Due July 24 - Part 2

[MixedCouple]

Started a new thread as the last one is full.
Got my apt letter today for my scan in Jan will be the 11th should be 12w 3D.

@Oatmilk - it is tough but what else cam we do. Have no other choixe but to suffer and keep going. I reflect very very often in the ease of my last pregnancy. Naps when I wanted. Sleep in when I wanted. Just really self centered 😂 now I am lucky to put my feet up for 10mins.

I just think loooooads of women have done, are doing it. And I need to suck it up.
My Nausea is easing up a little the last couple days. So hopefully it goes soon.

Hi ladies 12 week scan today as well. One of the babies wasn’t cooperating and he was standing straight up🤣after a little wee he lay down but was so cute to see this!

although I do have a question. Did any of you had ever private OB care and if yes was it worth the money (I know it can be quite expensive!)
im really considering as I had bleeds and still bleeding brown but they can never find a cause and it frustrates me.

@pleasehelp5 The procedure itself wasn't that bad. I used hypnobirthing techniques to get me through, and the worst part was the cramps I had afterwards and the general not knowing what's going to happen.

I had to think of it as I had 8.3% chance of the baby having DS rather than 1 in 12. So for you, its 0.67% chance of your baby having anything. That helped a little bit, but also for me, I had to have a yes or no answer which is why I went for the CVS.

Good on you, very very brave 💛

Are you 12 weeks @Oatmilktea? I had the same thing happened and the midwives tried to fob me off with second trimester screening at 16 weeks. I fought it as I really wanted the NT screening as it's more accurate. It can be done up to 14 weeks and I managed to get it done at 13+6.

I did pregnancy yoga from 13 weeks to 42 weeks with my first it was lovely and would recommend to keep your body strong and coping with the changes - also yes fine for beginner tends to be more restorative anyway so you will be able to take your time

Have to rant: just had quite an annoying conversation with a friend (who doesn't know I'm pregnant) about how "pregnancy isn't an illness" and women who take time off during pregnancy are just taking the piss and are making it hard for women of child-bearing age to be employed, and she worked right up to her due date and didn't take any time off except for scans and blah blah.

I do agree with thinking pregnancy is natural and not problematic but that's not the same thing as thinking pregnant women are 100% the same as men or non-pregnant women! It's physically been much more challenging than I expected and I don't even have HG or any complications so far!

@trebuvie i heard a similar comment recently from a friend. Pregnancy is an individual experience in my opinion.
I had ivf to conceive this baby and Pregnancy has been really tough. I've been horrendously unwell due to complications with the treatment. I spent the first two months on bedrest. I couldnt even turn in the bed or get up without my partners help. I was so swollen up, still am. While I'm now back on my feet , I still have alot of stomach pain that interferes with my daily activities. Even when I walk I feel the pain. I've never been pregnant before but the exhaustion is crippling. I've had 3 migranes this week alone. I can barely manage household chores at the minute. I just shrug comments like that off.

@trebuvie oh gosh I'm sorry your poor mad friend she sounds like an absolute prat doesn't she. Great for her that she had such an uncomplicated pregnancy (!) it definitely is an illness in my house 🤣

I'd love to do pregnancy yoga or pilates classes, just to meet other local mums... but I live quite rural and the only class here is at 8pm, which is way too late for me! Maybe if I didn't already have a toddler that would be cool, but both the child and myself go to bed at 9pm nowadays... There's no local NCT classes either, only 45 min drive away, which is super unrealistic :(

@trebuvie it makes me so angry when people talk about pregnancy like that!

Yes some people have it easy and don't feel any different but some of us find it debilitating! I'm usually whizzing about never stopping all day, even when I sit down at 9pm I'm still pottering whenever I find something that could be put away. Pregnant is a completely different story, I can't get the energy to get off the sofa, I look at my craft table and can't bring myself to even walk over to it never mind think about doing anything. It upsets me so much that I feel this way and believe me I'd be whizzing about given even an ounce of energy but I can't

Some of us just have to 'get through' pregnancy the best we can and if that means taking some time off then we have to. I wish I was one of those people that will miss being pregnant but I just have to grit my teeth and get through it, counting down the days!

@Oatmilktea
I've been doing yoga on and off for 7 years and it is perfectly safe and a recommended form of exercise for ppl of all ages and health. Obviously not all the poses, but the hip and pelvic stretches will help. The funny thing is my yoga teacher is my close friend also pregnant so we will do pre natal classes together from week 14

I have been thinking about pregnancy yoga/pilates too but thinking I will need to wait a bit before booking - I am so exhausted I don’t think I could manage after work now. Nearly 14 weeks and just wish the energy boost and glow we are promised in 2nd semester would hurry up and arrive!!

Had my 12 week scan today. 12+5 which matches with my previous scan dates perfectly so growing well. NT number was 0.8 but midwife who took my blood kept going on about my age. Which I obviously know is a factor but didn't feel I needed to be told 4 times. Said it can be 10 days for the letter with results but they'll call within 3 days if there's a problem. Seems to be a now news is good news. She said that numbers in the thousands are good and that hundreds is not. That surprised me given they only offer further test if 1:150 or below. However, as I said, she was very focused on my age.

I’ve been back at work this week after the Christmas holidays. The exhaustion has hit me like a ton of bricks. Yesterday I had to come home and sleep because I couldn’t keep going. I’m in bed early every night. Where is my second trimester glow?! 😂 solidarity with any other teachers or just any of you with exhaustion. It’s hard work!

@MrsHousePlant trying to teach through the tiredness and I kept getting words muddled up. I normally just work the answers out for maths but have been printing them off because I just don't trust myself!

@MrsHousePlant and @wannabe123 Good luck with the new term. I don't remember feeling this exhausted last time but I do know we used to go to bed early. I had only just changed schools and had to tell them in the first week that I was pregnant. Not the greatest start...
Our school starts back on Monday and I dread having to get DS up early again and drive him to school. We went into my classroom yesterday and packed up a few bits and pieces so that whoever covers my mat leave doesn't have to deal with all my rubbish lying about. Sad not to go back to my class next week but actually also quite relieved. It means I can come home and have a nap after dropping DS off, if needed.
There's also a pregnancy water session on a Friday morning, which I hope to go to. I've never been a great fan of yoga and the session close to us is at 8pm, which I'm worried I might fall asleep in.

Does it feel strange already being off? I'm jealous that you will be able to nap and the water sessions sound great!
I hope you're able to rest and get lots of time to gently do things for you!

@wannabe123 It felt really sudden because I was signed off from one day to the other. My class were told I'd be back after the holidays but they did actually advertise my position straight away. I'm HoY and I feel a bit like I've abandoned my team but I know they'll be OK. I've also got a lovely class this year, so whoever takes them over is really lucky.
Rules are very different here and the safety of mother and baby has very high priority. My sister got signed off at 16 weeks. She's a physiotherapist and it was considered too strenuous for her to continue.

@Busyhedgehog thank you! I hope you enjoy the rest and make the most of the time off. It sounds like a very sensible system and must make you feel so reassured. I’d love an aqua class! Unfortunately most things around me are in the day so I can’t do it at the moment.
I do feel like I’m a bit out for myself, even with a risk assessment I need to keep reminding people I can’t put myself in certain situations or be 1:1 with certain students anymore. I’m sure people will think more when I look more pregnant but I don’t think being on high alert is helping my tiredness levels!

@MrsHousePlant my work told me today that they don't really need to do a risk assessment until I get a proper bump! To be honest, I'm not sure there's any adjustments I particularly need being made. It's nice that all the staff know now so when I am teaching sat down or I'm muddling my words that they know why. I work as a PPA teacher and so don't really have my own class and so I don't think I'll particularly tell the children, I'll just wait until they say something.

@wannabe123 I’m not sure that’s quite right, mine says about sickness or tiredness making me feel unable to walk and what I will do (mainly be off work!). Manual handling and other things are on there too. If you feel safe and are well looked after you’re probably okay but I like having the RA.
I agree about staff knowing, it makes it much easier! I work with high levels of children with SEND so it can be a bit more unpredictable at times.

I stepped on the scale today - I've gained a bit more than I would've hoped to at this stage.

I also noticed this week that there's definitely a belly forming & I'm not used to seeing my body like this. I never thought I had body image issues but I'm feeling a little down about it today.

Anyone got any advice or feel the same as me? How to deal with changing bodies? Or am I just going to have to suck it up and deal with it.

@ExpectantEs I don't know if this is because it's my second baby but this time I just see the excitement of a bump. I struggled more so with my first and found treating myself to some maternity clothes helped so that I didn't feel like I had nothing that fit. I also find maternity clothes make me feel like my bump looks more like a bump and less like a belly if that makes sense. I also try to remind myself that the belly isn't due to not looking after myself but because I'm doing something amazing and growing a new human!

Totally feeling this too, I’ve always had confidence issues with my body and the changes are making me feel very uncomfortable! The advice I was given is make yourself comfortable and enjoy the process. Your body is busy doing incredible things! Wishing you all the best 🥰

@Cattattack @wannabe123 Thanks both. Glad you both can relate.
Maybe it's time to invest in maternity clothes - I just hope I find some that I actually like.

It definitely doesn't look like a pregnant belly, just like a jiggly rounded belly - also I think I'm getting wider. I'm sure I'll get used to it