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 :-)

Tiredness hangovers are awful in pregnancy aren't they. Enjoy your 17 days off Amanda, have you any plans?

Tbh DS may have been ok with original sling if I'd used it from start - think Caboo is fine from 5.5lb - but by the time I decided I wanted one and researched and got it delivered, he was about 8 weeks old. Plan to use the Ergo right from the start with DD so she gets used to it.

omg @AmandaP86x 17 days off i am well jel! hope you have a fab time off! so so fab that you are approaching half way! i certainly agree with the further on ladies here that once you reach 20 weeks, everything afterwards goes by so fast. i'm 22 weeks tomorrow and the last 2 weeks have felt like 2 days!

oh wee update on baby boy... he properly kicked today. like right in my side. iv only felt flips and flutters til now so 1 day shy of 22 weeks i got a proper thump! so so bizarre and will take a lot of getting used to if that
keeps up. felt like he had steel toe capped boots on!

as predicted MIL cancelled on us on sunday, tbh she has a gum infection so ill forgive that. DH and I had a Wagamamas instead as well as a wee stroll around the shops before slumping on the sofa to watch a movie that i saw 15 mins of before snoring my head off! i am actually feeling a bit sorry for DH these days as he is spending a lot of time watching me sleeping. i must make a mental note to be nice when i'm awake cos i'm hardly even chatty these days.

i filled in my mat request form today eagerly awaiting my matb1. 52 whole weeks off (plus annual leave either side of that!!). omfg i cannot wait! since leaving school at 16 i have never been out of a job and only twice in 20yrs have i been off for more than 2 weeks at a time (appendectomy and honeymoon)! YIPEEEEEEEEE

How lovely that you felt your little boy's first proper kick today Bella :) Nice that you still got out on Sunday. Your mat leave will be here before you know it!

I picked up my bounty pack from Tesco. Was deffo worth collecting for the free nappies and wipes. Thought I would show you ladies the contents incase anyone hasn't collected there's yet.

thanks @bakingmad83 the thought of not going to work everyday is somewhat bizarre to me but i know i'll get used to it very quickly!

@Anna2006 that's fab! i tried to collect mine from tesco today too and they didn't have any. i wasn't best pleased to say the least - worst tesco ever. might try a different store tomorrow.

and i downloaded my emma's diary vouchers too. so need to go to boots or argos for them 😁

You'll have a new full time job to keep you busy Bella :) I'm glad I only finished 10 days before due date last time, as was bored after about three days. Not sure how people without little kids manage to fill their days when they don't work, but even at 31 months there never seems to be a spare minute in the day!

Aww @BellaMoon how bloody exciting!!!! I cannot wait for my Mat leave!!!

See those emmas diary things I have never been sent the vouchers so annoying lol!!!

I am now thinking I should maybe start preparing more for this baby lol!!!

The spare room "nursery" is actually so full of crap so it's my task to get it gutted with my days off!!

My wee bump seems to have "popped" I think...picture attached!!!

I can't remember what everyone is at maybe we need a new list!!???

I am 17+3 today!!!

Bump

Aw what a lovely bump Amanda - are you going to find out the sex of the baby or having a wee surprise?

I'm exactly the same Bella - I've never not worked since I was 17 so i think I'll also take bad initially with having the year off but I'm sure a little baby is more than a job itself haha! Like you mentioned baking I am worried that I'll get a little fed up/restless before baby comes - I'm coming off 4 weeks before and that's presuming baby comes on time so I'm going to need things to keep me occupied!

Had my 28wk midwife appt today - baby has now caught up in measurements. Although still measuring on the smaller side of normal, they're happy and so am i.
Also had my bloods taken, including glucose so hopefully that'll all come back fine.

@Dollydaydream2829 a wee surprise!!!! DP is desperate to find out right enough!!!

I am absolutely STARVING today nothing is filling me up 😭😭🙈🙈🙈

Hi Amanda, you should just be able to print the Emma's Diary vouchers off the site once you're logged in. Cute bump pic :) Hope you get your soon to be nursery decluttered. We seem to be permanently decluttering at the mo. There's no filling me at the mo either. I'd already had lunch today and took DS to soft play this afternoon, but ordered myself a cheese and tomato panini while there then had chicken fajitas for tea this evening and wondering what I can have for supper shortly!

Glad you appointment went well Dolly. Got mine next week and will be interesting to see where I am measurement wise. I feel big, but people keep saying I'm small, so will see what the tape measure says :) Hopefully your bloods will come back ok.

aw beaut bump pic @AmandaP86x and congrats on having a robust appetite! i'm still struggling to eat and when i do, its either fruit or crisps. hardly a balanced diet!

great news too @Dollydaydream2829 re: baby measurements on all target. each and every appointment means so much doesn't it?

i went onto the emma's diary website (via facebook) and created an account @AmandaP86x i then saw the 3 different packs you can get and downloaded the vouchers from there. i printed them and will try get them this week. the bounty pack that @Anna2006 picked up you can get via the bounty app, you basically walk into your store, click the app to say you are in tesco and show the code on your phone to customer services. think the code only stays on your screen for 20 mins so don't do it too early.

i travelled late last night from glasgow to bristol. didn't get to hotel til midnight so i am absolutely fecked! didn't take my make up off so woke with a belter of a spot. hope this isn't me going back to first trimester acne. although suspect it's my poor make up routine (i know it takes 2 seconds but i was soooooo sleepy)! not a lot can beat a premier inn bed and their buffet breakfast so i'm sure i'll find comfort in that for the next 2 days!

hope you're all well and how mental that we are approaching another weekend. it feels like 10 minutes ago we were discussing what we're doing last weekend! xxx

Hope your business trip goes well Bella. The weeks are flying aren't they?!

Had our meal out last night and enjoyed some "us" time. Went to pub that specialises in pizza, so went for one of those followed by cheesecake. Think I overate and had too much dairy/rich food though, as felt sick afterwards and still feel that way this morning. Not a peep from DS while we were out, so my parents had an easy babysit. He just saved two get ups for overnight :)

We're taking DS to an agricultural show tomo - he'll love the animals and machinery :) Then meeting up with family for an overnight stay in Lancashire on Sunday. What is everyone else up to this weekend?

@Amanda hope you are feeling better! Gorgeous bump 😊 must be amazing knowing you are nearly half way! I agree with others - once the 20 week scan is over time flies! I'm 28 weeks today and feels like my 20 week scan was last week! Hope your decluttering is going well!

@Bella first kick = amazing!! 😍 week 22/23 was my best ever as the kicks started - Enjoy!! I love just watching my tummy when baby is moving - so unreal that there's a little person in there!! Also fab about your mat leave! I have given my start date but not return date yet (boss still off and did i ever mention how bad I am.at making decisions!?) i am also a bit worried I might miss work. Is that bad!? I'm also away with work this week - one thing I won't miss!!

@Anna that bounty pack is fab compared to what I got! How far along are you now? Hope you are keeping well?

@Dolly week 28 already?! Time is flying isn't it! Glad you are doing well!! 😀

@Baking glad you enjoyed your date night ❤ hope your nausea passes soon! Enjoy yiur day out today!

I had my 27/28 week midwife app on Tue - bump measuring 27cm and heartbeat strong but she said baby is head down already?! Kinda freaked me out a bit - it's too early for that!? She didn't seem bothered/worried though so I guess it's ok! Also some glucose showed up in my wee 😔 she wasn't worried and said she won't refer for GTT unless I get 2 consecutive samples showing glucose. It was a v concentrated wee as I had been to the loo before leaving work so I had to squeeze some out - didn't even have enough to fill the bottle. So hoping it was just because of that!!

Weekend plans - oh and I are going to a mamas and papas event on Sunday and .. going to order our pram!! They offer a v good discount on the day so we're going to take advantage of that. Also have a mothercare voucher that expires on Tuesday so I have my shopping list at the ready! So hopefully by Sunday we'll have 95% of our list crossed off!!

I have days like that too Amanda - could just eat & eat. Just let yourself do it when you're hungry, baby must be going through a little growth spurt. You'll have days when you eat less that'll make up for it!

Hope your appt goes well baking - I'm like you, I feel big but everyone says I'm neat and obviously measuring slightly smaller so maybe just in my head. Or a LOT of water retention lol! Glad you had a lovely date night.

Hope your business trip went well Bella and you're not too tired. Working in general takes it out of me just now. Never mind travelling.

Can't believe we've reached the third trimester now moo - it's amazing! Only 12 more weeks until our due date. Wow! Hopefully it's just a one off from your urine. Things like that worry me but they'll have taken your glucose blood as well I'm sure at that appt so that'll be a good indicator?

My midwife phoned me this morning - turns out my iron is really quite low, which I'm not too surprised at cos my meat intake is pretty low at the moment (just gone right off it!) And it would explain why I've been a bit more tired recently. I'd thought it was to do with my shifts and just pregnancy but hopefully I'll feel a bit better on the iron tablets. Even though they're horrid things!

I haven't had bloods taken since my 12 week apt @Dolly? Getting them taken at my 30 week apt which is at the end of August though. Sorry about your iron levels - hopefully the tablets help. I used to take an iron supplement every day as I don't eat red meat but stopped when i started taken the conception vitamins. Just incase they didn't mention it / you aren't aware they can cause constipation so maybe try and up your fibre intake to counteract the effects!

Hi ladies. Remember me?!

I am tentatively joining you here after getting my BFP in July, I am now 10 weeks pregnant. I have been really stressed out about it after two early MCs this year and I am only just allowing myself to even think about the fact I am pregnant (as I am already showing a bit thanks to muscles obviously knackered from the first time round!).

I have had my booking appt and am awaiting a scan date now.

Symptom wise I have been so lucky - virtually no nausea, though that also has made me worry (I really am a stresshead).
Other than that I have been tired (always am, I have a 2yo!), have massive lead balloon boobs, and the delights of either the inability to go to the toilet or too much ability to go to the toilet!

I haven't read through all the pages on here yet but so pleased to see you all progressing nicely and supporting each other. xxx

@Magpie that is fantastic!! Big congrats to you! Lovely news! 😀 The first few weeks are an anxious time but hopefully as you progress your anxiety will decrease. Hopefully you get a scan date soon! Lovely to see you on the grads thread, delighted for you! Xo

aw yay woo @MissMagpie massive congratulations! so so happy for you and happy to see you on this thread! you sound like me in the first trimester, i was still doing tests up to the 12wk scan as i had very little symptoms other than boob and poo issues!

welcome to the up the duff club. keep us posted on all appts and especially scan pics. i just loves me a scan pic xxxx

Congrats MissMagpie - I also have a 2 year old, so know what it's like :) look forward to seeing your scan pic soon!

Don't worry about being head down Moo, it's pretty normal for babies to be in that position by 30 weeks and you're not far off that - think most turn some time after 26 weeks. That was like me with the trace of glucose. I've since read that those urine dip tests aren't very accurate and tbh the midwife herself said she'd had 5 other ladies in the clinic with a trace showing and doubted that was right. Here they don't test blood glucose routinely unless concerns, but guess it's another thing that varies between each NHS trust. Enjoy the baby event on Sunday :)

Sorry to hear you've low iron Dolly. If the tablets give you real probs, they should be able to prescribe liquid iron, which is gentler on your digestive system. I guess the midwife probs gave you some written info re dietary iron too, but if not and you're relying on non-meat sources like eggs, beans, fortified breakfast cereals, dried fruit and nuts, try to have some vitamin C rich fruit/veg at the same time to aid iron uptake - may as well maximise your intake from your diet :)

morning all

you'll probably all know this but i don't recall any1 mentioning it on here that it's the tesco baby event at the moment with loads of discounted items. this just popped up on my fb! pampers 44 new born nappies for £4 which is half price.

i know we've spoken about the aldi/lidl range and why we shouldn't buy too many of each size in advance etc but i think they have size 0, 1 and 2 all reduced.

we do our weekly shop in tesco so think we will get a few packs this weekend and next.

good luck with the iron tablets @Dollydaydream2829 hopefully you won't need them for long. i'm sure once they are in your system so will get a wee energy boost that you've been missing lately. yes the side effects can suck but if it's what you need then just go for it. i used to take them in my early teens and i always found increased fibre and a massive orange a day kept my symptoms at bay.

@bakingmad83 so nice to hear you enjoyed your date night! very well deserved too! hope you can squeeze another 1 in before DD comes along

@Moo31 i don't think it's bad that you feel like you might miss work at all. i often wonder what it's going to be like, not to mention that i get a little scared sometimes that ill get bored or worst still, that ill want to go back to work earlier than planned. i know when baby comes ill fill 26hrs a day with him more than likely but it doesn't stop those wee niggles. i'm used to being very consumed with work so to not have that to think about for over a year is going to be very strange indeed. watch this space, bet we become earth mothers and never go back to work, choosing to home school and breast feed til they are 10! hahaha

my work trip was fine in the end. i think instead of me travelling to bristol again during this pregnancy i'll suggest the bristol team come to me in glasgow. as much as i enjoyed the premier inn bed and the food, i have woken up this morning feeling like i had been hit with a truck! i got off the plane last night and by the time i got to the car, my feet felt double the size! even my hands felt all tight. no likey! DH didn't sleep well while i was away apparently cos he was worried about "the wee guy" haha. obviously i'm just a baby vessel now! he had a lovely meal ready for me and i was hungry. it smelled beautiful but as soon as i took a bite i knew i was going to leave 80% of it. felt bad but it's so so difficult to force yourself to eat when you don't want too. anyway, we had a lovely snuggle on the sofa and i did my usual and zonked out. hopefully i'll be able to play wifey more today and give him some attention (not in the bedroom department... that is not high on my list of priorities at all at the moment - any1 with me on that?) xxx

Hello @missmagpie so glad you have decided to join us! Congratulations again! It's very nerve wracking and you probabaly won't stop worrying as I still am even now that people know an it's common knowledge! But still we have to try enjoy it 😊😊 exciting times. Look forward to your scan photo of little one.

@Moo31 yes the pack was fab I was very pleased! I'm already gathering up a few things in the spare bedroom which will be the nursery as our family has bought us little bits already. We've bought nothing ourself yet mind. I'm 16 weeks tomorrow so getting there slowly. Got my midwife next week and then after that scan in sept an then I might relax a wee little bit more.

I saw the had a Tesco event on @bella there is some good deals to be had. So deff worth stocking up while it's on offer for sure!

Congratulations magpie - lovely news to hear you've hit 10 weeks with relatively little symptoms! Like a few of the other ladies have said, we've all been there and remember vividly how much worry is involved before the first scan and you have more reason than most to worry but fingers crossed baby magpie is behaving and growing like he/she should be in there.

Thanks for the advice 're the iron tablets. In praying they give me a boost and like a couple have suggested, I'll up my fibre intake too.

I'm gonna be checking out the baby event in Tesco this weekend. Been to the aldi one and gonna have a check of the mamas & papas one online too.

Moo I've attached a pic of one of the apps I was reading yesterday morning - my little menace is also head down which is why I'm getting rib jabs ALL THE TIME. It's lovely to feel him/her but isn't there any other more pleasant area to kick?! Haha! But they say it's about this time that the baby starts moving into position so it must be fairly common....

Hopefully you had a bit more energy yesterday Bella and your swelling went down.

Sorry you're getting constant rib kicks Dolly. It's funny that although DS was head down from 24 week appointment last time that I never had to endure that. I'm not expecting to get off so lightly this time, but hoping DD moves head down soon, as know someone who had transverse lie and never shifted - she ended up in hospital from 37 weeks till elective section at 39 weeks, but hopefully she'll not be stubborn and play ball :)

Was a bit hectic yesterday. Local agricultural show in the morning, village garden/home produce/craft fair in the afternoon (didn't enter any baking this year, but helped DS make a lion face on a paper plate for one of the children's categories) and then had to pack for our night away seeing family today - you wouldn't think you'd need so much stuff for 1 night, but goodness knows how much we'll be taking with 2 :)

Enjoy your day everyone!

Oh yay congrats @magpie so so happy for u. ❤️❤️

I had a wee night away this weekend we went to loch lomand was beaut. However today my lower back is in AGONY 😭😭😭 I have just had to take some paracetamol I hope it eases. Also having this strange kinda pressure in my vagina lol 🙈 like I don't know if it's my pelvis like a bit of pain there ?as always freaking myself out. But reading at 18 weeks a lot of ligaments moving and stuff so hopefully it shifts.

Starting my yoga on Thursday so hopefully that helps with my back!!!

Hope u all had lovely weekends xxxz