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

Hello!

Just reading through posts to catch up, hope everyone is having a good evening.

DP has just bought first teddy for Microduck - it is a little Humphrey elephant from the Humphrey's Corner books if anyone has heard of them, and it's soooo sweet. Really hope we're not tempting fate......

Jools - I don't get a 12 week scan also . Slightly different reasons - we had emergency scan at 8 weeks and now they won't 'waste' their limited resources on me! . Also no NT scans here on NHS so we would have had to pay £140 and travel 70 miles for one! We have decided to be patient and really really enjoy our 20 week scan! So sorry you are going through the same - it's awful isn't it!

little duck - not tempting fate at all! (We have bought loads of clothes, teddies, a cot!, bouncer etc - thought we might as well while I a still small enough to enjoy shopping, plus don't want all the big expenses at the end in one go!) Don't listen to the scare mongers!

Doing a half day today (yey!) so we are going for a lovely late lunch and to cinema - orange weds! Have a good day all xxxxx

Hi ChocolateEclair - not sure I'm pleased or sad to know that I am not alone in the lack of scan department

I think I will do the nuchal scan - I'm 38, so higher risk I guess, and they do it only ten minutes walk from me

What I am more worried about is how do I actually know if something bad happens and I don't bleed - do they really expect people to wait 20 weeks to get dates and size confirmed, find out if they've got twins, hear the hearbeat etc ?

I don't even had a number to call if I have any concerns prior to the 12 week booking in - all seems a bit shabby to me.

On a positive note, it all seems more real now, and I can almost picture myself as a mum

Jools and Eclair - sorry you're not getting scans, here's me blithering on about it and not even thinking anyone wouldn't have one. I have been offered nuchal (hence lack of sleep) but not sure if that is because we know it's twins. The blood tests won't work if it is twins as everything can be masked by one healthy twin and one poorly twin.

Gah these hormones - I type 'poorly twin' and am welling up at my desk!

Anyway agree it's shabby and would do it if 10 minute walk and not if 70 miles!

Big hello to everyone - I love reading all your updates and it helps so much. I decorated a very pretty street of London today with my vomit (brought on by food smell from a posh cafe) and everyone walking past clearly though 'big night eh?' so I very relieved that at least you lot know the truth and can sympathise! Appreciate it

Off to the hosp now, will be back online tomorrow no doubt x

BinkyB - don't worry about talking scans If it hadn't been for MN, I wouldn't know that West Herts are so pants, and I love hearing about scans and mw visits - gives me an idea what to expect

Thanks for all those contributions to the Great Bra Debate. I'm going to the big M&S in Oxford St tomorrow (or maybe Selfridges - will see how well-off I feel) and will heed the advice!

I don't think I'm pregnant-fat. I think I'm bloated and constipated, and not helped in the latter by the fact I've gone off coffee.

Jools1 - I too seriously doubt you'll have an internal exam: I believe it's something the French do but not the NHS. I've seen my GP twice now and he hasn't bothered. But if it does happen, it's not nearly as bad as you fear. I had a colposcopy a few years ago with a male OB-GYN and he talked chiefly about Sainsbury's during the thing. I can't say I enjoyed having local anaesthetic injected into my cervix, but that was as bad as it got.

Jools and at lack of midwife contact/scans, etc. You must feel quite stranded. Can your GP at least give you the community midwives' number? Then if you have any fears or concerns you can at least phone and talk to someone. I did so twice before my booking in, and they were really sweet and helpful, even though I'd not met them.

CE - thanks so much for the doppler info. I've ordered a similar one, but the cheaper version with headphones not speaker and no LCD. Feeling so skint with flat renovations that I'm trying to economise wherever possible - so unlike me - I'll get DH to stand there with a stopwatch to measure heartbeat . Should arrive early next week, and I've told DH he must hide it and only let me use it once a week!

littleduck - that's really sweet of your DP - not tempting fate at all - we'll have none of that nonesense here I have a drawerful of newborn clothes from a friend, and we're picking up a free cot next week.

Ahh, Binky, poor you. I'm sure it will ease eventually... Hope all goes OK at hosp.

Good morning!! Sorry I was quiet yesterday, don't you hate it when work interferes with MN

I am still feeling rather nauseous, along with my poor DH who has this 48 hour stomach bug that is going around. It is rather funny, the two of us lying on the sofa trying to outdo each other with how ill we feel He is very concerned that I will catch the bug from hom. On the one hand, I am not sure if I would know I have it but on the otherhand and slightly concerned!!

CE thanks also for that doppler information - I also ordered one, I won't hear anything for a few weeks yet but I can't wait to have that re-assurance.

jools I can't imagine how it must feel not to have any scans until 20 weeks! It will be interesting to see what the midwife says at the 12 week appointment. You might at least get a re-assuring listen to the baby's heartbeat?

littleduck I love Humphrey & Lottie, how sweet of your DH. Not tempting fate at all I bought a set of 'guess How Much I Love You' books when I first found out I was pregnant...(Didn't get anything practical or useful mind you!!)

daisyj how lovely to have some newborn supplies from your friends - it will be useful! Our friend's baby is due in 3 weeks, so by the time littlebrightside arrives, we will be able to borrow some of their clothes!

BinkyB I really hope you are doing OK and that the nausea and tears are passing. A sick pregnancy is a good sign...I know that doesn't help at the time though!! I had my first public moment on my walk to the station yesterday, something set me off and I ended up being sick next to some-one's garden fence. It would have been fine except the resident came out his front door at the crucial second....oh the shame. Needless to say I walked the long way around this morning!!

Hello to anyone I might have missed, I hope everyone has a great day...

Hi Brightside and DaisyJ I would like the community midwife's contact details, just as reassurance but think I shall leave it for now - perhaps I'll get something in the post soon now I'm in the system and, if not and I am worried, I shall simply phone my surgery - I am sure that if I make enough of a nuisance of myself, they will pass me over anyway

Lovely sunny day here I still have low-level nausea and a great cleavage but nothing else to report. Had a physio appt this morning, so told the physotherapist - lying on my front while she worked on my back was quite painful - boobs too big !!!

HMHB - I hope you can enjoy your birthday without too much worry - how are things this morning ?

Oops - talking to someone who is on a different thread I think - pregnancy brain

Morning ladies...how are we all?

Very disturbed by the number of people I'm hearing who don't get the 12wk scan - I think it's dreadful! Had a long chat with Dh about NHS resources and what is classed as 'basic health care' and what is over and above that. I think I'm pretty firmly of the view that the nuchal scan is 'basic' and should not therefore be variably by hospital trust. I didn't even realise it wasn't until I was PG...guess that's often the way with
these little discoveries.

Binky - how was the scan? I'm excited to hear...do hope all was well. Mine is 3 weeks today and I can't wait! I remain slightly terrified that there is nothing there though, or no heartbeat. I had never heard of missed miscarriages until very recently. I'm holding on firmly to the fact that I'm still being sick as a good sign. Please God! We haven't told anyone (not even family) about the pregnancy, so all being well, we'll have happy news to share afterwards. In a funny way that sort of adds to the pressure...hmm...

Has anyone got a feeling about the sex of the baby yet? I have no clue....no gut instinct at all! Maybe I will have after the scan...at the moment it's all still a bit unreal.

Also, names. Anyone decided or got a shortlist. I used to have lots of ideas for imaginery children, but now it's more 'real' I'm finding it very hard! My friend has just recently hada baby and I don't like the name at all, but then I realised that whatever we chose, there will be people who love it and those who don't. WE won't be telling anyone what we decide until baby is here!

Hi everyone!

To be honest I have no idea or gut feeling about the sex of the baby. My DH had a feeling that it was a boy until he had a dream last week that it was a girl!

If you'd asked me before pregnancy if I had a preference, I would have said boy (there are far too many girls in my family!), but now I really don't mind as long as it's ok.

Quite nervous about 12 week scan tomorrow since it's a 'trans-vaginal' one - wish I lived in the UK so it was a normal abdominal one!! It's going to be so embarrassing with DH there...I've told him to stay at my head end, but he's threatening to peer over the doctor's shoulder to see what he's up to! (obstetrician is male!). He'll also do the nuchal fold test, though DH and I have decided that if there's any bad news on that front we wouldn't get rid of the baby anyway. Maybe it's a bit pointless to have the test because of this, but I just want to see the baby on the scan!! (and they won't do it otherwise!).

I'm also kind of panicking because for the last week or so I've nearly felt normal except for sore boobs and being a bit tired. Hardly any nausea at all (sorry to those who are still feeling awful! ) Keep thinking the worst has happened. I think seeing the baby tomorrow will make up for the whole loss of dignity!

Oops - have been whittering on a bit haven't I!! Better stop!

Is anyone else finding it very hard to 'achieve' anything at the moment?!
I seem to be SO slow and everything is now building up to being unmanageable. We're having building work at home so things are messy and I just can't seem to keep on top of cleaning or washing/ironing. I'm ususally really houseproud but just now it's like a bunch of students have moved in!
On top of that I've got work piling up all around and I have no idea how to motivate myself!
I actually just want to go to bed and wake up in a fortnight...

Flirty - I think nuchal scans are slowly being adopted in the NHS - they will be available on the NHS in my area from April apparently - just too late for me !

5 weeks tomorrow and I'm achieving zilch at work and starting to worry that people will notice. Have turned into a couch potato at home aswell ! Think I'd love to have a girl, but don't care really.

Off to lunch now - feeling nauseous again !!

jools so pleased that I am not the only one suffering with Pregnancy Brain. I wore different earings today - one heavy, dangling one and one small stud style. And as my hair is clipped up, it is very noticeable. It wouldn't have been too bad if I had noticed myself early on, but some-one pointed it out to me at lunch

flirty I also have no feeling for whether this will be a little girl or a little boy - will you find out at the 20 week scan? I want to keep it a surprise.

Like you - we had some favourite baby names that we discussed before the pregnancy but now that it is more of a reality, we are changing our minds!

kalikaroo Don't worry too much about the internal scan - I had 4 (!!) in my previous pregnancy and it is really discrete. I am not sure if it is the same for you, but in my case they draped a sheet over my bottom half so that my DH was sitting by my head and couldn't see anything that was going on. After the first few seconds, you will both will be much too busy staring at your beautiful baby on the screen to worry about the OB!

It is perfectly normal for your symptoms to decline around 12 weeks, as your body gets used to the hormone levels. I am counting down to 12 weeks when I should start to feel better!

flirty I am having EXACTLY the same problem with motivation and energy levels. I am struggling to get the basic tasks finished at work and worry that it will be noticeable. I can't remember the last time we did housework and I just can't find the energy to do even the basics. We have friends coming to stay on the weekend, and last night I was looking around the lounge (from the comfort of the sofa) TERRIFIED at the prospect of having to do some housework. Even thinking about the energy required was hard work!

Yup, baby brain here too. For some reason it seems to have come on with a vengeance in the last week, now that it's official at work. Or maybe I'm just worse at hiding it now .

I have a feeling it's a boy, but maybe that's because the last two in our family have been girls... Anyway, DH thinks it's a boy because, according to him, it 'looks like a boy' IT'S THE FACE OF A 12-WEEK OLD FETUS - HOW CAN IT LOOK LIKE A BOY?

Binky - Hope all OK. looking forward to hearing from you today...

Just to say that my second cousin David called me yesterday to tell me that one of his numerous half sisters, Rebekah (whom I'm very close to) gave birth to her first baby, a little boy, Matthew Nicholas, yesterday morning. I think she was about 32/33 weeks on but he's a good size and they're both doing very well. Will hopefully be going to visit them in the next few days. Am secretly a tiny bit miffed that she pinched two of the names we'd been strongly considering for a boy, but only in a jestful way. She's had a rotten pregnancy so definitely deserves dibs on that front.

@FlirtyThirty - yep, positive it's a girl. We're not finding out at the scan since my boyfriend wants there to be a remote element of surprise, but I'm very, very confident it's a girl. Confess to being slightly disconcerted that two people now have flatly told me it's a boy - an old woman I was talking to in the supermarket and a bloke I chat to online. The bloke has an exemplary record. I'm not sure what the old woman based it on since I'm not showing at all yet (despite being almost 18 weeks!), the impression I got was gut instinct. Both were disconcertingly adamant, but I still won't be convinced it isn't a girl.

Pre-pregnancy if you'd asked me my preference, I'd have said boy. And asked what I thought I'd probably have I'd have said the same, possibly due to wishful thinking, I dunno. Since I've been pregnant though I absolutely can't imagine her not being a girl and have grown (perhaps daftly) mentally attached to the idea. When I picture my baby I just see a little girl. I have to be verbally reminded of the possibility that it's a boy for it to even enter the equation!

Hi guys!

Glad the doppler info was useful - I bought the cheap one also! (hadn't realised I'd linked to the posh version!)

For some reason I think my bean is a girl - don't know why really, I just refer to 'her' all the time! We plan to find out at the 20 week scan but not tell anyone! We have the names narrowed down to about 5 for each, and middle names are sorted as being named after relatives.

Top 5 girls (no order!) are Madeleine, Scarlett, Roxie, Imogen, Isobel - middle name will be Olivia (DP's Grandma)

Top 5 boys (no order!) are Max, Harry, Billy, Sam and Charlie - middle name will be Anthony (my Dad)

What do you think of those?

Hello girls!

Hope everyone is fine!
Blinky - how did your scan go?

There is great forum on this site about one of the girls who had her heart set on a girl and now was told that it would definitely be a boy. She's having problems dealing with this as she was absolutely convinced it was a girl. Worth reading. I think it's in pregnancy section. Some of the posts are quite funny.

Well, I was told by my OB at about 10,5 weeks ( 3 weeks ago) that the baby already looked very boyish...Could not say 100%, but I don't think he would have mentioned (I didn't ask) if he didn't have enought reasons...
Pre pg I always thought I'd have a girl. One of my friends has 2 girls always told me: make sure you have girls as boys are trouble, comparing her angels to her friend's "naughty" boys. Oh, well. Will have to deal with what ever comes out.

CE - Max is absolutely my favourte name for a boy, but my DH sayd it's not a proper name and my sister says it's a name for a cat...So I might stick with Maxim ( which is a proper name) and then will shorten it to Max anyway.

Hi all - sorry for disappearing for so long...

My nausea and sickness had totally disappeared and I couldn't sleep for fear something was wrong with the baby. First proper scan isn't for another 2 1/2 weeks and I was driving myself NUTS worrying...

Sooooooo - I found out that most hospitals have a drop-in clinic where you can turn up and be scanned if you have a reason to be worried. I went this morning with DH and saw my baby - it was the most beautiful blob ever.

Saw it's little heart beating away like the clappers which was such a huge relief... I burst into tears when the doctor said everything looked fine, I think I'd persuaded myself it would be bad news.

Hurrah hurrah hurrah I feel like I can relax a little bit for the first time... and the next scan is only a couple of weeks away.

I'm later than I thought though - according to the scan my due date is 26 April (making me 9+4 today) - I'll post the new list now...

just updating - hope this is the latest list???

THE SPRING COLLECTION
lolianja 14+4 due 2 March
CE 12+1 due 28 March
Daisyj 11+4 due 28 March
Skiingone due 3 April
BinkyB TWINS due 7 April
evs34 due 12th april
Flirty 5+0 due 24 April
Elpis due 25 April
Bicnod due 26 April
Littleduck 8+0 due 30 April
Brightsideoflife 5+4 due 1 May

I wasn't on this list (more a Summer baby anyway), so just added myself

THE SPRING COLLECTION
lolianja 14+4 due 2 March
CE 12+1 due 28 March
Daisyj 11+4 due 28 March
Skiingone due 3 April
BinkyB TWINS due 7 April
evs34 due 12th april
Flirty 5+0 due 24 April
Elpis due 25 April
Bicnod due 26 April
Littleduck 8+0 due 30 April
Brightsideoflife 5+4 due 1 May
Jools1 due 29 May

THE SPRING COLLECTION
lolianja 14+4 due 2 March
CE 13+4 due 28 March
Daisyj 11+4 due 28 March
Skiingone due 3 April
BinkyB TWINS due 7 April
evs34 due 12th april
Flirty 5+0 due 24 April
Elpis due 25 April
Bicnod due 26 April
Littleduck 8+0 due 30 April
Brightsideoflife 5+4 due 1 May
Jools1 due 29 May

bicnod - so happy for you! I think they must get a lot of the whole 'bursting into tears thing' at the sonographers!!!! It is fantastic to see your little one though isn't it!!!!

skiingone - how strange that a 10 week old foetus can look boyish or girlish! In my pg book it says the 'bits' aren't supposed to start growing til 12-13 weeks! (your dr must be good!) - did you catch sight of any dangly bits????

See I was thinking what Max is short for? Maximus? Maximillian? Maxwell? I quite like Maxim (Is it French? pronounced Maxime?). Deff not a cat name!

Morning all!! It is FRIDAY!!

I had a great evening last night. I also ordered that Angelsounds doppler - I bought mine from Amazon, thinking it might take a week to get here but it was delivered the next day! So it was waiting for me when I got home from work and although I am only 8+5 according to the last scan, and I knew there was no chance of hearing anything and that I shouldn't get my hopes up...I decided to have a play anyway

It took about 15 minutes of fiddling but we heard the placenta (That woooshing sound) and a definite but faint heart beat (Like a train?) The heartbeat was faint and intermittent but distinctive. I am still grinning....somehow hearing that last night made it feel more real than the scan last weekend!

bicnod I am so thrilled about your scan - congratulations!! You will have lots to celebrate this weekend

Skiingone How exciting to think it may be a boy! I love, love, love Max - a great name. I used to love the longer version of Maxwell but Big Brother ruined that name for me!

CE Lovely names - Roxie is particularly gorgeous

I struggle with names - particularly girls. Our surname sounds very similair to 'Every' - which rules out my favourite names of Emily , Ella or Eric. (although it provides hours of entertainment trying to say potential names 3 times fast!)

lolianja I am pleased your cousin (?) is doing well, I know what you mean about 'stealing' names. We were a little when good friends of ours called their gorgeous baby boy Sam, followed closely by other friends calling their beautiful baby Dylan...and another couple calling their son Luke - three of our favourite names! But Sam, Dylan & Luke are the most beautiful little boys and now I can't imagine them being called anything else.

Daisyj How exciting that it is public knowledge at work! How did the announcement go? lol at your DH thinking it looked like a boy in the scan

Hi all! Scan on Wednesday was magic. Amazing how much you can see. I've never been able to tell head from bottom on other people's scans but when it's on the big screen and all moving around, it's so clear. One was lying on its back all relaxed and in perfect position for measuring etc. Other was stamping his feet and flipping upside down - I'm not surprised I have been feeling so sick! Both are 6cm long awww. Fab to see twenty little fingers waving away - I even caught DH waving back at the screen at one point! Which made me cry of course

Also saw lovely Greek midwife, was with her for about an hour going through stuff and really liked her. Phew! Gave masses of blood plus a wee sample - was a wee, wee sample i.e. only about two mililetres, she did a dipstick and said I was dehydrated - I would have thought that obvious from the quantity!
She wants me to see a consultant asap so they've got me back in next tuesday. this is as I had a loop diathermy (the procedure you have if they find CIN3 during a smear) and she was worried that might be causing the spotting etc. Not too too concerned as the scan showed no blood going from either baby, just from a dark patch where my placenta is right over my cervix and it might just 'catch' occasionally, but v glad they are investigating further. Anyone know anyone who's ever had a cervical stitch? Sounds gross. Anyway sorry if all this TMI has put you all off your haribo today.

Daisy have told boss number 1, he was thrilled and is now buying me sweets (lovely man). Have to tell no2 today and then will go public. There's talk of champagne at 4pm for my birthday so will have to come clean before then I guess!

Loli / Eclair - great names! Did you use a baby name book or just think about it? DH has said let's think about it over Xmas. Yeah right, I've got a shortlist already for him! Agree lots of names i like have 'already gone' on other babies we know but they all suit their names so much you couldn't possibly mind. Have awful feeling DH might insist on some ancient 'family' name - they go in for weird names in his family! Quite eccentric.

Anyway rambling as usual. It's nearly the weekend!

Enjoy your lie ins tomorrow...
x