Due Dec 2008: The second thread!

[JollyBear]

I thought I'd better start another thread as the other one was full to bursting!

mibbes I did actually contemplate toast and ice-cream together . But, I've moved on today to salt and vinegar crisps and french fries (but only from MacDonalds). Gone are my beautiful spinach salads with mixed beans and good oil from last week. The thought makes my want to hurl. My baby craves junk.

Despite the fact that I can only stomach rubbish at the moment, I haven't actually gained any weight yet. But, have just tried on work trousers in anticipation of the return tomorrow, and they don't fit. All of my work clothes are tight. I'm only 5+5. Has this happened to anyone else this early? Surely one portion of french fries would not cause bloat so heinous ?

Katie and Hatty Thanks for suggestions yesterday. I am going equipped with jamaica ginger beer and fruit gums, so hopefully that will work, otherwise may traumatise teenagers by retching into classroom bin. That's one way to educate them about the glories of pregnancy and childbirth .

Yes, my stomach is really bloated, it was flat a few weeks ago. All my shirts are tight and my jeans bursting at the waist. It's probably a mixture of gas and water, and it seems to be worse at the end of the day. I'm just 6 weeks.

Am worried about stretch marks as I have them on my thighs and hips. I really don't want them on my boobs, as they're my best feature. Money is no object when it comes to preserving what little looks I have left! Is there a miracle cream or is there no hope?

msdynamo if you have time to scan through this enormous thread people have suggested some brands! I am going to use a cheap one from Boots that I used last time and seemed to work (cannot remember the make). Just bought my sister a cream from Neal's yard but no idea if it works. I am the one who already had stretch marks on legs from puberty but have got none from two pregnancies (and I was huge with DS-he was 9lbs 1oz)so will definitely use the creams again just in case they worked.

Abbeymeg I am with you on the salt and vinegar crisps.

Chutney Mary yes I mean Kings in Denmark Hill, but I live in Brighton. They do not do nuchal scans here so we get referred to London. So I need to have the dating scan first in Brighton, then get the referral to Kings. Hospital here have said they will call me if there is a cancellation but also said it is very rare to get one.

Msdynamo, Bio Oil is really good for stretch marks. I will be buying some soon. I was really slack with DS and forgot to put it on everyday so this time round I will be very strict.

I didn't sleep well last night at all. It was chucking it down really heavily. Our bedroom is in the roof and we have a velux roof window and it sounds horrible at 2:30.

Thanks majormoo and kazisexpecting for the suggestions.

I woke up at 5.30 am today and couldn't get back to sleep. Yesterday at work it was so hard to concentrate.

I am very lucky at the mo in that my bf has his own flat. We're planning to get a place together but for the time being I have my own bed, which is BLISS! I think I would go mad if I was also kept awake by his snoring.

I wish the NHS would provide advice for us newbies leading up to the 12 week scan. We should be able to talk to someone, a midwife, whenever we want and be able to drop in for a scan or a test whenever we feel like it. I hate the way everything is so rationed and we're left waiting like this.

I bet in places like France it's so much better.

Australia is meant to be really good. Someone was saying on another thread that they had about 4 scans. 1 at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 19 weeks. I'd love that.

I'd also like a scan after the 20 weeks maybe around 30 weeks. Just to have another look.

Morning everyone

Hope you're all well

This thread is really hard to keep up with!

msdynamo i used Bio Oil too, and luckily i didn't get any stretch marks (although i don't know how, i was HUGE!) I'm not sure if it was the oil or if i was just lucky, but it definately made all the stretching more comfortable. I really wish i needed it on my (.)(.), but they didn't want to join in with the growing Typical, that was one of the things i was looking forward to

I'm eating tons of salt and vinegar crisps too. I can't believe how nauseous i feel this time. My mum's convinced it must be a girl.

beckybendylegs i hope your little one is better and you got some rest xxx

Turniphead i'm sorry you had such a scare, i'm glad everything's okay with the little one. I hope that cyst clears up on it's own and doesn't cause you too much discomfort xx

I am craving cola today. Its so bloody annoying as it has caffeine in it. I seem to have a different craving everyday. I didn't have any with DS so I think I am making up for it with this one.

Hi hiccymapops, my mother had 7 daughters (yes, 7!!)and never once got morning sickness! So I think it's not necessarily a signifier. However, I find these old wives absolutely fascinating and I'd love to know more of them and then see afterwards if they were right.

I am the same Msdynamo, I love reading the old wives tales in my pregnancy book.

"I wish the NHS would provide advice for us newbies leading up to the 12 week scan. We should be able to talk to someone, a midwife, whenever we want and be able to drop in for a scan or a test whenever we feel like it. I hate the way everything is so rationed and we're left waiting like this".

Msdynamo I completely agree - if only the NHS wouldn't leave us feeling quite so stuck! I'm second time pregnancy but in a completely different region of the country from last time and there's so many things I want answers too!

I didn't have various scans and blood tests last time because I was carrying twins and they didn't work with two babies - so I'm a novice to it all. I'd love to know whether I'll get a nuchal scan and who is going to book my dating scan - Dh works privately as a physio and needs lots and lots of notice to come with me to the dating scan so he doesn't have to cancel a day of patients - I don't have my booking in until 10.5 weeks so I'd like a bit more notice than a week!

Grrrr...

I am also ratty rather than tearful, exhausted rather than sick and still strangely up for getting down to it with my husband...

Last time I was tearful, nauseous and not at all interested in DH coming near me in first few months - and I had girls...

Do you think we can make a fortune selling our gender prediction theory!

I half wish I was having twins actually. My friend has had 9 scans because she is expecting twins. She is having a final scan today and her Elective CS tomorrow.

Has anyone tried the wedding ring predictor?

If you hang your wedding ring on a piece of string above your bump. If it swings from side to side its a girl and if it swings in a circle its a boy.

Last two times I was pg I was told by random passers by that I was carrying boys because my bump was out front and high up (with DS2 I had a shelf to balance my cups of tea on). But we can't test that theory yet since we're all quite early! Last two times I craved savory things, potatoes, milk and cheese. I didn't have much sickness and had incredible indigestion from about 16 weeks onwards. I think it's a bit early to tell this time but so far I feel quite similar to the last two times so perhaps another boy? Did anyone try to increase the odds of having either a boy or girl by when you had sex or how? There are some theories about that as well.

My DS1 is very well today, thanks everyone for your kind words, and we've sitting here watching Rainbow on DVD with DS2 (it is Zippy's birthday - a classic episode). We both slept really well last night and feel much better for it.

I did Becky. I did the whole if you have sex in the missonary position and if you have sex a couple of days before ovulating can help have a girl. But I'm not to bothered either way. I just think it would be nice to have 1 of each.

I had a shelf too with DS. I didnt feel at all sick with DS but with this one I have been feeling sick.

I'm glad DS1 is better now.

Morning all. Just got my daily morning retching / puking session out the way and am feeling a bit brighter

I've been rubbing the bio oil in religiously for 2 weeks now. It didn't work last time (I was stretchmark free until 40 weeks pregnant and how smug was I? Then went 2 weeks overdue and they attacked me like alien creatures, all over my body! Arghhhh!). But hoping the bio oil will at least minimise getting more stretchmarks on top of my old ones!

I'm also sleeping badly like some of you. And having weird cravings which change almost daily. At the moment I want white toast with marmalade (usually a wholemeal with honey kinda girl!) and spaghetti / linguine is going down well, too. I had a weird craving for coke last night and drank 1/2 a litre - very unlike me.

Have we done the 'Where are you having your baby?' thing yet? Any planned homebirths?

We didn't do any of the gender selection stuff either time, but everyone (and I mean everyone) 'knew' my DS was a boy. I even had random strangers coming up to me in the street saying 'Ooh, that's definitely^ a boy bump'. I was absolutely enormous from about 6 months on and it was a definite 'shelf'. DH used to joke that if he whipped out a tablecloth we could eat dinner of my belly. 5t'd be nice to have a girl this time around, but not holding out too much hope, seeing as DH has all brothers & male first cousins and they all have male children. It's a male dominated family in the extreme.

OMG MrsMattie its not just me that wants coke!! I am dying for the stuff.

I am having the baby at the hospital. I hope the horrible stuck-up nurse wont be there again.

I couldn't have a home birth unless I lived in the middle of nowhere. So I need to win the lottery.

I wanted DS to be a boy really badly. I was actually quite worried that he would be a girl. I have no idea why I felt so bad about it. I was so happy when at my 20 week scan I found out he was a boy. But everyone said he was a boy.

My DH also all boys in his family and all male cousins (I think nine) and just one lonely girl cousin so he thinks we'll destined to have boys. I don't mind another boy either as I quite like the idea of three boys. A girl would be nice but I really don't mind that much. We did try missionary and doing it up to three days before ovulation to stack the odds in favour of a girl but I feel the same as before so at the moment my instinct says boy again!

I had DS1 in hospital (I went in to be induced as he was late), DS2 was born (only just - we only just made it through the front door) in the local maternity unit where my midwives are based so I don't know what to do this time. It might end up being a home / car / layby birth! A home birth is an option but I'm not sure yet.

My friend had her 3rd in a layby. They have closed the maternity ward at the local hospital. The closest Maternity ward is about 20 miles away.

It's so interesting reading everyone's stories.

About 90% boy babies in my family - but DH's family are pretty much 50/50 split. It'd be lovely to have a boy, but having had 2 little girls I know how great they are so would be happy either way.

We do also have an awful lot of girl clothes so a girl would save us a fortune - a little boy might end up being dressed in a lot of pink!

I had a section last time and am also rhesus negative/have problems with blood clotting in pregnancy so I think it'll be hospital all the way all being well.

I'd love to have a go at a VBAC though (although ask me mid-way through labour and I might wonder why I ever said that!)

My Mum has me and my brother. She also lost a boy and a girl. So thats equal. She is 1 of 3 her and 2 boys. My Dad is 1 of 5 3 boys 2 girls. My MIL has DH and 2 girls and she has a brother. So its pretty equal really.

Blimey!@layby birth! One of my school friends was born in a black taxi on Hammermsith Bridge, which I always think is quite a good story .

I'm having this baby at hospital, too (hopefully!). Had a failed induction and c-section last time, so feeling a bit ambivalent about it all.

Apparently I should have a home birth as I had a fast labour. First contraction at 4:30pm Monday afternoon, DS born at 12:15pm the following lunchtime.
The MW at the hospital said I was in established labour for about 4 hours so I am not sure if thats why.