10/10 Babies - Rock and Rollin Pumpkins showing us their groovy moves.

[Hermya321]

Right then (brushes off sparkly dress) I'm here!

(cue groovy disco lights and an appropriate selection of tunes)

I also have alcohol free wine, and I'm sure theres a stash of mini eggs behind the bar (along with other some other things) and I'm dancing, whose going to join me??

Stats list here!!

So budget is 22nd June , wonder if they will abolish health in pregnancy grant (some of us may sneak through) or CTF ?

seashells congrats on the scan

Just seen you get MatB1 after 20 weeks so people need to look out for that at the next MW appt

Nymph I was wondering that myself, my friend told me that they can't change anything until September though as thats when it all changes. Not sure how true this is though.

Budget usually has timescales but as we are getting advance warning of somethings next week there may not be a/much of a delay on all things

Congrats to the 20wkers. Feel a bit bad about relating my bf difficulties. I didn't mean to put anyone off. Quite the opposite actually. I think the key is to get help early on if you're struggling, as Seashells said. Because I had to bottle feed ds as well, I felt too awkward to go to a bf support group once I could take him home as I was worried about people's reactions if I had to whip out a bottle in the middle to feed him. Stupid really but I was so tired and emotionally raw after the whole five week separation from him it all seemed so much bigger in my mind than it probably was.

On a brighter note, I had my hair cut today. So nice to be pampered for an hour. More of that neede I think.

That will be so typical if I do miss the health grant. I missed out on nine months paid leave last time by 23 days. How annoying was THAT??

Anyone else got their free prescription card?

I have to wait til nxt wk for my scan though am not 20wks til the wk after.

More and more of my clothes are not fitting. Mainly tops tho. Dressing for work is proving to be challenging !!

You all post so quickly I can't keep up! (You were on the 'most active threads' when I logged on!) Hope you don't mind if answer people generally with my 2pence?! It's easier than searching back through names to see who posted what!!

Car seats:

I saw your thread, too Abfab - it was really interesting. I was told (buy a car seat shop, but I do trust them) that the two best makes were MaxiCosi and Britax. When you look at reviews, there are two types - safety test reviews and consumer reviews and car seats can score differently on each type - ie one that scores safely, might be heavier so scores less on the consumer test. Somebody said that the Britax seats were better for longer babies, but I don't know how true this is. The maxicosi one fits on more types of pram than the britax, therefore is more popular because of this.

Prams:

Think about weight, just in case you end up with a cs (this happened to me - I had a heavy one, but did an emergency swap as I coudln't have managed with the first one).

Breastfeeding:

It really helped me to know that bfing could be painful in the early days. (Most of the books/ leaflets say it is painless when you do it properly - it is when your body gets used to it ). I defy any part of your body not to hurt when getting wet and being and pulled on several times a day to up to 45 minutes at a time. I got to the point where I would hold my breath upon latching on and had tears rolling down my face for the first 30 seconds, then the pain would go. This lasted for about 4 days, then the pain went and I breastfed for 2 years. I didn?t know I would feed for this long, I just aimed for 3 months, then 6 months then a year, then we just carried on. I was saved by Lansinoh (not cheap, but only need one tube) and a few phone calls to la leche league!

Chicken Pox

I'm shocked by B abd SIL response! CP is contagious before the spots come out. We have cp at school, and I was going to be sent home until I said I was immune. Can you get blood tests done? I did as I wasn?t sure whether I had had it ? I had four(!) spots. I can?t remember how long it took for the results, though.

Anyway that?s my 2p!! Feel free to ignore!!!

ps worried about HIP grant, too. But I think'll we'll make it. Was going to use it to buy the car seat...

Exciting now the 20 week scans are starting!!!

xx

Hot sonographer was very cute, my poor hormones! ( and poor dh lol)

telling family and close friends the sex. We have got a girl's name we love, but won't say as it may change!

I'm pleased as I'd have loved a son for my ds, but selfishly wanted a daughter for me ( all those gorgeous monsoon dresses!)

nymph- I think ctf will go, but no great loss. I'm most concerned about tax credits, sure start, childcare vouchers and other benefits which I think have been great and are a huge help financially.

I also suspect that it will be in place by this time next year, given the Tories promise to cut deficit in year. This is why I spent 2 hours the other day on phone to tax office readjusting my tax creit allowance due to earning pittance

I was lying in bed last night and was just about to drop off to sleep when suddenly I felt a lurch in my tummy and then LO started kicking and moving around like a hyperactive bumblebee.

It was at it for at least ten minutes, it was very cool. I may not think this is cool in a few more weeks though I expect.

Seashells Oooooo sexy sonographer, where do you live again????? Well done on your little girl!!

seashells CTF doesnt seem to have made much difference. Those who can afford it and would have anyway do and those who wouldnt dont. The initial money doesnt go far for those who cant afford to top up.

I'm not entitled to TC or anything but when I was a single parent those things made a huge difference & I couldnt have worked without them so would hate to see things like that go.

Hi. I have been very busy with decorating, work and killer toothache so not wrote for a while but trying to keep up with you all.
Had scan yesterday it was a trainee sonographer as well as the one trainer so they did everything in great detail- was in there over an hour! Everything is good- even my cyst has gone and since then I have started to feel baby move so am feeling When the sonographers were talking to each other they were referring to baby as 'he'- however when talking to us they only said 'it'. We don't know whether to read anything into it. What do you think?

seashells congratulations! How lovely to get an extra long time to view your daughter / the sonographer

I thought about going to get blood tests to see if I'm immune from chicken pox, but I partly feel it is not a good use of nhs money when I don't have to go and see them, and also I didn't know if the results would be back in time. I think if they hadn't been so rude calling me neurotic I might have been more tempted to investigate the blood test option . Soooo true whoever said its like planning a wedding!

I'm another one wondering how we'll be affected by the budget. It will be a relief in a weird way I think to finally learn what is actually in there after all the speculation. Even if it is bad, at least we will know and will be able to plan.

oh sam12 congratulations on your scan too , just seen the post. Very jealous of all these long scans!

well more jealous on DH's behalf in a weird way as I think the scan is something he can join in on - I think he feels a bit left out at the minute as I can feel the baby moving but he hasn't yet felt it - when ever he puts his hand on my tummy the baby decides to take a break!

Morning all. Congrats everyone on the scans, I'd try not to read to much into it sam12 I refer to the bump as she and dh refers to it as he, just think its force of habit. Did you want to find out? I not try to forget, incase subconciously you think its one and it turns out to be the other on the day!

Hello everybody- I have not posted since page 2 as I've been very busy moving house and organising a big project at work. I did not see the midwife last Wednesday as she gave me an hours notice and the appointment would have thus been in an empty house possibly with removals men coming in and out. Not convenient! I am seeing her on Friday now, at some point after 9 and hopefully I can get back to work in time for a meeting at 1030! So, I'll be 19+1 and on my second MW appointment. Not bad...

I have my scan on Monday. My DH can't make it, so we're going to have a private one in London as well so he can be there for that. He's currently deciding whether or not he wants to know the sex as we'd said no, but he's wavering now.

On the breastfeeding front- good advice I got from my sister was not to believe it will all be ok and have no back up bottles or formula in the house as she did as she nearly went up the wall with it and really struggled. Second time around it worked out fine for her. But she said that getting babies used to receiving a bottle as well as breast was very handy and not to believe all the hype about babies not being able to switch between the 2. I am just conveying info here- I have no knowledge!

If all goes well on my scan next week I shall tell work- well, just my boss. I don't want to go round telling everyone as it feels such a private thing and none of anyone else's business. Does anyone else feel that way?

I was the other way Elsa! everyone at work knows. Can't help shouting it from the roof tops, everyone guessed anyway because everyone knew I wanted a honeymoon baby, so as soon as i put bit of weight on that was it! If you want to keep it private though thats great x

Elsa I'm with you about work, I really want to be private about it. Four people know and I know news will spread 'by itself'. I told at about 13 weeks because I had to - we need to sort out the maternity cover plans but yeah, I get where you're coming from.

Congrats ladies on lovely scans, hope we get a less grumpy sonographer this time!

Good to have all the input about bfing, I will get bottles in just in case... Also want LO to be able to take the bottle so that DH can feed, and my mum who insists she'll be coming to stay once a month and wants to babysit....ooookay!

xx

Hi everyone

It's great reading all your posts and advice! Especially about BF - I really want to and hope I can. My sisters have all done it and not had too many problems (bar the odd bit of mastitis etc). As I'm due at the end of October (27th) I always feel like I'm playing catch up a bit! So jealous of those of you having scans - mine is not until I'm 21 weeks so another 4 weeks to go!

I am feeling the off movement though - just little flutters and some stronger thumps - I'm stil not sure if they are the baby but I think they are. It's amazing!

I didn't have bloods done at my 16 week midwife appointment (and I forgot to sak why) but I'm being monitored for my thyroid at the hospital by the consultant, so would this mean they wouldn't do them? I have another blood test in 2 weeks so I guess I can ask then.

We are also now looking at buying a flat which is exciting! Got our first viewings tonight. Really hope we can get this done and sorted in the next few months so we can be moved in before the baby comes. Plus I really want a home birth so would feel more confortable in our own place than in our tiny rented flat.

Feeling so much better today though - last week I had a stomach bug so was off work for two days - I feel like I may have turned a corner in terms of the nausea and being off food. Fingers crossed anyway!

x

Wow piesy homebirth! SO impressed with you! I'm going for the birthing suite as a kind of halfway house!

I'm due lateish too - Oct 21st so my scan isn't until June 3rd.... such a long wait!

xx

piesey due 31st, so 4 weeks for me too, atleast that 20 week mark is in sight now! I said earlier in the thread that I got a little freaked out about people feeling movements when I was only 12 weeks but then had to remember that we are actually quite far behind!

Well homebirth is my ideal - I may change my mind!

Dilly We have a birthing centre near us too (at the Royal Free hosiptal) and I'm going to check it out as I do like the sound of it. It would be a good compromise if I an't have a homebirth for some reason.

Glad I'm not the only one with 4 weeks to wait until teh scan!

Piesey im also having a home birth, have no idea what i need to buy for it, i want a water birth so i know i need a pool and i have a fold out bed, high up sort, for afterwards as i will be in the living room as its more spacious. Any tips would be great

You are very brave having a home birth. I love the idea but its not an option for us.

Had a physio appointment today for the dreaded SPD thing. They have given me lots of exercises to do, not sure when I will fit those in but there we are! Also got some tubigrip stuff which I guess is for holding everything in place when i get even more bumpy!

I don't have my anomaly scan until next week. The suspense is killing me and dh and I cannot decide on whether to find out sex or not. We go back and fore with it so we shall see.

Hope all well with everyone.

Hey Abfab what's happening with you and work - are you back there yet or still signed off?

I had a homebirth with DS2. It was wonderful. Had an independent midwife who was totally cool and just let me get on with it - she knew me pretty well by then. Labour of 5 hours, DS born in the bath early in the morning. I enjoyed it. Planned homebirth for DS3 with NHS but not enough midwives on the day so went into birthing centre. That was great too.

Dontstopmenow, have you seen an osteopath for the spd? I never found the physio any help to be honest.

I booked our flights home for the summer today. Managed to get premium economy on BA for less than economy - how does that work? So, 6 weeks in Blighty for us away from the 45 degree heat and Ramadan (sooooooo boring).