Fab Feb Fourth Thread: are we blooming yet?

[onwardandupward]

Here we are! This should do us for a few weeks...

kazza, maybe the placenta is at the front? it's a common cause of not being able to feel a second or third as early as you felt earlier babies. mine is at the front and i couldn't feel baby until far later than the others nd even now it's muffled feeling compared to the others unless it's at the sides or top of the bump

Kazza - I only feel my little one squiggling around when lying down at night with pjs with a waistband over where the baby is - I think the added gentle pressure makes me more aware of the movements, but they arent v clear at all.

If you're worried, call your midwife - hopefully she can reassure you or if not, get you in to check out heartbeat again.

I'm joining the sleepless club. I keep on waking up all startled for no reason convinced that my son(who's fast asleep in his own cot) is about to fall from our bed. This scares DH several times a night and he's not too happy about it. I cannot recall whether I woke up for no reason with DS too or if I'm just more stressed out now... BTW, I'm really stressed because still haven't had a chance to tell my boss. She's been away and then I was on holiday and now she's away again... It's starting to get a bit difficult to hide my bump.

America- stress not good and probably the reason why you're having bizarre anxiety dreams... Can you email your boss to schedule a time and date for a quick conversation (I assume your boss is picking up emails while away?) Then at least you'll know you have a date in the diary and can stop stressing so much about it (which will also hopefully help with the anxiety dreams). Try a really long wind down and some meditation before going to sleep tonight - may help with chilling out and cut out one or two of those scary wakeups.

Suit jackets and long tops hide bumps really well (I know - have been concealing my heffa-bump until this week) so while you think you're probably showing loads (as you know) you probably arent.

Hi everyone, I have not been on this for ages I'm afraid - very limited internet access where I am, plus very bad sickness etc. However, here I am and 12 week scan went well so just hoping the sickness stops soon. Hope everyone else is doing well and I hope to be in touch a bit more now - hopefully!

hello everyone - glad to hear you're all blooming.

Every time I cough at the moment, I keep releasing a small amount of wee (sorry if tmi).

my poor pelvic floor has given up.

Am the size of a whale and people look shocked when I tell them I'm only 18 weeks.

Hi there all
Kazza- I don't feel much movement either - only occasionally. It was like this last time so,to date,I don't feel worried but will be pleased to see a heartbeating, moving thing at my 20 week scan. As dinkystinky says though, get it checked out if you're worried - not good to worry!

That picture of v.hairy man was gross.....sorry to any hairy dh's out there (my dh is pretty hairy but not like that !)...the duck however was cute.

Pregnancy Pilates was very relaxing last night. Felt a bit of strange going to a non-sweat inducing exercise session but it was just 5 ladies and a very nice instructor with lots of pelvic floor exercises (needed as we all know) and other exercises and some nice relaxation which was great - it's at 8.15 so by the time I get back it's time for bed and I'm all chilled out. Helps with the sleeping too. I've not really done this type of thing before but did enjoy it....

Charlie 7 - glad your scan went well and hopefully your sickness will be better soon - I definitely felt better in the couple of weeks after my scan - it happened gradually but what a relief it was. Fingers crossed for you

mslucy - cross posted but the pilates had lots and lots of pelvic floor exercises - I am the same at the moment - my pelvic floor has given up too ! Do you have any where round you you could go?

Hello all, not much to say at the moment. Sure Start came round today to talk about extending my CM placement because when it finishes I will be starting 3 scans a week and it will be close to when the baby is due. If the placement continues it will be into January so the baby could be a month old by then so it will give us some space to go to the hospital when the baby is in the unit without having to take her there all the time which will be hard for her. I have another cervical length scan on Friday and the CM is on Jury Duty so no one to have her, I asked them if they knew anywhere I could leave her and they're going to ask the nursery they're based at if they will take her for the morning. She said the books are closed but it should be OK for just the morning.

Friday is going to be a busy day because Bella want to come out for our photoshoot. We're going to a soft play centre. In the evening is a MN meet. I think it's going to be a lot of toing and froing!

Evening all.

I know many of you will lynch me for asking this but is anyone who is 16 weeks-ish NOT looking pregnant yet? I thought with second babies you ballooned overnight but I'm still super-skinny and now managing to worry that the baby isn't growing because frankly there is absolutely no room for it!

Also, especially one for those still BF, am I the only one to have totally lost patience with my older child? Things that usually wouldn't really bother me have me boiling with rage and today I shouted so much I had a sore troat. I hate it but it's like the worst case ever of PMT and I just can't cntrol it. Am worried I'm damaging DS not to mention what the stress and anger chemicals coursng through my veins must be doing to the baby. I only menton the breast feeding because I always did have a short-temper but since having DS I've had loads of patience until now and the only thing that's changed, apart from being pregnant, is that he is having very little milk from me now and I know BF releases all those happy hormones.

Sorry for the ramble am feeling exhausted and miserable and need to get it all out.

thehouseofmirth - I am like little miss arsey some days. I'm normally really chilled but I am joining the shouty club at my children. I know it's not good but I have lost all patience. It is temporary! Let's face it, our hormones are going bonkers.

Thanks all for messages re. bleeding - I am back on the progesterone tablets so it's stopped. Fingers crossed. I don't want another early one (like DS1 who was born at 32wks).

Dear god, I just had a conversation with dd about how you can't fart out of your minnie, not until you're older anyway and in certain circumstances but I am not prepared to discuss this right now when you are only 6.

Another vote for moody hormonal snappy person here. I was looking forward to seeing DH all day, got home and nagged him for half an hour and I have no idea why.

Am and lol at MArkstretchs conversational topic of the moment.

Another with zero pelvic floor here. Well, no point beating myself up now about all those years of wasted opportunity to do exercises to avoid the old sneeze-'n'-pee combo.

Breastfeeding: irritation can be really normal when bfing through pregnancy. Perhaps because it can be less comfortable. Frustrating for child when less milk than usual, and then your moods ratchet each other upwards. Also, child sensing changes in you - change of smell (ha! especially for those of us with the pelvic floor problems ewwwww), changes in shape, change of where they are encouraged to hug you - all those things. I think we can also have a feeling of getting ourselves ready for the new baby, subconsiously, and maybe pushing our children a little to be more independent than they are necessarily ready to be? And that leads to stress all round? I'm speaking from my own experience really, but maybe something here will resonate for one of the other ex-bfers?

Are we the crunchiest lentillyest ante-natal thread ever? How many of us are still breastfeeding an older child, and planning home births and dreaming of new slings and things like that?

I'm really excited today to have learned about the existence of doidy cups, which begins to make me think that expressing and leaving-baby-with-the-daddy might be possible. We just never ever got the hang of bottles last time around, and it was quite a tie for me as the chief breadwinner to be doing so much working from home/coming back to do feeds/having baby brought to me in my office... martyred superwoman emoticon

Onward - doidy cups are brilliant: DS used to take water from one at 6 months no trouble, getting him on the bottle for when I went back to work (expressing/feeding baby option not really an option in law firm) took months but he eventually got it (though now we're having another battle in getting him off the bottles even though he can and does merrily guzzle juice and water from all manner of receptacles now)!

Herbgarden - glad you enjoyed the pregnancy pilates class: every little bit helps with those pelvic floor exercises. MsLucy - if you're in London there is bound to be a pregnancy yoga or pregnancy pilates class near you (if you're northwest london both Special Yoga centre in Kensal Rise and Triyoga at Primrose Hill are great and have lovely instructors, plus weekend classes and evening classes, so rope in DH to babysit).

Sorry Houseofmirth - am 16 weeks and enormous. However at my pregnancy yoga class on Sunday there was a woman who was sixteen weeks and no bump at all - she had a long body (I definitely dont) so I think your body shape and proportions will determine how soon you pop out. It may just be that you have pretty strong abs too, so try not to worry about it too much. When I was pregnant with DS, a friend of mine at work was pregnant with her second (and a month more pregnant than me) and I ALWAYS looked much bigger than her - though when her DD was born, she was also a 8lber....

Hi all, not posted for a while. 17 weeks and still feeling sick (when will it stop?) also very moody and very hormonal!!

On a brighter note i'm going for my blood tests tomorrow so should hopefully get to hear the HB too. My stomach is huge and clothes are now too tight so shopping spree is needed.

Thanks O&U, I'm feeling similar and it's good to know it's normal. My CM is on Jury Duty for two weeks, day three of having Tink home and I'm ready to kill her! Not sure if there is a link between the fact I wasn't pregnant when she started at CM

have been away in the caravan for a few days - 5 of us in small van

ds1 starts reception tomorrow it has gone so fast and I have my '20 week' scan I will be 18+6 - busy day

have skimmed through but haven't retained much hope you are all well

Oooggs that sounds like a game of sardines! Hope you had a great time despite the cramped conditions. How on earth did you manage the night loo trips with 5 of you in a caravan?

Good luck for your scan and DS's first day at reception tomorrow - cant imagine how hugely emotional that day will be when DS gets to that age...

toilet in the caravan helped

ds1 slept on a bunk (with bed guard)

dh shared with dd & I shared with ds2

the kids enjoyed it

The HouseofMirth - I am almost 18weeks and I dont have a visible bump yet - It is my first baby though...
My tummy definatly feels rounder, but nothing that anyone else but me would notice.

I asked the midwife and she assured me that the baby would be growing fine, sometimes it is just a case of proportions, stomach muscles etc...
I am worried that it will 'pop' over night and leave me with terrible stretch marks though....Im using bio oil and palmers lotion like its going out of fashion!!

But its a slight blessing in disgiuse...Id like to fit into my normal clothes as long as possible...Maternity clothes arent cheap are they?!

Thanks Dinky! I sent an email to my boss asking for a chat as soon as she's back. Now she probably think I want to resign .

I'm also trying to find out about different antenatal yoga/pilates options in my area but it looks like all pilates classes are full. What's the difference between pilates and yoga ?

America, she'll be relieved when you tell her that you're pregnant then. When I was pregnant with DS had exactly the same with my boss - the look of relief on his face when I told him I was pregnant was rather comical!

Pregnancy yoga and pilates are generally quite similar - though pilates focuses more on alignment and posture and yoga focuses abit more on the breathing element and trying to make more space. I found both quite good for strengthening leg muscles, pelvic floor and core (in preparation for labour) and attribute the fact that I managed to push DS out - despite not being able to feel a thing and on my back and in stirrups due to medieval midwife from hell (so NOT going to happen this time round) - to all those exercises I did in my classes. If classes near you are full, and you're not suffering from SPD, a dvd can do the job just as well (though you may get a little bored of it after a while).

America

Yoga is conditioning the body & mind - its developing & strengthening the muscles of the total body - very good for balance and focus.

Pilates is more about core work - It makes you activate all your core muscles correctly to help with posture and alignment and strengthening of the lower back and abdominal muscles - It is also very good for activating pelvic floor - which pregnancy pilates will be mostly focussed on.

Though from my experience KT, pregnancy yoga and pregnancy pilates are much more similar to each other than normal yoga and normal pilates (both of which I did before getting pregnant too). There isnt v much balance involved in pregnancy yoga (with good reason)!