The Continuing Adventures of the First Time Frolicker Graduates....

[Hermya321]

Right (plonks self down and breaks out the biscuit tin and tea bags), I've stuck the kettle on. Whose joining me?

ARRIVALS:

Fulhamgirl - EDD 30th May - DOB 9th Apr - Girl - Lily Ann - 4lb

CURRENT__GRADUATES:

Trying4Baby1 - BFP 21st Aug - 25th Apr - Girl
Kaystar - BFP 27th Aug - EDD?
Pepperonipizza - BFP 12th Sep - 24th May - Boy
Ladyemmalou83 - BFP 13th Oct - 23rd Jun - Girl - Erin Elizabeth
bluesnowfalcon - BFP 14th Oct - EDD?
DesperateHousewife21 - BFP 3rd Nov - EDD 18th Jul - Boy - Dylan
Spirael - BFP 7th Nov - EDD 25th Jul - Secret
Curlycasper - BFP 11th Nov - EDD 21st Jul - Girl
EmsieRo - BFP 16th Nov - EDD 20th Jul
vix206 - BFP 8th Dec - EDD 22nd Aug
HypotheticalMummy - BFP 9th Dec - EDD?
Ozziegirly - BFP 16th Dec - EDD 24th Aug
NovemberAli - BFP 24th Dec - EDD 2nd Sep
Eleanora - BFP 28th Dec - EDD 4th Sep
WhiteRoses - BFP 11th Jan - EDD 15th Sep - Boy
hamsterlover - BFP 11th Jan - EDD?
Hobnob - BFP 17th Jan - EDD 26th Sep
MadameG - BFP 17th Jan - EDD 16th Sep
pixiestix - BFP 18th Jan - EDD 24th Sep
ceebs05 - BFP 22nd Jan - EDD 29th Sep
addie81 - BFP 28th Jan - EDD 8th Oct
chancewouldbeafinething - BFP 1st Feb - EDD 11th Oct
WorrisomeHeart - BFP 29th Jan - EDD 12th Oct
Hermya321 - BFP 12th Feb - EDD 24th Oct
fudgecat - BFP 19th Feb ? EDD 28th Oct
Pidgin - BFP 27th Feb - EDD?
Honeymoo - BFP ? - EDD 1st Nov
YorkshireTeaDrinker - BFP 1st Mar - EDD 6th Nov
DrewsGirl - BFP 4th Mar - EDD?
bunnygirl80 - BFP 12th Mar - EDD 19th Nov
Mumnerves - BFP 1st Apr - EDD 8th Dec
Spanishlady - BFP 3rd Apr - EDD?
luckyseven - BFP 8th Apr - EDD 17th Dec
Capricorn76 - BFP 12th Apr - EDD 1st Jan
Homebound - BFP 30th Apr - EDD 8th Jan

FUTURE_GRADUATES:

aly323
Ariesgirl
Bellaby
calligraphy82
Calyx
CaveMum
chalky3
cher rycobbler
claireinthecommunity
Dinkytinky
evilgiraffe
FelicityFlick
haloflo
Kaloki
kkas
kurl yvoice
misshoohaa
MrsWajs
Muser
Papertiger
pinkiePoo
pipsicles
seablue
Sevans
Stiffybyn g
Wannamummy
Zippys

just poking my head in to say welcome back to fulham sorry you had to go through all that but glad you have lovely lily home with you now. keep us posted on all the lovely baby updates!

just poking my head in to say welcome back to fulham sorry you had to go through all that but glad you have lovely lily home with you now. keep us posted on all the lovely baby updates!

Hi all

Fulham sooo great to hear from you and that even after all the nightmare of your time in hospital you have lovely Lily and all is well (barring well-meaning relatives!!). I'm really pleased that you're ok - but am completely at your experiences. Would love to see photos if you get a chance!

Trying Hang on in there!! I really hope that the LO comes soon (and you get some rest!)

Pjen welcome to the best antenatal thread around!

Well we booked the flights this evening, after getting the all clear on Friday! Very excited but really not looking forward to 26 hours in the air. We hve 5 hours in Melbourne airport on the way back too which is crap, but one of those things.

Mumnerves we went Qantas in the end as it was cheapest and we can fly direct into Wellington without having to do a domestic transfer in Auckland. And well done on the hiding the pregnancy front! I like your trick re 'slowing down' with the J20 too!

fudge we've taken Qantas off the possible name list! Maybe Jetconnect though? Sorry to hear you're still spotting - when do you have another scan?

homebound I'll be 21+3 when we leave and 23+1 when we come back! The only reason we're going is that one of my oldest and best friends is getting married and Im one of the bridesmaids. It will be nice to be back and see her and my twin sis (who is also pregnant - 7 weeks and also a bridesmaid!) but I'm going to be knackered - we're only there for 10 days before we turn around and fly back. Where are you flying to and how pregnant will you be?

mumnerves and hermya hope you both have better days at work tomorrow!

chance hope you are feeling better now - if you don't mind me asking, what is classed as 'low' blood pressure? My gran suffered from it in pregnancy so it's somthing I want to keep an eye on.

Hiya all, you're probably all tucked up in bed (being sensible) just now but fed up so decided to have a quick post. Contractions have been 6mins apart since 9pm so haven't slept and feel bloody knackered. DH is somehow managing to sleep through all my huffing and puffing so I've left him asleep as he'll be more use to me rested. Just hoping this is the real thing now. Going to wait until later in the morning to phone the hospital as I reckon they'll just tell me to take a couple of paracetamol and have a bath anyway. They gave me home a tens machine to use but can't try it right now to see if that helps as can't get the pads on myself. Doing okay with just breathing just now, hopefully will soon be able to tell you all that I've had the baby!

Hi trying- I don't think we 'met' on the grads as I joined after you had your BFP but I always check in on this thread to see how you're getting on! I'm not in the UK so because of the time difference I am up and can chat if you like? I am sure bunny and some of the other Oz girls will be along in a soon too to keep you company.xxx

Hi Felicity didn't even think about the time difference and that there might actually be people up and about just now
Just feel so tired and would love a couple of hours kip but tried that earlier and didn't work hence why I'm on here. Would love some company but don't know how much sense I'll be making just now

Oh you poor thing. I have a friend who was having contractions for a few days on and off like you are now and she was so exhausted so I can imagine how you feel even though I've not been through it yet! Even though you are really uncomfortable I think that the best thing to do is just try and rest as much as possible as as you will need your energy for the pushing later on. Also make sure you are eating and drinking lots to keep your energy up, even if you don't feel like it right now. Did you try a bath in the end? If the contractions are getting closer maybe you should consider waking up your DH and slowly making your way into hospital just to check how far you are? Hope you're doing ok lovely

Trying How are you this morning?

Ohhhh this is exciting

thinking of you trying GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Oooh! Looking like Trying's having her baby, isn't it? I hope she's alright and it's all over nice and quickly for her, and that she soon has her gorgeous girl in her arms!

Fulham - I'm glad you're taking things further with your hospital. Between them and your bitchy boss, it's no wonder you ended up feeling depressed! Absolutely dreadful! But as you say, you have Lily now and that's the main thing. Lol at Fudge asking why your MIL took Lily to the vet! Good for you sticking up for yourself and Lily though. People are so terrible. I don't think I'm going to be letting my boy out of my sight! Can't believe your SIL waking a sleeping baby - idiot! How lovely that you still have your DP's paternity leave to look forward to. When will that be?

Hi PJen - nice to "meet" you and congratulations on your BFP. I'm sure you'll love it here - I don't know where I'd be without the girls' support! (And not just since graduating, all those back on the Conception thread too. Fingers crossed they'll be joining us soon.)

Sorry to hear about the spotting Fudge. But as Pixie says, the fact that the doctors aren't too worried about it must be a good sign. x

Pixie - sorry about your rubbish day at work. Glad folk on here managed to cheer you up though! Lol!

And Fulham - totally agree with Pixie - would LOVE to see a photo! I know I'd feel a bit funny about having pictures of my baby up for the world to see though, so can understand if you don't want to. The one day only suggestion might be a good one though?!

Homebound - H&M's sale rail's another good place to find maternity clothes at a reasonable price. Don't know if you've already been there yet?

Spireal - with all the distractions yesterday, I forgot to say that your nursery looks AMAZING! Well done!

Pixie - DHs can be so unhelpful when you're being sick, can't they? Yesterday morning, I was throwing up and (to add insult to injury!) the toilet seat hit me on the back of the head as I was doing so... DH's comment? "I thought it hurt your pelvis to bend over?" Yeh, like I'm doing this out of choice... Grr! Lol! They just have no idea! I'm glad you're feeling a good bit better though. It's funny (is that the right word?! ) how similarly we've been affected by pregnancy so far. Just hope you don't get my sore bum thing now!

Hermya - you were stepping on nobody's toes, thanks for making a new thread.

Worrisome - you sound like you had fun baby clothes shopping! I'm actually getting to the point where I'm not going to let myself buy anything else in 0-3mths! He'll outgrow what he's already got so quickly, and no doubt people'll be buying us loads of presents too! Don't want him not wearing half the stuff!

Spireal - "no matter how things turn out, I'm sure Gadget will be perfect to me" - that's so lovely!

Glad to hear things went well for your MIL, Chance. x

Lol at your DH with the fat and bloating comment, Bunny! Sounds about as tactful as mine! But don't worry, we'll all tell you it's definitely 100% baby!

Worrisome - how's your bum?!

No news really from me. Bum still agony. Pretty sick yesterday but not too bad today - seems a bit on and off like that - much better than constantly "on"! Otherwise, absolutely LOVING feeling my boy move about, and loving planning for his arrival. Have a one track mind - pretty sure I must be boring everyone senseless with it all but it's just THE most exciting and wonderful thing in the world! Lol!

Anyway, fingers crossed we hear from Trying soon.

fulham I'm glad you're home now with Lily. Sorry you had such a rubbish time in hospital though.

trying hopefully you're in hospital now having an easy time of pushing your baby out. It's typical that the one time I'm not online something exciting happens on the thread. Good luck

hermya there's still a couple of days left for the bugaboo so I'm biding my time ready to make a last minute bid if the price is right

PJen welcome to the thread

worrisome I don't envy you having to sit in Melbourne for 5 hours. It's a shame you're not flying via Sydney -we could have had a frolickers meet up at the airport

roses I'm sure your symptoms are inspiring me to develop new ones - I've had a really sore right bum cheek for the last few days. I would never had thought it would be a pg symptom but now that's what I'm blaming it on

I felt a bit guilty at work this week as they were asking me what hours I want to do over xmas. Haven't told them I'm pg yet so just told them I need to check with DH! I feel really bad that I haven't told everyone at the practice yet, but I need to tell the company that own the business first. As I'm only on a temporary contract I'm a bit worried they might just get rid of me so I'm leaving it as long as possible until they realise they really need me to come back

Bunny - sorry to hear about your bum. I would never have dreamt it could be a symptom either! Physio said it's not uncommon though...

I feel guilty about my work too. They're all assuming I will definitely return once the baby's born. Don't think it's crossed anyone's mind that I won't, and they've started putting me through courses as a matter of priority, so that I'll be done before I go on maternity leave... Oh well... No, I think you're right holding off telling them though. But they may surprise you, you never know. x

at all the sore bums on here! I am delighted to say that (so far) this is the one pg symptom that seems to have passed me by! Hooray! Instead I have heartburn, sickness, and this week suddenly, a bit of giddiness. But you never know, the sore bum might be on its way!

Bunny and Roses - I was sharing your guilt about work up until yesterday, but everyone has been in such a bad mood this week that now I am just glad to be escaping! I had a brief chat with my boss, who has children already, and she told me that I am planning on taking my mat leave much too early and I should re-consider The annoying thing is, she is probably right but I just want to get out of there! DH's job means that he has August off so I was hoping to take 6 or 7 weeks before the LO is due, just to hang out with him and have a few last weeks of "us" time. If I go with my bosses suggestion I will be finishing work once he is already back in his job, and we won't get any time at all BUT I will have an extra month with the baby on the other side of it. Argh! Mega-confusion in the Pixie household!! Don't know what to do at all. How much leave is everyone else taking? Hermya - you have booked yours, haven't you?

Roses - you are right about our similar pregnancies. I guess its because everyone around us on the list - Ceebs, Hamster, MadameG - have disappeared, otherwise there would be loads of us all at exactly the same point. I am enjoying having you as my marker though and finding out what will be happening to me next! I am currently envying you feeling movement and waiting for my turn!

Trying - Puuuuuuuuuuuuush!!!!!!!

Hi all! Hope everything is going well for everyone. I hope Trying has or is having her LO! Alternatively that she's enjoying some well earned sleep, if things haven't kicked off yet.

I had a sore bum earlier in pregnancy too! I'd been assuming it was caused by the fact that it was when we were having all the icy weather and I was having to walk reeeaaally carefully to avoid slipping. However now I'm not so sure... If it was the same thing as others are experiencing then it faded at around the half-way mark, you'll be glad to know.

Unfortunately I now have the new problem of my hips aching overnight. Presumably the increased weight/pressure. Can be crippling to try and roll over or get out of bed! However once my DH fetches the crow bar and gets me up and moving, I'm mostly ok during the day. Though I have to remember to sit nicely and not slouch, or my lower back aches.

I'm really lucky with my work, I told them early on and they're bending over themselves backwards to make things easy and comfortable for me. I've been allowed to work from home on some days and I have an allocated parking spot in the super exclusive parking beneath the building for when I do come in. I had a meeting with HR this morning to check that I was comfortable at my desk and that I wasn't feeling harrassed or stressed at all. I even got a pay increase last month!

For leave, I'm starting my maternity leave approximately two weeks before my due date and staying off for as long as the government gives me a pittance SMP, which is basically from mid-July through to mid-April next year. However, I also have holiday that needs to be spent before I go on leave, so I'm using that before my maternity leave to stop attending work from early June, when I'm around 34 weeks. Figured I may as well enjoy some of the summer (assuming we get one...) from the comfort of home before Gadget arrives!

At present I am fully intending to return to work full time next April once SMP runs out. Current plan probably involves DH going part time and us finding part time care for the rest. I'm the major earner in the family at present and to be honest I think DH would make a much better stay at home parent than me. I'll be going completely fruitloop stuck at home with Gadget, I reckon!

Pixie - that's a really difficult one about your maternity leave... How active is your job?

I don't know what to do about mine... I want to put in for holidays beforehand, but can't do that yet, because I'm in the process of being trasferred to an easier position, and don't know which days I'll be in yet (work weekend and evening shifts too). So I can't book holidays if I don't know when I'm working, and I won't know when I'm working till I start, in June. Meanwhile, company policy says that only one person can be off at any one time, and I know others tend to apply for holidays asap (in April) so there may well be very little left that I CAN take, as I'm assuming most people will have wanted to take their time off in the summer. PLUS, whereas others have April-April to use their holidays, I only have June-September to use mine! Very frustrating! So I don't know what I'll do!

Spireal - seriously, how do people cope with being pregnant and not having an OH to do things like get them out of bed?! I'm such a wimp. I totally reply on DH all the time...

Gosh Spireal - some difference between your boss and poor Fulham's, eh?! Glad to hear you're being treated so well.

*rely on DH...

Spireal Gosh they must love you at your job, what do you do again?

Pixie I'm going to be contraversial, I'm going at 32 weeks and then taking two weeks Annual leave and then starting ML. For most people, you get pregnant and your work doesn't change that much. There are obvious things that I can't do in my job due to jellybeans presence (though Jellybean did help me do some good stuff yesterday, well it hitched a ride) and the stuff I am allowed to do is more adminny type stuff. The last time I was let loose as an admin person, an entire office full of plants died so I am going a tad crazy at the mo. The thought of going early is more to keep me sane. Plus I have a feeling LO is going to be an early baby, don't ask me why I just have a feeling (which could be wrong). Honestly don't listen to your boss, that time with your DH is very important and you won't get that back. I'm not feeling guilty one jot, I'm going to spend my last weeks of freedom being as selfish and lazy as I can because I won't be able to do that once the LO arrives. I'm going to eat cake, drink coffee and watch a LOT of crappy TV and listen to rock music before LO enforces Peppa Pig on me.

White I've got a sore bum as well!! I didn't think that would be catching. . Also about your holidays, can you use them to bulk out your ML. Maybe you can book stuff now and if you need to change then you can change them. Isn't it that if you book it now, they'll have to honour it once you do change. I could be wrong though.

Hi Hermya - good on you, having some "you" time, pre-Peppa Pig! Lol!

Aww, I'm sorry to hear your bum's sore too. Why did no one tell us about that one though? Is it meant to be a secret or something?!

As for ML, I intended using holidays to bulk it out all along, but I can't really book anything just yet. I mean, I could. I could book off Monday - Friday day shifts, but then might end up working evening shifts Wednesday - Sunday, you know? And then they wouldn't have to honour it... So I really need to know my shift pattern first. Which will be in June. Three months after everyone else has applied for their holidays! Grr! Anyway, can't be helped, I suppose.

This maternity leave is a confusing business... I am thinking 4 weeks before but of course I have no idea how I will be feeling then.

So who thinks that trying has a baby in her arms by now?

I decided I wasn't happy that I was still spotting after 17 days so I went back to the docs this morning - he got the MW to come and check the heartbeat and that was ok. The MW has asked me to go to the drop in clinic on Friday for the heartbeat to be checked again so they do seem a bit concerned about me. Doc has also signed me off until the end of next week so lots of MN time for me! Oh and about an hour after the docs the hospital phoned with the consultant referral for 3 weeks. It is probably just coincidence but part of me thinks that the doctors phoned them to hurry them up.

Fudge - cross post there. Good news about the heartbeat and the time off to rest. Three weeks seems a long time to wait but meanwhile, knowing that you're being well monitored is a good thing. Are you feeling any movement yet? x

Ooooo Fudge get your feet up and treat yourself to some worry free chocolate cake. That is a long time to wait for you, I hope things go well.

white Gosh thats annoying, my work were quite good as the leave I wanted had to approved by a big boss but because I was using it to bulk out my ML they let me take it off.

whiteroses no im not feeling anything yet but have an anterior placenta so that can stop movement being felt for a bit longer. I wish i could feel something tho as i would worry less if i could feel something

And i dont have a bump either

Hi Ladies,

Can I join you? I am pregnany with my first EDD 1st September... so 23 weeks today,all going well so far.

fudge how far gone are you now?

sazzie Welcome to the thread! Congratulations on your LO, do you know what you're having?

Haloflo just got a BFP - Wahoooooooo!! Congratulations!

Welcome Sazzie!!!!!

(Tis Pix in Election mode BTW and I am not really here, I am at work and working very hard, shhhhhh!!!)