Due in September 2009: we are now officially blooming!

[StealthPolarBear]

Even if it doesn't seem like it most of the time

11pm stayfrosty!! wow! I stuggle to make it to 9pm!

Am having a lousy weekend so far - feeling really rough and exausted - 17 weeks today, according to 'experts' I should be full of energy and bloomingness(!) now - they lie . Everyone is constantly saying 'you should be this, you should be that etc etc' and I'm not, and when they ask how I am and I say, their reactions are 'still? oh dear' like I've let everyone down or am not handling it properly. Grrrr... so annoying. Sorry if have cast a downer.....

Erhianj I know how you feel. I had a rough as hell day yesterday, with oodles of crying and everything, but lots of friends expect that some sort of switch has been thrown and I'll feel fantastic constantly now we're in the 2nd trimester. Er - no, actually. The unsolicited advice and assumption gets on my tits tbh. Every pregnancy is different, like every woman is different. Even the friend who said to ignore everyone's advice was passing judgment the other day, so no one is immune. At least my Gran has the wit to say 'mind you I'm talking about things 60 years ago'

On the plus side, I seem to be having a good day today in all respects so one day at a time and all that...

If it makes you feel better you could do what I do with my DH and practice a response to people reaching out to touch my belly, which I will hate. No one's tried yet but it's best to be prepared. My response seems to vary on mood - sometimes I gently push his hand away, or slap it away, or reach out and rub his belly instead (my favourite). Unfortunately yesterday he got a fist in the belly, which says a lot.

Thank you! have calmed a little now. I like the idea of hitting them with a wet fish....

am totally on your wavelength. a good friend of mine everytime he saw me would say "you seem better/look better/look well" despite that i'd been running off to the bathroom to throw up 5 mins before. i just foujnd it a bit insensitive that he said that instead of actually asking how i was and listening. anyway, i think it's just peoples way of trying to put a positive spin on things.

people also used to ask me if ds was a good baby. i used to lie. it just wasn't the response they wanted to hear that he cried all the time and didn't sleep!!

Haven't posted for a few days and only had time to scan thro quickly but lol at some of the posts.

Lizlemon - I hate the fact that everyone thinks they have a right to touch your tum when pg. Why? I don't go round touching theres. One of my very closet friends keeps doing it and its driving me nuts. She's so lovely and I don't want to upset her but I really feel like slapping her hand away!

erhianj - am also 17 weeks today but don't feel slight blooming. Look spotty and horrible and this bump has just appeared from nowhere. Keep getting stressed about whether I'm feeling movements or totally imagining things. I really do not do pregnancy well.

I felt great yesterday but woke up this morning with a stonking headache....it stayed with me all day.

People telling me I look really well and that my face has filled out. DP says I now have a bum. Something tells me it's just people's kind ways of saying 'awright fatty' Love being pg though cos I know what I'm getting out of it in the end...that's what I tell myself on crappy days such as today

I always tell people DD2 was a terrible whinger and very demanding baby, hence the 10 year age gap.(I swore I would never have the 3rd child I had once yearned for as she put me off!)

Hi, I'm a complete newbie to MN!! I'm due in September and was 17 weeks yesterday. Not feeling any real movements, which I'm gutted about!!

Have a lot of bump ache and woke up this morning thinking it seems to have grown overnight by about 3 inches!!

It's my first child and I'm really excited, as is DH.

Just having read through a few of the posts I already feel like I'm finally not alone!! (None of my friends are PG and have felt quite lonely with it as no one to talk to, without being looked at with false sympathy/understanding or for those who have children already that lovely knowing smile that doesn't help you at all!!!)

Welcome sprinkle

welcome sprinkle - plenty of us first timers on here

cautious I really do think that rubbing the offender's belly is the way forward, and if they complain you can point out that's exactly what they're doing to you... or you could just have a word with her, and explain how invasive it feels. If that doesn't work then you can rub her belly.

Welcome sprinkle! 17 week first timer here as well!

Blue - a 10 year age gap is lovely, my youngest sis is 17, and my other sis 19, I'm 27, and its really nice to be 'second mum'! You've also got ready made helpers on hand, I was changing nappies when I was 9!

Have decided that yesterdays mini melt down was hormone related, I've been really lucky so far and haven't felt moody or tearful at all, so I think it's just caught up with me, was in tears for no reason in the shower this morning, stopped crying and decided it was funny so am obviously going slightly mad..!!

Sprinkle, I'm exactly the same! First baby, 17 weeks yesterday, and work up this morning to find my bump has arrived!

I pulled on a vest top and it only went half way down my belly. Very exciting and also a little weird.

We went buggy shopping at the weekend. So much fun.
What are people thinking about buggies? Any ideas?

Thanks for the welcomes, glad I'm not alone in having the tummy being rubbed, although at the moment it is only M-I-L, which is annoying enough!

Yesterday she came up to me, and I could see her getting her hand ready for the stroking, patting (which isn't particularly gentle) and commenting on how I'm 'definitely getting a bump now' even though she's been touching me for about 4 weeks now!! So as I saw her approaching and getting ready to touch I moved my handbag round so it was covering my tummy and put my arms across to block as much as I could... unfortunately this did NOTHING to deter her, she went under the bag and as she hadn't managed to make quite enough contact went in for another 2 or 3 goes, no matter how much I attempted to casually twist away from her!! She's not the sort of woman I can ask to not do it although I feel I have made it obvious in non verbal communication that I don't like it, DH is thinking he might have to say something bless him, so at least he's on my side!! But until then I may just have a go at rubbing her tummy...

Snowfalls - I'm thinking of the icandy cherry which looks lovely (in the brochures!),has been given good reviews (on MN somewhere) and goes with the maxi-cosi car seat, when I'm not feeling so grim me and DH will go to Eddershaws which is the closest stockist to have a proper look around. Have not really thought of any others yet.

On the bump touching front, I dont mind family doing it, but would really hate a stranger coming up to me and stroking my bump - have they not heard of personal space?! New Look sell t.shirts which say 'Hands off the bump' - might get one for when I go out...!

Hi ladies, on the pram front and being a third timer I would advise putting a hell of a lot of thought into your pram and making sure it matches your lifestyle. First time round I had a mothercare three wheeler which I loved but found that after 6 months all I wanted was a small but comfortable buggy hence £300 pram was put in the loft and spent another £100 on a pushchair. Make sure you try folding it up, puttting it down and checking that it fits in the boot of your car. Where will it go in your house when not being used and do you have room for the one you want?

Also, carrycots look beautiful and I really understand the attraction but by 3 months your baby will want to see whats going on in the world and said carrycaot will be something else that ends up in the loft.

After DC I got rid of my 3 wheeler and have been very fortunate to drop on a full Mamas and Papas travel sustem (the pramette) for £67 from ebay! It is absolutely immaculate and it converts to a pram so baby can lie down properly without the extra cost of a carrycot.

I really don't want to be a kill-joy so hope these tips are taken as the good intentioned advice that I mean them to be!

PS. If anyone like the Mamas and Papas range there is a factory shop in Stoke on Trent which has fantastic bargains with many travel systems half price. You can get to it from J15 or J16 of the M6 and is well worth a visit. It also has discounted ranges of nursery furniture.

I agree totally with LJ29 exactly the same happened with me, used my very expensive Bebe Confort pram (with all the fittings, cost £600!!) for about 12 weeks with no. 1, then switched to a £40 stroller, used the Bebe confort again for no.2 but only for the first few weeks. I really like my Bebe confort but it's just so big it drives me mad after a while when I just want to zip around a shop (don't get me started on double buggies!)Bought a Zia Petite Star a few months ago which I love and would recommend to anyone, it folds up tiny and is really easy to push, and it's suitable from birth.

Anyway, hope everyone's well. Anyone else suffer from Sciatica? I get it mildly every now and again, but it has come on really really strong this weekend, haven't been able to walk and spent three hours on the floor on Saturday because I couldn't move I swear it's more painful than labour! Just got a perscription for Codine, which is apparently safe in pregnancy, so at least I'm able to walk a bit now. Which help when you've got a 3 year old and a 1 year old to look after.

Thanks LJ29, really useful advice - we had similar from friends who bought a big, heavy, 'all bells and whistles' buggy and by the time their kid was 1.5yrs it was too heavy to push so bought a Maclaren.

We're heading towards a Quinny Zapp as the Maxi Cosi car seat clips into the frame (only one that fits IsoFIX in our car!). We have a small house so although we've been recommended a Phil & Teds (and would love one), it just won't fit anywhere! Definitely good to think about that.

Very envious of the bumps appearing, mine is a bit fuller and harder than a spare tyre but still not looking much like a baby. We're away after Easter so thinking I might have to pack for with/without a bump just in case I sprout during that week!

on the pram/buggy front, we had a bugaboo for about 18 months which was fantastic, but once ds was walking around a lot, i switched to a maclaren as so much lighter to push with one hand while trying to grab onto ds. i don't regret the bugaboo, i thought it was excellent for all the walking i had to do to get ds to sleep, but i also used a sling a lot too, as he used to really cry a lot in the early days.
i haven't really decided what to do this time. i think i might just sling the baby for the first 4 months or so and then maybe ds can go onto a buggy board on the back of the maclaren. we'll see how it all works out.

and ps. we sold the bugaboo on ebay and got a really decent price for it, so i felt like we recouped a fair bit of the outlay.

Hi all, hope you had a good weekend. Welcome Sprinkle. I am a first timer too.

Re Buggy, I am planning to get a Phil & Teds Sport version on the basis I refuse to pay a fortune on one buggy only to need a double buggy a little bit later (if we decide to have number two in close'ish' sucession - say 2 year gap). I like the fact that it is a single buggy which converts to a double when you are ready. Take the point on size - they are big, but when folded down was actually smaller than I thought.

Also hoping to be able to run with it to lose some of my baby flab so want a 3 wheeler for stability.

Have quite a few friends who have them and have only heard good things (other than the size point) which I think goes for most 3 wheeler buggies.

Interesting comments re. pushchairs. It's been on my mind all weekend funnily enough. Not sure what to go for. Had just a buggy with ds (techno classic) and a sling because we lived on the first floor and a pram was not practical. However, would really like one this time. Might go for a second hand one though. Looked on the for sale board on mumsnet but nothing I fancied. Might try ebay. We've still got the Maclaren so that will be good for when baby is a bit bigger. Does anyone know whether carrycots are a standard length? Ds was long and as dh and I are tall, chances are that this one may be long too.

Afternoon all.

I agree with the previous advice about pushchairs- think long and hard about what it is you need! We used slings for the first 10 months with ds. A moby wrap till he was 6 monthsish then an ergo carrier, which we still use now. When he started getting heavier I combined pushchair/sling use as I found it too much to be out all day with him on me all the time. Sling was without a doubt our best buy, in fact prob the best £40 I ever spent, made our lives so much easier.

I used a m&p stroller (after a disastrous attempt at using a sliver cross 'dazzle'- avoid this at all costs tis utter crap!) which was ok but difficult to use and push. I recently bought a baby jogger city mini, which I LOVE. Its just brilliant. Ds will be in this and the new baby in a sling at first. When ds can walk more and the new baby is getting bigger I will attach a buggy board and use a combination all three. I do think its worth paying a bit more for a better quality buggy/pram if you can. Mine m&p one was cheap and it showed!

I haven't felt any movement yet, 17 weeks today. Its weird as first movement with ds was around 16 weeks. I'm sure all is fine but since I had an early bump I presumed I would feel movement early too. I thought I felt something last week but I'm not sure, could well have been gas

Hi all
Had another scan today (number 4!!)Yet more pics- both are fine and growing well etc saw bladder on twin one and a hand wave from twin two. i had to have a blood test today as my skin is itching like mad and this sometimes indicates problems with your liver. it's probably just because I am expanding so fast and my skin is irritated by it all! I have a three wheeler overland type pushchair and a Gracco with car seat up to six months. Still waiting to see the icandy pear in the flesh yet. hello sprinkleofstardust and welcome. 8 tpt today- I'm sure I was bigger last week?

We've got a musty - dp wanted a chunky masculine pram it's got a lie-flat carseat which I love - DD2 had an umbilical hernia. I wish they existed back then!! The system costs over 700 new but we bought it on ebay for 160

erhianj I'm looking forward to having a couple of extra little helpers - they're already arguing over who's going to change the nappies!

twinkle I hope your sciatica eases a bit - my cousins dw had it and it eased off around 22 weeks...