Expectant Mums in Bristol

[Ninjacat]

I'm 8 weeks pg and should all go ok will be due in November. Just wondered if there are any more mums to be out there? This is number 2 for me but with a twelve year gap so all feels a bit new.

Hi Mahalo,
Wonderful news about the scan. I love that you saw it hiccup.
I have my 20wk one booked for June 30th which is the day after Glastonbury so might be pretty tired but at least I will be preoccupied so hopefully won't be worrying about it.

I'm thinking about going to pregnancy yoga at the relaxation centre but not sure it won't be full of clifton yummy mummies.

10lb seems pretty modest for 17 weeks. I am the size of a house already. Just don't seem to know when to stop or say no. I've been running a workshop this week with disengaged kids in Southmead and one said today "Miss are you pregnant?" "Oh I knew you weren't just fat", cheeky sod. So yes I do have a bump but really it's just flab in disguise. Consultant said it didn't matter I'd put on a lot of weight but to remember I'd only have to lose it again once babs was born.

Oh and my neighbour asked if it was twins! Charming.

I have managed to swim a few times but I'm so tired all the time that walking to the shops zaps me. I do need to get a bit fitter though very soon or I will end up like a beached whale. I'll be the one you see on the news being hoisted out of the window of my home because I no longer fit through the door to get me to the delivery suit.

Hope you enjoy the weekend, fingers crossed for more sun,

N

Hiya Ninjacat,
That is my line of work too - working with yoofs. Yep they'll say anything won't they! One commented on the revoltingness of my 'moustache' but I pointed out it's actually pigmentation but he didn't seem convinced...
I think I've felt some tummy movement the last few days - just little flutters now and again.
How's things with you?
ooh the take away has just arrived - better sign off now!
Mahalo

Hay Mahalo,
I've just got back from my Mid wife appointment (via lunch at Cafe Delight - mmmm).
Had a quick listen to baby's heart beat, bloods taken etc but all very brief, thankfully she didn't weigh me so quite glad about that.
That's it now until 28weeks (except for the scan) so no more poking and prodding for a couple of months.

I start a new job on Friday running a Young Carers group. It's my first non Media youth role so feeling a bit nervous but also quite excited. It's only 22hrs and the money is not great so will have to juggle it with the work I do at the moment but hopefully that will be ok.

Still no baby movement here but hopefully it will start to wriggle soon.

Hope you enjoyed the take away.

N

Hey Ninjacat,
Great news about your new job. Is it with the Princess Trust at the Vassel Centre - I remember seeing a job advertised working at a young carers project there a while ago. 22 hours is pretty good. I'm working full time and always knackered by friday eve - usually spend the weekend dozing!
Lovely to hear the heartbeat isn't it. I saw the midwife for a listen to the heartbeat a few days ago too. Tried to let my husband hear it over the phone as he was out and about but the feedback from the doppler sounded like Jimi Hendrix on a mad one so not sure if he heard very much! Only 3 more days till 20 week scan - nervous and excited.
Your babber is probably moving around loads but I think sometimes it depends on where the placenta is because that could be cushioning the kicks. Some people don't feel the movement until 22 weeks or so anyway as I'm sure you know.
Have a good week. I am sacrificing my precious Sunday this week to work on a stall at the bike ride thing. I am supporting some yoofs in promoting volunteering opportunities to young people. Hopefully I can sneak off for a while and watch the 'extreme' mtnbiking.
Bye for now,
Mahalo

Hi Mahalo,

Best of luck with the scan tomorrow(?). Let me know how it goes.

My Carers Project are loosely linked with vassels lot but it's a culturally specific group. It's my job to build a relationship between the two so hopefully by November they will be a lot more coordinated.

Are you repping CSV then on Sunday? I forgot it's BBBR this weekend. I lent my spare bike to an intern at my Mums company last week and he left it unlocked in Easton, Grrr. It lasted all of two seconds!!!

Make sure you only watch the extreme M'bking mind or it might end up like the break dancing incident

hi ninjacat,
My mountainbike is safely locked away until next spring so hopefully no broken toes!
Had my 20 week scan today and everything was fantastic. Sonographer thought it was a girl but not quite sure as couldn't get a great view. Got loads more scans though so I'll find out sooner or later. Got scans in 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks and then every 2 weeks after that until 34 weeks. So at least 8 more scans to go!
No it's not CSV that I'm with on Sun it's vinvolved youth volunteers project. Hope it's good weather so I can laze around a bit - don't want to work too hard
Rubbish news about your bike. Bristol is in the top 5 in the country for bike theft. I've had 2 bikes and a back wheel stolen over the last few years. Most of my mates have had a bike stolen too at some point.
Just booked a hotel in St Davids for a couple of nights at the end of our Pembrokeshire camping holiday (courtesy of my dear mum). Should be fairly comfy when we're camping as my husband works in the outdoor industry and has loads of sample thermarests, pillows and sleeping bags.
Have a good weekend and I hope your son is well on the way to recovery with his arm - it's Glasto next weekend isn't it?
Mahalo

Hi Mahalo. Friday at last

I'm so glad your scan went well. I guess it's either a girl or a modest boy? Either way getting extra scans is good for peace of mind.

I've had a very hectic week. As well as taken on the extra hours at BCP I've also run two full day workshops and spent an evening filming. All good in lots of ways but very tiring.

Unfortunately we are quite used to the bike theft thing as dp has lost three in the past few years despite heavy duty locks. He refuses to drive (although he is now taking lessons for baby sake) so his bike is his car. At least that's what he says to justify spending eye watering amounts on them (more than my car cost me!)

We are off to Glato on Wednesday. Working everyday from 7am so don't know how relaxing it will be. Have made it clear I'm happy to take a cut in hours but we'll see.

Hope you get to lay in the sun at the bike fest. I hear it's going to be a hot weekend.

Speak soon,

N

Hi Ninjacat,
Had a panic this weekend because the babber wasn't banging around so went to see the midwife today and listened to the heartbeat. Very relieved to hear it bumping away- quite tearful actually!
Bike fest wasn't so good - hardly anyone came to our stall - nay mind hey. Yes my bike is worth more than my car too - got it for £1700. I love it though and miss riding it.
Got my folks over this weekend and next weekend off to london to see some friends and weekend after that I'm off to Dublin to catch up with some friends I met during my snowboard season in Canada.
Lots of nice things happening - better pack lots of stuff in whilst I get the chance!
Have a great one at Glasto and hope you get chance to rest before you go!
Mahalo

Hi Mahalo,
I'm off in the morning.
Sounds like you have a lovely couple of weekends coming up. Hope you have a lovely time
Sorry you had such a stressful time but glad baby is well and you got to have a listen in.
Will catch up when I return from glasto.
Ninjacat

Hi there

I hope you don't mind me barging in on your conversation - I've only just seen it and as I'm expecting in Bristol (well Portishead) I thought I'd say hello.

I'm due on 21 November - just before you Ninjacat. I also have my scan tomorrow - 30th - (although as I've seen you have been to Glasto, you might not be upto date with the posts before then, but good luck with your scan).

This is my 3rd (ish) baby - I have a DD who is 2.3 and I had a little boy in November 2005, but he died shortly after he was born due to distress during a planned homebirth. Mahalo - I was sorry to see that you had also lost a baby - I hope everyone is looking after you really well this time round, but it must be a worry to you. Sending hugs xx

I work from home Monday to Friday mornings, which means I miss organised mum & baby events or meet ups (you might have seen my other post wondering if there were afternoon meet ups happening anytime). But working from home is great most of the time - good for putting my feet up while I'm working on the laptop if I need to (or putting loads of washing on..)

It would be lovely to chat to you both especially as we are all close in dates.

Hugs
xx

Hi Angels please do come and chat. I'm sorry to hear about your first baby and hope your able to take come comfort in your daughter and current pregnancy.

We will have to place bets on which one of us will have our baby first.

Ninja

Hi Mahalo

I"M BACK!!!
but knackard.

I don't think I can work any more festivals. It really was just too much and I'm only going to get bigger and the summer hotter.

Hope it was good having your folks to stay?

I had my scan yesterday. They couldn't complete it because the radiographer said "the little monkey keeps hiding" and that was even after being sent away for half an hour. So have to go back next week.

The measurements they did take were over a week bigger than my dates though so looks like another big baby.

We were able to see that baby is a boy though!

Hope all is well with you and bubs.

Ninjacat

Hi Angels and Ninjacat,
Nice to have someone else in on the chat. I thought Ninja and I were the only pregnant people in the Bristol area

So sorry to hear about the loss of your son, Angels. Have you had extra scans this time? I am being treated so well by the hospital and the community midwife calls round every few weeks to let me hear the heartbeat. Got another scan next Thurs.

I had another scan today - 22 weeks. All was well - very long legs apparently! I'm getting a right big old bump now - it's like a beach ball. Sorry to hear that the monkey wasn't playing along with the scan, Ninjacat. My babber wasn't playing along too well either at the 20 week scan and wouldn't move so we could see the profile properly.

Hope your scan went well Angels - did you see what sex it was? I think mine is defo a girl now as this was the second scan when they have had a check 'between the legs'.

Did your son enjoy Glasto, Ninjacat? Is his cast off now? Any bands you particularly enjoyed. I think Neil Young was playing wasn't he? - love to see him live.

I bet I'll have my babber first because I'm def having a section because of medical problems and the consultant doesn't want me to go past 38weeks - so by 22nd October she'll be out! Still can't quite believe that I will really have a baby - just hope nothing goes wrong. I'm always so scared having a scan until I see the heartbeat.

Anyway, it's bed time now,
nite all,
Mahalo

Hi there both

It seems we are all busy with scans this week - I had mind on Tuesday. The sonographer was lovely and offered to put special stickers on my notes to show I had lost a baby so the hospital staff should know straight away (I didn't have this last time with my DD - the labour ward staff didn't read my notes so just treated me as a normal delivery (ie ignoring me - it was a busy night!) until someone did read my notes about my poor DS and then I had 4 of them standing at the bottom of my bed, thinking "S**t! We have no midwives to look after this woman and her last baby died in this hospital as a result of poor midwife action ..") They dragged a midwife out of bed and she arrived with 20 minutes to spare. My main fear is something similar happening this time - I'm going into Southmead and have no idea what to expect as I'm new to the area. I'm not getting any special pregnancy care this time as I seem to grow babies well - I love being pregnant and have easy pregnancies. Its just the birth that worries me and DH.

But, anyway, the scan was great - she could see everything she needed to, including that I'm carrying a boy! Cue lots of tears from me and DH as we remembered the beautiful boy we lost. DH is overjoyed to be having a boy and I have bought my first little outfit from Baby Gap sale. I was a bit disappointed that boys clothes aren't as nice to shop for as girls clothes - not half as cute.

Mahalo - I'm so glad they are looking after you, it must be reassuring. And to know when you will be having the baby too is exciting - you will have a fixed date for the diary. Ninjacat and I will probably be doing the whole raspberry leaf tea/curry/pineapple/sex/long walks thing by mid November..

Sorry to hear you couldn't get a good view at your scan Ninjacat - but at least you could see it was a boy. I hope he is more cooperative at the next scan.

We are off to Torquay for the weekend this afternoon - we hope to move down that way next year, so are doing a recce of nice areas around Torbay - as well as making sandcastles with DD of course.

Have a lovely weekend both

xx

Hi guys,

Hope you both had good weekends.

22nd of October is my dh's birthday so good timing Mahalo. Oh and you'll have a libra baby just like you!

Angels I think you should be fine at Southmead. It's got a pretty good reputation, sometimes I wish I was going there again (I had my ds there but that was 12 years ago). This time I'm at St Michaels.

Congratulations on having another boy. Although I can never understand how your feeling I'd expect it has thrown up a lot of emotions connected to your ds1. I hope you're able to get lots of love and support from the people around you.

Mahalo will you find out for sure what flavour baby is before it is born?

Romain is indeed out of plaster (thankfully). He had a fantastic time at Glasonbury thanks. We were based in the green fields and the Park so he had free range of the calmer parts of the festival. He also spent quite a lot of time working (serving drinks) and earned himself £40 so he was well chuffed with that but rather than returning a chilled hippy child he is turning into a bit of a capitolist banker!!! (hmm, rebellion starts early)

I worked so much I didn't get to see many bands and could kick myself for missing Niel Young but found the pyramid stage a bit much (cried and threw a tantrum whilst watching Bruce Springsteen, I just wanted to sleep). Animal Collective were good, as were Crosby, Stills and Nash. My son was very excited as he got to stand on the stage to watch Florence and the Machine and oh and he's now a massive Specials fan. Romain says Dizee Rascal and Nerd were good as well (he took his step Granddad who we managed to get a freebie ticket for at the last minute)

Are you watching the Tour de France?

I have a trapped nerve in my back. It's made my right leg go numb and now I'm having spasms in my ribs as some sort of body trying to compensate thing. Owch

Talk soon,

N

Just been told by dr I have to go for an MRI scan so feeling very sorry for myself today

I forgot to say in my rambling post that Fleet Foxes were fab

Hope you're both well.

N

hello guys i hope you don't mind me butting in but i'm in bristol, i'm not sure i'm expecting (but watch this space, my AF is decidedly absent) but anyway what I wanted to say is Bristol is a GREAT PLACE TO HAVE A BABY!!! There's plenty to do, loads of nice groups to join in with (too many actually, i found at one point I was doing something every day of the week) and some decent cakes to be eaten too.
So I hope you all have a great time, and enjoy your bristol pregnancies.

Angels, I had a good experience with Southmead, they couldn't do more and I hope you have a much better birth experience this time around, they are all very kind there.

I found NCT was a great way to meet people (the lessons were a bit dull though), as well as Buggy Buddies, and various church play groups.
Bugger it's raining on my washing. must dash.
x

Elk congrats on the possible bfp.

Hey everyone,
Sorry to hear that you have to have an MRI scan Ninja. What's that all about? Is it to do with your back?
Angels - I had a wonderful experience with Southmead in the most difficult circumstances (they had to deliver my still born girl). They were so supportive and kind and I continue to get the most amazing care one year on.
Went home sick from work today. Feeling dizzy and a bit weird (well weirder than usual anyway!). Someone at work has swineflu so if I don't feel better tomorrow I'll check things out at the docs.
Ninja- sounds like Romain had fun at Glasto anyway even if it was a bit of a struggle for you. Yes, I really like the Fleet Foxes too. Not really into the Tour de France but hear that a Brit bloke is doing well.
Elk - keep us posted on the baby news...
bye for now - off to bed to try and get better as meant to be going to Dublin to see friends on Friday.
Mahalo

Hi Mahalo I hope you are feeling better today. Sounds like you could do with a bit of a rest to get yourself back on track.
MRI scan is indeed for my back, just to see if I've slipped a disk. Nothing much really I just want to be left alone medically for a while.

Hope everyone else is well and enjoying the lovely evening.

Oh I had the second scan and although baby was still in the same position (!) all seem to be well. Radiographer is still calling him a Monkey though so starting to worry what will come out in November.

N x

Hi

Thanks for the reassurance about Southmead - Mahalo I'm glad they made your terrible experience wonderful in the circumstances. When I lost my DS1 I saw a bereavement midwife at the hospital for counselling when I was expecting my DD, do you know of anything similar at Southmead? I seem to be getting very emotional and wobbly at the moment (especially since we found out bump is a boy) - I even had a few sneaky tears watching a bit of the Michael Jackson service - that's embarrassing!!

Ninjacat - your little fella is obviously in a comfy spot and isn't keen to be moved - who can blame him. There's not much space in there and if he's found a nice spot he won't be happy being persuaded out of it I suppose.

I'm suffering with backache at the moment - self-inflicted I think - I'm trying to do too much and looking after a 2 year old is tiring. And I've still got ages to go (quietly sobs and the thought of getting tireder and more achy..)

Off to Cribbs this evening to get new bras - I'm always amazed at what being pregnant does to your boobs, especially when I was only a 36AA to begin with - great! I'm finding a 38C a bit tight..and I haven't even got to the breastfeeding yet! DH isn't bothered by the change, but I love having cleavage...

Boss lumbered me with lots of work yesterday so I'd better get on - groan.

Hugs
xx

Mahalo Hope you are in Dublin and having fun, not curled up on sofa with flu! When does your pembrokeshire adventure begin?

Angels Sorry you have lots of work on. Hope you're able to get a bit of time to yourself.
I think crying is pretty healthy and when emotions are that close to the surface it's funny what can start the tears off.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

N

Hi all

Just a quickie in the middle of a busy week to say Hi and hope everyone is doing well.

Finally went to the docs today and have been diagnosed with SPD (big groan), but the painkillers she prescribed seem to be working a bit and I've been referred to a physio. The midwife said I'm not allowed to push a shopping trolley - DH took the news on the chin..."fun" family Saturday mornings in the supermarket are on the horizon...

Hoping those babies are bouncing about inside...

Hugs

Angels
x

Hello lovelies,
Yes had a great weekend in Dublin after several days of feeling rubbish with swine flu. Got a 24 week scan tomorrow. Off to Pembrokeshire on Sunday.
Several people have commented on my large bumpy lump saying things like "not long to go now" ...my god how big am I going to get! . Bought some rather attractive over the bump maternity jeans today and several pairs of big pants. It's comfort all the way with me now!
Angels - so sorry to hear about you having SPD. My midwife told me the other day that swimming breaststroke is a bad thing when preggers and can be a contributing factor to SPD. I've been getting some groin and hip pains and really need to watch out to stop it getting worse.
Had a practical minibus exam today which involved me grovelling on the floor in the bus trying to fix in a wheelchair safely. Was not a pretty sight! The intructor took pity in the end and just did it for me.
hear from you all soon,
Mahalo