Due April 2009 - Farewell nausea and all things ghastly, our boobs and bumps are growing vastly.

[PuzzleRocks]

Hi all,

Glad to hear everyone's good news.

So, although I am being very pwecious asking this now I am feeling so much better, has anyone used a TFL Baby On Board badge, and do they work? Just thinking ahead - I am fine standing for now, but the first weeks were awful and when I get heavy (heavier I mean) I think it will be really tough on the commute again.
I think I used to think people who really need a seat can ask someone to stand up. Actually this is very embarrassing and impossible somehow, even if you are green and seeing black dots. Or am I just a wuss?

You're not a wuss. I got a train from Sheffield to Manchester on Saturday (luckily only about an hour) & booked in advance so that I'd have a reserved seat, etc. But the train was so packed that there were people crammed in the aisles & the vestibule ends & I couldn't reach my seat (which somebody else had sat in anyway). I was intending to ask a member of staff when they passed on the train, but nobody did, even to check the tickets. I ended up kneeling on the floor with people standing on my feet or kicking me every time the train lurched, crying & trying not to be sick. It was so glamorous. But I still didn't feel like pushing past everyone to ask for my / any seat. & not one person asked if I was okay. It was so embarrassing.

I don't know anything about the badges, so can't help there - but I think that surely it's worth it because at least people will know that you're struggling because you're pregnant, not because you're a drunk or something like they may have thought about me. Although as we get bigger, that'll be increasingly obvious anyway. I'm just so glad I don't have to use the tube or anything. Sympathies to all of you who do!

gingersarah

I am already proudly wearing my TFL badge.

I haven't gone to the lengths of making sure people sitting see it as I feel fine standing at the moment. I just wanted it as I am so paranoid about being squashed. My worst nightmare ( and probably other commuters) is to be elbowed or something like that in the tummy!

So can't say how well it works on the tube yet but it works wonders on the trains!

Come on I feel like I am the only one wearing one!

Gingersarah - I know exactly what you mean. Last night I got on the train at Waterloo which was packed and I am clearly pregnant now - have a massive bump and have given up trying to disguise it - and I was surrounded by 'city blokes' and not one person offered me a seat. So I sat on the floor for and hour and a half until one of them got off and another lady standing offered me the spare seat first!

I feel bad asking for seats as 1. it is embarrassing and 2. I don't actually feel like they are required to give us pregnant people a seat it would just be nice if they did! I always offer pregnant and old people seats - even now if they are more pregnant than I am!

Rant over.

Barbarella - that is great news - it must be great knowing that you are over half way now and all is well!!

Oddeyes - feel better soon!

Babybolat

That is outrages!
I know what you mean though about asking...that is why I am hoping this TFL badge will nudge people into offering a seat on the train and at least to try NOT to squash me on the tube.

Saying that though some people are a bit thick...One fella read my badge to his friend and his friend grunted ' what does that mean?'

Errrr HELLO! BABY ON BOARD badge and woman with bump...get the connection?

Too funny....

Dungungirl - where do you get the baby badges from? do you just ask at the counter? Not sure how much difference it will make on the tube as ended up stood with by 18mth in a backpack and protruding bump gettting redder and redder protecting my bump against bags on shoulders and no one offered me a seat - maybe I'll put flashing lights on it!

chickenbalti

Sometimes it amazes me that people don't have the common decency to offer someone less able to stand than them a seat.

I mean....how would they feel if their wife/partner was in the same situation and nobody cared!

It is the same with offering elderly people seats...it shocks me that men in suits and young people just ignore them.

ANyway rant over.

Just call TFL customer services and they will post one out to you.

I know I was so annoyed - I normally work on the train but couldn't do anything on the floor so then ended up having to work until 10 last night to get it done!

DH met me at the station and was furious but there is actually nothing you can do as they are not required to move out of their seat - the signs only say disabled or elderly so it is just based on their politeness! Which clearly many don't have! I am only going to get the train until Xmas, then I am going to drive - at least then I can guarantee a seat! Even if makes me so tired!

Dungungirl - that is hilarious! Some people have no hope!

However ladies, the priority seats on the tube say something like PREGNANT, ELDERLY OR LESS ABLE TO STAND.

So it is within our rights to get that seat!

Dungungirl

Thank you - its in the post! Maybe we should play snap with them!

I'm not very impressed with my GP surgery. I just had a one minute telephone conversation with my GP as they wouldn't give me an appointment. I mentioned my dizziness when talking about my sickness and needing a certificate for work. But, he didn't ask about it at all and just said 'oh, so you need a certificate for work then'. I feel too ill to put up a fight. I feebly tried to ask for some different anti-sickness tablets but didn't get anywhere I guess I'm just supposed to wait out this horrible morning sickness and dizziness stage and stop being a moaning pregnant woman.

Saliswan - I feel so sorry for you I can't believe your doctor didn't ask you more questions re: your sickness/dizziness. They are supposed to be very vigilant with pregnant women...
I can only hope that the gods of pregnancy take away your nausea soon...

Public transport - people are so selfish! I have just bought some fresh cream chocolate eclairs and am offering you all one in compensation for the public's lack of manners....

i have enjoyed these past few weeks standing up for old ladies when everyone else is trying their hardest to be interested in something else not to notice then clutch my bump protectively - either the old lady then berates everyone for not getting up or everyone suddenly find their manners and i get 2 offers. really enjoy it - what does this mean about me?

OddEyes - that's brilliant! You can feel good about yourself whilst making others feel guilty and ashamed - no finer feeling, surely... I have used my bump twice this week to get 'the comfy armchair' (there are only ever about 2) in Starbucks.

hi all,

lots to catch up on. welcome freckles.

babybolat, I really think you should just say, excuse me, I really need to sit down. then they will have to get up. Of course you can't force them by law or anything but it will put more social pressure on them and shame them into doing something they should have done anyway. I am quite militant about giving up seats for people who need them and will even tell people to get up for other people! If no one speaks out then society will just get more and more selfish. I'm angry on your behalf that they let you stand up!! Please ask and don't be embarrassed, it's they who should be embarrased imo..

hope everyone's feeling OK, it's tough this being pregnant in the winter! It was a lot easier with DS born in October, pregnant as early summer was coming.

Hi all,

Great to hear all the good news that is bouncing round the thread, B52s

Sorry I've not been on since asking a few questions last week. Thanks to Boffinmum and Conkertree and others who responded about my hip ache and weight gain. I've a chiro's number if the hips get any worse and I feel happy about how much I've put on. Thanks.

Calling all musos! I've been worrying myself stupid this week about a gig I went to last Weds. I'd had the tickets since July and was really looking forward to it. But I had NO idea how loud the bass would be. I spent 80% of the time in the foyer talking to a nice security guard who said "at least it isn't Motorhead, they're really fu*king loud". I left early as it felt like little spud was sending itself round and round on a spin-cycle the whole time and I was feeling quite 'sore' with it. Now I'm convinced that I've damaged my baby with ROCK. Can the soundwaves have any effect, or are the little spuds just dancing????

Cheers Snoozy. Actually went to an ante-natal pelvic pain clinic at the hospital today and it was absolutely rubbish. I was quite shocked. They knew nothing at all.

After reading about 300 things on this subject, chiro is the only one that comes up again and again in success stories. Why clinics don't get them in to help, even as part of some experimental study, beggars belief.

Re: Music. I was a professional musician when I had my first, and inflicted some really serious noise on the old fetus. She survived and thrived, but is now a Drum n' Bass fan. I think the jiggling around is a form of fetal dancing, and you might find they do it to bagpipes too! But I have to say I wear ear plugs at gigs because like so many musos my hearing started to go and I got worried. Don't want to end up looking like Beethoven.

Hmmm. I must admit my first call to the midwives when my hips started hurting did not bode well. I ended up telling her most of what I had read up about. She said it wasn't common (?!). My own midwife was great though, saying we'd get onto the 'women's health' physio if it carries on. It does seem to be fading a little and not so severe at night, but that might be because the midwife said it may get better as the baby rises higher out of my pelvis. mind over matter... mind over matter....

good news on the 'ROCK and baby health' issue then, thanks. It was such an entertaining gig, the lead of the support was dressed like Cap'n Jack Sparrow, but not for a joke. Respect. I do hope that the baby ends up loving heavy metal, so long as it doesn't mean my ceiling coming down (my brother brought the lounge ceiling down in '83 with the power of Black Sabbath).

Snoozy, do you know my theory after all this? That if a woman's hips are even slightly out of alignment (eg 0.5 mm) when she gets pregnant, she is at risk of getting this. Persuading the hips to go back where they ought to be through a bit of gentle external manipulation or whatever is bound to keep a woman more mobile, and might even improve labour outcomes. As I understand it, physios can do some kinds of manipulation, so it baffles me that they are basically doing so little to help women,and expecting them just to put up with it.

There were loads of women there at the clinic today with it, so it's not that uncommon, really.

I found the Pelvic Partnership website extremely helpful and it armed me well for dealing with the dippy physios today.

snoozyvic - i went to see sufjan in amsterdam with ds and fleetfoxes (although not so loud) with this lo. both had a good kick along. ds likes sufjan to this day. no harmful effects they are well padded in there, must admit I stood there with dh coat and my coat round my belly and worried about it all the way through.

Evening all, will join you for an eclair (yum).

People..make a stand (ahem) for pregnant ladies! One of my joys is being militant pregnant lady, as I can channel my moody pregnancy vibes at an unsuspecting member of public as opposed to shouting at DH/DD. For example, last week at cinema (standing in queue for popcorn)
squeaky adolescent boy behind counter: 'can i help you madam?'
me:
'large popcorn please..ooh and one of those slushy things. But is has to be blue raspberry flavour.'
S.A.B: 'I'm afraid that's broken, we only have orange flavour left..'
me 'Well THAT'S DISAPPOINTING. WHY would you advertise it if you don't have it? I'm pregnant you know!'
(meanwhile sister is PHSL)

On a slightly more serious note, I do take great pleasure in tube situations, inding the nearest male sitting down (the smugger the better) and syaying 'Excuse me, I'm PREGNANT...' - that way you don't ASK for the seat, but he looks embarrassed and moves anyway.

Just been on the Pelvic Partnership website boffinmum, thanks very much for that. I'd been getting discomfort from one of my hips for a few years before the PG and I reckon maybe I've been misaligned, not had 'early arthritis' as the doc said (whilst waving his biro in an a 'that should do' all encompassing way). They say PG highlights your weak spots.

Oooer, Oddeyes, based on your data my child is going to be ropey funk metal enthusiast. Was quite sweet though, at the gig, when DH said he'd stand in front of me on the tier below as a shield from the soundwaves. He's no physicist, but it was a nice gesture.

Well, I'd best go and break out the Def Leppard and get this bubba educated right and proper! POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME!!!

Hi all,

went into work today, hauling me and a bump around on crutches is definitely not the easiest! and I discovered I have absolutely zero upper arm strength - curses.

Springy I love your chant, I'm going to picket the houses of parliament as soon as I can walk again! As for the stabbing pains, I get those occasionally, I figure the baby is just deciding to poke or sit on something sensitive. After all, they seem to be doing lots of exploring now!

BarbarellaNZ so glad to hear your three are busily kicking each other in there - just setting the scene for a lifetime of winding each other up!

Snoozy I found this on a baby development website about babies hearing sound in the womb - not only are they muffled by fluid (think of hearing underwater) but also "Sounds may be muffled, though, because the ears are still covered with vernix, the thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid." Hope that's reassuring too!

DP is putting DS to bed as I still am not meant to put weight on my foot, so am going to lie back on the sofa and eat fudge. I'm completely wiped out.

xx

Also OddEyes sorry to hear you've been poorly still, hope you're feeling a bit better now?

Hi all, glad its going ok for everyone and congratulations on the good scan Barbarella.

I had my 20 week scan today. All is fine with the baby . But I am sooooo confused. At my nuchal fold scan, the consultant said that he thought the baby was a girl. This fitted in with my feelings about the baby, so I've been totally convinced by this, but then today at the scan the sonographer said that she thought the baby was a boy, although she couldn't get a particularly good view cos the baby was in an odd position. So now we are totally unsure what to think. Boy or girl is good, we just wanted to know