Due December 08 - time to start blooming and glowing.

[JamInMyWellies]

New thread lovely ladies

Hey majormoo due date buddy ! Fab news your scan went well today too ! IKWYM about guessing, I think that is the most fun part !
Doozie welcome and more than half way has to be a very good sign hun xx
verso glad you are feeling perkier - you know we are here if you are having a down day.
Rosmerta great news about homebirth, i remember you said ages ago you really wanted one

Hello and welcome Doozie

Majormoo and Mibbes congratulations on your scans.

I have my scan this afternoon - I'm excited and a little nervous. Hopefully, we will find out whether it's a girl or a boy. I'll let you know.

Oooh, I'm so jealous! Gagging to have my scan NOW! Excited, nervous, everything! And still got over a week to go. Roll on 1st August. I'll be nearly 22 weeks by then!

Baby is now SO active I can feel it a lot of the time (when it's not sleeping). It's so nearly at the stage when I can feel it through my tummy, gagging for DH to feel it, but not yet.... Hope it's soon so he can be as excited as me!

I bought 4 of those freshly baked big cookies from Sainsburys the other night and scoffed two sharpish. then got upset when DH had one and didn't share it with me!!

PS I read on one of the websites that DH should be able to hear heartbeat through tummy around now. He had his ear to it last night listening out and all he could hear was me digesting - hah! Plenty in there to digest!

My office is currently awash with cakes, choc and sweets and I'm trying not to eat any of it

Good luck for all the scans . Think I will ask this time, would like to know. I'd actually love another boy, but know DH is keen on having a daughter, so we shall see...

Phew! Just rang maternity helpline (loca hosptial) and they were really nice. Turns out there is a problem on the system (which is why I wasn't contacted about my results earler, grr) and yes, it is unusual to have a high reading at that stage but there shouldn't be any adverse effects on the baby . So will wait for GTT next week and see what happens...

good luck with all the scans,

Beans, my next scan is 1st August as well, can't wait!

Anyone seen Kayz around? She hasn't been on in a while, hope she's ok

I was thinking of Kayz earlier

Hello everyone,

I'm really pleased to hear about the sucessful scans especially my old FF buddy mibbes. Like beans I can't wait for mine but it isn't for a few weeks. Good luck for later on nolda doozie I'm so pleased all looks well after the difficult time you've had.

effie Glad the hospital have put your mind at rest. Make sure you take some snacks with you for when it is over.

veggie I presume by your name you are a veggie, any tips on how to keep my iron level up?! At my last appointment I was told it was dropping and it was helpfully suggested I ate meat . I've been scoffing dried apricots and eating DH's spinach soup, all washed down with orange juice. Any other ideas?

Jollybear to all meat eaters amazement i don't seem to have any iron problems during pregnancy while many of them did. I had a friend recently ask me if i would start eating meat because i am pregnant, i didn't for DS so i don't know why i would start now.

You are doing all the right things but importantly if you are having anything with iron in it don't have anything with calcium in it around the same time as calcium leaches iron. Are you taking pregnacare or anything like that if you are check they don't have calcium in them (some pregnancy supplements do but the good ones don't) and don't have them with breakfast if you have any dairy with your breakfast. It may sounds surprising but apricots are choc full of calcium.

If you still can't get your iron up you could always take floradix as a supplement it is gentle on your tummy and all plant based, it's high in iron and a few other good things. You can get it in most supermarkets or pharmacies.

As far as things to eat keep up the spinach soup but you will get more out of spinach if you eat it raw, so you could make a salad out of baby spinach leaves. Also obviously anything that is dark green, or brussel sprouts and lentils are good. I also get organic frozen spinach from ocado it comes in little squares and i throw it in any curries, stews or pastas i am making.

Low iron is a general problem for pregnant women it isn't made any worse by not eating meat.

hope that helps.

Beans i'm not sure about the heartbeat thing but at around 23weeks i could see my tummy vibrate if i was lying on my back when DS kicked so i got DH to try to look to see if he could see it as e had not been able to feel any of the kicks. DH rested his chin about 2 inches from my belly button and watched intently to see the vibrations, next thing DS gave the hardest kick he had ever given up until then right into DH's chin he go such a shock but was so excited to feel him it was lovely. Within about 4 weeks of that though my belly started to resemble a bag full of kittens and DH got quited used to be kicked. It can quite embarrasing though when they get really moving later on. I used to sit in big important meetings with consultants and other lead nurses trying to cover my belly (whilst simultaneously trying to consume as many free sandwiches as possible before i had to make another point).

Hee hee - would love it if the little beast kicked DH in the chin! would make me howl with laughter!

I'm starting to do the old breathless thing after climbing just one flight of stairs - v embarrassing. Anyone else the same?

Thanks veggiemummy that's really helpful and reassuring! I'll have a look for floradix and up the spinach intake. I didn't know apriocts had calcium in them!

I feel a bit better now. They made me feel really silly and guilty at the hospital .

well thats just mean your just a vegetarian it's not like your taking drugs. I had a brilliant first pregnancy, DS was 8lb 2oz so def not undernourished. He was also veggie up until he was 2.5years and was the biggest and healthiest of all his little mates. If they hassle you about it again tell them your vegetarian for religious reasons that always shuts them up. No one wants to be culturally or religiously insensitive. When meat eaters are low on iron, which as i said is common they suggest supplements i don't know why they don't with you.

I'm another veggie and Floradix tastes yummy as well. Other good iron supplements are Spatone, which you can sometimes get from Boots. They are like sachets of iron-flavoured water and also more gentle on your tummy and more easily absorbed.

I had two chocolate eclairs yesterday, which is most unlike me (haven't really got a sweet tooth, though I have been eating a lot of fruity ice lollies, as this pregnancy has given me a raging desire for ice). So today my snacks have been a peach, some mange tout, some organic carrots...

Welcome to Doozie, sounds like you have had a rough time. Chutney, what's the problem with King's? (Don't know anything about it - just curious). I'm London-based as well and going to St Mary's in Paddington. Anyone else for there?

I'm not having any cravings at all. Was sort of hoping for them - I'm just greedy that's all.

Not St Mary's, but my sister went there and thought it was great. I'm going to St Thomas's in Waterloo - is anyone else?

I'm at the Homerton (lots of Londoners here ) and as the woman from teh helpline just rang me back to let me know who she was emailing to complain about teh blood test probs I am feeling v positive

Not heard reports of St Thomas's (but it's another teaching hospital so bound to be decent) or the Homerton. On the London hospitals front I have heard good things about Queen Charlotte's, middling things about the Royal Free and not so good things about the Whittington. Apart from that I am an ignoramus and it's so subjective anyway.

oh chocolate eclairs and iced lollies why do i seem to absorb everyone else's cravings. Lady i'm the same i'm more a savoury person but whilst pregnant i have trouble walking past the sweets isle. The line up at Marks & Sparks is a nightmare. I'm sure they put all those sweets and snacks on the way to the counter just to tempt vulnerable pregnant women.

hello everyone - back from a wonderful week in the sun in portugal and have spent an hour catching up on the thread...

read Minster's news: heartbroken for her & cried buckets - thanks to her for being brave enough to share it - thinking of her and her family.

welcome Doozie - what a great milestone to reach for you - thinking of you too.

as for weight - i'm really heavy - have put on 1 3/4 stone since conception, but am 5'10", so don't particularly look it. DH has been wonderful and keeps telling me how gorgeous i look - knew there was a reason i married him. he is also on a fitness drive, so i reckon in the next month or so i'll weigh more than him. hmmmm... have decided not to bother anymore with the weight thing - rather put on too much than too little i reckon. have started pregnancy yoga and loving it, although i don't think it's going to help with the weight.

anomaly scan on 6th august - am terrified (2 m/c last year, including 1 mmc). also I CANNOT FEEL A THING - obstetrician told me it was usual to feel something between 18-24 weeks (am 18+2 today), but everyone on here seems to have been feeling stuff for AGES. must remember not to panic.

we are not finding out the sex - DH wd be ok with it but i yelled out no - i feel terribly old-fashioned, but i thought it was one of those iconic moments in life when you've given birth and someone says: "it's a xxxx". also someone said it was great motivation for getting through labour and birth, to find out what you've got. am, however, secretly jealous of the people who know, but i just don't want to jinx stuff.

beans i have a friend who is a community midwife St Thomas' actually she is DS's midwife but we have stayed good friends and she works there now. Anyway she is really good she mainly does the clinics and home births.

Oh i do miss london, i was an east ender too Wapping and isle of Dogs mainly, but had DS at The Birth Center in Tooting next to Georges.

re: hospitals in london - i'm going to the whittington - they've been great so far and the obstetricians came recommended by a fertility doctor who had trained at the Fetal Medicine Centre.

friend had a tricky time at homerton, but knew it had an excellent reputation

i think it's really hard to know... and everyone's experience will be different.

Beans, I had DD1 at Tommy's and it was fabulous! The birth was a nightmare, obviously, as I don't do birth very well, but the care was spit spot on and even the PN ward was good. Am trying to fight my way back in there but not havibg nuch luck.

LadyT - how long have you got for me to tell my Kings story? It's very boring but I can't bear the place. I'll tell you on Friday

I'm at the Homerton too, Effie - impressed with it so far and they gave me great support for my homebirth last time. They seem to be getting better and better.

St Thomas - don't know anything about them except they have great pregnancy yoga classes some weekday evenings, I'd highly recommend them. Details at www.sitaram.org.

No cravings for me either, just greed .

hello everyone,

Effie glad you got sorted out. Just reduce your haribo intake you should be fine

Rosmerta good for you on the homebirth I am too scared to do it wuthout drugs being avai bit i do intend to stay at home for as much of the labour as I can stand.

I am not a veggie but I do recommend spatone tis brilliant stuff and for afterwards aswell.

Who is scanning today - good luck and hoorah for the good scans yesterday.

re London hospitals I had DS in the Royal London [shudder] Have heard great things about the homerton apparantly they have a lovely waterbirth bit.

Got a mega bargain last night we were watching a Phil & Teds vibe on ebay and put in quite a cheeky offer using good old auction sniper and blow me down we only went and won it! Just got to find the £400 to pay for it guess it will be beans on toast for a few weeks especially seeing as we booked a holiday yesterday afternoon to Turkey. No idea how my preggo sweats are going to erupt inthat sort of heat!

Went to mums and tots this morning on the way there bumped into someone in the village who was exclaiming at my expanding girth then arrived at M&T and someone came up to me and said god our tiny for 20wks. Go figure.

Am making oven chips for lunch so naughty I did contemplate going to Macdonalds but thankfully had no cash in my purse.