The Elderberry Helicopter #3, in which we continue to fret and play 'guess the sex'

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Open to all elderberry grads and anyone who fits the berry criteria: over 30, pregnant with #1 after trying for a loooong time, and nervous as hell. Come on in for handholding and nub theory!

[BlindKitty]

boom woop woop! Will inquire about drapage!

new home here

[BlindKitty]

boom patients are hilarious! I've been told all sorts! For example, how I shouldn't wear glasses as 'they add 10 years on me'. Erm thanks, it's not like I'm wearing them to see or anything.

merk have you literally had every pregnancy problem going?! At least you don't have long left now!

bunny hang in there. It's only a week even though I literally counted every minute of every hour when I was in your shoes

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Oooh, we need a new thread. Anyone volunteering?

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Stay positive bunny, there is something in there or all those tests you're doing wouldn't be saying so! and I'm secretly hoping there are two somethings in there but I am not allowed to speak of such things

Any chance you can get your head down for naps in the afternoons? It seems ridiculous to need granny naps at 6wks pregnant but I remember being exhausted, much better to give in and grab 40winks than try to struggle through it.

Ha I suspect you've just scared the living crap out of merk and thunder!

kitty I've just booked my photography session...eeeek! She sounds lovely on the phone so I feel a lot better about getting papped in my birthday suit. Explained about not wanting anything too graphic or full frontal and photographer agreed with me that drapage is the way forward, phew! I'm not telling Mr Boom I've booked it, I want to give him a framed one for his birthday in May...by which time the boombabies should be here. Argh..

[BlindKitty]

Wino I've been doing normal yoga (with adjustments) although I suspect it will start getting awkward. I've signed up for another pregnancy yoga as well.

Guys, what do you think me about doing Zumba? I've always thought it was pretty easy (never actually been) so figured I might cope. It's also only 45mins at my gym so might not be too bad?

[Bunnygirlie]

Hey all!

Well I don't really do much exercise apart from walking at lunchtime so won't start anything new! Think I will wait till after next Monday and then decide on the bath thing.

wino I have noticed more cm too! Also having some heart flutters, maybe the stress?

merk sorry you are suffering, this pregnancy malarkey is fun eh?

thunder sorry you're feeling crappy!
Have you passed it onto me? I feel sick and headachey too, I don't think I'm drinking enough water, DH has told me off!

Still feeling so tired, cutting back on caffeine is not helping!

So now it's February..... merk and thunder how does it feel knowing you are likely to give birth next month

One week today I will know if anything is in there

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Snort at mirror and bushwhacker, suspect I will need the same

Tally sorry you are having a crap day too. Boom, am certain you do not look 41, would be the crap lighting and her eyesight

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Sounds like carpal tunnel to me merk, poor old you. Oedema is a worry if sudden/extreme, accompanied by headaches/visual disturbance or epigastric pain. Mw will check wee and bp tomorrow anyway to rule out pre eclampsia. Suspect you'll just get referred to the physio for some wrist splints. You're having a bugger of a pregnancy! Have some

Sorry you're feeling crap too thunder. I also feel like pants today, just come off nights and trying to stay awake until 7 or so but struggling! One of the ladies I was looking after last night was chatting about twins etc and said 'oh you're doing well at your age' and I said I was only 31, she said 'oh I thought you were my age'... She's 42 maybe I need more beauty sleep..

Just got a reminder from the gp re: whooping cough. More needles, woooo!

On the bright side my maternity swimming costume arrived today and fits beautifully so off for a bob round the pool tomorrow although going to need a mirror and a bushwhacker to make it socially acceptable.

[Tallyra]

oh merk xxxxx. I'm at home with a bug today and I'm not sure how much sick pay I have left in the pot. it gets mind numbingly boring after a while I know. do you have any friends nearby on mat leave or not working much? if you can even get someone over for lunch occasionally it will help.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Sick pay. House is chaos!! How's yours?

[Thunderpantsarego]

Are they still paying you? How's the house- hopefully it's better to be bored in your own nest now?

[CatsCantFlyFast]

Yep, still signed off. Am bored stiff

[Thunderpantsarego]

Oh is that what it is- feet/face? I don't know anything about it but just remember something about swelling. I knew you'd know tho!

So what's happened with your work- have you just been signed off due to the breathing problems? So scary.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

I've a midwife app tomorrow however not too worried as my feet/face aren't swollen. A quick google suggests it might be carpal tunnel...it fits as I have no strength in my thumbs.
Sorry you're feeling crappy. I'm seriously contemplating a day in bed

[Thunderpantsarego]

merk is that oedema? Isn't it something you should watch out for?

[Thunderpantsarego]

Hi all- feeling crappy here today- headachey and really sick. Humph.

Re foods to avoid, after reading the expecting better bible, I have avoided undercooked meat, soft cheese and have been careful to wash stuff as Emily reckons toxoplasmosis and listeria are the real risks. I'm happy to believe her. Kept having baths tho, and have had the occasional glass of wine throughout. I wasn't really exercising before getting pg, apart from dog walking and I've kept that up as much as poss through the tiredness and feeling rubbish.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

I've had a new one for the last week, have been waking up with swollen hands. Today and yesterday it was painful to bend my fingers when I woke, although it gradually wears off during the day. Skin feels so tight though

[PoppySeedBun]

I didn't do much exercise I the first 12 weeks, but mostly because of sickness. Swimming is good, and I found that when I did go for a walk it helped a lot.
Also worth saying that the breathlessness is not just about being unfit - it also comes on anyway because your blood volume goes up so rapidly. I felt really breathless early on and it almost got better as I got bigger!
Oh, and wino - increased cm can definitely count as a symptom! For me, it did go up early on, but then increased even more from somewhere mid 2nd trimester.

[winohhh]

Bunny, I'm too scared to exercise too! I've kept up walking about 45mins a day, but stopped the gym. I understand it's fine to keep doing exercise you were doing pre pregnancy, but had only been running and doing classes etc intermittently and wasn't sure it counted. If I get to 12 weeks I plan to gradually reintroduce exercise then.

I was a bit sick in my mouth after dinner last night, and dry heaved a couple of times. Definitely counting them as symptoms! Also (tmi!) I've heard you ladies talk about an increase in cm. when did this start? I seem to have had an increase in the last week or two. Can I count this as a symptom???

[Tallyra]

I bathed as normal and didn't worry too much about food til I got too sick then I ate anything I could stomach. I also did nothing after 6 weeks due to the sickness and am now out of breath walking the dog up a small hill.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

I have never given up on my hot baths. Seems to be a UK specific thing as other parts of Europe (eg Sweden I think) are fine with saunas etc!
Diet wise I have eaten runny poached eggs since the beginning. Provided they are lion stamped they are from hens vaccinated against salmonella so they are fine. I think the only thing I haven't had is pâté, I really haven't worried too much about it as I have a steel stomach!
Exercise wise you are fine with anything you normally do, just don't start anything new. I however did nothing, I was a bit worried during the first 12 weeks that I would blame myself if anything did go wrong after exercising.

[BlindKitty]

I personally didn't have baths as I was worried I'd cook the baby or something but its meant to be fine as long as its not too hot.

I stupidly didn't exercise, again worried the baby would fall out or something and now I'm regretting it. 5 mins on a treadmill today (walk/incline) and I was out of breath! I was quite fit pre pregnancy!

I adhered to all the 'rules' re diet at first but I've relaxed them to an extent now

[Bunnygirlie]

merk if you want an honest opinion I have to say Tilly is the name of my parents cat so will forever be a cats name in my head.
Edie is cool though, sorry DH doesn't like it.

Right, if you can all remember back that far, did you have baths during your first 12 weeks? Did you exercise? I am worried that after dieting for Christmas party I am now gonna get chubby as I start to eat more.

What I really want is a medium cooked steak, poached egg with something followedd by a hot bubble bath and a glass of wine!

[BlindKitty]

bunny yeh she's doing ok. She's fallen out with her best friend though as she's hardly bothered with her since the mc. It's because she doesn't know what to say but when my friend brought it up she said she'd been distracted! Stupid thing is I know she's lying!!

foody me too but mine comes and goes. Got it from yoga today!!

[CatsCantFlyFast]

And as stupid as it sounds, try to be as upright as possible (even in bed)