Due December 08 - time to start blooming and glowing.

[JamInMyWellies]

New thread lovely ladies

I started a thread about pushchairs in the Pregnancy topic list, because almost every one I have looked at is too heavy for me. Loads of helpful advice/recommendations from people, in fact so much so that I am more confused than ever!

20 weeks today, and still feeling more fat than pregnant. Dang and blast my thighs. Hoping not to put on more than a further 8kg in the time I have left...anybody know if this is realistic?

The skin on my tummy seems quite tight, so given that it's got to get a lot bigger, I am reckoning stretchmarks are unavoidable, even though I am slathering on the Bio-Oil.

Anyway, this is all terribly vain I know...Been buying a few baby clothes and hoping I am not jumping the gun or jinxing myself. Anyone else know the sex apart from me? Mine's a girl. I think Mibbes is having a boy?

I'm using some Clarins oil stuff for the stretch marks, but as my thighs and hips are covered in them from teenage growth spurts I'm not holding out much hope! and one of my sisters has really bad ones on her stomach, so I think there's probably no escape!!

We're not finding out the sex. Big decision, not easily made, as part of me is gasping to find out! But am quite keen on the surprise element. Although it would halve the name arguments.... Hmmmm. No, must be resolute and will stick to surprise!

I found out the sex because I had a CVS and they obviously looked at the chromosomes. It was my treat to myself, for going through the procedure, though it is a bit like opening your presents before Christmas, someone once said!

veggie thanks for your kind words. I was indeed referred to a physio and had six months of physio and various tests (I won't go into too much detail as it was all rather horrible and bottom-related!). I was under the care of a urogynaecological consultant for the same period and also had counselling - so you'd think I would be fine!!! . Physically, I'm ok - well, as good as I'm ever going to be - and know things are going to be better this time because my current consultant and the hospital in general are looking after me this time round.

Beans I'm glad you've got an appointment to hear the HB . My favourite bit of this pregnancy is daydreaming about my baby.

rosmerta sorry to hear you're feeling low today. The whole BF/FF thing is a minefield - Local health visitors made me feel like a leper for allowing DH to give DD the occasional bottle of formula (I wasn't very good at expressing milk until several months later). The way I see it is you did the very best you could for your DS and you should be proud of that. It doesn't matter how they are fed at the end of the day (please - no lactivist attacks at this point!). Please don't be hard on yourself.

Helloe Everyone

I have not been on for a few days so I must start by telling Minster how very, very sorry I am. I was physiacally shocked when i read your news and I hope the medics are being good to you this week.

I feel a bit frivolous moving on to other issues but

Re prams - We went for a Mama and Papas pliko last time and it was horrible, heavy and cumbersome. As soon as DD could sit up I got a McLaren which is light with good storage space and so easy to fold. I love it but secretly always wish I could have had a Bugaboo as every friend I know with one loves theirs and still uses it 2 years later. Other than Bugaboo owners nobody i know still uses their original pram with a toddler.

Re movement - I am still not sure that I have felt this baby move even though I am nearly 19 weeks. A few weeks ago I thought I felt little flickers but now I am not so sure. I can't wait to feel it properly as it really helped me bond with DD (although I did not feel her until 21 weeks).

Can I ask about weight gain? In a similar veing to Lady T I feel huge. I have put on exactly 13 pounds already. How does this compare to others. Is it realistic to aim for just 1lb a week from now on?

LadyThompson I have guessed I am having a boy but we don't actually know - want a surprise ! I am 20 weeks today too (according to my dates) scan dates puts me at 19+3 but what do they know ?!!!
Thanks for top tip about pram thread and website, I can't see me getting much work done this afternoon !
I am using several different stretchmark creams (Clarins tonic oil, bio oil, Neal's Yard Mother's balm, Burt's bees Mama Bee, pure Vit E oil, Decleor perfect sculpt oil and cream...) OMG I have just reliased that I am a complete basket case - why on earth have I bought so many - obviously I use a different one each time not all at once but still, worrying addiction to creams
artichokes I'm afraid I can't help with the weight query as am wallowing in blissful ignorance - refuse to weigh myself as may get a fright
Bought Davina's DVD so going to give that a whirl tonight - will report back tomorrow

I was 11 stone when I first got pregnant and am now 12 stone 2. Feel vast. It is mostly on my tummy, but must say, my bum has definitely expanded significantly as well. Not to mention my thighs!!! Horrific. Particularly as I only got hitched last October and weighed 9 stone 9 then!!!! I've been cramming in the food!

Would LOVE to get back down to wedding weight one day, but looks miles off at the moment. Am going to try to keep it down to 1lb per week, but think it's a slim chance!

Am doing yoga once a week - don't think it's enough exercise though, as used to cycle to work every day and run at least twice a week. I think I'll take up swimming again... Definitely quite a nice relaxing way to exercise. What does everyone else do?

Sfternoon all,

no idea what I weigh too scared to look. I was 9stone when I got preg with DS balloned up to nearly 12 1/2 by the time I popped him out last yr. I got back down to 9 1/2 then got preggers again I am refusing to weigh myself this time round.

For those thinking about prams I suggest checking out ebay no matter what you decide to go for get great deals on nearly every pram going. We bought a quinny last time round RUBBISH sold it a few months ago and got a maclaren way better. This time as my LO's are going to be so close together we are going to get a phil & teds vibe.

I have been feeling loads of movements now, didnt get any of the fluttering this time round went straight to little nudges and now the mini munch is trampolining all over the place but only in the eve, think cause I am so busy during the day I dont notice it until I relax after DS has gone to bed.

I was a horrendous 73 kg before this pregnancy (was 60kg pre first preg got down to 65kg then not sure what happened in the couple of months before this one) got up to 80kg before DS was born but now i am already 79kg, and am looking it so lets all lard up together. My prenatal exercise DVD and yoga dvd are still wrapped in their plastic covers, right the covers are coming off.

Beans i used to train heaps before DS pregnancy and ran a fair way in his pregnancy but still put on loads of weight esp in the 1st trimester which is supposed to be when you put on the least. Apparently your body likes to bulk you up ready for BF.

On the subject of BF, i am a bit of a lactivist (albeit a bit on the relaxed side) and there is always that thing that my types use to promote BF that is it can help with your childs intelligence but i have to say my brothers children disprove that one. All but one were BF exclusively to 9 months, the one that wasn't had to be switched to FF at about 2 months because my SIL's GM died and she was so upset by it that she bascically dried up so my niece had failure to thrive and SIL had to switch to FF. Now my niece is 15 and while her sisters all have pretty good levels of intelligence she (the FF one) is basically a genius. She makes me feel quite stupid, and she is a really lovely kid so kind of disproves that theory.

I haven't been on for a few days, so first tings first - a huge hug and sympathy to Minster. So sad.

I have been feeling movement very sporadically for a while, the gaps between are rather worrying and it will be better when the movements are regular - but then I expect we'lll all start moaning about how much the kicks hurt . I heard HBs for the first time last week, I think the MW found both which was nice.

I know what everyone means about tolerance levels - my DH has been getting it in the neck all weekend for having far too much fun and neglecting me (we've been camping at a festival). I realise I'm boring company at the moment, but surely that's no excuse . I spent a lot of the weekend wondering whether there's any way we could manage to do this with DD and the DTs (all being well) next year. Very daunting.

Beans33 I'm cycling (very very slowly) 3 or 4 days a week and doing ridiculously gentle yoga most days. I have to say the best bit about the yoga is not that it makes me look like Madonna (ha!) but that it makes me slow down and spend a few minutes each day resting and noticing how my body feels, plus a chance to connect with the babies. Do I sound like a proper hippy ? I can't seem to get too worried about a bit of extra fat when there's so much more important stuff to think about. Plenty of time to worry about that next year.

mibbles you made me giggle about your cream addiction. I didn't get tummy stretch marks but got boob stretch marks when my milk came in (i went from barely a B cup to a DD literally overnight...we took photos) I have been told tummy stretch marks or at least a tendancy to get them run in the family, so cream may not help, but i found as my tummy got bigger it was really tight feeling and itchy and rubbing the creams really helps this.

I have friends who have DC's close together and have the phil & teds, very good, if DS was younger i would want one, the little baby carrier bit that you can take out is great. They can take it out and leave the pushchair to one side if they are going somewhere that won't fit the pushchair.

also we are finding out did for DS i just needed something in between 9months is such a long time to wait. However, it doesn't help with the name thing we still weren't sure until he was born.

I'm sure we are having a girl, i was definite DS was a boy so see if it's 2nd time lucky, still 3 weeks to wait as scan is at 21 weeks due to no bookings available.

hey gettingbiggerbird i missed your post i think it crossed with one of mine. which festival did you go to, how did you find it, DH and i have always wanted to take DS to a festival but not sure what it would be like, when we used to got to festivals all we remember are lots of smells mud and substances of a mind altering kind, so cant imagine going with kids (or pregnant).

I am also getting grumpy with dh cos he is able to get out and run when he wants to, i think i'm mostly sad cos i'd love to run with him, i think i need to do these DVD's

Hi VM, the festival was a little private one but we're going to The Secret Garden Party in a couple of weeks, and have managed the Big Chill with DD when she was 8 months old and the year after that too, it's certainly possible with one! I suppose lots of festivals are organised by people of our age so more and more cater for kids, it's such a great way to have a good time with them and also do some stuff you want to do too. If you make sure you go with one or two other families, you can pool babysitting and catering resources, it works really well.

mmmm that sounds good, i have heard the big chill is one of the best for kids. I also really love camping.

Is anyone else i bit...smelly, i am having to reapply my deodorant about 5 times a day and usually have to change my shirt. I'm really sweaty, it's a bit embarrassing.

am tucking into a dairy milk as I type, actually. oops.
9 months is such a long time to wait to find out what it is, but I'm going to make myself wait!

Ooh, back to books - I'm really enjoying this one: Preggy book

Feels quite personalised. I LOVE the Rough Guide one as well - hilarious. Especially when talking about diet - everyone telling her she should be eating a balanced diet - what's wrong with marmite on toast and chocolate. I couldn't agree more!!!

Beans - re: exercise, I am walking for at least half an hour every day, sometimes an hour. I know it's not much. I am also going to the gym 2-3 times a week, but just doing a mere half an hour of comparatively gentle exercise (exercise bike, treadmill). And yet still I have gone up from 68kg, which was bloody well bad enough, to 77! What a blimp. I wouldn't mind but I am not even eating that much extra, and haven't got the alcohol calories any more (ok well, I drink a maximum of 2 glasses of wine a week, or have done since the second trimester). Think I'm gonna step up the exercise...

Aaah, so it's just me who was overcome with curiosity about the sex then! I kind of always knew I'd have a girl anyway - lot of girls in my family.

OOoooooooooooh are we talking prams already?! We want something for a small car and a small house if anyone has any ideas?! I think I was looking at the Silvercross one too beans. mibbes LOL at your cream addiction! That is an impressive selection. My mum has no stretchmarks after 3 kids but I have lots some from puberty. I didn't inherit her stretchy skin sadly. I feel I am fighting the inevitable, oh well!

Like mibbes I think I might be having a boy but it is just a feeling! I've a 50/50 chance of being right . We're going to hold out for a surprise.

Oh god, I've got no idea at all. Husband thinks it's a boy (he hopes anyway) and I think it's a girl (I hope!).

LOL Veggie change your name to SmellyMummy !

Beans I have been a lazy moo all PG since my bleed at 6 weeks - MW advised no running and in the first 12 weeks if I so much as walked quickly for the bus I started to retch. Last week I braved the treadmill and managed 45 mins of quick walking - within a minute of trying a gentle run I was retching so am assuming my body is doing a good job of telling me to slow down. Am now aiming to walk on treadmill and do prenatal DVDs 2-3 times a week for as long as I am able. I can't use PG as an excuse to laze about for the entire PG and TBH getting a bit sweaty on the treadmill made me feel great and just like a 'normal' person ! Even if it doesn't help with the weight it helped with frame of mind

I have that same book Beans but have only really read the week I am on every Sunday - maybe I should read the other bits too. OOh and I recently bought the 'Yummy Mummy Survival Guide' which is really honest and funny so far

IKWYM about the stretcmarks being hereditary - my mum got them but then she didn't have a zillion creams to run into her belly so I'm giving it my best shot, you never know

thanks everyone for your replies, am now feeling a bit better. Veggie, the essay is to overcome my issues about bf so that when I'm teaching antenatal classes I'm not obviously going to be giving them the negative vibe about bf! I'm so hoping it works out this time with dc2!

Re prams, we bought the Urban Detour last time. Has car seat with it and plenty of basket space but it is quite bulky. When ds was about 9/10mo we got a McClaren which is much smaller & lighter. No doubt we will use the first one to start with though. I'm expecting ds to walk/use a buggy board by then!

I'm burying my head in the sand re weight, I've always been on the heavy side anyway! I am been better atm, lots of fruit & salad! Not doing enough exercise though...

I just had to take DS to the doctor and then go do some shopping, i was a good girl and walked in rather than drive and of course it rained, poor DS i made him go in the pushchair as it is a bit of walk and cant carry him and shopping if he gets tired (ok ill be honest pushchair was for shopping) anyway forgot to take the rain cover so DS got a little wet and i looked like bad mum letting him get wet, he was sitting in the pushchair bless him, saying "mummy its raining isn't it, i'm getting very wet". I also thought i would be good and not buy another 2 of those chocolate puddings from M&S and now i'm regretting it...do'h.

I have to say for a small house and car Maclaren is good. Be careful with lightweight buggys like the quinny zapp which folds up small, we have one as a spare for in the car or if we are going holidays but if you put anything on the back it just falls over. I am quite tough with pushchairs they get well used with us and the Maclaren has been excellent.

Quinnys are good for holidays!

veggie, know what you mean about not getting the desserts, wished I'd picked some up today as well. Might see if I can persuade ds to take a walk to the shop...

My ankles! My ankles! I've been longing for a hot day like this but had not counted on what it would do to be lovely ankles. I look like a pig on trotters .