Due in June '05 - onwards and outwards

[welshmum]

Here we are - Happy Mondays all

Afternoon All,

Trib, I too have been pgt forever. I fully sympathise. I find myself staring in amazement and wonder at girls with a waistline.

Coop, i'll keep my fingers crossed for your hospital relocation.

Coop, Lynny, sorry to add details on this but i've been getting kind of tiny red spots (not like teenager spots) on my stomach as well. I just assumed its yet another one of the delightful side affects of pgy. I've getting all panicky now, after some of the messages. I've got a mw apt next week, i better mention it then.....

Morning everyone

Where to start?!!

I am happy to not talk about chocolate. I haven't been quite as obsessed by it as some, although I have it pretty much every day in some form or another. Any food will do atm!!! And of course smoked salmon. I think organic and wild are similar. Hmmmm is organic just organically farmed rather then the other farmed variety? God, I don't know!! But I would consider that to be a 'reputable source' as Mrs W's midwife has advised!

Lynny, that rash sounds grim I had a rash last pregnancy and this one too. Small, pimple type things, mainly over my bump. I had both rashes around the 20 week mark, but they weren't half as itchy as yours sounds like it is. Typically, I didn't worry too much about it, or do anything about it either it went after about 10 days. But yours sounds worse with the unbearable itching, I'd get it checked - again.

What is it with me and worrying? Or rather, not worrying ??? I'm getting worried! I just seem to be far too relaxed about this pregnancy and birth in general, it's odd. I can't seem to get into gear at all... Am too pre-occupied with the sodding loft, now that I am worrying about

Coop, I hope and pray you get some decent pain relief in Limassol by June, that's just so unfair!!

I just watched the last Jamie Oliver last night (on tape). Totally brilliant and inspiring.

Hi Lippy, I know what you mean about worrying. I'm mostly worried about dd - not really about this other little one at all. Hopefully it'll translate into my being more of a 'cool' mummy than I was last time (please, please, please)

On the fish subject...
It is quite a nightmare to find out what is okay and what is not. DD loves fish, but most of them do have very hogh levels of mercury.
DH found a list from somewhere that tell which fish is healthwise safe and environmentally wise to eat. If you don't worry about the second, than you have more choices. I'll try to locate the links and post it later
But in a nutshell, we basically have only been eating a kind of trout that looks like salmon.
The bigger the fish, the more likely it has eaen lots of other animals and therefore more bioaccumulated mercury...
Atlantic salmon is apparently ok, farmed salmon not because they receive fishmeal which has all kinds of nasty stuff from it...

Ok, I am sure you didn't want to know all about this....

Jonah, apologies if I scared you... But given hospital even forgot to tell me I had diabetes, that it just better to always ask lots of questions!
Is not worth loosing sleep over it though! and stree cannot be good either. I'm sure a small rash will be nothing!

Hi Welshie, I will hang on to your thoughts about the possibilty of being a "cool mum" for dear life!

I am a bit worried about dd too, but I have to admit, not that much We talk about "baby in Mummy's tummy" and she touches it etc and we have a little book that Katz recommended. I think she's still a little young to grasp the implications of the whole thing, not that that means she wont be affected. I think it is just my personality in general, I tend not to worry until there is something to worry about iykwim Living with dp (a worrier who gets angry, stressed and bangs doors), it's the best way, believe me

Lua, when you say Atlantic Salmon, are you talking about 'wild' salmon? And is organic salmon (or any organic large fish) ok because it is not fed all the crap that non-organic salmon are fed?

Just doing a bit of research into today's salmony topic so naturally I turn to that perennial favourite, the Salmon Farm Monitor

They seem to be very anti the idea of organic farmed salmon being labelled as organic.

Can't find anything on the Soil Association's website, although poss this is cos salmon are not routinely grown in soil?!

Lippy, we have learned that "organic" salmon means different things in different places... Our local fish monger calls wild salmon "organic". So I think this would be your better choice.
Howver, it can also be labelled as organic if farmed organically... I believe, although I am no expert, that this means no antibiotics and hormones, which is a good thing. But I don't think it guarantees no mercury. The mercury unfortunately it is everywhere, and it gets acumulated in larger animals through their life-time. So, even if they are given fish meal made from large animals they might still contain high levels of mercury...

All these salmon restrictions don't bother me in the least because it is the one fish I don't really care for. But, it's not alone in the risk of mercury content. Tuna has the same risk, and I love Tuna. I thin if you eat 1 - 2 serving perweek that is suppose to keep the risk of mercury intake at safe levels.

Must confess I do eat (cooked) tuna in pregnancy.

Hmm that's interesting. The piece in the link that Trib gave seems to resent the labelling of salmon as 'organic' based on the nasty bi-products that allegedly result from this type of farming. Not to mention, they suggest salmon are fed with 'contaminated' fish, although, that seems to be the most obvioius thing to check doesn't it?? Whether the food for the salmon is contaminated in any way or not..?

I also find it hard to believe that such large fish aren't going to accumulate high levels of mercury etc. If they're wild, surely we'll never know what they've been chomping on?

Damn. I love bloody smoked salmon

Mmmmmm raw tuna, all creamy and melt in the mouth...

Lippy,
As Uwila said, all large carnivorous animals do accumulate mercury. If you worry too much about it you just go crazy! We do eventually get rid of mercury, and as you know fish oils are good for us, so its all about striking a balance! I think if you limit to once or twice a week while pregnant you should be ok.

I agree with Lua, you'd go mad if you worried about every single health risk posed by every single food. (Either that or we would to resurrect our plan for a sustainable organic commune somewhere in France, where we could farm our own salmon in a sensitive way perhaps!)

I buy organic salmon, but we tend to eat nearly all organic because it may have a positive effect on dh's health (they think a lot of these modern illnesses like fibro and ME or whatever may be super-sensitivities to the pollutants in modern-day life).

Yes, organic eggs are nice, too.

BTW, I've decided (Finally! DH has been telling me to just make a decision and get on with it. He's even offered to fire her for me if I will just stop complaining about her.) Anyway, I've decided to give her 4 weeks notice and just tell her that I am taking a longer maternity leave and therefore unable to fund her pay. This approach will hopefully do a bit more to keep the piece... hopefully.

piece? That was peace!

Welshie and Lippy, I am only worrying about dd and not the bump too. Have felt quite guilty on occasion that this baby is growing and getting on with things whilst being completely neglected by me. I am not eating as well, exercising etc etc as I did with dd. I suppose it will be used not being the centre of attention when it arives at least. I do feel sorry for it sometimes, especially when it gives me a boot and I think ooh I haven't even thought about you yet this morning. . Do any other second timers feel the same?
Uwila - What happened with the Nanny?
I have been eating tinned tuna at least once a week and haven't been thinking twice about smoked salmon as a risk either. I think because our choice is more limited here I just buy what I see if I fancy it. Perhaps not the best policy. I really hope we get the Jamies School Dinners programme on our TV out here. I have got so lazy about cooking recently which is daft because I do enjoy it. I need some inspiration. I think we eat relatively well, but I know we could be doing better.
We are def due to move back to the UK in Jan next year. DH has confirmed so I am now trying to make the most of the beautiful weather. This is my fave time of year here, before it is too hot to walk anywhere. Sep/October are the best months though as there are no mossies to contend with.

Good for you - it's the right decision I think under the circumstances and as you say hopefully she won't turn nasty as it's not exactly sacking her...good luck ...sooo when will you do the nasty deed?

Uwila x posted. Glad you have made a decision. I think it sounds like the best and ertainly most reasonable one. How lovely to have that bit of extra maternity leave for you dd and Alex too.
We really struggle to get organic stuff here. They are a bit bemused about the whole concept. There is a shop in Limassol but you could drive all the way there to find they only have bananas that week. dd gets organic weetabix and that is it. I know all the fruit and veg is local though which is comforting of sorts. I remember reading if you buy one thing organic it should be milk although I like the idea of organic eggs too. My mum has her own hens and there is no doubt the eggs taste better from her garden in Suffolk. Mmmmm

Yeah I sometimes forget about bump until a big thump in the groin reminds me ...I think I'm just more laid back about this pg in general...which is a good thing as I read far too much last time and became a complete bore on the subject, he he he! Have no worrieds where ds and new bubbs is concerned; having watched ds recently with our friends 8 week old dd I have no doubt he'll make an excellent big brother...his favorite thing at the mo re the baby is to sing nursery rhymes to 'bump' because she likes it (he tells me with authority!!), and first thing in the morning he asks where the baby is, and kisses bump...time was when he asked about me....!

Re the fish thing - don't eat it so I can't comment really, but I've been eating nuts, blue and soft cheese almost as much as pre pg and have no doubt that if I ate meat/fish would probably be still eating most fish too! Luckily we have no serious food allergies in my family, so I don't have to be too careful from that perspective, and for me I think (as others say) you can sometimes get too bogged down in all the do's and don'ts. A little of what you fancy is my motto generally...and that goes for non food things too, he he he!

I don't think you restrict yourself to 'a little' at all teabelly, you naughty woman!

Well now that depends on whether we're talking about food or 'rudies'...although actually now you mention it I guess going for it large whichever is probably more what I'd do

...and I suspect you're probably not far behind me either Welshie!! I have to call the plumber today re our failing boiler, and keep getting flashes of plumbers in y-fronts in my head so have been unable to call so far for fear of bursting out in laughter!!!

I must admit dh doing d-i-y does turn my thoughts to 'spring'. He's been building a new set of rather lovely shelves all weekend bless him....and fixing taps....I wonder if that's why he likes doing d-i-y???