Officially blooming part 2

[blue76]

Thought I'd start a new thread as there were only 3 posts left!

Ahhh swollen feet are killing me!!! Hurts to bend toes.
I am 27 weeks preg and I haven't had any Braxton Hicks is that normal?

Oh Snowfalls, that sounds terrible, I hope that you are feeling better now?

nitnat, I've not had any BH's yet either so I hope it's normal!!

I've not had any information from MW about antenatal classes, will ask at 28 week check but just thought I'd see what others knew and what they'd been told?

Well I was annoyed Sprinkle as when I went for my 23 weeks antenatal appointment I asked to book the antenatal classes and she said they are booked till October!!! Well I said how that is no good as due mid Sept so she said u will have to come without your husband and go to the afternoon rather than the evening classes. I was angry!!!! Especially as this is my 1st baby and I have no idea what to expect. Could do with partner there.

I was told that RLT is good for preparing for the birth, and that it's a bit of an old wives tale about it bringing on labour I eat loads of pineapple and that's supposed to bring it on so I really don't know. My mum said she doesn't know how I survived cos she ate what she wanted when she was pg with me

Re BH - I get them all day long and it's driving me mad. I thought it was just baby shifting, but when I described the feeling to the mws, they told me theyre BH and the more the better. I don't remember having any with DDs and they were 4 hr and 2 hr labours. So again, I dunno! Hehe

Oh, apparently slapped cheek syndrome is doing the rounds of DDs school. Joys. Another thing for me to panic about.

Had a self-esteem issue again today - on arrival at work this morning, one lass would not take a hint and stop going on about how massive I am, how I must be having twins, etc. Really made me feel fat and frumpy. DP keeps telling me I'm gorgeous and beautiful, but I'm struggling to work out what clothes suit me at the moment and just want to hide away at times.

Still on the positive side, I managed to go swimming for the first time in about 4 months this evening and found it much easier than last time, when I was still feeling crap and really tired.

Peachygirl - my mw told me that the height of fundus measurements were to within 3cm, so 22 cm at 25 weeks should be on the lower limit, but fair enough considering your stature, I'd have thought.

Tigerfeet - can you describe what the raspberry leaf tastes like? I'm not keen on raspberries.

Sorry you had such an ordeal, Sprinkleofstardust. Hope that you are feeling reassured, though.

Snowfalls - that sounds awful - hope you both get better soon.

No BH for me either, but I think that some of you second-timers (or more) are saying that you are getting them earlier than with the first?

I was given info about the antenatal classes in my 25 week appointment last week. There is no booking for the NHS ones run at the maternity unit - just turn up for two consecutive Monday evenings. I can understand your frustration, nitnat - that sounds barking. Other people must have been given an earlier opportunity to book (or they all turn up with 3 week old babies in tow...)

nitnat I can completely understand your anger, if that happens to me I won't be happy at all and DH has just said that he will get cross with them. Especially as my MW care has not been very good at all right from the start! This is my first pregnancy as well so have absolutely no idea how it all works, but everyone else seems to be getting better care!

I thought RLT brought on labour so you couldn't have it until near the end, but I don't know for sure at all, think I'll leave it until I finish for maternity leave and I'll be 36 weeks, just to be on the safe side, but who knows!!

Re: Slap cheek, I thought I had been exposed to it and went to see MW, who scared the crap out of me, however, they took a blood test to see if I had previously had it or was immune to it and the GP told me that it may make the baby slightly anaemic and you would just need to be monitored a bit more closely so nothing major to worry about, he was far more reassuring than the stupid MW who seemed to have forgotten that I was a pregnant woman!! Have to have another blood test next week, 4 weeks after the original to see if I was exposed to it and had the virus. It is also more 'dangerous' at the beginning of pregnancy, before 20 weeks so you should be fine now Blue, but still worrying. Just take care and work should ensure you don't spend time with children suffering with it, I was removed as soon as we thought he had it. Hope that helps a bit x

Slapcheek- I had a kid at school with it when I was early on in preg. They sent me for blood test and it came back that I was immune so that was ok. If you are not immune then they do more regular scans.You can be immune even if you have not had any physical signs of it.

minshu that would make sense, a friend told me today that it's all to do with where they put the tape measure anyway. I'm not worrried. I think the GP has to cover themselves TBH
I was tested for slapped cheek and you should get a blood test if you can I think the risk is low but I think the implications can be bad. It is worse in the earlier stages. I may have posted a link before
here it is

Nitnat that is bad. We have sessions where you can just turn up at the hospital. Have you tried the NCT they maybe able to fit you into a group.. it will cost you though

Getting checked out isn't foolish if you are really struggling to breath Sprinkle. Hopefully the baby will give you some breathing space soon.

I have a stinking cold and my ribs and diaphragm hurt every time I sneeze, that and at the same time I pretty much wet myself. Really want this baby off my bladder to have a bit of relief but hope she doesn't go too high as not breathing sounds scarier.

Hi girlies,
just thought I'd check in

Sprinkles - glad your feeling better - very worrying tho to struggle breathing - I would have done just the same thing!

Snowfalls - bless you with your virus - our house had that pleasant experience a couple of months ago and it ain't fun is it! You have my sympathies!

Peachygirl - I would defo say there is nothing to worry about if your measuring only 2cm under - my midwife says measuring is pretty pointless unless it's the same person measuring you throughout the whole of your pregnancy as everybody will measure slightly different - infact, many hospitals/midwives no longer measure at all as it is so easily done wrong. However when they do measure they usually allow 2cm over or under and if your any more than that you get to go for another scan - lucky you! Also - FYI, I was speaking to my friend yesterday who's dd was 10lb 4oz, and she was measuring a couple cm under at around this stage of pregnancy!!

Re Raspberry leaf tea: I drunk it by the gallon when i was last pg - although my health food store wouldn't sell it to me until I was 36 weeks and even then they would only let me buy 1 or 2 boxes at a time. Personally I think it's right that they don't bring labour on (I was 4 days overdue before going into labour) but they probably are good at toning the uterus!? (I personally love the tast of it as I like most herbal and fruit tea's - I used to drink it hot or keep a big iced jug of it in the fridge - but if you don't like the taste of the tea you can get it in tablet form)

When i was 1st pg I didn't think I 'd had any braxton hicks until I was in the middle of a check up at 36 weeks and the midwife was about to have a feel for the baby and she said "ooh - I'll just wait for that go" - I said "wait for what to go?" she said "your braxton hick - your having one right now!" - I hadn;t noticed, my belly would just go quite hard sometimes but I just thought that was the baby sticking it's bum out or something - turns out i'd been having them for weeks! - after that I noticed them all the time!
This time around I think I've started having them earlier - but then I don't know exactly when they started last time so I can't be sure?!

Phew - sorry for the lengthy post!! Took me ages to type it too as I seem to have lost all ability to type properly!!

Sprinkles - that sounds so worrying, you definitely did the right thing though!
Snowfalls and ticklistqueen - I hope you both feel lots better soon.
Minshu - well done for going swimming, I really must get more motivated into staying active.... ho hum.

And lol fairysparkles - I had exactly the same conversation at my 38 week appt with my gyny about BH, glad it's not just me ! It also took me ages to work out that baby was having hiccups, and that it was not just some weird ticking sensation, I blame pg brain.

Nitnat - I think it's terrible that the hospital can't offer you any antenatal classes. You should complain to the head of the department and copy it to your gp. Maybe they could organise classes for you at another hospital? Afterall, classes will be pretty much standard in terms of talking about the birth options and feeding.

Sprinkles - that virus sounds nasty. Hope you are feeling better now.

Minshu - ignore the people at work. I've had a few comments this week along the lines of "Cor, that bump is HUGE compared with last week". Actually it has grown a lot since last week. I think there is a growth spurt around now. I just smile and say "yeah I know". Also there's a guy who keeps saying to me "you sit down, you've got enough on your plate". I'm pregnant ffs - not an invalid

Oh sorry Sprinkles - it was rib pain, not a virus Hope you are feeling better.

Snowfalls - hope virus has gone. Last thing you need when you're pregnant.

Peachy - size thing seems a bit blown out of proportion. Agree - if you're small it stands to reason your baby will be small.

Thank you everyone - feeling much better now.
DH and I reckoned that with all the pee, vomit and poo that was around it was giving us a sneak preview into our life come 3 months time!

How's everyone else's brain getting on? I'm sure I used to have a good memory, but not I can't remember things one minute to the next! And the stupid things I keep doing - suprised I'm being kept at work!

Thanks everyone!!
I went on a course today for work. Music, but it involved lots and lots of singing and jumping about. I'm exhausted

Hi everyone
been gone for ages, sorry
Have I missed anything? How is everyone?

Apart from the ones who at a quick scan I can see have been ill / in pain. Glad you're better Snowfalls and Sprinkles.
Had an ill few months here too, finally I had a D&V bug last week, wasn't actually that sick but felt dreadful - constantly nauseous and exhausted, and the worst thing was it coincided with me starting the third trimester so I wondered if I'd just been lucky up to now and this was how it was going to be for the rest of my pg! Fell much better again though so hopefully not

Eh up Stealth - long time no post indeed! Sorry you've been poorly! Glad your feeling better now tho

Hey it sounds like a lot of you are feeling a bit under the weather! Hope you all get better soon.

Spoke to GP yday. She said that even if I were to catch slapped cheek , there's no treatment for it. Apparently I've probably already had it without even knowing. It's a common virus and lives on all kinds. Those who are less than 20 wks pg are at higher risk, so I'm safe. I also spoke to the school nurse, who has a poster about the different viruses in her office. It states on that that children do not need to be kept away from school whilst they have it. Just thought I'd post this info in case anyone else comes into contact with it.

Ok grab a cuppa this is going to be a long one.

My nan passed away on Tuesday night after a 6 week battle with illness. We were expecting it and I am feeling a bit numb. Think it probably hit me properly at the funeral itms.

I have called into work and I apparently get 1 weeks paid leave for bereavement. So I took last night off and am saving the rest till I know when the funeral is.

They are having fun sorting everything out as Nan lived in a sort of no mans land. She paid rates to Atherstone, her post code was sutton, but her water was paid to south staffs, If we called an ambulance unless we specified and told them that Sutton was closer she would of been taken somewhere in Warwickshire. So after much phoning round it turns out that her death needs to be registered in Nuneaton which is miles away from where she lives. We can't do anything until we have the death cert though.

It's never ending. Nat is poorly now, think it is a uti, took her to the walk in after school and they have checked her over there was protein and white blood cells in her urine sample. So they have asked for her to be reviewed by GP this morning and a sample should be sent off to the lab before they start anti biotics. She has been complaining of a headache for about 3 days. I have given calpol and pushed fluids but last night I thought ok this has gone on long enough and got her looked at. Shortly after we got home she managed to throw up all over my bedroom and the bathroom. Lovely! Took her to the out of hours clinic as I wasn't happy about how she looked They have prescribed anti biotics and I have to take her to see our gp at 9.30 in the morning so they can send a urine sample to the lab. Gave her the first dose of meds and she went to sleep pretty much straight away. Was woken up at 4am by someone screeching for mum cause she had a headache. Went in and gave her calpol and told her to settle back down to give it chance to work. Had been back in bed about 10 mins when she decided her bed was wet. I nearly hit the roof because this means she was awake and deliberately wet it so she could climb in with us as she knows I can't change the top bunk atm. I made her get changed and put her in sleeping bag on the mattress on the floor in her own room. I know she is ill but honestly I refuse to be manipulated by a 7 yr old! Woke up this morning to find her curled up at the foot of our bed though.

This morning I have 2 over tired grotty kids and feel like a zombie!

sorry to hear about your nan mummyhill.

what an eventful time you've had. your poor sick dd, but i know what you mean, i hardly ever let ds in our bed (and he's only 2) because habits always seem to stick around here!

feeling for you mummyhill. Is there anyone who can help you look after the kids today, someone who isn't grieving like a friend, maybe? You are probably far too vulnerable yourself to be caring for an ill child by yourself . Your daughter might be picking up on your sorrowful vibes too which might have added to the bed-wetting and / or her wanting reassurance. If you had a bit of practical support today, that would help you both.

(obviously make sure DD has lots of fluids - the headache could be a bit of de-hydration as well I s'pose.)

so sorry for your loss

Oh mummyhill, so sorry
How is your DD now? Hope the antibiotics kick in today and she feels much better

Oh Mummyhill, what a horrible time you are having, it seems to be one of those weeks, so sorry for your loss

I've not had a great week either, after Monday's trip to A+E for the chest pain, whilst driving to work on Wednesday there were some traffic lights out so whilst trying to avoid the cars and make my way across a girl in a megane hit me on the drivers side, luckily towards the back of the car, so the rear passenger's door is all smashed up and all round the wheel arch. Was absolutely terrified as I skidded sideways across 3 lanes of traffic and ended up at a 90 degree angle to where I started, luckily I'd just readjusted the seatbelt at the lights before as it had ridden up a bit and no one was seriously hurt, I have whiplash but the baby is fine, had a CTG to check movement and the heartbeat but he's completely fine and keeps kicking me quite low down where it's really tender from the seatbelt. Wasn't kept in and I'm glad to be home, probably have tomorrow off work as well and then go back on Monday.

Hope everyone is having a better time, please take care when travelling anywhere!!

Oh mummyhill! What a shitty time your having!
It doesn't rain it pours eh?!
Hope you get chance for a bit of 'me time' - even a wee soak in the bath with some nice bubbles later once the dc's have gone to bed might help to cheer you up slightly?!

Really feel for you