How do you feel?!

[custardandrhubarb]

I am 22 weeks pregnant and very excited about our imminent arrival, but at the same time I feel like my head is all over the place! It's not just the examples of baby brain, which mostly I've been able to laugh about :) there's a whole bag of emotions - fear in case something goes wrong or I do the wrong thing and harm the baby, excitement as his kicks get stronger, impatience at having another four months to go and generally just feeling like I'm riding a bit of a rollercoaster in the emotional stakes. How do you ladies feel?

I have a tendency to massively overthink things and I'm sure I should just be relaxing and enjoying the ride, but I'm finding that difficult! It's lovely when I feel him move and to think about when he'll be here with us and I know pregnancy is a special thing but right now, if I had an option to fast forward through the next four months, I'd take it.

Just curious about how everyone else is doing!

Im 30 weeks pregnant and feeling pretty much the same as you!!

Very excited most of the time though sometimes worried (is baby ok? Esp if I dont feel movement for a while); sometimes impatient (roll on September!); sometimes like I just want to cry (guess thats hormones?!); and often very very tired which can lead to frustration as it stops me doing what I want!!

Also sometimes feel overwhlemed with everything - the latest 'crisis' has been about which pushchair to buy!!

Finally, on countdown to Maternity Leave from work now which has also brough mixed emotions. Obviously am really looking forward to baby's arrival though its going to be strange having a completely different routine (or more likely, no routine for a while anyway!!) and have never not worked so it will seem strange not doing so and not bringing in any money etc.

I think it is all very normal though and the most overarching emotion is excitement - I cant wait to meet baby!!

Glad it's not just me littlecherublegs - I'm the first of my friends to get pregnant and not started NCT classes yet so sometimes it's hard to know - though I guess pregnancy must be different for everyone!

Sorry to hear about your pushchair crisis - I can empathise as we started looking the other week and I was amazed at the range and seeming complexity, not to mention the cost! We've just bought a new car so we have enough room for a pram, it's an expensive time.

When are you starting maternity leave? I'll be working until 12 October if all goes to plan (may have to stop earlier as currently have complete placenta praevia so need to see if that has changed by 32 weeks). I can't wait to stop work though, but like you think it will be a shock to the system.

Thanks for responding and I wish you all the best for the next ten weeks and beyond :)

Thanks custard!

Im quite lucky in the sens I have a few friends who have babies now so they have been great at giving me advice and calming me down!!

The pushchair thing wasnt really a 'crisis', I was just getting a bit overwhelmed with the choice out there, and like you say, the cost! We too have just bought a bigger new car (needed a 5 door one with a bigger boot) and that together with buying things like cot, moses basket, bath, clothes, toys, etc., this little one is costing us a small fortune already!!
All exciting stuff though!!

I start Maternity Leave on 27th July so only 4 weeks to go, whoop! Feels like I've switched off from work already though!!

When is your due date? Do you know what you're having?

Heres wishing you all the best anyway!

Same as you.

All completely normal.

I think, if I actually sat down and thought about what actually happens through pg and birth, and what will come afterwards (not as rose tinted as first timers ) then I don't think I would have got to having our third baby.

All scary stuff with no instruction manual of a definitive what is right, what is wrong !!! Learning on the job with a newborn that depends on you for everything? Er, not sure I'd want to commit to that!

However. I can promise you that pg is the easy bit and the best time for you to spend as much time as possible with your dp or dh as life will be very different once baby is here.

Wouldn't change it for the world though, and I can prove it as I'm on my third

Good luck ladies x

Our car change was for the same reason, we had a Ford Ka before so couldn't really get much smaller! That's the biggest purchase sorted at least, we haven't bought anything else yet apart from a few clothes - think I'm going to get all the rest over the summer as I have some leave to use up! Also, I don't want to get things too soon as I'll have nothing to occupy me later on when I imagine time will really start to drag.

4 weeks isn't long, you must be excited! I'm really busy at work at the moment (and yet distracting myself on here :)) but for all that the time doesn't seem to be going that quickly! When are you due? Our due date is 1 November, but as I say, may have to have a caesarean before that if my placenta hasn't moved out of the way. And yes, we're having a boy :O How about you, do you know what you're having? Is this your first?

BoysBoysBoys thank you for the advice - DH and I are going away for a week in August which I'm really looking forward to. We've also been going out a bit more in the evenings which I guess won't be happening for quite some time after baby puts in an appearance! I guess I shouldn't wish the time away because, much as my life has changed already in being pregnant, I'm sure I am pretty clueless about just how much it will change when he's actually here. I'm just looking forward to feeling more like myself again, but perhaps that won't happen either and this is just part of preparing for motherhood and all the changes that brings?! (Told you I overthink...)

Pleased to hear that it's all very normal though, as I said, I don't have any reference point really, so am finding mumsnet very useful and comforting :)

We're due 11th Sept (according to hospital dates; though according to may dates I think it is more likely to be around 17th Sept., though who knows? It will come when it wants I guess?!)
We dont know if its a boy or a girl - DH didnt want to find out and although im VERY curious, I thought the surprise might be nice too. I think girl; hubby thinks boy so one of us will be right!! And we dont mind either way
And yes, it is our first, eek!!

Thats really good that you and DH are going away in August; we went away last month for our 'last in a while couples only' holiday!
Been doing quite a lot together too as well as seeing friends and family as we know once baby is here (esp for the first 3 months or so) we probably wont be going very far and/or out socialising too much!!

Have you thought of names for your little lad yet then?