Due in Oct 2012 - part 4!

[Angelico]

Back for more...!

Hi Ladies, i hope it's ok to join you. I have just found your thread - it was lovely reading some of the posts from Jan and re-living those exciting first few days. I had some bleeding and a slapped cheek scare earlier on, and i wish i'd found your thread then. Touch wood, all ok now, just eating and farting non stop and waiting for bump to look like a nice round bump rather than me just looking tubby :).
Dame, debenhams have padded mat bras which are very comfy but not v. sexy. The item number is 1520103011, the padding is about 2-3mm thick.

Hey peeps, another quick read and attempted catch up. Squid thanks for good wishes x And so glad your colleagues are being supportive, maybe the feeling faint thing is what Zoe is talking about, the low pressure thing? Take care x

Midget!!! I am so sorry you had such an awful time, you must have been petrified! Sending a big hug and really, really overjoyed you are okay - it must have been the horrible throwing up. for you x

Livvy - major sympathy on boob thing - friend had mastitis after giving birth and she said it was worse agony than actual labour Hope the ABs help - and can't help :o at the image of iced nipples lol! I have an itchy nipple that comes and goes - not a part of the body that normally itches.

Hi Beccus and welcome - glad things are settling down for you.

Great bra tips all, I live in oversized sports bras most of the time as I'm big bosomed to start with and sports bras keep the girls under control!

The pressure / spotting thing is still freaking me out although no more from Thurs (spotting that is, the pressure is there loads). Am considering 3 things a) private maternity care which I hate in principle but at least means I will see a consultant every 4 weeks b) private transvaginal scan to check cervix is okay on inside (hospital wouldn't do it, just did speculum exam, everything closed from outside) but don't know if this is overkill and c) going to lovely women's health physio who thinks it might be bowel stuff partly because I had minor surgery on bowel years ago and she thinks some breathing type things might help, lots more she can do AFTER bean arrives. Have 20 week scan Fri 18th so trying to just hang on till then and see what happens. Have started to get completely obsessed with incompetent cervix, even though loads of people with it don't have ANY symptoms at all. And advice appreciated.

Have a nice weekend all x

Angelico. What makes you so worried about your cervix? I'm sure there is nothing to be worried about, but I do agree it is better to be safe than sorry. I don't know if you read my previous post, but I've got an incompetent cervix and had a cervical suture put in under general anesthetic about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I knew I was going to have problems without it, because I've had two cone biopsies leaving very little cervix.

The midwife wanted me to wait until 16 weeks until I even saw the obstetrician but I was adamant I needed to be seen earlier. Good job I did, because at 14 weeks, the day of the op, my cervix was already open!

So, bearing in mind my cervix was open and I was fine, please try not to worry.

If I was you, I would pay to have a proper internal scan. I'm sure it will put your mind at rest, and that's the most important thing.

Xxx

Thx Angelico. Sorry to hear u r so worried, but i know how horrible and stressful it is when you get that sort of thing happening, but such a relief the spotting has stopped.

I am a physio, but not a women's health one, as that is a specialist post grad area. It might be worth checking with her exactly what diagnostics she can do in terms of getting to the bottom of your symptoms and incompetent cervixs. I would imagine it would be fairly limited.

If u r really worried, maybe consider getting a one off appt with a private consultant 1st, who can then refer u privately for any further investigations that he/she feels are appropriate. I'm not sure u'd neccessarily need to see them every 4 weeks on an ongoing basis.

If you just get a scan done privately, you may then need to see a consultant anyway, to interpret it. If u see the consultant 1st, they can recommend exactly what investigations you do, or hopfeully dont, need.

Good luck :)

I HAVE FINISHED MY REPORT WRITING FOR THE DAY!!!!! . 6 done, will to live nearly lost but just about held onto it by a thread. Am positive no-one is remotely interested but I am all alone today, DH is at work and there is no-one to give me a pat on the back so I thought I'd share here.

I also went into town to pay in some money, and while standing in the queue for my bank, realised that I no longer bank there - I switched to a different bank 2 months ago. I then realised that I had absolutely no idea where the branch of my new bank is. I wandered up and down the high street for a while looking for a branch but couldn't see one. Utter fail . Still, at least the car was where I left it in the car park this time .

I know that it's a serious issue, but is it just me who finds the use of the term "incompetant" funny when it's applied to an inanimate object such as a cervix? Actually, I guess a cervix does move so it's not strictly inanimate... I've confused myself now. Off for celebratory end-of-work-for-the-day and to ponder the inanimate nature (or otherwise) of my cervix.

Nice one Yomping hope you can enjoy the rest of the day now.

Am enjoying the bra tips. My boobs are not as big as they were at 6-18 weeks and I can fit into my old bras again (they were 34DD pre-pregnancy, so not small or anything). I wear the non wired ones for work though.

I had ... such an awful day on Friday and am still trying to get over it. I was involved with a really absolutely horrific massive haemoptysis - a man coughed up so much blood he died, basically. I was the first there - a nurse was shouting for help nearby - and I have never seen so much blood in my life. Through all the blood we couldn't get an airway for ages, and his heart stopped, and there were a good number of doctors there, and we tried to resuscitate him for about an hour, but we didn't get him back. It was pretty traumatic. When I got home and took my scrubs off my legs were covered with blood where it had all soaked through. I also broke his ribs doing chest compressions. It was just terrible, poor poor man, what a horrific way to die.

Sometimes at work I can't help thinking that the baby can hear what's going on now. And my heart races and I get upset, and then I think about how stress can upset baby growth as well.

The rest of the day was shite too - I think I was rattled - problem is we have situations like this - not commonly but not that rarely - and then we are just expected to function fine afterwards - made some stupid mistakes which the evening doctor ending up having to sort out for me. And I hate dumping work on people (particularly mistakes) but it was nearly half 6 and I was so tired and upset and was supposed to finish at 5 so I just went home. Boyfriend had been out pretty much all week and so this was our first night together in ages and he had tidied the house and made a really nice curry, and I just cried on him about how worthless and incompetent and guilty and inadequate I feel at work for hours. I think I even fell asleep crying. I don't know why he puts up with me :( Woke up at about quarter to 4 still upset and spent an hour with my cats and then called my dad (he's a very early riser) so I'm quite tired today.

Boyfriend is still trying to look after me, I was awful all morning but we had a nice sandwich and cuppa in a cute bar in town, and I did some clothes shopping - NOT maternity shopping - made me feel human again, god maternity clothes are boring aren't they. Well I'm not any bigger yet so fuck it. Bought two cute tops from an adorable vintage shop where they adapt old clothes, very cheap too, and I bought a dress from a gorgeous and friendly designer boutique where all the plain white tshirts are about £200 but this dress was only £29 for some reason. It is hand embroidered, light grey, short, pleated, LOADS of space for bump, adorable and summery and beautiful and feminine and comfortable. Made me feel better. I am wearing it now. With a cardi.

Trying to work up energy to do my weird pregnancy workout DVD.

Sorry I always write so much.

Well done yomping at least you got then done. Not so well done in the baby brain bank moment.... believe me your day in infinitely better than mine as I am still bed bound. Poor DD and I are in full grip of the norovirus and are in a competition for who is the sickest. And I can't look after her, just wretched. Here's hoping this is the last day if it. Lost all the weight i'd put on and this is exactly when I should be putting it on.

Angelico I totally understand why you are still worried. Any 2nd trimester bleeding is worth knowing more about. They did both speculum and dildo cam in me yesterday and measures length of my cervix and double checked their internal with the scan . Although emmie is right, it is good news it is closed. Personally I would still worry and want it checked out more. I found knowing it was long and closed very reassuring (though I am still demented today as bean not moving (guess it is on hunger strike).

Hoping to stay awake for the cup final. Managed to sell my ticket so at least have £90 to spend on fattening treats when this virus buggers off.

Hope you are all good.

Sorry squid cross posted. That really does sound like a shit day. You must do your best to relax, the bean won't hold you trying to save someone's life against you. And your boyfriend won't mind looking after you a bit - sometimes they even like it. Spend some relaxing time with baby squid and it will all seem better x

Evening ladies waves
Well, had planned on spending my day doing coursework but after a crap week at work, along with DHs arm twisting (not that he had to do much!) we ended up heading into town for the day. Had a lovely lunch out but have been a bit naughty in having 2 restaurant strength cappuchinos and sharing a bottle of wine
Anyway - i'm presuming it's the fact that bean must have been a) high off the caffeine and B) slightly tipsy...but think I felt my first movements!
I'm 14+6 so wasn't certain if it might be a bit too early, but it was a bizarre "popping" sensation under my ribs. Only way I can describe it is as a cross between wind and butterflies but didn't feel like either!

Hi ladies.
Sorry I've missed all your posts, but I hope those of you that are feeling rubbish all feel better soon ( and and to you all), and those that are blooming are still blooming- i have noticed that my skin does seem to be glowing a bit... or rather looks like i have a mild sun tan (when in fact its been weeing it down with rain)!
In other news I still have not found that second trimester energy, i'm dreading the third!! And I forgot to have my 12 week blood tests- ooops.. better get down to the hospital on tuesday..!!

lots of love and cuddles to you all, fajitas, cuddles with boy and britains got talent for me tonight! x

I must be feeling better because fajita made me feel rather than sick.

I am still utterly knackered! Thought this was meant to be better in second trimester but no, seems not. Maybe it's having one already so no lie ins (although dd was very good and read to herself till 7.30 so it was a comparative lie in!)
Kyrria - sounds a lovely day, I think there's no harm whatsoever in the odd cappuccino and wine, and sometimes you just need a boost!
Yompng we'll done on getting it all done - impressed with your self discipline!
Angelico, I think I were you I'd see if I could see a consultant - privately or otherwise so you can properly discuss your worries and see what they think. I think you probably don't need to be too worried but it's much easier to say don't worry than to turn that feeling off.
Squid - much sympathy, massive haemoptysis is horrid to see, only seen it a few times and I work in a hospice 2 days a week. However, from what I've seen I am pretty sure people are unaware very quickly, so whilst distressing to witness I think, for the patient, it maybe isn't an awful way to go. Big hugs though.
I think I need to go and get some maternity clothes soon, bump getting bigger - especially when I need a poo!

Thanks for the advice Emmie, Beccus, Midget and Smiley - will give it a few days, monitor and then either book one off with consultant or get the TV scan

squid sorry you had such a wretched day - that must have been a totally traumatic thing to see :( Your squidlet will be fine but take care of yourself - glad your BF is looking after you x

Yomping - that sounds like baby brain for sure :o

Kyrria - you def sound like you are feeling your bean - I felt mine at 14 weeks exactly (although baby was measuring a week bigger) - was in a hotel overnight, had just had lovely bath, glass of wine, in comfy bed all relaxed - and felt this strange 'bubbly' feeling low down when I was lying on my side. Was half asleep and thought, "Oh! I think that's the bean!" Didn't feel it again for about a week and a half, few times in bed after that, last couple of weeks feeling it daily. Scan on Thursday showed a very active bean indeed. It is battering away at me tonight, probably 'cos I had a latte and then some jelly beans ie pure sugar :o That'll learn me...

Mickey Well jealous of your tan-like bloom! :o My face is quite healthy looking but my skin is quite dry at the minute.

Was going to go and see the new American Pie but will probably cry at the nostalgic bits in my current hormonal form Just re-read 'Little Women' and 'Good Wives' (Kindle freebies) and wept inconsolably at the most unlikely bits!

Devouring Last Light (Alex Scarrow) tonight - I love those 'end of the world from the comfort of your armchair' books :o Our lovely postie turned up yesterday bookless (the sequel had arrived the day before but couldn't read it first!!!) and my face was like :( :( :( Left note this morning saying 'We're out please leave parcel under car!' and he squeezed it through letterbox and left note saying 'Enjoy your book! Postie' lol

Enjoy your evening, whatever you're doing x

Zoe welcome to my world! But beware of the underwired bras ? doc said it could be a cause of the mastitis (which of course doesn?t mean that yours will protest!). I went to bravissimo today too and for the second time I?ve been to them since I?ve been pregnant they didn?t have quite the right size, so I?m in 30GG when ideally 32G would offer more scope for expansion. It annoyed me because they market themselves as the best bra shop ? so I think they should keep stock. Anyway, I?ll stop ranting. And at least I have one soft cup bra now which ain?t too bad, visually-speaking.

Hi Beccus. I tried debenhams but nothing in my size. I might try online though so thanks for the reminder.

Midget Glad you?re feeling better. I can relate to the lack of second trimester bloom though ? I am shattered. Hopefully it?s just around the corner for all of us!

Angelico tis still mighty sore but hoping the AB will kick in soon. Fortunately I have those fake icecubes that you can put in wine to chill it without diluting it (a Lakeland plastics type thing) so it doesn?t make my top wet. Just end up with knobbly boobs. A nice look.
On the spotting / pressure thing ? I think I would try to find out as much info as possible and Beccus advice of paying for one ?off appt with consultant seems like a good idea. More info means better decisions, right?

YAY re report writing Yomping - what a laborious job. And yes, the incompetent cervix terminology cracks me up. Makes me think that it should just be sent on a training course and told to up its game.

YAY too for kicks, wantanorange

Thank you to everyone for the H&M tips. I went there today and am delighted with my haul. Black trousers for work, jeans and a vest top, some tights and only £68. Yay. Top Shop was WAY too fashionable for me, Next too bland, Gap too mumsy and I was perplexed by Mamas and Papas sizing. Their jeans made me an 8, whilst I was a 14 in H&M (and I am normally a 14). They also didn?t have anything in my size. Surely size 14 bums are normal? Anyway, huge hurrah for H&M. It was the only place I went into that actually had clothes that I genuinely liked, whether they were maternity or not.

Eek squid what a day. I shall try never to moan about my job again.

Kyyria oooh feeling bean. Cool!! Glad you had a lovely day out.

Crikey. what a long post! Off to bed with my icepacks. Sex on legs, that's me. :)

Well, just got home after a day out in a blizzard at an annual town wide garage sale. Got a whole car full of stuff.

A high chair
Portable, strap to a chair seat
An exersaucer that collapses down in size
A bouncy chair
A baby bath tub
A wagon
A crib set (even though I have one) winnie the pooh
a couple of gro bags and some sleepers
A bag full of hard board books
A breast feeding pillow
...and a storm trooper hemet with sound effects and voice changer. Lol

londonlivvy - came across these the other day Gel Breast Pads

Have bought myself some as, although not sore/painful, my boobs are very uncomfortable and hot. Am hoping they will do the trick.

beeblebear - ha - lol at the storm trooper helmet

Oh dear, the aversion to coffee has gone. Sorry bean, but it was SO good having morning coffee again....maybe it will make u move :)

Londonlivvy and beetlebear, v. inspired by your shopping, sounds like u cleaned out the garage sale, Londonlivvy, good work! :) H&M Mama does look good on line - i was planning to go yesterday, but was too relaxed after this lovely exfoiliation massage and couldn't be bothered to face all the Occie C crowds. Plan to do some research at the Birmingham Baby show in a couple of weeks and then see what i can get on ebay. Shame it's not in london again until the end of August - there is no way i am going to mission down to Earls Court when i'll be massive and needing to eat and pee and rest every 10 mintues and the tube will be chockers full of people going to the Olympics.

Beeblebear love your list! DS has a Cyberman helmet like that. It's definately the most useful piece of baby/child rearing equipment that we have.

After the really strong kicks I felt on friday I'm a bit dissapointed that I haven't felt a thing since!

Squid I think you deserve a medal for the work you do and your bean will be very proud to have a mummy who works so hard. You will be setting a wonderful example.

kyyria you're a legend. Those look just the job! I shall order in case this happens again as it has to be more effective (and slightly less visible in public) than the cubes I have.

Today I'm feeling exhausted cos I woke up at five and couldn't get back to.sleep for worrying about whether the new house (we saw a house, put in an offer and it was accepted yesterday) is the right one. I think some of my panic is also due to.me haaing to take on board living in a new place, bought with DF and having acne entirely different life (as a mum). Terrifying. Especially after dinner last night with DF's best buddy and his very annoying wife. Said wife spent 3 hours lecturing me on what I should and shouldn't so. Argh. She doesn't even have kids. DF tells me to smile sweetly and ignore her. I wanted to stab her with my fork.

Not acne. An. Blasted phone. Though I suspect I'll get to keep the acne for a bit longer. Joy.

beeble good haul. Bet the helmet gets the most use.

I have decided to say sod it and have a day off today - worked out that there has not been a weekend day when I have not done schoolwork for exactly 4 weeks . So today's the day, since DH is at work, so I get to bum around in my dressing gown, but he's home early so we can still do some stuff together. Cue a day of pottering and relaxing - lovely!

So far, I have steamed and clay-masked my face (I am so winning the war against spots and even though I panic and hyperventilate a bit when I'm sitting with my face over a bowl of steaming water, shut off from the world around me by a towel, it's still worth it!). I have also just managed to reserve a table at Heston Blumenthal's restaurant, so DH and I are off to eat snail soup and bacon ice cream in August, as a reward for suffering spending a week at Centre Parcs with me unable to take part in any of the remotely cool activities. Excited about the meal but, if I'm honest, a bit scared!

I am about to book flights to Paris for half term, as a last hurrah before we submit to being hermits for years and years as we are too knackered/broke/unorganised to leave the house. This all feels a bit decadent, but we have been in full-on saving mode since we got the BFP and DH has convinced me that spending a bit on ourselves is OK.

Plans for the rest of the day include a bath, filing all my recent letters and bank statements, shredding recent receipts, washing sofa covers and cleaning the bedroom. I so know how to live! But I do find that stuff relaxing, as it isn't work, and I'm terrible at doing nothing, it just makes me stressed.

Anyway, stop wibbling on about myself... sorry to hear about bad days and ongoing illness - Midget, glad you're feeling a bit better. Squid, awful sounding day, it must rock you to the core when you see things like that. For what it's worth, I think babies only take from us what they need - so they take energy, and food (hoping mine took some of that ice cream last night ), and oxygen etc, but I don't think they take the stuff they don't need - so I don't think that they pick up on stress or worry. I think they leave that firmly at the placenta door! The only way it might affect them is if it leads to you not looking after yourself, and not eating or relaxing enough, so making sure you do this, and letting others look after you, is important. Know what you mean about not being sure why your boy puts up with you though, I feel exactly the same about my DH. Often when he tells me he loves me, my (bitten back) instant response is "why? I don't understand how you do when you could go and find someone normal and less neurotic and more able to trust and less controlling ". But he just does, and maybe I think he is mad to, but it's his choice and he keeps on making it. Same with yours .

Kyyria, very jealous of your movement. Still none here. Baby having a big laugh at my expense by refusing to move. No idea where it could have picked up such stubbornness and refusal to co-operate .

LondonLivvy, I wonder in Mamas & Papas sizing is American, in which case an American 8 would be the same as a UK 12 (I think). That might make more sense. I ordered some legging from American Apparel and fell into this trap, and they are a pack of 3, and I wore one pair for a day before deciding they really were too baggy, and now I can't send them back as I've worn one from the pack pair for a day! Doh.

So, is there a trophy for longest post ever? I'm just so excited to have a day off, I can't stop talking, and there's no-one to talk to today except you lot so you drew the short straw. Sorry .

Yomping, 36 (but only for 8 more days :(), 18+2 (hello? baby? 18+2, you can move now!!!), DC1, verbal diarrhoea.

London, crossposted. She sounds like a nightmare. Stab her with your fork next time ! Houses - they are very much a gut feeling purchase, I think. So if you put in an offer, you wanted it and it's the right one. And who is DF?

Houses are scary things. Ours is feeling way to small and doing my head in. This morning I've found a bigger one just around he corner that looks lovely but I'm so wary of changing letting agencies. We had a bad experience with one and the one we've got now is pretty good so don't want to leave a good agency and end up with another shit one. However, I've had to ask for new kitchen cupboards and worktops recently. The Landlady visited on wednesday and sighed saying "I will have to sell it one of these day". That was a bolt out of the blue and I think meant "don't make this place any work for me or cost me money, or it'll be sold you'll be out on your arse!" Maybe not, maybe I'm being paranoid, but I don't feel comfortable now and the place is so small anyway it hardly seems worth staying.

I haven't talked to DH about this house yet and it costs a bit more money so I don't think he'll got for it anyway.

This is our first house. How likely is it that we'll get our deposit back if we move on?

Had an absolutely lovely day with a good friend today. We chattered for hours, ate lunch (she's a fantastic cook), and just were girls hanging out. YAY. She also talked through the house thing with me endlessly (aren't friends fab) and I am now 100% on board with the house. Let's hope we get it now (cos the buyers on my flat could still pull out)! Not sure I can cope with a 2 bed flat with seven bikes AND a baby. Oh and MIL is coming for a month over Xmas...

Sounds stressy Wantanorange but landlady may just have been having a moan without meaning anything by it?

Yomping DF is Darling Fiance - may have invented a term here? I refer to him sometimes as boyfriend which probably confuses the issue too! And good point re Mamas and Papas - that would make more sense! I am sometimes a 12 in some shops!

Right. Must go and do some jobs that I've been ignoring all day whilst sitting on the sofa and chattering. :-)