The berry copter thread for all your clenching and hand holding needs

[BlindKitty]

Small print: ideally pg with #1 and had ttc for >12months although let's face it, we ain't as fussy as we used to be, just as long as you're nice

5 second generation berry babies and LOADS more to follow

Me too (tired, as in)

These two are goodies:

www.amazon.co.uk/Braggs-Organic-Apple-Cider-Vinegar/dp/B001I7MVG0

www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/326278_Biona_Unfiltered_Organic_Cider_Vinegar_750ml.html

They sell it in whole goods and health food shops. Don't judge me!

Whole FOODS obvs!

I'm 31 weeks now... and still having many moments of "this shit just got real!"... that said I do now have a stash of nappies for when it's really real!

Bushy, a thought on the midwife appointment - if your system is like my local one, you've probably been assigned to one specific community midwife who works on particular days. If those days never work for you, it may be worth speaking to whoever coordinates midwives locally and seeing if you can get onto the list for another midwife from the same team who has clinics on days that are easier for you to make. Remember you are entitled to paid time off work for ante-natal appointments.

Oh, and on the throat remedies, Boots do a nasal spray (cold and flu defence I think) which is safe to use in pregnancy - not as effective as Vicks First Defence but similar sort of principle of trying to zap cold germs before they get established. Ginger tea (though useless for nausea in my experience) can be quite nice on a sore throat, with or without honey. Other than that, I recommend paracetamol, lots of water and getting other people to look after you!

Hope the discharge and cramping settles down soon for all you new copter berries, and gives you a bit more peace of mind.

Discharge and cramping worse this morning. It is darkish yellow. Cramps quite noticeable. Am scared :(

Hand holding RP. When do you get the results from the swab?

In a week. Although, are you on a pg multivit?

Because I read something online this morning about how multivits can turn your discharge dark yellow - just like they can your wee.

I am deciding for now that that's what it is

Sounds sensible to me RP! My discharge was pinky. After close inspection i think it was a slight scratch(?!) mixing with cm. I've not had anymore, so I'm going with that until I have anymore!

I've given in and bought a Doppler machine. I know it will drive me crazy this early but I couldn't stop myself. Is this the way madness lies?? Did any of you berries get one? It doesn't arrive till the weekend. I figure I can only drive myself a bit crazy till my scan on Monday!

Hope all ok rp and win. I've decided to tell myself (over and over again) that "if it's not red, it's all fine"...let's see how long that lasts.

Don't think I could deal with a Doppler win - I'd just drive myself nuts and panic if I couldn't hear anything. I'm sure if you're not a complete neurotic like me, it'll be a useful, reassuring tool.

Went to meet my midwife for the first time today. It really does feel real now! Spent about two hours going through all my history etc and had a blood test. She also moved my 12 week scan as she said if been booked in too early. It's now on the 29th July instead of the 19th, so it makes more sense. May sneak another little private one in before then anyway.

Last day off today and back to work tomorrow. Have spent a week basically eating and sleeping! Feel good for it but work will be such a drag!

Hope everyone is ok.

RP hand hold here!

bushy I seem to have caught your sore throat (or is that thrust)

Oh win you are brave! I thought a Doppler would drive me nuts, at my 16w appt it took the midwife a while to find the heartbeat so don't worry if you can't find it, it is very very early!

Feeling crap here! Pregnancy is tough I won't lie to you ladies! Still nauseous in the morning, backache has kicked in, it's a nightmare trying to get comfy in bed, then you get up and need wees all the time, I have a cold, plus I think I have discovered stretch marks, had a meltdown last night

Hand holding rp. Can you ask them to hurry with the results?
I had a Doppler and found it reassuring. However I think it would be v difficult to get a heartbeat that early.

Hope all is ok rp!!

win I was leant one, only used it twice as I really struggled to find a heartbeat and that was at 20+ weeks when I could feel him wriggling. So don't panic if you struggle to find it.

Hi all, so some further discharge today but not bloody at all - haven't had blood since week 6 - and quite crampy but am trying to ignore this.

I did realise yesterday that my crampiness appeared to be partially caused by the waistband of my jeans cutting across my lower abdo I went to M&S this afternoon to buy elastic waisted linen trousers. The median age in that section of the shop was about 87

So, still here, still pg I feckin hope . Will probably go home and do a hpt to reassure myself. Does anyone else do that periodically? It is like my new magic power, making a bfp appear whenever I want.

win so glad things have settled down. Will be really interested to hear how you get on with Doppler! How much was it, if you don't mind saying?

I know, it's really early for a Doppler. I will defo try and keep that in mind if I don't hear anything! DH has suggested I wait till after the scan on Monday. If it's a good scan, we can try the Doppler and not freak out if we don't hear anything. We'll see if I can resist. It was £40 RP, from amazon. There were cheaper ones, but this one had the highest ratings. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sorry you're feeling crap bunny!! How much longer do you have till d day?

I,think DH is right win. I read some Amazon reviews of those after your post and there are plenty of women saying how hard it was. Don't torture yourself. Plus you could ask the sonographer about good technique if they are nice.

Am I the only one who has put on weight so early?

I did a HPT earlier and got a big fat bfp right away which made me feel better also cramping has died down, though still some yucky discharge, though not much, so probably okay.

Hey all, sorry to read about all the cramping and discharge worries. It's such a nerve racking time. If it helps I had quite a lot of cramping (hell of a lot in fact) on and off in the first trimester - it used to keep me awake and I would be constantly knicker checking! It worried the hell out of me at the time though...

I think dopplers are great when you get them to work, but I decided not to get one for fear of terrifying myself unnecessarily. The GP took 10 minutes to fail to find the heartbeat at my 31 week appointment - I think I'd have freaked out, even this late on, if I hadn't been able to feel the baby wriggling all that time - so I think I'm glad I didn't get one to use at home, particularly at a time when I had no other source of reassurance!

Lol at your elasticacted waist trews rp

Dh was commenting on how some women buy a machine thingie (he meant a Doppler) he thought it was really weird! Sorry win! Are you sure they are safe? And I'm sure I read something about trying to avoid excess scans as they don't know the effects of a lot.

bunny I don't blame you for having a meltdown that's a lot of stuff going on, are you using anything for stretch maks? I'm not sure creams etc help that much but better than nothing.

Bloody manic day today, feels like the length of a week. We've had a subject inspection, lasts 2 days, today was day one. My lesson ob went really well. Thought I was all done but apparently inspectors haven't seen enough of one aspect in the school so I've been asked(at 7pm tonight) to put on another lesson otherwise the judgement will stay same for school, no pressure there then!!

Was out with kids doing pe doing a few jumps etc, it seems that any physical activity, bar walking, sets off the spotting! Anyone else find this? I feel like I'm going to turn into a marshmallow if I can't do any exercise! Already feel a bit soft!

Bushy hence the trews!! I don't get spotting but I do get cramping so no impact for me. Swimming and walking only but too vomtastic to swim ATM.

rp it's such a headfuck isn't it?! I definitely going the first 12 weeks of pregnancy the hardest time of ttc

wino going to be really irresponsible now and tell you how much I loved my Doppler especially pre movement. Found it very reassuring. However, if you can't find the hb you need to be strong enough to realise its prob your error

Re 'shit just got real', the last time I said that was during labour and my plug fell out!

Snigger at Kitty's gangsta labour chat.

Still have discharge today but no cramping so have decided it is some variant of normal. I hope

Decided I needed to have pretzels and nectarines for lunch instead of my homemade sandwich

How is everyone else?

Kittythat shit really did get real then!!

Rp I still have spotting today. Inspection turned out well in end, bloody stressful though prepping something last minute, still kids were great, seems like the longest 2 days tho. Working at home tomorrow and I am v tempted not to set an alarm. I am cream crackered! Lots of comments about cracking open the wine and getting some bubbly in... I'm going wild having a coke zero- get me!!!

Don't set the alarm. My episode of bleeding got bad on a day when I had a big meeting 90 miles away at 8.30 am and had to drive there, deal with people all day, drive back, and then take an external out for a dinner meeting.

The MW said it is doing too much and your body telling you. I don't know if that's true as it felt a bit victim blamey to me iyswim but I also kinda like it because it gives me permission to rest when I feel tired.

Bushy, Feather, Win, I have to believe we will all make it. Fx for all of us!

We will make it rp!! We are edging closer every day!
That's interesting re the bleeds. The week I had that massive one we had an internal inspection, which was very stressful and I was still recovering from Ivf and the in 2ww. That week I would go to work and just come straight home and lie on sofa to try to slow the bleeding. Felt bad because dh would get home and I wouldn't have attempted to do anything. He was really lovely though and told me to stay there! I've noticed since then that I spot when I exert myself. Exert is a strong word as it happens any time I vaguely jump around a bit. Not great when you're a primary teacher trying to do pe etc. But frustrating tbh. And I'm going to get fat!!

Bushy I also find it frustrating as I am normally quite active - aerobics twice a week, yoga, swimming early mornings etc. Long walks on the weekend.

However I've decided to embrace it. Anything that makes me feel crampy - I stop. We have waited too long for this. If rest is what the dino needs, fine.

Honestly I sometimes feel that although I'm so tired, I can hardly sleep because I do so little exercise. But I figure in a few weeks, either I'll be dino-free :( or I'll be in the second trimester and able to do more.