Dec 08 - the one where we wonder what are our bodies going to do next?

[rosmerta]

Sorry for rubbish title, best I could do

car seats: DH nipped out after I'd given birth to buy one from down the road! Organised we were not...

Hi All lots of waves to new people and people that had gone missing for a while too
Had to join in with the stretch marks chat I look as though I have a sunshine on my belly.
No stretch marks first time round, then bam second time right at the end I looked as though somebody had drawn the sun on me.
All these lines radiating from my belly button in all directions
It is becoming obvious again as I am getting rounder, but no new ones yet. Very jealous of whoever it was they said theirs had gone, This is from eight years ago and they are still there taunting me.

Morning everyone.
Just a quick hello in between breakfast preperation!
Hope you all had lovely BH weekends.
Catch up soon - its a work day tomorrow .

No names yet, its too hard!

I have my 2nd 20 week scan today (22 weeks) as they couldn't measure babies head last time,

better get my bottom into gear, need to leave in 45 mins.

As far as stretch marks go I really do think its physically impossible for me to get anymore than I already have!!

Verso big hugs to you - hope you can find some way of getting a bit of help for you.

Turnip glad your niece doing okay.

Summer lol at your stretch marks disappearing! I did exactly the same thing a few weeks ago, had slept with my duvet bunched up under me and it had left red crease marks all down one side of my bump - was panicking all morning!

I have a nasty feeling I am developing varicose veins . Anyone else? My mum, aunts and gran all got them on their second pregnancies. Am trying to sit down as much as possible but am getting a very achey congested feeling in back of calves. Too chicken to actually get DH to look as I can't twist round that far any more!

I am getting lots of kicks low down too and wondered if it was because baby was breech? Could just be the knackered pelvic floor here too Effie!

Can I join the cervix kicking club? This baby kicks really far down and towards my back. It is rather uncomfy actually. I am sure it is breach at the moment as I never feel any high up kicks. I suppose we should start all that optimal fetal positioning lark but TBH I am too lazy at the moment...

Last night I dreamt I was in labour. The contractions were so real that I woke up panicing that I was acutally contracting in real life. I lay still for a few minutes and realised I was just uncomfortable because I needed a wee! When I finally got back to sleep I had a different dream that the baby was born so early that I had to carry it round in a cup of amnoitic fluid . I remember I got very odd dreams in my last pregnancy too.

I am not even commenting on my stretch marks. I have put on 4lbs this week and even that is not enough to curb my ferocious appetite...

Hatty im a bit paranoid about the breech possibility of lowdown kicks too as mine feels like its trying to stamp its way out!
Scan at 11.15 so will ask .. def diff to other three as they spent all there times kicking me in the ribs!

Hi everyone, just catching up after the BH.

hatty it could be the baby punching rather than kicking?!

lowri I hope everything stays ok with you, just try to take things a little slower (which is easier said than done, I know!)

verso sorry that you have to do everything, it must be so hard. I hope you're feeling a little better now you're back at work.

disenchanted hi, nice to see you back!

preggiejane hi! I also remember the feeling of going from 2 to 3 but it all works out in the end (mainly )!

turnip glad your niece is doing well, it must be hard for your sister to leave her in hospital but hopefully it won't be for too much longer.

Stretchmarks, yep I've got them! I think I just must be predisposed to them though, I slathered so much cream & oil on last time & it didn't work, haven't really bothered this time around & they haven't got any worse!

Had a nice weekend though ds's sleep patterns went out of the window a bit as did the potty training! Plus we came back to find there's been some sort of leak, or probably 2, as the paper on the kitchen ceiling is peeling off & so is the paper outside the bathroom door but they're not above each other. Fortunately, one of our friend's is a plumber so he won't take any money off us for coming round! Just hope its nothing too serious or expensive to fix otherwise we won't be getting our bedroom decorated

I haven't got varicose veins (yet), but I've got lots of those little thread veins on my calves and on my inner ankles - very frustrating! Bleugh.

Had a fantastic weekend and actually played tennis on Sunday - won a mini-tournament - although think people may have been being easy on me! One of my best mates had her little girl on Sunday (same as DH's birthday) - poor thing was induced, had every drug possible and then had to have a C Section. nightmare!

I watched the Orphanage last night - freaked me out more than any film has for a long time. Had a terrible night's sleep as a result - was convinced that there were ghosts in the house. Did lots of lying awake and expecting horrors. then when I did sleep, I dreamt I had the baby, DH was waiting for me in a bar and this woman was there, who'd been giving him blowjobs every friday for the last 3 months! So we had a big row and left the bar, but forgot the baby. And someone nicked it.

It was bloody awful!

Starting to get nursery sorted tonight - old bed been sold on ebay, so being collected tonight - hurray! Then moving lots of furniture. DH seems to think I'll be useful with furniture moving - erm... not sure I will be! We're putting off buying stuff for bambino as dont' want to tempt fate!

Verso - it does sound really tough on you - I hope you're keeping your chin up - and do use us to blurt on if you need to. Hope you're alright. x

Hi everyone,
hope you all had good long weekends!
Verso sorry sounds really hard... cannot imagine dealing with all that while being pregnant too. Feel free to moan on here!!

I had a nice weekend but spent too much of it sleeping. Parents came to visit and helped decorate what will be the baby room. It is quite plain and a light brown colour which is really nice, but I think we will have to make it look a bit more child friendly with pictures, etc. DH wants Thomas the tank engine curtains . We need to order some furniture too.

Ooo SL - it's suddenly starting to feel real isn't it? We're not getting new blinds for the room, as they were only brand new a year ago and are really pretty! Or re-painting the walls as had the whole place done up not that long ago and hoping to sell it on. Although these are great and removable: brill!

Plus haven't bought any clothes or anything - can't quite believe I'm having a baby - hurray! So exciting suddenly! DH and I were comparing tummies in the bathroom mirror. He's got a lovely flat six-pack and I'm a whale! He weighs a stone less than me now! We had such a fun water fight last night, haven't laughed like that in ages! Brilliant.

at lovely six-pack, my DH doeesn't have one of them!! He has a cuddly little belly, but it is littler than mine! I don't weigh as much as him (yet) but I am a shortie!

Our baby room was the only room in the house that had not been painted since we moved in 4 years ago, and it needed doing.

Hello! Hope everyone is doing well! I haven't been on in ages. I had a spell of having lots of energy and feeling great so I was out and about making the most of it. Alas, my energy is now back to being contrary.

Now I've finally started to look like I've swallowed a watermelon whole and my baby is finally found their dancing/kicking feet I feel I can now start buying some kit. I've just started looking at prams and I'm totally overwhelmed! I have no idea what I should choose. It seems people use prams or the big travel system thingies which I've been looking at, and then ditch them after 6 months in favour of a light weight easy buggy. And then some seem to go through serveral prams/stroller/buggies in a short amount of time.

It seems an expensive option, any suggestions for getting it right from the start? (If that is at all possible!).

LadyT - I've seen you've gone for the Bugaboo Cameleon. Can I ask you what helped make your decision?

What is everyone else going for?

It is pathetic - I've totally lost the ability to make a decision!

Thanks!

Hey Doozie - I'm with you on that one - too many decisions and DH is worse than me on them! I think we're going for Silvercross 3-D system, if that helps - although not 100% sure yet... But think it's not dissimilar to Bugaboo, but a little bit cheaper.

Doozie my plan is to get a freebie travel system from a friend, and see how I go with that. And eye up all the other mums in the area's prams until I decide if I want to buy my own.

My friend has a bugaboo cameleon, she seems to like it but it looks a bit bulky though very snazzy to me. but I know nothing. Also it's expensive, and with all the accessories I think you could probably end up spending a lot. But I guess if it is the right one and will last you then it's worth it!!

Am wondering about just using the one I am likely to get free/cheap and then getting a maclaren like everyone else seems to at 6 months.

You may be right about the breech position, the baby was breech at my last scan (but then so was DS and he righted himself later). I think foetal positioning doesn't need to be done till later for 2nd pgs as there's more room to move about? Will check...

no stretch marks last time, none so far this time but not counting my chickens

OFP link:

www.homebirth.org.uk/ofp.htm

SummerLighting that would be perfect if I just inherited somebody else's pram - it would take the decision away for starters!!

Beans I'm now off to look up Silvercross systems! Thanks.

I'm in Paris and depend on public transport so I'm thinking I will need something very light and compact - maybe a Bugaboo Bee? I see a lot of Loola's here, but I've heard good and bad things about them - just like nearly every review on every pram!

In the meantime, DH and I find ourselves staring at people's prams to see what make they are and the age of the baby. Probably makes us look a little suspicious..

Thanks for all the sympathy, guys. I am fine most of the time but sometimes it does get to me a bit.

Doozie I went for a Bugaboo Cameleon too (arrived last week ) as I had a very practical but hideous travel system last time (long story - part borrowed) and also a pretty depressing maternity leave (not that these are connected of course!). This time round I was determined from the word go that as much as possible of it would be fun - so we actually put the money away for a Bugaboo before we started ttc!!

I still also have a McLaren Volo which is what we put DD into once she got a bit older, and will be keeping it as it was a fab purchase.

dear all - so much to read, so little time - apols haven't scanned through much at all.

have been in germany for the w/e visiting relatives and received first baby clothes and a fantastic breastfeeding pillow which doubles as a sleeping pillow for me, which means i am now sleeping like a baby - hurrah!

also, have a small announcement to make: i am at last - wait for it - FEELING SOMETHING - can't tell whether it is punching, kicking, wriggling, on my cervix or anywhere else, for that matter, but i can FINALLY FEEL IT. and i know it's not just wind, so hallelujah!

will try to keep in touch better now

I am always doing the eyeing up prams too Doozie. think I'm being really subtle but bet it looks really dodgy.

I saw someone with one of these and really liked the look of it yesterday, anyone know anything about them?

www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplay0_10751_-1_36342_10001?cm_mmc=Blue%20Barra cuda--Affiliates--Affiliate%20Network-_-Buy%20At

Sorry to hear I'm not the only veiny one but it's reassuring to hear all the same!

(Turnip I also have a highly attractive groin swollen vein, it's just so so unpleasant isn't it!!)

Aw everyones babies sound very lively! Mine feels breech, just because last time my bigger twin was breech and the kicks feel the same..

I'm also stuck on prams/car seats - it still feels a bit early to buy big things but I think it's beginning to bother me that I haven't yet. I think once it gets to September and the final autumn countdown it will feel easier..it was so much easier last time around buying for two!

Did someone mention wierd dreams? I've been having awful ones..every fear I could possibly have played out in technicolour. I dreamt last night that my DD's had a new teacher at nursery who turned out to be a paedophile - I am pretty confident that all their nursery teachers are lovely so I think that must be just a fear about them and the new baby, I was fretting about getting them to nursery in the first few weeks so that might explain it..

I also dreamt last night that pratically everyone I knew in RL was at a party without me! Possibly due to being the only person I know who is pregnant at the moment!

Gosh, a lot to catch up on even after a day...

Reban - best of luck with the scan tomorrow, be sure to let us know how it goes. My kicks have mainly been quite high up and and at the sides...so now I am wondering what this means, though my bump is quite high.

Turnip - of COURSE, your logic is flawless about not needing a car seat anyway if my baby was born at 34wks - completely thick of me - I think, to my horror, I am developing that famed pregnancy brain...Glad to hear your niece is doing well - I'm sure everyone will feel better with each day that passes - and do keep on with the updates.

Veggie - most envious of the pamper weekend...and Oli, so a genuine surprise on the sex for you! If I ever do this again, I think I would want to know the sex again. The suspense would kill me, you see! You have more willpower than me.

Disenchanted - I guess you are probably at your scan by now but good luck and do check in and let us know when you can!

Hatty - sadly, I had a small varicose vein or two already, plus delightful thread veins, for much the same reasons as you I think (genes and lots of bar and shop work when I was a youngster) - which are definitely worsening horribly now I am up the duff. However, I have already lined up a vascular consultant to get rid of them as soon as he is/I am humanly able, once I have had the baby. I know it's very vain, but given that I will probably have a fat tummy, a cs scar, saggy boobs and all the rest of it, I am jiggered if I am having varicose veins as WELL.

Doozie, my reasons for choosing a Cameleon are in part shallow, but I got so bamboozled with the choice of pushchair and pram when I am usually a decisive and effective shopper, that I just wanted to pick SOMETHING. Reasons are:

*It seemed robust, stable, comfy for the babe, and wheels like a dream. I am sure lots of others do too, but there we go. On the downside it is a bit bulky so for Paris you might be better off with the Bee. With my city/country existence I needed something to cover all terrains, hence the Cameleon.

*I like all the accessories and the fact that it can convert to something suitable for a toddler - at that price I want it to last for the duration and for any further kids (I ordered mine from Two Left Feet, and they do a package where you get a car seat that fits the pushchair chassis as well

*DP really wanted one. He reckons it looks suitably manly for him to push, which seemed to be a factor and he loved the design

*I've worked in Primrose Hill for too long, everyone has got them round here and I have clearly been conditioned to want one

I'm worried about the bulk of it, though, and clearly they are rather overpriced. I also looked at the iCandy as well, which might be worth a peep.