Due in Oct 2012 - part 4!

[Angelico]

Back for more...!

Evening all!! 's all round :)

Just had quick scout to see what's been going on seems to have been a busy couple of days!!

Welcome to all the new ladies

Decided to take a few days away from the whole travel system mind boggling nightmare,my friend was totally fine & thought nothing of my reaction so it was just me being a total nob!!

My lovely SIL has sent me home with even more stuff today bless her,I now have a bag full of babygrows (suitable for pink & blue) a bouncer a toy arch thing to go on car seat & a full body muff which can be attached to the pram!!
Love her she is saving me soo much money!!

Squiqqlywiggly I would love a HB but alas I am not allowed one. Bah.

Hi ladies,

Had an absolutly horrid couple of days, the blood pressure tablets knocked me for six at first :-( had a constant headche, threw up 5 times that first night, and just been EXHAUSTED so been in bed with my 4 yr old at 8pm for the last 2 nights. Feeling tons better today, (although not 100%), and my blood pressure has gone down slightly so hopefully the tablets will do their job now. Spoke to my dr, midwife, the nurse who took my bp and a friend who is a nurse, and they all said the symptoms I have had are common side effcts of blood pressure tablets, it should wear off after a while and I must keep taking them as getting my blood pressure down is more important than the rubbish side effects. I wanted to scream at the dr when he first told me to keep taking them as I couldnt understand how something that was makingme feel so rubbish could possibly do me any good but it seems he MAY have been right lol.
On the plus side, been getting lots of cuddles from my 4 yr old, and hubby has done the majority of my housework all wk (a definate first!) Still had to drag myself to work :-( but looking forward to a family wedding on saturday, and a concert in Birmingham next thursday. Hope everyones had a better week than me, and if not, its nearly the weekend :-) Thanks for all the get well wishes xx

Hi to all the new ladies :)

londonlivvy - so pleased to hear your boss?s reaction.

squid - lovely to hear reports of a better day from you. I hope the general trend heads in that direction for you.

Kyrria - lol at your ?custard cannons? dream ? I had one a bit like that with milk going everywhere and trying to push the baby at my boob mid-flow! (of course I wouldn?t do that in real life ? I love how mad pregnancy dreams are though!)

According to DP I apparently started sleep-talking last night; something about blue lips and swimming. I?m not surprised that I?m caught in that that mid sleep/wake cycle as I?m on about 4 visits to the loo half asleep now (but mostly in the early morning, thank god).

CWest - sorry to hear about the blood pressure and the side effects of the tablets. I?m glad you?re getting lots of tlc though and try not to worry about it. I?m sure I?ll be next. My last BP (2nd trimester) was 130/85 which the doctor called ?fine? but considering our blood pressure is supposed to be on the low side in 2nd trimester, and mine was consistently about that before pregnancy (and I?m having lots of problems with swelling feet/ankles) I feel it?s almost a foregone conclusion that I?ll end up with high BP/PE. Still, what will be will be.

bella2012 - hope the performance went well! I?m sure it was wonderful. Moosey & Bimps! ? that?s sooo sweet! I did chuckle! Your DS sounds like a delight! :)

Smorgs - lol and sympathy at the fanjo-probing shock. I?m yet to experience the ?norms? of Norwegian ante-natal care but they seem to have a very ?hands-off/let nature take it?s course? approach in general. However, I am under a gynaecologist so who knows?

All this talk of swaddling etc. has really freaked me out. I keep getting really freaked out by choices/decisions like swaddling, dummies etc. It led me to a big google/information search. It seems some companies do make grobags now for newborns and if your newborn is 8lbs+ you can use them pretty safely. As for dummies, I know a lot of people swear by them and they?re the ?norm? here from hospital to 2 years but I just don?t like the idea of my child with one. I have no idea why. Then everyone I talk to makes me feel odd and abnormal for feeling that way. Lists aside, I keep feeling that now is my time to think these decisions through as I?ll have no ?time? to go through the pros and cons once the baby?s here. But then I decide to just ?not think about it? and go watch a bit of telly instead . But I don?t want to be ?head in sand mummy? .

41, 18+5, 1st baby, wet round the ears, still mahoosive and without suitable bras?

So I need help... turns out I am unqualified for my clothes :( I bought an Isabella Oliver wrap top on eBay, and I can't work out how to wear it properly . The actual top bit is really short, and the wraps are about a mile long, and I can't work out how to get both of them to cover up the bottom of the top at the back (still with me?) and then wrap around, with them both spread out, as if I spread one out to wrap it, that bunches the other one up. Then they don't meet with enough left to tie up. Clothing fail :( I have just googled it and it turns out there are actually instructions... for an item of clothing. I think if an item of clothing needs instructions, it's getting a bit silly.

In the same eBay hoard, I also bought a lovely skirt from White Stuff but it is also confusing as it has 2 strips of material at the back that look like they should be brought round the front to tie, but aren't long enough, Surely a big bow at the back looks dumb?

I'm perplexed by my clothes .

Also yesterday I used my new £10 brolly from M&S and it's beyond crap, I know it was cheap but I still expected a fully functioning item, not one that barely covers my head to start with then collapses in a puff of breeze.

I don't feel like I have the energy to battle with clothes and umbrellas, lol. Thank goodness it's PE day today and I can just wear a tracksuit!

CWest, glad to hear you are starting to feel better, sounds like you have had a horrible time of it. .

smorgs

I think I may have felt movements for the last 2 nights, when I lay down in bed and really tried to move my entire consciousness to the belly area - but then again, might just have been general internal rumblings after dinner.

Lol at my friends who have had their baby 4 days and have completely swamped facebook with photos, every day. He's cute, but really, this many photos? I'm so not going to be that obsessed with mine

Ah, TFI Friday, only a 4-day week and I'm still completely wiped out. Have a goof Friday, boardies!

Yomping, 36 (for 3 more days and I apologise now because it will become a daily countdown, not that I get excited about birthdays or anything ), DC1, 19 weeks today, happy birthday Wriggly Biff!

I've got my 20 week scan in an hour...

So excited and a little bit nervous...

Will report back later!!! (or tomorrow probably, going straight to work after and friends over later)

squid, 20+3

Those clothes sound like a nightmare Yomping, hope you've found something comfy that doesn't need instructions! Think I'll stick with just undoing buttons for as long as I decently can.
Good luck for the scan squid, first 20 week scan among the October clan I think? Will be thinking of you.
Thank goodness for Friday...

oh good luck squid! Enjoy and let us know how it goes!

fjord thanks so much for asking about my play. It was great in the end. I was so proud of my 6th form. Sadly I have to wait until August to find out the results! But am soo chuffed it is over, hopefully life will be less stressful now and I can actually 'feel' pregnant more often. Does anyone else feel guilty when hours
go by at work and you are so busy that the baby hasn't even crossed your mind?

Try not to worry too much about swaddling, dummies etc. Just like the travel system discussion it will all depend on what your little baby likes. My DS loved the security of being swaddled but my best friend's baby loathed it and wouldn't wear anything remotely restrictive. I was dead against dummies until DS wanted to feed 24/7 and the midwife said that he isnt hngry he just wants to suck. He had his dummy occasionally for comfort and gave it up quite willingly before he was 1 so apart from the expensive things that you have to get now, my advice, (humble as it is) is to just wait and see. You are not a head in the sand mummy, you sound like a great Mummy already and are doing everything you can to prepare.

Big wave to baccus my due date buddy! I am not holding out much hope of being on time! In fact I hope I will be late as DS's 3rd birthday is the 17th and the baby is due the next day! Busy month for us! How are you feeling? When is your scan?

Hugs to all, especially those of you who are so poorly with sickness and mastitis- get well soon!

Age 29, dc2 17+1 DD 18th Oct

Off to see the consultant today. Not sure what to expect other than a telling off for being overweight.

On the bright side, today is the first day that I actually look pregnant not just a bit podgy. A proper little bump.

Stared to look at maternity clothes and struggling. It would appear that overweight people don't have babies. Everything seems to stop at a 16 and I need an 18/20. Surely other fat people have kids, I can't be the only one.

Aw, poor doodlekitty! For my part, I'm rejoicing - after years of not being able to buy clothes in normal people's shops (the true fate of the size six lady, do not envy us) I have gained enough weight that I can buy a size TEN! In fact yesterday, I bought some slouchy yoga-type pants at Sainsburys in size TWELVE!

EXCELLENT.

doodlykitty New Look seem to have a really big online maternity collection that I remember going to large sizes... also, are this year's non-maternity trends (I'm thinking of lovely floaty tops and maxi dresses and things) any use to you?

yomping I bought two of those from maman jojo bebe, LOVE them but I see where you're coming from with the fabric wrangling. I decided that mine was... shall we say, 'safest' with a cami/vest if that helps. I tie the tie in a double knot on the left hand side just above the hip.

These demi-camis look really useful, considering buying some (could be good for breastfeeding too): shopsecondbase.com/demi/

hth!

1st baby, 20+1 (yikes!)

doodlykitty New look definitely does size 18 and their sizing is generally ok I think. And isabella oliver does size 20 and their sizing is a little on the generous side I find (I'm normally a 12 in tops but find their 12 quite roomy, even with my enormous GG bosoms) so that could work (NB there is a sale section on their site or also good bargains on ebay).

squidkid, are you going to find out if its a girl or a boy?

Hi Yomping the good thing about 2nd time is I feel mvmt sooner. I've been feeling it for weeks but it was only if I was at rest. Now I can feel it even if I'm doing things. It's very reassuring as I had 2 mental events in the early days where I panicked as I thought I'd MCed. I think I began feeling about this time with DS, especially in the evening after eating.
I'm 19 weeks today too, scan for next Friday.
I think IO have instructions on their website. I had the loan of a IO top first time. It was dressy, more for occasion than every day because the wrap moved over the day but it was lovely to be a bit smarter now and then. Must ask my SiL if she still has that top.

My birthday is next week too, the 15th. Do you mean to find out if it's a boy/girl. I did with DS but couldn't keep the secret so I'm thinking of not finding out this time.

Thanks guys. Will check out Isabella Oliver (had never heard of her!).

Just got back from consultant after being at the hospital for 2 hours because they have lost my notes! Not happy. Hospital has had one mess up after another with me from not actually booking me in after booking in app, losing blood tests and now this.

Hubby really wants us to change hospitals but there is a 30 min difference in travel time so I'm not sure.

Consultant basically said "you're intelligent. You know what you should be eating. See you in 12 weeks"
Waste of time. But I do get extra scans at 28 and 36 weeks

Oh, doodlekitty, that sux, how annoying. My hospital has actually been pretty good so far - we have to keep our own notes which is just as well as the receptionist has a meltdown in any situation where she has to mulit-task - god forbid someone turned up for an appointment, the phone rang AND she had to locate some notes at the same time :)
Hope you saw lots of baby tentacles wriggling about at your scan, squid.
So much maternity shopping going on, am well jel! My friend recommended a belt expander, MrsConfusion. It is quite good, but you do need to cover your flies, so you have to wear long tops with it....so, i dont really feel i can justify mat shopping yet, as that is doing the trick and i just wear trackies to work, anyway.
smorgs, i think there is just too much to read about! I spent yesterday learning about the difference between vests, rompersuits, sleepsuits and babygros and how you combine them all and how many you need - maybe we should delegate each topic (prams, dummies etc), then we can all research and report back, and then we can all watch more tv :)
Bella2012, i will hope we are both late, in that case. I am taking some annual leave before my mat leave, and apparently i will lose it if baby comes early. Had been feeling great, up until a week ago -I've had 2 festy colds in the last week and today there has been a case of pregnancy rage for no apparent reason...just like pms! How r u doing? My scan is 29/5, can't wait :) You know, i actually feel relieved when i get distracted at work and forget about baby - i feel like a normal person again and not a pregnancy obsessed woman :) That's why i like this thread - i can bang on endlessly about my pregnancy and hear about everyone else's experiences which makes me less likely to traumatise my non-parent friends with constant baby/pregnancy chatter :)

doodlekitty I'm a big girl too - was size 20 before being pg - currently aiming for 22/24 mat clothing.

Am definitely getting a bump of sorts (coat is now at point where zip is going to bust next time I try and fasten it) but unfortunately it is still hidden by general flab :0(

ZoePlankton - wow, 3800 messages, now that's impressive everyone!

MrsConfusion - LOL re enthusiastic nipples! Mine are like that too, I've got a sports bra which is really comfy but I couldn't wear it to work as it was too obscene with my Dolly Parton boobs and cork nipples in the first trimester (luckily things have slightly calmed down for the moment!) I got a M&S non-wired support bra which has a seam across the nipple to tether them a little.

It's so interesting to read everyone's stories - good to know others are going through similar things to me. I also spend hours researching prams, travel systems, three, four wheels etc etc. I think I just need to go and try them out and set a budget before we go - some of them are sooo expensive. I also didn't realise baby clothes came in so many sizes - it is a whole new world

Smorgs So sorry but the fanjo thing actually made me laugh out loud, aha ha ha ha! Sympathy to you though, thats not a nice way to start the day... although it could be worse

Hope the scan went well squid!
I have had a truly horrible week which I just cannot talk about without being reduced to tears, but I'm glad that everyone seems to be well... Cwest hope you are feeling better.
lots of love x

Not been on here in a while, lovely to hear everyone's stories - aren't we all progressing?

Unfortunately work not so progressive for me, boss tried to cancel pre agreed hols next week and had no understanding when I said I needed that time to care for DP who is having major surgery. She also added that I was already having time off for pregnancy related stuff so shouldn't expect to be able to take hols as well

Doesn't bode well for remaining 4m and just know there is going to be an awful atmosphere now

Anyone else had their mgr make an issue out of midwife appts etc? I hope not.

Morning lovelies

Well scan yesterday was a mixed bag... firstly and most importantly baby is all fine... it was lovely to see little squid again... no problems on any of the measurements they do... we decided not to find out the gender.

However at the end they told me my placenta was low-lying and I had to wait and see someone about it for ages trying to remember how problematic this was from age-old medical school classes... I think I will explain this because the midwife (when I finally saw her) said it was so common (affects 1/4 women at 20 weeks) so it may well happen to others here - sorry for old-timers who already know all this. Basically my placenta is currently about 1cm from the cervix (though not touching or covering it, which they treat a bit more seriously). It has every chance (90%, the midwife quoted) of moving clear of the cervix as my uterus grows in which case it won't be a problem. As I said, 1 in 4 women have it at 20 weeks, and only 1 in 600 or something at delivery. I am having another scan at 36 weeks (feels like an ETERNITY away) to check it again. If it hasn't moved I'll be seeing the consultant and it will probably have to be a c-section. (if it's covering or touching it would definitely be a c-section). In the meantime if I have a massive bleed (!) I have to go straight to hospital as that is how these things normally present.

So it probably won't be a problem at all, and, like my midwife mate who is pregnant and refusing scans currently says, will probably be an example of how these scans highlight things which clear up on their own anyway and only succeed in unnecessarily frightening women.

I was a bit upset yesterday as (maybe this is selfish) I've always been so up and about and active and the thought of having a c-section and all the recovery from that really got me down. Also I've been working so hard on thinking positively about labour and I really DON'T have any fears on that front (currently at least). And I still want a home birth, if it moves away ok. Didn't really expect a potential spanner in the works so early, I suppose!

Obviously the main thing is little squid is fine!! Trying to focus on the important things but it's hard not to worry, I guess. Boyfriend is a gambler and likes the odds, so he's not worried. I have to admit I feel now like I wish I hadn't had the scan at all! Little squid is kicking a lot.

Cwest urgh, that does sound rubbish. Hope the side effects are clearing up now. Generally blood pressure tablets have quite mean side effects, and it's a bit limited as to which ones you can use in pregnancy. Thinking of you, I'd hate to be taking drugs as well as all the pregnancy-ailments we get!!

Yomping your description of trying to get into the top was hilarious . I don't have a problem with maternity clothes sizing (so feeling for Zoeplankton and Doodle - the choice seems so limited already, but I'm a safe and predictable size 10, they seem to stock that everywhere) but... the clothes are so drab and boring. I have a couple of stretchy tops now and some jeans. I wear one of the tops a lot as it's very fitted and stretchy and is pretty much the only item of clothing that makes me look pregnant! My bump seems quite small so in normal clothing I just look a bit dumpier round the waist. I've not really got much bigger - just between 10 and 12 in shops now and NOTHING is flattering. I want the bump to GROW so I look preggers not misshapen!

Doodle the appointment does sound a little pointless, but they like to keep a closer eye.

Beccus trackies to work sounds good - I'm in scrubs, loving that too! I am barely started on the research too - carseats a mystery, going to the "Sling Library" next month to try some out, I did spend most of a sunday looking at nappies though I'm a big fan of ebay.

OCtoberOctober really sorry to hear about your problems at work and your awful boss. I had a lot of obstructive people as well, though not about antenatal appointments. Suggesting you need to take appointments as leave is absolutely ILLEGAL, though. I don't know if this link is at all helpful:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10026556

"All pregnant employees, however long they have been in their jobs, are entitled to reasonable time off work for antenatal care. Any time off must be paid at your normal rate of pay. It is unlawful for your employer to refuse to give you reasonable time off for antenatal care or to pay you at your normal rate of pay."

"I was a bit upset yesterday as (maybe this is selfish) I've always been so up and about and active and the thought of having a c-section and all the recovery from that really got me down."

squidkid- That does not make you selfish at all!!! I am happy bean is fine though, although slightly disappointed you didn't find out the gender :P

Sorry to hear about your bad week, MickeyTheShortOne :(
OctoberOctober, your boss sounds like a nightmare - can your union help you?
Squidkid, my friend had the same scan result as you and also wanted a home birth, and was v. anti c-sec, so was a bit worried she may have to change her plans. But, like in most cases, it moved out of the way and she had her 2nd home birth with no probs. Not selfish at all to worry about recovery from c sec - picking up and caring for baby with sore wound would not be fun. Good for you for getting your head around labour. I still have a long way to go on that one! We're not finding out, either!

Who has a scan next?

Mine is on Thursday.

Happy weekend everyone :)

Doodlekitty - Re larger maternity clothes M&S do stretch maternity leggings up to a size 20 here.

I put on a lot of weight (it seems - I hadn't realised) just before I got pregnant, which isn't good. I was always at least a size 16/18 on top (huge bazookas) (probably nearer 20 up there now they're expanding...) and now I must be a base of 16 at least on the bottom (not measuring...better that way - used to be a 12 ). However, I have big fibroids so my abdomen was distended a bit like a pregnancy bump before all this so I had long given up on clothes with fitted 'hard' waistbands as they started to dig and feel sore (I'm long torsoed and short-waisted as well which doesn't help). Anyhow, point being, there are lots of clothes out there that arent' 'maternity clothes' that are suitable for maternity. I'm living in tunic or loose-fit tops or loose fit v-neck t-shirts (although I'm finding I either need everything longer or a bump band). I have a great dress I bought for a tenner from H&M 'larger' dept that was 2 sizes too big at the time but is stretchy and can be smart/casual and has plenty of room for any stage of bump. Also, M&S do a great pair of wide leg trousers with a really nice cut and a really soft elasticated waistband that I discovered when my fibroids got big; smart enough for work yet feel casual, as comfortable as PJs and masses of room for the bump. They're about £25 I think.

I guess it depends what you're looking for; a lot of women are concerned with keeping clothes still 'fitted' all over but just accommodating the bump (and I'm sure if I'd been working out hard to maintain an amazing figure I'd probably want to do the same but alas... ). If you don't mind wearing loose fitting clothes I'm finding much nicer and cheaper choices in non-maternity sections. If you're worried about looking 'fat' instead of pregnant in clothes that are too loose fitting, I wear a close fitting t-shirt over wide leg trousers when I'm going 'out' - close fitting t-shirts seem to 'hug' your burgeoning 'bump' and emphasise it I find :) (trust me on that - I have a mahoosive bump for 19 weeks thanks to my 2 fibroids, each the size of my uterus more or less). If you're not super trend-conscious, leggings or even jeggings are great with pretty tunic tops over... That's what I'm going for...that, sticking with my comfy wide legs and any dress I find that looks like it will accommodate a bump :) (but I'm not that fussy about clothes - I tend to dress in very plain classic items and only get fussy/seasonal about shoes, jackets, accessories etc. so I guess I am easy to please in some respects - cheap plain jersey separates do it for me ). I've given up worrying about 'looking fat' for the duration of my pregnancy (since I have an excuse) only I won't lie I do sit there and feel slight self body-loathing occasionally at the mo but I keep telling myself that the reason for it will more than make up for it. I can worry about it when I can do something about it after the baby .

Hope some of that's helpful :)