PMA Grads Thread :-)

[Dollydaydream2829]

Hey ladies,
We've finally made it to the other side and are journeying through the unknown territory of pregnancy! Here to share our stories, our worries and keep that all important PMA!
This is a thread for our PMA TTC Grads and for any women expecting their babies and feel like injecting a bit of positivity into their pregnancy journeys and the gang!
Feel free to join and introduce yourselves below :-)

I'm so excited for you @bella! I'm thinking a little boy! Because you haven't had much/any sickness and along with your experiments! Good luck! Hope baby plays ball. You're so prepared on the baby shopping front too! I defo need to get a move on....

@moo - you also seem very prepared! Hopefully it'll spur me on soon. I've only got a pram so far 🙈🙈 On the emotional front- my hormones are playing havoc just now! Arguing with DH almost constantly just now which is making me feel pretty down. I'm trying to rationalise that I'm not the easiest to live with just now but I do feel he has to factor in some of the blame with himself. I feel that we should be making the most of our baby free days just now and going out a bit more but it's as if he's stopped trying?

@Amanda - my bum and thighs have got bigger and noticed it much more on first trimester - now seems a bit more balanced as my bump grows! I've attached a pic of my bump at 22 weeks - I get a lot of comments from EVERYONE - 'Your bump is very small' 'Your bump is huge for how tiny you usually are' etc - don't know what to bloody think! Haha! Enjoy Barcelona!

Good luck with your sorting @baking - hopefully you'll manage to make good savings by sorting through the stuff! That's what I plan on doing if I'm ever brave/lucky enough to do this all again! Haha!

Lovely bumps ladies! Nice neat bump for 22 weeks @dolly. I think smaller An nest bump earlier on is best as once you get past 30 weeks I'm sure you will be thankful of it as it must get so uncomfortable with a massive bump.

Anyone else got any bump pics?! I have no bump yet to show 😂 I have naturally a very slim size 8 so my iron board stomach is no more but there is no bump. Just thickening waist I've noticed an tighter clothes. But I am
Only 10 & half weeks so spect I won't show until a lot later like 20 weeks

Xx

Aw cute bump @Dollydaydream2829 it's my bum that's massive u look great I think!!!

Aww lucky u @Anna2006 I feel horrible 😭

aw thanks ladies! i'm sooo nervous! why tho? haha i can't work it out. such strange emotions!

will be leaving for appt in about 45 mins. eeeeek

i haven't taken a bump pic as i don't think iv got 1. i had a tummy anyway and i'm still in my normal clothes 99% of the time. iv actually lost weight so i'm 3-4lbs down on weight at conception so maybe my tummy isn't fatty now it's actual baby. midwife told me that iv probably lost about 10-12lbs but baby is making up the difference!

i haven't got a defined waist anymore as i did have the hour glass shape but that's definitely thickened out!

your bumps looks fab ladies and if it means you got some booty, then work it like beyoncé! haha. xxxx

Can't wait to hear what your having Bella, I was super nervous too. Well I got the email saying health wise all was well but the sex attachment was missing and there was like 2 hrs I was waiting till they resent it and it was like I was about to give birth or something.
Amanda I have been feeling crap too, my nausea has actually got worse since 11 weeks, I'm 12+5 today, I puked 3 times before setting off to my 12 week scan today and the cried in the car cos I felt like I was too sick to be excited. Luckily it cleared by the time I got in there, so I wasn't just lay there thinking don't puke.
Anyway scan went well ladies:) will post photo later, seemed to be a lot blurrier than my 10 week scan though.

I'm upgrading my car too as want 5 door, I have a bad back so don't think I cud mama age otherwise. I really don't want a big car though, I like small and racey but the 5 door big boot thing is kinda narrowing down my list.
Oh and I think I'm quitting my job after maternity so will be going as early as I can. They started monitoring our pcs in secret despite the fact as a home workers we are allowed to use them for personal use. They prob knew I was pregnant a few weeks ago!

@amanda I think you look just wonderful. Don't fret and enjoy it. The exscuse isn't always pregnancy ☺️

Excited to hear once you get back Bella.

Very glad your 12 week scan went well Rose. I'm itching for mine to be sooner. It feels an age away. I think I'm the last one to have my dating scan?! You guys all need to do a due date list now. Don't wait for me as it will weeks 😂😂

That was meant to say - the excuse is always pregnant. Not isn't lol!

absolutely delighted to introduce my baby boy 💙

here he is sucking his thumb and also a pic of the crown jewels 😂

i may have hinted that i really wanted a boy but i was too scared to say it out loud (and also tried to keep DH from assuming it was a boy) so we are absolutely over the moon!

now the name battle begins lol!

he wouldn't sit still (might have been the 2 cans of coke i had this afternoon as i was scared the baby would get into position if it was sleeping haha)

heard a fab strong heartbeat too. awww it was bloody amazing!

how did you get on at scan @Roseandbee regarding dates? did they move you forward/back? x

@Anna2006 i know it feels ages away but honestly, it'll be here before you know it xx

Ahh @Bella congrats!! 💙💙💙 the gender tests were right!! Enjoy your break 😀

@Rose brilliant your scan went well too! Sorry to hear about your sickness 😕 I hope it passes soon for you. That's very sneaky of your work - such an invasion of privacy. I'd be very annoyed too.

@Anna I know it feels slow waiting for it but it will be here before you know it :) I think i started to do the due date list ... I'll check what I wrote down and see what else I need! We'll be on thread 2 before long and by then we will all have had our 12 week scans :😊

Fab bump pics @Amanda and @Dolly! 😊 all my bump pics are in my pants and bra lol the world isn't ready to see those! 😂

@Dolly sorry to hear you and oh are arguing. It's hard isn't it? I had a meltdown a few nights ago that I'm doing all the hard work, all the research, I have all the apps etc and it seems like he's switched off. I cried my eyes out saying we are so unprepared and it feels like it is all on me. Turns out he had been secretly researching stuff like cars for me and monitors. And apparently is reading stuff online. Also I leave for work before him and he's still in bed then I get home after him and he's on the sofa - i feel resentful that he gets more sleep and rest then me and I'm the one that needs it! There are lots of apps for expectant dad's out there and lots of guidance online - perhaps suggest some of them to him? They tend to give guidance on how the woman is thinking/feeling which might help him to be a bit more understanding? Hopefully your hormones settle soon too 😊

@amanda I love Barcelona - enjoy!

@

Wooo @bella baby boy!! 💙💙. Congrats Hun!! You can get properly sorted now. The boy clothes are so cute!

Yes you're all right. I just need to be patient and wait the next three weeks out. My EDD is 5th Feb.

I deffo think the men do think about it An look things up. But we have to remember the pregnancy affects us directly An we have all the feelings and hormones an have that connection with it an they don't have that. You would be surprised what they probabaly look at & think and you don't realise.

DH will randomly announce to me its the size of this fruit etc or whatever every time we reach a new week. I don't have an app or look online as I'm superstitious like that an I had one last time an felt I wanted to go cold turkey this time as I felt it would jinx it. Stupid I know. So clearly he has been looking..which is sweet. as he wouldn't know otherwise I would doubt 😂😂

Glad your scan went well Rose :)

Congrats on your baby boy Bella :) I kept telling people I wanted another boy and think that's why we're having a girl, but that's daft, as obviously determined at the moment of conception! The silly things we convince ourselves of.

I've not got any pics of my bump yet - but I'm a fair bit bigger than you Dolly at 22 weeks tomo, but thinks that expected with #2. I feel like I'm the size I was with DS when he was due, but I was tiny with him, even though he was a decent weight. I've only put on a pound, so all bump at the mo, but sure that'll catch up with me before too long. Will try to remember to take a pic tomo of my bump to upload :)

Congrats bella - so happy for you! A beautiful baby boy! I quite like the idea of having a boy as the eldest as the traditional part of me sees him taking a 'protector' role.... I'm the eldest though and I'm so protective over my sister! So works either way!

Yes! Upload your bump pic baking - I love seeing bump pics too! I've heard you do tend to get bigger quicker in your subsequent pregnancies but I'm sure with your small weight gain, you're still lovely and neat!

Yeah, I think you're right anna and moo - he's probably doing more than I'm giving him credit for. I had a wee emotional heart to heart with him tonight and explained how I'm finding it hard just now with all the changes I'm going through and putting a lot of pressure on myself and him to get things perfect when really, we should be making the most of our 'us' time while we can! Hopefully itll make things a bit better....

morning ladies

it's 5am and iv been up for about half an hour. iv suddenly realised in less than 23 weeks i'm going to have a human that belongs to me HOW FRIGGING AMAZING IS THAT i knew the penny would drop at some point #catchupbella

like the others said @Dollydaydream2829 he probably is doing research etc but what you can't see is obviously touching a nerve. i know from my experience that if i manage to wash and blow dry my hair these days i want a bloody medal as it's tough work so i resent DH for not falling over backwards for me. it's such a draining emotional rollercoaster isn't it. i hope this group keeps you sane in the fact that you are not alone! i mean we share EVERYTHING here from poo talk to pillow talk so it's always worthwhile letting it all out here as iv found the support fantastic xxx

we called MIL last night to let her know she has a grandson on the way. she screamed so loud i thought she broke the handsfree system in the car! she has been 1 of only 2 people that kept saying boy so she's delighted. she has 2 granddaughters at the mo who she absolutely dotes on (and spoils rotten) so she can't wait to get down to the shops today and start buying blue! i swear
i better get in quick if i want to buy this baby anything myself haha.

my cousin who i am extremely close too has 2 kids. i'm having lunch with them on saturday. her daughter has asked me to do a gender reveal balloon pop for her so iv organised a little something for the kids to do. also seeing my bestie and friend on sunday so ill tell them then too. i went on ebay last night and bought gender reveal scratchcards so ill post a few of them to the likes of my dad and a few friends.

i think the jeremy kyle shows on at this time are the best by the way. my guilty pleasure! haha

hope you all have a fabby day! i'm almost on my holidays. YIPEEEEEEEEEEE

Welcome to the early get up club Bella! I found as my pregnancy went along last time I woke so early, but now got a little man to get me up early :) Sounds like your new went down really well with MIL! Never heard of those gender reveal cards, but they sound like a fun way to let people know you're having a little boy :)

I tried taking a pic of my bump before bed last night, but with my patterned top on when you looked at the pic you could hardly tell, though I probs just took it at a bad angle. My bump isn't looking very pretty uncovered at the mo, so won't inflict anyone to that - got like heat rash over it, which I think is perhaps from skin stretching irritating me and I've been subconsciously scratching it at night.

I keep thinking DH and I should make more of our time together in the evenings, as once DS is asleep we usually have a couple of hours to ourselves, but he's happy enough to read the paper/watch TV/browse the internet and I've given up trying to change this. He's very laid back too, so thinks I'm stressing for nothing over the jump to looking after 2 little ones, but I'd rather expect it to be a real struggle and be pleasantly surprised than think it'll be a breeze and get a real shock to the system! Definitely feeling the impact of pregnancy hormones this time round, but think I was lucky when pregnant with DS, as there wasn't anything remotely stressful going on. Finding a toddler quite testing at the mo, but think we've probably been lucky that it's taken till 2.5 for him to start having meltdowns :)

i think you're going to do a grand job with 2 @bakingmad83 and you'll end up having a giggle about how hard you thought it would be. obviously there will be more to do but you never know what you can cope with til you are faced with it and i bet you nail it! i have a "expect the worst therefore anything better is a bonus" attitude too. are you a capricorn by any chance?

i'm also worried about our routine in
the house as i am still sleeping loads and fear DH either gets pissed off or joins in just because he's bored. i wish i could make more of an effort as we haven't been out socialising etc in ages! i can't even sit through a movie with him these days as i'm snoozing 20 minute in. i have spoken to him about it though as it's been on my mind so he says it's not an issue. i feel bad cos i know if it was the other way around i'd be feeling "single" so to speak. i mean there's literally no conversation passed 7.30 let alone any intimacy. poor big bugger!

since my early rise iv yawned my bloody head off all day so after this bowl of cereal i'm off to bed (i don't feel that guilty as you can see - plus i'm so cranky when i'm tired that he'd probably prefer it if i'm sleeping) haha.

i managed not to tell a soul about little boy blue today. soooo proud of myself! also popped into next on way home from work so have started a stockpile of vests baby grows etc. i think it's excitement that's keeping me awake right now!

hope you're all well 😁😘

I'm sure you're right Bella. I'm actually a cancer, but think they're meant to be natural worriers too :) Remember how exciting it was when we bought first lot of clothes for DS, mainly stuck to vests and sleepsuits, though did buy a cute air of 3-6 month dungarees. Tbh I'd have probs kept him out of outfits till 12 months given my own way, as so much easier. I used to love a bowl of cereal before bed, but gone off that since pregnant, funny the things you no longer fancy! Hopefully you won't be awake so early in the morning :)

morning all you lovely ladies slaying being pregnant - you're all effing amazing!

@bakingmad83 i love love love a baby in babygrows. this little 1 will probably be in them mostly for the first year! my MIL has been out and already bought about 10 outfits and she actually listens, about 8 of them are the cutest onesies 😁 we bought essentials in vests bibs etc. couldn't resist a wee navy blue cardigan with little ears sewen into the hood. hehe everything is soooo cute!

i'm officially off for a week, well 9 days and no work..... BLISS!!!! ya wee dancer haha

well we have our balloon popping gender reveal to my cousin and her kids today. just a little bit of fun. ill get the kids to pop the balloon so if their mum agrees i'll upload a wee video for you too see. i know they're expecting a girl so it'll be fun to record their disappointed faces hahaha. i'm sure their mum will have them warned that they'll need to be pleased either way! think we might need to do it indoors as it's raining here already!

iv bought wee gender reveal scratch cards so iv posted them out to a couple of friends so the secret will be out just shortly!

i felt definite movement last night. at first i
thought it was yummy grumbling because i was hungry but there was a definite butterfly feeling followed by what i can only describe as a mini balloon popping. surreal doesn't cover it!

what's every1 up to this weekend? xx

ps do you all know the Next sale started at 5am this morn? good opportunity to have a wee nosey for a baby bargain xx

Love the hoods with bear ears - got DS a newborn hoodie with them, so DD will be wearing that when she comes home from hospital :)

Btw is everyone planning on hospital/birth centre birth? I've gone for hospital again, as nearest birth centre is an hour from us and then 20 mins to nearest hospital from there. I was offered home birth both times and hospital is just 10 mins away, I'd rather just be there. I've a couple of friends who had home births and it all went well for them.

Thanks for your tip off re Next sale Bella, but just going to have a sort through DS's things next week once DH is off to go into the loft and then buy bits in the sales in August if we need to, but did buy full price from Asda and Tesco last time for some bits that were fairly reasonable.

Hope balloon popping gender reveal goes down well :) no real plans here, though going to go puddle splashing in bit :)

Hi all, hope you are all having a nice weekend :)

@Bella - hope the balloon pop reveal went well! Sounds like fun :) thanks for the next tip also - might pop in tomorrow and get some stuff. Re the sleep we are growing a little person so get all the sleep you can while you can! I definitely think I've developed some form of pregnancy insomnia so I'm very jealous!

@Baking - puddle splashing also sounds lile great fun!! Hope your rash clears up too - nothing worse than an itch that won't go away! I'm hoping to go midwifery led - all rooms have a birthing pool and a fold out camp bed for oh and it's sort of a home from home. I'm not sure what a birth centre is but maybe the same idea? It's only 5 mins from the hospital i would be transferred to for consultant care if there were any complications so I'm not too worried about that.

Baby kicking away right now 😍 definitely most active first thing in the morning and after I eat a meal. Probably thinking "whoa where did all the space go in here?!". Also find myself busting for a wee but when I get there it just trickles out really slowly for ages - have an image of baby clinging onto my bladder and going "No! Don't take my cosy pillow away!" 😂

I ordered cot quilt, sheets and curtains and they arrived on Friday eek! Now to pick paint - a dulux pale warm grey (to match the 49 shades in the rest of our house!) ... have the paint chart in front of me ... decisions!

Yes Moo, birth centre is just same as midwifery led, think different places call them different thing. I guess you might never see a doctor if you opt for hospital birth and everything is straightforward. I really wanted a water birth last time, but there's only one pool on the ward, so probs won't get it this time either. Mind you, I threw up throughout labour last time, so maybe they wouldn't have wanted me in pool anyway. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen again, as never been so sick in my life.

Lovely feeling kicks isn't it. I find I only feel DD move first thing or in the evening, as think being on the go all day sends her to sleep and I probs miss some movements when busy. DS was the same. Probs why he'd only ever nap in the pram, as was so used to being rocked to sleep during pregnancy :) I'm finding I need a wee every half hour these days, was never this bad till the end with DS, though by the end was feeling I needed to go every 10 mins; must be DD's position I guess.

Sounds like your nursery is taking shape. Just keeping same green walls and jungle animal stickers here :) Hoping to move DS into his new room next month. DD will be in with us for the first 6 months for safe sleep, but will be wanting to use change table in nursery, so don't want DS to feel we're using his space or for him to later feel pushed out.

evening all

i ended up with the worlds biggest balloon today. collected it and it hardly fit in the back of the car lol. kids loved it despite their initial disappointment that it wasn't a girl 😂 ill be finding confetti for months! had to do it indoors as the rain was bad earlier today.

this app isn't letting me upload a video which is weird so ill upload a pic of the balloon and the confetti EVERYWHERE!

sounds like you both @Moo31 and @bakingmad83 are getting organised now ladies. love to hear how you're all getting along as the weeks go by. next we will b checking in that that's us on mat leave. it's flying in i think!

@bakingmad83 ill be giving birth in the maternity ward as i haven't heard of a birthing centre. don't think they exist in scotland if i'm honest. i was given the
choice of 2 hospitals so i just picked the closest as i felt that would be handier for DH and family for visiting. haven't even considered a birthing plan as yet. midwife told me we will start talking about that after 20wk scan. i'm still waiting to hear if previous treatment to cervix will impact on natural birth or not. trying not to think too much about it as yet

i'm about to have dinner (that isn't cereal) and i had a pub lunch today. cannot remember the last time i ate 2 meals in the same day. hopefully this is a sign of things to come #appetiteback #fattyforlife

That's a good idea to get ds ready for his new room before dd arrives so he doesn't feel pushed out - a new exciting room for him :) lucky you not having to think about nursery decor etc again and having it all sorted!!

NI is so backwards - we only had midwifery led come in a few years ago and only in 1 hospital in the whole country that I know of! A friend had both of her children there and loved it so I hope I can go there. My gp said I might not be allowed as I'm on prescribed medication (inhalers for asthma) but it's up to the midwives and my asthma is very mild so I'm hoping they let me!

That's terrible about yiur sickness the last time - were they able to give u any anti sickness medicine? Hopefully no sickness this time for you!

Kicks are just magical 😊 but the same as you if I have a busy day rushing around I don't feel it as much until I sit down / go to bed. I was reading an article about the 4th trimester the other day - it was very interesting. I'll try and find it and share it with you all x

meant to say the screenshot of the sticker decals are what i'm putting in the nursery which is now going to be all grey walls and carpet but with lemon accessories lol

Evening @bella!! That's great it went well lol about the confetti! 😂

Are you getting those wall stickers for nursery? My Auntie passed in 2012 and loved winnie the pooh so in a sort of tribute to her I'm going for a winnie the pooh theme - some amazing wall stickers on ebay I will have trouble choosing!