Hear me out on this one....

[DoubleCarrick]

Ok, so I think I have a crazy idea.

I'm currently 26 weeks pregnant and so far have hated pregnancy. I had a MMC last year which was traumatic and for the first trimester of this pregnancy was tense and nervous. I suffered awfully from sickness and nausea (although not bad enough for anyone to actually be worried), aces and pains, migraines and fatigue.

The nausea and sickness has carried on and started to subside at about 24 weeks. Lack of food has meant that I've lost weight and have generally looked like shit (face looking gaunt, dark circles around my eyes).

I suffered with some pelvic pain from about 10 weeks and by 14 weeks could hardly walk around the supermarket (my chiro has massively helped with this).

So all of these things seem to be resolving and now a couple of my ribs are almost permanently painful. I'm getting agitated and irritable and it's just making me want to cry. It's waking me up in the night and I'm just so tired and frustrated.

Ok, so I think mostly that's everything. On to my thoughts...

I've been doing some reading on hypnobirthing and the book I'm reading talks about the power of positive thinking. I spoke to DH about it last night and he said that he feels I have been focusing on the negative parts. He agreed that I've not been having a great time so I know it's not all completely in my head.

This is my plan...

Does anyone want to join me on a true positive thread? Things are shit, uncomfortable and worrying, yes. However, the idea is that the more you think of the positive things, the easier things feel and potentially the better things might go (obviously this is putting medical complications aside).

I'm going to fake it until I make it. I'm going to stop the whinging about all of the hard things and if anyone asks me how I'm feeling, I'll tell them something good. I'm going to ignore the breathlessness (tested and shown to be normal) and I'm going to go for a swim/a walk to try to strengthen my lungs. I'm going to ignore any worries and anxiety and just talk about how I'm looking forward to my baby coming and think about the preparations.

This thread is going to be my little positivity haven with not a single complaint in sight.

Maybe I'm mad? It can't hurt to try.

Would anyone like to join me with some relentless positivity?

SaltedCaramelEverything definitely ordering everything after giving birth! haha!

Macauley I would love to try Daisy birthing but it seems like it is quite far away from where I live. Trying to sort something out. Let's see!

DoubleCarrick Thanks for the tips! :) Bland soup for dinners!

soup!!! mmm I might make lentil soup for dinner tonight (for the fourth time in two weeks)

Chrystal there are loads of second hand bits everywhere. You'll be fine wit stuff, I'm sure.

Finished work and now on the sofa with a blanket. Going to stay here until DH gets home and might not even move when he does get home!

whatsername and chrystal I love maternity clothes! my bump got bumpy fairly early on and I was also really bloated so by 7 weeks I was in the maternity jeans lol. try to wear some of my old dresses but like you they feel tight and wrong so loving some bits I picked up from ASOS and new look.

I am also weirdly tidy at the moment DH doesn't know what has gotten into me. I was out the front of our house yesterday where he found me brandishing a mop cleaning down the windows and doors like a woman possessed hahaha

chrystal don't worry about not getting things yet I am sure all your instincts will kick back in. I heard a good piece of advice to get an Amazon Prime subscription just before the baby is born so you can order anything you need and it comes the next day!

I have a bit of an addiction to buying baby clothes baby is starting to have more clothes than me!

Good morning lovely people!

I think I worked too hard yesterday! I woke up this morning and realised I'd been trying to solve quadratic equations in my dreams! Not good!

I have a beautiful positive this morning. My housemate/friend who stays occasionally delivered a baby this week. He's in the medical profession but doesn't do it very often. He said all was grand and Mum and Baby were healthy. So lovely to hear even though I don't even know who the Mum is, what town she's in or anything, it was just a lovely story he told me when he came home.

This baby has his bum right up under my ribs this morning, hence why I've been up since six. 30 weeks today! Only 10 weeks to go!

It's flying by now double

I'm not sure what way up baby is but there is a definite foot in my ribs and something going on near my hip! The rib kicking is such a weird sensation but does make me laugh

I asked the midwife last week because I was curious. I get the strangest poking sensation in my groin which I assumed was hands. That seems to tally up with what the midwife said. My boy must be bent double because I get a lot of kicks around my belly button area - unless that's elbows or knees. But if his head is down and bum in my ribs he must be folded over. I feel thankful that I'm not getting any rib kicking but the pushing against my rib keeps giving me a weird pins and needles sensation in my ribs!

I posted a few weeks ago saying that I'd been practicing hypnobirthing and I'd let you know if it helped during the labour.
Well I can report back that it made a massive difference and I managed to give birth to a gorgeous little girl with just 2 parecetamol as pain relief.
The labour was straightforward. I made a conscious effort not to use the words 'pain' or 'hurt' and every contraction I kept saying to myself 'it's just a sensation, it's just a sensation'. I had the music playing the whole time which I found really calming and I kept telling myself I was doing a good job.
I can't recommend it highly enough as I felt like I was capable and in control throughout the whole labour which kept me calm.
There was still a lot of groaning and shouting and it did hurt but it never overwhelmed me.
You hear so many awful birth stories so I hope it's good to hear a positive one from me!! Best of luck everyone

Well done! positivity so lovely to hear!!! How is your little girl? Doing well? xx

She's a week today and doing great. I have found feeding quite tough but I went to a support group and that really gave me confidence to ensure I get a good latch. Best of luck everyone. It is so worth it, I'm totally in love with her!

awww positivity that's so lovely to hear. making me even more determined to try some hypnobirthing techniques now! congratulations

Hi everyone! Had a short stay in hospital after being admitted with severe pain under my ribs and being violently sick on Friday morning. Baby is fine, but I was warned by my consultant that pain under the ribs was a warning sign for pre-eclampsia which I had with dd, so went in to get checked out and they admitted me. They think it might have been either a gall stone that didn't show up on the scan or an abdominal migraine. Either way, antisickness and intravenous drugs sorted me out and I was discharged yesterday. Feel quite delicate and I'm struggling to eat anything as my stomach still hurts but no where near as badly as Friday. Anyway, the positive to come out of it is that I have ordered my hospital bag. I'm going to get packed as soon as it arrives as dh ended up bringing me the most random things! I figured it's not going to do any harm sat in a corner! Hope you are all well x

Poor you Whatser, but glad it's nothing sinister and you're on the mend.

I suffered with abdominal migraines as a child, they're vile. I used to get a weird feeling in my back then it would spread all around my abdomen in waves of cramps and unless I lay down immediately in a cool, dark room it would be hell. Also interspersed with vomiting.

I still get it occasionally now and Buscopan sorts it out (because it's the spasms that set it off I think) but can't take that in pregnancy so I'm crossing my fingers.

That's exactly what it felt like - waves of intense pain. I couldn't lie down or sit still because it was agony. Apparently I went grey too. They found an enlarged kidney on my scan so that explains the back pain I've been having. Hope I don't have it again because it was awful. Bought my changing bag too - hurrah for Amazon prime!

whatser it sucks that you've been in hospital. Was it you who has gall stones before on the other thread or was that someone else? I'm glad you're all checked over and on the mend. I've been thinking about packing my hospital bag too. I've been given a list that I need to find.

What changing bag have you gone for? I've ordered this one. Hopefully it'll be ok when it comes.

I accidently blew the hoover up this morning - a spark, a bang, smoke and a burning smell. It was rather dramatic. Am now looking forward to ordering a new hoover!! even though we have no money and are feeling very poor

This is my changing bag:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OVHPLRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have to say I was so tempted by the one you got because of the extra bags - I think they will come in really handy. In the end I went for the one that matched the pushchair!
On that note, I also ordered a pushchair! I learnt the hard way with DD that the more you spend doesnt always guarentee that a) it will last the test of time and b) baby will like it. We spent £600 on a complete travel system and dd hated the carrycot and ended up being carried in a sling. It broke when she was about 16 months old when I pushed the chair down a curb and the wheel snapped off. It was a complete waste of money really. This time, I had a look at one my friend bought from Argos - its a travel system and it was £190 from Argos. Its really lovely and sturdy and seems to get good reviews everywhere including from my friend. Had a look on Amazon and they were offering a 'warehouse deal' on the one I liked because the packaging was damaged. Anyway, I bought it this morning for £130! Car seat, pushchair and pram fitting! At least if it falls to bits in 12 months I wont feel like ive wasted my money like last time!

Aww whatser hope your feeling better. I'd never heard of an abdominal migraine before.

I'm thinking about my hospital bag but not actually got a bag yet. Also randomly popped into my head should I get a wax or not before birth, like that's important! Haha.
I had a good weekend mainly buying stuff for baby, got a few more things ticked off the list! Just trying to choose a car seat now which makes my head hurt.

Car seats are really much of a muchness. They all have to meet the same safety requirements so you really need to go with the one you like best and that fits your needs. We had a Gracco one that you clip in via a seat belt as we have two cars. Sil had just the one car so used an isofix Base. Both equally as good but worked for each of us in different ways.

mac I bought a lady shaver so I could keep it under control without shaving anything off!!! I'm trying to keep the hair under control but cant really reach or see. I have a preference for hair but I think it might be getting a little long. Dh will happily paint my toe nails for me but doesn't seem keen on helping me shave!

I have a silvercross travel system (second hand off ebay) so am going to go with the silver cross car seat and isofix base. That way it'll clip on to my pram base.

I'll check out the changing bag when I'm on the laptop.

Anyone thought about breast pads? They're on the hospital bag list

Breast pads are hideous but essential. I need to put them on my list too. My bags have arrived so.im going shopping for everything tonight. I want to start feeling organised!

Hey everyone...

So nice to hear your positive updates. I'm a month a way from the due date today (!) Here are my Positive Things...

We have managed to squeeze in a crib to the bedroom of our tiny home. In fact, I think we've got most of what we need and most of it seems to have a place to go. It is amazing how much you can do with good organisation.

The baby continues to wriggle day and night. After so much anxiety at the outset, it is a blessing to have this constant reassurance.

We have been given so many lovely little person things and we've bought a few of our own as well. She will most certainly be here by Christmas, so we've got some special Christmas outfits, which are completely frivolous but also very sweet.

My partner has been reading all the (many!) books on childbirth I've been piling up around the place and trying so hard to be supportive of whatever I want to do. We're going to a 'prepare for birth' class run by my yoga teacher this weekend. Pregnancy yoga has been amazing, and I feel so fortunate to have found this very knowledgeable teacher, who has witnessed hundreds of labours and births first hand (she's also a doula...) My sister and SIL have both been super helpful as well.

I think I've got most of the stuff on the list for a hospital bag now. Just need to put it in an actual bag!

Thanks for sharing your birth experience positivity! It is so encouraging to hear that hypnobirthing was helpful. That has motivated me to get back in to listening to the tracks, etc.

Whatser, Double, Mac, how far along are you now? I have somewhat lost track...

35+5 today!

I've ordered a hypnobirthing book and cd. I'm hoping it works for me too.

That's not long to go at all mike I'm 28 weeks so into the third trimester now

Evening all.

whatser I really like the changing bag you've picked. It's lovely! I went for black because my pram is black and also thought it would be ok for DH to use also. How are you feeling now?

I've just ordered some washable breast pads - exciting times. Something I never thought I'd have to think about purchasing!!

mike sounds like you're pretty organised. Have you started maternity leave yet? All of my baby clothes are bundled up in bin bags and dumped in the cot presently! I'm 30 weeks - I know we're all within a few weeks of eachother.

mac I listen to my hypno cd every night to fall asleep to. I never seem to get to the end and have slept so well since I've started doing that.

I'm feeling much better thanks! I've gone with washable breast pads too! Lovely to hear from you Mike! Those cheesy Christmas outfits are never frivolous! I adore the pictures of my dd dressed up in Christmas outfits! She was 5 months and I've got a picture of her in a Mrs clause outfit and a rudolph onsie!

Oh and I'm 28+4!