Due March 2010 - we're halfway there!

[annamama]

... this is a new thread following on from the last one, welcome oldies & newbies ...

Happy Birthday Arcadie! Have a virtual cookie (double choc chip or cherry and almond).

OK, idiot emoticon here, but when everyone is measuring their bump, are they measuring fundal height (surely not 'cos mine only reached 38" at 40 weeks last time) or is it a wrap-a-tape-measure-around-the-widest-point-of-the-"waist" job?

4.20am wake up call this morning. The bags under my eyes could fit my weekly shopping in them and believe me when I say I am eating a lot at the moment.

A better mum when in public, MummyElk? Yep, me too, I think. But that goes with the territory, I reckon .

So I'm working at home this morning and took a break from the database project I'm doing to check the post and what do I find? An invitation to get the swine flu vaccine! Bah.

[removes head from sand to check out Shroomer's bbc link and have a serious think...]

I'm using the 'wrap-a-tape-measure-around-the-widest-point-of-the-"waist" job' technique. I have heard of fundal height, but haven't arsed myself to find out what it means yet. I haven't been measured by the midwife yet - perhaps I'll be told what it is then.

Swine flu - I'm going to get the jab on Wednesday. I've followed the debate carefully, but I suppose a swinging factor is this: I've only ever heard pregnant GPs saying that they are going to have the vaccine (or have had it). They, compared to me, are in a position where they understand a hell of a lot more about it. And they've said that they would have the vaccine even if they were not a front line health worker.

39" here- phew, was starting to think I was really MASSIVE (just joking!)

Happy Birthday Arcadie! Have a great day!

I'm not really sure what fundal height is, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough, but for now I'll tell you all that my tape-round-the-biggest-part-of-middle = 38 inches. From reading everyone else measurements I'd say I'm quite average.

T

Hey chaps - thanks for the birthday wishes - thus far my cakes have been a succes. My toddler group was lovely. I've had a cup of tea in bed and an evening out planned and lots of my friends dropped round this pm to help me eat the cake celebrate. S'all going very very well.

FWIW Fundal height is the height of your fundus [unhelpful description]. Your fundus is the highest point of your womb which at 20 weeks is about level with your belly button. It's a bugger to find if you're as tubby as me cos it's all squishy so I reckon measuring fattest point is the best plan. I'm too embarrassed to measure mine. Perhaps when I've reached 25 weeks and feel a bit more justified in looking like a porker....

Being a bit of a newbie to forums, it takes me a while to figure out some of the acronyms being used. (I like that emoticon cos it looks like a sheepish grin). What does FWIW mean? And when I see people referring to what must be their partners, what the acronym there? And I think children have an acronym too...

shroomer, click on the acronyms link at the top of the page- all will be revealed!

Shroomer fulll acronym list here, but fwiw = for what it's worth, DC/DD/DS = dear (or darling) children/daughter/son. DP/DH = dear partner/husband. HTH (hope that helps )

Arcadie, I hope you're having a lovely birthday . Have a on me!

I am measuring 44" round the bump. I would be seriously concerned if that was from belly button down!! My bump is big, but not that big!

Am knackered, I have just come back from a Christmas fair down near Chippenham, which was a good couple of hours' drive away. It was nice - saw a couple of very good friends who had a stand there. Did some more Christmas shopping (am nearly there now, helped by winning £100 of VTech toys on here!!), and DD had a lovely hour or so being spoilt rotten in the creche there. I even managed to have a cup of tea all by myself - bliss

Have to say though, some people can be bloody rude - there I was, trying to get lunch, obviously pregnant (with my 44" bump!), pushing a buggy, toddler hanging on to my hand, carrying a tray of food and not one fecker even attempted to get out of my way or God forbid help me! I am so pleased I no longer have to commute - I would be swearing at people left, right & centre & probably end up getting thumped!

Rindercella said 'I am measuring 44" round the bump. I would be seriously concerned if that was from belly button down!! My bump is big, but not that big!'

Yeah imagine, you'd need to stick your bump on a skateboard.

Wish I hadn't bought some Green and Black dark choc and oat biscuits, they've been calling to me all day.

That's the second time I've tried to use the italic symbol today, and it's not working. Pah.

Happy birthday arcadie hope you are having lots of preggie loveliness and tea in bed

My baby bump is 43 inches and feels like a right whopper

Quick question - does anyone have an iphone? If so you can get pregnancy apps that tell you how many weeks you are, how many days to go, size of the baby, development per week etc. It's really great.

Pixie your cramps sound awful, big hugs x

I'm getting a bit of hip pain now and end up hunched over for most of the day!

Evening all

Sorry I've been absent for a while. I have been reading most days but haven't had time to post by the time I've sat and read everything!!

Birthday good wishes to Arcadie!!!

No news here - away for our very very last holiday tomorrow - a week in the very wet lakes. A lovely sweet cottage with real fires, cold dark nights outside and wrapped up warm inside with crap on the tv!! Relaxing - we hope!!! Got friends joining us for the weekend but then home alone after that.

My bump is measuring at 37 inches and I've put on about 17 lbs so far - sounds alot doesnt it!! Keep trying to remind myself that the average weight gain is 28 - 35lbs and that everyone tells me that while I am obviously pregnant it is just bump!!

Hope you're all well - congrats to all teh good scanees and welcome to the newbies.

I will try much harder to keep in touch on my return but I'm sure you're all in the same boat - working and knackered!! I don't know how you find time!!

Off to hobble upstairs - Can't manage much better by this time of day - does everyone else ache like an old dear or just me!!!

xxx

Glad to hear you had a good birthday, Arcadie, it all sounded idyllic . 33, hmm, yes, I remeber being 33 , 'twas lovely .

I am NOT measuring my bump or any other part of my anatomy, not for anybody and not for you lot ! All I know is that even my ginormous size 16 trousers are getting tightish and keep slipping under the bump and keep going southwards, so maternity clothes from tomorrow.

I have to go to the dentist with all 3 DSs next Monday - I would not say, that the staff there have always seen my with best mummy bahviour ...

Anecdotal evidence is of course not as valuable as proper science, I obviously felt that the benefits outweighed the imponderable risks, do your research and then do what you feel is best.

Have a nice evening

Evening ladies,

Sorry I don't get on to post that often.. I am reading all that you write though, honest!

Arcadie - Happy Birthday! Glad to hear you had a lovely day!

Re swine flu jab:

I had my mind set on not having the swine flu jab, now i'm feeling a little confused the mosr i hear people saying they are having it.

My problem is that even though the risks from catching swine flu are greater than the risks arrising from any complications that the jab might possibly cause, I can't ignore that the 'possible risk of complications' from the vaccine is there, and no one knows for sure what kind of complications/sode effects it could cause.

I just keep thinking, what if i had it and hthe baby was born with some 'problem' caused by the jab? How could I live with the fact that I decided to have the jab?

But then I swing back to thinking, but if I caught swine flu i could also be really ill and cause a problem for the baby. But then I wouldn't decide to catch swine flu where as I would decide to jet the jab iyswim? But then by deciding not to have the jab am I in effect deciding to catch swine flu???

Argh! Help! I've been invited to have the jab next wed and thought I had my mind made up but now i'm wavering.

Another complication is that i'm asthmatic. Oh and my dh just had a virus for 4 days and i'm not sure whether it was swine flu he had, in which case, might I catch the same thing he had in the next few days therefore making it 'too late' if he did have swine flu??? (he had a temperature, chills/shivering, achey muscles, loss off apetite, hardly any energy and eventually a really sore throat. The temp and shivering were really just for 1st 22/48hrs then he was just weak and had the sore throat, what do you think? He's asthmatic too, had no cough though..)

Again - thanks for the lovely wishes. Thai restaurant for tea and a lovely trip round Tesco clothing section with DH for a BBBEEEEEEGGG jumper for me. Mmmmm snuggly.

Shroomer - the reason your italics didn't work is that you have to put the round every word. I find that a total PITA ( pain in the ass) so don't bother italicising anything ever.

Tomorrow is less than an hour away and then it won't be my birthday anymore....

HI ladies!

Add me to thie girl list please ? oh mistress of the list (whoever that is, now... I'm not messin' wiv it, in case I get into trouble...)

DH is, I think, a little disappointed (because of slight South African Alpha Male thing about breeding a future Springbok fly half or something...) but with the genetics in his family, it was always looking like girls all the way - he has 3 sisters, and 11 female cousins vs. only 4 male cousins... the girl genes are STRONG!

At least he's used to high levels on Oestrgen floating around.

But all looks healthy and normal and not freakishly huge or anything, so it's all good. GOt some good piccies too which is lovely. She looks chubby and adorable already....

I'm over the moon actually, as it feels like a major hurdle - after what we went through with DD1, I'm always expecting bad news at some point (feel your pain Manda, I think hearing your child won't survive (even if it turns out later to be b**cks) is somehting you never manage to erase from your memory - I feel like that experience is etched in my brain forever... )

Anyway, now I'm focussing ont he four hour labour, in water, with just gas and air, that I WILL have this time around...

Happy birthday Arcadie!

db
xx

Quick post to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Arcadie - just made it in before midnight . Sounds like you had a swell time (as did you Siamese).

Interesting to hear about the swine flu jab...I'm still wavering, but can see I'm being irrational (similar mental debate to Dalrymps by the sounds of things). My DH, rational scientist type that he is, is strongly in favour and the WHO advice is very persuasive. I reckon I will end up getting it, once I stop procrastinating making the appointment!

Had pregnancy yoga tonight and I must say I love it - the teacher is so lovely and I find it so relaxing but powerful too (sounds kind of cheesy written down!)...but then spent the rest of the evening cleaning bathrooms/spare room/living room as we've a friend visiting from Ireland this weekend and the flat was a tip!

So time for bed for me I think.

Night ladies

OMG - so much to catch up on! I was in London yesterday to see my best friend, was lovely, but again the journey was a pain! This time I decided to park car at the O2 and get on tube up to North London. Took ages... At least people were helpful, I didn't have to wait long before someone helped me carry pushchair up/down stairs in tube stations. Don't think that was because I was pg, but maybe it helped.

Manda - great to see you back in good spirits! Thanks for compliments, you must be in some sort of "I feel better now"-ectasy Your cake & latte sounds lovely, mmm! And more importantly, how was your scan?

Oh I need a wee...... hold on...

Btw, I decided to inspect my lady bits earlier, I'm pleased to say I can see no trace of them having been cut and stitched back together! So I guess they're ready to be torn/cut/stretched whatever again... ouch.

Heckle - at your comment re IWCAS making an effort to decorate!

I measured my bump again this morning, today only 40 inches, 2 smaller than the other day. Think maybe I measured love handles too before. Shroomer - I was brought up with centimetres (in sweden), but I thought all you english people always prefer inches...?

Siamese - I almost cried when I read your post, so lovely!

My DH (who is still in Florida) is rather lovely too sometimes, spoke to him last night, he said he had needed a break from renovating the stupid apartment so went to the mall. "I got a bit carried away, went into this maternity clothes store and bought you lots of stuff, mostly comfy things to wear around the house!" Aww...

MummyElk - yes of course you try a little bit harder to be a great mum when being watched... but I'm sure we're good enough behind closed doors too!

Sariska - who woke you up that early, not a child I hope? DD woke up about 5.30 the other day, I left her to cry / yell mamma mamma mamma for about 5 mins, then she fell back asleep (phew).

Pixie - that sounds awful about your foot, hope you don't get it again!

Rinders - at you winning £100 vtech toys! Yes people can be rude, but there's some helpful ones too which reinstate your faith in the human race...

Arcadie - good that you had a great b-day!

Dalrymps - I tend to agree with you re the vaccine, I feel worried about any possible effects on baby. So I won't have it. Have any babies been born yet to women who have had the vaccine?? Also I think I already had the swine flu when I was coughing my lungs up for weeks. And yes I think your DH had it too. I've read you don't have to have a high or long lasting temperature. I've read with interest your posts about risks to pg women but I guess it's a personal decision everyone has to make for themselves.

Caitni - pg yoga sounds quite nice, hmm maybe I should give it a try.

Ok, off to the supermarket soon in the rain...

Writing now because i have a lovely friend coming to stay this weekend and I'm sure she'll have enough on her plate coping with a toddler crawling over her without trying to understand my MN fetish....I've already booked Sunday night to catch up on here, no doubt you'll be on page 30 by then!!

Who said about the pg app for an iphone? What is it pls? I've got the What To Expect one but tbh it's pretty rubbish.... I still think there should be an MN app but apparently it's a work in progress...

annamamma got me thinking about lady bits today, the reality of actually HAVING a baby has suddenly hit i think?!! Up till now i've been quite normal about it all but reading your post made me think, oh god yes, that's a good point?!! I'm also swaying towards the waterbirth etc etc etc thing but am beginning to think Birthing Centre rather than home...not sure why but there it is. Not that ANY of my considerations were taken into account last time but there we are

Speaking of said lady bits (and i'm not obsessed I promise) is anyone else having REALLY graphically rude dreams?!! Perhaps those who are bonking twice a day aren't having to play it out in their dreams but seriously...maybe i should get it on with the DH this wknd, see whether that stops them....bizarre.

Right I have to shower. Gym this morning was fun (we go to a local one with a personal trainer, two mums and kids in tow and we all do an hour's worth, it's lovely) but I could do with being a bit cleaner methinks.

Have a good wknd everyone, catch up anon (i'll be back in an hour now i've said that )

hi all, Aracasie glad you had a lovely day yesterday,

Hi to everyne else!!!!

i am having a totally crap day= DS been uo most of the night being sick so he is home from school and charging round like a demented monkey!!!
i am tired and very teary today DD is being a pita-(didn't help that a friend arrived unnanounced with 2 yr ols demonic twins and asked me to watch them why she went for a blood test (she is 10 weeks prg) DD and her little girl do nothing but fight constantly(the boy just stands and looks petrified) and i am so stressed- so glad they have just left and dd is having lunch the a sleep! i think i may put a dvd on ds (he is nearly 5)and close my eyes too!!!!!)

aaaarrrrgggggg sorry enough of me ranting cupp of tea needed here me thinks!

Vaccin again...

Vaccination in pregnant women was being discussed yesterday lunchtime on R4 between 12.45-1. Apparently there have been babies born since vaccination - no problems.

Just to clarify... (sorry I am an anal scientist)... risks/reactions are to the adjuvant (vaccine medium) not the virus itself.

Vaccine contain an adjuvant and the virus itself. The adjuvant has not be tested in pregnant women per se but has been given to thousands of pg women for years (it's the same as the seasonal flu vaccine). No adverse foetal effects have been reported. In the US pg women are routinely vaccinated against seasonal flu as flu is associated with increased morbidity in both mother and baby.

The untested bit is the virus ... it goes without saying that the amount of virus in the vaccine compared to the smount you would have in you system with swine flu is absolutely minimal.

Please also note that flu in pregnancy is assoicated with mc, and devlopmental and mental health disorders such as schizophrenia.

Oh bloody hell... [buries head even further into sand in vain attempt to avoid having to make a decision on SF vaccination]

db
xx

thanks BPM. Have finally been offered it and have appt for Monday. Think we're 95% sure I'm going to have it.