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?

Hi kamagrian/ Gill! congrats and welcome.

Kaz - know what you mean - I'm medical myself and a diabolical patient! I think, 'though, it might help us to make sure we express what we want more clearly even if you can't necessarily get that!

I'll shut up about the boobs then...I'm clearly totally underqualified but just not used to more than double my previous load!

On the plus side I've just found a brilliant second hand baby-goods shop locally so that should help with costs.

Kaz1967 - I'm so sorry you're having such a bad time with the medical staff, it must be incredibly frustrating and sounds a bit dehumanising too, which certainly doesn't help when you're understandably sensitive (i.e. pregnant!) anyway.

In terms of medication, it sounds like the nurses were being extremely unprofessional in not complying with your consultants' recommendations for dosage. Personally I'd wish to take that up with the patients' concerns/complaints system at the hospital, but of course that also takes time and energy from our already-exhausted bodies and minds.

I really hope the rest of your experiences in the unit are far easier and more positive for you. In the meantime, I'll be wishing you feel much better soon!

Hugs,

Gill x

Kamagrian I am moving (hopefully) before this little one arrives to a place with a really small hospital where my best mate works and trained. It's that small think half the staff live in her village and many in the same road as she does, One of the girls she trained with and I know too works on the antenatal ward so up there I will get treated as I believe all Mums should.

Squarah I am just jealous that you have nice neat boobs that not only will be easier to feed a baby with (small in breastfeeding terms is actually good) But that you can walk into any shop and buy a bra pregnant or not

Hi everyone,

I'm a first-timer expecting in early November. Currently feeling utterly exhausted, bloated and desperate for my scan so I can see if there's actually anything human in there! Has anyone else felt like it could all be an unpleasant joke until they had their scan?

Also having mood swings from being desperate to be a stay-at-home yummy mummy to being utterly cross with myself for getting pregnant and having to grow up.

Craving beer, haribo and cheese sandwiches (used to hate beer)

Hating oranges (used to love them)

Congratulations and welcome Lolis It took me months to believe I was actually pregnant wanted it for so long and given up (hit 40) and did not dare believe it was true. Even now I can hardly believe there is a little person growing inside me but every time they kick and do a somersault I want to giggle. Don't think I will ever be old enough or grown up enough to be a mum god it's scary and exciting and everything in-between.

Hi Lolis, congratulations! We're due round about the same time: my current due date is 3rd Nov. Snap on the tired, mood swings etc - I keep panicking about the least thing and asking mumsnetters if it's normal (thanks for all the reassurance, ladies!).
One of my best mates had her scan today and is dead chuffed as all is normal. She got to count all the fingers - awww . Mine's on the 30th and I'm counting the days.
I keep feeling as though someone's going to ask me for my fetus license or something - I don't feel "qualified" for this job yet!
Cravings-wise, I was seriously worried I'd crave red wine and fags! Haribo is ace - I'm with you there.

Sorry, Kamagrian, hi and welcome! I have no brain tonight and read the posts backwards...

Kaz, how are you doing today?

ruth feeling quite a it better just having a weepy day. but more or less pain free which is great hopefully no more painkillers Bump is very happy and has been tap-dancing all day it feels like.

I remember my 20 week scan so well. I too counted this little one's fingers and toes. I am used to reading scans so I kept getting excited think the first thing I said was oh look you can see all 4 chambers of the heard working, then laughed and said they need a wee just like I do. It was so fascinating seeing everything look so perfect and think that that little person was/is in side me.

I really can't wait to meet them. Although NOT until June at the very earliest please.

hey first-timers!
what you up to this weekend? making the most of your time, i hope. i have to force myself to go out and do stuff but its imperative, i think - make hay and all that.

hope you are alright kaz, and that your packing and move is going okay.

Hey T-

had my baby shower yesterday, which was fab, and got given lots of lovely books for baby's first library. Utterly exhausted and in pain today as a result but for a couple of hours, it was nice to feel so special! Am now officially done with all social engagements, all travelling, and pretty much all activity until baby cakes arrives. Seeing the obstetrician tomorrow about a possible early delivery, so I might not even have 6 weeks left. Mad to think about.

Oh, and it looks like we (fingers crossed, touch wood etc) are moving house (at last)- the date we have been given provisionally is five days before my due date!!!!!

How is everyone doing? I know I make the SPD sound like one long complaint about pregnancy but I can honestly say this has been the best experience of my life...and I' do it all again in a heartbeat (although you might want to remind me of that when I am in labour!)

Oh my God makecakes, when you said '6 weeks left' had minor heart flip! realising at some point I will be six wks left, also that as a first timer you always assume this baby's going to turn up late, but that might not be the case... so could be less than 6 wks- moving 5 days before due date- second intake of breath- nothing for it but to get packers and unpackers in- and they can carry you out on the sofa- Cleopatra style, so you don't have to lift a finger!

Tjuice, entirely agree with the making hay- this is mainly consisting of going for lots of lovely meals in my case at the min- not doing wonders for our pre-baby tightening our belts plan, but very nice all the same- did manage a walk of sorts today in v.beautiful countryside (followed of course by slap up lunch). Starting to get house a bit more sorted too- choosing paint colours but no involvement in putting them on is fun!

Kaz, so sorry about your grim experience- hope you've had a better couple of days

hello and welcome to 7months, sprogletcooking, Lolis, Kamagrian and any other newbies I've missed!

have people seen this useful link for newbies
on the pregnancy thread- VERY good insider info on what not to waste your money on!

Hi all, been dropping in for a while and it's so nice to hear from other 1st-timers.
Hello to anyone who crosses over to the June thread too.

Loobyt, 32, due Feb 9th, Somerset
Fluffsuptheduff, 29, due 2nd March London/Herts
turtle23, 36, due 23 March, London/Surrey
champagnesupernova due 24 March, London/Herts
ThePFJ, 30 soon, due 1st April, Chesterfield.
7monthsplus, 38, due 6th April
Annieroo, 36 due 21st April, Monmouthshire
Missvicki, 24,due 1stMay, Launceston/Cornwall
Yimmy, 34, due 1st May, South Yorkshire
Yellowflower, 30, due 4 May, London / Middlesex
Mumblesmummy, 22, due 11th May, Cumbria
Fleurie76, 32, due 23rd May, Kent
Makecakesnotwar, 31, due 29th May, Bromley, London
Parofleurmapu, 28 due 11th June, Gran Canaria
thegreenfairy, 32, due 11th June, Bristol
PregnantPenguin, 30, due 12 June, Wimbledon
tallbirduk, 33, due 20 June, Surrey
Deese20, 33, (boy) due 20 June, SE London
bitofadramaqueen, 35, due 22 June, Edinburgh
Tjuice, 32, due June 28th, Copenhagen
MissChika, 31, due July 1st, London
CarrieHD9, 35, due July 7th, West Yorkshire
McChesers, 32, due July 12th, Glasgow
Pigleychez, 26, due 12th July, West Sussex
Gillythekid,34,due 14 July, Hackney, East London
BorgLady, 30, due 15 July, Essex
Kaz1967, 40, due 18th July Bristol (at moment hope to end up in Boston Lincs by the end of May)
MrsHOP, 30, due 21st July, SE London
Squarah, 31, due 24th July, Warwick
Frogger77, due 26th July, Edinburgh
miamla, 32, due 29th July, NE London
Excitable, 31, due 25th August, North Lancashire
Gracie14, 26, due 30th August, Berkshire
SprogletCooking, 31, due 16 September, Reading
digitalgirl, 29, due 25th Sept, N London
PrePG, 31, due 27 Sept, London
ruthosaurus, 30, due 3rd Nov, Sheffield
AHLH, 37, due 16 Sept, S/W Yorks boundary

Kaz - I've just been diagnosed with uterine fibroid too.
Developed quite severe abdo pain last week and thought I had appendicitis. Trotted along (well, hobbled bent over and very slowly!) to labour ward and ended up there all day having tests and scans and having v strong painkillers...Must say though, my lot were very nice and couldn't fault them. Of course the time to get everything done does drive you mad but being a nurse and working in the NHS for donkeys now, I kind of understand (but is always hard being on the other side). The painkillers were pretty good and felt great to be knocked out.

Only the one fibroid, which isn't degenerating at present. Never had anything like this before or any kind of gynae problems. And had a very smooth pregnancy so far. Now am just in constant background dull pain, broken by periods every 10 mins or so of very sharp, stabbing pain.

Scan showed The Boy to be well and very active as always. That makes me feel heaps better as it is reassuring to know that this isn't affecting him (although I wonder if he's getting a bit high from the stress/pain hormones!) and his kicking (although good to feel) makes pain much much worse.

Not sure where this goes now though. The hospital wanted me to stay in overnight but this was only for Morphine prn, and opted to cope without. Was advised to book into see Consultant in 2 weeks but am going to bring this forward as can't wait that long. Will this get better? Can I push against this level of pain? Although this is great training for labour, really not looking forward to this for another ~10weeks! I don't think I'm a wimp but I really can't push against this and am trying to get my head around possibly having to have a C-section. Which is making me sad as we booked in for a private Birth Centre which I love the look and sound of.

Feeling very down today as pain is no better than Thursday. It really is so bad I'm thinking of asking my mother to stay - eek! Only taking paracetamol now as co-codamol (30/500) has made me constipated (TMI? ) and I think is now contributing to pain.

Are you still feeling pain-free Kaz? Really need to get there somehow as haven't got everything ready at work to hand over and also have 2 more assignments due in at uni before Bump pops!

Sorry to rant on a bit, it was just good to hear that am not alone with this.

Hey 7monthsplus, does no posts since last Wednesday mean you have baby news?

Drum roll please.....

I'm being induced on 15th May. I will be a mummy in FOUR WEEKS.

Aggggghhhhhhh!

Hello all, recognise some names from July 2008, this will be first one due on 15th July (however if it's anything like it's Dad it will be late).

Osscilate between
"OMFG I'm going to be a MUM "
and
"omfg I'm going to be a mum, I'm not old enough, I don't like children, I have no idea what I am going to do with it, what are we going to do for money, i f**king hate being pregnant, I'm not a grown-up yet, I have no idea what I am going to do with it, this is not a good idea, what about my career?, I have no idea what I am going to do with it etc"

Have been very up and down with mood swings recently but made a pact with myself last night not to be a moanie minne anymore and just go with the flow. (i.e. try to cry less at every little thing and realise that the baby won't care if everything is not PERFECT for his arrival). Trying to do more things with DH whilst we can still get out of the house together I think he is a little bemused about my continued suggestions to go out for a meal for no reason at all.

Yay makecakes - you're going to be a real mum and everything! PLEASE tell us what to do if you find out! No pressure.

Have you got a name (or pair of names if you don't know if you're having a boy or girl) picked yet?

Hey, remember that after the baby's born you can eat all those things you haven't been able to for AGES. First thing I'm going to eat (and I'm due in November, so this really is forward planning gone mad) is a smoked salmon and blue cheese sandwich on granary. With bagged salad leaves. And chocolate mousse for pudding. Have you got a post-birth meal planned?

Hello Libra - OMG doesn't even cover it, does it? I have also been "discussing" diy with dh, who apparently hasn't really got his head around the idea that I've not got many months left of being willing to go up big ladders and lifting my own weight above my head while inhaling toxic fumes. The baby might not care but I kind of do. I'm sure painting will be easier pregnant than with a tiny baby to look after. Maybe.

I'm with you on the more meals out idea but I think it's a bit early to start playing that card yet .

Anyway, you cry your eyes out if it helps, chick.

makecakes - can't believe it! its gone so quickly . . .so excited for you! yes, please tell us what to do when you know - sure you will be fantastic.

rutho! your meals sounds good. i just want a rare steak with some kind of blue cheese sauce and a bottle of wine. but i guess i have to wait even longer for that . . .

hope you're feeling better, deese. sound bloody painful.

hi libra

Excited to tell you all because we are keeping mum in RL, so that we don't start getting texts every two minutes from friends and family....

I love the way that you seem to think I'll have any idea about what to do when baby cakes arrives...unless you want labour tips, in which case I will 'keep it real'!

Ooo- did get a good tip from my thread. Apparently if you put vaseline on baby's bum for the first couple of days, it make meconiumm much easier to 'scrape off'(their word!) so make sure you pack some for hospital. Can send you some if you need it Tjuice!!

Well, you know, just tell us stuff as and when you find out! Apparently you need some kind of plan for the birth bit but I'm not sure what you do after that.

I had this really nice curry planned for tea tonight and was going to make it from scratch and everything, with coriander, and spices, and all kinds of nutritious stuff in it. It turns out all the baby wants to eat is huge piles of heavily buttered toast. Weird kid.

Must go, the toaster just pinged - mmmmm, toast.

...makecakes- how exciting/scary! ditto ruth and Tjuice, let us know some insider knowledge! labour tips also VERY welcome!

ruth- looking at your post pregnancy menu and I've been eating smoked salmon, bagged salad and chocolate mousse (albeit ones in supermarket pots, not homemade)- are these all off limits pregnancy foods?- oh dear, less than perfect mum-to-be... again!

Libra there's a great thread on the Pregnancy bit about all the things you really don't need to bother with and will be astonished why you bothered buying them- very reassuring for us first timers! I posted a link to it a few days ago.

carrie- i ate all those things whilst pregnant....

its pretty quiet here on first-timers, although there are loads of us.

could it be that we are all in the swing of things and feeling confident about pregnancy, birth and the rest of it?

i have 10 weeks to go and am pooing myself but very excited too.

my main worries are about how painful birth can be (yes, i am a wuss), that she is ok, that we will cope with sleepless nights well, that i will manage breastfeeding okay, that i won't get depressed, that she will be happy, that we will have everything ready in time, that i am maternal enough to do this job, that i won't drop or hurt her etc etc etc.

but its just too exciting that I am going to meet this little person so soon!

tip for those looking for reasonably priced maternity/breastfeeding underwear - i bought a couple of really nice sets from hennes and mauritz yesterday - one soft leopard print with matching baggies and one peach with black lace on top and underwire - both flattering actually.

in fact, i had a really spendy day yesterday and bought lots of lovely clarins oils and scrubs and fake tan stuff after i had a bikini and eyebrow wax. its ridiculous how a little retail therapy can make you feel better (up to now its all been baby stuff - and i did buy her a cute marimekko hm set with dress, frilly knickers, hat and teddy bear!)

how is everyone doing at the moment?