Due August '09 part 2 - 'Bring on the bumps- we're not fat we're pregnant!'

[HeinzSight]

Thought I'd better get our shiny new thread up and running. New title courtesy of BumpBLump

part 3 thread title is bagsy(ed) by kitkatqueen, 'Its the second trimester!! - Does my bump look big in this???'

here's a link to our old thread.

Hi everyone, sorry to hear that some of us are still suffering with sickness.

I saw the midwife today and heard the baby's heartbeat which was a BIG relief. And I think I might have begun to feel a few tiny movements, so I'm feeling pretty happy now.

I'm also thinking about childcare - or at least, not so much childcare as my mum has said she'll look after DS, but Dh works at the other end of the country so I'm wondering whether I should line up someone to be a back up birth partner in case it all starts happening while he's away. It seems like an awfully big thing to ask of someone though...

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all ok and that all the sickness goes away soon!!

I'm feeling quite down, I got given a letter by my boss today telling me I am at risk of redundancy. They are trying to give everyone 3 months notice that the will be served their notice IYSWIM. Hardly a surprise, as I have known since September that they are closing the office. I was just the first to get one as i have the longest notice period and it has made me really down. I burst into tears when picking DS up from my Mum's.

I'm feeling pretty crappy as well as I have had a horrible headache and sor stomach all weekend. i just want to curl up in bed and sleep!!

Trixy - I am sorry to hear about your job, its so stressful.Try and do some nice things for yourself if you can.

We finally had an offer on our house after 1year and 7 months on the market!However the good news didnt last long when the estate agent phoned up and said that he had a number of offers on houses and had decided to buy somewhere else.

Anyway its late and its bedtime....even though I spend the night tossing and turning!

awwww trixy, even when you know something is coming, it can still be hard. Bursting into tears seems to be a standard part of pregnancy from what I can tell.

oonagh, sorry to hear the offer isn't going through. Hopefully things will start picking up in the housing market soon!

Rachel, sounds lovely, I can't wait to hear mine! How do you know when you're feeling baby movements? Every little twinge I'm wondering 'is that it? or is it gas?'

Hawkmoth, LOL at celebratory barfing!

Heinzsight, Remember that goat cheese pizza from the other thread? I went and had it tonight! Then promptly lost it in the ladies room of Pizza Hut--hope nobody thought I was bulemic. On the upside, I am getting very good at holding back my own hair!

So much for the old 'eat what sounds good to you'. Apparently what sounds good to me will always end up reappearing fairly quickly, while the things that don't sound good to me because I've had them a million times (spaghetti hoops, mashed potatoes, another fraking peanut butter sandwich) will stay down.

so sorry to hear so many are having a crappy time with jobs and work, i can't imagine the stress of all that; i do hope people find a way through it, you don't need that hassle. sorry too to hear about your house, oonagh.

sarah, i have been feeling movement since about 12 weeks - it feels like a sort of twitch in my right side from time to time, particularly after i drink something cold! with my dd, it was more like a tickle and not till about 19 weeks. tis reassuring though once it starts.

I also wanted to give hope to those still feeling sicky - mine has all of a sudden disappeared (touch wood!). I really couldnt see the light at the end of the tunnel but all of a sudden,that cloud of vomit has lifted. fingers crossed it will for you others too. I have been able to go shopping this morning and buy real food so the fridge is no longer full of crap!

Well I've been to MW AND Physio today. MW infinitely better All well, found the heartbeat straight away, went through my list of questions in about five minutes and overall very reassuring! Got a prescription for Iron tablets as my Ferritin was low at 12 weeks and I'm getting gradually tireder, more headachey and dizzy.

Physio was less fun! Poking my sore back and pelvis She had to realign the front joint, which is a deeply unpleasant procedure! Something I'll no doubt have to put up with a number of times between now and August.

TBH, I'm disappointed that it was already out of alignment so early, but hey ho, it's just a question of management and doing the exercises religiously. That and no more heels!

Hope everyone's enjoying the sunshine, though it has snowed a sprinkle or two here as well.

Hawkmoth, Don't know if this may help u or not - saw my osteopath today and he has effectivley signed my back off. It now hurts at about 1 or 2 % and only then when I am picking up a 5 yr old or somthing daft. He has reccomended that I take celery seed extract to help to tighten the ligaments on my back which are very very loose. (my spine goes click every step as I walk up and down the stairs) I haven't heard of it before and am going to do a bit of research. But does sound appealing!!!

He has also given me a couple of websites to check out and a couple of books with self help in pregnancy. When the kids are finally in bed I will stick the info on here in case anyone else wants to have a look.

Funnily tho' After I had ds I saw a physio who realigned my upper back as I had thrown it out during the pregnancy. It was agony at the time and for the next 3/4 days. My osteopath did the same realinement after the "stupid chair" incident and it didn't hurt at all. I had a slight ache about a day later and that was it. If it was really bad and you are going to have to have it done again I think I would consider the other option.

Personally i'm not going back to physio other than pelvic floor check after no4 has been born - I don't ever intend on becoming a tena lady!!

Bleurgh, just lost my response!!!

I could only afford to see an osteopath if the family were to fast for two weeks!

The pelvic realignment seems to make the joint flare up initially, but really helps for days and days afterwards. I was a bit surprised it was actually out already because it wasn't as painful as last time around.

She said my back was moving quite freely. It does feel loose to me, grinding when I move but at least it's not getting inflamed and seizing up.

I do feel more positive. Just to have it all confirmed and some sort of plan about how to manage things really helps. I didn't ask anything about how quickly it'll get worse or anything, I'm just going to knuckle down to the exercises and be careful as much as I can.

Look forward to reading your links

Hiya everyone.

Ouch at the physio/backpain, hawk and kitkat. Hope things improve with the celery seed extract and general care, both of you.

My father in law had his bypass today and it seems to have gone pretty darn well so far.

Is anyone else feeling evening fatigue? I seem to get a total energy crash together with the grumps come about 6pm at the moment. The rest of the day I feel fine.

Hi everyone! Thank you for your advice - am investigating idea of having someone around (and paid)for a bit in August who won't freak out at idea of birth possibility (it's amazing how that does not really appeal to most people). Watch this space - I'll probably end up with the longest labour in history.... but I have been told to dial 999 at the slightest hint of labour. This is hard to spot as there are all sorts of aches etc at the end which are as bad as the run up to the real thing...

In terms of childcare I think one needs either:
1.a family member (eg mother) who is absolutely available to you at any time; or
2.a seriously long list of other reliable people that your children know(it can be pretty traumatic for them and you don't want them to resent the baby for making mammy poorly...) This list should contain lots of numbers and details of when people are away etc. These people should all live next door ideally and never have any committments of their own....

As for evening fatigue I am hating being the wicked witch as soon as I pick up the boys. Am actually feeling a bit sad about what this baby is going to do to our lives...

Thanks sarah and Oonagh for your kind words. i feel a bit better about it all today.

scummy glad to hear your FIL is doing OK.

I am getting evening fatigue as well. it doesn't help that DH is away most of this week so no-one to help.

Also DS was up at 6 this morning, so we were both ridiculously grumpy and knackered.

hope the sore backs and sickness are doing OK!

I hear ya on the evening fatigue - and weekends too. All day at work I can cope but on the weekends I crash out by 4pm. DH a bit about me having energy for work but not him!

Hiya - finally finished the housework!!!! for today at least!

Hi Hawk Believe me - I am usually the tightest person in the world - and until the stupid chair incident I have been nhs no matter what because of expense. We are always skint, but I am now kicking myself beyond all belief. I have suffered horribley with my back through all three pregnancies, struggled, cried and literally been incapable of even loading the dishwasher. ( which I picked up for £20.00 )

I might be truly the tightest person in the world but it has definatley been worth it.

Even more of a reason to be cross with myself, the osteopath checked my elbow that I smashed up in a bike accident in 1994 and informed me that it was partialy dislocated and has been since the accident. There were 3 xrays at least at the time - they must have known but they left it. Now i am stuck with it, he can relocate it but it won't help much now.

I always envisaged osteopaths etc to be horrendously expensive - now I can't believe it was so cheap.

Anyway enough whinging

Hope I don't get i trouble for posting this!!! LOL!
Anyway printout reads:

1 Prepare the abdomen and thighs for stretching by massaging twice a day for 5-10 mins with a mixture of 20 drops each of camomile, tangerine and lavender aromatherapy oils in 200 mls of plain carrier oil (eg Almond).

2 Rasberry leaf tablets (not tea) to prepare the uterus and pelvic tissue: take as directed.

3 Excersise eg. the pelvic floor ( the elevator) stretches alone or with a partner.

The rest of the print out is a list of homeopathic remedies for a) limiting tissue damage and shock b) preparation of uterus assistance in delivery of placenta. c) easing transition during labour easing depression(pnd) d)treatment for episiotomy/tear/cs.

Websites for obtaining homeopathy:

Ainsworths 02079355330 www.ainsworths.com

Helios pharmacy 01892537254 www.helios.co.uk

Reccomended reading :

"Easy excercises for pregnancy" by Janet Balaskas ( founder of the active birth movement)

and "The encyclopedia of pregnancy and birth"
by Janet Balaskas ( again ) and Yehudi Gordon.

As for flagging and feeling exhausted It usually hits me about 3 or 4 pm and I have to admit I save my one caffiene hit that I allow myself for then. With DP away 4 days a week now I have to keep on top of things and its the only way I've found possible.

I am realy hoping that someone isn't going to pop up to tell me that 1 cup coffee or 1 can of Dr pepper isn't horrendous but if it is please do!! I would rather know!

Scummy glad yr fil is doing ok, keeping everything crossed!

Heinz sorry you are having friend probs hopefully it will sort itself out soon...

Trixy so sorry to hear about yr job - keeping everything crossed for you too!!!

RIGHT! Definatley bedtime - up at 6.30 with a feed about 4 ish! sorry for long post!!

sorry should read "1 can of dr pepper is horrendous"...

I think you have to take in a LOT of caffiene for it to be dangerous, kitkat. I'm drinking quite a lot of tea- 2 or 3 cups- and usually a couple of coffees a day too atm. Sometimes a lucozade as well! I'm really busy at work with loads of hefty reports to complete and things on home front are hectic too what with mil here and everyone worried about fil, so like you I just can't afford to crash out right now. Am hoping everything will calm down in a couple of weeks and I'll be able to slow down a bit and cut down on the bad caffiene! I think during my last pregnancy the advice was that you need to be drinking over 5 cups of coffee or 10 of tea to enter the possible danger zone, though. I know it's changed a bit to as little as possible now but in the general scheme of things I'm not massively stressed about a moderate intake.

I hope tea isn't going to be a sin now - I am getting through at least 3-4 cups a day. DSs (particulary DS2) not sleeping well at the moment and I am knackered at work. Counting the days to mat leave at the moment when I can rest during the day whilst the boys are with the nanny (please let DH find work soon so I can keep her!!!).

Too brain dead to post much more I'm afraid.

I only drink decaf tea due to an irregular heartbeat (I drink a lot of tea!) But have been getting a few hormonal headaches and a cup of proper caffeinated tea with a spoon of sugar in seems to do the trick at easing them, not entirely medical but works for me.

I remember with DD being told by the midwife, 'make sure you limit yourself to 6 cans of coke a day' and thinking I couldn't drink that much coke if I tried! Common sense should prevail I think, it's as if as soon as you're pregnant the entire medical profession thinks you're a numpty who is going to attempt to drink raw eggs and eat cat poo.

I researched the caffeine thing a while back, being a diet Pepsi addict.... Some things say don't go over 300mg a day, some things say don't go over 200mg a day. A cup of tea has about 45mg of caffeine, and a can of diet pop is also about 45mg. Coffee is higher, I think 80mg? Would have to go look it up again.

I've (mostly) quit the caffeine, mainly because it is expensive to drink so much pop. Still have it when we go out, and occasionally get one as a treat, but nothing like the regularity I had before. Used to have 3-4 cans at work, then a few glasses at home as well. Now I just drink water and milk all the time (so much milk, I think I might be giving birth to a calf).

I'm starting to have minor panics about the baby. For instance, this morning lying in bed thinking 'I'm never going to be able to lie in bed this late, the baby would be up/need attending to'. This seems to happen every time I'm feeling sick and just want to lie down-I think 'the baby won't let me lie down'. Not describing it very well, but there is this sense of dread/panic/being out of control. And knowing there is nothing I can do about itthis baby is coming, there is a timescale, I can't put it off. Do all first-timers freak out like this?

I don't really drink tea but if I do, I drink Rooibos/Redbush as it's "naturally caffeine free". Try to drink decaf coffee but I refuse to give up my morning full caff latte from a well known Italian coffee chain on the way to work.

Interesting to read about physio/ osteopaths. My back is giving me grief, partly having to stand on the train every morning (DESPITE wearing my baby on board badge!) and partly because DS is wanting to be picked up and cuddled all the time. Can't decide whether to try to get myself fiddled with now or wait till after the baby arrives by which time my back may be well and truly knackered.

Has anyone else had any signs of SPD yet? I'm getting a few twinges, not absolute agony just sort of "ooh I felt that" and I don't know whether starting it this early is a bad sign...

Scummy - glad your FIL is doing well
Sarah - hope the sickness goes soon. When mine stopped, it just stopped, didn't ease off first so hopefully you'll wake up one morning soon feeling fine.

KitKat - I took raspberry leaf tablets last time. Not only are they more effective than the tea (as in you get a bigger dose by taking a tablet than one cup of tea iyswim) but they are much nicer to take. I got mine from a local herbalist who gave me the instructions on how/when to take them (dosages can vary depending on where you buy them). He also said to take them for a couple of weeks after the birth as it helps the uterus contract back into place properly and I have to say they did definitely help there. MW was v impressed with it.

No evening fatigue here. It's the time of day I feel most awake. I have morning fatigue . Not helped by having trouble sleeping - why is it that the only time I can feel the baby moving is when I get to bed???? It seems to decide to swirl around in my belly and make me feel sick.

Sarah - Very normal for first-timers to feel nervous. I managed though and I am definitely not the maternal type, my family were that I was having a baby. Even now I feel nervous picking someone elses baby up . The best advice I got was from dh's boss who said "When you have your baby you'll suddenly know what to do." Apparently when they'd had their first baby his wife had just started doing whatever was needed and he kept asking her how she knew to do it and she didn't know, she said she just kinda knew and it's true, you do! I also found MN was great for practical advice - you know those niggly odd questions like "how do I buy a cup of tea while pushing a pram?". You'll also find that a newborn will sleep A LOT so although you might be up earlier or woken through night you can nap during the day to catch up.

I remember my biggest worry was not knowing what to dress a baby in so it wouldn't be too warm or too cold. I only stopped worrying when I read in a book that a couple of degrees temp difference wasn't going to kill your baby and that if you were ever planning on taking your baby out of the house you'd have no control over the temperature. I need the obvious stated

Absolutely I agree nuttygirl - I still don't know how to cope with other people's babies and children, but seem to have managed with my own for 7 years!

I was so naive about so many things and bought a load of stuff that was 'essential' according to books and which was not at all (eg loads of cot sheets and blankets and pram sheets for putting under baby's head etc etc). It's good to have breast pump for that huge crisis when your milk comes in at about 4 days at 4 in the morning and the baby can't get it's tiny little mouth over your huge breast. And I learnt that it's quite a good idea to be pretty selfish about your and babies' needs at the start. With my first I spent the whole time worrying whether his little outfit was perfect and whether everyone had a cake etc when my in laws came. With the second I said ' right there's the kettle and popped off upstairs to get that baby on the breast before it was all too exploding.

But you know wherever you are in parenting I think there will be some huge crisis (eg when will he stop wearing nappies at night) and then it sorts out and you look back and think now I know and wasn't I daft, but then something else happens. It is absolutely normal.

First timers - don't be scared!

Hi Sarah

I know exactly what you mean about realising the baby takes over. My hubby got a taste of it this morning, our dog had pups last week and she was scratchin at the door in her dog box in the middle of the night looking out, i never heard her so he had to get up, when he come in he says oh we'll have to get used to getting up a few times a night in a few months time, it got me thinking!!

Well i finally thought my ms was gone for good, two weeks no puke, then today i had branflakes and warm milk, 1/2 an hour i just about made it to the toilet and now ive that sick feeling in my stomach since, its awful!!

My belly seems to have grew suddenly in the past week, im definately unmistakingly showing. havent felt any flutters yet...cant wait for that!

Any other twin pregnancies on the thread yet? just wondering how big you were at 16 weeks and when did you feel movements?

Can't believe noone else has spotted the 'do pelvic floor exercises alone or with a partner'. I bag the latter!!!

My pelvis is SO much better today. Was fine even after getting in and out of the shower then getting dressed. I'm thrilled. Think there mustn't have been as much inflammation built up this time.

Re first-time nerves - I think I was actually really lucky being a single parent first time round. I slept when she slept and so didn't get overtired and didn't feel under pressure to get into a routine too quickly. I watched lots of cricket from the subcontinent and lots of American sports! Sadly, with other people and DD involved this time, I cannot become semi-nocturnal for three months!!

Not been sick today either, and the sunny weather is definitely helping to cheer me up.

Hi all,
Havent been on much, hope you are all well x

Well I am 15 weeks today and cant believe how unpregnant I feel! The only time I feel remotely pregnant is when I dont eat first thing in the morning and feel a bit wobbly and also when I ake up in the night needing to pee!

DP has been told that unless business picks up in the next month he will be made redundant if that happens it will have a massive impact on us as I am already redundant! luckily we dont really need to buy any bbig things this time and he is due a tax rebate in april which will cover the few things we do need.

Valz I am not really showing a bump but do look alot fatter than I did 3 months ago (more likely the junk food than the twins lol) and am not really feeling any regular movement and this is 2nd pregnancy so hopefully it will happen soon for us both

I definately agree with the evening tiredness though! by 5pm I am starting to droop and spend most nights slumped in front of the tv lol

Hi everyone. I know I'm a bit late, but do you mind if I join you. This is baby number 1, amd I'm due on the 31st (so only just make it into this thread!)..Would be great to chat to other Mummies-to-be who are at a similar stafe. Hope I'm not intruding!