10/10-sunny days and sleepless nights; third trimester here we come

[nymphadora]

And off we go again

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OMG Lilmiss! is this because of the blood sugar? Eek! Feel excited and nervous for you!

Thanks for all the sympathy, it seems I spoke too soon and a nice bruise seems to have emerged today. Ah well, did more checking out mentally at work. It didn't help that I had a particulary stroppy person who despite my paitence was very trying. You can't win with some people, damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Dilly I'm sorry you feel overwhelmed, is there a cafe in John Lewis? You could hide in there and let Stepma get on with it.

Nymph Yes you are fine, you have the major items and the shops will still be open after the baby is born if not.

No car seat but can send dh to Halfords if needed!

Evening ,

My M & P order has arrived - I have a pram, car seat & carrycot. My birthing ball has also arrived. Suddenly this looks like somewhere that a baby is going to be living and I feel quite overwhelmed . DH and I have been pushing the pram around the house like idiots . It is suddenly very real. Ten weeks to go...

oh lilmiss that must make it feel very close! You will be fine though

dilly I'm sorry your not looking forward to shopping, I know what you mean, I'm not really a big fan of shopping. There is some reeeeally lovely stuff in John lewis though, so that might help.

liking the image of you pushing the pram around the house samantha !! sadly DH rather too helpfully got ours all out and checked it when I was at work, then packed it away again and put it in the garage, so I will have to wait till nearer the time to play!

I've had a big hormonal moment today as well, really been struggling felt very unconfident and incapable, and huuuge. but DH has taken me for a walk and out baby shopping, and given me lots of hugs, and it has just about helped, but think he finds it a little bewildering / amusing at times! Luckily the books he's reading at the minute has a big section on how hormones can do this to pregnant ladies, so at least he knows its not just me!

we went to ikea to get some bits and pieces for the house, and they do have lovely baby stuff, as I think someone else on here said recently, and its really quite reasonable prices. Got a baby sleeping bag while we were there, and think I will be heading back there for more things

ps hermya sorry about the bruise, how annoying. I hope its not too painful.

Have been out today buying towels for home birth as have no old towels and got a birthing ball, im absolutely knackered from all the walking, we have also been the park and a local play day. Cant wait for my bed tonight!
Very exciting with the pram deliveries. I have my pram but would also like to get the mothercare hoxton tandem, it is very lightweight and short and easy to move.

Oooooh! Lilmiss! Exciting! Chin up love.

Sorry about the poorly face Hermya you could pretend you were apprehending a robber and fell over....

tiredfeet you were saying about your DH working away near your due date I think, mine may have work in Germany in October (!) and I think he should go for it as long as he can be here for the birth so, y'know, we'll just have to work it out. If he's away soon after the baby is born my Mum or bro will come to help so that's ok I think. I don't think you're being daft.

Ta for the supportive words lovelies, and glad (!) I'm not the only one feeling overwhelmed!! It's all a bit much innit!?!

30 weeks today though! Woohoo!

I'm so glad I popped on today - I'm sorry that some of you are feeling overwhelmed, but I'm glad that it's not just me!

I've been feeling ever so weird the last week or so - mostly due to moving house I think and feeling a bit unsettled, plus having to shell out for the new boiler etc when we have no furniture!

I'm 29 weeks now and feel a bit panicky that we don't have anything sorted or even chosen (not even looked at prams yet...) but I am going to get a few little things like a changing mat and some muslin squares and maybe a pack of nappoes so at least I will feel like I have something!

Hope you are all feeling better soon and you are all much more organised that we are so I'm a bit !

Morning all. Piesey looking at you establishing your basic hierachy of needs (think caveman) you've been busy sorting out the most important which is shelter- your new place. Next is food- so hopefully your boobs have that covered and then the rest follows on. From what I gather, as long as you have nappies, basic clothing and a car seat, you're sorted and the rest can follow on.

Hermya ooh, sorry that your face has come out with a bruise- sods law.

Congrats on receiving your M&P order Samantha! It must make it seem more real.

Tiredfeet your DH sounds fab.

Tyson I've been towel buying too, but for kitting out my new bathrooms in our house we're building! We've ordered some from the White Company (they have a sale on) and while I was at it I bought a teddy bear from them. Very cute.

I'm 31 weeks today and have just had my midwife appointment. Blood pressure etc fine, but My fundal height measurement has not changed since last time. I was 28+5 at the last appointment and the fundal height measured 25cm. Its still 25cm. The mw will refer me for a growth scan. I'm all worried now. My muscles still haven't separated and I am quite small, so I'm hoping thats all there is too it, but of course, I still feel very worried about it .

oh elsa I'm sorry you're worrying about a growth scan now. really hope you won't have to wait long and they can take your worries away. I expect it will all be fine but can understand why it would worry you. There was a lady at my antenatal class who is 35 weeks and barely had a bump at all, yet all is well with her baby.

yeah DH is fab , he's been really supportive even when I'm having silly hormonal mood swings, its great now he has a bit of free time again, the last few months have been tough as he's just been so busy. Dilly I feel better that we're not the only couple trying to figure out about going away for work committments around the due date. Like you I guess the answer is to get some other support lined up for the bits while he's away.

piesey its not suprising you don't have anything sorted yet if you've been busy moving house, don't feel bad about it! We only really started sorting things like pram and car seat when I was about 29 weeks. I definitely found that getting the first few bits made me feel like I was starting to get organised.

nearly the weekend , we're meant to be going camping with friends but the weather looks like its going to be awful, not sure if I can face camping in the rain but really want to catch up with the friends... we are contemplating inviting them all to ours instead, but not sure I can face the chaos when we've spent most of this week finally getting the house sorted, hmmm.

Elsa I had my 31 week appt yesterday and am only measuring 26cm it has gone up 1cm since last appt 3 weeks ago. I weigh myself every week and have only put on .5lb in last 5 weeks.

Midwife did note it down and said if at my 34 week it is still measuring small she'll refer me for a growth scan but didn't seem too concerned.

I was really worried as well but since then I've read through lots of mn threads on the topic and most say as long as baby moving well and bloods etc are OK there is unlikely to be a problem. It seems that fundal measurement is notoriously unreliable as a growth measure especially if you are tall and/or slim. I'm 5' 8 and size 12 ish so maybe it's the same for you?

Well done everyone on the buying stuff side... plasterers have just finished skimming the nursery-to-be walls and I'm off work next week so hope to get it decorated and some organising/shopping done then!

Piesey Ooo I hope it wasn't me being a little over excited with my purchases that has made you worry about not being ready. Sorry . Because I am a teacher I am off work for six weeks and then back for five. I will finish when I am 37 weeks. I decided to buy all the baby things over the summer while I have the time and the money (school holidys = zero childcare = lots of extra money!). Once I go back to work I will be in bed by 8pm again and not a lot of use for shopping. There isn't actually any need to have a pram in your living room ten weeks before your due date. While I like looking at it, it's kind of in the way... .

Elsa I seem to think, but may be wrong, that some midwives don't do the tape measure fundal height thing anymore because it is so wildly inaccurate. A centimetre out here and there and panic is caused. The only real way to track the growth of a baby is through scanning. It will be lovely to see your baby too. It's probably all fine and nothing to worry about. How long will it be before your scan - or can you go for a private one straight away? This may not apply to you, but our medical insurance covers us for pregnancy complications so would cover this kind of scan...I hope you get a scan date soon.

Ivy I have now read your message (re: fundal height) too. I should have read all of the messages before I started typing! I m very jealous of your nursery - our baby will be sleeping in our room as we have to move house to have a nursery at all. It will be lovely to have time off work and to paint and make it beautiful. {I am so nesting ! I almost want to come and help }

Hope all else well, I am supposed to be writing an essay, which is why I am here posting...

Thank you guys- you're all lovely.

Ivy The baby's movements are really regular and frequent and everything else is fine, so the rational part of me agrees with you that everything should be fine. I have read that fundal heights are often small for women who are taller with long bodies. I am not tall. I'm 5'3" with really long legs and arms, but a short body. I weighed myself last Friday and had not put weight on for a while either and have put on in total 11 lbs so I'm 8 stone 13.

Samantha, the John Radcliffe is normally pretty good at getting back with appointments so I'm hopeful that I shall hear from them early next week, but if I haven't I'll book in at the FMC for the week after next and they have my history as its where I had my 12 week and 20 week scans. I'm on leave next week up in Lincolnshire and whilst I'm looking forward to it, it does feel like a touch of sods law that I won't be near my hospital!

My midwife doesnt measure. She has a feel and says whether it feels right!

Elsa and Ivy I am sure baby is fine. Wish I had your strong tummy muscles! As long as he/she is moving and kicking regularly - then I wouldnt worry too much. I didnt show hardly at all with dc1 and in the last 6 weeks I got HUGE all of a sudden. I have been big from the start this time

So jealous of those of you who have a nursery, I would love to be decorating a nursery at the moment. Baby will also be in with us until she is old enough to share with her sister. My head is nesting unfortunately my body doesnt work as well as I want it too

tiredfeet I heard the weather was going to improve the end of this week, beginning of next so your camping trip might be okay. It might be wishful thinking on my part though as we are going to Dorset on Sunday for a week. Without dh though so I am being a bit tearful about leaving him :( bloody hormones!

piesy congrats on your new house!

Hermya rubbish about the bruise :( poor you, hope it gets better soon.

Tyson you sound very organised for the birth! I am panicking a little (ok a lot) about the birth especially as I now have to be induced

have a lovely day all!

Yeah, as others have said, the fundal measurement thing sounds just crazily inaccurate. Nice to get an extra scan though!

lilmiss, how are things with your DH's work situation now?
Hope you are feeling ok about the inducing thing.

I am enjoying the cooler weather, but hope it picks up for your camping trip, tf.

Would love a nursery, even though we are co-sleeping - just to do it all up, make it look gorgeous. There is so much lovely stuff you can buy.

HI Elsa and all the smally bumpy gang, seriously, try not to worry about bump size (but enjoy the scan!) there's a girl in our yoga class about to pop who looks like I did at about 23 weeks - blimey! I think I have put on about 5kg so far ,most of it recently, so that's about 10lb or so isn't it.

Just had a fab shopping trip with stepma, what a relief. Have the buggy now, along with bouncy chair, and some sleep suits and muslins... she and Dad also have loads of stuff left over from when my nephew was born which is brill. Feeling better for having stuff organised. Having said that piesy as the others have said, you've been moving house!! Sorry you're feeling overwhelmed,I do think the shopping bit is tricky. It all reminds me rather of wedding organisation!

Yeah tf I wouldn't fancy camping in the rain either (camping and SPD? Bad bad idea....).

big love and unmumsnetty hugs all, all will be well, you'll see
xx

Thank you all! Dilly, you've put on the same amount of weight as me. I did find the total lack of change between appointments and the recent lull in weight gain worrying- but you're all right, everything else is fine, bloods, urine, BP, very active baby (I felt like it was trying for a break out last night it actually made me shout out loud with shock!) all point to nothing to worry unduly about. My abdominal muscles still haven't parted company either.

I shall try hard to relax more about it all. x x x x x

Dilly Well done on the shopping trip.

Elsa As others have said, some midwives don't do fundal, they just have a prod. I've had both done to me so it varies even within the same hospital.

TF I don't blame you for not wanting to go camping. TBH in my mind camping is the work of the devil and me and it will remain distant from each other.

Well work was work, I swear I need some more people with ovaries around me. I had one of my bosses try to put me in a bit of a difficult situation this morning which I refused to be a part of. He wasn't being malicous or difficult, but I expect it didn't occur to him to think 'oh pregnant woman equals no can do that thing'. Once he realised, he was fine with me. But I can't help but think 'I really don't need this'. I want to be in an office somewhere eating cake and looking on ebay. Hey ho, you can't win them all can you.

Elsa My weight gain hasn't been consistent at all. At the beginning the only way I could manage the nausea was through eating so in the first 12 weeks I put on a lot of weight . After that I had a lull where I just stayed the same, for many weeks. Recently I have been starving the whole time and am piling weight on again. I've put on about 24lbs now . The way that I look and the amount that I weigh is consistent with my other pregnancies - I think that it is a really personal thing and is about how your body metabolises. I have always had massive bumps and carry a lot of amniotic fluid - my bump is solid all the time. I really don't think that you need to worry and you won't have to worry so much about weight loss the other side. When I realised that eating was my way out of nausea I knew I would have to seriously diet in the new year. DH is already planning to join me - he has been eating with me and is happily putting on too much weight himself . I am usually really petite, this is just what happens to me in pregnancy. You also need to bear in mind that this isn't everyone's first pregnancy - I think it's your first isn't it? There is no holding the bump back after two babies!

DillyDora I am jealous of your shopping trip...I don't have any family really so it's just me, DH & the girls. It sounds like it was really successful - you just get to the point where you need to get stuff rather than just look at it don't you?

Hope all else well, where's Nymph today?

Hi! Last but oneday at work!!!

V achy & struggling with stairs so glad I'm finishing soon. Had support on but it's too low when im sitting for long & baby still really objecting so took it off when at my desk. Just parked at house for dh to empty car and people were glaring until I got out & hobbled up steps then they stopped

Nappy lady tomorrow.

Hello Everyone So sorry I?ve been AWOL. Slap my wrists.

After a fairly smooth first two trimesters everything seems to be going pants now. Just been to midwifes again today and I?m measuring 35 weeks when I?m only 31+1!
Hospital for me again (was there a few weeks ago because of BP and sugar in my wee) and had to book another three other appointments, my boss will love me! Talking of work, anyone else feel like they?re being worked more than usual? I swear they are piling it on while I?m still there?..2 weeks left!
On the up side, Harry is very active and has a good strong heartbeat, it?s just me that?s on the downward side!

Nymphadora I?m very jealous that you?ve nearly finished, enjoy your break and pamper yourself whenever you get chance.

SamanthaB I?ve just ordered pram, car seat, etc. from M&P, which did you go for? I hope LO isn?t too early as they can?t deliver until September!

Has anyone else had their NCT classes? We finished ours this week and I?m so glad we decided to go for them. We are now freindly with seven other couples in our area. We?ve all been to the pub together and had a hospital tour (that made it very real), as well as the classes and arranged some other socials. We?ve already been disscussing where we?ll take the babies for days out, I can?t wait!

Hope everyone is well, I?m gonna do my best to keep up from now on?..promise! x

Morning ,

Vikks Welcome back! It's nice to see you, how are you getting on? Are you going for a growth scan to see how big Harry actually is or have you already had one? I'm finding the third trimester tiring - I seem to be so achy all the time. My manouverability (sp?) is poor. I'm usually really active so it's all a bit odd! We have a M&P Sola in black and an Atom car seat. It's still all in the living room so we can just look at it. I'm really happy with it and am pretty sure we made the right choice. What did you order that they couldn't deliver until September? Our NCT classes don't start until September - they go on until nearly 10pm. I'll just be snoring in the corner.

Nymph Lucky you nearly finished work already. I am dreading going back. I've already had to start working in prep for the new term even though I won't really be there. Tiresome.

Hope everyone has a lovely day, I was a bit low yesterday on and off so have planned to do more today. Like leave the house. I have just been at home mulling around. I'm washing the baby's clothes at the moment ready to pack my hospital bags. It is getting everso real here...

Vikks - We finished our NCT class this week too. The last group came back with their babies, which made it all seem rather real!

SamanthaB - Our class ran til 9:30 but often over ran, and although I was super-tired I managed to stay awake better than I do at home, so hopefully you will too! I couldn't believe that some of them managed to go to the pub after the class though, I would have been asleep on the bar!

I'm not doing the NCT classes, at the time we decided we were too poor to do them. We're going to be doing the ones at the local hospital. I've met the lady that runs them though and she seems lovely so I'm not too worried.

nymph I'm a bit envious that you're finishing work now, I wish I was. I'm just so tired at the moment.

Vikks Welcome back, I'm sorry they're slave driving you at the moment. I'm of the opinion that there should be mandatory cake given away free to all pregnant women beyond 30 weeks when they're at work.