First time mums expecting Spring babies

[FlirtyThirty]

Hello!

I'm expecting my first baby on 24 April. I'm currently only 4+4 but have NO symptoms at all! Have just retested as I'm convinced I've imagined it!

Went to Dr yesterday to share the news and have to wait for hospital 'choose & book' paperwork so that I can arrange first scan for around 10 October.

There seems to be so many decisions to make all of a sudden...

Anyway...just wondered how you other first timers were finding things...or your other halves for that matter. Mine is still in total shock in spite of this being a planned baby!

Flirty x

Hi all. Been really busy lately so not had much chance to look at mumsnet. Have just about caught up on all your news though!

Binky glad you are feeling better and managing to eat something - your colleague sounds like a complete idiot - I third the virtual slap.

Bicnod glad your scan went well. NHS wont tell us the sex here but don't think we would want to know anyway. It is tempting though. Considering a private 3D scan around 20 weeks as I think they are amazing and also don't get a 20 week scan on NHS here. Think it is really bad they don't offer it.

Skiingone sorry to hear you are not feeling great at the moment but hopefully the chiropracter will be able to help.

I wore my maternity trousers for the first time today as noticed yesterday ordinary trousers really are getting too tight. Still just got a very small bump though. Imagined earlier in pregnancy that I'd be showing more by now and am really looking forward to having a 'proper' bump. Will probably regret saying that in the last trimester though.

I know it is still pretty early to be thinking about this but has anyone considered when they are going to start their maternity leave? Ideally I want to have as much time as possible with the baby at the other end so was thinking of using up around two weeks holiday then starting maternity leave around two weeks before due date so finishing work four weeks before due date. Really difficult to judge how I will feel in late pregnancy though so was wondering if anyone else has any thoughts?

Morning everyone!
pinkadink where I live you have to take maternity leave between 30 and 50 working days before your due date, so I'll probably go for the 30 days before, since I'll still get normal pay until that day (and I need the cash! ). So, I suppose that means that I'll finish work in th fist week of March.

I'm still not feeling any movements! I'm 18+5 now and it would make it seem much more real and less worrying if I could actually feel something. I have a bit of a bump, but it's only really visible when I'm lying down (probably because I'm a bit (ahem..) chubby! ). My DH keeps telling me not to worry so much and that the baby is moving all the time, but I just can't feel it yet because it's still a tiny little thing really.

Hope you're all feeling some of that second trimester glow! (Here's some 'glow-dust'...)

Morning all

I was awake from 3.30am for the third night running - grrrr. At least I'm surfing working from home today.

Skiingone - sorry to hear you're getting painful symptoms already

Good news on not needing a stitch Bicnod I made the mistake of reading some threads about that last week - does not sound pleasant at all

Pinkadink and Kalikaroo - I've been counting weeks and working out when I can take mat leave My unconfirmed EDD is May 29th (scan next week - yay) and I get 5 weeks holiday, which will accrue during maternity leave, so I think I will take off all of May as annual leave, ie 4 weeks before baby and then I'll have 9 months afterwards. I'm not sure I can afford to stay off for the whole year - the only reason I can stay off 9 months is that my mortgage provider allows mortgage "holidays"

Third trimester feels quite a way off for me yet - am 10+5 today. It feels as if my tum has grown this week though - under the flab, I think I may actually have a small bump

Hi di Hi pregnant ladies!

Today I am officially unable to do up my trousers! And the even more odd part of this state of affairs is that I have no really distinguishable bump? When I lie down, there is definiitely a little bit of tummy that I can't suck in, but really, I don't look pregnant. I seem to be getting a little more chunky above the waist which is odd, like my waist line is disappearing and my rib cage is padding out?! Either my baby is lost inside me, or I'm somehow getting fat (how can this be when I still have morning sickness!?) very odd indeed. So, in light of my trouser's reluctance to close, I must commend the arrival of my 'bump band' (a boob tube equivalent for the tummy, if you don't have one). It is an inspired idea and is preventing me from flashing my pants at the world today!

Bicnod - Glad you are now a fully signed up member fo the Kinsgton Posse! I can see a small party in the Malden Suite beckoning! Oh, and I don't necessarily think your consultant's comment means it's a boy...no 'boy bits' would be just as conclusive if you'd been watching the screen!

Jools - I too wake nightly at 3am. No idea why. Last night I enjoyed some US election coverage though so was reasonably entertained. (And thanking God that the US voted in Obama!)

Binky - your colleague is a prize pratt! There are a lot of them out there...

Hi ladies! BIG bump alert today here and my belly button appears to be making a break for the border already. I'm going to be so flippin' enormous! Flirty I am going to get a bumpband today on your recommendation as I keep getting up in the office, wandering over to printer/kitchen and only then realising my trousers are undone and pants very much on show.

Pinkadink I think I started wondering about maternity leave in oh, around week six! Have agreed Wednesdays as my day from home (so I'm being very productive today like Jools) so that's helping me think I might just stick with it for a bit longer. It's even more complicated for me with it being twins - I don't know when on earth they are going to make an appearance! Could be mid March, also could be any time on from mid-Feb and they'd make it... so got to be ready. If it was one baby I think I would have 3-4 weeks off beforehand. As I'm going to be mammoth I may consider stopping mid-Feb. Decisions decisions!

We saw a family house last night - very exciting. Going to rent for a year or two while the housing market collapses around us settles down, and rent our flat out. Was really nice seeing places with a nursery room, how exciting.

Feeling tons better and weirdly craving Ovaltine - on mug three already. Got to build me and these babies up after last week!

Am very jealous of the bumps appearing on this thread Mine is still only miniscule / imagined / just fat - you are all further along than me I think

Binky - I got my bump band in Vertbaudet sale...but there are loads around. I too have got up and forgotten my trousers were undone! Gave hubby a good laugh when I went to the toilet ina a restaurant the other night...he didn't tell me till I was back at the table!

Hi everyone

Been mad busy again so just catching up on everyone's news.

Jools and Flirty - I still wake up two or three times in the night for the loo, woke up at 2.20 this morning so turned on Radio 4 to see what was going on in the US and listened for a while, I was really hoping Obama would win too so I'm chuffed to bits with the result.

Binky - your colleague sounds like a complete a**se. Slap definitely in order! I'm so pleased to hear that you are feeling better, I'm sure they wouldn't have given you any drugs that would have harmed your babies. How exciting that your bump is growing so nicely, and even more exciting about your new house!

Pinkadink and Kalikaroo - as I'm due on 27 April I'm hoping to be off from end of March, going to save up my holiday as much as possible and hopefully use that to cover from end of March into April and start my maternity leave once that's used up - should help with the money a bit.

Bicnod - glad to hear your scan went well and no stitch needed, I had an internal scan when I had my scare last month, they're not the greatest are they but it's definitely not as uncomfortable as a smear! Good you got the transfer to Kingston that you wanted for the antenatal, I'm still having mine at Roehampton and it's actually pretty easy for me to get to, maybe will bump (no pun intended) and Flirty at the Malden Suite though!

Skiingone - Sorry to hear you're having pain, hope that the chiropractor can do something to help - fingers crossed for you and that you'll still be able to go skiing.

Saz - Great news on the scan!

Sorry to anyone I've missed!

Still no bump for me, usual clothes still fit. Hope Micro is growing OK!

My mother has developed food cravings. I've heard of the baby's father developing sympathetic symptoms like cravings and morning sickness but not the baby's granny! I think it's hilarious.

Saw a recipe over the weekend for driver's mulled wine - like proper mulled wine but with red grape juice. Will have to give it a go sometime!

Hope everyone well - sorry marathon post

Littleduck xx

Oops - note to Bicnod above should have said 'maybe will bump into you and Flirty at the Malden Suite'. Pregnancy sponge brain clearly now extending to affect typing skills!

Oh, skiing . Hope you are able to find some relief, and that things don't get too much worse.

pinkadink - that?s that they don?t offer 20-week scan where you are. I can?t believe the lottery that is maternity care on the NHS.

BinkyB - that?s a clever idea about renting a bigger place and letting our your flat - how exciting!

Lol about the falling down trousers. How many times did I have perfectly serious conversations in colleagues offices with my top button undone and zip at half mast till I stopped wearing my non-mat trousers at 14 weeks!

I?m taking maternity leave two weeks before edd and tagging two weeks holiday onto the end to have more time with Bo. May not get that far, but here?s hoping I can make it to mid-March without collapsing. We will end up in the poor house if I take more than 7 months altogether!

littleduck - about your mother?s food cravings. Some people will use any excuse

I am having an anxious day today, as haven?t really felt Bo move since yesterday afternoon. Got v. cross (inwardly, not outwardly) with midwife when I phoned to ask if I should worry, as she just kept going on about how ?unusual? it was to be feeling strong movements at 19-20 weeks. The point is, though, that I have been feeling them, so it?s the change to the pattern that I was worried about, and she just wasn?t listening to a word I was saying . My usual midwife didn?t seem to think it was strange that I?d already felt flutterings at 16 weeks. Anyway, in the end I just emailed my cousin, who?s just had a baby, and who reassured me about babies resting. But really, surely it?s not too much to expect that a midwife could be a bit more informative and less patronizing. She even asked me if I was sure it wasn?t ?wind? I?d been feeling. Cretin!

Sorry for rant. I?ll come back later when I?m a nice person again

Oh, and anyone heard from lolianja?

Littleduck that is very funny about your Mum. Mine will feel left out now when I tell her that and no doubt we'll see some similar 'symptoms' developing there too! She's already got her name down for her own double buggy

daisy sorry to hear you got a less than helpful midwife. I had no flutters last night either and like you convinced myself (especially when I wasn't sick - honestly am I ever happy?!) that there was something wrong but I bet it happens all the time. Nice your cousin could reassure you too.

Anyone going to fireworks? That'll wake the babies up!

Hiall,

A crazy day at work, as it is my last day in the office before holiday. I am at the consultants tomorrow morning to check my BP and then 'work from home' until we fly out tomorrow night. We have 3 weeks in the RSA with family and I will be back on the 27th November. Lovely

All this talk of bumps is making me smile - I look pretty normal, but pudgy, in the mornings but look rather pregnant with a hard belly by the late afternoon, in time for the tube ride home - so I can get offered a seat! (or so that irritating business men can avoid eye contact while pretending they don't notice the pregnant lady in front of them, which is what normally happens!)

I am now in maternity clothes all the time though - there is no chance of my non-mat clothes doing up anymore!

I intend to use as much annual leave as possible before the baby is born and would ideally like to take 4 weeks off beforehand. In a perfect world, I would take a year maternity leave but it won't happen. We may manage to scrimp & save through 7 months so I can go back in the new year.

skiing I am so sorry about the SPD, good luck with the Chiropractor. What bad luck...

bicnod Great that you got your antenatal transferred to Kingston. One of the reasons I chose Kingston was because I thought my antenatal care would be at Roehampton (Very easy for me to get to from work) but now I have to go to Kingston anyway! Will join you in the 'bumping into each other' (OK...OK...pun intended ) in the malden suite :-)

daisy and binky the worrying never stops does it! Hope you are both re-assured.

binky Very clever idea to rent while the economy stabilizes. Hope you find the perfect property with teh perfect Nursery

Hello everyone else, hope everyone is well! [wave emoticon]

evening all. i hope the fireworks do wake maggot up as still not felt anything though only just over 18 weeks i suppose.

bump bands are great

glad i have converted you all to nandos chicken - we should let them know about out thread and maybe we will get free chicken until we deliver!!

i too look bit fat, bigger at end of day and when bursting for a wee. in some mat clothes and some normals depending on the level of wind in my guts!! so glad there are other worriers apart from me. every twinge or lack of sends me onto a spin - i have banned myself from the books now, might get DH to hide them.

Daisy - i was wondering about lolianja too, hope she is ok. fingers crossed.

enjoy the fireworks ( im hoping the dirty hot dog van will be at our display) lol xxxxxxxxxxxx

Good evening girls!

Thank you for your concern. I'm trying to stay active and made an appointment with the chiro for tomorrow. So will have some experience to share in the unfortunate event if anyone will need advice with this ( HOPE NOT!!!)
As for skiing I may opt for giving this up this season, on top of SPD I actualy have quite a big bump now, didn't expect to be quite so big at this stage, I gained 4 kg so far and it's time to start controlling my eating I think...It's probably also because I have short(ish) upper body.

littleduck - that's funny, but how old is your mum? Maybe you're about to get a sister or a brother? .

daisy - that midwife is not nice, she should do her job and inform first timers about what possible reasons for the changes could be. I read that it's common to start feeling baby movements and feel them for days and then not to feel anything again for days. I can imagine that this is very stressfull and it's nice to talk to someone who can listen and explain things properly. .

Binky - how exciting to be renting a family house! and with a nursery too! It's a great idea to rent out your flat for now.
I'm looking around at the moment to rent a 2bed with a larger living room to move into just before Xmas...

Big hello to everyone else!

XX

Skiing - I know, she just wasn't doing her job, and tbh I though she sounded not the brightest spark anyway, but maybe that's just cos I is a bee-atch! .

Now, ladies, on to more serious matters. Isabella Oliver are having quite a big sale. Some things only left in large or tiny sizes, but I have just bagged a sea coloured minidress for half price in a size 2, so they obviously have a fair amount of some items left. For anyone larger or tiny, they have a VERY lovely knee-length wrap dress in pewter for, I think, half price, too, as well as some other very cute stuff.

Thanks for your words on my rant. I have felt a couple of little wriggles now and am feeling slightly more sane.

x

CE - Good luck for your scan tomorrow, by the way. Can't wait to hear all about it

thanks daisy! I'm VERY excited - can't believe it's 20 weeks nearly already! I will make sure to let you all know how it goes - we are not finding out the sex though!

I'm quite shocked about the MW response tbh! Glad someone else was able to give more advice

skiing - hope you are feeling better soon xx I think it might sadly be for the best to avoid the skiing this year (I am missing it already if it helps! )

binky - great news about the house!

I am going on mat leave hopefully 4 weeks before EDD and will take 4 1/2 months off - it's all we can afford boo hoo! I wish I could take more but I gues being a teacher I get loads of hols - I will only be back at work 2 weeks before the 6 week summer break!

woo hoo - MW apt tomorrow which means WE GET TO HEAR THE HEART BEAT AGAIN

Sal & Wee bump
16 + 4

evs - I meant to say, I thought that too about Nandos . I was trying to think of some cunning plan for getting free chicken. They could do some cute advertising using our growing bumps and give us food as payment...

Hi everyone. I'm really touched by your concern daisyj and just want to confirm that yes, I'm fine! Was investigated by the midwife, it's just Braxtons. I was fairly sure it was anyway but big, big sigh of relief from me, other half, parents et al nevertheless. Thanks again.

Can't believe I'll be 24 weeks on Monday. Bump is still teeny-tiny. I'm beginning to appreciate the lack of weight-gain/mutation/bump expansion etc now, rather than sending jealousy rays permeating into every woman with a bump as I'd been doing thus far. I guess it means I'll snap back quicker! I hope so anyway... of course now I've probably jinxed it and will most likely balloon to an obscene degree over the next fortnight!

That's great, loli - so glad all OK

I'm growing by the day now, and you're right to be grateful not to be too big. I adore my bump right now, but I'm kind of hoping it will just get a little bigger. However, given that Bo weighs about half a pound now and will end up probably being at least six I fear increasingly weeble-like proportions!

Sal - How lovely - hearing the hb becomes addictive - enjoy it!

daisyj - Some midwives are fantastic and others are just strange. Mine informed me at 12 weeks that I might sometimes feel a bit sick but that "making the love" wouldn't harm the baby. Not much else.

I'm 16 weeks tomorrow and beginning to bulge. It HAS to hold off for another ten days so I can fit into the wedding dress!

Have just bought some BioOil - in fact am lying in bed considering a timely application as my fiance is on a business trip. I wish they'd revamp the packaging, though - it looks like IrnBru!

More maternity clothing news. Formes on Brook St in Mayfair are having a sale - or at least they were last Saturday. The assistant who helped me was incredibly good without being pushy and persuaded me to try some trousers, which I'd assumed wouldn't be long enough because they're French and I'm 6'0". In fact, they were very flattering. I recommend.

I was only planning to take two weeks off before the EDD - but a colleague's wife had her baby yesterday, a whole month early, which makes me think twice. I am worried I'll be bored and fretful for all that time, though!

skiingone - from your name I'd guess you're a very good skier. I've no idea if it's recommended but I know someone who was on the slopes at 8 months. In quite large salopettes.

BrightSideOfLife - I only ever get offered a seat on the tube if I place a hand lovingly under or over my bump (which means I can't hold on to the rail and Blackberry at the same time - tiresome). Hoping this will change soon, as it feels a bit manipulative.

Loli so pleased all is well.

CE that sounds like perfect timing to me! You'll be back on full pay too - my mate did a very similar thing, and I think ended up only going in for a few days before the 6 week hols, the lucky thing.

Thanks for the sales tips ladies. Formes is near DH's office - hmm I can see a lunchtime rendez vous coming up! Poor boy.

Elpis am with you on the BioOil packaging, too. Plus it leaks onto my dressing table. All worth it if it works...

Hate to say it girls but I have a good friend who works in dermatology/genetics ...the Bio Oil and all other lotions and potions will make you feel better and stop intching skin but it won't stop stretch marks. If you're going to get them you will.

I am almost resigned to them as I already have loads on my bum and hips from late teen growth spurt...god knows what I'll look like when my stomach really gets going...

For those who've bought Isabella Oliver stuff...are the sizes small or generous. I can't decide whether to go for a 2 or 3 in the denim skirt. My hips are quite wide but I'm a size 10-12 trouser normally. Thoughts?