Due Sept 2005 - Thread 3

[franch]

here we go

Franch, Topshop to go sounds a great idea - yes please, organise a party!!
Milward, I had a lot of JoJo stuff last time, but it all fell apart - probably because I spent a lot of time crawling around on knees with toddler, but don't expect it to last more than one pg.
I like the look of the Isabella Oliver stuff, but not sure that it looks comfy for hot summer when I will need it most - all a bit wrapped up!
Couldn't face my dash to TopShop Oxford St yesterday (can only leave puppy for 3-4 hours) but might try tomorrow if can summon energy.
Mummyhill, even if you are 13wks today, you will still be Sept I think - I am 12 wks on Thurs and due 15th, so you would be approx 6th?! IME they don't often change due date from scan but only if more than 11 days different from one from LMP.
Glad to hear scans all going well, CANT WAIT FOR MINE! Ds2 telling more people by the day although in some ways I prefer it leaking out than making a big performance about telling people myself!

Franch, just looked at Hommebody stuff - made me laugh when saw all the strappy tops - would be very sexy with my shock absorber bra underneath!!!

mummyhill - as Andif says they should leave the due date from your lmp if the scan isn't much different. When do you next see the midwife / doctor? Ask them to give you just one date as you need to tell work.

Have to start thinking about clothes soon - will look at some of the names that have been mentioned, most of my maternity clothes aren't really summer clothes. As I work from home I can get away with casual stuff all the time, and did buy lots of BHS drawstring stuff last time - not maternity but cheap and cheerful! I have been sharing maternity clothes with my SIL, but she is only a few weeks behind me this time so we'll have to split it all up!

I think I might get away with normal clothes for a while yet, at least at work. My jeans and other casual trousers are getting a little tight now. I have a combination of winter and summer maternity clothes from my previous pregnancies but probably need to get more summer stuff as the clothes I do have are really washed out.
Can't quite believe that there will soon be a due in November thread. Nice to be at the end of the first trimester too.

I've just got my booking in appointment through and it's not until 3 April - I'll be 15 weeks by then. Is anyone else having theirs that late? And, as I'm new to all this and don't know what I'm doing, is there any problem having it that late? I'm not too bothered as I've got my scan next week which is the main thing.

My booking in appt is March 11 when I will be 14 weeks. I think having at this stage is fairly normal. Best to get the first scan and first trimester out of the way first.

I thought I could get away with my skinny jeans for a while, just worn slightly low - my dad came in today and said to DD, "Look, mummy's bursting out of her trousers!" Ta Dad! Time to get out those drawstring waists ....

andif - just got the isabella oliver clothes for now! already I'm into maternity things. Hope they do a summer catalogue as what I'm wearing now would be too warm in the heat of the summer. Have previously been at the end of pregnancy in the summer & I was so uncomfortable with the heat. Have you tried H&M? - my local shop doesn't have maternity but when I go to a larger branch I'll have to get somethings.

picalilli- my booking in apt is at 16 weeks - don't think it really matters as am definitely 'in the system' as scan is next week.

Hi everyone, have finally joined up and stopped being a peeping Tom at all your messages! I just wondered how frequent you get to see your midwife - I went for my booking in yesterday at 11 weeks and seemingly I won't see her again until 28 weeks! I'm sure it was more frequent when I was expecting no 1.

Hello and welcome sarahhal!
Yes, apparently the directives have recently changed for midwives. I was a little disappointed too. Apart from your first appointment you don't get to see your midwife until 28 weeks. Although I suppose you get to see a midwife at your booking appointment and scans and can make an appointment at any time if you are worried about anything. I suffered from high blood pressure and UTIs last time. Who's going to keep an eye on me now?

Hi sarahhal, congratulations! I saw my mw at 11.5 weeks and I'm supposed to go back to see either GP or community mw at about 16 weeks I think - no more appts with hosp mw for a while though. They're definitely more relaxed with 2nd pregnancies, but 28 weeks does seem a very long gap.

Piccalilli - my booking appointment and scan (they do them at the same time at LWH) isn't until 15th March when I will be 15+ weeks. I can't believe how much it varies around the country. Still 2 weeks away and I'm getting quite anxious as its 5 weeks since I've seen my community mudwife. At least you've got your scan next week - You'll feel a whole lot better once you see that little bean jumping around on the screen!
Sallie - glad scan went well

I had my booking in appointment today (all well) and am due to see the midwife again at 16 weeks (3 weeks time). Not sure about the protocol after that, although have to decide by the 16 week appointment whether I'm going to have preventative anti-d at 28 weeks and 3o something as am rhesus neg. At the moment, I think not.
Was rather embarrassed as cried at the appointment when m/w was asking about the restitching I had done when dd was 7 months old. Felt horrible going over it again, but needed reassurance about this time round. Since I cried solidly for 2 weeks after dd was born, my midwife seemed completely unfazed! Have opted for a home birth, hopefully.

Oh and welcome Sarahal. Congratulations.

Hi Sarahal, I saw my midwife at 9 weeks and see her again at 16 weeks, it really seems to vary doesn't it.
Sallie - glad the scan went well. Can't wait till the 20 week one to find out the sex - all my family think we're wrong but we've found out every time.
Pooka - sorry you were upset at the appointment, but it is better to talk about your fears for this time, so I hope it helped. Were they positive about the home birth?

Pooka, good luck with the homebirth plans. As I said on the last thread I think, I have some birth trauma stuff to talk over before I go through it all again - have been referred to a Consultant MW to go through it all with me, and I know there'll be lots of tears. So a big hug from a fellow blubberer I'm finding the following email newsgroups very helpful and supportive: ukmidwifery and homebirthuk ; I've also been in touch with the fantastic Birth Trauma Association , which may also be relevant to you. There are lots of resources out there and I intend to make the most of whatever's available to make this birth more positive than the last. I'm also looking into self-hypnosis, although some of the courses look a bit long (5 x 2.5h) - not sure I could persuade DH to commit to all that! We'll see. Hope some of that is useful to you.

Hiya all
I havent been about recently, been suffering pritty bad with sickness etc, and chasing after a one year old crawling ds isnt easy all day!!!
Anyway, Im here for a moannnnnnnnnnnn. Hope known of you really mind.
My ds is one, so i havent been in work for the past 20odd months (was made redundent when pregnant, and as 6 months gone, not much point looking for another job etc).
However, I rang the benefits office Re: Maternity Allowence, and as i havent worked for the past 66odd weeks in 2 years etc, im not entitled to anything. Dont they realise that us mums and dads work for 24hours, 7 days a week, without holidays etc.
Anyone else in the same boat???

Jofeb - not sure what you're entitled to benefitswise. May be worthwhile looking at www.tiger.gov.uk. OR if you go to the ante-natal board for your due date there may be others in exactly the same boat. I take my hat off to you having a one year old plus being 6 months pregnant. One reason I'm thinking of hanging on in at work for as long as possible is the thought of not having my "days off" in the office!
Franch - thanks for the links. I'll definitely have a look at the sites you've suggested. I feel really feeble for still being so obsessed with the re-stitching. I actually found it so much more traumatic than the labour itself, probably because I didn't have a lovely baby at the end and had very little pain relief for the procedure itself. My way of taking control this time is to have a home birth. Want to be in my own environment with midwives I've met and to feel a modicum of control.
My midwife was very positive and supportive, Zubb, about home birth. I had the option of seeing the consultant about tearing/stitching but braodly speaking all he would recommend was that if I was concerned I could have a c/s! No thank you very much.

I'd be interested to know how your meeting with the consultant midwife goes, Franch. I should imagine that it may be quite cathartic. Have read a bit about your labour on other threads, and sounds like you had a horrible time.

For drinks - I am hooked on soda water with Lime Cordial.

Nuchal scan yesterday very reassuring as changed my risk from about 1 in 800 to 1 in 4000. Doc kept referring to baby as 'him' - not sure if thats just generic or that he saw something (I'm 13 +3 - so it would be poss for specialist to tell, and he did have good look at that area!) I don't want to know so didnt ask if he could tell!

Booking in with midwives today.

Franch - Topshop party sounds great. I have just bought some very nice - but not cheap -jeans from Seraphine. They have web site and a shop in Kensington Church St. Still a little big on waist so wear a belt but they look like real jeans. Low rise, boot cut. They are only trousers that really fit now. i literally popped out of my work trousers yesterday!

We are off to San Francisco tomorrow for a fortnight so I will be able to get some Gap maternity stuff hopefully! I will have lots to read when I return.

Jofeb - are you on any allowances / benefits at the moment? if so they will continue as normal through 'maternity' period.
The MA does have the 6 week rule so unless you can do 6 weeks somewhere before the baby arrives then you won't get it.
I'd better get the MA forms actually, as it took ages for it to come through last time, and I think I still owe them money! I'm self employed so use the MA.
Franch - hope your meeting with the consultant is useful.
Boompi - have a great time in SF !

Morning all, Haven't posted for a while as have been feeling miserable with the old morning sickness. seems worse second time round. throwing up even in the middle of the night and very sick most evenings. Didn't go into work last week, Manged about 1/2 a day working from home but other than that lay in bed trying not to vomit. Also booked DS into nursery Thursday & Friday which helped me recover a bit but have struggled into work the last two days and now feel awful. Plus I have a stinky cold!! feel a bit reassured that I'm not the only one but it's just awful. Lost 1/2 a stone last week alone which was a bit scary although I still can't get into normal jeans!!I think i should have done the odd sit up in the last two years!!

Got my Nucal scan for 21/03 and my booking in for 21/04 (will be 17 weeks by then) good to hear others are waiting a similar period. on the mat clothes front does anyonr know of places that do longer length? by the end of my last pregnacy my trousers had drifted up too high to wear. I'm 5ft 10.

Good to hear the other scans have been going well

Jofeb04 I also need to investigate MA issue as I am a supply teacher. I had assumed I wouldn't get anything, but I think there's a minimum number of hours I have to have worked in the year before the baby's born. Not sure. Trouble is, haven't worked much with puppy to look after, so will investigate links.

Heading off to Oxford Circus now to hit TopShop and H&M maternity (OOh, the high life I lead!) - don't know how all you regular commuters do it, I've had to psyche myself up, and it's not even rush hour. Was sick this morning, so hope don't need mad dash off train!!

Rhumba - I always found H&M trousers much too long for me - I have a regular leg length - so they might be better for someone tall like you.

Jofeb - I'm a bit miffed about the MA too. I gave up work last September following my second miscarriage. I'd really just been holding out at work so I'd get a second lot of maternity pay. when I left in September I hoped to get pregnant immediately and I'd have qualified for MA. It took until December to get pregnant and now I don't think I will qualify. Seems unfair as I spent most of last year working.

Pooka anf Franch - I am sorry that you suffered traumatic births last time round. I am sure any help and support you can grab now will make things better for you second time round.