! Will have a look around. Am not wearing a trad 'wedding' dress - is very small do and 2nd time round for both of us, but do want something fab. Think corset may be way forward for the right kind of curves. Plus hideous T&S pants.

I've bought a padded ring sling from freedom slings as am too chicken to make one myself.

i have a tomy one, last time had maclaren one.

both fine and well worn!

Hi everyone, and happy new year. Hope you all had great Christmases. We had a really busy one, quite traditional in the sense that DH got legless before lunch, as did FIL and FIL's best mate, who decided to carve up, unasked, my mother's lovingly prepared roast. BIL put his back out sleeping in our lovely new guest room, DD had severe tantruming and opened everyone's presents, and nephew and niece got up at 6.00 am. It was lovely when they all went home!
Very excited about Scorpio's virtual hen do, looking forward to a drink and a smoke.

Very sorry to hear of your VBAC problems, VS. I am sure it will all work out for the best - would it be trite to say not to worry now, but see how it goes nearer the time? Ignore what your family says - the only opinions that count are yours, DPs and your health professionals.

I am officially looking and feeling pregnant now - can't see my feet, backache, tiredness - I feel like i have moved into a new level.

I like all the dress tips. I am going to BF's wedding on my due date (hopefully!) and wondering what on earth to wear that isn't a sack...

Stunning dress Scorpio - and I love the idea of the fur shrug - you are going to look gorgeous I'm sure!

Sagitta - I have just been to a wedding and wore this dress from Coast www.coast-stores.com/fcp/product/-//Adrianna-Jersey-Dress/2334328080 which looked great on and accentuated my bump really nicely! However I am 23 weeks - not sure how far along you are?

VS I would echo about not worrying- anything could happen between now and delivery (for example friends baby was transverse lie and impossible to deliver by c-section, or you oculd go into labour and be like my Mummy- 30 mins start to finsh, no time toe ven consider a c-section!)

Sagitta I found a lovely frock in H&M with ds3 (if you want a loan its a size 14 I think LOL), flwoery but nt in any way p[riossy or frumpy- was perfect for DH's mates wedding, haev youtried in there? Wait til the spring stuff comes out though.

ellie- consider ordering yur dress now, I amrried Dh 12 weeks after ds1 and had a slight problem- 9TMI) I bled for 8 weeeks or more and oculdn't realistically go shopping for gowns (yuvk, sorry). I ended up buying a dark grey dress with matching coat 2 weeks before in john lewis which was OK but in no way what I wanted- but I was too scared to try on anything white in any decent time.

Good point peachy didnt bleed for v long after DD but did for 12 weeks after DS. Do some dresses take a while to order as well?

Some do I think, the first one I bougt (for the wedding which never happened to almost H1) was in stocka s it was a sale item, but most need ordering- and then on top, it can take a good few weeks for alterations etc, esp. in the Spring / Summer bridal season.

Scorpio, your dress is lovely, hope you have a fab day.

Spanx slips are great for hiding any lumps and bumps under dresses, Figleaves sell them.

My dh doesn't want to come to the NCT classes, I don't mind and I am certainly not going to force him, but am I going to be the only one not paired up?! Three of the classes are in the evening, for couples, and two are full day and women only.

Have a good weekend all.

Hi All well I must now look Preggers (being a big girl I think it takes longer to show) as two women gave me oh look at you smiles and a lady in Mothercare ask me if I need help getting something from the bottom shelf with a big smile!

I have a baby Bjorn active sling in black its the one with good back support as I had the original last time and after 3 months Max was too heavy for my back! I have also bought this cover for it so it looks nicer! sling cover and if I like it I think I will get one of her more expensive ones.

Ellie have you looked at the Monsoon wedding range they are really pretty and every dress I have bought from there has been flattering (I am a size 22) I have this dress in pink and it seems to fall in all the right places! wedding dress

and lastly went to the Next sale today and managed to get two pairs of Maternity jeans a maternity hoodie and a breast feeding top all for £35 wahooo!

Monsoon is a good idea tlsm! Had forgotten about that, but yes, they do lovely dresses. I don't really want a wedding dress but do obviously want to look like the most fab female there.

I'm looking v PG now too. Another client went to touch my bump today but I glared and she stopped.

Welcome back sagitta - we missed you! Glad your xmas was OK. I took my decs down this evening and finally got rid of all the pine needles. Lovely. Artificial next year for me!

TLSM, Do next actually do maternity in their shops then??
They don't near me and I can't find anyway of seeing which shops do and dont stock maternity.

Right, I thought I came on MN a lot but you lot are very prolific writers!
VS, I think all you can do at this stage is go with the flow. You have made it clear to the cons that you want your VBAC, you know the risks and statistics, you can't exactly ignore your dp but tell him to get his Mum off your case! When ds1 was breech, my consultant had said that I could try for a vaginal birth but MIL, SIL and co were very pushy about me having a CS. It didn't help that SIL's SIL ( Sorry, confusing I know!) was a MW and she said I should have a CS. Now, a consultant in the hospital who specialised in breech babies had said to me that the risk to the baby of a VB versus a CS was about equal but that the risk to the mother was higher with a CS. Unfortunately his advice was against hospital policy which was that breech baby automatically =CS.
Now, I recently said to MIL that I wished in that first instance that I had stood my ground and refused a CS as if I had not had that first CS it was unlikely that I would have needed additional ones. She said, "Well, who advised you to go for a CS?" I said "Well, you for a start!"
She actually could not remember that she had been insistent that a CS was better for the baby! It meant absolutely nothing in her scheme of things but that first CS has completely and irrevocably changed my experience of childbirth.
Your consultant sounds reasonable, she knows you want a VBAC, you can insist on having a VBAC if that's what you aspire to. I have had a scar rupture, and I knew damn well that something was going wrong, it was a very sharp pain in the scar, all the other pain was more generalised. The MW's knew as soon as I told them, that this wasn't right, so I had an emergency CS. Now, I would guess that an epidural might have masked this so I would think that if the pain got too great not to have an epidural or if you simply weren't progressing, then a CS might be your best bet but I do think they should at least let you try.

Thanks for all that chipmoneky.

I spoke to DP about this earlier, in mroe detail and explained that at the moment, if I hadn't had the doppler (which I woudlnt have had in my previous hospital) there would be no reason for me to not have my VBA2C, except the scar rupture, which was a risk he was willing to take too.

We are going to ask the hospital for exact stats on the increased risk of stillbirth at 38,39,40,41 and 42 weeks with this kind of doppler result, and decide if the risk is great enough to choose CS.

If they can show me that there is a significant risk of stillbirth that would otherwise not be there in a normal VBA2C, then I am having my VBAC!

He also said, that to his mum, there isn't any thought except wanting us to both be okay, and having had 2vbs doesn't understand why I wouldn't just go ahead and book it, but I doubt she'll mention it again.

Hi I Kianna and Im due 8th April with number 3 xxx

Welcome kianna, add yourself to the list m'dear (just copy and apste from the most recent one on here).

Ellie, don't know where youa re but remember Monsoon have concession outlets as well, might be worth a look? (I only know the one in Somerset but may well be others elsewhere).

I love Monsoon frocks, have a lovely greenish one in my wardorbe I need to sell but keep finding excuses LOL- I suspect it will remain there for years

There is a monsoon outlet nearme in Bicester Village as well.

VS - that sounds like a good plan, hope u r feeling a little happier with it all today.
Next stores - not many stock mat wear any more, do in the catalogue if theres not one by u which u can deliver to the store to avoid post costs - not the same as being able to browse and try them all on though is it. On their web site is a contact us section you could maybe email and find out the nearest stockist to u

Wow, it's just taken me quite along time to catch up!

I am going to look into that site about breastfeeding. I have been saying all along that I am going to breastfeed but have no idea how it works in fact.
All that stuff about premature babies is unbelievable. I didn't even think it was possible for a baby to survive at 23 weeks!

I have put on 1.7 stone. I was a size 8 before and those who know me well enough to dare are getting great kicks out of calling me fat Mama etc. they say it's the only time they will get to call me fat but I have no idea how I will ever get back into my old jeans after the birth especially if I continue gaining weight at this rate. Have any of you experienced mum's put on tons of weight up to 6 months and then not much after? (I'd like to think that there is a chance I won't be an elephant at the end of these 9 months ;)

I think I'll read a bit of Gina Ford to see what it's all about. My Mum thinks routine is good and she had an easy time with 4 babies. Also a friend of mine was not too much into routine and she is paying for it now with her 4 month old so I think a bit of routine is a good idea but don't want to be too strict either so will read some other methods and cherry pick.

Scorpio: I can't wait to hear about your wedding, so exciting! The dress is gorgeous! I got married myself in April and although wasn't really into weddings before planning my own, I absolutely loved it! I'm a bridesmaid for the first time in June at my cousins wedding. What are the chances thaht I'll have my figure back in two months? I think it will be super tight magic pull in underwear for me!

it took me approx 2 hours now to catch up... wow
I haven't been here for two weeks, so hope you had lovely christmases and NYEs.
my holidays were great, we got to do a lot around our new house during the first days (painted bathroom-very green now, PAX wardrobe assembled-took us one whole day as it has sliding doors and our house is oooold and has a wooden floor which seems to be made during a time where there was no air lever(right term??) available, scrubed kitchen from top to bottom-literally...) and then both got ill so we had to stay in bed (together ).
and yesterday I made my trip back to austria.
sorry peachy, I so wanted to contact you but with having the cold and being feverish it didn't work out.
but yesterday morning on the coach to london I stayed awake until exit caerleon and thought about you

elli: my dp's not much younger than yours, he's 41

vs: I'm thinking of you. hope it works out. (big hug) don't take the cs way just to make it 'easier' on the others. you do this the way you think best for your baby, and you have to go through birth and everything, so it should be entirely your decision.