Due December 2026 (part 2)

[MsPussinBoots]

We're at 995 on the current thread so let's carry on here and make some amazing friends for life

@hollyhocks2 I’m having two girls 🎉.

Think I’ve started to feel movements. It’s more like an internal pressure / twinge than a flutter for me.

Is anyone looking to do one of the baby bump midwife antenatal classes or NCT? I’m going to try to get on the nhs one first and see what it’s like but a bit apprehensive!

@bluepurplegreen. There are so many courses out there now, I'm probably too busy now with my other 2 to sign up so I'm looking online for information. I did nct with my first and online NHS one with my 2nd. They are quite different. The NCT was a lot about building relationships with other couples who are going to be parents and we really first time. I didn't really keep in touch, after the first year lots moved away. The NHS was was useful insight into the specific local pathways and pain relief available but was really just an overview. NCT was good in that it was tailored to our group. But, you can find out the information online as well and it's expensive.

I did a local postnatal course with my 2nd, run by a midwife who no longer works for the NHS but used to. It was really good in that it focused on mums and our recovery which is quite rare as most postnatal groups are about baby development. I was not in a good headspace to make friends there though which I was hoping.

I was trying to find a pregnancy yoga class but my local one doesn't run anymore. I was reading about how as well as yoga they do birth prep. I'm signed up to lemonade life.

@Alwaysgrowing Sounds like you know your body and can trust it! I feel quietly confident for another spontaneous labour but must keep an open mind.

@Lookingtogrowthefamily scans are always a little anxious aren’t they, I’m sure we’re not the only ones seeing the 20w one as a big hurdle. I am so keen to hear how the placenta is! Haha.

@bluepurplegreen no way! Amazing. Are these your first babies remind me?

Last time we did NCT, NHS hypnobirthing on zoom, and I did pregnancy yoga. All had their merits but I’m doing yoga again and prob won’t do anything else. It ticks the boxes for me in terms of birth prep and meeting mums.

Anyone else just feel done with work? I've been fortunate enough to be well enough to not be sick off work but my brain is very foggy. I've felt a little more focused a month or so ago before it got really hot. I just realised I've made another mistake at work which I hate as I take pride in my work. I allredy have dyslexia with general anxiety. Plus end of term at school is so chaotic.

I've felt generally a little anxious and low mood since Thursday. I thought it was because I had my 20 week scan on Friday but maybe not.

Hello! I wandered off from the first thread after some worrying symptoms early on but I’m 18 weeks now and would love to jump back in and chat with some people in the same boat!

@Niftymum88 6 girls wow!! Super girl mum 🙌🏼

@frolickinglamb @hollyhocks2 I had the same initial "oh I'll never have a girl" but overall delighted that my boys will have a brotherhood to grow up in. 💙 I laughed out loud when the sonographer told us it was a third boy!

Is anyone else melting in the heat? I got h&m mama linen pants on vinted and I'm living in them. Dying a bit at work trying to fit the dress code & cover the belly!!

@Alwaysgrowing surprisingly not this time. I was out at 30 weeks on my first and 26 on my second, but really hoping to go a bit longer this time. 🤞🏼 Think it's easier than being home with two.

@WitcheryDivine welcome back! How is it going for you? There's a WhatsApp thread where a lot of people have jumped ship too, or here if you're not comfortable with WhatsApp just yet.

before I had kids I always thought I wanted one of each but actually once you’ve had one it’s actually easier to just have the same gender again because you’ve got all the clothes, toys, etc 😂

@frolickinglamb 💯 agree. My house is a hot wheels heaven! I bought them one doll to try bear gender stereotypes - they turned the buggy in to a rocket ship and blasted the baby off. 😅

@Alwaysgrowing sounds like you probably already know quite a bit! @hollyhocks2 yes, my first! I don’t have much experience with babies. I feel like a lot will depend on their temperament when they come out.

I’m going to go to a local one if I can get a space, otherwise will sign up for the online evening one my hospital runs I think. I like the idea of meeting parents but I’ll be moving house.

@Alwaysgrowing how are you doing? I don’t need to go into the office much, imagine that must be harder. However I am counting down the days to maternity leave.

Thanks @howluckyarewe! good to know about the WhatsApp group too

@bluepurplegreen I work in the hospital and can't work remotely, but do part time, 3-4 days a week, 7.5 hours. As @howluckyarewe the day at home with the kids is often more tiering. So I'm just tired of everything at the moment. After next week I've got 2 weeks annual leave, we've got a nice holiday planned. Then I'll definitely count down the days. I submitted my matb yesterday. An advantage of working at the hospital is the community midwife clinic and maternity clinic with the scans are at work, so I can just pop round, like when I realised I'd not got my matb or a vaccine and scans.

I have found myself getting a bit obsessed with childbirth over the past few years. Listen and read so much about it. I did consider being a midwife as a teenager. I find physiology in general interesting.

I do think for me, in a way not going into a place of work would be hard in a different way, as I'd struggle to motivate myself and the distance may not be good for my mental health. That, plus it's a bit cooler where I work.... only because I'm a radiographer and there's good Aircon for the scanners not the people. 🤣

@Alwaysgrowing work is ok for me, WFH mostly and have a really nice supportive team, haven't made any work-related mistakes but I have made other mistakes so I do share the brain fog. Probably only a matter of time before I mess up at work! I hope you have a wonderful bit of annual leave and trip away. @WitcheryDivine welcome back, how lovely that it all turned out ok and you're back on track - nearly halfway! @bluepurplegreen I think that is a really wise way to approach it, see what ends up working for them, don't be afraid to try different things, find out what suits you best and don't compare or worry if you do things differently to a peer.

20 week scan tomorrow! Hopeful it will go smoothly and be good news across the board. No drama please.

@Alwaysgrowing work is ok for me, WFH mostly and have a really nice supportive team, haven't made any work-related mistakes but I have made other mistakes so I do share the brain fog. Probably only a matter of time before I mess up at work! I hope you have a wonderful bit of annual leave and trip away. @WitcheryDivine welcome back, how lovely that it all turned out ok and you're back on track - nearly halfway! @bluepurplegreen I think that is a really wise way to approach it, see what ends up working for them, don't be afraid to try different things, find out what suits you best and don't compare or worry if you do things differently to a peer.

20 week scan tomorrow! Hopeful it will go smoothly and be good news across the board. No drama please.

Thanks @hollyhocks2 - hope your scan is delightfully stress free x

Hi everyone I’m new here and wanted to say hello and introduce myself.Im 20 and 21 weeks with my first due December 2nd and having a little girl.I started trying in January after having a chemical in December I then had another chemical after and the month after fell pregnant with my little girl.Being a ftm I’m overly anxious about everything so hoping this group will help me

Hey, congratulations and welcome!! We have pretty much all moved to a WhatsApp group now where we are pretty active and supporting each other through this journey. If you go back to page 19 there’s a post with a link to join the WhatsApp xx