Anyone due in April 2004?!

[dot1]

Hello!

I found out last week I was pregnant, and although I've not been to my GP yet, various websites and Miriam Stoppard have told me I'm due on March 31st/April 1st! (poor little april fools baby - let's hope it's late...).

I know it's early days, but wanted to start this thread as I've already got lots of questions - like, is anyone else having quite bad pains? I've been getting bad period-type pains, which have been worrying me, but I understand people do get (this is my first pregnancy by the way!).

Right, that's it - hope I get some company soon..!

We were told at our NCT class to breathe out with each contraction - ie breathe out baby. She made it sound so simple - wish it were I want to try and avoid an epidural this time around as I hated lying down and towards the end it wore off in places - although the relief from the pain was a godsend. I'm not sure I have enough pain threshold to do it without anything whatsoever mind.

What multivits are you taking Bluecow?

I get BH contractions too - tends to be when i've been a bit overactive though.

On a positive note I am enjoying this pg as my hair and skin are fantastic, and the bump is not too big to be in the way - I remember last time towards the end not being able to do up my shoelaces. Miss sleeping on my stomach though.

Dot - if it's any consolation (yeah right she says as she chucks up again)... but being sick, I read, is down to the progesterone in your body and a lot of progesterone means a strong pregnancy.

thanks all - I've had 2 days without being sick now, but the constant nausea feeling is back - and I was so happy when it went a few weeks ago..! I've even just given away my buy 9 coffees get 1 free card - and I was only 2 away from a freebie! Can't stand the thought of proper coffee - and I love it...!

Not that I'm feeling sorry for myself (again...).

Sorry to hear you've not been feeling too well Dot1. My sickness hasn't returned but when I work anyway I get a really painful stitch so although I'm trying to be all healthy and get fresh air I end up watching old ladies overtake me as I can't walk fast

I know! It's so embarrassing when everyone's overtaking you - I have to laugh at myself when I'm trying to 'run' for a train these days..!

Has anybody else started antenatal classes. Had our first session of 4 last night at hospital education centre and have to say I was impressed. Quite a small group, and we got into groups and wrote down all the things we wanted to know which will be covered during the course as well as the things the midwife wants to cover as well. Out of 9 couples 3 of us have exactly the same due date which is quite funny.

Not going to any antenatal classes but I'm aiming to start pregnancy yoga and aquanatal classes in the next week or 2. feeling energetic after a week in the canaries.

my mood swings are getting worse though I am a hormonal nightmare - over-bubbly one minute and grouchy the next. suppose it's better than just being depressed.

dp and I have just finished an NCT course which was really good - we're not going to do the hospital course, but are going on a tour so we know where we need to end up! I'm going to an NCT breastfeeding workshop tonight! Not sure how much use it'll be -I'm probably completely wrong but still think it's one of those things I'll either be able to do or not, and I'm not worrying about it at this stage...!

Can't wait to get rid of January - especially am finishing work at the end of Feb - I think it'll start feeling more real when Feb finally starts.

The midwife who is taking the antenatal course is going to see if they do a special breastfeeding workshop as well although we are supposed to cover it in quite a lot of detail in this course.
Info from friends are that they are invaluable for positioning as this is apparently 'the key'.

I'll let you know how it goes and what positions I learn..!

I've got an ante natal appt. with my midwife tomorrow - does anyone know if she'll be able to prescribe me Zantac? I'm feeling quite desperate re: my heartburn and Gaviscon only helps for about 1-2 hours now and not at all at night. Or would I have to see a doctor?

no idea I'm afraid. That is one symptom (touch wood) that I haven't had at all.

agghhhhh the calf cramps are back!!! I thought I'd got rid of them with lots of calcium. I have been eating about 3 bowls of cereal a day.

udar, I'm getting those too, especially in the night. I didn't know it might be due to a calcium deficiency?

breastfeeding workshop was really good! And quite surprising 'cos someone from our group had their baby 2 weeks early and brought her!!! All quite scary really - it hit the rest of us that this is what it's all about.... Anyway, she had a fab labour/birth - about 10 hours in total and not much pain - hurrah!

I got the Zantac and it's FANTASTIC!!! Can't recommend it enough - feel like it's changed my pregnancy completely - no more acid all the time and I can breathe properly again! If anyone else is really suffering with it and Gaviscon doesn't work, definitely ask about it - I feel like I can get through the next 9 weeks now..!

Calf cramps - ouch! Haven't had them for a while, but I've got into the habit of being careful not to stretch, and to get out of bed really slowly at night, which is when I used to get it.

Cramps are magnesium deficiency - I believe....

When I was getting them last time I tried extra water, bananas, tonic water, exercise, stretches and nothing seemed to work. It was only when I had to start eating a smaller amount of food and eating 3 bowls of cereal that the cramps went away. I have read since on a website that calcium deficiency can cause calf cramps.
Now I'm not sure what to do - suppose I'll just have to live with it and thank my lucky stars that I don't have indigestion and the baby doesn't wake me at night yet.

I guess there are some things to be thankful for! The thing that is really getting to me at the moment is that I just can't get comfortable on our sofa at home - I try and prop myself up with cushions etc but it doesn't really work. I'm not sure I'm sleeping too well either - it's a real effort to turn over. Anyone else finding this?

HewlettsDaughter - I can really sympathise. I'm not sleeping too great either. I naturally prefer sleeping on my tummy, so ever since the bump has grown, my sleeping has been up the swanee. No matter what time I go to bed or how tired I am I always seem to wake up in the middle of the night either to have a drink, go to the loo, or something else. Then for ages (often an hr or more), I can't seem to get back to sleep again. Then of course in the morning I find it so difficult to wake up, and am tired in the day. Nightmare.

Oh, I thought that was just me, waking up and then not being able to get back to sleep again! And I know what you mean about being tired in the mornings...

The same thing happened in my last pg. In the last couple of months many a night dh would wake to find me in the kitchen stuffing my face with marmite toast. (I hate marmite normally)

me too! Spend at least 1 -2 hours a night awake - usually after a wee (now weeing at least 3 times a night...). Turning over is a nightmare - I'm actually envious of dp turning over so easily! I've found it better to roll over from side to back to side - I used to try rolling on my front - ouch! I'm another one who always used to sleep on my front, so it's been really strange having to get used to sleeping on my side - which I think is why I get such bad hip ache - my sides aren't used to it!

I've given up sitting on the sofa, and tend to sit quite upright on a chair in the lounge - or on the floor. As soon as I lean back, baby starts going mad - I don't think s/he likes it! It's probably very good for my posture! (still, can't wait to get back to my old slouchy self..!)

I do wake up every time I turn over. I too was a stomach sleeper and have found that the hardest thing to get used to. I try my best to sleep on my left side propped up on a v pillow but keep waking up as you just can't sleep in one position.
As for the bathroom, most of the time I can still make it through (about 5 out of 7 days). Try to avoid drink too close to when you go to sleep is supposed to help.
I've almost given up sitting full stop. It hurts my back too much. I lie down on the couch or sit on a birthing ball to watch TV leaning forward over the back of the couch.

I can't wait until we move into our own house (hopefully in about 2 weeks time) - I know it sounds silly but I don't feel like I can shift the furniture around at my Mum's - would love to sit on a chair backwards but there isn't really the space, and I always get the feeling my Mum thinks I'm over-reacting when I go on all 4's for a while or lean up again the settee!

I find now I don't turn over in my sleep at all - but because I'm weeing so often I don't need to! I don't normally have a drink past about 6pm, but still need to wee about every 1 - 2 hours... Would love just one night sleeping through...

yep - hopefully only 8-9 wks till I can have a stomach sleep again (as the baby is not going to be late of course)...

of course after which although we'll be able to sleep on our tummies again, baby will prob be up all hours demanding feeds