First-timers this year . . .

[TJuice]

I was just wondering how many are there of us . . .

I am due end of June and love my antenatal thread as there is so much good advice there but thought it may be nice to share a little with others who are new to this whole thing too.

Anyone interested?

dramaqueen, hell no! It's one of the best bits about being preggers I think, being able to knock off early every now and then

hi musicgirl, congrats to you! Sorry to hear about your work situation, hope it sorts itself out for you - these things often have a way of getting sorted.

but yes, please do join our merry throng!

I am addicted to opal fruits/starburst at the moment, do you think a packet counts as one of my 'one a day'?

Sure thing MrsHOP, as long as all the chocolate I'm eating counts as part of my calcium intake. Isn't there a glass and a half of milk in every block of cadburys chocolate?

Hi all, welcome to caffeine and musicgirl! Do people have any top tips about shops for maternity clothes? I need something smart(ish) for a wedding when I'm 6 1/2 months. Actually bought a dress from Picchu Maternity that is very nice but extremely clingy, to bump (fine) and all my other bits (not so fine). Something flattering but skimming would be ideal!! There seems a fair bit of choice on the internet but wondering if some shops are better than others?

Hi all,

Carrie- I love Next clothes and seen a dress that i love! Just need an occasion to wear it!

here

ooo, just popped in at the right time!
pigleychez that dress is lovely, I've got a wedding to go to in August when I'll be nearly 8 months...wonder if that dress'll fit a big fatty!!

Anyone tried on any mat jeans that actually fit? I cant seem to find any that dont need hitched up every five minutes. I bought some with a stretch under the bump front - cant walk 2 steps in them; have got a fabric belt which helps, but it's really uncomfortable when sitting down. Ordered some from topshop with stretch side panels - cant walk 2 steps in them without hitching them up!! I just need something that fits the front without hanging off my ass . Anyone found any real gems? I'm a curvy size 14 normally so need somthing to suit that shape.

my favourite dress at min

pigleychez your dress great also and Next sizes much more reliable than most! suspect that, just like in the non-maternity world, I will be less like the 'grecian goddess' they mention and more like 'pregnant lady wearing a grey polyester tent'...

drama queen I tried on all the Next Mat jeans I could get a hand on and couldn't quite get a good fit for me, although the jeans themselves were decent. I have bought some perfectly fitting denim shorts for my upcoming hols with a stretch under the bump front, they are really comfy, no digging in, and were from La Redoute, so could be a good sign for what their jeans are like?

Dramaqueen - my curvy size 14 is more of a 16 now, but I have found Dotty P to be good, but only the ones with buttons at the side, not the big elastic over the bump style ones. They're not designer by any means, but they look like real jeans, even with shortish tops. Because they're button side only I don't think they'll last throughout the whole pregnancy, but they're cheap £25-3
0 and I wear jeans all the time so have found them great. I also found a bump band (topshop £5) helps keep trousers up that want to fall down.

This is an expensive thread for me! Saw the Next dress and went to their online shop, ended up spending £100. They have a fantastic looking black trouser suit perfect for work for £50, complete bargain. It's also available in short person size, which saves me getting out the wonderweb. I hope to wear the dress to a wedding at Easter (I'm 24 weeks now). So thank you pigleychez, so much better than dragging my ever expanding butt around the shops.

Off to see anaethaetist (spelling! MN, pls can we have a spell check option!) this morning because I have suffered with back problems in the past, then onto GP for 24 week check up. Not exactly sure what to expect in either case. Has anyone got any experience? If not, I will let you know when I get back.

Cheers PP - will check out DP this weekend when I'm in town. Off to ante-natal appt later so might pop into nearby New Look as well. I've got the bump band already so might try that with the existing jeans to see if it helps.

Let me know how the Next suit is when you try it on. A few of the NExt's near me stock the maternity range but they usually only have one pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts.

thanks for the long-legged jean tip off, tall bird. may have to order some from them as i hate to ankle flap at all.

h&m maternity are actually pretty okay and not bad length either. and cheap which is important. i like the fact that i am a "medium" in their maternity jeans, which is unheard of for me.
i haven't got many official maternity tops as they can be a bit frumpy and besides, i have tons of loose tops in my wardrobe anyway. but my friend's theory is that if you are still at the "she's gained a bit of weight/let herself go" stage - you can do loose. after that, you should go a bit tighter to show off the bump. i kind of agree but sometimes you just have to be comfy.

Finally found a pair of jeans that dont fall down! From New Look - also cheap.

Bought a few maternity tops yesterday too. I've still got a few loose fitting tops that fit fine, but I was really feeling during the week that they were just making me look fat and shapeless . HAve to confess that NL is somewhere I'd never shop normally but they did have a few cheap bits and pieces that will do me over the next couple of months. Will check out DP and H&M over the weekend.

Are they over the bump jeans or under the bump?

Im struggling in the fact that under the bump ones seem to fall down when walking and im constantly stopping to hitch them up. However unless the over the bump ones have a good bit of elastic in the fabric, they just look baggy and loose (crap under tight tops!)
Must be at that akward size.

Been sufffering a fair bit the past few days from Round ligament pains.Had this week off work so able to rest but back on monday and dread to think how im going to manage if it doesnt improve! Im Deputy manager of a nursery school and the children keep me very busy!

PP- as a curvy person, have found two pairs of jeans that really fit nicely....one from Blooming Marvellous (with the elastic that you adjust with buttons to fit) and one from Mothercare (bizarre I know...same kind of fitting as BM ones). They are both under the bump jeans and have belt loops, which I have used (with one of DH's belts) to good effect. They seem to fit really well, which is good because I live and die in jeans (work from home).

Pigley-I ordered a pair of over-the-bump jeans from Verbaudet and I have to say that they are yet to fit....no belt loops, and they are rubbish. Very annoying, but hoping they will fit towards the end when I am ginormous! Interestingly I do have one pair of 'smart black trews' that are over-the-bump, and they have adjustable elastic at the top of the bump....they stay up really well. Mothercare again.

God, I sound so middle aged- you are all shopping in Next and Topshop, and I live in Mothercare.

Hi girls,

Im expecting my first october 4th so guess i can join?!?!

MUSICGIRL i no exactly how your feeling - i was made redundant from my job in january and between then and getting my new job ive managed to get myself pregnant - i dont start til 3rd March so il be about 9 weeks and im really dreading telling them!!

HelenCS - Are you going to wait until after your 3 month trial period? Do you think that is being cheeky?

Pigley - the new look ones were under the bump. They have stretch side panels but also an adjustable button. I walked about a good bit in the shop and they seemed to stay up fine. They were dark indigo with a crease front (but that could easily be ironed out).

The top shop ones (they're a looser fit M jean) seemed rubbish at first - they are under bump with side panels, but when I looked again I spotted that they also have an adjustable button. Tried them with that and they seemed much better.

I had previously bought some fairly expensive ones (from seraphine) and they are under the bump but with a fabric front (not adjustable) but they ALWAYS fall down. I wore them on a recent holiday to New York and my legs ended up in a right state - because I kept having to pull them up and they didn't fit right, the seams ended up really rubbing against my legs and they were really red and sore for weeks .

Makecakes - when it comes to maternity jeans I dont think it matters where you shop - as long as they stay up .

I'm waiting for some smart trousers to be delivered from Jojmamanbebe so will let you know how I get on with those.

Hello and welcome Helen CS - hope the new job works out ok.

Quick tip for anyone ordering from Next - their maternity stuff is very much on the large side. They assume everything (not just boobs and bump) have grown a lot! Unfortuately even allowing for further growth (I'm 24 weeks gone), everything from my order is huge and will be going back.

The suit jacket wasn't as bad but was very much a cover up jacket - ie: pretend that the bump doesn't exist.

Bit disappointing for me...

morning morning!

hope everyone well - a lovely spring day here in sunny south london...

still am not convinced I have felt the baby move, maybe a few little flutters but who knows...I am only 19 weeks though.

feeling a bit hot and bothered at the mo, so am holding off buying any more mat gear until the summer stuff comes in. My arms seem to have got fat for some reason so I am going for the 3/4 length sleeves if at all possible!

Bought a seraphine denim skirt right at the start of the pregnancy (v v comfy), as thought I can wear that with both tights & boots and sandals...which reminds me - does anyone know if beauty salons are funny about waxing us preggers ladies? I haven't actually asked at mine yet...

that's a shame PP.

I got my jojomamanbebe trousers yesterday - the 'wide leg turn up' ones. Got my usual size and they fit really well. Concerned that they dont have lots of 'give' in them to see me through till the end, but fingers crossed.

MrsHop - dont worry too much about not feeling much at 19 weeks. Its not uncommon for 1st timer.

I'm a first timer due in a couple of weeks but only just noticed this thread!

MrsHOP - Waxing is fine although some people find it a little more painful and sensitive than pre preg. I don't personally though!

For all of you shopping for maternity clothes I found Gap and Topshop really good

I had my legs & bikini line waxed yesterday (plus a lovely 'mum-to-be' massage and facial) and although my legs were no more sensitive than normal, I thought my bikini wax was - owwww. Still, since I seem to be growing hair even faster than ever, it had to be done - and the way I see it, if I can't take a little pain on waxing, how will I cope with labour??

oh goodness, how will I cope with labour??????

Hi all, went to H&M yesterday and found some decent maternity wear- still with a bit of style going on!

MrsHOP, went to the beauticians recently and she was lovely about waxing- has her own kids and said it's absolutely fine right up until your due- and beyond- date... but totally agree with TallBird, was also thinking, 'oh my god this is so painful, still, it'll be over in a few mins'.. and then remembered that I won't be able to say that about being in labour.....!

MUSICGIRL Im planning to wait until my 13 week probation is over, but my midwife told me there is no way they can withdraw their offer or anything as that would be discrimination.

Il be about 5 months when its over so hopefully will be able to avoid 'showing' until then, or at least try and cover it up!!

The way i look at it is my baby is due in October, if i work up until my due date then the company will have had at least 7 months work from me which i think is reasonable, only thing i can think of is that i might not be entitled to the same maternity oackage as everyone else

i need a wax badly - its Amazonian down there and I want to go swimming . . .

last time i had a proper wax though - she made me blue! it was so so painful.
normally i find a couple of painkillers and a glass of wine help with a brazilian but i am total chicken these days - just the top triangle and that's it . . .

i bought some seraphine jeans in the end. hope they are ok, as they are quite spenny.

isabella oliver pants have to be the biggest disappointment. i wore these jersey ones i got new from ebay yesterday and they were just falling down the whole time - so irritating.

Hi, am due april 6th. first baby. scared but feel i am on a big adventure. told could not have a baby and at 38 proved em wrong.
good luck