# BFP Ladies from MAY we all be blessed with baby! TTC May '13 and beyond[Closed Group]



## Hopeful2014

I still believe that hope and perseverance are two things we all need as I said back in April. I know some of us found our way to the pregnancy threads starting in May and I know the rest of us will make our way here soon! I started that thread hoping to make some friendships and to find some comfort during TTC. I found that and much more with you all. I have been so happy to see many of you stick around and talk to us in the TTC group and I definitely encourage it as I know it helped me and I loved seeing how everyone was! I am also so happy that our large group, though small and intimate at times, has stuck together and can comfort each other through all the ups and downs of TTC and beyond.

I am still eagerly waiting for all of us to get our BFPs and I hope our TTC ladies will comment here and be part of this thread as well. I hope we will all have our BFPs soon! I will be completely invested in each thread, I promise! It will make it easier for us to keep up with ladies who have their BFPs and make people feel more comfortable when posting things. I encourage all ladies who get their BFPs with us (May and on) to join because I know this will be a great group of ladies! :happydance: 

Our Wonderful TTC Thread <3

Our Wonderful Parenting Thread <3


https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_greenmix_dueinmay.gif

stargazer0726 :bfp: :blue: Due: May 4th

Tangerine :bfp: Due: May 30th (Mom's birthday!)

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_fallmix_dueinseptember.gif

Kalush :bfp: Due: September 19th

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_fallmix_dueinoctober.gif

pennymarie :bfp: Due: 

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_bluemix_dueindecember.gif

pathos :bfp: :blue: Due: December 2, 2014

RaeChay :bfp: :blue: Due: December 25, 2014

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_bluemix_dueinfebruary.gif

River54 :bfp: :blue: Due: February 28, 2015







*WELCOME TO: *

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_bluemix_decemberbaby.gif

want2bemommy :bfp: :pink::pink: _Ava Marie & Abigail Rose_ Born December 24, 2013 at 5 lbs 9 oz and 5 lbs 13 oz

Kwaggy :bfp: :pink: _Dalylah Lucille_ Born December 29, 2013 at 37+3- 4lbs 13oz 18.5in

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_bluemix_januarybaby.gif

Ameli :bfp: :pink: _Abigail Morgan_ Born January 4, 2014 at 7:45am via c-section at 38 weeks; 7 lbs 12 oz 19 1/2in

Mummy to HP :bfp: :pink: _Esther May_ Born January 12, 2014 at 4:17am 7lbs 1oz

melann13 :bfp: :pink: _Felicity Jo_ Born January 23, 2014 at 7:45 at 41+4 8 lbs 4 oz 21 inches

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_bluemix_februarybaby.gif

OurLilFlu :bfp: :yellow:->:pink: _Royen Arquelle_ Born February 22, 2014 @ 2244, 9lbs 9 oz

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_greenmix_marchbaby.gif

chulie :bfp: :blue: _Rowan Francis_ Born March 13, 2014

mummy2o :bfp: :pink: _Erika Alice_ Born March 14, 2014 5 lbs 15 oz. 

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_greenmix_aprilbaby.gif

kksy9b :bfp: :blue: _Charles Louis_ Born April 12, 2014 at 8:40 am 6 lbs 13 oz. 21 inches 

imaginary8x :bfp: :blue: _Dexter Russell_ Born April 26, 2014 at 21:55 pm

ALiKO :bfp: :pink: _Hana_ Born April 29, 2014 at 1:33 am

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_greenmix_maybaby.gif

KatyW :bfp: :pink: _Faye Amelia_ Born May 11, 2014 at 8 lb 15 ounces, 21 inches long

magicwhisper :bfp: :pink: _Ella Laura_ Born May 18, 2014 at 1:35 pm, 6 lbs 4 oz

daddiesgift :bfp: :pink: _Scarlett Anneliese_ Born May 28, 2014 at 3:29 am, 9 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches long

[url="https://free.kstardesign.com/]https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_fallmix_septemberbaby.gif[/url]

athena87 :bfp: :blue: _Elijah Robert_ Born September 13, 2014 6 lbs 7 oz 19.5 in

jessicasmum :bfp: :pink: _Jasmine Ivy Ella_ Born September 15, 2014 at 10:45 am 9 pounds 8 and half ounces

Buttercup84 :bfp: :pink: _Astrid Zoe_ Born September 22, 2014 at 4:02 am 9lbs 7oz

https://www.krismom.com/blinkies/blinkie_angelsremembered.gif

RaeChay :blue: _Atlas Michael_ December 15, 2013

Hopeful2014 :pink: _E.A._ March 2014

mummy2o :blue: _Daniel Scott_ December 24, 2014

momwithbabies :yellow: April 2015


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## mommyxofxone

i don't know if you care, but maybe you can make it a CLOSED group, so just ladies from our thread can come in, and not be searched and found any other way? i think this way we can all stick together better?


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## mummy2o

I think it will be good as some of the mums are coming into 3rd trimester I think? and quite a few are now in 2nd so we can give advice on people regardless of trimester and if symptoms are normal or need to seen, especially for first time mums as it can be incredible daunting experience when everything doesn't go according to plan. Heck even as a 2nd time mum with my symptoms so different I was paranoid that it could all be going wrong. I think having just due dates or BFP on the other forum and maybe due dates and genders etc on this one might be better? See what others say but its just a suggestion, I just don't want people TTC feeling sad as its taking a bit longer than they hoped.


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## RaeChay

Thanks Hopeful!


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## OurLilFlu

Hey! I have no idea how the closed groups work but yes it would be nice to have all the tris able to come together! Yay!


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## kksy9b

So excited for the companion thread and a chance to stick through the pregnancy with all you wonderful ladies! Thank you again Hopeful for your continued support and encouragement!


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## daddiesgift

:hi: here I am :winkwink: love this group! Sometimes the trimester threads can get depressing or negative so I usually just stick to my
Journal and others so I'm glad this group is here! 6 weeks pregnant.. 34 long weeks to go :haha: 

I'm Due May 28th and we plan to let gender be a surprise :)


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## melann13

Hopping on over! I'm in a January Jelly Beans thread that I like, but I'll hop on here too. Only 1.5 weeks away from 3rd tri!! Absolutely nuts!


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## stargazer0726

Yea!!! So excited you created this!!! I'm due May 4th, 9.5 weeks down! I got to see my little bean at 8 weeks and it had a heart rate of 163


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## River54

Thanks for creating it - hope I can really join you guys on here soon!


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## gabbygabz

Just posting so I can keep track of you ladies better! :thumbup:


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## KatyW

Yeah! I'm so glad you made this, Hopeful. 

Just had my first appointment today, all went so well, baby looked good, heartbeat detected, and my doctor seems wonderful ( something I've been nervous about, I didn't like my doctor for my previous pregnancy).


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## Kwaggy

Wonderful group :)


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## Ameli

:hi: All! I was one of the first round of BFPs from early May. I haven't been on the original thread in a while. I hope everyone is doing well!


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## want2bemommy

I'm part of January jellybeans too- wonderful group! Aloha Melann!
I think a closed group just requires an invite- or you can put this on a private Facebook group which doesn't show on regular feed and requires invite. 
I'm almost in 3rd trimester now and always willing to share advice or give a virtual hug &#55357;&#56841;


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## burgbrandy

Hi ladies! Just stopping by to say hi! Hope to be moving over here soon, but until then I will be stalking. Maybe I can give some pregnancy advice at times too. :)


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## newbie2013

Commenting so I can stalk easily! 

Can't wait to join this thread properly...


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## kksy9b

Forgot to mention that I'm due April 1st and just started second tri. Have gotten to hear baby a few times and HB has been 160-170 each time. We had an US a few weeks ago...baby was just chilling back stretching out arms and legs...hoping this carries over once they are here! Hope everyone's doing well!


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## ClandestineTX

Just posting so I can locate it later (LOL, hopefully sooner than later)


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## Hopeful2014

@mommyxofxone I can make it private or closed if everyone thinks that's better. I'll figure out how sometime today. I'm so glad you're here! I can't wait to add your BFP here too!! :flower:

@mummy2o Good ideas! I'm open to any and all suggestions. My symptoms this time have been so different from the early loss. I'm definitely hoping that's a good thing, but I agree that it will help to see what others think. :flower:

@RaeChay I'm glad you joined! :flower:

@OurLilFlu I think it will be great to keep up with everyone here because it's hard to find updates in all the different spread out groups. :thumbup:

@kksy9b Me too! :) I'll post your info to the top post (and anyone else who wants me to add it) as soon as I'm at the laptop. The iPhone is not as good at editing posts. That scan sounds sooo cute! I can't wait!

@daddiesgift :hi: I'm glad you're here. I'll add your info to the top post as soon as I'm at the laptop.

@melann13 Yay! I can't wait to get some good advice! :flower:

@stargazer0726 I bet seeing baby and hearing heartbeat was amazing! I'll add your info to the top as soon as I'm on the laptop! :flower:

@River54 I can't wait to post your BFP!! I hope it's soon!! :flower:

@gabbygabz :friends: How are you?

@KatyW I'm so glad the appointment was good!! That's so exciting! It will definitely be better with a better doctor this time! :flower:

@Kwaggy I'm glad you're here! :flower:

@Ameli I'm so glad you're here too! :flower:

@want2bemommy Do I send the invites on here? I'm going to look it up soon and get it all sorted! :flower:

@burgbrandy I know you'll be here soon, but we will also appreciate your advice until then! :flower:

@newbie2013 :) You're such a nice person and I hope you get your BFP soon!

@ClandestineTX I'm hoping for very, very soon! We could always use your expertise, friendship, and general awesomeness here too! :friends:


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## magicwhisper

well i am here :D


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> well i am here :D

Yay! :)


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## want2bemommy

Hopeful &#8211; do you mean for the baby and bump group for Facebook group?


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## mommyxofxone

@want2be for this group. she can make it closed so only people from our thread that have the link can find the group.


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## magicwhisper

how does a closed group work .. i am a bit stupid :rofl:


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## nikkilucky77

I hope to join you ladies soon :). I will be stalking you all until then!!


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## Hopeful2014

@want2bemommy I meant how to make it closed on here. I've seen it before, but I wasn't sure what it entailed. 

I searched the technical support on here and found the way to make it a closed group is just to include 'Closed Group' in the title and a bit about it in the first post. People can still see and comment, but it's less likely. That should be fine for now, but I can look into it more. We could always accept those who we want or friends from other threads. 

@mommyxofxone I'm not sure how to hide the link from others. Does anyone know how? 

@magicwhisper I think it just means that only people from our original TTC thread can/should post here. 

@nikkilucky77 I hope you get your BFP very soon! :) 

AFM I'm 15 dpo. My usual lp is 12-14 and I'm still holding onto my BFPs. I'll continue just to soothe my fears. Today was my first digital test! I was so afraid to take the digital and started making concessions to myself about why it might not register yet and that my hcg might not be high enough, so I was soooo relieved when Pregnant popped up at 1 minute into the three minute wait. I just wish it was the kind with the weeks estimator. I'm attaching a photo of my BFPs. 

Top test: 13 dpo, smu, started showing faint second line at 28 seconds in and complete by two minutes
Middle test: 14 dpo, fmu, both lines started showing at same time
Bottom test: 15 dpo, fmu, Pregnant popped up at one minute

First question: Do you think there's enough progression from 13-14 dpo? I know it might not be too much just within one day, but can you tell it's a bit darker? I'm hoping the next will show a true darker result.
Second question: Do you know the sensitivity of the Clear Blue Digital? I found 50, but I'm not sure.
Third question: Any guesses/past experience/knowledge on how much hcg would be needed to get my results at this time?
 



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## River54

Yes, I see a progression from 13 - 14 dpo. :)
Yes - I believe the published sensitivity for those ones is 50mIU/mL. That doesn't mean that it wouldn't work for something lower, it is just what it has for them to claim their 99% accuracy :)
SOooooo happy for you :)
When do you go in for a scan or appt?


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## Hopeful2014

River54 said:


> Yes, I see a progression from 13 - 14 dpo. :)
> Yes - I believe the published sensitivity for those ones is 50mIU/mL. That doesn't mean that it wouldn't work for something lower, it is just what it has for them to claim their 99% accuracy :)
> SOooooo happy for you :)
> When do you go in for a scan or appt?

Thank you! I am a bit nervous about it, but I hope that eases over time. I haven't made any appointments yet. I'm thinking of waiting until 5 weeks-next Wednesday assuming all is well-and then calling. I know it would help ease some worry. My temp dropped on CD 30 and af came on what would have been CD 32 but turned into CD 1 of the next cycle with the loss. Today is CD 30 this cycle so I'll feel better once I'm past the next few days.


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## Hopeful2014

I've started updating the top post with all the fun info! I'm not finished, but I copied over what I had from the TTC group and from here so far. Let me know of any information you want on there. It can be a link to your journal, heartbeat, next scan or appointment, when you'll find out gender, the gender, due date, etc. I'll make it nicer soon! :)


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## kksy9b

Definite progression! I two tests a week apart- the second one came up as it was moving across and was darker than the control... that really helped ease my worry and made it feel real. But your second line really is darker and the fact that it came up even quicker is a really encouraging sign. I would wait 48 hours and then take another one (if you have one to spare) to really help ease your mind. I really really feel like this is your sticky bean though!

As for waiting to call the doctor, I completely understand. However, i'm not sure what your doctor's office is like, but when I first called they just had me bring in my FMU from that day and told me I was pregnant, scheduled my first appointment, and gave me orders for lab work. Not stressful or anything! Doesn't hurt that i took a digital with the sample before I went in just to make sure it still came up LOL.


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## melann13

Hopeful, I was paranoid that I wasn't seeing much progression in my ICs, but I had a beta HCG done and it was actually tripling, so I don't think you can judge progression much on tests. I can't find my picture right now, but I think it's around page 85 or so of the May TTC thread. It would've been around May 6th. I think I deleted it off my computer after posting because I didn't want someone accidentally seeing it before we were telling.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, Found it!! From top to bottom it's 11, 12, 13, 14 dpo. So as you can see, the progression was not that obvious. 11dpo my blood HCG was about 23 and on the third test (13dpo) it was over 70.
 



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## Tangerine

I'm here too! I also had my first prenatal appointment this morning, and it went well. My GP wants to transfer me to a specialist OB right away because of my autoimmune arthritis and previous losses etc. He's also booking an early scan for us, which is nice. He said everything seems to be going perfectly so far, but he just wants to be extra careful. I'll be seeing him every 4 weeks until I hear from the OB that will be taking over. 

Next appointment (for now) is: Nov. 4 and my due date is May 30 (my birthday)

I mentioned cloth diapers on the other thread - I picked up some wool today (Cascade 220) and I'm ready to start on a couple of soakers tomorrow. I'm really excited about that. Also went for a bra fitting and found that I've grown 2 cup sizes already, so obviously had to get some new bras! No wonder they hurt so much. :dohh::wacko: I can't believe how fast your body changes, it's incredible.

@Hopeful I will be thinking of you over these next few days. I found it stressful waiting to get past the point where I had my losses too. Your progression also looks great to me. Mine showed subtle progression on internet cheapies so I took a break for a few days. When I last took one at 5 weeks it was just as dark as the control line. I'm sure yours will get there too. :hugs:


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## ALiKO

yay! coming on over! due on or around April 27th. saw my lil beanie at 9 weeks 6 days heartbeating and wiggling around :). 

wow melann it feels like just yesterday you announced your pregnancy now you only have a few months to go. you go girl! :happydance:


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## ALiKO

Hopeful- i was able to find these charts if your interested but i think your lines are progressing beautifully. just for reference i was able to turn a 50mIU test positive on 13dpo. my luteal phase can be anywhere from 14-16 days but is primarily 14 days.
 



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## Kalush

So excited for you guys! Can't wait until the first babies are born.

Hopefully I'll get to join you before too long.


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## Kwaggy

Im so greatful to be pregnant, but so far it has not been much fun. I still find it hard to get excited, I guess after 3 years of trying its hard to believe Im actually going to have a baby. I havent bought much of anything at all, for fear that it will cause bad luck. Im still waiting for my "Baby Bump" I dont look pregnant yet :/


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## Mummy to HP

Can I join please? Just about to go into the 3rd tri but don't want to leave any of you ladies behind :nope:


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## Mummy to HP

Hopeful2014 said:


> @want2bemommy I meant how to make it closed on here. I've seen it before, but I wasn't sure what it entailed.
> 
> I searched the technical support on here and found the way to make it a closed group is just to include 'Closed Group' in the title and a bit about it in the first post. People can still see and comment, but it's less likely. That should be fine for now, but I can look into it more. We could always accept those who we want or friends from other threads.
> 
> @mommyxofxone I'm not sure how to hide the link from others. Does anyone know how?
> 
> @magicwhisper I think it just means that only people from our original TTC thread can/should post here.
> 
> @nikkilucky77 I hope you get your BFP very soon! :)
> 
> AFM I'm 15 dpo. My usual lp is 12-14 and I'm still holding onto my BFPs. I'll continue just to soothe my fears. Today was my first digital test! I was so afraid to take the digital and started making concessions to myself about why it might not register yet and that my hcg might not be high enough, so I was soooo relieved when Pregnant popped up at 1 minute into the three minute wait. I just wish it was the kind with the weeks estimator. I'm attaching a photo of my BFPs.
> 
> Top test: 13 dpo, smu, started showing faint second line at 28 seconds in and complete by two minutes
> Middle test: 14 dpo, fmu, both lines started showing at same time
> Bottom test: 15 dpo, fmu, Pregnant popped up at one minute
> 
> First question: Do you think there's enough progression from 13-14 dpo? I know it might not be too much just within one day, but can you tell it's a bit darker? I'm hoping the next will show a true darker result.
> Second question: Do you know the sensitivity of the Clear Blue Digital? I found 50, but I'm not sure.
> Third question: Any guesses/past experience/knowledge on how much hcg would be needed to get my results at this time?

Looking gd to me!


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## mummy2o

Hopeful that is clear progression. On my miscarriage it never progressed so I know something was up, plus I know this is going to sound strange and probably make some people worry so I apologise, I just didn't feel pregnant. With DS although I had no symptoms I felt pregnant. With this one I have symptoms and also felt pregnant. So I guess with me I'm one of those people who just know. In 3 weeks I find out what team I'm on. Can't wait. My flutterings seems to have gone though and not felt them for a bit, so getting a bit concerned about that, but sure everything is fine.


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## pathos

posting here to bookmark the thread. i will stalk your scans, progress hehe and hopefully i will join you one day :flower:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Thank you! I totally understand testing the sample before taking it in. I will probably do that as well. :haha: I might call at the beginning of next week and see what they want me to do here. I definitely think going in will give me some peace about it. I guess it will make it more real for us! :flower:

@melann13 Do most doctors do the beta HCG or is it something you have to ask for specifically? I know some say it's hard to get them to do it, but it seems like it wouldn't be too difficult just to check. Thanks for finding your photo! That is a definite increase! I think I'll relax once the line becomes darker than the control line. I'm also planning on getting a few Wal-Mart .88 tests soon and using one because that's all I used with the early loss and I want to compare this to the old tests. I had three positives, but they were much, much fainter than this time. I'm hoping this one will show up nice and dark on it! :dohh: 

@Tangerine :hi: I'm so glad everything is going perfectly! I'll take growing and symptoms! It definitely means good things! I can't wait until mine is just as dark as the control line! It's hard how we create these dates and points that we must get to to feel more comfortable, but I do think it will help when I get there. Of course there's always a new point I'll want to reach. :haha:

@ALiKO 29% complete! You'll be under 200 days soon! Thanks for finding those charts! I hope it all means good things! :flower:

@Kalush :) I'm so glad we can follow the whole journey from joining the thread to seeing the little babies once they are here. I know you'll join us soon, but we could definitely use your parenting advice anytime as well. You seem like such a great mother! 

@Kwaggy I don't know if it will completely feel real to me until I am actually holding baby. I imagine it is harder for people who are actively trying and who took longer than someone on accident or on a first time because we know more about it and had to wait for so long. Is Dalylah Mae her name? I'll add that to the front! :flower:

@Mummy to HP We're so happy you're here! How are you? :flower:

@mummy2o I had some symptoms with the early loss, but they were quite different. I honestly didn't feel them any more the morning I woke to the temp drop. It still took two days for af to come, but I knew then. I'm definitely having some symptoms now. The main one that stuck out to me while in the tww and now is my increased appetite. I can't wait for you to find out the gender. That's so exciting! Any guesses? :flower:

@pathos :friends: I know you will have your BFP and I can't wait to post it!


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## imaginary8x

Don't post much but I was in the testing part. :) can you put me down please? :)


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## Kwaggy

@Hopeful- Yes, for now her name is Dalylah Mae, unless she is born and doesnt look like a Dalylah lol. BTW- Your lines are beautiful, when I tested with FRER the second line was always faint (way lighter than yours are now) and never got as dark as the control line. I didnt get a positive digi until 19dpo...and thats when I stopped testing.


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## Hopeful2014

@imaginary8x :hi: I'm so glad you joined! How are you? I'm sure the 12 week scan is going to be exciting!

@Kwaggy Thank you for telling me that! I am so hopeful that it will work out this time! We've added to our list of names over time, but will probably have a backup just in case. :thumbup:


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## RaeChay

Wanted to chime in about FRER- mine never got darker than control either. But my betas were great. One way you can (possibly) get your doc to do a beta is by letting them know you've had an early loss before. OR a sneakier way is to tell them you are having sharp, one-sided pain & you're concerned about ectopic (this legitimately happened to me- turned out to be gas- but they did both a beta and early ultrasound to rule out ectopic).


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## burgbrandy

Sneaky. Lol! My SIL has spent her entire pregnancy faking pains in her stomach to get ultrasounds. She's had a total of 11 scans and she's 37 weeks now.


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## burgbrandy

I have a request ladies...would u all like to post bump pics? Maybe a before/early pregnancy shot and a current bump pic? Also, for those that charted, I'd love to see bfp charts!


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## melann13

@Hopeful- Before the BFP I was having a doc appt about what the next steps might be (clomid etc). He schedule me for a prog draw and said that next time I had a BFP he would do a beta. I tested the morning of my prog draw just in case, got the BFP and when I went in to the lab I just told the nurse that Doc had said I could have a beta draw when I got my BFP and also an early scan at about 8 weeks. It was all true- I didn't lie, but I don't think he was expecting it to happen that next month! The only reason he was willing was because of the previous loss.

@Burgbrandy. My chart is still in my siggy I believe. My last bump pic (24 weeks) is pretty ugly because we had just walked in the house from camping. I've probably gained a little too much weight, but I've also had my ring size go up 1.5 sizes (usually only a 5.5) and I have to wear bigger shoes, so I'm sure a lot of it is just water. So... Here's 9.5 weeks when I first starting seeing a tiny bump, 16 weeks, and 24 weeks when I started to feel huge! I actually think I look smaller today, but it all has to do with what I'm wearing.
 



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## imaginary8x

Hopeful2014 said:


> @imaginary8x :hi: I'm so glad you joined! How are you? I'm sure the 12 week scan is going to be exciting!

Congratulation on your :bfp: :) and I'm feeling ok still have morning sickness still around. :( how are you? Yes, I can't wait! :D I'm also due on April 24th and I'm staying team yellow. :)


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## mummy2o

I won't do bumps, but I'll post my chart up after DS goes to bed. Just a quick post totally unrelated to babies. My son goes to school in the village I grew up in and in all the years I lived there I have never seen what I saw today. DS and I were in the car driving home, going slowly down the hill and there was a cow just walking in the road, moving side to side. It eventually went on the pavement and someone else was phoning the police (DS wanted the toilet, his needs imo were greater than the cows as I didn't want a wet booster seat >.<) I believe the cow is safe now though :)


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## want2bemommy

You can see my before bump in my profile pic. My current bump pic: 26 weeks twins. Just a note- I'm puffy from lack of sleep and allergies lol


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## want2bemommy

Look at all those girls due in January!! I'm due jan 6 but dec 9 is my magic date of 36 weeks, that is my goal date


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## stargazer0726

RaeChay said:


> Wanted to chime in about FRER- mine never got darker than control either. But my betas were great. One way you can (possibly) get your doc to do a beta is by letting them know you've had an early loss before. OR a sneakier way is to tell them you are having sharp, one-sided pain & you're concerned about ectopic (this legitimately happened to me- turned out to be gas- but they did both a beta and early ultrasound to rule out ectopic).

I got an early ultrasound by acting stupid, I said I didn't really remember when my last period was. (Yea right, I knew exactly when I had a period and ovulated) also I said my cycle lengths vary a lot. She sent me right in for an ultrasound!!!


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## newbie2013

Great tips for ultra sounds, ladies! Will store them up for when I can use them!!

Nice bump pics, too. So we're all on countdown for 9th dec with you, want2be... Looking forward to baby pics in the next few months!!!


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## daddiesgift

want2bemommy-twins! how cute! Im about that size at 26 weeks with one baby :haha:


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## daddiesgift

With my first two pregnancies we lived in Germany where I got an ultrasound EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT!!! So once a month, then twice a month, then once a week till birth! So now that Im back in America Im incredibly depressed that my insurance only pays for ONE. ONE!!! I can get more if its medically necessary which I doubt I ever will since Ive had uneventful pregnancies and births in the past :cry: I feel getting so many really bonded me to baby before they were even born. What a major bummer for me!! I guess it will keep the gender a surprise a lot easier since I wont have so many chances to see myself or ask :haha:

When i get chance Ill upload chart and 'bump' pic but at this point its not really a bump :haha: they are in the last few pages of my journal as well if you just want to peek there.


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## burgbrandy

Such cute bumps ladies!


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## magicwhisper

It is all fat for me :rofl: so no bump picture, maybe when I have a pregnancy bump :haha:

Bit of a update, I am waiting for a scan date right now and for a consultant letter. It has been confirmed I am due May 7th :happydance:


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## RaeChay

So I (sort of) got my results back for my first tri sequential integrated screening (I'm an RN and so can access my hospital records anytime). Result was a 1:10000 risk for both Down's syndrome and trisomy 18. Anyone else get theirs yet? I'm thinking this is probably a good number (without having spoken to my OB yet).


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## Kwaggy

So far all the ladies on here due in January are on Team Pink :pink: :)


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## mommyxofxone

ladies asking to get in your brains for a sec, does anyone remember what dpo (if any) you may have felt nauseous or became constipated in the tww where you got your bfp?? 

i started with a touch of nausea last night (totally not anything i get) and random constipation and i'm 6 dpo today.


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## daddiesgift

I don't really remember mommyxofxone. I honestly don't think I had any symptoms! And I tested probably 2 days before :bfp: and it was stark white! I guess being extremely tired was the only feeling I had


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## ALiKO

stargazer0726 said:


> I got an early ultrasound by acting stupid, I said I didn't really remember when my last period was. (Yea right, I knew exactly when I had a period and ovulated) also I said my cycle lengths vary a lot. She sent me right in for an ultrasound!!!

haha! :haha: well i guess thats one way to get it done. hehe you sneaky sneaky girl.




daddiesgift said:


> With my first two pregnancies we lived in Germany where I got an ultrasound EVERY SINGLE APPOINTMENT!!! So once a month, then twice a month, then once a week till birth! So now that Im back in America Im incredibly depressed that my insurance only pays for ONE. ONE!!! I can get more if its medically necessary which I doubt I ever will since Ive had uneventful pregnancies and births in the past :cry: I feel getting so many really bonded me to baby before they were even born. What a major bummer for me!! I guess it will keep the gender a surprise a lot easier since I wont have so many chances to see myself or ask :haha:
> 
> When i get chance Ill upload chart and 'bump' pic but at this point its not really a bump :haha: they are in the last few pages of my journal as well if you just want to peek there.

in japan so far i've had 4 u/s and im only 11 weeks. they usually book my appointments every 2 weeks but i actually delay my appointments as i feel like im going too often. after my 13 weeks scan if they set my appointment for another 2 weeks im gonna delay it until im about 17 weeks.


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## ALiKO

want2bemommy- you are carrying your twins very well. my aunt was the size of a cruise ship around this time when she was pregnant with twins :haha: 

melann- beautiful bump progression thanks for sharing! :flower:

any of you January girls do the chinese gender prediction? it would be cool if it really predicted girls for all of you. i did it for fun and was predicted a boy. 
i hope to add my bump but i don't have much of one right now. i do have a recent pic of my ultrasound as my avatar. also i had my bfp chart in my signature but deleted it to make room for my tickers but i'll see if i can re-add it :flower:


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## OurLilFlu

mommyxofxone said:


> ladies asking to get in your brains for a sec, does anyone remember what dpo (if any) you may have felt nauseous or became constipated in the tww where you got your bfp??
> 
> i started with a touch of nausea last night (totally not anything i get) and random constipation and i'm 6 dpo today.

Hey I just checked my notes from ff.... And I had diarrhea 6dpo and then a few days after it was crazy gas pains and then constipation.. No nausea til about 6-7 weeks. Good luck


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## mummy2o

RaeChay said:


> So I (sort of) got my results back for my first tri sequential integrated screening (I'm an RN and so can access my hospital records anytime). Result was a 1:10000 risk for both Down's syndrome and trisomy 18. Anyone else get theirs yet? I'm thinking this is probably a good number (without having spoken to my OB yet).

That is a good number. Anything 1:150 or below is a bad/low result. I think mine was 1:31173. But only got tested for Down's syndrome. This result can change is something is picked up in the anomaly scan but normally whatever is wrong is an isolated case. My son had a good result, but showed up with a club foot so his result went to 1:100 and asked if I wanted further testing. I refused and he was fine.



mommyxofxone said:


> ladies asking to get in your brains for a sec, does anyone remember what dpo (if any) you may have felt nauseous or became constipated in the tww where you got your bfp??
> 
> i started with a touch of nausea last night (totally not anything i get) and random constipation and i'm 6 dpo today.

I got nauseous after dinner 3 days before my BFP. I always get constipated before AF so I couldn't count that as a symptom, but I suspect that I had that also.


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## Hopeful2014

@RaeChay :) I do think I'd feel better if I could have a beta and an early ultrasound. I think I'll feel better about it if the FRER stays the same or is a little darker than the others and as long as it doesn't get any lighter! I have one more that I plan to take next week. I did buy some Wal-Mart .88 tests today too. :haha:

@burgbrandy That's a great idea! :thumbup: We could post charts, dpo symptoms, and what we think helped during the month. I do plan to take bump pictures along the way.

@melann13 Cute, not huge! :flower:

@imaginary8x I'm good! :) I'm having some symptoms: increased appetite, fatigue, tender breasts off and on, and I need to catch my breath after walking or moving around a lot. I updated the front! 

@mummy2o My husband's parents have cows and I still remember early in our relationship when a couple escaped the fence. We were walking outside to go to the car and they were in the front yard (it's a farm/larger area), but I was so surprised! :haha:

@want2bemommy Most of the BFPs from our group are girls so far! I know of nine girls and three boys so far! I updated your date! :)

@stargazer0726 I love all of the sneaky tips! :haha:

@magicwhisper I updated the date! :thumbup:

@RaeChay That seems to be a good number! :thumbup:

@ALiKO I don't know if the gender predictor always works, but it did work for some of my family members. I'm predicted a boy too! :) My sister-in-law got pregnant at 27 in September (like me now) and she was predicted a boy and had a boy. Did it work for any of you? 

@mommyxofxone TMI: I had a vomit-type burp/hiccup around the middle of my tww. I had just woke up and got out of bed and it happened. I'm not sure if it was connected, but it was certainly unusual. Good luck!! :flower:

AFM I didn't test again today, but I did take my temperature. This CD was the day my temp dropped in the early loss cycle, but it was still nice and high today! Here's my chart.
 



Attached Files:







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## KatyW

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/ttc/index.php

Here's my chart. Can't think of any notable symptoms, though.


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## daddiesgift

I'm not a January lady but I did the Chinese gender predictor for both prior pregnancies and it guessed boy each time! So I hope it's right this time as it says girl!


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## mommyxofxone

daddies mine told me dd was going to be a boy. but i know most people i know said it worked for them :)


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## melann13

Gender chart predicted girl for me, as did my self-proclaimed pregnancy psychic SIL. (she also told my brother I was preggo before I did and she hadn't seen me in months).

I think I might have had some mild nausea during my TWW, but I'd had it in non BFP cycles as well. For me constipation hasn't been TOO much of an issue (some around 4-5 mos) but I did also have diarrhea a lot at the beginning.


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## Ameli

I did the Chinese gender predictor on two different sites - and one said girl and the other said boy. :shrug: Still fun to do though!


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## stargazer0726

The gender chart has been right 50% of the time for me. Was right on my first and not my second. This time I checked two different sites and they were different. I have no idea what this baby is I was sure both my previous kids were going to be boys and I have two dds. I am totally conflicted as to what I want this baby to be, knowing this one will be the last I think I will be sad regardless. Either I will never get to experience having a boy or I will never again get to buy cute little dresses.


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## RaeChay

mommyxofxone said:


> ladies asking to get in your brains for a sec, does anyone remember what dpo (if any) you may have felt nauseous or became constipated in the tww where you got your bfp??
> 
> i started with a touch of nausea last night (totally not anything i get) and random constipation and i'm 6 dpo today.

Never had any nausea until 6-7 weeks. I did have diarrhea the day before bfp, which is weird for me. I also felt very lightheaded/dizzy before bfp, but I
had put that down to doing lots of yard work in July heat. But the dizziness stayed til around when the nausea started.

As for the gender predictor- mine predicted a girl...my husband and MIL swear it's a boy. We shall see :)


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## daddiesgift

This pregnancy has been so different already! Hope I don't jinks myself but with both my boys I was on my death bed! From 4 weeks on. I also knew to test as my breast were extremely sore and sensitive. I had bad constipation. Now at first I was extremely sleepy but now its starting to pass. Only morning sickness is when I haven't ate in awhile but I'm not puking or gagging. I have an everyday poo which even non pregnant is not like me at all. So the only reason I feel pregnant is the test was positive! No breast soreness at all, no puking, no constipation. Freaks me out a little! I took two tests this morning that's how weird I feel :nope: I bought a Doppler today and I know its too soon to hear baby I didn't hear anything! I heard a whoosh once and that was it. And I'm a professional at using these so I know what's what. I can't wait for my blood tests, ultrasound or heart beat or something!! October 25 is my first appt but I doubt they'll do anything


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## mummy2o

I wouldn't worry much. With DS pregnancy I felt fine, even to the state if I had a period or didn't feel kicking later on I seriously would be like one of those women on TV who never knew they were pregnant. This time I've had all the symptoms I've missed out on last time. So I'm sure everything is fine :)


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## RaeChay

@daddiesgift- it's early days still ;)


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## Tangerine

https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/3ed1c9/thumb.png
My Ovulation Chart

My chart is here. I got a BFN at 12 DPO and we only dtd once during the fertile window. I wasn't symptom spotting because I was convinced we missed the egg. :shrug: I didn't really notice anything unusual until 14 DPO when my temp spiked and I got the BFP. Nausea started a few days later. (Maybe TMI) OH said my breasts were definitely fuller the week before my BFP. I always get breast changes very early but I didn't notice it myself, he always notices it before I do! :dohh: My luteal phase has been LONG since our last loss in May so I wasn't expecting AF until 17 DPO either.

The Chinese gender chart is predicting a boy. I have quite a while to wait before I can find out if it's true or not. I am really tempted to go team yellow because everyone seems a whole lot more concerned about the baby's gender than I am. I don't care as long as he or she is healthy. I kind of prefer gender neutral stuff because it can be reused for other children too. I just doubt that OH will be patient enough to wait another 8 months to find out. :dohh:


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## OurLilFlu

Hey ladies, there was another thread that had about 10 links to different Chinese gender charts or quizzes and mine were predominantly girl like 6 or 7 out of 10... So who knows. 

And tangerine, it might take a bit of convincing but I got my oh to stay team yellow!


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## daddiesgift

I kind of want to find out ahead of time but we've chose to wait till birth to find out gender. Since I found out with both of mine it will be hard to not want that excitement before hand but I think since this will probably be last baby that it would be fun to wait.


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## KatyW

I think morning sickness is worse this time - woke up dry heaving. So not fun! All worth it, though, just think it was a little easier the first time. 

We are finding out the sex - it helps me visualize a little better and focus on coming up with one name rather than two (which is hard).


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## magicwhisper

we must be strange then, :haha: we have 2 girls and 2 boys names already 

:blush:


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I hope you get your girl!! :flower: I would really like to get a Doppler. I think it would be comforting to be able to hear baby. I'm sure all is fine. Pregnancies can be different and symptoms can come and go at times.

@Ameli I agree it's fun to use the predictor even if it's not always accurate. :thumbup:

@stargazer0726 I am so conflicted with what I want. I always wanted a girl when I was growing up. I've been blessed with two nieces and a nephew who I get to spend a lot of time with so I eventually felt that either would be fine. I would like to have a boy and girl. We need a boy to pass the name on as my husband is the last of his line of boys. No pressure! :haha: 

@RaeChay I can't wait until you find out! :flower:

@Tangerine I totally agree about liking neutral things. I will get some of those to reuse as well once I start buying. I'll probably wait a while though. I think we'll get the swings/major purchases in neutral colors as well. Healthy is the only thing I'm wishing for too and I'll be happy with either. :thumbup:

@KatyW I hope you feel better soon. :hugs: You're right, though, it's totally worth it! It hasn't started for me yet, but I did feel nauseous briefly in the car yesterday. I think it was because I was hungry. 

@magicwhisper :) We have a list of names, but nothing solidly picked. We have been working on the list for a while and there are some I don't even like now. I will be glad to have time to sort them all and choose the one I can live with forever. 


General questions:

Is/has anyone took any of those tests that are supposed to give you early results on if it's a boy or girl? I think some involve peeing on different things and seeing which color the plant(?) turns? I'll have to look it up to be more specific. :haha: I've read about them before, but I'm not sure how accurate those are either. 

When did you start to notice more severe symptoms? What about nausea specifically?

When did you go in for your first appointment?


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## KatyW

Magicwhisper, that's great that you have names already. :) We're so indecisive. My husband is a fan of very traditional names whereas I like ones that he thinks are "strange." So meeting in the middle is always a challenge.


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## magicwhisper

hopeful nausea hit me at 7 weeks 
katy i hope you pick your names :haha:


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## mommyxofxone

@magic you're not weird. we had our names picked out in june last time and weren't pregnant til nov!! lol 

we saved our boy name and never told a soul in case we have another and it's a boy. we have NO girl names as backup because my sil stole our other girl name.


I had no symptoms at all really in the beginning with dd minus the super tired. so i wouldn't know what to expect a second time around. af due next sat, testing on monday. (if i can hold out)


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## Ameli

Hopeful: I think all of those early predictor tests are really just for fun too.
I was really lucky this pregnancy and avoided nausea, aside from when I went too long without eating. I just was tired and hungry all the time during 1st tri. I had my 1st dr's appt at 8 weeks.


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## KatyW

Thanks, Hopeful, I would like to stop being couch-ridden. Praying my daughter and I can resume our normal getting out of the house routine tomorrow. It seems like every week I've been sick but have gotten a few days where I felt better too. The upside is that my husband is great, and has been doing extra chores and has had some special little outings with N. 

I feel like my biggest piece of pregnancy advice is to always have food with you. Rice cakes have saved me from escalating nausea. 

Mommyxofone, hope this is it for you. :)


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## mummy2o

Those tests are just for fun, still fun to do.

Both of my pregnancies were different. I had no symptoms with DS so if your lucky enough to have none, don't worry as you can still end up with a healthy child. This one nausea hit me at 4weeks to 8 then came back for week 10. I found constant eating was brilliant. I felt sick if I didn't eat every 10 minutes or so, so I didn't really have proper dinners for ages! My boobs were really sorry this time too, still are from time to time. Now I have back ache almost daily and general tiredness. Baby is moving more and isn't keeping me up as such, just find it very hard to get comfy or cool down as I constantly feel hot!

In England we do things differently from you guys. We wait for the midwife to contact us and then get our first appointment between weeks 8-10 usually. Some area's see them earlier some later, but most of us get our first scan at 12 weeks, unless something is wrong. I was just lucky that I got a scan at 6 and 9 weeks due to the first as they thought it was ectopic and second was just a follow up one, then I got my 12 week scan and an extra scan at 14 weeks due to bleeding. Next one is the standard 20 week scan.


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## Kwaggy

My morning sickness started at 6 weeks, and I still get sick daily. At about 11 weeks I started taking a tablet for nausea. I was just prescribed nutritional supplement drinks because so far I've only gained 3 pounds. Its so hard for me to eat, I have no appitite. Hoping to hit a growth spurt in the 3rd trimester :)

I had my first appointment at 6+3 and was able to hear the heartbeat. I think it was a bit earlier than normal because I was seeing an RE, once I hit 8 weeks I was referred to a regular OB.

I bought a doppler off ebay after my first appointment, and was able to find her heartbeat at just 8 weeks! I used it everyday until I could feel her moving around.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I think my worst nausea was from weeks 8-13. I still get it sometimes, but it's more indigestion. Too bad we don't live closer, I've been debating selling my doppler. I do want to use it to record my own HB for her first, but with the kicks, I don't really need it anymore.
I had my blood draws right away in weeks 4, but only because I was already scheduled for a Prog draw. First appt with the doc was at 8.5 weeks and he gave me an early scan due to my previous loss (and I think he knew I'd insist, I'm kind of persistent about stats and science). Otherwise I think my first appt would've been week 10. Every four weeks after that.


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful my sister took two of those pee on something gender tests and she got one boy and one girl result :haha: she had a boy after two girls! I think ill be in shock if we have a girl. I want one but I've gotten so use to boys! 

As far as names I think we have a girl name but not a boy name. I always wanted a Dominic so Dominic was Dominic from the time we found out boy! For Anthony we couldn't stop argueing so we came to an agreement on 10 names we both liked, we put them in a hat and let Dominic take two out. They were Anthony Lucas so that's Anthony's name! So Dominic got to pick just with some guidance since he couldn't talk yet :haha:


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## KatyW

Kwaggy, I bet you will hit a growth spurt in the third trimester. Hoping that your appetite kicks in. I'm sure it's tough to still be feeling sick at times well into the second trimester. 

Hmm, as for me, I just took the Chinese gender prediction test and it predicts a boy. I'm stuck on the couch again after a very sick weekend and my daughter is down for the night. Very fun to take these tests and trying to imagine whether it will be a boy or girl. The nerd in me needed to look up some things online, and I realize that soon, at 9 weeks or so, sex characteristics will start to be distinguished on the baby. 

I'm curious, ladies, at what point did you tell people about your pregnancy? I'm in a tricky place, as my two best friends are both at a weird point for me to tell them. One had a miscarriage only 4 weeks ago, and the other underwent really extensive surgery that is probably going to make it nearly impossible to have another baby (last week). To say this is a bad time for them to hear this news in an understatement, but I also don't want to withhold from them either. Anyone dealt with something similar?


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## Ameli

I told my sister and 1 friend early, but waited until 2nd tri to tell everyone else. My husband and I are also friends with a couple who had a MC and haven't been able to get pregnant since. With them we waited to tell them privately before we announced it to everyone else. It was tough, but they were happy for us and I think it was better for them to hear it directly.


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## want2bemommy

Aliko- thanks! The cruise ship comment made me laugh! I did the gender prediction on two sites- one said girl other said boy. 

My nausea began at about 6 weeks and stayed until 12 weeks where it was on/off until 14 weeks. Oddly enough, I could keep nausea away longer if I are a sausage mcmuffin without the cheese first thing lol. I had more symptoms during my TWW when I wasn't pregnant 

I passed my glucose test- yay! But my bloods came back low so looks like I have mild anemia which I guess is common especially for twins. Bad news is that the pitting edema is starting in my feet so I get to wear the awesome compression stockings- they do feel better when I wear them though.


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## RaeChay

@hopeful- I had sore boobs/tiredness from the get-go. Nausea/vomiting lasted from about week 7, and only got worse until the end of week 12. I lost 7 pounds altogether in first tri... But gained 3 lbs back so far. I cannot tell you how relieving it feels to get hungry/be interested in food again! Still can't stomach chicken, or much meat though. 

First appt was at ten weeks (aside from the appt to rule out ectopic at 7.5 weeks).

@KatyW: ugh, I'm sorry. I had a somewhat similar situation... My SIL got married later in life (39) and has been TTC since. She's had two miscarriages, both at 12 weeks. The most recent MC was in April. She turned 41 the exact day of our 12 week mark, when we would be telling people. So I actually skipped her bday (they live 4.5 hours away so it wasn't that big a deal, but I felt bad) so that I didn't have to field questions about why I wasn't drinking, etc. This was all just to find out one week later that my MIL had taken it upon herself to tell my SIL without our leave. So then I saw SIL one week later (not knowing MIL told) and just felt bad after finding out. Ugh. But to answer your original question, we have only started to tell friends/my side of the family yesterday (14 weeks). I probably would've waited even later if there wasn't social events lately...I have waited so long to tell that I've realized I'm starting to enjoy having a secret :) and of course this has meant loose clothing!


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## melann13

We told my parents right away as they knew about our previous loss. I told my best friend and DH's parents after our early ultrasound at 8.5 weeks. We told a few others around 10 weeks after hearing the HB with the Doppler and gradually spilled the beans from there. We didn't go FB wide until about 17 weeks. My BFF and her DH have been trying for a little bit, but I wanted to make sure she heard it straight from me and not through the grapevine. I do think that if someone has had a loss it's a lot better if they hear it from you directly as they don't have to have a big fake reaction in front of other people. We still don't put much on FB as I know so many people who are trying/had losses. It's not like it's a secret, but it's not something they need to see everytime they look at their newsfeed.


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## Mummy to HP

Morning sickness (well evening for me) started about week 7 and lasted till about week 12/13 although eating mash potato helped lots haha. Mega sore boobs until same kind of time although they still keep growing :blush:.

We told very close friends and parents at about 6 weeks (very early I know but I work in a lab) everyone else was after our first scan (13weeks)

Baby is really active now :flower: kicks are really strong and I can notice a pattern around the times of day she is more active. 

Its nice to have this thread to say this stuff in :hugs::thumbup:


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## mommyxofxone

KatyW said:


> Kwaggy, I bet you will hit a growth spurt in the third trimester. Hoping that your appetite kicks in. I'm sure it's tough to still be feeling sick at times well into the second trimester.
> 
> Hmm, as for me, I just took the Chinese gender prediction test and it predicts a boy. I'm stuck on the couch again after a very sick weekend and my daughter is down for the night. Very fun to take these tests and trying to imagine whether it will be a boy or girl. The nerd in me needed to look up some things online, and I realize that soon, at 9 weeks or so, sex characteristics will start to be distinguished on the baby.
> 
> I'm curious, ladies, at what point did you tell people about your pregnancy? I'm in a tricky place, as my two best friends are both at a weird point for me to tell them. One had a miscarriage only 4 weeks ago, and the other underwent really extensive surgery that is probably going to make it nearly impossible to have another baby (last week). To say this is a bad time for them to hear this news in an understatement, but I also don't want to withhold from them either. Anyone dealt with something similar?

i did a pee on baking soda test? i don't remember who told me about it, and i can't remember what meant what. all i know is that whatever it did meant girl and that's what i had. 

i told my best friend the day of the test, my boss at 4 weeks (for work reasons), my mom at 6 weeks and everyone else at 8 weeks. 

I had one girl i had to tell that i worked with because they wanted me to tell everyone there since they had to help me with some duties. The one girl had been trying for a year and was going to a specialist and was told she had unexplained infertility and she was about to start iui. 

I waited til it was just us. and i told her. she said she was happy for me, but she didn't look as happy. 

she fell pregnant after 3 failed iuis and one successful ivf, but she never ever was thrilled with the idea. She dealt with me she hung out with me after we had our babies like two or three times then she never could make it again. whatever happened she never could deal with me the same way agian. HOWEVER she wasn't a good friend, we were more co-workers, but i was always kind of sad on how that turned out. :/ 

my advice, honestly, is tell sooner rather than later. if they are having a rough time, sit down and talk to them about it, tell them you were really worried about hurting them and make it special that they are the only ones that know. Waiting til your further along might make them think you were pitying them or keeping something from them, and it stirs up all kinds of other things.


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## daddiesgift

We wanted to wait to tell people more fear of the judgement of having so many babies close together. I ended up telling a close friend as she posted something on my Facebook how I was lucky to not be pregnant right now :dohh: she was so happy and excited it made me excited and say screw what everyone else thinks! If I'm happy I hope others would be too. And for the most part it's been positive. Although my sister has said NOTHING to me about it :nope:

I think keeping it away from friends struggling can be good but I also think it could backfire and they could feel hurt. No one wants to be seen as the "cripple"woman who can't get pregnant or loses her babies. It will hurt them to even see strangers pregnant but a good friend they'll feel happy as well as sorrow. I'd tell them as soon as I chose to tell everyone else. I wouldn't make a huge deal or make it seem like you're scared of their reaction. It took us two years and taking clomid to conceive #1 and I always felt like when my friends got pregnant I was last to know because they didnt want to hurt my feelings. When feeling sorry for me hurt me more than anything. I'm blessed to have fallen pregnant easily with our next two but with our first it was so different.


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## Hopeful2014

@mommyxofxone I've always been so paranoid that my sister-in-law would use one of our names. I never told her what they are, but I would always wait nervously until she announced her names. I really hope you get your BFP this time! 

@Ameli My main symptoms are fatigue and being hungry so far! I've been so hungry, but I wonder if it will taper off if I start to get more nausea. 

@mummy2o I'm definitely eating more. I find that I'm hungry even after eating something that would normally be enough/too much. 

@Kwaggy My sister-in-law didn't gain as much weight until the third trimester with her last pregnancy. I would really like to get a Doppler at some point. It would be comforting. 

@melann13 Thanks! I may try to get blood draws at the confirmation appointment. I want the scan, but just knowing everything seems to be progressing will make me feel better. 

@daddiesgift Will you come up with a girl and boy name just in case since you're not finding out the gender? 

@KatyW That is a hard decision. I don't plan to tell anyone until the second trimester except our parents, but we're still waiting to tell them for a little while. I'd feel bad and want to be sensitive to their situations, but then they may also feel uncomfortable about it when they do find out. I'm sure they will be there for you. When did you tell them last time? Perhaps you could get away with waiting another month or so and just tell them it's because you were waiting to tell everyone. However, if you do tell others that they talk to you may want to tell them because they may feel uncomfortable if they hear it from someone else. 

@RaeChay My plan is to wait to tell until mid-December. That could be tricky with Thanksgiving and the holidays, but I'll avoid if I have to or wear loose clothing too. 

@Mummy to HP I love to hear it all too! I imagine feeling baby is one of the best things ever.


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## daddiesgift

We will come up with two names, boy and girl. Maybe more than that to see what baby looks like at birth!


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## stargazer0726

We actually told our older children and both are sets of family tonight and I am 10 weeks today. I wanted to wait until 12 weeks but hubby was very instant that we wait no longer. I had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and saw a nice strong heartbeat so just keeping fingers crossed. Haven't announced on fb yet... But I literally just got a notification that a friend wrote on my wall so I guess it's out now!!


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## KatyW

Thanks, ladies, for the advice. Last time I told people very late - into the second trimester, even these two ladies I'm talking about. I felt very cautious since I had had a loss right before that pregnancy. 

This time I told my family at about 7 weeks, and like some of you ladies have brought up, I want to be open with close friends this time around a little sooner, because sometimes it's better to have it out in the open. I'd also like to share the news with friends locally so they know why I'm MIA from things lately (due to morning sickness). 

Anyway, not a huge deal, but I did think it was an interesting thing to think about.


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## ALiKO

my symptoms during early pregnancy: 

weeks 4/5/6- sore boobs and nips, bloating, cramping, dry itchy throat, nasal congestion, food aversions, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue, loss of energy.

week 7- same as weeks 4-6 but nasal congestion, dry itchy throat, and cramping is gone. new symptoms dizziness and nausea that got worse at night.

week 8- same as weeks 4-7 but nausea and dizziness are so intense now that i am actually throwing up.

weeks 9/10- were the most intense. all my symptoms from weeks 4-8 intensified and i was throwing up on a consistent basis. 

week 11: started eating more and overall feeling much better. at night still a bit nauseous, dizzy, and fatigued. 

currently in week 12 and so far so good :)


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## ALiKO

so far i have told my parents and hubby's at 5 weeks, and told hubby's family at 10 weeks. i have not told my family because i wanna tell my sister first but im too afraid to. 

@hopeful- i do not know if the Chinese prediction test worked yet as i have not found out the gender. but i want to know so i'll find out as soon as i can! :)


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## kksy9b

We actually started telling people the day after we found out at 4 weeks. We wanted to wait until after our first appointment but that wasn't going to be until 10 weeks. In the middle of that wait we had a trip back to visit our family and there was no way we would be able to not tell them! So we told our best friends at 4 weeks, our immediate family all by 7 weeks, extended family and work at 10, and Facebook after that.


----------



## mummy2o

melann13 said:


> We told my parents right away as they knew about our previous loss. I told my best friend and DH's parents after our early ultrasound at 8.5 weeks. We told a few others around 10 weeks after hearing the HB with the Doppler and gradually spilled the beans from there. We didn't go FB wide until about 17 weeks. My BFF and her DH have been trying for a little bit, but I wanted to make sure she heard it straight from me and not through the grapevine. I do think that if someone has had a loss it's a lot better if they hear it from you directly as they don't have to have a big fake reaction in front of other people. We still don't put much on FB as I know so many people who are trying/had losses. It's not like it's a secret, but it's not something they need to see everytime they look at their newsfeed.

I agree with trying to keep FB on the low side. It seemed that my FB was full of announcements between the miscarriage and getting pregnant again. Someone literally wrote a week by week up date and gave birth before I got pregnant again. I ended up ignoring her posts for a while and it was good for me. So far I have posted on scan picture telling everyone I'm pregnant at 12 weeks. Then once I find out gender I'll post again, then finally a baby. If anyone wants to ask me privately on FB then of course I'll have a good old lengthy chat with them :)

I told my cousin shortly after I found out. Mum around 7 weeks, my other cousin at 9 weeks as she posted she was pregnant so wanted to do some baby chatting, then everyone else at 12 weeks. Before we posted on FB though we told OH in private before he found out from his brother or something like that.


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## newbie2013

stargazer0726 said:


> We actually told our older children and both are sets of family tonight and I am 10 weeks today. I wanted to wait until 12 weeks but hubby was very instant that we wait no longer. I had an ultrasound at 8 weeks and saw a nice strong heartbeat so just keeping fingers crossed. Haven't announced on fb yet... But I literally just got a notification that a friend wrote on my wall so I guess it's out now!!

Wow! I kind of find that a little insensitive - a friend posting on fb before you've said anything publicly on there!? Am I being overly sensitive?? I have a tendency to do that :wacko: Then again, I'm so closed on fb, it is ridiculous! I don't even have my birthday notification up!! Ok, maybe I'm being a little over the top :flower:


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## daddiesgift

Since we live a thousand plus miles away from any of our close friends and family facebook and texts were the only way we announced it! Facebook to me is a way to keep in touch with all my family and friends. I dont want to send mass texts of pictures of our children growing up, or our big news, trips ect. Id rather just do it that way. :shrug:


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## melann13

As I said earlier, we announced on FB at 17 weeks, just a picture of me in front of Niagara Falls which DH captioned "wife and baby at Niagara Falls. easiest family vacation ever."
Since then I haven't said much of anything on FB other than the casual comment on someone else's status about their kids etc. We can't announce gender on FB as it's a secret from my dad (he really wants it to be a surprise- everyone else knows, but we've made it more than a month since finding out without letting it slip to him!)
Once a month I send my three best friends (none of which live nearby) a belly shot. BnB really serves to get my pregnancy chatter out so I don't need to bombard others. My former lab mate who I see about once a week is also pregnant (8 weeks ahead of me), so I get to chat with her.
She got diagnosed with GD, which has been a disaster as her reading was only 1 pt over the threshold and yet they insist she comes in twice a week and checks blood sugar, takes insulin etc. I have my test on Friday. She told me to drink extra water and eat high protein, low carb for the few days before to get better results. Anyone else heard this?


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## KatyW

Melann,
I've never heard of anyone do that - is it the 1 hour test? For some reason my last OB had standardized 3 hour tests (I was in Germany) so I had to fast the day of. I didn't change my diet before and passed just fine. I think I made sure my meal the night before was very clean and didn't have dessert. It was fine, I remember dreading it, but it really was not a big deal. I'm sure a high protein diet prior to it is not going to hurt you, though (doesn't the Bradley Method emphasize a high protein diet during pregnancy), so I wouldn't think it would be a bad idea to do.


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## daddiesgift

I never heard of it :shrug: with my first I was in Germany and I didnt have to fast, I actually drank a mezzo mix and ate two nutella crossiants in the waiting room :haha: Nothing came back high. Then with my second in America I was told to not eat or drink anything morning of besides water. They want to see how fast sugar is processed in the hour or three you have to wait. Although Gestational Diabetes is not a huge worry if you know you have it you can help prevent complications, but if you eat differently than you normally do just to get a good result, I dont know if I think thats a good idea. But I guess Im not a doctor either!


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## melann13

This is just a one- hour test, and they told me I don't have to fast, but I would imagine that eating a big sugary breakfast immediately before wouldn't be a good idea. The appts at 9:30, so I plan to just eat cereal or eggs or whatever at 7 or so. That way the sugar from my breakfast shouldn't play a role. The friend that now has to take her blood sugar reading all the time was told to take it 2 hours after eating, so I'm using that as my guideline of eating breakfast about 2 hours before I drink their drink so that it's not a cumulative effect.


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## Tangerine

I ran into the bedroom and told OH as soon as I got the BFP. Then I told my sister that day since she knows I have had losses before and I needed the support. 

My mom actually showed up at my house unexpectedly at 5 weeks to ask if I was pregnant. :growlmad: We really wanted to keep it between OH, my sister and I for at least a few more weeks, after my first scan, then make a surprise announcement. We couldn't very well lie about it, so she found out. She swore not to tell anyone, not even her husband (very important to us because we haven't told OH's parents, also this is a high risk pregnancy) but found out that she actually told him as soon as she got home, because she just "had" to tell someone. :dohh: :growlmad:

I told my grandma at 5.5 weeks, after my mom found out, because we are close and I know that she won't tell anyone. She actually took me for a bra fitting and some early clothes shopping to help me keep my secret for a while longer. It was fantastic. :thumbup:

I would like to wait until 12 weeks or at least after my first scan to tell anyone else, but it might be difficult because I'm hosting Thanksgiving next weekend. I also can't be surprised if my mom tells other people, unfortunately. :nope:


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## mommyxofxone

i took my first gd test and failed. it was an hour. My amazing mw told me to just eat a normal breakfast- which i listed the items i usually have- and she said oh yes you can eat that and go right after! i said ok!

STUPID!

i had to take the three hour test, because my ORANGE JUICE WHICH I TOLD HER I WAS GOING TO HAVE did it. the lab tech was like 'seriously you had oj' and i said yes she told me i could! and she just shook her head and said to call them next time. 

i did fine on my 3 hour test thank god


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 A month is a good amount of not letting it slip from you or from others! That will be such a surprise! 

@Tangerine Oh no! How did your mom find out? Was it just a coincidence that she showed up and asked? I know I will swear my husband's parents to secrecy once we do tell them, although I still worry his mom might tell my sister-in-law. I want to wait until after the first trimester to tell anyone else or at least close to the end of it.

I'll be so happy to have you all for advice on tests and everything! 

AFM I'm 19 dpo, 4 weeks and 5 days, and probably a week or close to a week late. I took my last FRER this morning with fmu. I kept reading about the variant hook effect and was worried it would get to a point where it would start to be lighter and that would only make me worry so I decided to take the last FRER today instead of later in the week in case that happened. I have been waiting to test again so my test line would have time to go darker than my control line and it did! It's actually a bit darker now than it is in the photo. :happydance: I'm still nervous, but I hope baby is sticky!! My plan is to take the last digital when we plan to announce to show and for more pictures. 

I'm adding the picture of my first tests and the test from today. Tests on left: top-13 dpo, smu / middle-14 dpo, fmu / bottom-15 dpo, fmu. Test on right: 19 dpo, fmu
 



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## magicwhisper

a bad cough and ms is not a good mix! :sick:


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- that is exactly how my tests looked as well...light on 14dpo..darker than the control on 20 dpo...beautiful progression! Have you decided when you're going to call your doctor?


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## daddiesgift

Good progression Hopeful! 

Magicwhisper- so sorry! 

Found out yesterday I won't get my first ultrasound till 18-20 weeks :cry:


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## mummy2o

Good progression Hopeful. The hook effect doesn't come into effect until about week 8 and remains for the rest of the pregnancy. 

Sorry your having a hard time Magicwhisper

daddiesgift thats horrible. Does your insurance only cover one?


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## daddiesgift

Yeah they only cover one unless medically necessary which I doubt I'll get any more. I guess we could pay for one but idk. I'm just going to hope I can get an early one :nope:


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## burgbrandy

Standard here is the same...only one u/s unless medically nescesary. I went to the ER at 9 weeks because I couldn't even take a sip of water without throwing up and they ended up doing an ultrasound just to check. :) made me feel lots better. U could always use my SIL says..."I'm having cramps."


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## ClandestineTX

Random science note re: the high-dose hook effect. If you want to see a good positive for whatever reason (just for fun, selling it on Craig's List, whatever...) all you have to do is pee in a cup and dilute the urine with water to lower the hCG concentration.


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## ALiKO

@daddiesgift- oh no sweety thats a long wait! can you possibly change it to at least 12 weeks? if not are there any clinics in your area that does u/s at a low price? :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Thanks! :) I loved seeing the progression and I really hope it means this will be our baby! I'll probably call at the end of the week. I'm deciding which doctor I will go see. I hear great things about one lady who I hope will see us soon! How are you? 

@daddiesgift Oh no! I know that's awful. I hope you can manage to get in earlier! :hugs:

@mummy2o Thanks! :)

@ClandestineTX Thanks! I read that, but I was so nervous to see any faint lines at this point and didn't know if I should use the water yet. :dohh: Should I have dark lines until 8 weeks then? I'm considering saving the last digital for a while to show parents under the strictest policy that they tell no one else. 

I found a neat site that has a 'manly' list of items that are comparable to the size of baby week to week. "Baby Size Guide for Soon-to-be Fathers"  I think it's actually quite helpful. :)


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## kksy9b

Hopeful2014 said:


> @kksy9b Thanks! :) I loved seeing the progression and I really hope it means this will be our baby! I'll probably call at the end of the week. I'm deciding which doctor I will go see. I hear great things about one lady who I hope will see us soon! How are you?
> 
> I found a neat site that has a 'manly' list of items that are comparable to the size of baby week to week. "Baby Size Guide for Soon-to-be Fathers"  I think it's actually quite helpful. :)

I'm glad to hear that youre starting to feel a little better about the pregnancy! Crossing all my fingers and toes that this is your sticky bean! How have you been feeling? Any symptoms yet? I am doing well, thanks for asking! I'm 15 weeks and loving the second trimester so far! I'm not really showing much but my pants are tight enough now that I'm looking for maternity pants to make the switch from the " rubber band" method. When I lay flat and still for awhile I think I have felt some flutters a couple of times, but may have just been gas :dohh:

And that list is great! I'll have to show it to my hubby :)


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## daddiesgift

Well I was told I could get an early one if I said I didn't know my lmp. I feel bad lying, what if it backfires! Or if I say I'm cramping what if they say I can't birth there. Silly I know but you have to be LOW LOW risk to give birth at this birth center. So I don't really want to lie. BUT there could be a loop hole :haha: I stopped birth control that month, had TWO periods and pink spoting so maybe that will make them want to check for dating purposes? Idk but I hope! And its not lying. Although I was taking opks so I know when I conceived but ill leave that part out. :dohh:


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## want2bemommy

Hopeful- awesome progression! I remember taking a frer at 20 dpo and freaking that it was now lighter than the control, then realizing the test was upside down and the pregnant line was much darker lol


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## want2bemommy

Also- I had my growth scan- I'm 27 weeks and baby A is 2lbs 7oz and baby B is 2lbs 12oz!


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## magicwhisper

scan date finally! 23rd october :happydance:


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## melann13

Fantastic want2bemommy! That's like the size of a singleton isn't it?
Very happy for you! I can't remember how much a twin due date differs from a singleton, is it 38 weeks?


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## RaeChay

You guys getting flu shots?


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## want2bemommy

I think it's big even for singleton! Average is 2lbs 2oz &#55357;&#56835; 36-38 is ideal for twins


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## stargazer0726

daddiesgift said:


> Well I was told I could get an early one if I said I didn't know my lmp. I feel bad lying, what if it backfires! Or if I say I'm cramping what if they say I can't birth there. Silly I know but you have to be LOW LOW risk to give birth at this birth center. So I don't really want to lie. BUT there could be a loop hole :haha: I stopped birth control that month, had TWO periods and pink spoting so maybe that will make them want to check for dating purposes? Idk but I hope! And its not lying. Although I was taking opks so I know when I conceived but ill leave that part out. :dohh:

I got my early ultrasound by saying that I have longer cycles that vary by length. I had to push a little bit but the doctor did order one. I didn't really lie, ever since I stopped taking bc my cycles got progressively longer every month and the one before I got pregnant was 30 days. I just left out the fact that I was using opks  my ultrasound did date the baby a few days behind my lmp but my dr said they don't change the due date unless it dates more than 10 days


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## melann13

I already got my flu shot. I usually don't, but last year I was pregnant, so I did (MC'd shortly there after). Got mine this time about a month ago already, just had them give it to me at my monthly OB appt.


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## mommyxofxone

i didn't get one when i was pg. i actually have never had the flu shot in my life. and i've only had the flu twice.


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## OurLilFlu

I'm a nurse doing the flu shot clinics here in Canada, got mine on my first shift! Important to get it ladies :)


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## stargazer0726

I got the flu shot when I was pregnant with my oldest, that year I got the worse flu ever, I had to be hospitalized twice, never got it again.


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b My main symptoms are increased appetite and fatigue. I have breast/nipple pains off and on and I have felt slightly nauseous a few times. I guess I'm waiting to feel completely sick-I don't want to at all-but it will make me feel better. :dohh: I've had some pulling sensations, which worried me but they usually appear to be from gas :blush: or I assume from growing/stretching/settling. I think I'm starting to notice odors more. Most of the symptoms are not too overblown though. I'm hoping that's okay and that I really start to notice more in the next few weeks. I bet you are feeling flutters or you will soon! That's so exciting!! I think that will be so reassuring and exciting! :)

@daddiesgift I think telling them about quitting birth control, the two periods and spotting could be enough to get them to check. :haha: I hope they give you an earlier scan!

@want2bemommy Thanks! It's definitely somewhat of a relief to see the test line get darker! :) Yay for the growth scan and the good results!! 

@magicwhisper I updated your scan date. I know you must be so happy to finally have it scheduled! :flower:

@RaeChay I'm not sure if I will get a flu shot because the one time I did I ended up getting the flu. I know it's probably not because of it and I could get sick any other time I don't get it, but I'm not sure yet. I heard it's supposed to be safe to get the shot and not the spray, right? I'll see what my doctor wants me to do. My plan is going to be to avoid people when I suspect they are sick and wash frequently. (That's what I usually do.) :haha:


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## ALiKO

want2bemommy- are your twins fraternal? or identical? 

raechay- no im not getting a flu shot. i always get horribly sick after them and i don't want to be sick while pregnant. its been years since i got one i can't even remember. and i literally have not been sick in years. not even a sore throat.


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## mummy2o

magicwhisper said:


> scan date finally! 23rd october :happydance:

Congrats. The day before mine :D



want2bemommy said:


> Also- I had my growth scan- I'm 27 weeks and baby A is 2lbs 7oz and baby B is 2lbs 12oz!

Congrats. Great results!



RaeChay said:


> You guys getting flu shots?

I get one every year due to asthma and never got flu once. There are pro's and con's to getting it, but I've read that if you get the flu when pregnant there is a chance of premature labour and stillbirth. Not a chance I'm willing to take.


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## KatyW

The flu is really bad. I've had it twice in my life, and the second time I was so weak I could barely walk and ended up with a lung infection, and I was a healthy 19 year old at the time. I can't imagine getting that sick while pregnant. Will definitely be getting a flu shot...

They can't vaccinate you against all strains of the flu, that's impossible, but being vaccinated doesn't cause you to get the flu (you can get a few symptoms from the shot but that's all).

My immune system was crap two winters ago when I was pregnant so I'm not assuming that I'll be my normal healthy self this year.


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## daddiesgift

I'd recommend getting a shot BEFORE pregnancy. I'm all for immunizations but not while pregnant. They won't even give a baby a flu vacc till after 6 months old.


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## OurLilFlu

That's exactly why it's recommended in pregnancy, to protect yourself and provide group immunity to baby before they can get immunized. Moms dads grandparents etc should all have their shots to give your family the best protection.


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## melann13

I work on a campus of 40,000, so there's no way I'd go without it. I did get sick after it this year, but my DH had been sick the week before, so I probably just got what he had. My parents have both gotten theirs too (they usually do anyway). Winter in WI does a number on your immune system, so throw on top of that the immunosuppression due to pregnancy and I'd be a walking target.


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## daddiesgift

Well I'm for sure skipping it! Never gotten one in pregnancy before and I've managed fine without it.


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## want2bemommy

They are fraternal


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## magicwhisper

thank you yeah i am so excited!


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## Hopeful2014

It looks like we have some ladies turning over to a new week! 

@mummy2o Happy 18 weeks! :flower:

@OurLilFlu Happy 21 weeks! :flower:


How's everyone feeling? I'm good. I think I had some actual nausea yesterday morning and before dinner last night. (!!) My breasts have started to hurt more as well. (!!) :dohh: 

Does anyone have any Halloween costumes planned? I've seen some cute/funny/bizarre costumes for pregnant ladies. Any plans for pets or kids this year or any ideas for next year? I won't be far in and will not have told many, but I'm considering wrapping toilet paper around my belly to be a "mummy" for pictures with my husband. :)


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## KatyW

Yay for symptoms, Hopeful. 

Hopefully they will be mild for you!

I've had a good day so far, we got out to get to our play group / I got a workout in. I had raging morning sickness in the middle of it, though and spent ten minutes dry heaving on a bench, ugh. I am thankful, though, that the all day lingering nausea seems to be gone, so if I have to deal with dry heaving at random times it's okay, I am lucky compared to others. I just have to eat no less than every ten minutes. 

My daughter is going to be both a bumble bee and a lady bug. I'm insane and couldn't resist buying the lady bug costume on Carters' website, even though I had already found a bumble bee costume on clearance last year. We'll go to a Halloween party with toddlers, then take her to our annual base Halloween party/trunk or treat. I don't have a costume, though. I should do something! :)


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## KatyW

I forgot to post, sorry for the double post - congratulations on fraternal twins, want2bemommy. What a wonderful blessing to get two sweet babies at once.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, costume is a great idea. I used to go all out with costumes, DH and I have had some great ones, but no where to really wear it this year. Since I'll be about 30 weeks I kind of wanted a shirt that says "Pumpkin Smuggler" as I feel like the size would be just about right, but hard to warrant $30 for a shirt I'll wear one time. I might just make a DIY verison.


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## daddiesgift

I'm oldest will be Woody and the baby will be Buzz from Toy Story. OH may be batman and ill probably be a witch since its flowy dress and I'm not quite looking pregnant just fat :haha: We always dress up too even before kids as Halloween is a favorite holiday!


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## want2bemommy

Thank you Katy!


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- the nausea is a great sign! I always took a lot of comfort when I was nauceous...felt like things were progressing like they should! Mine kicked in around 5 weeks or so as well.

I've never really been into dressing up for Halloween...even when I was a kid I preferred to pass out candy. My DH and I always carve pumpkins watch the first harry potter and hand candy out...it's a great, low key, tradition for us!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I'm glad you made it out of the house and was able to do some things today! Those are both super cute costumes! You should do a costume! Any ideas? :)

@melann13 That sounds cute! I'd love to see it if you make it! :) I won't wear the toilet paper for long or to anywhere, but I've always liked the idea of "mummy" and I don't know if I'll be pregnant on another Halloween so we just might do it for a picture. :haha:

@daddiesgift I think they will be so cute as Woody and Buzz! That's a neat idea! :)

@kksy9b I love to carve pumpkins. :) I always love looking at people's designs. Some of them are so intricate. Was your nausea off and on at the beginning? I don't always feel it, but I assume that's okay for now. 

I've been looking at lots of announcements that deal with Halloween because we plan to announce to parents near then, although I'm not sure we will make it Halloween related. I'm attaching a couple of neat ones below. There was another of one pumpkin that looked as though it was giving birth to a smaller pumpkin. It's neat, but maybe a little creepy. :haha:

https://0.tqn.com/h/pregnancy/1/H/r/3/4/twinpumpkinpregnancyannouncement.jpg
https://blog.oilostudio.com/image.axd?picture=2012%2F10%2FStork+Pumpkin+1+-+Copy.JPG
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ax_gn-c-zmaj2M&tbnid=DCnhT-jCfp96OM:&ved=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpregnancy.about.com%2Fb%2F2012%2F10%2F30%2Fhalloween-pregnancy-announcements-3.htm&ei=IdVYUo78JaqsiAL4_4Aw&bvm=bv.53899372,d.cGE&psig=AFQjCNEVBdSGcqtBVayWdmz5l1zKNzWtpw&ust=1381639841989743


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- it was off an on again until about 6 weeks, then it was mostly just at night for a week. Around 7 weeks it kicked into all day every day nausea (so incredibly thankful that I was never sick). I learned to always have a light snack on hand and that seemed to help. It stuck around like that until around 11 weeks before it went back to on and off again. Now at 15 weeks, I just get it every once in awhile or if I take my prenatal too early in the evening (the iron is brutal for me).

I really like the pumpkin ideas! Especially the one with the little pumpkins inside the bigger one!


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## mummy2o

Those are great pumpkin idea's. And thanks for my new week. It really seems like time is flying. Just under 2 weeks until scan and 6 weeks until V-day.

Watched a TV program about someone going into labour at 27 weeks so I bet she was scared :( I can't imagine that happening to me. I suspect I'll go to just over 42 weeks with this one is anything like its brother. I am so tempted to but her/she all the time as I swear its a girl.

We don't really celebrate Halloween in England, not like what you guys do and our area is so dodgy. We're not sure if our neighbours are dealers or not its that bad. So we will be staying in with DS, but how our flat is we don't get many trick or treaters either. So I think DS and I will just watch something a kids scary film (he loves them and finds them funny) and OH wants to carve a pumpkin so we'll do that. Then go to grandma's the day after so DS can have any left over chocolate at her house. She always buys too much!


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b I've had a couple bouts off and on again right before I go to sleep, but it's only been for a couple minutes. I really don't want to feel bad; I just want a little comfort. :haha: Iron is rough on me too. 

@mummy2o Do you find out the gender at the next scan? That's so exciting! :happydance: Has there been anything different this time to make you think girl? I don't think I'll take my kids to random places when we go trick or treating in the future. I plan to go to grandparent's homes. I think carving pumpkins, dressing up, and watching movies will be great for us! Halloween time is always nice because of all the leftover chocolate! :haha: 

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! :)


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## omgbaby

No BFP yet, but following over. :)


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## Hopeful2014

omgbaby said:


> No BFP yet, but following over. :)

I can't wait until you get your BFP! :friends:


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## imaginary8x

12 week scan tomorrow at 11am! :happydance:


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## magicwhisper

ohh good luck!


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## melann13

Failed the one hour GTT by a single freaking point. Scheduled for the three hour for next Friday, but have gotten VERY conflicting info about how to prepare. I know I have to fast for the 12 hours prior (doesn't that sound lovely for someone starting third tri? Don't eat for 12 hours, then drink this crap, then sit for 3.5 hours still without eating and only drinking more crap) I felt sick after the one hour, so I'm NOT looking forward to this. I could've sworn that the nurse that gave me the bad news on Friday told me to carbo load for the few days before, but other pregnant women I've talked to said you're supposed to avoid carbs for the day before...
My nurse told me that I should have a handout at home with the details, but I just got home after a lovely babymoon with DH (which of course I CRIED the entire way to because the nurse called to tell me about the test result) and I don't see a handout in any of my other literature about how to prepare for the test. I'll call them in the morning, but I was really hoping to start whatever I need to do tomorrow first thing because I DO NOT want to fail this one!


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## stargazer0726

11 weeks today and I'm starting to feel better most days. I can't wait for this first tri to be over. One week from tomorrow I finally get to see my dr and hear the heartbeat. Can't wait!!!


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## burgbrandy

Hey melann! I failed my 1 hr gtt when I pregnant with my dd by just a few points too. I did nothing special to prepare for my 3 hr. Try to schedule it first thing in the morning so the fasting is easier. I didn't get near as nauseous for the 3 hr as I did with the 1 hr and I passed with flying colors! Good luck!

I love following u guys! Can't wait to see some scans!


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## Hopeful2014

@imaginary8x Yay! That's so exciting! Let us know how it goes. Will you get a picture? :flower:

@melann13 I'm sorry. :hugs: I am not sure what the best procedure is for that. I'll try to see if I can find something online. I hope it all gets sorted. I can't imagine having to wait to eat that long. :hugs: Can you schedule it for first thing in the morning? 

@stargazer0726 Happy 11 weeks! I bet you can't wait to hear the heartbeat!! :happydance: That's so exciting!

@burgbrandy That's good advice! :flower:


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## Kalush

Melann13- Sorry about the gtt. I don't know if your practice would have this option but declined the orange crap and asked if they had any other alternatives. They gave me a meal plan to follow that contained the same amount of sugar, bread, cereal and juice basically. Hope it goes ok for you.


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## KatyW

Sorry you have to take another test, Melann. I had to take the 3 hour and scheduled it in the morning, first thing. I had a snack right before the 12 hour cutoff. I didn't get any directions other than that. It was absolutely fine, not nearly as bad as I thought. I put the glucose drink in the fridge and brought it with me (although I'm not sure how things work with your doctor), and then I drank it out of a glass. It wasn't that bad.


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## mummy2o

I think we just get the 3 hour test in the UK. I know I have to have one due to not loosing weight, but my only concern is I'm not a big fan of energy drinks. So I'll see what alternatives I can have when the time comes. I'm not a fan of energy pills either to be fair. I think my body must make enough and is happy if it, otherwise I'd like it.


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## melann13

Thanks everybody. I've read up on it quite a bit and called this morning to get the rest of the info. They don't have it in digital form (what year is this?) so DH will stop by and get it later (he works across the street from my doc). From what I understand, the first one may have been effected by the small amount of caffeine or the sugar in the chai I had that morning. Also, since I haven't drank soda in years and don't generally eat candy etc, my body may have just not been prepared to deal with that sort of intense sugar intake. The carb loading (mostly complex carbs) is supposed to help you step up your insulin production in preparation for the test to show that your body can do it. Planning to be more careful with my sugar this week no chai lattes :( and make sure to eat complex carbs multiple times a day (they suggest 10 servings!). I am also going for brisk walks after every meal because I was told that can also get your body to digest sugars after. I'm not trying to fool the test, obviously if I have GD I should know, but I don't want to fail just because my body hasn't practiced that kind of sugar challange, that seems like it'd punish people who are eating well. Apparently low carb dieters always fail. I'm not low carb at all, but I have definitely tried to replace some typical carb-full snacks with fruits or veggies while pregnant.


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## KatyW

It sounds like you are doing a great job eating healthily already - hopefully you will have no issues with your test tomorrow. I know a lot of people who have "failed" the first and been fine on the second test. I've also had friends with GD diagnoses who did just fine too and just had to tweak diet/ check blood sugars.


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## imaginary8x

https://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n33/emmwason/56311672-3326-4C69-9ED4-E63A5F3A38EF-1773-0000018E5D4B098E_zpsd7b67fab.jpg 

12 week scan from yesterday. :)


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## magicwhisper

awh yaaaay xD


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## KatyW

Awww. Very nice scan picture, Imaginary


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## Hopeful2014

@imaginary8x That's a beautiful scan!! :happydance:


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## mummy2o

What a lovely scan!


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## chulie

Uhhhmmmmm.....knock knock...remember me??? I haven't been on BnB in awhile because there just haven't been anywhere I've felt at home. I finally came back to check in and find out there's THIS thread!?!? Can I join??? 

Omg hopeful I'm SO delighted to see you got your bfp!!! Amazing!!! 

Part of why I wasn't on BnB for a while too was cause at work the stupid pop ups were driving me insane!!! 

How IS everyone!?!?? I see I have 18 pages to catch up on but I just wanted to say hi and make sure it's ok I'm here??????


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## Ameli

Welcome Chulie! Congrats on your pregnancy. Are you planning to find out the gender of your baby soon, or are you team :yellow:?


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## OurLilFlu

Yay chulie! Def welcome over here! I'm liking this thread, nice to catch up with everyone! Hope you're feeling well!


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie Welcome back and it's absolutely amazing that you are here!! :) I've been wondering about you! I think this will be such a great place for all of us to stick together. I have looked at a couple of June threads...and I'd rather talk to you ladies! Plus I think it's nice having people who know the whole story. :) How are you?


Ladies, I know we've lost touch with a lot of ladies from the other thread or they haven't found us yet. If possible, send them over if you talk to them somewhere else. :)


I had my first real bout of nausea today. I've felt some heartburn and a few gross vomit-type-burps :sick: but nothing that didn't pass quickly. However, I had a sudden feeling as though I was going to actually be sick tonight at my husband's parent's house. We haven't told anyone yet! I asked him to get me a piece of bread quickly and luckily it passed without me getting sick! As awful as it was, it was also sort of comforting. :dohh: I hope everyone is doing well!


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## chulie

Yipppeeee!!! I know Hopeful it's just so nice cause we were all together so long!! 

Ok first my update: 

Baby:
Have my anatomy scan this Friday..so far so good though. Baby is doing so well. Passed our downs tests ect ect so we are on track. We DO want to find out what we're having but we're doing a "gender reveal party" November 10th so I will update you all then! 
I'll attach some pics of peanut and my bump so far. Last pic I think I have is at 18 weeks. I'm 19 weeks today!! 

Me:
Things have been rough. Now before I say anything...ladies just know that my best friend knew from 12 weeks on her baby was sick..this wasn't some freak thing for any of you to stress about....anyways. My best friend and I both got pregnant close together. She was due in October and me in March. We were so excited and talked about our babies being best friends. We even did this awesome "best friends" maternity shoot together. Her son was born a few weeks ago and due to complications passed away at a day old. Like I said. She knew he was a very sick baby but we just thought with the right care and prayer he'd maybe by some miracle make it. He didn't. To say I'm sad is an understatement. I miss him, my best friend is suffering. Not how I expected my pregnancy to be going.....I love this baby so much and I just hate knowin that it's birth is going to be so hard on her. Your job in life is to keep your best friend FROM hurting and I'll be the worst cause of it. I do have to say she's been amazing though. Constantly telling me not to leave her out. She asks how I'm doing. Asks about baby names and all that. She really is the best human on earth. Even if she's faking. Attending a baby's funeral basically officially can be in my calendar as the worst day of my life. But through it all we try not to dwell on the sadness. We all got to hold him and kiss him and spend 9
Months with him so we focus on the time he was here. We accept she was blessed with a child whose plan was to only be with us a short time. And we'll treasure those moments forever!!!! 

So...ok sad stuff over....back to good stuff. 

@Melann...don't worry about the GD test. With my first I bombed like a teenager in high school who didn't study for their exam. My dr could not explain it. I had no other symptoms. It's just sucky ass genetics!!! Haha. I'll probably fail with this one too so I'll be right along side you! 

We have names!! Avery for a girl..Lucas for a boy.. Very excited about that. 

Oh ladies I'm so happy we're all back together. I know we're all at different stages but it's just so cozy over here!!! Hahahah.


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## chulie

Here's peanut at 12 weeks!
 



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## chulie

Here's me at 18 weeks!
 



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## chulie

...and LAST one I swear but just because my dd is so adorable this was her this past weekend at our family thanksgiving...this was her "very concerned" face as we wandered through a corn field behind my aunts place.
 



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## magicwhisper

so cute :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie I'm so sorry for your friend and all of you who knew and loved this baby. :hugs: That's such a horrible thing. I'm glad you are sticking together through the experience though and are there for each other. I know it must be very tough to share certain things because you don't want to hurt her. Remember though that you are not the "worst cause" of her suffering. It was the loss and what happened that hurts her. I'm sure she will think about it and what could have been for all of you, but I think she will still love your baby and it'll probably help her through it too. :hugs:

I'm so excited you get to find out gender soon! I think I like the idea of a gender reveal too! 

I like your names and all of those cute photos! :)


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## chulie

Thanks Hopeful! I needed to hear that. ;) I do have to say. Seeing her go through this, it really does show the deep character of a person. I had a "friend" who lost her baby at 20 weeks and a year after that I got pregnant with my first. Any time we spoke she made it a point to tell me how much it hurt to be around me and that it felt like I was "flaunting" my belly...how it wasn't fair I got a healthy baby ect ect. Made me feel awful because I was SO careful around her and never posted on FB just for her and never mentioned my pregnancy so I thought I was trying so hard!! And my best friend goes through this and we're stronger than ever. I guess like any relationship only the strong survive the storm and the weak show the cracks?? 

Any Whoo. Yes!!! We are so excited about our gender reveal. I have my scan tomorrow and then I'm taking the paper with the gender to my cake lady and giving it straight to her!! (No temptation to look) I've always wanted to do a gender reveal and since this is definitely our last it's now or never!!! Hahaha. This way I feel like if it's a girl I'm not just telling people "it's another girl"...it's still an exciting moment!!! 

How's everyone feeling?????


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## melann13

@Chulie, so nice to see you again!! Sorry to hear about your friend, I'm sure she's thankful that she's got a friend like you. I still have a hard time seeing a good friend of mine because his daughter was born less than a week from my first EDD. It's just hard to see how my baby would be looking/behaving, but it hasn't made me like the friend any less, if anything it has made me want to be more supportive. He doesn't know about our loss, but I find myself invested in his little girl. Maybe it's selfish, but for me it helps.

GD test tomorrow, having a complex carb and protein filled lunch today and protein and simple carbs for dinner. LOTS of water, no processed sugar and VERY LOW if any caffeine. I'm always low caffeine <100, but taking it <60mg this morning if I need it. I have a presentation in a couple hours and may need a tiny boost before that because it's VERY gray and rainy here today. Just seems like nap time.
Got my CBC differential results yesterday (they ran it with the 1hr GTT). Doctor didn't call, so I'm assuming he's not concerned, but looking at my numbers it appears I'm borderline anemic. (What can I say, I'm a scientist that loves data). Anyway, being proactive, I had red meat for dinner last night (which I don't do often) and I'm sitting here drinking a smoothie of spinach, mango, ginger, mint and coconut milk (the thin kind you buy by the regular milk). Not too bad honestly.


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## daddiesgift

We want the gender to be a secret till birth but I love some of the gender reveal ideas out there! 

Ive been feeling like poo the last few days. My house is for a sure a huge mess :nope: I clean the best I can but then my two tiny tornados come through and mess it up again. I really need to come up with some sort of plan to keep up with everything before it gets out of control. I hope I feel normal again soon!


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## kksy9b

Welcome back Chulie! Good to hear from you again and that all is going well! I am sorry to hear about your friend..while I am sure it will be difficult for her to be around tour baby, maybe it will also help her heal..having a little one to hold and love on. It is exciting that you will know the gender soon! Do you have any inclination to what they are?


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## chulie

I dunno...I'm leaning to words boy...but honestly have no preference once way or the other. I think things have just been SO different this time around I kinda figure that means a boy....even though I logically know every pregnancy is different. I would be thrilled with another girl though!!!!!!


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## RaeChay

daddiesgift said:


> We want the gender to be a secret till birth but I love some of the gender reveal ideas out there!
> 
> Ive been feeling like poo the last few days. My house is for a sure a huge mess :nope: I clean the best I can but then my two tiny tornados come through and mess it up again. I really need to come up with some sort of plan to keep up with everything before it gets out of control. I hope I feel normal again soon!

I didn't start to have energy to clean the house until 14 weeks...and all I have to pick up after is my husband and two dogs! I can't imagine having kids to look after on top of that! I'd never been so consistently exhausted in my life. FX you get your energy back soon.

@Chulie: happy to see you back! And I am so sad to hear your friends' story. That speaks a lot to your friendship that it hasn't torn you apart. I know she must be grateful for your support and presence...try not to give yourself "survivors guilt" (not sure if that applies).


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## omgbaby

I'm such a failure. Lol I still have yet to catch up with this thread.


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## ALiKO

Chulie- welcome back! i was wondering about you and glad to see that all has been well :) and thanks for sharing the pic's! your daughter is beautiful.

Imaginary- thanks for sharing you beans pic as well! bean looks so comfy and relaxed :flower:

Raechay/daddiesgift- dont worry ladies my house looks like poop! i have'nt had the energy to cook and clean in weeks! the only things i manage to get done is dishes and laundry and it takes all my strength. 

i still dont have much of a bump at this point so no bump pics yet but i did just have my 12 week scan this past tuesday on the 15th. sorry the pics are so blurry my moo moo (my nickname for baby as a kid even now my nickname amongst family is moo) kept moving the whole entire time, just dancing, swirling, and even had hiccups. 

it was hard for the doc to get certain pics and measurements and he kept all the good pics for himself to put in my chart and gave me all the blurry ones. haha :haha:
 



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## Hopeful2014

@chulie I would love to do a gender reveal, but I think we would peek at the scan and then just not tell anyone else until the party. I don't know if we could wait! :) Can we see pictures of the cake or something from the gender reveal? :happydance: You'll have to tell us the differences you've noticed this time if baby is a boy.

@melann13 I think it's cool you can see and analyze your results even before talking to your doctor. :thumbup: That smoothie sounds good. I really want to start drinking more smoothies and green juices. Good luck tomorrow!

@daddiesgift You're getting closer to the second tri! I assume your energy will come back then. A little mess is okay! :thumbup:

@omgbaby :) We've always been a chatty group! 

@ALiKO I'm sure seeing baby move and dance around was just as wonderful as getting the photos! Those are beautiful scans! :)

AFM I moved up from 15% complete to 16% complete! :haha: Every percentage counts!


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## KatyW

I feel the same way about the house, Daddiesgift. I had a burst of energy and deep cleaned the kitchen a few days ago but laundry is piled up, beds don't get made....oh well.


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## mummy2o

melann13 did you make that smoothie yourself? I love smoothies but can't drink shop brought ones due to most containing banana and I'm allergic to it. As for the one you made I will have to try in after this pregnancy ends as OH is allergic to nuts so the means no coconut :( Its been highly annoying not being able to have nuts as my favourite cake is coffee and walnut and been craving big bags on honey roasted peanuts.

Anyway only 21 weeks to go. 6 days until we find out the gender and if anything is wrong. Getting excited now :)


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## omgbaby

Hopeful I KNOW!! Lol it makes it so hard to catch up because there is always like 2 new pages!! Lol
& recently my phone doesn't take me right to where I stopped so I have to search. Lol


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Happy 19 weeks! :) The countdown is on!! I'm sure you are so excited for the scan! Do you know how you'll announce it to others yet? 

@omgbaby I hate when it doesn't take me to the new posts. Do you have the "view first unread" thing in the top left corner of the thread? That usually works for me except on a couple journals I read. I hope it helps! :)


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## chulie

@mummy2o. Is your due date march 14th??? We are the exact same days pregnant!! Lmao. 

Today's my anatomy scan! So excited!!!! I hope they can detect gender!!!! We won't be finding out until the 10th of November but I just want to make sure there is a gender to reveal!!! Lmao!! 

Praying for a happy and healthy u/s and baby is good :)


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## melann13

@mummy2o- I did make it myself. It think it's called "Popeye went to Thailand" I found it online. 1 cup spinach, 1 cup frozen mango, 1Tbsp mint leaves, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1/2 cup light coconut milk and 1/2 cup water. I use the Silk brand coconut milk by the regular milk which is only 80 calories per serving and has lots of iron, so I just used 1cup of that and no water. I think the recipe is referring to the canned kind in the Asian food aisle which is thicker.
https://www.eatliverun.com/the-ultimate-spinach-smoothie-popeye-went-on-vacation-to-thailand/
It's good for folate and iron which is why I went for it.


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## melann13

I passed! I passed! And not by slim margins. Here are my levels and the reference ranges.
Fasting: 76 (<95)
1hr: 127 (<180)
2hr: 131 (<153)
3hr: 112 (<140)


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Melann!


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## chulie

@melann..wahoooooo!!!!! Omg congrats!!!!!

Hey ladies. Had my scan. Everything went amazing. They would NOT tell me what it is (I assumed that) but they were able to tell gender. So party is still a go! Hahaha. It was kinda neat. The first technician it was her first day. So after she was done. Her boss came in...the diagnostician to runs the place and she went over all her pictures and they made me their guinea pig. So I got to sit there and watch baby while they reviewed all kinda of stuff. She also got immaculate photos because....she's the one who reviews them!! I got to hear them talk about my baby and it's heart and the chambers and how "perfect" things were....it was awesome!!!!!! We got to see baby waving and rubbing its eyes..it was a beautiful sight! 

So I go Thursday to my dr to find out the gender and then I'm taking that straight to the cake place....I feel like that drive from the dr to cake place will be torture!!! Lmao. That paper will burn my fingers!!! 

Here is perfect Baby Z!
 



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## melann13

@Chulie, that's amazing!! Doesn't it feel like a HUGE weight off your shoulders? I also loved hearing the tech talk about how perfect everything was. I don't know how much they think about each word they choose, but us prego people hang on to their words like lifelines.


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## melann13

Oh! And for anyone who hasn't taken the 1hr glucose test yet, the lab tech told me that while I wasn't given any diet directions for the 1hr test, they used to have people fast for 2-3 hours before and ever since they quit that they get a lot more positives. You can still eat before, but avoid carbs and any caffeine (even the little bit we're allowed to drink) just for those couple hours as it can artificially elevate your numbers.


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## Ameli

Thanks for the tip! I have mine in 10 days.


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## Tangerine

Congrats melann13, that must be a huge relief!

@chulie, really great scan picture. The gender reveal sounds really exciting too. It seems like a nice way to still have a big "surprise" even if you don't want to wait until the birth to find out. Most of my friends that have been team yellow said that was the reason they decided to wait. 

I'm still not sure what we will do. Maybe if OH stays adamant about wanting to know the gender we could do some kind of more intimate "reveal" for just the two of us. As much fun as a party sounds, so far I've just been feeling really private and introverted about pregnancy and I wouldn't be comfortable with sharing a moment like that with a lot of people. :blush: 

Maybe it will change once I get out of this first trimester. I've had a lot of all-day sickness, made worse by low blood pressure and (TMI) loose stools when I can keep food down. So far I've been able to keep myself hydrated so it's OK and safe for baby, just uncomfortable for me. :sick: :shrug:


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## chulie

@Tangerine I really hope it gets better for you. I had a really awful 1st trimester with constant nausea and had the runs SO bad!! It's better now. I still throw up every morning but the nausea goes away right after. The runs still come and go every now and then....but the 1st trimester was by far the worst!! I'm so sorry girl

Yeah our party is just my family and dh's family. But with 2 sets of parents, 3 siblings on each side plus spouses and a bunch of kids. That immediate family is like 20 people! Oie. Hahahaha.


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## daddiesgift

I've also been having loose stools after every meal! Other pregnancies I was really constipated.


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## Tangerine

Seriously, my doctor and pharmacist were both warning me to watch out for constipation since I also take pain medication (percocet) that can have that effect. I so wasn't expecting to have the opposite problem. :wacko: It's awful that others have been suffering with it too, but good to hear I'm not alone.


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## melann13

I had the loose stool problem at the beginning, but not for awhile now. 
@Chulie, so sorry you're still vomiting at 19 weeks! I get the occasional bout of nausea, but haven't thrown up since first tri.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations on passing melann! That must be a big relief!

That's wonderful that you got to watch your LO and hear how well they are doing! I'm sure that is a wonderful feeling! Hopefully the time goes by quickly for you until you find out if it's a little boy or girl!

AFM, what a blessed couple days it has been! I have been feeling early movements for the last week and a half or two but nothing consistent or too definitive. Yesterday though I started feeling the first strong kicks! Not anything you can feel from the outside, but it is absolutely surreal to now feel this little one that i have prayed for and hoped for. I felt kicks twice yesterday and a couple times today so they must be active in there! Looking forward to when it is more consistent and strong enough that my DH can feel them too!


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie :happydance: That's a beautiful scan. You can really see baby's face! I'm glad you had such a good scan and got to hear such great compliments about baby! :happydance: I wouldn't be able to resist that envelope! :haha:

@melann13 I may try that smoothie. I'm so glad you passed and you don't have to worry about it anymore. :thumbup:

@Ameli Good luck on the one hour test! :thumbup: I'll be asking you ladies lots of questions and advice for future appointments.

@Tangerine I hope you feel better soon! I'm glad that it's okay and safe for baby though. You could still do a gender reveal cake or treat, but just share it with your OH. I think if I do a gender reveal I will have to know ahead of time and then tell everyone else at the reveal. We still haven't told anyone we're pregnant yet. It feels nice to have a secret. :thumbup:

@kksy9b That's wonderful. I think feeling baby move will be so special and so reassuring. Congrats on that movement. I hope your husband gets to feel baby soon. :)

AFM I'm the opposite of some of you ladies so far. I did have loose stools a couple of times, but I've been constipated lately. :dohh: I also displayed another symptom this morning. I burst out crying this morning after thinking about when I'll have my appointment and what all they will do. This was laced with laughing too because I think I knew I was overreacting. My husband did his best to comfort me. :blush:


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## KatyW

Melann, I'm glad you passed! Yay

Chulie, cute scan photo. Can't wait to hear whether you are having a boy or girl :)

Ladies who are sick - hope you feel better and hang in there. Still dry heaving in the morning until I get a huge amount of food in my stomach.


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## mummy2o

I have been constipated this pregnancy, which I guess is normal this time. I don't remember any at all with DS. Then again his pregnancy was a walk in the park.

Chulie: Yup we're due the same day :) I'm going to bet though you'll give birth before me, DS was really late. Good scan pics also. Your gender party is the day after my birthday and two days after OH's birthday. Be busy weekends for us :)

Hopeful: We rarely have gender parties in the UK so will probably just tell people on facebook after we see our parents, and go to a family party next weekend.

AFM DS was up half the night for whatever reason. I'm so tired now :( Also I had so ice cream which has nuts in it and due to OH allergy I'm not suppose to have nuts so now I'm worried. The only plus side whilst I was up with DS at 4am baby also felt like have a wiggle so not sure who was being more annoying at that point as all I wanted was my bed!


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## chulie

I had awful constipation with my dd....but ya this time SO opposite!!! I though maybe I was on to some secret way to tell gender!! Lmao. But then a bunch of ladies said that wasn't true for them! Darn! Hahaha. 

@kksy..feeling baby move is the best!! That's awesome girl! 

@mummy2o..so funny. I've had people close but never spot on by day! So fun! Ya I was 2 days overdue with dd..so we shall see. I'm sorry you didn't get any sleep :( 

@hopeful....the first few weeks until people knew were kinda exciting. To know your hiding this amazing little secret!! Very special for sure! 

So funny story...gender reveals aren't really "big" here in Canada yet..but I HAD to do one. My family has never heard of this. I'm constantly explaining over and over. My father in law thought we baked the envelope in the cake???! Lmao. So my mom was talking to a coworker and saying how "oh kids today...everything is a party" and explaining to her how it's a party where they all find out the sex. Well some lady also in the elevator was like "I'm sorry but what's a sex party?" Cause all she heard was party and sex. Omg my mom almost died of laughter!!! Ahhhh good times!!!


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## newbie2013

Hahahahhaha!! I literally laughed out loud with that story, chulie!!


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## mommyxofxone

lol chulie that's hilarious!!!

and i failed my one hour glucose because my mw told me to eat everything i normally do. i went step y step with her over what i was going to be eating and drinking. she said yup all ok. the lab tech when i had to go back (i failed by one point) told me yeah the mw was wrong and i shouldn't have had the oj that probably is what caused it. i was so pissed.


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## kksy9b

Chulie that was great!! I wish I could have seen the look on that ladies face when she asked!

Hopeful - hang in there! The emotions will hopefully pass for you! Mine started at about 6 weeks and lasted around 2 weeks or so before they calmed down for a bit. They are coming back now though...i had a meltdown yesterday because I couldn't find the right shoes to go with my pants... sigh....


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## Ameli

Agree with kksy9b, Hopeful. It will get better, but it is scary when you don't know what to expect and your hormones are working in overtime so a little cry here and there is bound to happen. :hugs:


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## magicwhisper

i wouldnt worry,

i cried the other day because my hair needs cutting :shrug: :haha:


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## RaeChay

I cried the other day because I thought we had chicken broth and we didn't. Yeah...


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## mummy2o

I cried whilst watching Fireman Sam today. My son told not to worry mummy, fireman Sam will rescue Sarah. So he has his good moments, but since he was over tired being up half the night he was a pain putting him to bed. My OH lost his temper with him leaving me stuck in the middle again. I swear he had no idea how kids work.

That is funny Chulie.


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## Kwaggy

I was informed today by a friend that she heard Im not really pregnant, Im just faking it. 
Really! Who would start a rumor like that? :/ 

As for crying, I have become quite the cry baby, I cry almost everyday over the smallest things lol. My poor hubby.

I think my morning sickness may finally be going away, I havent been sick for the last 2 days. Woohoo. I have had horrible heartburn for the last week or so, hopefully that means she will have alot of hair!


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## RaeChay

Kwaggy said:


> I was informed today by a friend that she heard Im not really pregnant, Im just faking it.
> Really! Who would start a rumor like that? :/
> 
> As for crying, I have become quite the cry baby, I cry almost everyday over the smallest things lol. My poor hubby.
> 
> I think my morning sickness may finally be going away, I havent been sick for the last 2 days. Woohoo. I have had horrible heartburn for the last week or so, hopefully that means she will have alot of hair!

That has got to be the strangest thing I've ever heard, in re: to the rumor. People are friggin weirdos!! On the other hand, it would be a fun rumor to keep it going. And then you have a baby in a couple months. Show those *******s ;-)


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## RaeChay

Oops, apparently I'm not allowed to say that word...


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## magicwhisper

Hahaha :rofl:
My days consist of throwing up :sick:

It had gone away but now it is back again and so much worse, basically.living off.toast


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## Tangerine

OH made Sesame Noodles with loads of ginger and some steamed veg for me tonight and it was the first meal I've been able to finish in weeks. I actually felt good after eating it too (not nauseated). He said he used fresh grated ginger instead of dried, and lots of it. :happydance: Link in case anyone else might like them:

https://allrecipes.com/recipe/my-favorite-sesame-noodles/

You know, maybe it's hormones for me too but I'm finding gossip/rumours really upsetting. A few days ago my mom, who has NOT been the most sensitive lately (or ever), called to tell me that her SIL asked her if I'm pregnant after I hosted Thanksgiving dinner last weekend. Because, in my mom's words, "you look like you gained a lot of weight." :growlmad: I actually gained weight after my _miscarriage_ in June, which my doctor blamed on my hormones at the time, but I am quite tall and my BMI is still good. I was working on losing the weight when I got my BFP, obviously not dieting now! But so far I've actually LOST weight this pregnancy from the morning sickness. :nope: 

I just thought it was a horrible thing for her to say, pregnant or not. We're waiting until at least 12 weeks to announce, again because of previous losses, and she's not happy about it. As far as I'm concerned the state of MY uterus is NONE of anyone's business until we're ready to announce it, and speculating and gossiping about something so private is extremely insensitive and rude.

The same thing goes for people saying you're faking it, it's just tactless (and crazy).


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## Ameli

Ugh, that was a rude thing for your SIL to say and also for your mother to mention to you! I'm sorry, that would make me upset too. Take care of yourself, Tangerine! :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Do you have any special plans to announce gender to family? I'm sorry your son didn't sleep well. I hope you both get more rest tonight. It's sweet that he tried to comfort you about the show. :hugs:

@chulie What's a sex party? :haha: I don't know that we'll have a big party for everyone, but we might have a gender reveal for close family members. I like the idea of the cake with the color inside and the idea of releasing the pink or blue balloons as a reveal too. 

@mommyxofxone Good advice about skipping the orange juice. It seems a lot of people are suggesting this. :thumbup: I know I'll ask you ladies what to do before my appointments/tests! 

@kksy9b :hugs: Thanks! I was totally emotional, which is very unlike me usually. My husband said, "I've read about this. It's supposed to happen." and then said something funny! :haha: I was happy though because it's one more symptom to add! I totally understand about finding the right shoes. :thumbup:

@Ameli I think that's the main reason I cried/freaked out. I don't know what to expect. I wish I knew exactly what they will do and how it will go. I'm a bit of a planner but I know that will not always work out with this. :dohh:

@magicwhisper :hugs: Thanks! I think that's a fine reason to get emotional as well. We can't help it! Bread was all that could help me the other day when I felt like I was going to be sick.

@RaeChay :hugs: Thanks! I can imagine crying if I couldn't find something I was really wanting at the moment. I have been desperate for some green beans lately and still haven't had any. :dohh: 

@Kwaggy Faking it? :dohh: That's a strange rumor. I guess they'll all see baby soon! I'm glad the morning sickness is finally going away. I feel so bad for those of you who have it for that long. :hugs:

@Tangerine I'm sure you look fine and people should not say otherwise! :| I worry about my mother-in-law telling my sister-in-law once we tell her, but I'm not sure if she will. I know she has always told us when my sister-in-law is pregnant, but I don't know how quiet she wanted to keep it. My sister-in-law would be most likely to tell everyone. :dohh: We'll tell grandparents that only they will know and if anyone finds out it's their fault and they won't be let in on future surprises until everyone is! That meal sounds yummy. I bet the ginger helped you. :)


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## daddiesgift

Well that wanst very nice Tangerine! My mother was not a very sensitive person EVER but she sure has become! But you can see on her face when she is about to bust :haha: Ive also found myself very annoyed or hurt by things I wouldnt normally be. I went on a deleting spree on my facebook the other day, even people I still talk to because Im so tired of reading their posts :dohh:


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## Kwaggy

I think I need to put my doppler away, using it just makes me worry. Normally when I use it she has a steady heartbeat around 140 with a constant bump..bump..bump. Today it is only around 115 and its bump..bump...pause..bump..bump pause...Very strage Ive never heard it like this before. She is moving around as much as she normally does. I called the on call nurse, but no one has called me back yet. Hopefully Its nothing.


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## melann13

@Kwaggy, I have also been thinking about putting my dopplar away. Yesterday I felt like baby wasn't moving a ton, so I got it out. I found the HB, but only briefly and then I couldn't get it to count every beat, so I wasn't getting a good count. She's usually in the 140s and the highest the dopplar got 131, but I could tell it wasn't counting them all. 
This morning I had a pinching on the low left, which has happened before with RLP, so I think that just like in the past, the movements slow when there's a growth spurt.
Hopefully your nurse calls you back, but if baby's still moving around I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Kwaggy

Thanks. I think Im just overreacting, but Ive never been pregnant before so I dont know what to expect. The nurse called back and said as long as she is still active and moving atleast 10 times in 2 hours, its nothing to worry about. :)


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## magicwhisper

well it is 11pm and so far i have only thrown up once :thumbup:
lets hope it stays that way :haha:


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## stargazer0726

I contemplated getting a Doppler but ended up not. I know myself and while I know it will awesome to hear baby's heartbeat and have that reassurance everything is ok I know if I couldn't hear it one day I would totally freak. 

12 weeks today!!! I can't believe I'm almost a third done with my pregnancy. I have my 12 week dr appointment tomorrow!! I can't wait to (hopefully) hear the little heartbeat it will bring me much relief and happiness.


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## chulie

Hi ladies! 

@kwaggy...do not fret. Mine was doing the same. The bigger babies get they move around so much..it's so hard to get them to sit still to get a heartbeat read. I'm 19 weeks and mine actually had the exact same pattern. With the pause in the middle after a couple of beats. Not only that, add they're stronger now so they kick the machine, wiggle, they're just general buggers. Hahahaha. 

@tangerine...I'm so sorry. People can be so awful sometimes. :( 

@hopeful...just remember....the more off balance you feel emotionally...it means that baby is obviously sticking around and seriously screwing with your hormones. So that's actually a good thing. Hahaha. That's what I used to tell myself? 

I can entertain you ladies with a story from my last pregnancy. I really wanted Pitas for dinner. Dh brought them home and as I started exitedly eating mine...it somehow completely fell apart. As the pita fell apart...so did I. Hahahaha. I ran upstairs bawling my eyes out (no joke!) because I just couldn't do anything right. Lovely dh re-made my pita, sweetly came upstairs and dragged me back down to finish dinner. Meanwhile I'm sure all he wanted to do was laugh and call me "bat sh!t crazy" hahahaha. But he didn't. He was very sweet. To this day we still joke about "the pita incident". Even this pregnancy he's like "ya I mean but it's not 'Pita' bad" hahahaha. Happy Monday ladies!!! This Friday I'll be exactly 1/2 way through my pregnancy. Man time flies!!!


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## ALiKO

quick update, entered into the 14th week and stomach starting to feel weighty when i lay on my side if that makes any sense. :haha:


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## daddiesgift

Ive never really gone by the heart beat, just if I heard it beating on the doppler. They arent medical grade so if its off by a few beats thats why. Ive never not found babies heart beat on a doppler besides when it was too early. After you find it you can find it every time after that! I use them a lot in the early days then when baby gets to moving if I havent felt anything in awhile Ill get the doppler out to make sure. Some babies have days where they are awake all day then the next day they spend it sleeping and not moving so it can be scary. Having a doppler helps! I love ours. Weve always used the sonoline B one.

5 DAYS till my FIRST midwife appointment. :dance:


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## melann13

I also have the sonoline and even here at 28 weeks I got it out yesterday because I didn't feel like she was moving much and I was getting anxious. Course then last night she was making my whole belly move from side to side and I felt stupid for getting worried, but the dopplar gave me a little relief. I didn't try to use it til after I'd seen the doctor use it around 10 weeks so that I'd know where to check and what to look for. I find it actually a little harder now because I'll find it and then she moves and it's gone.
I feel like this happens about once a week where I get panicky feeling like baby hasn't been moving a ton, but it seems to be around the same time my belly is achy, so I think it's just growth spurts and then there'll be a couple days where it's super distracting how much she's moving!


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## stargazer0726

Had my 12 week appointment today. I didn't know I would get an ultrasound... So exciting!!!! Baby looked great hb was 167 and it was moving and kicking like crazy. Right when she put the prob in... It was a picture of the bottom, legs and a little something sticking out.. We asked what she thought it was and she said its hard to tell, could be a penis or the umbilical cord. She went along with the scan and then at the end have us that same view and it looked the exact same. Dr said she thinks it's a boy. So I came home and went online and all sorts of websites say you can't tell the gender at 12 weeks and that they all look exactly the same at this stage... Now I'm so confused...


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I don't use an official Facebook because I wouldn't want to see everything everyone has to say! I have one, but only use it occasionally to look at who I want and never post myself. :haha: I say delete away! I'm sure you are so excited for your appointment! 

@Kwaggy & @melann13 I imagine the Doppler is an amazing thing to have during the weeks when you can't feel baby and when you're waiting for scans. I've thought of buying one soon. I'm sorry you both had trouble with yours. I think all is fine. Take a break from it and just feel for baby movements for a while. I hope January gets here quickly so you both can have your babies...and the rest of us would be a little farther along too. :blush: :haha:

@magicwhisper I hope you feel better soon! Morning sickness is really getting you! :hugs:

@stargazer0726 Happy 12 weeks!! Yay for the ultrasound! I'm not sure about seeing gender at this point!? :shrug: I'll look into it. I've heard some people find out earlier than others. I'm glad that baby is doing well! 

@chulie I love and appreciate every symptom! :haha: I totally understand the pita story! You're almost 1/2 way through!!! That's so exciting! That does seem quick. I hope my time flies too! I don't want to rush the experience. I just want baby to be here safely so I know it's finally okay. I know I'll still worry about other things, but we know it's not the same! :)

@ALiKO :) Are you going to get a pregnancy pillow? 

AFM We are debating when to tell parents. We are not sure if we want to go to first appointment and see/hear heartbeat and then tell or tell and then confirm after appointment. I'm 6 weeks, 6 days now (Tuesday). I'm still temping and testing occasionally. My temp was high on Friday and my Wal-Mart .88 test was super dark on Monday!! It feels more real as the time passes, but I can't wait for the scan and heartbeat!


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## kksy9b

17 weeks! Gender scan in just a couple more weeks! My DH is in New York for work for a few days. He called when he got in and was asking how baby was doing. I love how engaged he is, even though he doesn't get to really be a part of things yet. I picked a good one :)

Hope everyone is doing well! Chulie - your pita story made me chuckle... ah the wonderful pregnancy hormones and the patient men who have to deal with them :) lol


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## Hopeful2014

kksy9b said:


> 17 weeks! Gender scan in just a couple more weeks! My DH is in New York for work for a few days. He called when he got in and was asking how baby was doing. I love how engaged he is, even though he doesn't get to really be a part of things yet. I picked a good one :)
> 
> Hope everyone is doing well! Chulie - your pita story made me chuckle... ah the wonderful pregnancy hormones and the patient men who have to deal with them :) lol

Happy 17 weeks!! :happydance::happydance: A good man does make it better! 
Any guesses for gender yet or any hopes?


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## mummy2o

I'm sorry for the negativity this morning, but I am really sick of my OH. All he's done for the last week is moan about every little thing DS or I do. I'm normally tolerant of his crap he has throws my way, but this morning I woke and he started saying if I get up at 7am no wonder I need a nap in the day. For the last week I've been feeling fine and I think I'm suffering from insomnia now as I'm not going to bed until 2am with no naps! He thinks I shouldn't need naps when pregnant especially since I hit 2nd trimester as apparently you stop being sick, want sex and everything else. I'm sick and tired of explaining that every pregnancy is different and what half of the things some of you guys go through I might never get. Its like we went to DTD the dead yesterday and I got really bad heartburn shortly after I lay down and he decided I must be faking it. I was faking it I wouldn't be in so much god damn pain. He spent the whole weekend moaning at my son, (my son lives with my parents during the week due to schooling and sees his dad and me on alternate weekends so its not like we even get him all the time) so he had a couple of accidents toilet wise. First was my fault as I didn't take him before he left OH dad's house and what was suppose to be a quick trip to the shop took half an hour and then the next was because he can't undo his trousers and has to pull them down, and if they are tight he couldn't do it on time. Then he had a nightmare Friday night so was up half the night and OH was just moaning about that, so I suggested leaving the light on so DS could go to sleep but noooo that would disturb OH's sleep to much. And then he was cross with him on Saturday night as he was over tired at bedtime due to missing 3 hours of sleep. He shouted at my son, which I've told him not to do as DS is scared of people shouting but just talk sternly with him does the trick, so I then had to spend another hour calming DS down enough so he would go to sleep! Don't get me wrong he did take him for a walk Saturday so I got an hour of me time, which I enjoyed but again that was more because he wanted to pick something up rather than just taking him out. I'm seriously getting to the point to decide if I actually want to raise this baby with him. He's slowly crushing any hopes and dreams I want to do/have and its slowly knocking my confidence. We are suppose to be moving at the end of the year/beginning of next then, I need to decided if I want to be with him by then. The more and more he's an idiot about things the more I want to say no. Then again I don't want to rush a hasty decisions as it could be all in my head with pregnancy hormones.


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## kksy9b

Hopeful2014 said:


> Happy 17 weeks!! :happydance::happydance: A good man does make it better!
> Any guesses for gender yet or any hopes?

Thanks!! I think its a girl..DH thinks boy. Pretty much everyone else has cast their vote for girl except our nephews who all say boy. Honestly though it doesn't matter two cents to me as long as they are healthy! My husband has a genetic heart condition that they will be tested for right after birth. Our hopes are all in that it comes back negative. Otherwise boy or girl..doesn't matter to us! (But I still think its a girl ;))

@ mummy- sorry to hear you're going through a tough time. I hope you are able to work everything out with your OH and get things settled before baby comes. :hugs:


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## KatyW

Mummy20 - I am sorry you are dealing with this right now, you don't need this kind of stress. My two cents would be to sit down and talk to your OH about how upset you are about these things as calmly as possible. I hope that he will listen well and you are able to work things out.


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## chulie

@mummy2o I'm so sorry your going through this...has he always been this way?? Or just getting worse in pregnancy?? I know it's so hard because you know it could be part of your hormones but at the same time doesn't really seem like he's making the effort to make things better. I agree with the ladies. Sometime every now and then we need a sit down to just say "I love you but this is how I feel"...maybe get things back on track? 

@kksy...it's funny. My sister and sister in law are convinced boy. Now I'm starting to think it is too but not sure if it's just them influencing me! Hahahaha.


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## daddiesgift

So sorry mommy2o. I'd just sit down and get it all out there and tell him you feel like leaving him when he acts like this. Is he like this not in pregnancy? That would help me decide as well. I'm all for two parents staying together for child but it needs to be two happy people and If either aren't happy than that itself will take its toll on a child.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o :hugs: I'm sorry you're having such a tough time with him. I know pregnancy can make us hormonal, but I know sometimes just the way men can act can also drive us crazy. :hugs: I agree that you should have a talk with him where you tell him how much you care about him and also how the way he acts with your son and you bothers you sometimes. I really hope it works out for the best for you and your kids. 

@kksy9b I totally agree that healthy is the most important thing. We want one of each so it's up in the air for us. We do need a boy eventually to pass on the family name though. :)

@KatyW Happy 10 weeks! :happydance:

@daddiesgift Happy 9 weeks! :happydance:


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## magicwhisper

12 weeks and my scan later :happydance:


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## KatyW

Happy 12 weeks, Magic whisper :). Enjoy your scan. 

So happy to be in the double digits over here and in the last month of the first tri...I've got to say though that most people (friends and family) in my life already know our big news. :) I was going to wait but then realized that I didn't want to keep the secret (plus skipping things I usually do might worry some friends).


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## magicwhisper

scan went well :thumbup:

we saw the heartbeat straight away :D baby is measured at 11+1 though so i must of ovulated a week later :shrug: they couldn't do the checks that they do at the scan (except for the heartbeat) because the baby was a tiny bit too small so we are back there on the 6th to see baby again :happydance:


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## magicwhisper

our scan picture and soon to be announcement picture
 



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## kksy9b

Love the announcement picture magicwhisper!


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## daddiesgift

Cute picture magicwhisper


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## mummy2o

Good scan magic. And I'm guessing your both gamers?

I'll talk to OH after the scan tomorrow. We get to find out what it is and if anything is terribly wrong in just under 12 hours, so yay. Can't wait!


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Congrats on the heartbeat! That's amazing! :) I updated the information on the front. Are you due May 14th now? 

@KatyW I can't wait to get to the double digits. I'm glad you've told most people. It's a hard secret to keep sometimes! :) 

@mummy2o Have fun at the scan! It will be so exciting to find out gender! Good luck! I hope you have a nice talk after too. :)


AFM We told my husband's parents! They were both really excited and we talked about it for a while. They know to be quiet about it until we decide to tell others, which will most likely be in December. I can't wait until my appointment. I really want to see the heartbeat and to relax a bit more about it all.


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## ALiKO

hey hopeful sorry for the late reply but yes im def. gone get a pregnancy pillow. the one that goes the length of your body. ah that sounds so comfy right now!


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## KatyW

Hopeful, yes, it's nice getting the secret out, but I felt differently with my first one. I liked keeping it a secret because pregnancy is such an intense experience and it almost didn't feel real or something. I've had two ultrasounds already with HBs detected so it felt right (lots of ultrasounds where I live). I would probably be more cautious if I had not already had a few appointments. I'm glad you told your husband's parents, it feels nice to get the news out a bit, right? :)


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## mummy2o

Team pink. Woot. I get to buy all the girly things I couldn't with DS!!! I talked to OH briefly, but will talk more in a minute as we have a long car journey in a minute followed by a long wait :( Then I have waiting at parents evening -.- I will post pictures next week after my rescan as she was sat in an odd position so couldn't do her spine.

Thats great you told OH parents Hopeful. Once you get that heart beat I'm sure you'll relax more.


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I'll probably get a body pillow too! I may use this as the perfect time to update our mattress. We're ready for a new one anyway. :haha:

@KatyW I totally understand. Sometimes I wonder if it's real so I'll take a test or temp or talk to my husband about it. :haha: I imagine once I see/hear heartbeat, start to show, and feel baby move it'll be more real to me too. I was happy to tell them because I know they can help us with appointments and things to do since it's our first. They were so happy too! :)

@mummy2o Congratulations!! :pink: I'll add her to the front! What differences did you notice between the two pregnancies? I hope your talk goes well. :) You're right; I can't wait to hear the heartbeat!


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## kksy9b

Glad you were able to tell your DH's parents Hopeful! It's such a special moment, getting to share the news with the people you love the most! Are you waiting to tell your parents until December? And it is very reassuring to hear the heartbeat. Do you know when your first appointment is yet? Just keep in mind that sometimes it take them a bit to find the HB when it's so early. I went in at 10 weeks and it took her 3 or 4 minutes to find it before we heard the little flutter.


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## melann13

I have the Boppy maternity pillow. I have found that I have drastically changed how I sleep with it as time goes on. I actually sleep with it along my back now (with the pointy end under my head and the rounder part between my knees). I then use a normal bed pillow wedged a little under the bump and hugging it. This helps to keep my rib cage open which is where I usually have pain at night. Having the boppy behind me also means that when I end up rolling to my back during the night (which you're supposed to avoid after week 20) I'm still not flat on my back, just at an angle, which doesn't disrupt circulation as much.
No matter what maternity pillow you get, I highly recommend not just going by the picture, but sleeping with it in any possible configuration you can think of as everyone has pressure spots in different places.
I've slept with mine in front of me, behind me, folded in half, in a U shape going between my legs to support both sides of my lower body, wedged under my bump and more. It has gone with me camping and on our babymoon, I think I'd struggle to sleep without it at this point. Using multiple little pillows works, but I move a lot and I don't want to constantly have to rearrange them.
Oh, and my cats LOVE it during the day when it's under the bedspread. The snuggle in the caverns in makes. :)


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## want2bemommy

My husband games- he'll love that!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats on team pink!!


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## kksy9b

Congratulations on the baby girl mummy! Have you started thinking of names?


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## mummy2o

I did notice many differences. I had no morning sickness with my son or my miscarriage so I'm thinking he was suppose to be a boy also. This one it started before my BFP, then again I tested late due to unpredictable cycles but it was really early at just over 4 weeks. This one I've had swollen feet most evenings from about 8 weeks, never with DS. Craved cheeseburgers from McD's with DS, this one has been ribs, salted things or sweets. I'm drinking loads more this time also, compared to DS.

I don't think the shock of having a girl has sinked in yet. I've waited 7 years to get her and really hoped DS wasn't a boy (he made us team yellow last time, but gut told me boy) so really hoped I was wrong. I love hello kitty so she'll get a lot of hello kitty things, especially if I can bribe my dad buying some every time he goes to Japan!

As for names since I became pregnant I've wanted Hana May. Now I'm not so sure. I have 20 weeks left, so plenty of time to think of something right.


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## pathos

:flower: congrats! uu baby girl. :pink:


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## magicwhisper

my oh is a gamer and i a not bothered. and because he is a gamer we thought the announcement was awesome :haha:

my due date is 13th may oh got it wrong but i couldnt tell him once he did the picture he was so proud of himself :rofl:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b I'm not sure about my appointment yet. I should be hearing back from them in the next day or so. :dohh: I can't wait though, although I'm finding the time is passing rather quickly so far. I'm sure it would pass easier if I knew everything was good. It was so nice telling them. We had dinner with them tonight and they love being in on the secret already. :haha: I'll probably tell my mom in December too. I just think it would be the best for her to hear it at that point and I know she would never keep quiet anyway. 

@melann13 I'll look for that pillow when we decide to get one. When did you start using it? :flower:

@mummy2o Happy 20 weeks! It's so neat that you had different experiences with both. I bet you are so excited for a baby girl! Congrats! I haven't had a lot of morning sickness (just general nausea when I get hungry and a couple of times I thought I was really going to be sick) and my cravings have been slightly more for the traditional boy foods according to online articles. The gender predictor says boy, the necklace over hand thing says boy, and I just sort of think boy right now. :)

@magicwhisper I updated you to May 13th. :) I think it's really cool to include hobbies and a personal touch to it.


AFM I plan to speak with the doctor's office today so I hope to get more information on future appointments and what to expect.


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## chulie

Hi ladies! 

Congrats Mummy2o on the little girl. Girls are awesome!!!!! Hahahaha. 

@hopeful...I started using my snoogle around 17 weeks??? It's when I really started needing the support. Haha 

AFM....we were supposed to go to my dr's yesterday to have her review my anatomy scan and she was gonna write down for me what we are having. Well, I called to confirm they had my results and she's like "hmmm weird, they aren't here". So the receptionist called the imaging place. Turns out..there was a major computer malfunction and all the images are trapped on the machine but the radiologist can't view them!!!!!! So my gender is trapped on that machine!! Hahaha!!!! They were flying someone in from the states to fix this. So she said hopefully by Tuesday they should have my results so my dr re-booked me for then...but we aren't sure if they'll have them! Lmao. Luckily I have some time from the cake place so I'm not in total rush. We also picked out the cake and design and I'm so excited!!!!! Can't wait for the 10th to find out who this little stinker is!!! 

Also..yesterday was an awful day. I had the runs so bad on and off all day. Baby god bless it was SO active..which made me happy but because I was so sick....it just made me want to throw up! :( I went to bed at 7:30 when dh left for hockey and slept until 6 when I had to get up for work. Hoping today is better!


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I actually bought the pillow with my last pregnancy, even though I only made it to 7.5 weeks, but by 5 weeks I was having terrible back pain. Course it turned out that was probably a bad sign.
Anyway, this time I just used a small pillow between my knees starting at probably 12 weeks (just for sore back and hips) and switched to the Boppy giant one around 16 or 18 weeks, it's really all to do with your comfort, but I find it SO MUCH EASIER to stay on my side with it, so I wanted to get comfy with it before I hit the 20 week point.
I got mine at Target. I like that the cover comes off to wash.


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie Oh no! I'm glad you have time to get the results before you have to go to the cake place! I'm excited for you to find out too! I hope today was better and that you feel better as well. :hugs:

@melann13 Thanks! I may get one at the end of the first tri and keep it until needed. I'm already finding that I can't get comfortable as easily, but that could be because of breasts and a general bloated feeling. :haha:


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## kksy9b

I think I'm allergic to my new pregnancy pillow :( Started using it two nights ago and my wrists and neck have been itchy where my skin came in contact. This morning I started breaking out in those areas as well.... guess I am just going to have to figure out how to sew my own cover for it!


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## daddiesgift

Had my first appointment yesterday! Scan booked for November 18th :dance:


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## magicwhisper

yay!


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## mummy2o

Congrats daddiesgift. I bet you can't wait!

I've just been to my aunts birthday party and now wide awake as I fell asleep on the way home, dad was driving as it was pointless taking two cars down. Whilst I was there I had some excellent news that my cousin is having a boy. I think I was more excited about it than she is, but then I believe its because we won't choose the same name. Its good though as we saw all my other relatives and got to catch up on so much news. But I foresee a busy year with so much going on family wise, but I suppose I do have a biggish family so that is to be expected.

Now just to find out what OH's cousin is having... a boy I hopefully then I can happily go and have my name with no arguments :)


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Maybe you can wrap a sheet or blanket around it until you sew your cover. I hope it goes away quickly. :hugs:

@daddiesgift Yay! :happydance: I updated the date on the front. 

@mummy2o It does sound like a busy time for your family with lots of births coming! :) I would be nervous every time my sister-in-law got pregnant because I had names picked out a long time ago. She never chose the one I wanted specifically, but now I think two of them are too similar to the one I wanted so we'll be thinking some more.

AFM They won't see me until 10 weeks for paper work, blood work, etc. I'm 7 weeks and 4 days. It feels like so long away, but the only thing to look forward to with it is that I will probably get an ultrasound that day. Baby will look bigger and like a baby already so that will be sweet. I just wish I could enjoy this and feel like everything was alright while waiting. While we appreciate every day and love it already, it sucks that we won't be able to fully look forward to and connect to this until 10 weeks. I know anything can happen even after the heartbeat is heard, but I just wish I could see/hear the heartbeat now even if I had to wait to see baby until 10 weeks. Waiting and waiting some more...


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## RaeChay

Hopeful2014 said:


> AFM They won't see me until 10 weeks for paper work, blood work, etc. I'm 7 weeks and 4 days. It feels like so long away, but the only thing to look forward to with it is that I will probably get an ultrasound that day. Baby will look bigger and like a baby already so that will be sweet. I just wish I could enjoy this and feel like everything was alright while waiting. While we appreciate every day and love it already, it sucks that we won't be able to fully look forward to and connect to this until 10 weeks. I know anything can happen even after the heartbeat is heard, but I just wish I could see/hear the heartbeat now even if I had to wait to see baby until 10 weeks. Waiting and waiting some more...

Some days it flies by and some days it seems to drag. When TTC, you wait for your period to leave, you wait to O, then you wait two weeks to see if anything stuck...then in first tri you have a LONG wait before you feel you can fully exhale and relax a bit...second tri you wait for the gender, and the 20 week ultrasound...then you wait for the baby to SHOW UP already! There is never really an end to the waiting. I like coming on here and seeing how people are doing, but I feel it def goes faster when I don't let myself dwell on the "being pregnant" whole mindset. It throws you for a loop sometimes. 

On a somewhat related note: something I recently started doing is sort of taking time to "meditate" I guess you could say, on positive thoughts, directing it toward the baby. Things I think it will be, like strong, intelligent, playful, etc. (words like "permanent, healthy" can help too). I'm a big worrier and I find it really helps to get my thinking in line. I also made a nick name for baby, so that I can feel I'm "talking to it" more directly... I'm quite liking this for now :)


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## kksy9b

Hopeful2014 said:


> @kksy9b Maybe you can wrap a sheet or blanket around it until you sew your cover. I hope it goes away quickly. :hugs:
> 
> AFM They won't see me until 10 weeks for paper work, blood work, etc. I'm 7 weeks and 4 days. It feels like so long away, but the only thing to look forward to with it is that I will probably get an ultrasound that day. Baby will look bigger and like a baby already so that will be sweet. I just wish I could enjoy this and feel like everything was alright while waiting. While we appreciate every day and love it already, it sucks that we won't be able to fully look forward to and connect to this until 10 weeks. I know anything can happen even after the heartbeat is heard, but I just wish I could see/hear the heartbeat now even if I had to wait to see baby until 10 weeks. Waiting and waiting some more...

Thanks! Unfortunately it's not the pillow like we thought. I think it's just a normal pregnancy rash. We pulled the pillow,the sheets and blankets off the bed yesterday and it has continued to spread. It's now down my arms, across my neck and i have a couple spots on my abdomen. I'm going to call the doctor today to see if I can take some Benadryl and if there is something I can do for the itching! My mom had the same thing with my oldest brother and it's common in your first pregnancy or if you're having multiplies. Just have to stop the itching! lol

It does seem like a long way off to that first appointment, doesn't it? It's really difficult because you're still trying to connect with baby which can be hard when you can't feel them or see them yet. It helped me pass the time (we had a 6 week wait!) to focus on what was happening that week with baby. I have a book (and a couple apps) that I read each Monday night. I read it with my husband and find out what is going on with baby for the next week (which helped him to be a part of everything too). It is amazing how quickly they grow in the first trimester! There are so many new organs and systems developing on a weekly basis. It really helped to relax me knowing that baby needs this time to develop their kidneys or liver or brain pathways, etc. It pulled me to what was happening NOW instead of the long wait to getting to hear the heartbeat. And remember that your nausea and fatigue and crazy emotions, etc are all a sign that baby is growing and progressing like they should be. It will go by faster than you think! Just hang in there! :hugs::hugs: 

Raechay- I LOVE your meditation idea and speaking and thinking positive thoughts towards and about the baby! I am a worrier too and I think I'll start doing the same to help calm some of that down!


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## Hopeful2014

@RaeChay Thanks! :) I definitely say a little something every night before sleep. I think it's just such a stressful time because it would really hurt to get so attached and make plans only to find out it wasn't going to happen. I don't think I would have ever been this way if I didn't know so much about ttc and being pregnant or if I didn't see so many sad stories. Having the chemical loss in June really made me feel differently about it too. That was very early and the test never got dark that time. It seems completely different from now, but it still worries me. I'll take it one day at a time and plan for the best. My hopes are for the next two weeks to go quickly and for everything to be perfect once I go in. :thumbup:


@kksy9b Oh no! It's good that it's not your pillow then. Hopefully the doctor will have a quick fix for you. :hugs: Thanks! Reading about the weekly developments is probably one of the best things I can do now. It's amazing to think about all of the wonderful things going on! I also like looking at the photos of what baby should look like. It's finally getting to where it would look like a baby! :) I think I just thought they would do the blood work or something before 10 weeks to confirm so that probably shocked me a bit. I try to comfort myself by thinking of symptoms. I really think the fatigue is getting even stronger lately. I sleep a full night and then fall back asleep for another hour or two after being up for a short while. I fall asleep during my favorite shows. I love and appreciate it all though! I do take my temp once a week or once every couple of weeks too. :blush: I know that it's not great to do, but it does make me feel much better when it's where it's supposed to be and that buys me some days of comfort too!


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## melann13

@Hopeful, in case you haven't already found it, there's a great site called Family Education. I just google the exact gestational age I am (29 weeks 1 day pregnant) and it's usually the first thing that comes up. There's usually a picture and a nice description for the day, plus tips and ToDo's. Other sites just go by week and in those early days it can feel like an eternity to get to the next week. I still look at it frequently and scan forward to look forward to extra milestones other than the big ones which can seem FOREVER away. If you lived closer ( I think you live out west?) I'd just send you my dopplar and even my Boppy pillow when I'm done... Hang in there!


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## ALiKO

congrats mummy2o on your little girl how exciting! did u do the chinese gender predictor and if so was it accurate?

im also wondering if anyone started buying stuff for baby yet? and what things are ok to buy used? i also plan on co-sleeping for the first few months any tips on how i can do it as safe as possible? (just me and baby, hubby is gonna sleep in the spare room on an air mattress). 

list of things i plan to get soon:
bouncer seat
carrier/sling (that goes over your body)
breast pump (i heard of women renting breast pumps and buying used ones, is that icky?)
and just a few clothing items like basic onsies, hats, socks, and recieving blankets.

oh and i just noticed my ticker moved up a box! yay :) i hope all you ladies have been doing fantastic!


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## ALiKO

oh i have an appt. in 2 1/2 weeks at 16w6d so iim hoping i can find out gender then. also i am planning to change from my ob/gyn to a midwife facility so ladies wish me luck. hope its not to late and they can squeese me in.:shrug:


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I really like that site! I did look at it in the beginning, but I had forgot about it. Thanks! :) I do think it's helpful to focus on each day. You're so sweet! I do think I will get a Dopplar. I know it can vary, but when can you normally start hearing the heartbeat? 

@ALiKO I know one of the things they say not to get used is a car seat because you can't be sure what condition it's in and if someone didn't take care of it. That sounds like a good list. I'm already looking at the baby section when we pass by, but I haven't bought anything yet. We'll probably buy some gender neutral items once we have the scan. I LOVE when my tickers update! I just made it to 20% on the percentage ticker! That makes me so happy as I've been waiting to get to 20%. :haha: I hope you get to find out gender then! That will be so exciting. Good luck with switching to the midwife facility! 

Here are a couple websites that have suggestions for used vs new.
Consumer Reports
Baby Essentials


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## mummy2o

I think it depends on how well cared items are. Some which are like brand new should be fine. Although I agree on the car seat. Make sure you have some barrier on the side so the baby doesn't full out. It depends what kind of sleeper you are also. If some moves to me I moved away. My son had a habit so doing cartwheels on my back whilst I was a sleep and he had a club foot so had a metal bar correcting his feet at night so that hurt like hell! But I didn't co-sleep until DS was older and instead of getting up and playing on the computer or watching the tv (he was 1 and a half when he could climb out of bed at 1am) I retaught him to come in my room and sleep with me.

Congrats on new milestones. Aliko hopefully you'll be able to find out the gender.
Hopeful only 4 more weeks then you can move to 2nd trimester!

AFM its my second anomaly scan to see if we can get the spine today. DS is coming to so it will be the first time he'll see his baby sister due to school holidays. Not sure how much he'll understand as he's 6 going on 3/4 at times due to his autism, but other things he gets right away.


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## KatyW

Aliko, I definitely recommend having a plan to borrow or buy a breast pump, if you feel strongly that you will try to breast feed. I know some insurance companies (mine did) cover rental of a hospital grade pump for a period of time (and the hospital grade pump is wonderful). I breastfed for over a year but had to pump for the first 6 weeks due to my daughter having a hospital stay, which led to issues with latch that took a few weeks to get corrected.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I got my dopplar just after they used it at the doctors the first time at 10 weeks. I struggled a little bit with it, sometimes it would take a little bit to find the HB, but after seeing the doctor do it, I knew MUCH better where to aim and that it's much LOWER than you'd think (mine was around the public hair line). I actually put a dot on my belly with a sharpie, for a week or so :). I definitely recommend waiting to try til you see/hear what the doctor does. You just have to swear to yourself that if you can't find it in a few minutes, you'll turn it off and know that the baby is just wriggly, and nothing is wrong. After 12 weeks it's much easier. I have the Sonoline B one from Amazon. It was supposed to come with gel, which it didn't, but a giant bottle of Aloe Vera from Target works just fine.

@Aliko, we got a used crib- gorgeous oak off Craig's list, and my co-sleeper which is an Arm's Reach Co-sleeper, Bassinet, Playard. It was only used for a few months before their baby grew out of it. I went to a HUGE consignment sale here almost two months ago and got my Graco pack and play, a jogging stroller, swing, bags full of clothes, an Ergo carrier, a Baby Bjorn, a Moby, carseat cover and more. $1300 worth of stuff (I looked up retail values) for $275.
I agree that a carseat should be new, unless you know the people it's coming from and can guarantee that it's not past it's expiration and has NEVER been in even a small accident as it can wear down the straps inside where you can't see. We bought ours new. 
Most used baby stuff is in great shape as it only gets used for a short time.
My breast pump is coming from my insurance company, although I can't request it til after my post-partum appt, so I may get a manual to use the first few weeks to get baby used to a bottle from DH etc.
Hope that helps!


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## melann13

Here's the co-sleeper I have, except mine is ivory. DH and I only have a double bed, so we wouldn't have been able to get the in-bed kind. It attaches TIGHTLY to the side of the bed and has a 4 inch ledge to prevent baby from ending up in my bed, but I can still reach her/pull her out without much issue.
https://www.albeebaby.com/arms-reac...61747572616c&gclid=CKe2jYWcvLoCFYpDMgodviMABA


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## daddiesgift

Aliko- I don't find anything wrong with buying used baby items. Everything can be washed or sterilized. They say not to on car seats as they could've been in a car wreck but I'm thinking if they've been in a wreck you'd be able to tell! :haha: 

As far as breast pumps you can buy new shields and tubing. No milk ever touches the motor which is most expensive part, it doesn't go in tubing either. Just the shields then it leaks down into a cup, those are cheap items to buy. Sometimes you can find pumps people sell cheap and they never even used them. I just recommend getting a GOOD one as the cheap ones can cause more problems than you want! 

We co slept with both our boys till about two months ago so oldest co slept from birth to two years old and the baby till 9 months. Only reason we moved baby when we did is we didnt feel it fair to move our oldest and not him. They also share a room so it just made more sense! With our oldest when it was just him he slept in the middle of us. We dressed him warmly and laid him on top of covers and didnt have a pillow by him. We never had a scare or anything. It's easier than most think! When baby was born since we only have a queen bed we side carred a crib to our bed. You can google how to do it. We pretty much bought a cheap used crib, took off one side and match his cot height to our beds height so it was level and pushed it up against the wall and bed so it was just an extension. He now sleeps in that crib in his and brothers room. So he slept in that and toddler still slept between us. New baby will co sleep as long as it works for all of us so probably at least two years. I'm hoping to get a bigger bed for Christmas so new baby will just sleep our bed.


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## KatyW

I also bought a lot of used stuff for my daughter - especially things like swings, carriers, toys (that are washable), clothes... I was very happy with the things I bought new that were on the cheaper end (like our high chair). I bought a nice stroller (read: expensive) because of living in a place where cobblestone sidewalks are the norm. I'm sure I could have found that used if I had been more resourceful. Baby things get so worn if you actually use them, and some things like swings are used for such a limited amount of time. Go used when possible.


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## ALiKO

hopeful- thanks for the the links they are very helpful im actually reading through them now. and no worries i actually bought a pack of onsies a few days after my positive pregnancy test and a few weeks before my first scan. i just could'nt resist, i wanted something to remind me of a baby besides staring at my pregnancy tests all day :haha:. and when i would gaze over at the pack of onsies it would actally put my mind at ease and i would just imagine my baby having it on in a few months :flower:. so if you feel like maybe just getting one thing i say go for it. and hooray for being at 20%! you'll be at 30% then 40% and beyond before you know it!

mummy2o- yea im a pretty good sleeper so i do trust myself, i jus dont trust DH since he sleeps like a log thats why im making him sleep seperately from us. thanks! every milestone crossed is a huge relief. i hope your next anomaly scan goes great and baby cooperates for all the measurements. and that should be a nice treat for your DS. :flower:

katyw- that sounds good im gonna have to see what my insurance or the clinic provides as far a like breast pump rentals and stuff. now that i see other women rent or buy used breast pumps i actually feel so much better about it. thanks :)

melann- all that for only $275 wow! ergo carriers are pretty expensive i've been eyeing one myself. i need to really start consignment and thrift shopping im missing out on so much. i dont know why i was thinking most things had to be new. boy was i wrong. and thanks for the link to the arms reach sleeper that looks perfect. i gonna defintely look into it and if its sold here.

daddiesgift- interesting crib idea to make it extend as a part of your bed, very resourceful. you ladies have definitely made me feel better about buying used items especially breast pumps. i also feel such a relief and am looking forward to a used pump as a good new one is soo expensive.


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## melann13

@Aliko, in my massive haul of stuff from that sale, the Ergo was the most expensive thing I bought. It's about $130 new, and I paid $50, but it's in perfect shape. The Baby Bjorn is nice for a tiny baby and I plan to use the Moby for being at home or at work, but the Ergo I've seen people use with kids even after 1 year as they go up to a 35 or 40 lb weight limit. Most people would not buy all three kinds of carriers, but since I got them all for cheap (Bjorn was $20, Moby, still in the bag was $15 I think), I figured I'd go for it and see which I like the best. My husband really wanted the Bjorn for tiny baby girl after he saw someone else with one.


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## mummy2o

Spine is fine. So she's healthy :) It went pretty quick, I was in and out in 10 minute compared to the 2-3 hours previous times. I ended up down the GP's last night as I scratched my eye and ended up with blurred vision. Its not pregnancy related as I was reading it could be with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. Got eye drops which I'm using for a week. Thankfully it went in a couple of hours but my eye is full of sleep trying to heal itself at the moment. I'm contently wiping it clean!


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks! I can't wait to move to the second trimester!! I'm glad the scan was good! I hope your son enjoyed it. My niece has autism as well. She didn't really understand when my sister-in-law was pregnant, but she definitely loves both of her siblings now. She loves playing with them, chasing them, and just spending time with them. I hope your son finds that attachment too. :)

@KatyW Happy 11 weeks! You're almost to the second trimester!! :happydance: How are you?

@melann13 :) I love the dot with the sharpie idea! I can totally see myself doing that. I plan to remember where they find it so I can know where baby is and hold my hand there specifically when I talk to baby. My appointment will be in week 10 so I'll watch what they do and then perhaps order one around that time. I will try to only do it occasionally. I just think it will be so comforting. I might stop temping once a week and do that instead. :thumbup: It sounds like you got some good deals! 

@daddiesgift Happy 10 weeks! :happydance: How are you?

@ALiKO Thanks! I think we will indulge a little after the first scan. Perhaps we can go pick up a few little things on the day to celebrate baby! :happydance: 


Another tip I've learned from my nieces and nephew, buy more 3+ months clothes than newborn or infant because they grow out of that quickly and sometimes they don't even fit it if they are bigger when born.


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## KatyW

Melann,

I really want an Ergo for this baby. Definitely going to look used for one (or ask for it as a Christmas gift). I always envy everyone else's ha. I think we used the Baby Bjorn a fair amount (my friend's hand me down). My husband liked it!

Hopeful, yeah for 11 weeks. Still doing okay - having some nasty dry heaving episodes (I think I'm getting too hungry) but having some good days where my energy is higher too. Happy to be here! How are you doing?

Aliko, yeah, those breast pumps are pricey. The hospital grade pump works the best anyways, so if you need it for around the clock pumping, it's the one you would want anyways. I did end up buying one - and decided against the 300 dollar Medela pump and got the Ameda pump for about 130 (with a gift card!). I was exclusively pumping for awhile though so it was needed, but I know of many women who rarely pump and exclusively breast feed. My best friend never bought an electric double pump and used the hand pump for occasional bottles.


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## omgbaby

HAPPY 8 WEEKS HOPEFUL!!! :happydance:


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## magicwhisper

Happy 8 weeks xD


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## daddiesgift

Happy 8 weeks Hopeful!! 

AFM feeling almost human again but still exhausted most days! I go to bed at a reasonable time but still nap about two hours a day! Sometimes longer! I can't wait for this phase to pass and I have energy again! 

We have an Ergo and love it. I run the local baby wearing group so I've tried lots of different ones. I'd pass on the Bjorn. While I had one with my first, when you know better you do better! They are expensive for not lasting till 23 pounds and even then it won't last that long. They are also crotch danglers. Baby carriers need to keep babies knees level or above butt not hanging below them. This contributes to hip dysphasia. Also imagine being carried around with all your weight right there. Not comfy for baby! You are never suppose to forward face a baby either as over stimulation happens and instead of turning into you to shield themselves they have no where to look. It also throws off our balance contributing to nasty trips and falls. 

https://www.hipdysplasia.org/develo...tion/baby-carriers-seats-and-other-equipment/

https://www.mtwholehealth.com/2012/12/baby-wearing-safely

https://www.bobafamily.com/blog/2011/10/11/nine-reasons-not-to-carry-your-baby-facing-out/

^the boba wrap is good for early days and under $40. The boba carrier makes nursing in carrier easy. 

Not trying to be the baby carrier police :haha: but I'd invest money else wear. Plus in comparison the Bjorn was not the comfortable, I never hurt in our ergo. There is tons of baby wearing swap and sell groups on Facebook where you can get great carriers for cheap!


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## melann13

@dadiesgift,
Thanks for the info! Like I said, I got them all since I wasn't paying full price for any of them. I was most excited about the Ergo, and the Boba wrap looks a lot like a Moby. I was planning to use that when I'm working or around the house to wear the baby. I figured we wouldn't be using the Bjorn a ton, and wasn't originally going to buy one, but I got it for cheap. If DH wants to use it now and then in the beginning with baby facing him, I'll let him... but I can definitely understand the issues it can cause.


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## KatyW

Yeah, I have heard about the hip dysplasia issues with the Bjorn; thankfully we used it for things like trips, it was an occasional use thing. Thanks for the information, Daddiesgift. I have not done much research on these things but baby wearing seems to get more and more useful and beneficial the more children you have (no free hands to carry baby everywhere like I did with my first).


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## daddiesgift

It's mostly anything where their legs dangle and its like they are standing instead of sitting that gets in my nerves :haha: there is cheap options that work great like this one I got off amazon we used it over a year before it got stuck in car door and my OH ripped it :haha: its just like an ergo but $12! 


Check this out on AMZN: Gaorui Cotton Baby Carrier Infant Comfort Backpack Buckle Sling Wrap Fashion Full Pad Adjustable Red -S
https://amzn.com/B0089XXJU8

Carriers are great for more than one! Double strollers get BIG! Plus when you are at home and baby just won't be sat down wrapping or carrying them rocks! 

In Germany we just carried our oldest the whole time. We even went places in dead of winter and he'd be snoozing the whole time! We had a Bjorn with him as a friend gave it to us and I thought it was great forward facing but even with him being little he outgrew it within probably 3 months. The ergo STILL fits him, though he is over being carried :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I'm good! My symptoms come and go and vary in intensity, but I appreciate all of them. (Well...except the uncomfortable constipation). I am so looking forward to going to the doctor in a couple weeks. I am thankful for each passing day! :) I'm glad you're well, but I hope you don't have much more dry heaving. When did it pass with your daughter? 

@omgbaby Thank you sooo much! :)

@magicwhisper Thank you! How are you now that you're 12 weeks? :)

@daddiesgift I definitely plan on getting a carrier. I think it will be so much easier when carrying baby and baby will probably like it too. Thanks for the information. I'm glad you're feeling better. I hope the exhaustion passes soon. :thumbup:


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## Hopeful2014

Happy Halloween!!!

Share plans, your costumes, or funny pictures you find online!
 



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## Mummy to HP

Hi Everyone,

I haven't checked in for a while so it is great to see everyone is doing well :thumbup: Happy 8 weeks Hopeful I hope your feeling well?

Well I can't believe I am 30 weeks tomorrow :wacko::happydance: that said I am getting very uncomfy now and sleep is pretty poor especially since the clocs went back and my little boy is all out of synch! Bump is so low this time and I always need the toilet :dohh::blush:. I have just over 7 weeks left at work as well so things are really busy.

We had one of our extra scans last week to check baby is OK and currently all looking good for a good gestational size and a normal birth :happydance: we will have another scan at 36 weeks when they will decide what we should do. Oh and it is still a girl, I asked them again after we were originally told baby was a boy haha!

I have the whooping cough jab tomorrow and a couple of friends have told me it can make you feel poorly but I hope not.

Anyway better get back to it will check in again soon, take care everyone!!

xx


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## ALiKO

mummy2o said:


> Spine is fine. So she's healthy :) It went pretty quick, I was in and out in 10 minute compared to the 2-3 hours previous times. I ended up down the GP's last night as I scratched my eye and ended up with blurred vision. Its not pregnancy related as I was reading it could be with gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. Got eye drops which I'm using for a week. Thankfully it went in a couple of hours but my eye is full of sleep trying to heal itself at the moment. I'm contently wiping it clean!

hooray happy everything went well with baby. sorry about your eye i hope you feel better soon :flower:


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## Hopeful2014

@Mummy to HP I'm good; I'm just ready to see baby! Happy 30 weeks! :happydance: That's a big milestone! I hope you're able to find some way to get some rest. I imagine that will be a problem for me because I already toss and turn some. I hope the whooping cough jab/shot doesn't make you feel bad. I hope the work weeks pass quickly for you. I know that must be hard.


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## daddiesgift

Heres our Halloween pictures! OH and I didnt get dressed up which is unusual for us but the boys went as Woody and Buzz Light Year from Toy Story :) They had the times of their lives Trick or Treating! 

Im still feeling exhausted most days. I get really ill feeling at bed time and in the middle of the night. Im wondering if its the prenatal vitamins I take? :shrug: Feel like I could ball up and moan all night long!
 



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## melann13

@daddiesgift,
starting today I'm actually taking all my vits during the day. My prenatals are 4/day + I take some extra vit D and Zyrtec (for allergies). I've always taken them at night, but with my severe heartburn at night, I've been feeling like gulping all the water at night isn't helping. (yes, at this point even water gives my heartburn). The vits make me not feel super great, but I'd rather be a bit nauseous during the day than go through more nights of not sleeping more than a couple hours. Last night I skipped all the vits in the interest of taking them today and didn't drink any water for the hour before bed. I only woke up once and it wasn't til 5am! I popped a TUMS and went back to sleep. All this without 3-4 pillow propping up my top half. It was AMAZING! Try just switching the time of day you take them and make sure you take them with food.


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## KatyW

I find I get really hungry at night (probably not eating enough during the day due to being busy) and then that leads to nausea if I don't eat.


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## magicwhisper

Strangely I am the same sometimes


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Your boys are so cute! I love the costumes. I think it's so cool when kids match each other. :happydance: 

@melann13 Good test. I'd definitely take them during the day if you can get better sleep! :thumbup:

@KatyW I get really hungry right before bed too even if I've had something a couple of hours earlier. I know I can handle it now, but I'm not sure I'll be able to eat a meal and sleep on it when I start to get bigger. What do you usually eat at night to curb hunger? :flower:


Ladies, When did you start using anti-stretch mark cream? Do you have any brand recommendations? Thanks!


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## melann13

@hopeful
For night time munchies I have a small bowl of cereal- highest iron content around is from fortified cereal.
For stretch marks I have to admit I LOVE my regimen even if its not technically for stretch marks. From very early on (prolly 7wks) I use Burt's bees lemon body oil (says mama bee on it) every night on belly, chest (includes nipples) and thighs and hips. In the morning I use the Burt's bees mama bee belly butter all over my torso. I only use the oil at night in case it gets on my pjs. I'm at 30 weeks and no stretch marks yet!! Albough I know they're very genetic and I don't think my mom has many.


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## melann13

And hopeful, I see you are 8wks 3days. I know you have to wait to see your baby, but here's my abdominal US from the same time, so this is what your baby looks like!
 



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## daddiesgift

I don't think its hunger because I eat most at night. I do really good all day till night then I munch out! I thought it was food but when I burp its the same taste so I'm assuming its these pills. I also took them before bfp while on the pill and I thought the pill was making me sick but again assuming its these pills! 

As far as stretch mark cream Ill tell you what doesn't work :haha: honestly its all about weight gain and genes. But it won't hurt to try avoid them, I used bio oil, palmers stretch mark lotion and Johnson and Johnson A&E baby oil. I also tried some brand of coco butter body butter. I hate feeling greasy so I'd pour the oil in my bath that way I felt smooth and soft but not slick! :haha: 

My mother and sister got none but I got a few on my breasts and hips. Then one small one above belly button :wacko: with #1 I went from a DD to an H! I gained 40 pounds with him most from 20-37 weeks so that probably didnt help. I got fat EVERY WHERE with him. my face, arms, legs ect. After I lost baby weight they weren't so noticeable. With #2 my breasts stayed a DD and I gained 40 pounds with him again mostly from 20-38 weeks. With him I was completely belly. Everything stayed the same but stomach got huge. No new stretch marks but the old ones got much wider and deeper. Now they are dark purple :nope: I have tattoos that they even went through! :wacko: oh well price of pregnancy.


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## mummy2o

My mum has loads and I got loads. Tried everything going last time, so I used nothing this time. So far I haven't gotten any new ones, so I'm happy. I do think genes have a part to play.

In first tri, I remember having to eat something every hour or so, otherwise my nausea would kick in and it wouldn't go until I ate. I felt like a fat pig and still lost weight some how. Now I generally fine if I have 4 meals. A normal breakfast and lunch, with dinner split in two so I get one with my son and one with OH who eats later. They are generally the same, unless its something the other doesn't like. 

AFM my eye has cleared up more or less so I'm happy. Also I woke up this morning and OH had his hand on my belly. This was so sweet!


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## KatyW

Hopeful,

Same as Melann, I do cereal (try to do whole grain, fortified). The carbohydrates really settle my stomach well. I eat it dry and drink a lot of milk with it. I've done all sorts of starchy things too (like bagels, english muffins with cream cheese, crackers and peanut butter), anything like that seems to help me the most.


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## Kwaggy

In the begining I had a hard time eating anything at all. Now my appitite is finally coming back, but I still have a hard time with dairy products. Ive been drinking Ensure for expectant mothers...and Ive put on 8lbs in the last month! My doctor was pleased because Ive been having trouble gaining 
weight... I have another growth scan on Tuesday, Im hoping my placenta is moving off of my cervix so I wont need a c-section :)


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 That's a wonderful scan! Thanks for showing me. Happy 30 weeks!! :happydance: I'll look at the Burt's Bees. I have heard good things about it overall. I don't think my mom has many stretch marks. I'll need to find out. :thumbup:

@daddiesgift You're right; it's the price of pregnancy and I'll accept them if needed. I'm hoping to not get any creams that are too oily/greasy. I'm the same as you. I'll eat good throughout the day and then I eat most at night. :)

@mummy2o I still need to weigh myself again. I did at the beginning and planned on doing it at 8 weeks, but I was delayed. I don't feel heavier, despite the food, but I'm a little bloated for sure. My husband even remarked on it today when we were talking about my symptoms so far. :haha: He was very sweet about it though and understands why it's happening.

@KatyW Thanks! Those are good suggestions. I've been eating peanut butter and toast, but I may switch it up with crackers. I also like dry cereal. I've never liked milk much so I try to get it in meals when I can, but I really like dry cereal. I'll look into different cereals to make sure I'm getting the best. :)

@Kwaggy Congrats on gaining some weight! I remember it's been tough for you. I love cheese and some other dairy products, but I don't like milk a lot. Let us know how the growth scan goes. :thumbup: I really hope it's moved. How long will they wait for it to move before making a decision?


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## Kwaggy

Thanks Hopeful, I never thought I would be so excited about gaining weight lol. I went the the ER at 18wks for bright red bleeding, it was so scary at the time...after having an ultrasound I was told I have placenta previa. I was on bed rest for a week, and Ive been on a 10lb weight restriction since. I had another scan at 24wks and my placenta had moved some...My OB told me if it has not moved completly off of my cervix by 32 weeks she wants to schedule a c-section. 

Do any of you ladies plan on Breast Feeding? Its something I want to try, but being a FTM I really dont know what to expect. I dont know anyone that has breast fed...and I dont have much family support. I had a family member tell me I shouldnt do it because breast fed babies look "starved" and they are "too skinny" and all Her kids had formula and they are just fine.
Im finding everyone has an opinion about everything!


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## OurLilFlu

Wow what a terrible thing to say about BF babies. Definitely go for it, I'm a postpartum nurse so I feel pretty prepared but you do need a lot of support and encouragement in the beginning. Start looking at the threads on here and see if there's a la leche league in your area or try to find a friend that has bf it's a lot of hard work but soo worth it in many ways. 
I once had a patient tell me her sole reason for FF was that she liked chubby babies better... I was shocked!


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## daddiesgift

What's FTM? :haha: I still need to learn all the lingo. 

Breast feeding is touchy for me. I plan and hope to but I haven't been successful so far! Saying you need support is an understatement! 

With #1 I also never remember babies being bottle or breast fed. Just wasn't around babies I guess. So I thought they were just as good and both options a woman could chose. I took a lactation class, I recommend finding a GOOD one or maybe just skip that and set up one on one time with a consultant. That class for me really set up our journey. That's where I heard how magical breast feeding was and how horrible formula was and how easy it is to breast feed. Ill never forget "only 1% percent of women can't breast feed" that's the biggest lie told. So I then decided to Breast feed and thought it would be a cinch! For me it was an absolute nightmare that no one mentioned would be. People say my experience isn't common but the more info you seek out the more you learn it is. Having the support of family and friends, and reaching out for help right after birth and seeing a lactation consultant is key!! I breast fed for 6 weeks and was horribly depressed the whole time, I think because of that stupid class set up my expectations! My sons latch was far from perfect. I had an over abundance so I was engorged and let down for my son was too overwhelming so he would pull off and scream his head off. Then because my nipples were so cracked I got mastitis four times in 6 weeks. It's like it never went away!! When I gave up I felt horrible guilt for giving him this so called poison of formula. But honestly its the best thing I ever did!! He started gaining weight, sleeping better, helping me be happier and that's when our bond started! 

With #2 the first time I got mastitis was it for me. I already had a formula fed kid who is extremely smart and healthy. They say formula makes over weight, sick kids, with allergies and breast feed babies are smarter. Not the case with my two! And both of my children were born with food allergies that my breast milk made worse. So for me with #2 when the consultant said I had to do all this stuff to even get him on as his mouth would barely fit your pinky in it I said forget it, wasn't going down that road again! I tried pumping but that just made things worse and I had to pump and dump for two weeks because he couldn't have dairy or soy. I was more attached to the pump than him! 

This all probably sounds scary :haha: but I just want women to know that breast is best but if its too much for you, your child isn't destined for failure because you bottle feed. I lived with that guilt because of what other people pushed on me and thought. 

With #3 I'm going to give it a try and hope the outcome is different. That's all I can do. I have such anxiety over it that sometimes I don't want to try at all but I'm going to. Here goes nothing! 

Breast and bottle has its ups and downs and pros and cons. Breast feeding is not easy to begin with. Majority have problems but most overcome them and things get better so don't give up too quick. But if you do chose not to dont let people talk down to you or make you feel guilty.


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## mummy2o

FTM I think means First time mum.

I was unable to breast feed DS as he didn't latch. I was offered no help what-so-ever to over come this problem, so the choice was keep trying or FF, and I was worried that DS hadn't eaten in 24 hours that I'd try bottle. He wasn't brilliant on that if I'm honest. It was like he had no idea how to fed for 3 months until we started solids at the earliest possibly moment as he was loosing weight weekly. Apparently its pretty common though in autistic children to have trouble feeding, I found out later on a course. But I also know a few other children who have had trouble feeding, were fine later on so don't think just because LO having trouble feeding there is anything wrong as most of the time there isn't. I think for allergies my family from my dad, me and now DS have always got constant allergies going so I think mine is more genetic rather than DS being FF.

This one I'm not sure if I want to BF purely as I will be going back to college to do the course I was meant to do this year, so LO will be 5 months old, unless I have a change of mind and spend a year with her before I go. Lots of things to think about.


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## want2bemommy

I'm going to try and tandem BF the girls. I have lots of support and a friend who nursed her twins to 14 months to give me guidance. I'm excited to try and can't wait for the experience &#55357;&#56835;


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## chulie

Hi ladies.

With regards to stretchmarks. I do feel there is not much you can do but all I can say use cream and drink lots of water because being hydrated from the inside is as important as the outside. My sister got bad stretchmarks but I didn't get any except a few on my hips. 

Ahhhhhhh breastfeeding. Such an interesting topic!! So many different women who have so many experiences. Here's my 2 cents for what it's worth:

I was against it from the start. Haha. I said I was gonna make up an excuse that my baby was allergic to breast milk :s haha. After my daughter was born, we did skin to skin immediately and as my daughter was lying on my chest, she started moving her head down and found my nipple all by herself. I was so friggen shocked!!!! I thought "ya know what, if my newborn is that smart, it clearly is in me to do" so I vowed to give it a real try. 

So I did. First 3 weeks it was really hard. A lot of sleepless nights and man did I wish dh could help. I had a lot of family want me to give up. Not because they were "bad" but because none of them did..I think they just didn't want me to suffer. They wanted to help me so even though it was out of love. They just wanted what "they" wanted. Not what I wanted. First 3 weeks are by far the worst. I had a cracked nipple that hurt like a s.o.b.! This didn't seem natural or beautiful like the pictures depicted!! I was so ready to give up...but something told me to just push through. I did...once I hit a month. Man did things change. Everything got "easier". I began to truely understand the "beauty" of this whole thing!! I loved nursing dd. Yeah she didn't sleep through the night as easily as ff babies...but I got the hang of it. I loved the quiet nights alone with dd nursing her. I loved when we were at a busy family function I could take dd quietly and have our time alone. I loved every amazing second of it!!

Things to know:
Most babies hit a growth spurt around 2-3, 5-6 weeks and women nursing sometimes mistake that with them not having enough milk. Not saying that's always the case...but sometimes. So you feel like your nursing every hour. Thats ok. It's just your baby telling your body "I want more"...

Find a friend whose just ahead of you with a baby and nursing...my girlfriend was my lifesaver and when I wanted to quit she was my saving grace

If you need something to bump up your milk taking something as simple as fenugreek or blessed thistle can do wonders! 

Just know..it's friggen hard at first. At first my motivation was just to prove all those people wrong who said it was too hard and I "couldn't" do it..whatever gets you through that first few weeks. IF you want this

End of the day....ff/bf..your baby will be perfect. I was ff and I turned out JUST fine!!!! Lmao!!


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## RaeChay

Kwaggy said:


> Do any of you ladies plan on Breast Feeding? Its something I want to try, but being a FTM I really dont know what to expect. I dont know anyone that has breast fed...and I dont have much family support. I had a family member tell me I shouldnt do it because breast fed babies look "starved" and they are "too skinny" and all Her kids had formula and they are just fine.
> Im finding everyone has an opinion about everything!

Geez, everyone likes to tell you how to raise kids...before you've even had them! I live in an area where you're basically a "terrible person" if you DON'T breast feed. My plan is to try BF'ing, but basically to just see how it goes. No judgments either way.


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy I really hope it moves. :hugs: I plan on breastfeeding. I plan to pump so my husband can feed as well. I think you should try it if you want to as well. There are a lot of great benefits baby can get from being breastfed and it has benefits for mom as well. I'm sure when we tell people we will get all the opinions too. :dohh:

@OurLilFlu Does formula really make babies chubbier? My sister-in-law breastfed her daughters for a while and then used formula and only used formula with her son. I can't remember if it made a difference. Her son is very chubby, but I didn't know if it is because he is a boy and already bigger than they were. I know a lot of people don't want to breastfeed because of what it entails, but I've never heard of someone wanting to use formula just to have a chubby baby. :dohh:

@daddiesgift I totally agree. It's up to each woman and no one should make her feel bad about her decision. :thumbup:

@want2bemommy I'm so glad you have a friend who had twin experience! You'll have to let us know how it goes. :)

@chulie That's some good advice. I'm so glad you enjoyed the experience and bonded with your daughter. I was against it when I was growing up, but I think that was just because I was young and couldn't imagine doing it at that point. :haha: 


Ladies who have breastfed, can you use certain creams to help with cracked nipples or soreness?


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## chulie

@hopeful...yes. There are some great ones out there. There is one my dr prescribed called the "Jack Newman cream". They call it that because it's a concoction mixed together first by the world renowned Breast feeding expert Jack Newman (how a MAN is the expert..well...your guess is as good as mine) but it does work. And there are others out there as well.....I was just an idiot and at first thought I could "tough it out" hahahaa. 

I think ff babies "can" be chubbier but that's not to say they all are. I know some bf babies that were chunky monkies!!! Hehehe. My dd was not at all....she was very very petite and was always in the 5th percentile for weight. But even now she's not a big girl. She's still on the smaller side because my in laws are little people. Hahahaa. So if she takes after them I never expected her to be "big". 

The reason ff babies are bigger sometimes is...babies don't really know the difference between "I want to suck and I want to eat"...so..if you put a bottle in their mouth. They just keep drinking....because something is coming out..they suck more. Hahaa. Until it's all gone. Even if they were full 2 ounces ago. Not a bad thing at all!!! Just that's how they put on weight a bit easier and faster...because a bf baby can suck for milk or just pacify....so when they're done eating then they stop suckin for milk...(hurt like a mofo by the way hahahaha. Don't let them!!) so that's sorta how it's possible. But again. When it comes to babies.....getting the weight on is never bad! Haha.


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## daddiesgift

I think it matters more of the build of baby then what they are fed. My friends daughter is huge and she's strictly breast fed but her mom and dad are tiny. My oldest was born 7 pounds and ff fed and was never over 15% in weight. Now he's incredibly tall and very thin. Our baby was born nearly 2 pounds more so he's always been chubby. They are 15 months apart and as of now our 2 year old is only 3 pounds more and 3 inches taller. Daddy is tall and skinny while I'm tall and thicker. So one boy took after daddy one took after me. I think genes play apart more than anything. Oh was cows milk fed and he is never sick and can't gain weight to save his life. I was breast fed 6 months and cows milk fed 6 months and eat a piece of toast and I've gained 5 pounds :haha: I'm not sick much either. 

It's easier to suck down milk in a bottle but babies know when they are full. Even at a young age they'll just turn their head away when you try to feed them or they spit nipple back out. 

I think since I oversupply so much once I get the pain and nursing regulated ill pump to save a bunch so if I feel like quitting I can just use already pumped milk in bottle. For me it was more than the pain and sickness I felt like my skin was crawling every time I nursed and I would cry each time not from pain but just feeling like a milk maid and that I'd never do anything but nurse. I guess since I only bf till 6 weeks I never got past the pain and the hourly nursing sessions! I hope it gets better or bottle it is.


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## melann13

@Kwaggy, definitely trying BFing here. (I see you're also in WI!!). I study neuroendocrinology, so I think I'd be fired if I didn't at least try (kidding of course), but it's definitely something that gets a lot of traction around here. My hospital has lots of LCs, plus DHs aunt is the head of the LLL on the west coast, so while long distance, I know I can call on her for support. My mom BF me for 9mos. I have friends that BF for longer. The World Health Organization recommends BF soley til 6 mos and then supplemented BFing until 12 mos, so that's what I'm shooting for. I will be returning to work at 6 wks (not quite full time), and will be pumping. The recommendation I've received is to start giving one pumped bottle per day around 2-3 weeks to prevent nipple confusion or bottle refusal. I have my own office at work, so I will be pumping here (apparently there's a lactation room down one floor that I will check out, but if I can just stay in my office I probably will- unless it's super fancy :)


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## OurLilFlu

Ya I think partly with FF it's the ease of feeding that might make them gain but I know some ppl because they can see how much there is, they want them to finish the bottle so they try to get them to eat as much as they can. Where bf you can't really do that you can try to get them to relatch but if they're done they're done. And the other thing is that breast milk is very different from formula in its make-up, formula has the same amount of calories etc all the way through. For breast milk there's the fore and hind milks... With the hindmilk ( near the end of the feed) is chock full of all the calories etc. whereas if the baby just wanted to suck for a few minutes rather than a full feed in that instance they are satisfying more their thirst rather than getting a full meal... If you catch my drift.
With creams, lanolin ones are usually the go to... I've heard of jack Newman, very good videos, but never knew he made a cream either!


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## chulie

OurLilFlu said:


> Ya I think partly with FF it's the ease of feeding that might make them gain but I know some ppl because they can see how much there is, they want them to finish the bottle so they try to get them to eat as much as they can. Where bf you can't really do that you can try to get them to relatch but if they're done they're done. And the other thing is that breast milk is very different from formula in its make-up, formula has the same amount of calories etc all the way through. For breast milk there's the fore and hind milks... With the hindmilk ( near the end of the feed) is chock full of all the calories etc. whereas if the baby just wanted to suck for a few minutes rather than a full feed in that instance they are satisfying more their thirst rather than getting a full meal... If you catch my drift.
> With creams, lanolin ones are usually the go to... I've heard of jack Newman, very good videos, but never knew he made a cream either!

Yeah...it's a not a bottled cream you can buy in the store....it's something your dr gives you.....

The Recipe

The antibiotic: Bactroban (mupirocin) 2% ointment (not cream): 15 grams. You'll need to get a prescription from your doctor for this ingredient.
The anti-inflammatory: Betamethasone 0.1% ointment (not cream): 15 grams. You can get this over-the-counter.
The anti-fungal: Miconazole powder, so that the final concentration is 2% miconazole. You can get this over-the-counter.


It's very good for preventing baby from getting thursh because when mommy has cracked nipples it's bad news...so yeah...i suffered SO badly...then caved and used the cream and then within a week my boobies were all better!!!! and they'd toughened up so I no longer felt like crying every.time.I.nursed!!!!


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## daddiesgift

I tried getting that with #2 and doctor wouldn't give it to me! Do they give it a lot in America or no? Do I just ask for that one ingredient that's not over counter than go buy the over the counter and do it myself? I didn't feel lanolin helped really. I think I was given Mothers Love? Ointment. It was okay. I tried coconut oil too but didnt see a difference.


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## RaeChay

Thinking just any OTC triple antibiotic ointment would work just as well?
Also, I don't think I've seen betamethasone OTC here, but again, thinking that OTC topical steroid ointment should also be fine... Always best to CYA and ask OB though.

It's funny; this recipe from Newman is very similar to a med Rx'd to my dog via the vet called Quadritop. I asked the vet "think you can get me some of that too?!" Lol she said she uses it for herself sometimes, very versatile med.


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## kksy9b

Hi ladies! Just popping in to say hello! I had an appointment today and found out that the downs and cystic fibrosis results both came back negative.. so great news! We have our gender scan set for next Monday and now I am very anxious for this week to be done!

Hope everyone is doing well!


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie I'll make a note of that cream. :thumbup: I imagine that to become an expert he had to do lots of research on the issue. :dohh: :haha: Men do seem very interested in breastfeeding. I didn't know BF babies would stop when full. One of my nieces would get so upset if she was trying to fall asleep and her bottle ran out of milk. 

@melann13 Good advice about starting the bottle around 2-3 weeks. :thumbup: It sounds like you'll have a good support system. 

@OurLilFlu That's very interesting. I never really knew about the fore and hind milks. :thumbup:

@RaeChay I see you have your 20 week appointment on November 19th! :happydance: You're almost half way there!

@kksy9b Congrats on the good results! I'm so excited for your gender scan! :happydance: Any guesses before you go?


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## kksy9b

Thanks Hopeful! I really think it is a girl... I started off thinking boy but around 9 or 10 weeks had a dream it was a girl and it just seemed to fit. Now every time I dream it's a girl :) My husband is on team blue so one of us is right! How much longer to your appointment? How have you been feeling?


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## KatyW

I like your post on breast feeding, Chulie, so accurate. I think breastfeeding is something that you can do if you really want to do it and are willing to put up with some pain in the beginning (because discomfort in the beginning is normal), and have support from lactation consultants or nurses who can help you with positioning and checking the latch. I do think it's easier for some than others, though. Some women genuinely have trouble with it physically (getting mastitis, etc) or not enough support.

I transitioned my daughter from bottle to breast at a month and a half old, and that was not easy at all and only thanks to the help of a lactation consultant/nurse who visited me weekly and helped me with this. I don't think I would have done this, though, without support from friends and my husband who encouraged me. It was difficult for a few weeks, but resulted in a wonderful year of nursing. 

Just wanted to tell you all that in case you have difficulties with it, if it's what you want to do, you can do it. First time moms, I would recommend taking a class/reading books on this topic if you are interested in doing this, the more information you have the better.


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## mummy2o

Monday is so long to wait. I bet your excited!! I hope you get a girl. The majority on this group are having girls so lucky should be on your side. I only had one doubt about this one being a girl and that was the day before the scan as I worked myself so much that she was a girl I'd be gutted if she was a boy, but no she's a girl so I never had to doubt myself.

Chulie I agree, that everyone can with help. I really wish I had the help with DS as that time round I was a SAHM so it would have been perfect. Then I'd probably feel more confident about doing it this time. Maybe someone will kick me up the backside and just tell me to do it.

Anyway OH's birthday is friday and I told me he doesn't want anything. So I'm going to ignore that like normal and buy a I love daddy top for baby. What do you guys think?


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## chulie

@Mummy20 I LOVE it!!!!! Having a kid really makes small gifts so much easier!! lmao...anything with "daddy" on it and it's a huge score! hahaah..I once bought DH a shirt that says "D.A.D.D" and then underneath it says "Dad's against Daughters Dating"...cheapest best gift ever!! lmao....

There are SO many factors at play when it comes to nursing.....things like...pain threashold....how "badly" you want it...and I don't mean that in a bad way. Like I had a girlfriend who had to take a supplement cause her milk wasn't quite enough....plus she got thrush AND mastitis....OUCH!!!!! But she was SO hell bent on nursing...there was no other option for her. For me....man I just had a cracked nipple and almost threw in the towel...lmao...I can honestly say had I had ALL her issues....NO way nursing was THAT important to me. Then there's the other scale....my other friend who...first time baby took a real hard suck..she freaked, said it hurt and couldn't do it( she talked so much about losing sleep...I think exhausting was the factor, not the nursing..she wanted to sleep..and wanted help).....so there's so many ends of each spectrum and I honestly don't think ANY side is wrong....they are just things that factor in. My sister and sister in law never nursed...never even wanted to consider....so at the hospital...it was like.this is what I want.....give the baby formula......end of story....and I commend them for that...there was no stress....this is what THEY wanted and it made their life so much easier!!!! So my advice is just always...decide what's best for you...DON'T feel guilty..make the choice...go in with the best intention and...if you change your mind...don't feel bad about that either!!!!!!!

AFM...GENDER REVEAL PARTY THIS SUNDAY!!!! WHAAAA HOOOO....so freaking excited!!!!!


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## daddiesgift

Well I'm having an emotional day so I erased the long post I just typed and say that happy mom equals happy baby. And breast feeding is so much more than just wanting it to work out. There wouldn't be a breast feeding guilt thread in the ff section if it was. I hope everything works out for everyone the way THEY want and they know no matter what they are a good mother. 

On that note I'm leaving the breast feeding discussion behind!


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## chulie

daddiesgift said:


> Well I'm having an emotional day so I erased the long post I just typed and say that happy mom equals happy baby. And breast feeding is so much more than just wanting it to work out. There wouldn't be a breast feeding guilt thread in the ff section if it was. I hope everything works out for everyone the way THEY want and they know no matter what they are a good mother.
> 
> On that note I'm leaving the breast feeding discussion behind!

Did I say something to offend you? because I'm pretty sure my post says exactly what your saying.....if you read it any other way I apologize but amybe you read it in a tone I had no intention of being there....that's the problem with the internet...it's too open to you interpreting how it was said.....but that's EXACTLY my point.....that no mom should ever feel bad no matter what they decide??????


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## daddiesgift

Oh no I didn't even see your post above mine till right now. I agree with what you said. I just meant in general that its harder for some than others and can be a touchy subject. I wasn't directing my post at anyone's post.


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## Kwaggy

Thanks ladies for sharing your breastfeeding experiences and advice. Im going to give it a try, but If Im unable to or it becomes to painful I know she will be just fine with formula. The local La Leche League meets once a month, and I plan to attend the next meeting. I also found out that if my doctor prescribes a breast pump, my insurance will cover it for only $20 copay, which is great considering the ones I've looked at are $200+. 

My appointment today went great. My placenta is a full 2cm away from my cervix, which is still considered low lying...but my doctor doesnt think it will be an issue by the time I deliver :) I'm not sure how accurate ultrasounds are at determinating weight but they say baby weighs almost 3 pounds and is 15 inches long!


----------



## chulie

Kwaggy said:


> Thanks ladies for sharing your breastfeeding experiences and advice. Im going to give it a try, but If Im unable to or it becomes to painful I know she will be just fine with formula. The local La Leche League meets once a month, and I plan to attend the next meeting. I also found out that if my doctor prescribes a breast pump, my insurance will cover it for only $20 copay, which is great considering the ones I've looked at are $200+.
> 
> My appointment today went great. My placenta is a full 2cm away from my cervix, which is still considered low lying...but my doctor doesnt think it will be an issue by the time I deliver :) I'm not sure how accurate ultrasounds are at determinating weight but they say baby weighs almost 3 pounds and is 15 inches long!

Oh wow that's amazing!!! Yes I've heard in Canada if you get a dr prescription you get it covered!

So how many of you are having baby showers?? I was saying in my other mom group that since this is #2 I made it clear there is NO need for another shower (my family and cousins are obsessed with them but I really really don't need anything else) so I will be living vicariously through you first timers having one!!! I love hearing about baby showers and seeing pictures!!


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## OurLilFlu

Ill have to look into oh's benefits re: the breast pump I'd love to get one with some coverage!!


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## melann13

I'm having a family/close friends shower on the 23rd and my co-workers are throwing me a little one sometime around then too. They're all headed out of state for a neuro conference next week (which I'm not going to) so we haven't set a date for that. Excited for them!


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b There's not much longer to wait for you to find out! :happydance: I'm waiting to get official date of scan, but it should be next week! I hope baby is good. I'll probably hold my breath until I see something. I'm good. I'm still very tired and napping at least once a day. I haven't had a lot of morning sickness, but I'm very hungry most of the time. I occasionally get less pleasant symptoms, but I'll take them. 

@KatyW I am becoming more aware that breastfeeding will be harder than I thought it would be when I was younger and saw others do it. I'll be so glad to have you ladies to talk to as well. :) Happy 12 weeks!!

@mummy2o I think the top sounds like a sweet idea. I know people say they don't want anything, but it seems they usually like a little something just to feel like the person cares. :thumbup:

@chulie I am so excited for your gender reveal. Can we see photos of something? The cake? :happydance: I'll have a baby shower. What if baby is a boy and you need boy things? :) Or could you have a small party after baby is here to celebrate?

@daddiesgift Happy 11 weeks!! :happydance: 

@Kwaggy That's amazing news! I hope it continues to move. I've read a bit about it and hear that most move before time. I hope it works that way for you too! It's great to hear baby is getting big! You're about to cross into the 30 weeks group!! :happydance:


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## melann13

Happy nine weeks Hopeful!


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## chulie

Sound lovely Melann....I always think it's so nice of co workers to do something as well.......

@hopeful..for sure. Once Sunday comes I'll definitely post a couple pics for you guys!!! 

When we had dd I got everything to match my house. Not the gender..so were pretty set. There are a few new things I plan to get. I want this mamaroo swing, a new baby carrier and of course new decor for the babies room. But the issue with my family is..it's all or nothing. My family is massive. And you can't invite one cousin without the other. Lmao. We're massive and close. So I just really don't want another 45 person hoopla! People were SO generous with my dd. People like my mom and sister and close friends all buy stuff regardless. So we'll get lots of new outfits and what not. Not only that. My girlfriend just had a boy and has been stockpiling tons and tons of clothes for me!! Eekkkssss. Hahaha. So with so many pregnant folks around.....I get so much!! I said to my sister if the thought of not doing anything for her new niece or nephew drives her that insane. Just do a small lunch with just like. My mom, the in laws and my nieces.......let's just spend an afternoon somewhere. That would be lovely!!


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## KatyW

Hopeful, happy 9 weeks! Soon you will be in the double digits. Glad to hear you are feeling mostly okay, and a big appetite is a great thing. 

I'm also looking forward to hearing about showers and stuff. Friends of mine on second or subsequent babies often just go out to dinner with girlfriends and receive a few gifts. Those seem really fun and low pressure. Request something like that, Chulie, maybe instead of a huge family party, ha. Sometimes it's easier not to rock the boat, ha.


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## magicwhisper

well we had our scan today, it was amazing but tiring. we we being scan for a hour and a hlaf because we had a trainee scan me but we didnt get a say in the matter! he was scaning me for a hour and cut it short he had to be told off hundreds of times for getting it wrong. the best example is that he was meant to be scaning babys hand and he scaned the foot and wondered why it was the wrong shape! 

the last half an hour was better because the expert scanned me and she told be exactly what she was looking for she was brilliant. 


baby is perfect jumping, doing sumersaults waving, he/she got annoyed and mooned the sonographer for 10 minutes, i couldn't stop laughing baby has a good sense of humor like his dad 

we heard the heartbeat so many times it was amazing, we got close up pictures of the face too


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## melann13

@magicwhisper, where are said pictures ?? Any gender guesses?


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## magicwhisper

when i take them i will post them i promise :D


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## chulie

@ Magicwhisper...omg!!!!! Hahahaha ok now that's funny!!!!! I mean those are two pretty distinctive things!?!! I also had an intern do mine. She would barely put ANY u/s gel on my belly and scrape that machine across me. Omg it hurt so much!!!! When I was alone with her supervisor I politely mentioned she might want to add more gel :s it is very akward because they're basically getting critiqued at their job and your just lying there hearing what they did wrong...can you say aaaawkward?!?!? Lmao.


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## magicwhisper

haha i found it funny when he was getting told off i got the giggles i couldnt look at my oh cos it made me laugh more


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Thanks so much!! I love reaching the next week! How much longer until second tri? :haha:

@chulie Yay! I can't wait to see pictures! :happydance: I understand. I hope you get the nice small lunch with close family. 

@KatyW Thanks!! I'll feel really good when I hit double digits. Are you going to have a shower or a dinner with friends? Any thoughts on boy or girl yet? :)

@magicwhisper Oh no! I imagine it would be stressful to hear things look wrong from him, but I guess you could tell he was having trouble with it. I would be so glad when the expert stepped in. :haha: I agree; we would like to see those pictures! 

Ladies, I finally have my first appointment information. We go next Friday for paperwork, blood work, and an ultrasound! I'll be 10 weeks and 2 days. I just hope all is well. I think that once I see that baby is measuring correctly and has a strong heartbeat that I will relax more. [-o&lt;[-o&lt; Is there anything you think I should know about a first appointment/scan as I've never done any of it before.


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## ALiKO

hopeful- for your first real thorough appointment they are gonna do blood work, check for std's and infections, do a urine check which will most likely be done every visit, and probably ask brief questions about your medical history and if you had previous pregnancies. then you get your glorious ultrasound! also you have to establish where you want to give birth etc. at least thats how it went for me. and your doctor may also give you a bag of freebies with different sample products inside to try and coupons, but again it depends on the doc etc. and thats about it :)

i hope all goes well! your baby should look similar to my avatar pic. i was 10 weeks in that pic :hugs:


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## kksy9b

Yay Hopeful! Not too much longer until you can see your little one! I know it will be so reassuring to see them and know they are snuggled in there nice and tight!

I'm not sure if its like this everywhere, but at my first appointment it was exactly like going in for an annual...I'm glad my nurse told me ahead of time or I would have been really surprised! Also know that baby is small and it could take them a bit to find. I didn't have an US at the first one, just the Doppler and it took her about 5 min to find the heartbeat. It felt like a lot longer but she finally found it. So just keep breathing and know its normal to not find it right away. Bigger baby gets the easier and quicker they will find it going forward.

And like aliko said- be prepared to pee at every appointment going forward!

Good luck! I'm looking forward to hearing about it next week!


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## magicwhisper

he didnt say things were wrong he just couldnt find what he was looking for :dohh: bit annoying but it was better when the expert did it cos it only took 20mins then!


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## chulie

@hopeful.....yaaaa for first appt's!!!! So exciting. Can't wait for the update!! Let us know how it goes.


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## mummy2o

Hopeful, good luck at the appointment next week. We don't get ultrasounds that early in the UK but we get the rest of it. Enjoy it :)


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I've been in third tri for a few weeks now! I'll be 31 weeks in a couple days. Starting to hit that uncomfortable phase. When I'm standing or walking I feel fine, but getting in and out of the car, reaching across myself to buckle the seatbelt, or bending over to pet the kitties is all difficult. DH tried to tell me to try yoga or something to help. Wanted to smack him ;) (not really) it's like he's confusing this basketball strapped to my belly for a lack of flexibility :)
My first appt I was expecting a pelvic and pap and all that other glory, but since I had just had a pap in the last year and a pelvic the month before (where I made him use PreSeed and he thought I was crazy- turns out that weekend we conceived, so joke's on him). I'm in my twenties with only one sexual partner ever (yup, I'm a prude :), they only require me to get one every three years. So, I just had the blood/urine and an abdominal ultrasound. He said that if he would've struggled with the abdominal, he would've done transvag (I was 8.5 weeks). He got all the info he needed with the abdominal, so it was pretty quick and easy. I haven't had to pee in a cup since, the nurse said we'll start that again in the weeks before delivery.
If you do end up with a transvag, they're not so bad (I've had two, one before and after my MC). Just ask them if you can insert the probe yourself. It's a lot less alarming when you know it's coming and how fast you're putting it in. Good luck!


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## daddiesgift

No baby shower here. Mostly because its our third? I'm not sure people throw ones for babies after the first! Unless its been a big age gap. 

We decided to find out gender so we are going to do a gender reveal "photo shoot" since my friend is a photographer. We'll open a box of balloons either blue or pink on camera so our reactions are photographed. The earliest we can find out is December 11th but we may wait after that.


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## Kwaggy

Yay for your first appt hopeful! I hope you get to have an ultrasound and see your little bean :)

My mom is planning my baby shower for Dec 8. At this point I dont feel prepared for baby at all, we still have alot of things we need. Im hoping everything comes together after the shower :)

My MIL wants to throw an arrival party after baby is born for my hubbys side of the family...which Is great, but it makes me a little
nervous. It will be the middle of winter and Im not sure how I feel about a newborn being around so many people during Cold and Flu season.


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## melann13

@Kwaggy, maybe MIL could include a nice little line on the invites that says "We want to welcome the new little one with hugs and love, not cold and flu, so if you're feeling ill please plan a different time to come see the new bundle!"
Also just make sure you either make everyone wash hands or use sanitizer before holding.


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## Kwaggy

melann13 said:


> @Kwaggy, maybe MIL could include a nice little line on the invites that says "We want to welcome the new little one with hugs and love, not cold and flu, so if you're feeling ill please plan a different time to come see the new bundle!"
> Also just make sure you either make everyone wash hands or use sanitizer before holding.

Thanks thats a great idea, I didnt know how to say that to people without sounding rude :) I plan to carry hand sanitizer everywhere I go


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## mummy2o

Kwaggy, if you had your flu shot, she should be protected for about 6 months after she is born as it passed in the blood supply. I'd still recommend hand sanitizer anyway as people are surprisingly dirty anyway.


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## RaeChay

Excited to hear about your first appt hopeful! Things seemed to move faster for me after ten weeks. Hope it does for you too!


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO Thanks! You're right; it's the glorious ultrasound that has me excited/nervous. I love your picture and I hope baby looks just like yours. :)

@kksy9b I'm a week away now. :) I hope the week passes quickly without anything to worry about and then I get to see baby. I'm a little nervous about what she might want to do 'down there'. I would also much prefer an abdominal scan instead of a vaginal at this point, but I don't know what she will do. Thanks; I'll try to be patient and not freak if she has trouble locating baby at first. I can't wait to hear your exciting gender news!! 

@magicwhisper Oh! I meant how you said he thought he scanned the hand, but it was the foot and wondered why it was the wrong shape. Hopefully he gets the hang of it! :haha: Hopefully you keep getting the expert too!

@chulie Thanks! :) I'm eagerly awaiting your gender reveal too!

@mummy2o I think their practice does it routinely at 10 weeks just for dating purposes. I can't wait! :)

@melann13 I imagine getting in and out of the car is hard. We have a tall vehicle and I already use the hand-thing-above-the-door (?) to pull myself in sometimes so I imagine it will be difficult. I know it has to be hard as your belly gets bigger. Some of my worries about it so far are cutting toenails, shaving, picking things up, etc. I'm also in my twenties with only one partner so I hope that's all they make me do too! I hope she doesn't want to do a pelvic and pap. I'm not looking forward to that at all for pain or possible spotting fears. I never even thought to ask if I could do it if it has to be transvag. :thumbup: I might bring that up. I'm definitely going to insist we try abdominal first. I think it should be sufficient by now. 

@daddiesgift I know you weren't sure if you would find out the gender. What helped you decide? I think the photo shoot sounds like a great idea. You might need new things if it's a girl!! :)

@Kwaggy Thanks! :) I hope you have a great shower and that everything comes together soon. Are you in the nesting phase yet? I like the idea of an arrival party, but I totally understand why you're nervous about it. I already try to avoid people when I think they may be sick and I know I'll only be more cautious about it with a baby. Could you wait a month or two just so you can get settled with baby and so some of the cold and flu season will be over? I agree with melann13 about the hand washing or sanitizer. Luckily everyone knows we are both 'weird' about germs already and will expect it. 

@RaeChay I really hope it does start moving quicker. I feel like the time has passed somewhat fast so far, but the individual days feel long. 47% !! You're almost half way there! :happydance:

Ladies, I found a list of the latest child/baby safety recalls. It has a list that goes back to 2007. Click here to read.


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## daddiesgift

Since we weren't sure if OH was deploying he convinced me as his last wish before leaving to just find out gender early :haha: now I'm excited! I'd like a girl and feel it is but who really knows! I was pretty sure #2 was a girl and he's all boy! This is for sure last baby for us so trying to do all the fun things I never did in other pregnancies so we thought the balloon idea would be fun.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I still manage to cut and paint my toenails. I have to do it on the bed though with my feet up, no more sitting on the couch with them up on the table. Shaving "down there" is greatly restricted, I think it was week 24 when I got out of the shower and told my husband that I "couldn't see my privates anymore!"
Tying shoes has to take place with my foot up on a chair. I'm thinking that when delivery gets close I might go get a pedicure. I'd only had one or so in my life, but got one at about 20 weeks and it was wonderful.


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## ALiKO

hopeful- its so cute and amazing that even as small as they are at 10 weeks you can still see them wiggling around and swaying their arms and kicking their legs. 

also anyone else pee really slow? like the flow of urine takes so long to come out? this has been driving me crazy and im gonna go to my doctor soon about it.


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## daddiesgift

The last two days my lower back has HURT. Yesterday I had to breathe through it, all day today it feels sore. Never had this before so early. Don't know if I should call or not


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## ALiKO

daddiesgift- i feel your pain. my lower back has been hurtin so bad and just overall so sore. i am now regretting sitting because then i have to stand up :dohh:


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## mummy2o

What I found good for back pain whilst at a desk, was sitting on a big exercise ball. Your more forced to sit properly, and can shift from side to side if needed to. Plus it can double up as a birthing ball if big enough. Or an antenatal massage, but I know that's not an option for everyone.

Anyway way, today is my birthday. We're going bowling for a couple of games, then going for a meal. OH's birthday was yesterday and he wanted to do nothing :/ typically bloke, so we just had a pizza. I'm going to put on a stone alone over the weekend!


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I love the balloon idea and doing things you want since it's the last pregnancy! I'm excited for you to find out! I hope you get your girl! :) I'd call if your back continues to hurt tomorrow. Could it be earlier this time since you've already been pregnant? It seems some things start earlier for second, third, etc. time moms. I hope it stops!

@melann13 Is it safe to paint toenails? I've wondered because I read a bit about some polishes not being safe, but I really like to keep my toenails painted all the time. I've never had a pedicure, but I bet it's lovely! I do think it would be great to have around delivery time. I'm thinking that it will start taking me a lot more time to get ready. :haha: I was worried about shaving "down there". What about your legs? 

@ALiKO I hated waiting this long to have a confirmation, but knowing baby will look like a baby and will be moving around makes me happy to see him/her now. I've watched videos on youtube and looked at pictures. I can't wait! :)

@mummy2o Happy Birthday! :cake: My husband's and my birthday are a week apart. I hope you have a wonderful day!! :happydance:

AFM I'm noticing that my clothes are getting tighter. I left one button undone on my pants today. I haven't gained any weight so far, but I definitely have bloating and an expanding uterus. I imagine I'll buy a new pair of jeans within the next month. My shirts seem to be okay so far, but I usually wear shirts that typically hide/downplay my breasts. They seem to be sticking out more in those shirts though. I like to think I'll have a little bump by Christmas if all goes well. :)


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## chulie

@daddysgift that sounds very uncomfortable. Did you lift something akward maybe? If it doesn't go away I'd ask for sure!

@hopeful...on the list my dr gave me it says nail Polish is perfectly safe as long as it's done in a well ventilated area. Pedicures they just worry sometimes because depending on the pedicure they can do reflexology and you don't want them hitting a spot that could induce labour. But If you tell them you are...zero issues. I got a pedicure a few times in my last pregnancy. Last one I got right before labour. I remember when we lifted my legs to push I made a comment about having pretty toes for them! The nurses all laughed! Hahahah. 

Shaving is hard. Especially if you like to keep your lady bits tidy. My advice is get an electric shaver. It's your best friend. Hahahaa. It will at least keep things tidy! As for the legs....Once I got near the end. If I could shave close to knee.....I considered that a win!! Hahahahaha.

@Aliko...pregnancy screws with your pee SO bad. Things are moving and shifting so bad sometimes it's hard for our bodies to figure out the new route. I remember times where I thought I had to pee SO bad and it trickled out. Other times I didn't even have to go and when I was peeing TONs came out. Try leaning forward when you pee. It can help empty the bladder.


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## daddiesgift

Im not really sure. The first day it was so bad I had to concentrate on something else. But now its just dull achy off and on. Maybe Im just sitting wrong or laying wrong. Every time Im pregnant laying on my back while sleeping I wake up hurting really bad so maybe I didnt realize I was laying like that. 

Where does everyone get their birth balls? Is there a certain one that is better than others? I get pretty huge pregnant :haha: is there one that carries heavier women? Ive only seen exercise ones.

As far as shaving while pregnant, ugh. I can and could always reach everything most the time but I get such sensitive skin while pregnant that no matter what kind of razor I use I get horrible razor burn! So I just try to shave when it gets really bad :haha:


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## daddiesgift

Happy Birthday Mummyofo!


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## Kwaggy

A friend of mine tagged me in this video on facebook. Haha. The not so pleasant parts of childbirth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG6K5hbPJKs&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## ALiKO

hopeful- cant wait till u get to see ur lil gummy bear! :flower:

chulie- thats exactly me! ugh! i dont mean to complain but omg its really for the lack of a better word annoying, especially if i feel like i really gotta go and its like a few drops or if the flow is just super slow. im so glad im not the only one going through this. :)

daddiesgift- i think just a regular excercise ball would do. they usually have on the package how much weight the ball takes once fully inflated. my MIL has a regular big excercise ball that i've been using from time to time. im really not sure though if they have special balls for pregnant women.


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie I think it would be nice to have nice toes when delivering baby. Sometimes little things like that make me happy. I hope to keep everything tidy. :haha: I could probably get my husband to shave my legs before delivery if needed. :haha:

@daddiesgift I don't do too well when I'm on my back for too long. I also find that I need to have a chair behind me instead of just sitting without back support. I can do it, but it gets uncomfortable. I'm not sure about where to get birth balls. I'll look into it. :flower:

@Kwaggy Yikes! :haha: I plan on preparing myself for this part of the process a few months before. I focused on TTC and how everything works then and now I'm focusing on things one-two months in advance. It does seem scary, but I know it will be completely worth it. 

@ALiKO Thanks! :)


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## magicwhisper

https://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p704/magicwhisper1/baby%20wells/DSC_0008_zpsa9389581.jpg

https://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p704/magicwhisper1/baby%20wells/DSC_0010_zps854126d0.jpg


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## kksy9b

beautiful scans magicwhisper!!

Chulie- how did the reveal go??

AFM... just counting down... about 13 hours left to the scan :):)


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## chulie

Hi ladies!!! So the reveal went amazing!!!! My hubby actually cried in front of everyone and they got it on film!!! Lmao. (He never cries) 

So....without further ado...we are now expecting Baby Rowan!!
 



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## chulie

@magicwhisper...great u/s shots! You must be so excited. 

@Hopeful..I remember us talking before about "if" this was a boy I'd post what told me so...so here's why I personally had a feeling this was a boy. I know every pregnancy is different even with the same sex...but for me..some things MAJORLY seemed different with my body:

With DD I was crazy constipated....this time..I've had the runs SO bad on and off my entire pregnancy 

With DD I had horrible "neckne" ( neck acne"...this one I've had pretty awesome skin. 

With DD I was VERY much out front. I had no side bump, just like I was carrying a watermelon. This time...totally different. I am carry sorta "around". Like I have love handles? Lmao

With DD I never had back pain....this time...omg. Awful back pain (actually the first time I complained about my back my mom said 'oh, your having a boy' no clue why! Haha)

With DD her heart beat was always crazy high 178-180!!! This baby 164-166. See I think lots of people will say "oh my dd had 164..that's high"...yes maybe for them..but for ME...compare to how high dd was. His was low

I craved VERY different things this pregnancy. All I want are things like juice, sour candy, anything sour...hahahaa. 

With DD my body never really had crazy changes. I wore the same deodorant I always had...with this baby..omg I had to switch to a clinical strength deodorant because I friggen stink SO bad!!!!!! 

So yeah...those are the things that just said....something is up..

I threw up every morning with DD until 8 months and it's the same for this one. I'm still throwing up. So that never changed. Hahahaa.


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## daddiesgift

Nice pics magicwhisper and Chulie! 

One more week till my official ultrasound!! So beyond ready to see this baby! I feel so weird this time. I feel pregnant but not like there's something actually in there :dohh: My body is weird too. I've gained under 3 pounds but I feel huge fat not huge pregnant. Stomach feels squishy as well instead of hard.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations Chulie on the baby BOY!! What a beautiful cake and I'm sure a beautiful moment for you, your husband, and daughter. Rowan is such a cute name for a boy :) It is great that you will have one of each!


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## mummy2o

Lovely scan magicwhispers. I love 12 week scans, its amazing how baby like they appear!

Chulie grats on the boy. I think your the first boy of our little group.


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Those are such precious scans! :) 

@kksy9b I can't wait until your scan!! It's so exciting! :happydance:

@chulie First, congratulations on baby Rowan!! :blue: Second, that's a beautiful cake! Tell us all about it. Were you both excited? I know you thought boy, but was it a surprise to everyone? What does your daughter think? I think it's so sweet your husband cried. I can imagine getting caught up in the moment. It's so exciting! :happydance: It's so great that you got to experience both and see the differences. I do think we can tell sometimes. You are the first lady to join who is expecting a boy so far from the original thread. 

@daddiesgift I'm with you. I can't wait until my ultrasound so I can see baby! Why must we wait!?!? :dohh:

AFM I can't wait to hear kksy9b's news tomorrow and any other wonderful news we get this week. I'm beyond excited/nervous for my appointment on Friday. I'll be so happy to get it sorted and know if baby is good.


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## ALiKO

magicwhisper- beautiful scan pics thanks for sharing! :)

chulie- YAY for the first boy of the group congrats :happydance:! and the cake was beautiful.

daddiesgift- cant wait for your scan and you finally getting to see your lil bean :flower:

AFM my scan is this weekend and im hoping to see the gender. i have a strong feeling its a boy but hey we shall see hopefully if little one cooperates.


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## Hopeful2014

ALiKO said:


> AFM my scan is this weekend and im hoping to see the gender. i have a strong feeling its a boy but hey we shall see hopefully if little one cooperates.

Yay! I hope you get to see gender! :happydance: What makes you think boy?


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## magicwhisper

thank you :cloud9:

i love the gender revel party idea though!


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## chulie

Good luck with the scans ladies!! Hoping to see more genders!!! 

@hopeful....we are so excited!!!! My whole family is beyond excited because especially for my in laws. It's been almost 11 years since they've had a boy in their family. My daughters excited too. I still think it's hard for her to understand gender...but she's happy about the baby (or maybe was just happy to have cake? Hahaha) 

I have to say..having a girl first..we wanted another girl. We just felt like a girl family. I always said like..I'm not sure what to do with a boy. Lmao. I know that sounds stupid but in my head I could just never picture myself with a son??! Well...cutting into the cake..even though I guessed boy..it was very different actually seeing blue and knowing it's a boy. It was very overwhelming...it took a while to sink in but...I'm already in love with my son. I think this is why I find knowing the gender so important to me. It really does take my connection to this baby to a whole other level....I'm carrying my little boy...my Rowan and I couldn't be happier. DH thought he wanted another girl but clearly having a boy got him. I still can't believe he cried! Hahahaha. So yeah. It was such a beautiful moment for everyone. And to have my family all there to hug and kiss us and congratulate us. It was very special!! Maybe not for your first because you just can't handle waiting but to anyone thinking of a gender reveal party I'd highly recommend it!!! It's magical!!! When I'm home tonight I'll post some pictures from the day.


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## KatyW

Congratulations on your boy, Chulie! Sounds like it was a special and memorable day for your family.


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## OurLilFlu

Great scan magic whisper! 

Beautiful cake and reveal, chulie, I love the idea of a reveal party! Congrats on your boy Rowan!


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## melann13

Congrats on the boy Chulie!

@Hopeful, painting nails is fine, try to keep with "3 free" polishes that don't have formaldehyde and other nastiness in them. My absolute favorite brand is Sinful Colors because they're SUPER cheap (available by me at Target, Walgreens, and sometimes grocery stores) and it you use a top coat they don't chip for a good week (and I'm in a lab where I use my nails A LOT to open tubes etc). Also ventilated area. As for having a pro do it, just make sure it's a very clean place as infections during pregnancy are bad news.
Shaving wise, I still do my legs, although probably not more than once a week (thank you winter pregnancy) and just take my time as balance can be questionable. My bump is VERY forward (I actually had someone come up to me yesterday from my parents church and tell me that from the back she didn't know I was pregnant!- made my day) so I think that helps as I can still see down the sides, just not the middle. And as for "down there" I do pretty well to still get the bikini line.It is also really important to clean well down there, which is interesting when you can't see it. At this point I only wear cotton underwear as the others make me chafe, and I wear liners because of light discharge. I had the plasticy liners and felt like they made me smell, so I switched to the more cottony ones and haven't had a problem. So that's my TMI tidbit for the day :)

Last baby class this week (breast feeding) and then birth center tour next week!

And here's my latest knitting project for LO, a log (hollow to put the animals in) and a forest family of finger puppets. Next up, cardigan.
 



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## kksy9b

We just got home from the scan! I am joining team :blue:!! We haven't settled on a middle name yet but first name is Charles (after my dad) and I am sure he willl be Charlie when he's little :)

He's measuring a few days behind and they said he has a short femur which could indicate downs. He has no other soft markers however and the blood test came back negative. I tend to think it's a bad measurement (the way he was laying they could only get one femur measured and it wasn't a great shot). Will probably wind up going in a few more times for growth measurements but I feel confident he will catch up or we'll just have a short son. Which would be funny as my DH is 6'5", I'm 5'9" and our 4 brothers are all over 6' :wacko:


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## daddiesgift

KKSY-Congrats! Sorry to hear about the chance for downs but like you said Im sure it was just a bad measure if everything else points to negative. I really love the capabilities of ultrasounds but they can be wildly off!


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## kksy9b

daddiesgift said:


> KKSY-Congrats! Sorry to hear about the chance for downs but like you said Im sure it was just a bad measure if everything else points to negative. I really love the capabilities of ultrasounds but they can be wildly off!

Thanks!! 

I really feel like it will be fine since the blood test and other indicators are negative. He's measuring 4 days behind anyways and the doctor said if I ovulated even just a few days later it would mess with their calculations. Will probably go in for another scan in a few weeks. In the meantime I'm not worrying about it and just enjoying the newness of knowing I have a son on the way :)


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## melann13

Congratulations kksy! Any pictures to share?


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## RaeChay

Wanted to chime in about polish: OPI Polish is great too, also 3-free. 

congrats Chulie and kksy on team blue!

Beautiful scan magic!

Melann, LOVE your knitting! So cute.


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## magicwhisper

yay to team blue


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## kksy9b

Here are a few! First is the money shot :haha: i think it took the tech a grand total of 5 seconds from the start of the scan to say "well, i know the gender"... he was wanting to show off or something. LOL

Second photo: baby boy was laying on his left side and they couldn't get all the heart scans needed. So they had me flip from one side to the other and back again ... and when she put it back down.. he was upside down! He started kicking at the top trying to get out of the position :)

The third picture was one of the first ones she did. In the words of my husband "he looks evil in this one" :dohh:

We got a CD with some of the images on it but she didn't add the one where his little fists were by his mouth and he was sucking one of his thumbs! Might have to try and track that one down later on!
 



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## chulie

Omg kksy!!! Those are amazing shots! Welcome to team blue! We can strategize on the best plan of attack for "Operation: please don't pee in mummy's face!" Lmao. 
I love that face on shot...they do look evil poor things.

My husband has huge eyes and I remember at one of my u/s's the tech was like....wow. This baby has big eye sockets....I couldn't stop laughing!!! I'm like oh you have no idea!!!! She definitely has her daddy's big eyes! 

I'm sorry they stressed you out with the measurements. It's SO subjective!!! I'm sure everything will be bang on next time!! :)

Oh and love the name! My DH's name is Charles! It's a condender for Rowan's middle name!!!!


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## ALiKO

magicwhisper- i noticed you changed your avatar pic haha its so cute. :)

kksy- congrats on your team blue membership! :) baby looks great! and the scan pics are awesome. 

hopeful- idk why but i just really feel like its a boy. a few days before my bfp i had a dream i had a son and it just stuck. i have'nt even been picking out any girl names because im so convinced its a boy. :haha:

melann- the knitting you've done so far is so adorable i wish i was more crafty :)

AFM preparing for my scan this weekend (ahh so nervous!) and DH's birthday on the 20th of this month. unfortunately he has an over night business trip that day and will be really business pretty much the entire week so we probably wont be celebrating until that weekend. im planning to make him heart shaped chocolate cupcakes with coffee flavored frosting made from scratch. i'll definitely share photos and let you guys know how it turned out :)


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie I bet your husband's family is excited for another boy to pass on the family name! I think everyone is wishing for boy so far for that reason for us too. My husband is the last boy that can pass on the family name. There's no pressure here though. :haha: I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time. I think we will do something like a gender reveal just for our parents, siblings, and grandparents. We will look at the scan ahead of time, but make everyone else find out as a surprise through a cake, balloons, or cupcakes. I think my niece will love helping out with that. I've had two nieces for ten years and our only nephew is now one. It's different, but he's so sweet and fun! 

@melann13 That's the thing about polishes I read! Do they have "3 free" written on the bottle? I'll look into those because I've been avoiding painting so far. My TMI addition is that I'm wearing liners still. I guess I'm just nervous and I don't really notice that I have one on. Your log and animals are just about the cutest thing I've seen!! That is so precious. I remember you mentioning it. Did you have a design or just do it based on what you wanted? Have fun at your last baby class! :)

@kksy9b :blue: Congratulations on baby Charles! Are you settled on Alexander for the middle name or still deciding? Happy 20 weeks as well! Sometimes they do struggle to get proper measurements. I wouldn't worry much since he doesn't have other markers and the blood test was negative. Those are beautiful scans!

@RaeChay Thanks for the OPI recommendation. I have a few of those. I need to check the bottles to see if they are good. I really want nice toenails! We're waiting on your scan and gender reveal now!! :)

@ALiKO That sounds yummy! Definitely share especially the coffee flavored frosting made from scratch. I hope we get a gender announcement from you too!! :)

One tip for "Operation: please don't pee in mummy's face!" (from having a nephew): keep the diaper folded down over him while getting ready to change diaper because boys tend to pee as soon as they feel the cold air. :haha:


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## melann13

@Hopeful, Some polishes say 3 free on them, but if you just google 3 free polishes, I looked over the lists for polish brands I recognize. Once I saw sinful colors (SC) on there I just stick with that brand. They're only $2 a pop, so I have probably 25 colors :). Just got another yesterday :). I've been using liners off and on since the beginning, now that I'm 31 weeks, discharge is very common. I actually bought feminine wipes yesterday to just make me feel cleaner down there. We had chatted about shaving, and I just got an email from my hospital this morning (I get weekly pregnancy newsletters from them) telling me to stop shaving "down there" for the rest of the pregnancy because of the risk of skin infection and if you end up needing a C-section and they have to shave you, they don't want to be shaving over razor burn etc. Interesting!


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## kksy9b

Thanks ladies! We are really excited to have a little boy coming! We've told almost the whole family and they are really happy too! Most people thought it was a girl so I think they were surprised it was a boy but still really happy! My oldest nephew on the phone was like "YES!! WAHHOOO" so that was fun :)

Hopeful- thanks! We are not settled on Alexander yet but it's the top contender so i put it in my siggie :)

Chulie- have you heard of the "pee-pee teepee?" A diaper works just as well but these seem really easy to make and can come up with all sorts of designs..i especially like the santa hat pattern I found online :)
 



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## mummy2o

My friend in the states had the pee-pee teepee for her boy and wasn't a fan. She said it was fine when he was a newborn, but then he learnt to wiggle and it kept falling off, then it ended up messier than if she just held the diaper up. That is just her opinion though. With my son, I just held his nappy most of the time and it worked, once I got into the swing of things. We had a few accidents where he peed down his cast to begin with (was treating his club foot) then it was fine. Now we're on to learning how to pee standing up. He hates this and prefers to sit down, but a handy skill when out and about with no toilet around. So the only time he managed it, we peed on my dad's leg, who was teaching him. Once in a while even sitting he manages to aim his penis over the toilet seat and get his pants and floor wet. Never his trousers though.

Aliko the cake sounds yummy, please do share the pictures when you make them. I bet he'll love them.


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## daddiesgift

Kksy- that upside picture is so weird!! In a good way :haha: 

I'm totally lost on what's up with the nail polish? I am a cosmetologist and was never told to avoid or use a certain kind. 

Pee Pee TeePee.. Um no :haha: just keep it covered with a diaper and all will be fine.


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## melann13

Many nailpolishes are going 3 free (some are even 5 free) the 3 refers to formaldehyde, toulene and DBP which are known carcinogens. The fear is that they could be absorbed through the nail beds, inhaled from fumes, or ingested if one bites their nails. It's a minimal fear, but an easy one to avoid if you know what you're looking for. Many brands are 3 free and my SC basecoat is 4 free, which includes Camphor. Many people think about is especially when pregnant since low levels of carcinogens are high levels to a tiny human. Like second hand smoke. In Italy you can get serious fines for smoking near an obviously pregnant woman. Wish we had it here...


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## kksy9b

LOL.. i figured they didn't work all that well, I just like the designs that some people have come up with :)


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## magicwhisper

some seriously bad heartburn.indigestion going on here ... ouch


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## KatyW

Can they actually enforce that law in Italy? I would be shocked if they could, given people breaking obvious traffic laws left and right (maybe I'm thinking of the day I drove through Milan and realized the 2 lane road was a 3 lane road because people felt like it).


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Oh! I guess you won't have to worry about shaving then. I wonder if my hospital sends newsletters. That's neat. I will google 3 free polishes! :)

@kksy9b I haven't heard of the "pee-pee teepee". It looks interesting. :haha: 

@mummy2o Good luck with working on peeing standing up. :thumbup: I do imagine it's a change. I tend to stand/squat/balance awkwardly over the toilet when we're out in public places and I always wish women had the ability to go either way as well. :haha: 

@daddiesgift Happy 12 weeks!! :happydance:

@magicwhisper I hope you feel better soon! :flower:

@KatyW Happy 13 weeks!! :happydance:


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## melann13

@Acorn, I primarily saw signs about it in the airport, and it was being enforced. Granted, in Italy, you can smoke more places than here to begin with. Fortunately none of my friends there smoke. It's not seen as cool like it used to be there. I've been there 3 times, most recently last year. Driving is crazy, but strangely it's like organized chaos that you get used to. My dad turned right on red and my friend FREAKED out! She's says "You can't do that here!!!" - strange what they find dangerous :)


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## melann13

@Hopeful, the hospital newsletter was something that I got signed up for at my first birthing class. As far as nailpolishes, you'll find that pretty much any list is not complete, so I'd google the actual brand and "3 free" or "4free" to see what comes up. There are a lot of options though, from low to high end. I think even Sally Hansen is at least 3 free now.


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## KatyW

I'm glad it was being enforced; it is organized chaos, unfortunately when I was driving I wasn't organized about it haha. It's illegal to turn right on red where I live in Germany as well as the Netherlands. I can't remember about the UK or Ireland though, whether it is illegal to turn left on red, also general confusion on my part when it came to driving, switching to the other side totally threw me off. I loved how kind people were to my daughter when we were there last year. Now I want to go there, what a beautiful country. :)


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## melann13

@Katy, I've been writing to a penpal in Verona, Italy since I was 12. We met in person for the first time when I was 16 or 17. I've been back twice, including acting as a witness for her wedding last year. She was also in my wedding here back in '07. Our entire families are bonded for life and it's not uncommon for our dads to email about politics/economics and are moms to bond over recipes etc. It's been an amazing relationship. Hoping to teach this LO some Italian! I took an immersion class a couple years ago in prep for the wedding. While I'm most in love with Verona, since I feel like I know my way around and it's not covered in tourists, I have also been to Venice all three times (it's a short train ride) and Pisa, Rome and Florence once each. DH has been with me twice, but we'd both like to see the south as well. My dad has spent time in Naples.


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## KatyW

Maybe you will get the chance to spend a long time there - that would only help the Italian. What a cool thing to happen - for a lifelong friendship like that to develop through a penpal. Very neat!


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## KatyW

Ladies, when did your morning sickness stop? I am pretty sure I have no memory of my previous pregnancy, ha! Mommy amnesia. Tired of dry heaving over here, though I know it could be worse.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 That's such a neat story about staying friends with your pen-pal. It's amazing that you stayed in touch and were even in each other's weddings. I'd love to travel to this part of the world in the future. I'm sure it's lovely. :)

@KatyW My husband would have to do all the driving for us if we traveled somewhere else even in the U.S. I get a bit nervous driving on major roadways and I am much better at giving directions than having the pressure of being the driver. :haha: I really hope you start feeling better soon and that your morning sickness doesn't last much longer.


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## OurLilFlu

KatyW said:


> Ladies, when did your morning sickness stop? I am pretty sure I have no memory of my previous pregnancy, ha! Mommy amnesia. Tired of dry heaving over here, though I know it could be worse.

Hahah I have amnesia too! About everything, preggo brain! I did not have very much nausea as long as I kept something in my stomach but I wanna say it was about16 weeks that it finished off... Maybe even sooner... I think 6-12 was the worst of it..


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## RaeChay

KatyW said:


> Ladies, when did your morning sickness stop? I am pretty sure I have no memory of my previous pregnancy, ha! Mommy amnesia. Tired of dry heaving over here, though I know it could be worse.

Poor thing :( mine was WORST at week 13. Pretty much gone by the end of week 14...though I randomly threw up twice in one day in week 17 (though I'm thinking it may have been because I had OJ that morning! I've since discovered that oranges are fine but orange juice makes me feel bad). 

FX you get some relief soon. I know for myself, I was considering asking the doc about the prescription anti emetics if my MS was going to last much longer after week 13.


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## melann13

@Katy W, I think mine went away at about 14 weeks. However, lately I've had nausea on an off again and have woken up in the night with acid in my mouth. LO is already upside done based on hiccup placement and nurse's guess. So that means her bottom half is kicking and pushing against my stomach, so it may not truly be 3rd tri morning sickness, and just my little girl messing with things :)


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## Kwaggy

@ Katy W- Mine still has not gone away! It stopped for about a week, but then came back. I always assumed it was a first trimester thing but I guess that's not the case for everyone. I hope you feel better soon! Atleast I know mine will be gone within the next 10 weeks or so lol.


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## newbie2013

I'm laughing at your description of Italian traffic being organised chaos - you guys should try driving in Cairo - it is completely and totally unorganised mayhem. I thank god every time I get to my destination unscathed (and the car not damaged).


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## KatyW

Kwaggy,
Poor thing! True that it will be gone in 10 weeks or so. It is worth every moment, I hope you find some relief. 

Melann,
I remember now feeling a little loss of appetite, etc. in the 3rd trimester. I think heartburn was part of it too/indigestion due to the pressure on the stomach with the baby being so large. Hope your baby girl stops kicking acid into your throat, ick. It is awesome, though, when you can feel how large they are and realize how close you are to holding them. :) 

Ourlilflu, I'm wondering if it's going end soon. I seriously have pregnancy amnesia with my previous pregnancy, ha, so this may have been the point where it felt like it was never going away, then it quickly went away. I'm glad you feel better now. 

Thanks, Hopeful :). Your appointment is tomorrow (Friday), right? Eager to hear about it, I be it will be great.

You ladies always make me feel better :). Thanks.


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## daddiesgift

I was very ill with my two but I remember it subsiding around 12 weeks. I haven't been sick this time only when I haven't ate in awhile or I'm thirsty. I still feel it now :shrug: 

I am shocked at the usual 3rd trimester problems I'm already having. I wake at night and can't fall back asleep or my mind never shuts off at night. I'm EXHAUSTED every single day. I wake in the morning tired, if I get a nap I wake up feeling worse! I went on light errands for 2 hours this morning and could barely keep my eyes open driving home! I was hoping to have energy by now but I'm just as tired as I was week 4! 

I also have horrible leg and feet cramps. I take calcium and magnesium to help, which makes it much more mild but not completely gone. I don't know why I always get them but this time is so early! I had foot surgey in April. Ugh long story but I swear the surgery only made things worse. I can barely move that foot at all so imagine catching a cramp in it!! I have to massage it till its unstiff and moves again.


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## mummy2o

I don't really get bad morning sickness. With DS I had none and this one it was gone by 10 weeks. I did eat little the often until it passed though, and sucking on lolly's helped me a lot. Some say soured things, but I still don't like them. As for pregnancy brain, mine is terrible. Went to the bank the other day and forgot why I went there. I then went back half an hour later to pay money into my account. I've also forgot my appointment to my flu jab and it was on the calender on the fridge I went to at least 5 times before my appointment. Its rescheduled for Saturday at 8.38 (been reminding myself and telling everyone I meet so I don't forget it again!!!) Thankfully haven't forgotten to pick up DS or anything serious yet.

Speaking of DS he lost his first tooth yesterday. I think he swallowed it though. He went to bed with all his teeth, and saw him the next morning with a hole in his teeth. He didn't wobble it and didn't seem bothered by it. He had a visit from the tooth fairy though. He saving his money though, he's not sure what for but I suspect he'll tell me when he wants to use it.


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy Happy 31 weeks! :happydance:

@newbie2013 I don't think I could handle driving in such traffic. It makes me pretty nervous even when I'm the passenger. :dohh:

@KatyW Thanks! :friends: It is tomorrow. I'm beyond nervous and excited. I hope to report back with great news.

@daddiesgift Fatigue is probably one of my most recognized symptoms so far. I sleep a lot, I fall asleep during shows, I want to nap a lot, but it's never enough. It's bad when I'm tired all day, but then feel like falling asleep will be hard. I hope you feel better soon. :hugs:

@mummy2o I'll try to remember to remind you to go on Saturday! I think it's great he's saving the money! :thumbup:


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## melann13

Praying for a good appt for you today Hopeful!


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful Im patiently waiting your appointment update! Fingers crossed everything is great!! :hugs:


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## chulie

Good luck today Hopeful!!!!! Can't wait to hear!

Yeah I hate telling people about my ms because I don't want to scare people. With DD i had it until 7 1/2 months...this time...I "think" it has just stopped? I haven't thrown up the last 3 mornings...but it has been known to take a vacation for a day or two and come back...so I'm just enjoying the break if that's all it is....but I pray it's over!!!

@daddygift...I was JUST saying this to DH....all those 3rd trimester aches and whatnot are coming a lot sooner!!!! I've had my leg go numb a couple times now...bad BAD back pain some nights....I've still got 4 months go!!!!! hahahaha.....Oh boy I'm in trouble.......

Happy Friday Ladies!!!!!!!!

OH AND...get this...got an email from our facilities group today...apparently the bathroom on our floor is out of service for maintenance...so we have to go one floor up or one floor down....ya know what....for a pregnant chick..when you suddenly have to "go"....that is just SOOOO not cool!!!! I'm gonna spend 1/2 my day climbing stairs.....thanks a lot JERKS!!!!!!!!!!


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## melann13

@Chulie, haha. Sucks about the bathroom. I have a similar situation, I work in a very old university building that originally didn't have women's bathrooms since there were no women... so the bathroom directly across from our lab is unisex. There's a sign on the door, when you go in, you turn on the light and flip the sign to women. When you leave, you turn the light off. So when I go to use it and the light is on and the sign says men, I wait. and I wait, and wait. Sometimes it's on for ages and I finally bang on the door and ask if anyone is ACTUALLY in there or if some dimwit just didn't turn the light off. What really irks me is the men who really ARE in there for an hour. There is a men's restroom on the other end of the hall. If you're gonna be in there THAT long, please use the one that's just for you!
AHHH! Rant over.


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## RaeChay

melann13 said:


> @Chulie, haha. Sucks about the bathroom. I have a similar situation, I work in a very old university building that originally didn't have women's bathrooms since there were no women... so the bathroom directly across from our lab is unisex. There's a sign on the door, when you go in, you turn on the light and flip the sign to women. When you leave, you turn the light off. So when I go to use it and the light is on and the sign says men, I wait. and I wait, and wait. Sometimes it's on for ages and I finally bang on the door and ask if anyone is ACTUALLY in there or if some dimwit just didn't turn the light off. What really irks me is the men who really ARE in there for an hour. There is a men's restroom on the other end of the hall. If you're gonna be in there THAT long, please use the one that's just for you!
> AHHH! Rant over.

Wow, that's ridiculous!!
If I were you, I would take to using the "men's only" bathroom. And they could all stuff it. 
Of course, I've never had any scruples towards switching to the men's room if I'm waiting in line for women's when some lady is taking ages (as long as it's private or closed stalls, I might add).
Not to mention, but if there's a men's room down the hall, wouldn't it follow that the unisex bathroom be made a women's room? Sounds like a women's rights issue for the university. 

Excited to hear about your appt hopeful :)


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## mummy2o

Good luck at your appointment hopeful.

Chulie that's horrible that your toilets are out of services. And Melann13 maybe you could ask for the unisex ones to be changed to women's one. It would make more sense. But then if its a board of men managing anything then they generally don't see common sense like women. Not saying its all men, but the majority make none whatsoever. They'd probably say they need two in case every man in the department needs the loo at the same time.

AFM DS is going from strength to strength. Today he said I love you mummy all by himself. I've waited 6 and a half years for this!!!! I'm so happy right now as I honestly didn't think this day would come until much later.


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## melann13

Congrats mummy2o, that's awesome!

The bathroom thing has always just been funny to everyone up here. The two closest professors to the bathroom are both women and there's a lot of women in this hallway. I will say that the men's bathroom is WAY down the hall. I have been told though that the women's bathroom 1 floor down (my office is right by the stairs anyway) actually had a lactation room put in in the recent past and it's supposedly really nice. I have my own office, so I wasn't too worried about it, but I may check it out to see if it's a nice place for pregnant naps :) I have a pillow in my desk drawer (because who doesn't?) but the bump is too big for me to just fold over and put my head on my desk.


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## chulie

Mummy2o that is wonderful!!!!! What a sweetheart!! 

I survived the day of using tr stairs. I drink A LOT of water so I also made sure to cut back a bit just for today. Hahaaa.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Thanks! I appreciate that so much. :friends: I'd hate waiting to use the restroom if someone wasn't even in there. Using the restroom in public or even at work is so stressful sometimes. 

@daddiesgift Thanks so much! :)

@chulie Thanks! I really hope your morning sickness is gone for good this time. :hugs: I feel so bad for those who have it so long. Oh no! Can you ride an elevator at all? I can't imagine doing that all day especially if that morning sickness happens at work. I hope they get it fixed soon. :hugs:

@RaeChay Thanks! :) I totally agree they should make it a ladies only since the men already have one or they should make the other unisex too. 

@mummy2o Thanks! :) I'm so happy that your son said that to you. I know it's so hard when they can't express themselves because of my niece and it's so special when they do. I've wished for years that she would be able to even say a few words. That's so amazing. I hope he continues. :)

AFM First, I have excellent news. Baby is there, measuring perfectly, with a strong heartbeat, and we couldn't be happier. We ended up only having the ultrasound today instead of all the blood work. (I say "only" but isn't that really the only thing we want usually. :winkwink: ) I'll go back next week for the rest of the appointment. I have been so worried about what they would do "down there" and if baby would be there. They did give me a transvaginal ultrasound, which would not be my best choice as it's a bit painful, she put it in a little too quick for my liking, and I'm sore now. BUT!! It's worth it to see baby. We were able to hear and see the heartbeat. She said everything looks good and perfect for my dates. I'm sending huge thanks to you all for all the well wishes and comfort as I've been so worried. :hugs: We have a picture that I'll share soon. We also saw baby moving arms around as though it was doing this :happydance: just much slower and more baby-like. Crown Rump Length: 3.3 cm / Heartbeat 162 bpm


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## magicwhisper

they could see from a external ultrasound at 11 weeks so i am suprised they did it that was bit i am very happy baby is happy :happydance:


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> they could see from a external ultrasound at 11 weeks so i am suprised they did it that was bit i am very happy baby is happy :happydance:

Thanks! They said they always like to do transvaginal at the first appointment there. :dohh: I hope it's abdominal from here on out.


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## daddiesgift

They always get the best shot vaginally! I'm so happy everything is well!! I giggled to "baby is there" :winkwink: I hope its more real for you now! It's hard to believe you're even pregnant when you've never heard, seen or felt baby. Can't wait to see pic


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## melann13

So happy for you hopeful! If you ever need a TV US again, I definitely suggest asking to put it in yourself. It's still uncomfortable, but at least it's not surprising. Regardless, I'm so glad it went well. If you have a little spotting, don't panic as the TV US can do that. 10 weeks already! 1st tri will be over before you know it!


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## melann13

Also, AFM, I've never been really close with anyone who is pregnant, so I had never felt a baby kick. It's SOOO crazy that not only can I feel her little butt pushing and kicks and hiccups, but tonight she's moving so much, and on such a grand scale that DH and I just sat and watched my belly morph shapes for awhile. Hoping she stay head down as I'm actually more afraid of version (turning the baby) than birth. I've heard it's horrid.


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift "Baby is there!" :haha: Would you believe I even took a digital test before going today. It's true we only have the tests and symptoms until we can see and then feel baby. 

@melann13 Thanks! :) The whole appointment was so fast and I was so afraid. I'll ask to do it myself next time if I have to do it. It wasn't so bad when it first went in, but it was painful when she pushed it in deep and when she moved it around! I can't wait for 1st tri to be over!


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## Hopeful2014

melann13 said:


> Also, AFM, I've never been really close with anyone who is pregnant, so I had never felt a baby kick. It's SOOO crazy that not only can I feel her little butt pushing and kicks and hiccups, but tonight she's moving so much, and on such a grand scale that DH and I just sat and watched my belly morph shapes for awhile. Hoping she stay head down as I'm actually more afraid of version (turning the baby) than birth. I've heard it's horrid.

I've briefly felt my sister-in-law's stomach, but it was very brief. I think being able to feel baby will be so amazing. I've always wondered if I would even be able to have kids because it was always just something that other women did. It's such a miracle that all of this happens inside of us. Seeing the baby move today was so amazing because it was so surprising knowing/seeing something that wonderful was happening. Enjoy all the kicks and hiccups! I hope she stays head down for you!


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## mummy2o

Congrats hopeful for the brilliant scan. I hope this puts your mind at rest.

I'm up and have my son reminding me we have the doctors in a minute. I think I told him so many times we're going to the doctors in the morning that he's been telling me since 5am when he woke me up!

Melann13 I'm glad your enjoying your bump kicking you. Its an amazing feeling. I'm waiting for this one to get going. Her brother was Jackie Chan at this point but she's more lazy I guess. I also read its not uncommon for babies to start kicking later at 24 weeks and some even at 30. I'm sure she'll get there, but slightly worrying since I don't have an anterior placenta (its in the perfect position apparently) and almost everyone at this point has. If she's not kicking by my next midwife appointment I'll bring it up.


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## KatyW

Glad to hear your appointment went well, Hopeful! Yay to seeing the baby! I am strange in that the transvaginal u/s doesn't bother me so much as the metal instruments (what are they called? Horrid devices made in Medieval times I think) they use at gyno appointments. I always request exams without them.

AFM, my appointment established my due date to be May 19 (they wait until end of 1st tri at my doc's office to declare due date), so I'm a few days ahead of where I thought I was.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks! :) I hope she starts to kick soon. I know it's reassuring and such a special thing. 

@KatyW Thanks! I'm sure metal instruments would be worse. I guess the shape of the transvaginal instrument is okay. She said it'll be like a tampon, but I knew it was quite a bit larger and solid. I told my husband "but I don't use tampons" when she left for me to undress. I've always been a bit careful/nervous of things down there. I've done my best to avoid almost all gyno trips and anything related to someone doing something down there. I know I should have been going for years, but I knew having a baby would be about the only thing to actually make me do it. :haha: Congrats on being moved up and being a beautiful peach this week! I updated your date.


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## magicwhisper

well you learn something new :haha:

right now i am sleeping and eating :haha:


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## kksy9b

Awesome news Hopeful!! I am so happy to hear that your little one is just perfect in there!


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## Hopeful2014

kksy9b said:


> Awesome news Hopeful!! I am so happy to hear that your little one is just perfect in there!

Thanks! :)


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## chulie

Yaaaa hopeful. Glad to hear of the wonderful update!!! Now let's see those pics! Hahaha.


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## kksy9b

Oh my goodness! I have a friend from high school that just had her baby earlier today... and got a big shock! They thought they were having a girl... that's what the ultrasound showed and they only had the one done... and she turned into a he!! I can't imagine the surprise! They will have a lot of returning and exchanging to do...


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## daddiesgift

WOW thats crazy! Ive never actually met anyone whose been told the wrong gender! I have dreams that we get told the wrong one all the time. We hope to pay for one at 16 weeks then at my 20 week scan just have them double check before we buy anything. But I would be mad either way if they said boy and it was a girl, or girl and it was a boy. Especially if I didnt know till birth! All the boyish or girly stuff you buy youd have to get rid of all of it! 

Tomorrow is our official ultrasound!! I had one at 6 weeks but they couldnt do measurements or tell you heart beat ect. They just pretty much said baby was there and alive :dohh: so Im excited to actually see and hear baby tomorrow and get a good idea how baby is doing!! 

I wish my ultrasound was first thing in the morning! Its at 12:45 which we get up at 6am so thats forever away! :dohh: I hope my due date is not pushed forward as..longest story ever but we may be moving June 16th..as in we have to be there then for OH job and Im currently due May 28th so I have no idea what to do! If they move me forward into June then Ill really be screwed with knowing where Im giving birth and how Im going to do this moving so far along or with a newborn!


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## mummy2o

KKSY9B: I have a fear of that happening to me. Baby was in a bad position most of the scan but she didn't see any boy parts so guessed 90% girl. I'm getting another scan done at 36 weeks so I'll ask if they can take a quick look then if she's still a girl. My gut has always said girl though and it was right last time. If it was me though I think I would go through a horrible case of gender disappointment, although I would love a son as they are really amazing, but I think most women would love a little girl to have pretty dresses and do ballet etc, and I'd have 20 weeks roughly to dream about it so I'd have to grieve for the 'lost girl' if that makes sense. Once I've done that though I'd love my new son. I've known it happen to 3 people, but thankfully none live where I am so I'm hoping they just had bad techs.

Daddies gift enjoy your scan tomorrow. I can imagine your frustration if they move your dates. They moved mine by a whole 3 days from the 11th-14th. I've had a friend who's moved with a newborn before and she said for her it was probably easier than being pregnant. Mind you he was an only child. They basically packed most of the smaller bits and none essential things before the baby arrived, things she could mainly do herself whilst on maternity leave. Left most of the baby things still in their boxes so it could be easy to move, and the rest was done after the birth with the help of her hubby on his paternity leave. That is just her story. I think when I move in the new year, I'll let OH do most of the work and do mainly supervising. This is why right now I very reluctant to buy any baby things as I don't want to add to the move!


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## Hopeful2014

@chulie Thanks!! I'll upload a photo as soon as I'm back at a desktop. :)

@kksy9b Oh! I wonder how often that happens. I think it would be such a shock. Did she have an early scan or wait until the latest chance to see gender? I want to find out as soon as possible, but part of me keeps wondering if it could be wrong if I don't wait until long enough to be sure. :dohh:

@daddiesgift Good luck at the scan tomorrow! :happydance: I can't wait to hear all about it! I hope your due date works out for the best. I know it must be really hard not being sure what will be happening when the time comes. 

@mummy2o You're right. I think the hardest part would be thinking about one gender for 20 weeks and envisioning everything. I'll be completely happy with either, but I want to be sure about it before I hope, plan, and dream of one or the other. :thumbup: to supervising your move. That's what I would do too!


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## ALiKO

hey ladies i hope everyone is doing great and in good spirits :)

hopeful- i am so happy everything went well at your scan! i hope you feel more relieved knowing everything is ok :hugs:

AFM had my scan on saturday and my lil beanie was sleeping. needless to say bean would not move and cooperate for measurements and such so unfortunately no gender annoucement. beans little heartbeat was strong and flickering away and as the doc did the ultrasound bean even swatted its hand at us as if to say "leave me alone im trying to get a lil shut eye". :haha:

i was a little disappointed because i really wanted to know the gender but i was happy to see my baby either way. looks like im still stuck for now buying yellow things with ducks. the doc did manage to get a "potty shot" or a look a beans bum but the footage was so grainy and blurry no one still can tell. all i can say is i dont really see anything poking out so maybe girl?


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## KatyW

I hope everything works out w/ the due date, Daddiesgift. I know it's stressful with a move and birth so close together.


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## daddiesgift

Thanks ladies. Only 4.5 hours to go :dohh: I really wish my appointments were first thing in the morning!


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## kksy9b

Good luck daddiesgift!!


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## daddiesgift

:happydance::happydance::happydance:

Ultrasound went great!I was surprised the pictures came out so good as the screen I was looking at was very fuzzy. She said everything looks great and well! I asked if she had any gender predictions and she said "I couldnt tell you even if I did":dohh: She then scanned lower and said "theres its crotch" but the screen was so fuzzy I couldnt tell! I dont think I saw any penis or balls :haha: I hoped she printed out the picture but she didnt. I measured a few days before my due date so over 13 weeks but she said the midwife will decide to change it but she doesnt think she will as they usually dont move your date unless its over 5 days. :dance: What a relief to have seen baby well and moving about in the cutest ways!! It was touching its face and holding its hands then moving its legs all about. Im glad my due date isnt changing as the move stress I have plus the birth center said I cant go over 41 weeks or I have to give birth at the hospital so this is uping my chances that that wont happen!
 



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## daddiesgift

and I asked what the heart beat was and she said "normal" :dohh::haha: I meant the actual number!


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I'm so glad everything went well at your scan. Too bad baby wouldn't cooperate for measurements and gender reveal. I think it's cute he/she swatted at you like "leave me alone". :) When do you get to go back for another scan?

@kksy9b Happy 21 weeks! :happydance:

@daddiesgift Those are beautiful scans! I'm glad that it seems you will get to keep your due date. Perhaps it's a little girl! :) I know it's amazing to see baby move. I can't wait to get a profile scan! I asked the lady several times what the actual heartbeat was. And before I left (normally polite, quiet me) I asked two ladies to tell me the crl. I wanted both numbers to research on my own and make sure everything seemed good. :haha: However, I think I came off as super nervous and quiet pre-scan and then super excited and first-time-mom after the scan. The nurses thought it was funny.


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## mummy2o

Sometimes I really hate having a school age child. Purely as the school gives you 2 days notice to go and get something and you realise you have nothing fitting. My son needs a white shirt for the school play. I was told yesterday after I got back from town. I looked online at local supermarkets, but no white shirt. They are doing the nutcracker and he's a Russian solider so my first argument is they need a red shirt, which of course they have tons in stock, and I want more notice!!! So going shopping after the school run in a minute.

On a more positive note OH took me to this really fancy restaurant yesterday and it was really nice. He didn't like what he had, (he's a very fussy eater) and I kinda knew he wouldn't. Then we strolled around the German market, but they had no pretzels!!!! I was looking forward to having one :( However, greggs do their christmas tree cupcakes again, a chocolate cake with loads of green icing and I think I brought the rest of their stock. I didn't get any last year as they claimed to stop doing them, but they are back. I told OH if this is the only greggs in Bristol who does them, I'll go to town weekly to get a massive stock!


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## newbie2013

Hahaha! Greggs! I miss that from when I used to live in the UK. Don't miss the lunchtime queues out the door, though! Enjoy


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## stargazer0726

Hey everyone, I have been MIA for a while. While I have been feeling "better" I have been so tired I hardly can function. I am often in bed asleep by 8, and then I sleep great until 2 or so then when I get up to pee I have the hardest time falling back asleep. Its miserable!!! I had my 16 week appointment yesterday and we got to hear the little beans heartbeat and everything sounded great. Ultrasound has been scheduled for Dec 9th. Having the hardest time waiting to find out gender this time...While I know having a boy would be so fun, I will be sad to never use the 500 boxes of cute baby girl clothes ever again. I am worried about how emotional I will get going through and sorting/selling them if this little one has a little turtle  It will be fun to buy little blue things though... anyway...so excited to see everyone's scan and hear about everyone's appointments


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## kksy9b

Great scan pictures daddiesgift! Hopefully in a few more weeks baby will show you a better shot :)


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I hope you were able to find a white shirt. :thumbup: to stocking up on the Christmas tree cupcakes! I'm glad they seem to be back. I love holiday desserts. I may make a cake and fudge this year. 

@stargazer0726 Happy 16 weeks! :happydance: Good luck on December 9th. I think finding out the gender is one of the most special moments. Will this be your last baby? If so and it's a boy, you could save some of your favorite outfits for your future grandchildren.


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## Mummy to HP

Hi Everyone

I haven't been logged on for ages getting ready to finish work and getting home ready for our new arrival and sickness have seen me super busy!

I am glad to see everyone is doing well I am going to go back and finish reading the posts I have missed!

:thumbup:


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## Hopeful2014

@Mummy to HP You're in the home stretch now! I hope you get some time to rest after finishing work. :thumbup:


AFM I had the second part of my appointment on Friday. It was for the blood work and the pap smear. I have avoided pap smears and all things "down there" all of my life. I'm sure if you have had it done you know how HORRIBLE it is. It could be that I have always seemed extra sensitive, but I hated it. KatyW-I definitely agree that the metal things are way worse than the transvaginal probe they used last week. :( As I expected I had some bleeding as soon as she finished. It was so scary. My husband was a bit freaked out too, but he was very sweet for helping me. I left this room and went to get blood work done. I was visibly shaken so they said they would give me a quick scan to show me that everything's good and that it was just from the cervix. Ladies, you know we love the chance to see baby and especially after something like that, but I actually asked before thinking "is it going to be vaginal?" I just didn't want anything else in there. :dohh: They did abdominal which means we got to see a profile shot. We got to hear baby's heartbeat and he/she was sleeping and stretched a little arm above the head so it's good to know that none of that seemed to bother him/her at all. :haha: It was such a relief. 

They told me they can start predicting gender at 15 weeks, which makes me so excited because we want to find out and it would be the perfect time before Christmas. If not, I would have to wait until the 20 week scan which will be the next planned scan. We'll have to pay for the 15 weeks scan, but it will be worth it! 


I hope you all have a great weekend! :)


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## daddiesgift

Sorry you had a rough time hopeful. Cervix can get irritated easily and bleed. I have it sometimes after sex! I'm glad you got to see baby again! :dance: 

When they did my exam one woman did the vaginal exam while the other did the breast exam, OH was sitting there whole time so once they left the room he said that was the most exciting thing he's seen in awhile :haha: :dohh: 

AFM yesterday's appointment went well. She said my thyroid level was a bit low so they'd keep checking it. I told my mom and she said she had to take thyroid medicine her pregnancy with me because of low levels! Never knew that to mention it! So now I wonder if I should just wait till next appt. or call and tell them? Anomaly scan booked Jan. 7th!! I think we'll still pay in December 11-14 for the gender scan then use the December one as confirmation!


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## Hopeful2014

daddiesgift said:


> Sorry you had a rough time hopeful. Cervix can get irritated easily and bleed. I have it sometimes after sex! I'm glad you got to see baby again! :dance:
> 
> When they did my exam one woman did the vaginal exam while the other did the breast exam, OH was sitting there whole time so once they left the room he said that was the most exciting thing he's seen in awhile :haha: :dohh:
> 
> AFM yesterday's appointment went well. She said my thyroid level was a bit low so they'd keep checking it. I told my mom and she said she had to take thyroid medicine her pregnancy with me because of low levels! Never knew that to mention it! So now I wonder if I should just wait till next appt. or call and tell them? Anomaly scan booked Jan. 7th!! I think we'll still pay in December 11-14 for the gender scan then use the December one as confirmation!



Thanks! :hugs: Men say the craziest things sometimes! :haha: I'm with you. I think we'll have the scan in mid-December and then confirm at the 20 week scan. :happydance: It's so exciting! I'll call to schedule my appointment on Monday.

When is your next appointment? If you notice being extra tired or any other symptoms you could call ahead of time. I'm not sure what all you would need to look for. Did you have it with the boys?


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## mummy2o

Hopefully I'm sorry your cervix bleed. I'm probably the only one who enjoyed having mine poked about at, as I haven't had any bleeding since my 14th week and I put it down to that. Mind you I swear there was a river coming out of me for 12 hours, but after that all good.

I need to book the Father Christmas Train up soon. DS and I are going a couple of weeks before Christmas. He doesn't get the whole concept of Christmas or birthdays other than you get cake. He's not even that bothered on presents and just wants a load of DVDs for Christmas which only cost £2-3 off amazon. However, he likes trains so I thought this would be a good way to include Christmas in something he likes.

As for the pregnancy its going pretty well. My back aches, still constipated to a point (started eating porridge recently and it seems to help), my feet sometimes get swollen at night and sometimes I'm in bed by 9 and other days not asleep at 1am, but other than good. She's kick my c-section scar so it feels weird right now, unless I can't remember what kicking feels like, but I'm sure her brothers kicks weren't like this.


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## magicwhisper

i so want a private gender scan before xmas :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks! That does make me feel better. :flower: I think the train ride sounds so cool. I'm glad you've thought of something that you will both enjoy that involves Christmas! I'm glad that everything is going well! 

@magicwhisper Does your doctor/midwife offer early scans if you pay or do you have a private scan place near you? With you being almost 16 weeks they should be able to tell, right? I hope you get to find out soon! :flower:


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## KatyW

I want to know the sex of the baby before Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath, I'm not sure if I'll get an ultrasound at my next appointment in December. We'll see!

Insomnia has started to become an issue, but I think I'm getting hungry in the middle of the night too, which I remember happening before. I dream of sandwiches and wake up and just eat cereal, it's sort of disappointing. Ha.

Sorry your pap test was so awful, Hopeful, I feel the same way about those metal torture devices! At least it's behind you for awhile.


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## Hopeful2014

KatyW said:


> I want to know the sex of the baby before Christmas, but I'm not holding my breath, I'm not sure if I'll get an ultrasound at my next appointment in December. We'll see!
> 
> Insomnia has started to become an issue, but I think I'm getting hungry in the middle of the night too, which I remember happening before. I dream of sandwiches and wake up and just eat cereal, it's sort of disappointing. Ha.
> 
> Sorry your pap test was so awful, Hopeful, I feel the same way about those metal torture devices! At least it's behind you for awhile.

Happy 15 weeks!! :happydance: 

I hope you get an ultrasound and get to find out the gender before Christmas! I was so surprised that my obgyn's office does it so early because they seemed so lax on scheduling almost everything else. I haven't even met with my obgyn yet; I've only met with the nurses and ultrasound techs. They didn't see me at all to confirm until 10 weeks so I figured I would be waiting until the full 20 weeks to find out. That is when they do the routine check, but she mentioned they do offer early scans too. Perhaps you could just ask if they offer and what it would cost?

I hope you sleep better. I am usually so exhausted, but sometimes it takes me a while to fall asleep or I wake up after being asleep for an hour or two. That's hard. I suggest you have a sandwich on some days to reward yourself! I have been craving Applebee's steak, vegetables, and boneless wings for days. I can't wait until I actually get it. :haha:


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## magicwhisper

we would have to pay for a private ultrasound. we may be told on jan 10th but it depends on the ultrasound guy if they tell you :shrug:


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> we would have to pay for a private ultrasound. we may be told on jan 10th but it depends on the ultrasound guy if they tell you :shrug:

I know some of the private places are expensive. I'm not sure we would do it if it was much more. I hope you get to find out soon. I'll believe my scan in December because they told me the lady has never been wrong in 15 years and will not make a prediction unless she's completely sure, but my scan in January will be the ultimate confirmation. 

Do you have hopes or any suspicions that it's a boy or girl?


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## magicwhisper

i think it is a girl because of the placenta theory oh thinks it is a boy :haha:
we dont mind though

we plan to book a private scan before xmas £79 :happydance:


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## daddiesgift

Applebee's :haha: I haven't ate there in years! 

I find myself craving authentic Mexican food! Not Taco Bell :haha: we live around 20 miles from Mexico and still only have Tex-Mex. makes no sense! Today I woke up wanting cheesecake really bad!


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Yay for the private scan! :happydance: I thought boy for the longest time. Then I had my first scan and thought it could really go either way. Most of the theories point to boy, but I'm not sure. :haha: We just want a healthy baby. 

@daddiesgift Cheesecake sounds amazing too! I like authentic Mexican food. I haven't had any in months though. We're going to dinner for my niece's birthday tomorrow. I really can't wait to pick something because I have had such a craving for a hearty meal. :D I'm not sure where we are going though. 

AFM I didn't really have bad morning sickness at all besides moments when I was really hungry. However, I'm noticing heartburn/indigestion after eating certain things lately though. It's causing slight food aversions, which I didn't have before. I was fine for 10-ish weeks and now I'm having to stay away from certain foods. AND! I am 12 weeks Wednesday!! We are considering telling everyone next week. It's feels a little scary though. :winkwink:


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## RaeChay

Congrats on 12 weeks Hopeful! For me that is when I felt I could breathe a sigh of relative relief. 

It is scary to tell. That's why we didn't tell until 15 weeks ;) plus, I got so used to having my own little secret- I got to liking the feeling! After you tell, it seems like that's all anyone wants to talk about (which is fine!).


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## KatyW

I crave American restaurant food, impossible to get here, sadly. McDonalds doesn't count. But I'm going to the U.S. for Christmas/ January so if I hold out I can satisfy cravings there.


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## mummy2o

Congrats on reaching 12 weeks! Its a brilliant milestone.

I'm not really craving anything any more and most cravings passed before I had to have them. I do find if I really liked something, I'm more likely to want it again and again though.


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## Kwaggy

Happy 12 weeks Hopeful!

The only thing Ive beem craving is strawberry shakes. I get so hungry but I can only eat bites at a time before feeling full, so I find myself eating several times a day! My heartburn is pretty bad now, seems to hit me every night when I try to sleep, no matter what I eat. 

My hubby finally put the baby crib together, and when I woke up this morning I found my little dog asleep in the crib!! Im not sure how to keep him out of it, I didnt think he would be able to get in it, he is only 8lbs! It makes me so nervous that he is able to jump in there, and I dont think a new crib will help because they are all basically the same size :/


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## daddiesgift

KatyW- Im convinced the reason #2 is so big and born nearly two pounds more than #1 was American food!! With Dominic I never once went back to America his pregnancy or till he was ten months old so he was grown off German food :haha: Then with Anthony we moved back when I was 23ish weeks along and I had craved so much here for years that it was like everyday for two weeks I ate out somewhere. I gained a ton of weight when we moved back as well! I liked Germany's Mcdonalds much more fresh tasting than here. But we took vacation to England and ate Mcdonalds there and it was exactly like America Mcdonalds so I was determined to get back and have some salty greasy Mcdonalds :haha:


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## daddiesgift

Kwaggy- Once baby comes dog will probably not want in there with a screaming baby :haha: Dog just fit through the bars? We had a cat with #1 who wouldnt stay out of the crib so I just had to lock him out of nursery. I also found online where they sell crib tents that also go down the sides to keep animals out. But Id bet when baby comes he wont want in it anymore.


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## magicwhisper

yeah he won't want to get in a crib when the lo is here :haha:


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## Kwaggy

Yeah hopefully when baby comes he will stay away, otherwise Ill have to put a gate up so he cant get to it. I first got him after a few months of TTC and nothing was happening so I thought a puppy would take my mind off of things. So for the past 3 years he has been treated like a baby, he even whines when he wants to be held lol I hope he doesnt get to jealous when baby gets here!


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## melann13

@Hopeful, we told people around us at about 12-13 weeks, but we didn't go FB wide until about 17 weeks. I felt like it may be becoming more obvious to people we interacted with (I told work earlier, at 8 or 10 weeks, but there's only a few of us and we're very close). I waited longer for FB because I didn't want to have to make some sort of mass retraction and deal with the fallout. At 17 weeks I figured that if pictures got posted of me, people may start to wonder. I actually found myself telling more people about the MC as well when we announced this pregnancy. Not that I put it on FB or something, but when we told friends we were pregnant they often said something like "wow! we didn't know you were trying." It made me feel like I was acknowledging our other baby to tell them that we had been for a while and had lost a baby before. It also made them understand why I wasn't freaking out or jumping up and down because we were still nervous. A lot of our friends haven't started trying for kids yet, and I thought it would be good if they knew how common MCs are and that they can talk to me. It all comes down to personal preference.


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## RaeChay

I can't really say I've had real cravings...but I always have foods I want and really DON'T want. 

In first trimester, I guess I did want salty food a lot, but I think that was because of all the vomiting. I could absolutely NOT eat cooked vegetables, but raw carrots or snap peas here and there were ok. Couldn't eat meat in the first tri either- still won't eat chicken. In fact, pretty much what I lived off in first tri was fruit, yogurt, milk and macaroni. Otherwise I would definitely vom. And I still would anyways on those foods. Yay first tri. 

I do eat a lot of sugar/baked goods now, whereas I never had a sweet tooth before. I bake on a weekly basis now. I think it's just quick dense energy. But I'm able to have veggies now too so I don't feel too bad about it ;) we will see what happens once I start to gain weight. I still don't feel like my appetite is even what it was before I got prego though...hoping that changes in 3rd tri...kind of a bummer to have no appetite for thanksgiving!


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## Mummy to HP

I am now (almost) 34 weeks pregnant and feeling massive and pretty uncomfy and my clothes all look either tight or just huge and with the festive season approaching I think us pregnant ladies can be forgiven for feeling a bit blurgh with everyone else planning and discussing what 'sexy' little number they will be wearing at all the christmas parties this year. I don't know about you but I don't feel very 'sexy' at all :nope::blush:. I also feel lots of pressure generally from the media on how amazing pregnant woman should look and feel.

Anyway my point is this morning I saw an article (although its in a rubbish paper) that Drew Barrymore is expecting her second baby and it was so nice to read her quote:

'You're not supposed to look perfect while you're making babies - making babies is the perfection.'

It made me feel so much better.

Just wanted to share hope you all have a great day!


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## Hopeful2014

@RaeChay I do feel that 12 weeks is an accomplishment and I'll try to ease up some now. Does anyone know what the risk rate is after 12 weeks? Should it be low by now? I love having the secret. The only people who know are my husband's parents. We only told them early because my husband wanted someone else to know in case he wasn't around and someone needed to help me. I think I could keep the secret for much longer, but they keep telling me people will start to notice soon. We went to my niece's birthday dinner today and I felt funny like I was trying to hide my tummy. :haha: Having everyone want to talk about it is one of my concerns. I don't want the unsolicited, bad advice. :haha: I hope your appetite allows you to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner. I'm probably going to avoid most foods at family parties for fear it's been out too long or that it's not cooked properly. :dohh: Nerves...they get me sometimes. :haha:

@KatyW What American foods are you craving? I love food talk. :D I bet it will be exciting to come visit soon!

@mummy2o Thanks! My cravings pass sometimes. I'll think of something I want so badly and then something else will come into my mind and I'll want it instead. :)

@Kwaggy Happy 33 weeks!! :happydance: I'm having bad heartburn at times too. It's started over the last few weeks. I think it's when I eat a larger meal or certain foods like cheese. I read if you have trouble sleeping you should keep your head lifted higher than your body so the acids stay down. The only thing that seems to help me is rubbing my chest. 

@melann13 Those are really good points. I almost want to warn people when they tell me they are waiting a while before trying for kids. I want to say it might take longer than you want! They should know it's not always easy and that MCs can be common when trying. It's hard because it's the holiday season and people may start to notice if they see me. Normally I wouldn't see most of them for a while so I could wait longer. I'm not really showing, but there is a bump there. I know it's the uterus expanding and bloat, but my husband says it's centered just in the middle of my belly and looks like the start of a pregnant bump and not like I've just gained a few pounds. :D I love my little bump. He loves it. I'm just not sure if I should hide it a bit longer. :shrug:

@Mummy to HP I love Drew Barrymore and her quote. It's very true. I'm sure you look beautiful and it's very true that creating a little person is beauty. :D


Ladies, Happy Thanksgiving!! Happy Hanukkah to those who are starting to celebrate it as well! I am very thankful this year. One major reason I am thankful is because I have been lucky enough to get to know all of you. I am thankful to be part of a great, supportive group of women. I never really had this in my "real life" and I definitely value each of you. Thanks for being here with me, thanks for all the kind words and well wishes, and thanks for coming back and sharing your story with me. I am truly blessed.
 



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## OurLilFlu

Just wanted to pipe up and say I love that quote from drew Barrymore its true! I don't think any of us should stress on how we look! I don't think I look great in clothes but my bump makes everything look cute in my eyes! Lol

Nice post Hopeful! I too and thankful for this thread and all the wonderful ladies I've met in the last year! Hugs!


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## daddiesgift

Mummy to HP- love the quote :thumbup: I never really felt bad during pregnancy it was always afterward :nope: I lost all the baby weight within a few months of birth but our bodies will never be pre baby again. That bothers me most. I think all pregnant women look good! 

As far as media goes I hate how naturally skinny people are anorexic and natural larger people are obese! :wacko: no one is ever good enough. They say someone is fat then they lose weight and they're too skinny! I also don't compare myself to famous people because I'd look amazing during pregnancy/after birth if I had a personal chef, make up artist, and personal trainer!


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## magicwhisper

happy thanksgiving those who celebrate it

i am itchy and achy today :dohh:


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu Thanks! I agree; bumps are beautiful. I'm sure I'll reach a point when I'll question whether I look good, but creating life is beautiful and there's something cute about a little belly. :)

@daddiesgift Good point! I might worry a bit more about how I look after birth. It does take time though. The media is unfair. I'm glad I won't be expected to rock a bikini a day after. :haha: (But it would be nice if I could!) :haha:

@magicwhisper I hope you're feeling better. I bet you can't wait for the gender scan. I'm calling to confirm my appointment on Monday. :D


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## daddiesgift

7 Days till our gender scan!! I dream about it every night but the guess is always different :dohh:


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## magicwhisper

yay :D


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## KatyW

As for American food, maybe it's the convenience I crave! Nothing specific, just familiar comfort food. :) Still not a fan of cooking, but that's what we have to do most days.


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Yay! That will be so exciting! :happydance:

@KatyW Convenience is one of the best things sometimes. :thumbup: Do you make a lot of American-style foods there or do you make more German-style foods when you cook?


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## mummy2o

I miss pretzels the most, which is annoying as they take the edge of my salt craving. The big ones with salt on them. Its like really rare if you get then in the UK and our Tesco is hit and miss if they have them. Even the German market had none so I was like WTF, but they had some Dutch, Spanish and other nations food which I wouldn't call German. I did look at the Dutch stall for some oliebollen which are lovely Christmas food, which is basically a doughnut with raisins and currents and sometimes apple in them but they had none either. I'm so one of these people who love to travel and try different foods. My OH is such a fussy eater though, its a pain if we go away, where as I'll pick something eat it regardless of how bad it tastes most of the time and just not order it again if I don't like it. Even some food from Northern England he refuses to try since it sounds weird. :shrugs:

As for baby, I was annoyed with her last night. I'm getting to that stage it is uncomfortable in bed regardless of where I lie, and what way round. I literally do a 360 in bed until I get in the right spot with all my pillows following me. So I managed to get into bed and god comfy no problem last night. Then she decided to wake up and kick me in my bladder, which I then decided I need to pee after peeing before I got into bed. I was holding it off for as long as I could hoping to fall asleep, but unfortunately couldn't. So when I got back to bed I couldn't get comfy :'( I keep reminding myself 17 more weeks max, but it still seems so long away!


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## KatyW

Hopeful,
I make American foods at home. I actually do not like much of the traditional German food that is served in restaurants for the most part (I don't eat pork/sausage and don't like onions, this can be an issue here ha). I love the bakeries, though, and use the German grocery stores then make my own recipes from things I find there. The ingredients are really high quality, it's just harder to find convenience foods like you can get in the U.S. I would do anything for a Panera Bread or something like that for quick lunch or dinner. 

Daddiesgift, I'm pretty sure my weight gain would be higher right now if I lived in the U.S., the cravings are out of control! I'm expecting to gain 40 pounds or so like I did with my daughter and it would be higher if I lived somewhere I could fulfill all my cravings. :)


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I like pretzels too, but it's been a while since I've had one. It's hard when you have a craving and can't satisfy it! Neither of us are big on trying foods we are not accustomed to when traveling. It's more a worry about stomach issues and not about not wanting to try them. There are so many different foods I would like to try. I hope you get more rest tonight! I know it must be hard. :hugs: 17 more weeks - Wow! That doesn't seem like long now. (Of course I'm sure it feels longer for you.) :winkwink:

@KatyW I'm glad you are able to find things that you can use in your own recipes. I imagine having American food makes it feel a little more like home. I hope you get Panera Bread when you visit! :thumbup: Are the bakeries similar to American bakeries? 

AFM My gender scan will be December 18th!! :happydance:


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## Kwaggy

Yay for gender scan hopeful! I found out gender at 14+4, which was a little early for me...it made the second tri seem so long, but now its flying by and I dont feel prepared for baby at all!


I think Ive figured out how to add photos from my phone :)

This is my 3D scan. Ultrasound tech said she could see hair :) She also said baby looks like my hubby already lol
[URL=https://s1335.photobucket.com/user/Kwaggy11/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-11-16143202_zps3c99c886.jpg.html][IMG]https://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w674/Kwaggy11/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-11-16143202_zps3c99c886.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

My 33 week bump. Its really popped out there now

https://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w674/Kwaggy11/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-11-16111110-1_zpsed913ec2.jpg


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy I'll be 15 weeks exactly on scan day! :happydance: I can't believe I can find out already. My confirmation/normal 20 week scan will be in January. 

That's such a precious photo! Did you recently have it done? We are going to do the 3D scan too. I can see similarities between her and your husband. :) I think maybe she looks like you with the lips and chin! How exciting! Congrats on the photo and your bump!


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## Kwaggy

Thank you :) We had the scan done over the weekend. The private clinic was having a Thanksgiving sale so we got a good deal! The scan lasted nearly an hour because baby girl would not cooperate, we didnt get a good pic until the end. The tech stopped the scan to have me drink a can of soda, and after she was moving like crazy. It was so cool to watch her for so long.


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## mummy2o

Your so cute Kwaggy! As for baby she does have your OH's nose. Its also pretty cool they can see hair in the ultrasounds. Love scan and love picture of you


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## Kwaggy

Thank you. She does have my hubbys big ol' nose lol...Now Im waiting to see if she will look the same once she is born :)


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy I'm sure it was amazing seeing her for that long. I know I'm so curious about what's going on in there! I'm looking forward to the gender scan because I assume it will last a little longer than the other scans I had. :thumbup:

@daddiesgift You must be getting so excited for your scan! It's almost here! :)


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## daddiesgift

3 full more days till we go! I was feeling girl but now I'm totally stumped! Think because my scan at 12 weeks she showed me the crotch but I couldn't tell now I keep thinking why at 12 weeks we she give me a peek if there wasn't something to peek at! So ever since then I'm doubting girl and thinking boy :shrug: guess in three days we'll know! Not sure if we will tell everyone then or at anomaly scan at 21 weeks. Guess it depends how much they convince me of their guess!!


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## Hopeful2014

daddiesgift said:


> 3 full more days till we go! I was feeling girl but now I'm totally stumped! Think because my scan at 12 weeks she showed me the crotch but I couldn't tell now I keep thinking why at 12 weeks we she give me a peek if there wasn't something to peek at! So ever since then I'm doubting girl and thinking boy :shrug: guess in three days we'll know! Not sure if we will tell everyone then or at anomaly scan at 21 weeks. Guess it depends how much they convince me of their guess!!

I really trust that the lady giving mine will be accurate because they told me she worked at my obgyn's office for 18 years, was never wrong, and would not predict without being completely sure. They said I could come back until she was sure too. I still feel nervous that it could be wrong. :dohh: However, I'm sure it won't be wrong. I plan to give it a guess based on the scans I've seen online too. 

I think we plan to tell people after we find out, but we may tell them it's our early scan and we will check again in January. I think we would keep it to ourselves if it wasn't right before Christmas because grandparents want to know what to buy. We will probably make the actual announcement to everyone else after the scan because grandparents are the only ones who know still. 

I'm sure you'll get a great scan! I'm so excited to find out!


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## OurLilFlu

Sine we're kinda on the topic... Any gender guesses based on this chub's face? We had our 3D scan today!! Baby would not wake up for nothing or no one! After a can of coke and the 30 candy suckers the tech gave me, still not barely a wiggle lol good luck at your gender scans ladies!
 



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## mummy2o

Ourlilflu: I honestly have no idea. I couldn't even make a guess! Cute baby though!

Daddiesgift: You never know it might be a girl. Are you hoping for a girl this time? I forgot if you've already mentioned this. I have really bad pregnancy brain right now and I called my feet hands, the freezer and oven, and phoned the electric company to pay my water bill! My son just looks at me as I'm mad and says no mummy that's xxx if he knows what I was saying.

AFM I have the midwife in 4 hours. Yay. Also I hit double digits today. Yay. But the even more exciting news, I booked up the steam train and I'm seeing Father Christmas on the 15th. I think I'm more excited than DS. They were more than helpful which was great. They are getting him a special Thomas the tank engine book, rather than a present for a 6 year old. They are closing a table off just for him, so he doesn't have to sit with someone else. They are letting him get on the train first and they are going above and beyond to cater for their needs. Best £24 I spent to see the old man, plus an hour train ride. Couldn't be better! On a Christmas note, who's almost done with Christmas shopping? I've got my OH's dad and nephew then I'm done. Minus the extra bits your see and decide DS must have that or his Christmas won't be complete. If your not a mum yet, you'll know what I mean next year.


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## kksy9b

Hi everyone! I've been away for a couple weeks and trying to catch up! 

Welcome to the second trimester Hopeful!! Hope your LO cooperates next week for you! And have fun telling people...we really loved that part! To answer a question from a couple pages back (I was really behind!)- we asked my doctor at our first appt (10 weeks) the chances of having a successful pregnancy. She said once you hear a healthy heartbeat its a 97% chance of having the baby (or otherwise.. A 3% chance of miscarriage or stillbirth).

AFM..baby boy is moving like crazy! He's getting himself into a sleep pattern so I've learned when to expect him awake and can tell his lazy sleepy movements from his active awake ones. DH still hasn't felt him move but baby is shy and will stop anytime he puts his hand on my belly. Lol. 

He had a soft marker hit at our US a couple weeks ago. Went to doctor yesterday and he wasn't impressed by their measurements. Apparently just a short femur doesn't tell you amything- you need the humerous bone and others in order to diagose. He is sending me to the high risk specialist on the 11th for a growth check and a new panel of measurements. They will tell us that day what is going on. So thankful to have an action plan that will end in answers. Its been a rough few weeks.

Hope everyone is doing well!


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## daddiesgift

Three days left!! 

We want a girl since this is our last baby and we already have two boys. We will see!


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## KatyW

Kksy9b - I hope that you get answers at your next appointment and can relax before then. I am sure it is hard to have to wait for answers.

Hopeful - wow 2nd trimester!

Daddiesgift - Very close to your gender scan!


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## ALiKO

kwaggy- aww shes so cute! definitely looks like DH though, they have the same nose :). and you are glowing girly. won't be much longer till you can meet your lil girl :)

hopeful- welcome to the 2nd tri! won't be long now until you start feeling tightenings and movements :happydance:. also i hope baby cooperates at scan :)

daddiesgift- i hope baby cooperates for you at your scan. i had my scan at 16wks 6days and baby was sleeping and would not cooperate for a potty shot :haha:. hope your baby is more willing to show the goods, but either way it will be really good to see lil one again.

ourlilflu- aww your baby is soo cute! i cant really tell what gender it may be but i will say that either way it will either be a really cute boy or a really cute girl :flower:

kksy9b- hoping all goes well and you get the answers your looking for :hugs:

mummy2o- yay for double digits and steam train rides! :) enjoy!


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## ALiKO

AFM i have been feeling baby move on a daily basis pretty much since 16wks which is a great feeling i really enjoy it :). i have a scan coming up on the 14th of this month which is my 20wk scan i'll be 20wks 6days. really hoping that this time i can find out the gender. so yea i have'nt been really active or updating in awhile because nothing has been going on. things are pretty boring on my end :haha:.


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFLu Those are beautiful scans! I'm not sure about gender. I was trying to look at the skull to see if it looked more like a girl or boy, but it's hard to tell! Baby does have a super cute smile in the first photo though! :) 

@mummy2o I think the train ride sounds cool. Do you ride it and see Christmas lights during it and it leads to Santa? I'm so glad they will make sure he has a good time on the train. :thumbup: I'm halfway finished with Christmas shopping. I usually finish much earlier than now, but I'm a bit behind. We did put our tree up and decorate the house today! How did everything go with the midwife? 

@kksy9b Thanks sooo much! :friends: I've been waiting desperately to get to the second trimester! Thanks for that statistic too! I'm trying to make myself believe it's real and knowing the gender will help a little. :winkwink: I've always been curious about baby's sleeping pattern. Does he sleep a lot or is it when you're resting too or also when you're moving around? I hope your husband gets to feel him soon. I know my husband will be excited about that! I'm so sorry they have you worried. I really hope it's nothing and it very well could be nothing since the other person seemed to not measure everything correctly. I think they should be a bit more sympathetic and know that their words mean a lot to us. :hugs: 

@daddiesgift The days are passing!!! :happydance:

@KatyW Thanks!! It seemed like it would never get here, but I'm beyond thrilled that it did! :happydance: How are you? Are you still having some sickness?

@ALiKO Thanks! I hope I start to feel baby around 16 weeks too! I think that will really make me feel better because I'll have an actual feeling of it being real! I really hope we are able to see gender at the scan. They say she's amazing at doing the scans and she has been really good for the other scans I've had. You're right though; it's at least a great chance to see baby again. Otherwise I would have to wait until January and I don't know that I could take it. :dohh: :haha: I really hope you get to find out baby's gender at your scan!


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## daddiesgift

Aliko- thanks! It's just a place that does private scans for gender and 3D shots so they said if they can't tell or baby not right spot I just come back in a week for free for them to try again! Lets hope that's not the case as its over an hour drive to get to this place! 

Up while its still dark out as my toddler woke begging for cake. Arg why did we ever let him know cake exists!!


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## melann13

@ Hopeful, I think I started to feel LO for sure around 18 wks, little things before that, but I was never sure. Many people complain that baby starts to rock and roll at bed time. So far I have felt her a little bit at night, but when I get up in the morning she's sleeping, and seems much more active in the afternoon and early evening. Hopefully that means she already has good patterns! It's 7:45am here and she's been awake since about 7 I think.


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## magicwhisper

still havent felt any movements yet :dohh:

ive been ill most of 2nd tri so far :(

glad everyone else is ok


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Today's the day! :happydance:

@melann13 What did those first movements feel like? I've heard like popcorn popping or bubbles, but I'm not sure how that would actually feel. I can't wait! :flower:

@magicwhisper I hope you start to feel better soon. :hugs: Is it sickness or morning sickness that's bothering you?


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## daddiesgift

Hehe nope TOMORROW is the day! 21.5 hours to be exact. :rofl:


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## magicwhisper

i bet you are excited :D


the last couple of days it was food poisoning, before that a migraine on top of that really bad heartburn ... it is one thing after another :dohh:


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift :dohh: We've been locked indoors for the past two days because of a freezing rain/ice and snow storm. The days are blending at this point! Tomorrow is the day! :haha:

@magicwhisper :hugs: I hope you feel better soon. I know food poisoning would be really hard when pregnant.


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## kksy9b

Hopeful2014 said:


> @kksy9b Thanks sooo much! :friends: I've been waiting desperately to get to the second trimester! Thanks for that statistic too! I'm trying to make myself believe it's real and knowing the gender will help a little. :winkwink: I've always been curious about baby's sleeping pattern. Does he sleep a lot or is it when you're resting too or also when you're moving around? I hope your husband gets to feel him soon. I know my husband will be excited about that! I'm so sorry they have you worried. I really hope it's nothing and it very well could be nothing since the other person seemed to not measure everything correctly. I think they should be a bit more sympathetic and know that their words mean a lot to us. :hugs:

Thanks Hopeful! Today is a better day and I feel like things will be fine... it was just a strange week last week. Baby sleeps more than he is awake but he's in a pretty set pattern during the day. He hasn't woken me up yet so I'm not sure how active he is at night. However, the more active you are it seems the more baby will sleep (walking around acts like a rocking motion to them). Likewise, that's why a lot of babies are more active at night while mom is resting. A lot of it though depends on your LO's personality :)

As far as first movements go, for me it was more like muscle twitches (if you've had eye twitches before, like that, but in the abdomen). Hopefully just a few more weeks before you feel them!

OurLilFlu - no idea on gender but what a cute cute baby you have! nice job on staying team :yellow: this whole time!

daddiesgift- any news??


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## daddiesgift

We went today but we unable to tell as babies umbilical cord was in between its legs :cry:


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## kksy9b

Bummer! Will you go back at another time to try and see or wait until baby is born?


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## mummy2o

I'm so sorry daddiesgift. My son did a similar stunt so I know how annoying it is. :hugs:


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## daddiesgift

They rescheduled us for next Sunday. So another week of waiting and hoping we see something!


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## melann13

@Hopeful, LO's movements did feel a bit like muscle twitches, or maybe bubbles. It's crazy how it's hard it is to remember already! Now she kicks my ribs with such force they feel bruised and her little butt moves back and forth across my belly with such pressure it's ridiculous.I often have to press gently and ask her to move somewhere else because she pushes so hard it feels like she's trying to bust out! 35 weeks today. Forceful jabs are less and less since she's running out of space. I guess early on when she was still spinning I would get feelings like being at the top of a roller coaster and having my stomach rise up. I 'm sure next time I'm pregnant I'll be like "Oh, yeah, this is it!" But apparently my prego brain has lost all memory. Hopefully that works for labor too. :)


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b I can't wait to learn more about baby's personality. I think that's one of the coolest things. My husband and I both love to nap so I hope baby is the same. :) I'm glad today is a better day. 

@daddiesgift :hugs: I'm sorry you weren't able to find out today. :hugs: I guess the only good thing about it is that you get the extra scans?!? I hope baby cooperates next time. It must be frustrating. 

@melann13 Happy 35 weeks!! :happydance: You're almost there! I can't wait to feel movements. I share your sentiment with labor. I've been taking each stage (ttc, first trimester, second trimester) at a time and I am hoping for an easy, safe delivery. I will probably be okay if my prego brain lets me forget some of labor too. :haha: I'm so happy to have you ladies who are ahead of me and can give tips and information. :)


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## KatyW

Hopeful, doing all right, but still (ugh!) getting nausea at times. Definitely not as bad as it was, though. Every pregnancy is different, I was not very sick with my first one. 

I'm definitely feeling movement, and have been for a week or so. I'm guessing that it's easier for me to identify since I've felt it before. 

Melann, my daughter kicked like crazy, just a sign of a happy, active baby, but man, it does really hurt at times

Daddiesgift, sorry you didn't get to see the sex of the baby yesterday but hopefully it works out next week.


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## kksy9b

So happy to say that today is my V-day!! Stayed up just to watch the ticker switch :)


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I'm glad it's not as bad as it was. I feel so bad for ladies who have nausea for a long time. Are you starting to feel if baby could be a girl or boy yet? :)

@kksy9b Happy V-day!!!! :happydance: Happy 24 weeks!! :happydance: Just think you'll be under 100 days soon! 

AFM I woke up sweating this morning. I had bad dreams, which I think is the cause. Another thing about sleeping that's getting to me is the amount of saliva I'm getting. Not to be gross...but I'm noticing so much nasal congestion almost every day right now. I'm not sick at all or feeling bad, but it's the kind you can't seem to blow out. :dohh:


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## mummy2o

kksy9b: So reliving isn't it. You never know we could give birth on the say day! DS was 2 weeks late so I'm not holding my breath that I only have 94 days left.

Hopeful: Sorry you feel like that. I have allergies most of the time, but since I've gotten pregnant its been how you describe most of the time. Saying that I did have the last two weeks almost congestion free. Just starting up again as I suspect I have a cold incoming. I'm sure it will get better in time.

Daddiesgift: Hope you get to find out in your next scan.

Melann: I'm glad she's kicking around you with such force. Its a good sign. I can't wait for this one to start. So far she's been pretty relax about things, but the kicking is getting stronger.


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## kksy9b

Maybe you'll be a little late and I'll be a little early and we can deliver the same day! It sure does feel like its coming up quickly doesn't it?


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## KatyW

Hopeful, I don't know, this pregnancy has been very different from my first one. I'm tempted to think boy. I am happy with boy or girl, I just want to know as soon as I can, ha!

I also have random nasal congestion. I think pregnancy is responsible for some odd changes to the body.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I still had the congestion today, but I was able to break it up a little. :dohh: I'll take it though. I'm glad her kicks are getting stronger! I can't wait for that!

@KatyW When do you think you'll be able to have a scan to check gender? At 20 weeks or before? Do you still have a lot of your daughter's things to use? I imagine it would be fun to buy for a boy this time. :) I think once we find out we'll go shopping to celebrate. :haha:


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## daddiesgift

Tomorrow is my midwife appt. and we go for our RESCAN :dohh: Im determined to find out tomorrow! Though its not my genitals that need to be shown, im hoping my wishing and hoping works :haha:


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## kksy9b

Good luck daddiesgift!! Hope baby cooperates for you!

About 2 1/2 hours to the appointment with the specialist.... this has been the SLOWEST morning!


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## KatyW

Hopeful, I still have everything from my daughter, so I would love to use it all again (and I'm sure I'll buy new things even if I'm having another girl, got to have a new coming home outfit). I didn't talk about the gender scan at my doctor's office, I will ask if he can see next week (at 18 weeks). Do you know when they do the anatomy/gender scan for you?


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## kksy9b

Just got home...baby boy is perfect! So relieved


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I really hope baby cooperates! I know it's such a long drive for you. Good luck at the midwife and at the scan! :happydance: I'm excited to hear the good news!

@KatyW They will do my official scan and check at 20 weeks in January, but my obgyn's office offers a 15 week extra gender scan. We have to pay for it, but it's not much and we are going crazy with wanting to know! We are going next Wednesday morning for the early scan. The lady is supposed to be really good at finding out that early as they say she's never been wrong and I can come back until they know for free. I am really hoping baby cooperates because I want to go shopping afterwards. :haha: I can't wait to pick the coming home outfit and the hospital photo outfit! I really hope he looks for you at your next appointment!! I'm sure he could tell by now if baby cooperates! 

@kksy9b I'm SOOOOO happy that baby Charles is perfect! I hope you all can relax now! :happydance: :happydance:


Ladies who have had gender scans (past pregnancies/current pregnancies),
Do you have any tips on how to get baby to cooperate? Do you suggest having a big breakfast or drinking a lot before the scan? Anything else? :)


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## daddiesgift

Thanks hopeful!

I honestly think its just the luck of the draw if baby cooperates. I know some say drinking orange juice, iced water or coffee will get them to move around. With both my boys I had probably 15 scans each and never once did they have a problem seeing gender, taking measurements, getting good shots ect. I never had to do anything special it just worked out well! 

Everyone is telling me this baby is a girl because boys are more prone to Show it all :haha: if that's not the case we have one ornery boy on our hands here! I've had two scans this time, the first to check fluid behind the neck and tech had to jiggle my stomach a few times to get baby to move, then the second scan was to see gender but the umbilical cord and hands were between legs! Baby was awake both times and moving all around just not in the right positions :dohh: at gender scan I even got up, jumped up and down, drank ice water, ate sour candy, took a sip of coffee, touched my toes and laid on my side and nothing!


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## kksy9b

Thanks Hopeful! We are both so relieved!

Not sure about how to get them to show the goods. Charles has always just been out there (in one of his scan pictures his legs are just flopped open :haha:). 

Maybe try having something with a little sugar ( juice) or even cold water is supposed to help wake them up and get moving. With being as early as you will be they may ask for a full bladder going in (I had to drink 32oz of water in 15 min at our 20 wk). Fingers crossed you dont have a shy one in there!

Daddiesgift- let's hope baby decides to cooperate this next time!! What time is your appointment?


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I didn't do anything special except to eat breakfast (maybe had some juice). Tech had the most trouble getting pictures of the heart and I had to go back and forth between right and left sides for a bit, but part of the problem was that my placenta was anterior. The goods were obvious.
You can actually see the labia on our little girl. The big knobs on the left are her knees. She had her legs pretty straight out.
 



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## mummy2o

I guess someone forgot to tell that to my children daddiesgift. DS wouldn't co-operate at all and this one was quite happy let us know she was a girl. Then again I got told boys are lazy and girls kick loads, again my children are reverse on this. I have no lazy madam half the time. Then again I've also heard it the other way round so who knows. Good luck daddiesgift and let us know. I'm getting excited for you.

Hopeful: I didn't do anything differently minus skip breakfast as I woke up late and was rushing around to get to my scan. We didn't get all measurements first time though as she refused to roll to get her back, but managed everything else.


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## KatyW

Hopeful, that's so soon, hoping you find out and can celebrate the holidays knowing whether you are having a boy or girl. 

I'm dying to find out! My family wants to throw me a shower when I'm back in the U.S. for the holidays next week (through January). They never got to do one for me (friends kindly did here in Germany) since my first was born so far away, so it would be special for them to know when I go back so I can tell them in person.


KKsy, So happy to hear the news that your baby Charles is perfect! I'm sure that helps so much!


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## imaginary8x

Sorry not posted much how is everyone? :)


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift That sounds about what I would do to try to get baby to cooperate. :haha: I see your prediction in your signature, but I'll wait patiently to ask/talk about it until you update! :haha:

@kksy9b I really hope baby is not shy either! Perhaps boys are easier to see and more showy! :haha: I asked when I scheduled if I should have a big breakfast or a full bladder and they said not to worry about it, but I plan to be prepared with a full bladder and something with sugar. 

@melann13 She did a great job of showing. I hope mine does too regardless of gender. Were they getting pictures of the heart because it was your 20 week scan and they were checking everything at that point? I'm not sure what all they will do with me since it's an earlier scan and I'll still have the 20 week scan in January. It might just be a look for gender, although I may ask her to look around just to make sure everything looks good. :thumbup:

@mummy2o It's so interesting how kids can be so different. I've tried to look into all of the gender prediction 'myths' and some say girl and some say boy. Happy 27 weeks! :happydance:

@KatyW I REALLY hope you get to find out next week before you come back! I imagine they would love to find out. Are you having a shower either way? They could buy neutral and if you did find out you could announce then! If not, could you find a place around where you're going that offers private scans? Perhaps you could find one that wasn't too expensive and even let some of your family come when you find out! :thumbup:

@imaginary8x :hi: Some of us are caught up in waiting to find out genders! :haha: How are you? You're over halfway there!


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## imaginary8x

Hopeful2014 said:


> @imaginary8x :hi: Some of us are caught up in waiting to find out genders! :haha: How are you? You're over halfway there!

I'm not team yellow anymore as baby had bits on show right away at my scan lol so I'm team blue now. :p everything is good with me. :)


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## daddiesgift

I thought I already updated everywhere :haha: 

:pink::pink::pink: 

At first she had her legs crossed :dohh: so I just knew we'd be leaving not knowing again but we got her to move just by pushing and the tech starts taking lots of pics and told us girl for sure!!! My midwife appt was right after so I showed her and she said she thinks girls as well! We'll double check at my OB scan January 6! 

I cried, my OH looked so happy, my mom called and she cried! We went to the store and bought some cute outfits and hair bows to announce to everyone!!


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## newbie2013

Yay!! Really happy for you daddiesgift! Congrats


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## magicwhisper

yay! 

4 days until gender scan :happydance:

baby has had no problem showing us there butt before so he/she had better not get shy now :haha:


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## kksy9b

Yay!!! Congratulations daddiesgift! Are your boys excited to be having a little sister?


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## daddiesgift

Thanks ladies! Well they are 27 months and 12 months old so they have no idea :haha: the baby sure doesn't though he watched the screen the whole time and kept looking at me weird. Maybe he remembers his ultrasounds :haha: our oldest is asked what he wants but I don't think he knows the difference in boy or girl yet. He says "he" or "she" when referring to stuff so maybe! I have a four month old girl in care (I'm an in home child care provider for the military) and he always wants to hold her and hug and kiss her so I think he's good to go! Anthony, the baby, I'm not so sure about. He acts much more jealous than our first ever did. At first he wanted me to have nothing to do with the baby in care. He cried when I talked to her, held her, fed her ect so he has some learning to do!


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## melann13

Congrats Daddiesgift!

@ Hopeful, yes the heart measurements were because it was the 20 wk scan. The appt was about an hour and they measured EVERYTHING. We didn't have any other prenatal testing. If there had been any soft markers during the scan of issues we may have considered blood tests, but nothing invasive. Nothing would ever lead us to end the pregnancy, EVER, but if we thought there was a chance of something major we would've wanted to be prepared and get educated. They look at kidney blood flow, the cord, the brain, the heart, limb length, count all fingers and toes etc. It's wonderful to be able to watch them that long. Of course I was most excited about the 3D face pics (my avitar). Our appt wasn't until 21.5 weeks because DH was gone on business during week 20 and I didn't want to go without him.


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## mummy2o

Congrats daddiesgift. I can't believe we're both having girls after having boys. Although admittedly mine was only one, then again I never thought I'd have another child. 

Hopeful: Thank you. Its been a good day. Saw DS in a school piano performance. He was good considering its not the easiest thing for him and he's only been playing since October. He was near the beginning so we could go when he got bored. His sister was kicking me when he was playing, despite not being the first. Then when the professionals played (the piano teacher is in a string quartet and an orchestra) I had DS clapping and her kicking. They clearly both love music.


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## ALiKO

congrats daddiesgift on your girl and imaginary on your boy! 

AFM currently at doc office waiting to be called in back for appointment. ahhh! so nervous :wacko:


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## Hopeful2014

@imaginary8x Oh! I know you wanted to be team yellow too! It seems little boys are not afraid to show. :haha: I'll add :blue: on the front. 

@daddiesgift Congratulations on :pink: I know you wanted a girl so much and I'm happy you'll get her! That's amazing! She'll be a lucky girl to have two older brothers to look after her. We are thinking about announcing gender to grandparents by showing outfits we pick out after the scan as well. I was really excited about doing some type of gender reveal, but it's so close before Christmas! Congratulations!! 

@magicwhisper I go the day after you!! I hope the babies are not shy at all! Do you have any last minute thoughts/guesses before you go? :flower: 

@melann13 I think being able to see baby for a long time would be amazing. I am so curious as to what baby is doing. I did get to see baby moving arms around at my 10 week scan, but I can't wait to see the flips and lots of movement. My 20 week scan will be the only scan for prenatal testing too. They don't do a 12 week scan, but said we can do blood testing if we wanted before 20 weeks. I think we'll wait for the 20 week scan and then have the blood test if anything suggests we should. I wouldn't want to go without my husband either. :flower:

@mummy2o That's amazing. Do you play music for baby yet? Perhaps you could find some music to play for your son and the baby. That would be such a sweet way to bond. Congrats to him for playing! My niece wouldn't be able to do that (she has autism), but she does like listening to music. She still loves to push the buttons on her Wiggles guitar from when she was a baby. :flower:

@ALiKO Let us know how the appointment goes. Will you get to check for gender again at this appointment? If so, I hope baby cooperates! :flower:


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## magicwhisper

well i think im having a girl, matt thinks a boy :haha: so we will soon find out :D


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> well i think im having a girl, matt thinks a boy :haha: so we will soon find out :D

:D It's so exciting! Good luck!


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## mummy2o

Hopeful, if your niece gets the right teacher she'll be able to learn. DS has autism and loves music, so its seemed like a good idea. He's probably a bit older right now though at 6, but he has known his teacher his whole school life as its Guy's mummy as he use to say. Now she's called Linzi since he knows her better. She teaches children from a really young age. 3 or 4 which is roughly were he is developmentally right now, so its a good thing. In their music lessons they don't just play the piano, she gives him cymbals to teach him soft and load, then helps him play by putting her fingers over his. She also has coloured dots with numbers on for keys C-G to help encourage him and her other younger member to play on their own. I will admit it not for everyone though. He goes to school with this boy, who's mum is really annoying. Basically anything your child is doing hers has to do too. So we asked about piano lessons, then she said Oh Brandon will love that also. Turns out he hates it and won't be going after Christmas.

Good luck on your gender scans this week! I get so excited when others are getting theirs done, especially if they want a gender and get what they want.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o She was diagnosed at two or three and was in a developmentally delayed (not specifically for autism) class for the first two years of school. She did make a lot of progress with social skills and basic skills once she moved into her new school which has a classroom that specializes in students with autism. She's ten years old now, but she'll be eleven soon. She can't talk at all. She did start speech therapy when she was much younger, but while it hasn't helped with actual speech she shows you what she wants and uses sign language for some things. 

It sounds like your son has a great teacher in Linzi. I think using music to teach those concepts is really good especially since he likes it so much. I'd love for her to find something that she can be passionate about. She really likes being outdoors and water so I try to do as much as possible with those activities. 

I can't wait for the gender scan! I hope baby cooperates!


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## ALiKO

hey ladies! 

i hope everyone is doing fabulous and enjoying their pregnancies! 
i had my 20 week scan on saturday and everything went well i am so happy :)

i think its time to annouce that i am team PINK :) i cant believe it i really thought i was having a boy. we saw babies bottom and even though we did'nt see the "hamburger" shape babies bottom was flat with nothing poking out. so my doc said yea this is most likely a girl. even though i didnt really like his wording as i felt it was'nt very reassuring, i'll take it as this baby has been teasing me long enough :haha:. i showed my cousin who had a girl and she said her scan pic's looked exactly the same and that its a girl. also everyone i showed so far unanimously agree its a girl. at this point you would most diffinitely see something especially becuase doc says baby is big and measuring ahead of gestational age.

omg i still cant believe im team pink. this is so surreal.


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO Congratulations!! :pink: That's wonderful news! I bet it was a surprise since you thought baby was a boy. I'll add :pink: to the front!! :happydance: Now you have to think of names and everything :pink: !


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## kksy9b

Congratulations on the little girl!!!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats on team pink! Will you have another scan this pregnancy that could reassure you better? I can't wait for my 20 weeks scan so I can get a third reassurance :haha:


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## ALiKO

thanks ladies! im still in shock.

daddiesgift- as for another scan i think i get one more around 30 weeks. im pretty confident though that its a girl as there were'nt any changes with her "lady bits" since my 16 week scan.

now for names. who would have thought naming a child would be so hard.


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## melann13

@Aliko, congrats on PINK! We did struggle more with girl names than boy names, but we're both really excited about Felicity. Charlotte was our second and backup, and we thought we might not decide til she was born, but we've really settled on Felicity for awhile now. We have her name all painted and ready to hang in the nursery once she comes! The only person that knows is my BFF who we asked to be godmother. It was her special gift. I'd say we became pretty concrete about it around 25 weeks. My coworker didn't decide for sure til the day before her baby was born. They went with Emilia, but they call her Mia. Another friend just had an "Elise." Good luck!


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## mummy2o

Aliko: Congrats and welcome to team pink. Don't worry you still have plenty of time for names. I'm still at a loss for names. She was going to be Hana until my 20 week scan I didn't like that name any more. Then I wanted Kaori and OH wants a nice traditional English name. 

AFM: she gave me a scare. She hasn't been kicking since yesterday so went to see the midwife today but we found a heartbeat so all is good. Then when I got home she wanted to kick my insides out. Guess she was just having a restful day yesterday or I was running round after DS to much yesterday to notice.


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## magicwhisper

ive hardly felt anything today so i am guessing it is a lazy day for baby too


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## Kwaggy

Hello ladies! Hope everyone is doing well :) 

I have an appt with tomorrow with a specialist, baby girls abdomen is measuring very small compared to the rest of her body...could possibly be IUGR. If she hasnt grown enough since my last scan I may be induced early :/ Expecting a freezing rain/snow storm tonight and tomorrow, so hopefully we are able to make it to the appt 2 hrs away.


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## melann13

Good luck Kwaggy! Yes, weather here in WI is highly questionable :(
When was your scan that showed the smaller abdomen?


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## Kwaggy

My last scan was last week Monday at Meriter in Madison. Her head and Femur were measuring in the 30 percentile, but her abdomen was measuring less than 3%... If it is IUGR, they want to induce before 37 weeks. Hopefully we get good news Tomorrow, Ive been on a high protein diet so maybe she has grown! Either way she will be Just fine, possibly a short stay in the NICU.


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## melann13

@Kwaggy, I'll be delivering at Meriter as well! For me it's a short drive though. Hope the roads are clear for you in the morning!


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## Kwaggy

Thank You, living in WI we should be used to the snow and crazy weather :) Meriter is a great hospital, I know my little girl will be in good hands!


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## melann13

Kwaggy said:


> Thank You, living in WI we should be used to the snow and crazy weather :) Meriter is a great hospital, I know my little girl will be in good hands!

We're happy with Meriter as well and love that it is a "baby friendly" hospital. The roads in Madison are clear now, but I think there's a chance of more snow in the morning, maybe just give yourself some extra time. 

I told my mom that I may not be coming for grandma's funeral or Christmas as it's 85 miles away... if we do decide we need to stay home, hopefully DH and I can find something nice to do for Christmas all by ourselves. Doc kind of made me realize how imminent this all may be (even though there's no medical reason for me to deliver early) so I came home and finished washing all Felicity's sheets etc. My boss and I have a paper to resubmit and if we don't have it done by Friday it won't happen as she is leaving the country for Christmas. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and all the pelvic pain isn't making my feel anymore relaxed...


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO If mine is a boy we have a first name because it's been passed from grandfather, father, to my husband and then will be baby's first name and we've thought of some middle names. We had a favorite girl name, but it seems too many people we know have similar names now so we will have to come up with both names if baby is a girl! :haha: It's amazing because we'll be naming actual human beings that will have those names forever. 

@melann13 That's exactly what we will do. We'll make sure the name hasn't been used by anyone weird/infamous online. Then we will let it sink in to see if we like it over time. I like Felicity! Shall I add that to the front page or wait? We're considering skipping some Christmas parties because people have always been very sick in past years and I might want to avoid that. Is that crazy? :shrug: I'm just so afraid to get sick now. 

@mummy2o I'm glad you were able to go to the midwife for reassurance. I've heard if you're moving around a lot you may not notice kicks or perhaps the baby will sleep a lot. :thumbup: 

@magicwhisper It's almost time!! :happydance:

@Kwaggy :hugs: I hope the weather is not too bad and you're able to make it to the appointment. I really hope all is well with baby too. We'll be thinking of you. Good luck!

@Kwaggy & @melann13 You both must keep us updated on when you give birth! You could be in there at the same time! :)


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## KatyW

Well, doctor's appointment went well, but I didn't have an ultrasound, :(. Only appt. where I haven't, oh well. I'm doing an elective ultrasound where my parents live in North Carolina, on Sunday so yay, should find out then!


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## magicwhisper

wee arree team :pink: :happydance:


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## daddiesgift

Congrats magicwhisper! :dance::pink::dance: 

Good luck KatyW! 

Time is going soooo slow for me!! I feel I've been 16 weeks for 3 weeks! :dohh: guess its just giving me time to get everything ready. I don't really have much to do but the boys could get a little older :haha: that would be helpful!


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## melann13

@Hopeful, you can add it to the front if you want. Her name is Felicity Jo. (Our mothers are JoAnn and Joan). There are some cool Felicitys out there including Green Arrow's GF apparently... :) I'm a Latin nerd and Felicitia is Latin for happiness, plus I always thought the American Girl Doll with that name was cool. Alright, lots of work to do...


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## ALiKO

magicwhisper- congrats on joining team pink! seems like so many of us are having girls :)

melann- yea i feel the same way about boy and girl names. i had a boy name all squared away and found finding a girl name tough. i like your name choice of felicity, its sophisticated and not very common :)

mummy2o- haha yea i thought i had a name too until recently and now starting from scratch. your right theres still plenty of time left i hope we find our names soon :)

hopeful- yea our babies will have these names for a lifetime. hope we all choose good names they can carry with pride :)


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## mummy2o

Welcome to team pink Magic. Lots of little girls in 2014 and a few handsome young men too. It is surprising how many are having girls as there is 105 boys born to every 100 girls.


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## magicwhisper

thanks :D

say hello to ella laura [URL=https://s1347.photobucket.com/user/magicwhisper1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG0439_zps09481edf.jpg.html][IMG]https://i1347.photobucket.com/albums/p704/magicwhisper1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMAG0439_zps09481edf.jpg[/URL][/IMG]


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I'm glad your appointment went well! I'm also so glad you are going to have an ultrasound on Sunday! That will be great and you'll be able to share the news while you are here. :)

@magicwhisper Congratulations! :pink: I'll add pink and her name to the front! I bet you are so excited! Are you still planning to tell everyone at Christmas? 

@daddiesgift How's the news of :pink: settling in? Have you told everyone yet? 

@melann13 I like Green Arrow and Felicity on there. I also really liked the show Felicity! It's one of my favorites as she is smart and funny. I'll add it to the front. :happydance: 

@ALiKO My mom told me other name options she had for me and I am soooo glad she didn't choose some of those. :haha: 


I looked back on our TTC thread which has the genders listed of some ladies who haven't joined us here yet. We have 15 girls, 11 boys, 2 yellows, and 28 unknown as of now. I wish I knew what some of those unknowns are. I'd like to see what the percentage turns out to be once everyone finds out and once everyone has their BFP.


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## magicwhisper

yay sounds good :D

yeah everyone will find out on xmas day :D


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I never watched the show Felicity (although I am familiar) or green arrow really, other than from Smallville. I just love the name and there's no horrific Felicitys out there, so we figured it was good. If you google the name, there's actually some pretty awesome Felicitys in the world, artists, musicians etc.
I'll be curious about the gender percentage too, but as a side note, I'm on a January Baby thread (Jan. Jelly Beans) and as of now there are 65 babies listed (there are more women, but many don't keep up). 10 are choosing to remain yellow, 36 are boys and 19 are girls, so in January it appears there will be a little bit of a boy boom...


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## kksy9b

My April thread is the same way. There are 93 women listed (a lot of these dont update). So far 15 yellow, 21 blue and 11 pink. Granted, a lot of them have gender appointments in the next couple weeks so it may even up. But for awhile we were all blue with only a couple pinks!


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## ALiKO

hopeful- haha omg! me and my mom had the same talk about other name choices she had for me. she was trying to give me some name ideas for the baby. truth be told i didnt tell her but i didnt really like the names and am so happy she chose the name i have :haha: :)


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## ALiKO

kksy9b- i need to join the april group actually. i just dont know whether to join the april flowers or may emeralds being that my due date is only 3 days away from may 1st.


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## kksy9b

Aliko- you would be more than welcome! I would say since your due date is in April to join that thread. There are lots of women who are due at the end of the month who are on there. I'm sure you could always join in on both conversations if you wanted to! I'll keep an eye out over there for you if you decide to join :)


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## mummy2o

March babies seem to be more even with 33 girls, 35 boys and 8 yellows. The one running it tracked down as many as she could on BnB and updated it even if they are unactive in the thread. Of course if they don't post on BnB then it didn't work.

Had to have fish and chips last night after a McDonalds for lunch. I feel like a fat cow for two fast foods in one week, let alone one day! I can justify why though, so it makes me feel a bit better. Well I was told to keep DS of school yesterday as on Tuesday he was so ill at school and wasn't able to do anything due to a cold. This cold never stopped him running around when we got home, but still. To keep peace he stayed home. My mum and I promised to take him to Yate (a town's shopping centre just the right size for him compared to Bristols which is huge!) by bus as its his favourite thing. So he decided McDonalds over the coffee shop which was fine. He also got some DVDS from his tooth fairy money which was the main reason of going, plus my mum brought me new slippers so I can't complain.

So last night just before I cook dinner for OH and I, DS was at my mums, the power went out. So we waited for a bit to see if it came back on, phoned the company etc. So an hour went and no fix so I decided we should eat so went for fish and chips as its not far and the guys chips are lovely! Anyway power didn't come back on until 4am! so good thing I didn't wait for the power to come on to cook anything! Shouldn't happen again though, we have new cables now, they dug up the path and everything at midnight and used umbrellas to cover the hole! It was such a sight and I just wanted to make the chaps a nice cup of tea as it must have been freezing out there. I know it was cold at horse riding!


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## magicwhisper

join both, we don;t bite ;)


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Wow! So it seems most of our January babies are girls, but there are tons of boys in your group. I think it's so fascinating how it can be either and you never really know until they tell you. :)

@kksy9b Wow! That's definitely more blues too! I think it's so neat to keep up with just to see how it works out. :)

@ALiKO We started getting name suggestions today from my husband's parents. I was polite, but I totally didn't like most of the ideas they had. :haha: Luckily they were just giving ideas and don't expect us to use any of them. 

@mummy2o I try to track down people if they don't post anymore occasionally as well. Some seem to have left the whole site after their BFPs though. March does seem to be more even. I wonder if timing/time of year has anything to do with that? I hate when the power goes out. It sounds like they did a decent job by working through the night. I don't think the people around here would do that. :dohh: It's completely fine to eat that way sometimes. :thumbup: 

AFM I had the scan Wednesday and the lady was able to see easily! The scan was marvelous because it's been about a month since we've seen baby or heard the heartbeat so we were a bit nervous. The technician was so sweet and gave us plenty of time to see baby stretch, kick, dance, and flip over. Baby puckered it's lips at one point. It's so cute! Baby seems to have my nose so far. You might remember I thought boy because of all the old myths and then changed my mind and wasn't sure after my 10 week scan. Well...I think it was because something was telling me I was wrong. Baby is a beautiful baby GIRL! :pink: We told his parents and plan to start telling others about baby girl soon.

@KatyW and @RaeChay - I can't wait until you find out gender! When's your next chance to find out RaeChay?


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## magicwhisper

wow congrats hopeful and that is early to tell so she must of wanted to tell you :haha:


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## daddiesgift

:dance::dance::dance: Yay Hopeful!! Welcome to Team Pink!! :pink:


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## kksy9b

Congratulations Hopeful!!! I am so excited for you. You had a long journey to get to where you are and it just makes it all worth it to see your LO and know that she is just perfect! Have fun getting to tell people!


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## melann13

Congrats Hopeful! Welcome to Team Pink!! Now for names... :) :happydance:


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## ALiKO

CONGRATS hopeful!!! team :pink: in da house! haha :)
which were you hoping for? boy or girl? did your hubby have any preference?


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## Kwaggy

Yay hopeful! Welcome to team pink!! :pink:


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## mummy2o

Welcome to team pink. Old wives tales mean nothing!


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## magicwhisper

ahh old wives tales make me laugh :haha:

according to the heartburn one im having a hairy boy :haha:


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## daddiesgift

I completely believe in old wives tales and Chinese gender predictor as it was right for all three of my pregnancies!

The "girls steal your beauty" is soo what I'm going through right now :cry: I've never had so much acne in all my life combined! My face, back and chest. There is no glow to me I look green half the time and my hair is a dried out mess. With my boys I always heard "pregnancy looks good on you!" "You look radiant" now I'm always getting asked if I feel okay! Or "you don't look so good, do you need to sit down?" Nope I just look like shit thanks for asking :haha:


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## magicwhisper

well that makes sense for me then :haha: im spotty and hairy :dohh:


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## mummy2o

I guess I've been quite lucky as so far I've had two pretty easy pregnancies compared to some. I have to admit DS's has been easier as I was younger and my body just managed better. This time I had a little bit of morning sickness, but nothing compared to most, now I get more backaches than last time and trouble sleeping, but I think that's more with my OH kicking me out of bed! I got more bleeding gums last time, and this time more acne, my hair is growing slower on my legs, but other than that its all pretty good.


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## ALiKO

i have'nt tried any old wives tales but the chinese gender chart was incorrect for me. it predicted a boy but i am sailing with team pink haha.

those of us who are having girls maybe its the extra feminine hormones thats floating around that is causing not so desirable affects on our bodies such as loads of acne, dry hair, and peekish looks.

i must admit i've always had problem skin but now i am just suffering! my hair seems fine but i need say no more for fear of jinxing it. this might be tmi but i have also been smelly, i have to carry deodorant, baby wipes, body mist or perfume, and panty liners just to stay fresh throughout the day :wacko:. talk about embarassing :blush:.


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Thanks! She didn't cross her legs at all and she had the three perfect lines. I was so happy we could find out. I asked the lady how certain she was and she said very certain. It's routine at my obgyn to have an elective early scan at 15 weeks if desired. I was surprised because they didn't see me for my first appointment until 10 weeks so I thought I would definitely be waiting it out. :)

@daddiesgift Thanks! :happydance: There will be lots of pink bows around here! I'm more than happy to join Team Pink! I wish that some of the old wives tales or the Chinese gender prediction would have been right for me. :haha: I haven't tried swinging my wedding ring over my belly, but I did try the necklace over my hand. Aww! I'm sorry you don't feel you look your best. :hugs:

@kksy9b Thank you so much! The time I spent waiting and being unhappy will always be in the back of my mind, but it's definitely worth it once I got to see baby. We were most excited about having another chance to see baby and then almost equally excited to find out that she's a girl. It's so hard to wait between appointments. :D

@melann13 Thanks! You're right; we are thinking of names now. I revisited our girl list and have decided I don't like most of them now. :dohh: We are testing names out when we talk about her. It might not take long. :)

@ALiKO Thanks! :) I'm not sure if I really wanted one more than the other. I know I really want one of each at some point. I want a boy for my husband and the family legacy (he is the only one to pass it on!). I definitely wanted a little girl too though. I might have been leaning a bit toward girl just because I always wanted a little sister and my niece is like my best friend. My husband also wants both at some point, but didn't really have a preference this time. His parents might have wanted a boy a bit more, but he was saying baby was going to be a girl since the beginning even when the myths were telling me boy. He has said for years that we'll have a daughter and she'll be a mini me. He's thrilled and says she will be daddies girl. :haha: 

@Kwaggy Thanks! :) How are you? 

@mummy2o Thanks! The old wives tales weren't very helpful for me. My Chinese gender prediction was wrong too. I never did the baking soda test or intelligender. I wonder if those would have been more accurate? :shrug: Happy 28 weeks!


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## Ameli

Congrats daddiesgift, magicwhisper and Hopeful on team :pink:!!


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## ALiKO

hey girlies, i want to start buying clothes and i was thinking to buy a few 3-6 months sized outfits and have the majority be 6-9 months. is this a good idea? i was googling and people were saying newborn size is a waste of money, 0-3 months literally only lasts the first 2 months, from 3-4 months babies are fitting snug in 3-6 months sizes, and by 4 months or so baby is in a 6-9 month size.

im so confused and holding off on buying clothes. i dont want to waste money on too many small clothes.


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## daddiesgift

Best advice I can give is don't go to crazy buying clothes for the reasons you stated. You just never know how big your baby will be or how it will grow. You can also look at tags and see the height and weight ranges for the brand. All brands run different. A size 9 month can be 6 months in something else. Another thing I learned is babies don't need a hundred outfits. With my first I bought so much majority still had tags and he'd outgrown it. Then we passed them down to little brother and still never used it all! 

So I learned my lesson :) and this time this is what we are doing... Ill buy a few sleeping gowns in newborn and that's it. Then ill buy lots of sleeping gowns and maybe four outfits in each size. We won't use onesies as we cloth diaper and I find them a pain in the butt so ill buy a few extra shirts for crawling age. I prefer gowns to sleepers because you can pull then up easily in the middle of night and change diaper other than fumbling with snaps or zipper and babies legs to get them in and out. My kids don't go to daycare or anything so there was no need to buy them so many outfits they'd never wear. Babies grow so fast! I saved all the outfits for now since I take my one and two year old out much more than I did at say 3 months. They'll spend most days at home in comfy easy access pjs! That I won't mind getting spit up and poop all over :haha:


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## KatyW

Daddiesgift, I agree with you about the clothes thing. I think it's better to spend money on the over 1 year old clothes/toddler clothes, because my daughter has gotten to much more wear out of those outfits, rather than the itty bitty baby clothes that she outgrew in weeks

Hopeful, congratulations on the little girl!!!!! Very excited for you :).

AFM, jet lagged, in America, and so excited to do the gender scan tomorrow. My guess is girl, my husband refuses to guess since it could be either, we will see.


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## Hopeful2014

@Ameli Thanks! :) How are you?

@ALiKO I plan to get a few newborn outfits, some 0-3 months, and some 6-9 months. I've already bought some 12 month outfits. :haha: They were on sale and too cute. From experiences with my nieces and nephew they do seem to grow quite quickly. I was always nervous about buying newborn for most people because you never know how big baby will be when born either so I tried to get 0-3 or 3-6. I'll probably see what I need more of after my shower and try to have at least a week's worth of outfits in each size. 

@daddiesgift Good points! :thumbup:

@KatyW Thanks! :) I can't wait for you to find out tomorrow!! :happydance:


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## ALiKO

thanks for your responses ladies i really appreciate it.

well today was a holiday here (the emperors birthday) hubby had the day off so we did some shopping for LO. its costing us a small fortune as i will not be having a baby shower so i am so grateful that we are getting a little help from hubby's parents. 

for now i have decided to hold off on buying clothes but i have picked up a few 0-3 month onsies and sleep 'n' plays. so thanks girls you have saved my sanity and my wallet (for now) :rofl:


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## KatyW

I am also on team :pink: :)


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## melann13

Congratulations Katy!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Katy! Seems there is a lot of team pink this year! :dance:


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## ALiKO

congrats Katy! 
yay!!! i agree with you daddiesgift so much pink this year hooray!


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## Kwaggy

Congrats Katy!
Lots of pink bumps :pink:

Afm- I had another appt with the perinatologist today, babys growth has really slowed down...She has only grown 2oz in a week. At this point they feel it would be better to deliver early because she is not getting enough nutrients from the placenta. I am scheduled for an induction on Jan 2nd, Im sooo nervous thats in 10 days!! Im worried she will have trouble breathing, or be too small to come home...My growth scan today estimated her at Just 4lbs 6oz. I plan on eating everything in sight for the next 10 days hoping it will help her gain some weight.


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## mummy2o

Aliko: that sounds a good idea. I haven't brought many clothes either yet. Nothing in newborn but a few bits in 0-3. I find lots of people brought me clothes after the birth as presents as it was cheap to post also. I live the other side of England from most of my family so got a lot of vouchers and clothes as it wasn't practical for them to visit as I didn't have the room to put them up either and hotels are expensive in Bristol.

Katy: Congrats on the 3rd pink bump this week!

Kwaggy: Sorry baby isn't growing properly. Even if you deliver today you have a chance of bringing home straight away and not having to stay in the hospital. I think they just want to be safe than sorry so don't think its anything you've done. They can be more in control and in case something is wrong.

AFM: I passed my GTT and the only reason I found out was as I had my whooping cough injection yesterday. The results came back the same day and no one rang. My arm is killing me from the injection though. It feels as if someone has punched me in my arm. So I have a bruise from my GTT which is painless on one arm, and a bruiseless pain in the other. Just in time for Christmas. Midwife on friday though so be good to listen into the heart beat again. I think I've come up with a name also. Kimi Maria or Kimi Louise. Not sure yet on middle name, but I quite like Kimi right now and OH hasn't said he doesn't dislike it so I'll take that as a good sign.


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I'm trying my hardest not to spend too much yet. I imagine I will probably spend more the closer I get. :haha: I'll probably save all the big items until close to the end of the second trimester or early in the third. I usually like to purchase things way ahead of time (birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, clothing for others) when they're on sale and keep them for later. That's one reason I really wanted to know what baby was. I plan to look for sales and buy things when I see them even if she won't need it for a year or so.

@KatyW :happydance: Yay! Congratulations on team :pink: Your daughter will love having a sister and they will be at great ages when they're older. How did you tell everyone? 

@Kwaggy :hugs: I'm sorry that you didn't get better news. I'm sure they know what they are doing and you will be in great hands. I imagine it's scary to know you will be early. I'm sure it's for the best and that she will thrive once she is out and able to get more nutrients. You're doing a great job! Eat as much as you can and try to relax as much as possible. Baby Dalylah Mae will be here soon and we are pulling for you both! :hugs:

@mummy2o Congrats for passing the GTT. I'm sorry about the pain from the injection though. I like the names. Let me know when you want to officially update the front with her name! It's amazing to hear the heartbeat again. I had an appointment today and we heard the heartbeat again. :D My doctor had to move around to find her and then she moved away quickly once the doctor found the heartbeat and she had to find it again. :haha:


Seeing as how Kwaggy is delivering soon and we have many ladies due in January I thought I would ask if you ladies would like me to start a parenting group as a third companion thread to our group. Of course, like all of the threads, anyone can post there regardless of where they are (ttc, already a parent and ttc, currently pregnant, new mother). I know we all have valuable advice and would love to see pictures and hear updates. :) Do you think that would be a good idea/is it needed? I could wait until after our first delivery or start it earlier. I'd love a place where we can all stay in touch even after baby is born.


AFM We have nearly decided on a name. No one else knows yet! :haha: Baby Emma Amelia


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## magicwhisper

I love the idea :thumbup:


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## kksy9b

Congratulations on the baby girl Katy!!

Hopeful- I think thats a great idea to start the parenting thread...that way there is support from the beginning all the way through baby being born!

Kwaggy- sorry to hear about the slow growth but the great thing is they are able to keep an eye in her and know when the best time to bring her out is. Enjoy these last few days..soon you will have your little girl in your arms!


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## melann13

Kwaggy, I know it's scary, but you've made it so far, and Meriter is a fantastic hospital if it needed to happen this way. Have fun eating through Christmas!


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## daddiesgift

Kwaggy- ultrasounds are great but guesses at best when predicting things! I went into labor on my own at exactly 37 weeks and the ultrasound that morning showed him 5 pounds. He was born at 7! He had no issues whatsoever and we went home right on time. Don't stress too much they are wanting to be safe rather than sorry but I'm sure everything is completely fine! 

Hopeful- I like the idea of a third thread though I'm not even halfway yet :haha:


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## Ameli

Congrats to everyone finding out the gender! Kwaggy: I'm sorry you've been given some scary news. I'm thinking the doctors know best, and your baby will be safest with their plan. I'm right there with you (one day apart) and I've been on bed rest for the past 2 weeks b/c of my elevated blood pressure. I've been told that they'll more than likely deliver me early too. My dr said he wants to get me to the 1st of the year. I'm also worried about it being to early, but I'm trying to get used to the idea. :hugs: It is a bit scary! 
Hopeful: I think the parenting thread is a great idea! :thumbup:
Happy Holidays to all of you! :xmas12:


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Happy 20 weeks! :happydance:

@kksy9b I thought it would be cool to have all the stages as well. We could always end up back in the ttc thread for the next baby too and then to the pregnancy thread again. :winkwink: How fun could it be if we can all stick together through it all?

@daddiesgift Happy 18 weeks! :happydance: You still have plenty of parenting advice and could share about your boys. :thumbup: 

@Ameli I'm sorry you're on bed rest. :hugs: I know you and Kwaggy will do an amazing job and all will be fine. I hope you can both wait as long as needed and that you both have an easy and safe delivery. Then you'll have your beautiful daughters! 


Ladies, 

I hope you all have a wonderful day whether you are spending it celebrating Christmas or not. I want to take today to say once again how much I appreciate you all and how glad I am to know each of you. I hope you each find something wonderful about your day.
 



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## newbie2013

Hopeful, a parenting thread would be good... and I'm not even pregnant yet! LOL! Bring it on! I don't want us all to be separated because we're all in different phases. :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

newbie2013 said:


> Hopeful, a parenting thread would be good... and I'm not even pregnant yet! LOL! Bring it on! I don't want us all to be separated because we're all in different phases. :hugs:

Yay! I think it could be such a cool way to document everything together. We can all talk and see what's going on with everyone in each thread. I think it would be so cool to see the journey. I'll start it as soon as January starts or as soon as we have a delivery! :friends:


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## mummy2o

Merry Christmas to you too Hopeful and everyone else. I think the parenting forum will be good. And for those who want more than this addition to the family can go back to TTC again and I'm sure no one will mind, so the circle of Hopefuls threads can begin again.


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## OurLilFlu

I agree with the parenting thread idea! Merry Christmas everyone!


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## magicwhisper

merry christmas everyone!

just think next year we will be sharing cute pictures of our los :happydance:


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I like the idea of the threads being a circle for those who want more children too. Happy 29 weeks!! :happydance:

@OurLilFlu Happy 32 weeks!! :happydance:


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## melann13

@Hopeful, 16 weeks already! Are you showing? I was by then, although I think it looked to others to mostly be pudgey. I knew otherwise, but I think I was in loose fitting pants by 10 weeks due to bloat. At 16 I started to get a legit bump.

Here's my pic from 16 weeks. The shirt is super clingy so it made it more obvious than it would've been otherwise. Looks so tiny to me now!
 



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## newbie2013

Have our twins been born yet??? Haven't heard from want2bemommy for a while! Hope all is ok. Looking forward to news.


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## mummy2o

I found this post https://babyandbump.momtastic.com/breastfeeding/39751-breastfeeding-photos-271.html#post31021051 from want2bemommy. Looks like she was induce Christmas eve and now has lovely little girls. I can't imagine she doesn't have much time to update everyone with twins in the house!


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## newbie2013

Brilliant news! They're adorable... I can only imagine the chaos of twins!!! Congrats to mummy!!


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## OurLilFlu

Aww what an adorable pic! Good for her tandem feeding at 2 days old! Congrats to her they are perfect!


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## magicwhisper

yay to her :D


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## chulie

Congrats on all the genders so far ladies!!! I've been so M.I.A!!! I'm so sorry. Work got soooooooo busy by year end and then before we knew it...Christmas!!!! Now I'm on a potty training mission with dd..so all I do all day is say "do you have pee?" /"let's try and pee!!" Hahahaha. 

I don't even know what I updated last! Hahaa. We finally agreed on a name for our little guy. Rowen Francis Zahra..very excited!!! We also had a 3D us done and was so excited to see our little mans face...and confirmation he's a boy! Hahahaha.

Had my GD test last week and get my results Monday. Fully expecting to fail because well..I did with my dd...but whatever. I know not to stress anymore..nothing I can do or change..I eat well..I've already been checking my own blood sugars and they're totally normal...it's just that stupid drink my body can't process....

I hope everyone had a good holiday!!! I start training my replacement in the new year for my job. That should be fun. Nothing like having a stranger share your desk for 2 months :s


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## chulie

Oh and I forgot...here's a great shot from our 3D scan! He was so well behaved! Hehehe
 



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## melann13

Thanks for the update on want2bemommy. Those girls are gorgeous!


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## daddiesgift

Adorable pic chulie!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Some of the time has gone by so slowly and some weeks seem to fly. Cute bump picture! :) I'm showing somewhat. It's just in the middle so far. I can hide it under loose layers, but it's very obvious when undressed or when not layered. I love it though. It feels odd because I know others will start to notice, but I can't wait to have a bump too. I will need to get new jeans very soon. My favorite pair has two buttons and a zipper. I started not using the top button around 10-12 weeks and I have started not using the second button (but zipping and wearing a belt) at 15 weeks. I think it's about time to buy some jeans. :haha: Happy 38 weeks!!! 

@newbie2013 I've been wondering about the twins too! :D

@mummy2o Oh! We've had our first birth! They are adorable. :D

@chulie That's a great photo! The 3D scans are so cool. I can't wait to have one. Good luck with the GD test and with potty training! We had my niece's stuffed animals pretend to go potty for a while to encourage her to try as well. I hope the training at work goes well and isn't so awkward. :thumbup:


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## Kwaggy

Our little girl decided to make an early apperance today. After just 2 hours of labor she was born at 7:24am. 4lbs 13oz 18.5in. Tiny but perfect, she is doing great :) 
Dalylah Lucille
https://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w674/Kwaggy11/Mobile%20Uploads/2013-12-29180906_zps9564f2b0.jpg


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## kksy9b

Beautiful kwaggy!! Congratulations!


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## melann13

Congratulations Kwaggy! Guess I won't be seeing you at Meriter! She's gorgeous!


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## Kwaggy

Thanks ladies! 
So here is my story... I woke up around 3am and thought I wet the bed, I never had a big gush of water Just a slow constant trickle. I was having no pain at all so I was pretty sure I was not in labor. After about an hour or so I phoned the doc and said I thought I might be leaking fluid...but still 
no pain. She told me to come in to see if it was fluid...I got to the hospital around 530, and I was feeling great, except for a slight backache. They checked my cervix and said I was dialated 2cm, after that the contractions started. One right after another. I tried really hard to breathe thru them but after about 30 minutes I just couldnt handle it and requested an epidural, the nurse wanted to check me again before she called the anesthesiologist. I cried when she told me I was already dialated to 10, and it was to late for pain meds. By the time the on call doctor got to my room her head was already coming out, two pushes later and she was here! Im still in shock that it happened so fast. I didnt even get to call and tell any family that I was in labor. My hubby was great tho, he even cut the cord :) Im so in love, I still dont believe Im finally a mommy it all feels like a dream!


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## mummy2o

She's so cute! Makes March feel so far away now! Your birth was insanely quick for a FTM. They do say some women's bodies just know what to do and can give birth really quickly. I hope I get a nice smooth birth like yours.


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## ALiKO

Kwaggy- wow CONGRATULATIONS! shes BEAUTIFUL! i cant wait until april now when i'll be holding my baby and i hope the birth goes just as easy as yours. hooray! what a way to ring in the new year!


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## magicwhisper

oh wow that was quick :haha:

congratualtions what a cutie


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy I'm so happy to hear baby is doing great! :happydance: That's a relief and now you have your precious girl. She has tons of hair! Did you have a lot of heartburn? I wonder if that old saying is true. She is beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to hear more. :D Congratulations!! 


Ladies, I plan to start the parenting thread on January 1st!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Kwaggy! She's beautiful! 

I can only hope my labor is two hours! Well lets make it three since the birth center is an hour and a half from me :haha:


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## Kwaggy

Thanks ladies! I had a ton of heartburn, so the old wives tale was right for me :) I have to stay a few extra days, and Im still not allowed to get out of bed because Ive developed postpartum preeclampsia so Im on a magnesium IV, and its making me feel really crappy...but it is definitely all worth it. I hope all you ladies have a speedy, uncomplicated labor :) Hope to see you all in the parenting thread!


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## Kalush

Congrats Kwaggy! She's beautiful, enjoy all tiny baby snuggles! I hope your preeclampsia goes away quickly and you are able to go home soon.


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## chulie

Omg kwaggy congrats she's absolutely perfect!!!!!!


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## Hopeful2014

@Kwaggy I hope you're able to go home soon. I dread the idea of staying at the hospital a bit. I think it will be harder for me to relax at the hospital than at home. I hope you feel better soon. :hugs: How was baby Dalylah's first day? :D


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## melann13

@Hopeful, the hospital where Kwaggy gave birth (and where I will be hopefully soon!) is a World Health Organization "Baby Friendly" rated hospital. Because of this they have even uncomplicated vaginal births stay 2 night after the birth I believe because they go through a fairly detailed list of education with the parents and make sure BFing is well-established (assuming that's the mother's wish). All nurses are also trained as Lactation Consultants. 
So, she may be there for a little bit, but I'm actually excited that they'll help me feel confident before I leave. And they only do rooming in there, so at least you don't have to be separated from the new LO!


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful- hospitals act like you have to stay a certain amount of time but you can sign yourself out at anytime. I had my oldest in Germany where I was to stay five days per their policy but my husband had to go back on deployment three days after birth so I obviously couldn't stay 5 days lol. In America I had our second and only stayed 24 hours. This time the birth center says at least four hours then you can go home! I always do great in the hospital or that first week or two its always after that the issues start so places should focus more on after you leave care. That's what doulas are great for :)


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## chulie

Oh wow....sounds like she's in quite the hospital. Good for her!!!! 

@Hopeful that was me....with my first I just wanted to be home...in my own bed... I hated the smell, the noises, the nurses...because I had an uncomplicated birth I was obligated to stay 24 hour because they do this blood test on baby to rule out any major diseases...so you have to wait for those results before you can leave...they do the test at 24 hours and I had to sit and wait for the results.....we were packed up and literally standing at the door waiting for the ok to leave. Hahahahaha. I've never been so happy to get home in my life!!!!!!!! We have someone who calls the next day in case you need like...nursing support theirs a breastfeeding clinic you can go visit at the hospital as an outpatient program ect....but ya.....oh man....I was pacing that morning and just wanted to be home!!


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## Kwaggy

Baby Girl is doing great :) She is down 4oz but doctor says thats normal. Feedings are going well, every nurse Ive had so far is also a trained lactation consultant, and they are so helpful. Its been really busy, so many vistors and different medical staff constantly in my room...testing, consent forms, paperwork, doctor visits...way more than I expected during my hospital stay. I thought it would be relaxing, but its kind of overwhelming. I enjoy night time the most, when its just me and her. I should get to go home tomorrow :)


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 That sounds like a nice place! I hope you will be there soon as well! :thumbup: Our hospital allows you to keep baby in room or in the nursery. We will keep baby in our room and my husband will follow baby when she needs to leave the room. Women have to stay two to three nights as well. I think I just dread it a bit because I don't like a lot of attention and will feel a bit uncomfortable. I am looking forward to being at my hospital though because they have a brand new NICU and they have made lots of improvements since it's in the new hospital! :thumbup:

@daddiesgift I'm glad you're happy with the place you will deliver at this time. :thumbup: I hope they are more accommodating and supportive. I know you had trouble with that before. I do think it can be a scary experience at first if someone has not had children or closely raised children before. Sometimes people are too afraid to ask for help and sometimes there isn't anyone to help. Do you plan to stay four hours and then go home? 

@chulie I've heard it's quite noisy at times and the nurses come into the room whenever they want and all times of the night. I know it's required at times, but I think it could be a little much. I know I'll breathe a sign of relief once we are home and can finally be alone to enjoy baby. Do you think you'll feel the same way this time?

@Kwaggy The frequent visits of medical staff is probably one of the things I dread. I can definitely see how it could be overwhelming. I'm glad to hear she's doing great! I hope you get to go home! :D


Ladies, I've finally started the parenting thread for our group. I think it will be such a cool thing for us to have a ttc thread, a pregnancy thread, and a parenting thread so we can follow all of the journeys and stick together. You can find the parenting thread here, on the front page, and in my signature.


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## mummy2o

So exciting Kwaggy.

Hopeful: Here its pretty normal to have your new born tests then go home. Some go home in a matter of hours. However, I was in hospital a week in total. 3 days being induced, 1 day giving birth, 3 days letting DS recovery from jaundice. I was getting really excited on the 6th day saying I could go home, but on the 7th he was going yellow again and I just lost it. I started crying and nothing anyone did would make it better. Then I was the one, who was being the problem according to the staff and upsetting the other ladies. At this point I was thinking, they'll be going home shortly and I'll still be stuck in this god damn hospital. I swear at least 20 people went home in my room on the ward before me and I had my baby first. Thankfully he passed his test and just had to sunbath by the window. Couldn't wait.


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## Buttercup84

Hi ladies, I posted on the TTC thread a while back but became less active on BnB as I found TTC a bit hardgoing but I just got my BFP and would love to join this thread if you'll have me! I have a 2 year old DD and i'm due 12/9/14 with baby #2. We fell pregnant on our 5th cycle TTC :flower:


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## melann13

Welcome Buttercup! Everyone is welcome here!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Buttercup! 

Hopeful it's an outpatient birth center so if you have to stay longer than 24 hours you are transferred to their sister hospital. So I hope I don't have to do that but I don't have a set time in mind when I'm going to leave after birth. Whenever they say I can! I'm Just glad I won't be staying so long to have the constant in and out checks! With Anthony it was constantly waking me up in the middle of night for checks and tests. Ill be glad to just go home! I've had pretty uncomplicated births and recovery was never that bad that I thought I needed to stay in the hospital that long. I found the pain to be at its worse days after birth instead of immediately following :shrug: it wasn't bad at all with Dominic though I tore but it was a tad worse with Anthony because I tore worse :nope:


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## chulie

Welcome buttercup!! 

@hopeful...I think this time it's gonna be worse! I think because I'll want to get home to my dd and because worked out the kinks nursing with dd...... I'm sure once I shake the rust off it'll come back so..... I won't really need the nurses to ask if I'm doing it right. Haha. So ya.... If anything I'll want to go home sooner!!!!


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## magicwhisper

yay to parenting group :D


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## mummy2o

Welcome to the group buttercup. I know how annoying it was seeing all those BFP and thinking I want it to be my turn next. So congrats on making it here!


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I imagine it was difficult being in the hospital that long and not being sure when you would be let go. I hope it all goes much easier this time. :hugs:

@Buttercup84 Of course! I'm so happy to see you're back and you have your BFP!!! Congratulations! :happydance: 

@daddiesgift The idea of tears scare me a bit. :| You're almost 20 weeks and halfway there!! When's your next appointment? 

@chulie I hope you get to go home quickly. I know you will probably want to get home to your DD. How is she? Is she starting to understand the pregnancy and idea of baby more? I think it's always so sweet to see siblings bond right after baby is born. :)

@magicwhisper How are you? :flower:


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## magicwhisper

im great thanks :D

i am currently feeling like a old woman because of my new found love of granny underwear :rofl:

ella is starting to kick harder now :D shame we can't feel it from the outside yet though


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## ALiKO

buttercup- congrats on your :bfp: and welcome!

hopeful- have you started to feel any wiggles yet? :)

magicwhisper- my movements have just gotten to the point where they can be seen and felt from the outside. hubby got a chance to feel several times and even got kicked in the head! :haha:. you'll be seeing her karate moves from the outside soon :flower:


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## magicwhisper

i cant wait until oh can feel movements :D

he keeps my hand on my tummy when ella is kicking but nothing so far :haha:


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## melann13

It took a long time before DH could regularly feel movements. I'd tell him she was moving, but either she'd stop when he put his hand on me, or the kicks would be focused in a different place or towards the back. Now that there's hardly any room in there he can feel every twist and turn that I do and he loves it. I was so impatient for it to be this easy, but it's worth it. We watched a movie last night (as I'm basically a big lump at this point) and he just rested his hands on her the whole time feeling her do pirouettes. She's welcome to join us on the outside at any point. Getting anxious...


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful- it can be scary tearing but overall it happens and it can heal just fine and you'll live :) it's rare that women need any kind of surgery instead just a stitch or two. OH says "it" feels the same as it did before kids :haha: I was worried there would be a huge scar or something and sex would feel different but its not like that. With my first I slowly pushed and midwife massaged and used oils ect to help but it still happened. With #2 I tore worse but he was nearly two pounds more :dohh: either way it happens and its nothing to be scared of. Although I do know there is those scary situations out there 

Four days is my anatomy scan!! Man will I be happy to just see baby and make sure she's healthy and of course that she's still a she :haha: I haven't got any good looks of her face so I hope we can see well!


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## kksy9b

Melann- not much longer now!! Thats wonderful that your DH can feel all her movements :)

Hopeful- hopefully you'll start feeling movements soon! I started feeling the first movements at 14 weeks and the first kicks at 16 or 17. Consistent kicks at 18-19. You are going to fall even more in love with your little girl when she starts squirming :)

AFM things are going well. Starting to get some of the hip pain and shortness of breath (when I lean too far back) but overall can't complain! I feel really blessed to have had an easier pregnancy so far and definitely not going to take it for granted! GTT is next week so hoping I pass the first and dont have to go back for the 3 hour.


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## Buttercup84

Thanks everyone, i'm really happy to be able to post here and just trying to think positively that everything will be OK as it's still such early days.
I think when baby starts moving regularly really is the best bit of pregnancy... I used to lie in the bath for ages watching DD moving in my belly :flower:
I had to stay 2 nights in hospital after having DD due to issues at birth (I had a 2.5 litre post partum hemmorhage requiring a blood transfusion) and I hated it. If I can have a same day discharge this time i'd be really happy but if not just one night will be quite enough! I'm using a different hospital this time though so hoping for a better experience.


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper I can't wait to feel kicks! I know it can happen around now, but that it might be a little later. I think I've felt a few tiny flutters, but nothing that has made me know for sure yet. I think granny undies can be wonderful. :thumbup:

@ALiKO I've felt a few flutters at night a few times, but nothing definite yet. :dohh: I can't wait!! I bet your husband loves feeling her as well. That's such an amazing and reassuring thing. :D

@melann13 Are you having any signs of labor yet? I know you must be so ready for her! Enjoy this last bit of time feeling her from outside. You will be holding her soon! That will be so amazing. :D I'm waiting for the day I sign on and see that you've had her!

@daddiesgift I love how reassuring you were about the tearing. There are so many times people say the wrong things. :hugs: I'm willing to do what needs to be done as long as baby is okay. :D I hope she's still a baby girl and that you get a good look at her face! I go on the 20th for my scan. I am nervous (as usual) but sooo excited!

@kksy9b I've been talking to her and trying to encourage her to let me feel her. :haha: I know she was very active at the last scan and the last doctor visit whilst the doctor was searching for the heartbeat. I want to feel her being active! Good luck on the GTT; let us know how it goes. 

@Buttercup84 I'm sorry you had the hemorrhage. I know that must be hard when all you want to do is spend time with baby. I'm sending postive thoughts and wishes your way! I think one night would be enough for me too. :thumbup:


Ladies, Do you prefer the full panel or short panel maternity jeans? I think I'll need to pick some up on my next shopping trip.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I'm getting very anxious. I've been having BH contractions for a couple weeks (nothing painful, just tight like cramps). I've had 3 or 4 more legit contractions where I have to stop and breathe, but I've only had 1 or at most 2 at a time and then nothing. I have not had the "bloody show" either, but have had mucous discharge which the doc said can be the plug coming in pieces, but nothing bloody or brown. I have a joke going that it will be Sunday because I made up the birth announcement a couple weeks ago so that it would just need a picture and the info filled in (just made it in ppt to save as a jpg and get printed at Walgreens) and I put Jan 5th on there as wishful thinking. Now the Packers play here in WI on Sunday and the game may be blacked out (long story) where my parents live, so I told my dad that if I'm in labor he can watch it here in the hospital (we're only 1.5 hrs away) and I can yell at the TV during labor.
As far as the pants go, I have mixed feelings. I had the under belly panel early on and thought I'd never go to the full panel, but once the belly actually has a bottom to it I found the under belly bands VERY uncomfortable because when you sit they fold under the belly and squeeze really tight right over your bladder. The full panels feel silly early on, but trust me, by the end, they're the ONLY type I'll wear. With my full sized belly, the band that used to go almost to my bra now barely gets past my belly button. and I don't have to worry about my butt hanging out. The degree to which the panel goes down is also an issue. I have a pair of Gap maternity jeans that have a soft cotton (think T-shirt) material panel. Very comfy, but it goes down really low (no flake fly) and with a 38-39 week belly, my long maternity shirts don't cover it anymore. I have two other pairs, one Old Navy and one Motherhood maternity. The ON full panel are nice and they have a flesh colored panel which is good for lighter shirts, but the panel is quite tight and I can't wear them for very long anymore. The Motherhood pair is my favorite, also full panel, but has a fake fly, so you can't see the panel at the crotch. I bought the ON ones online, the Gap and Motherhood ones I got at Goodwill. I have a Target pair too, but those are the under belly, so I haven't worn those in awhile except when we went to a party where I knew I'd be standing the whole time. I recommend having a variety, you never know what will feel good depending on your current belly shape. Overall the full panel are just more versatile though. Definitely stalk Goodwills... I got some FANTASTIC stuff there because most matenrity clothes are not worn that much. That's a really long descrip. Hope it helps!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Sunday would be a lovely day and a perfect story for the future! I'll hope that's when it happens! :D 

Your advice does help! :thumbup: I've heard that the under belly panels can be hard to deal with once someone is further along. Did you ever wear the full panel when you were earlier on and roll it down? Or wear it and leave it rolled up? That might be my best option.

I've been looking online at Target and Old Navy. I might need to try them on first though. I'm a bit short and would need to make sure they fit properly. :D I saw that you should order your normal size even in maternity. Have you found that to be true or was sizing up best?


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## magicwhisper

i live in leggings :haha:


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## melann13

@Hopeful, I did wear the full panel early on either rolled down or left up. I have two pairs of pants that I got at Kohls (they sell the motherhood maternity brand) that are lighter weight and can be worn as capris or pants which might be a good option for you because by the end you'll be warm. Target online is nice because usually you can return things in store, even if they don't have that product there. ON online I had good luck with returns as well. Most of my pants are just "medium" but ON I ordered an 8 (I'm usually a 7/8 and ON sometimes a 6 because their stuff runs big) but when they came I couldn't get them over my hips (you forget those get wider too) so I called. They sent me a prepaid shipping label and had my new pair (size 10) sent to me 2 day shipping for free, so I had to wait a couple days, but it didn't cost me anything. Whether to order your normal size or something bigger depends on your body. For me the relaxin hormone has meant that my shoes and rings haven't fit well since about 4 months, and not just due to swelling, but literally everything is wider (I had super small feet to begin with (size 6) but had to pick up several pairs of 7's and now those are tight too. Don't bother getting things that are tight on you though, because they may fit some days and not others depending on your water retention. Plus you don't need to add discomfort in your clothes to the other aches and pains.
I'm so thankful I'm pregnant, and this is not in any way intended to be complaints, I'd much prefer my big bloated pregnant self to my normal self any day. This is just what I've learned.


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## daddiesgift

I think when you are much bigger full panel smooths things out better under your clothes. I always preferred those later in pregnancy and the short panel in early pregnancy. Now Im just annoyed by them all :haha: I feel like Im always pulling my pants up. Maybe Im just not big enough yet. But I do remember having to pull them up a lot in later pregnancy too. 

So I guess Id get full panel. You can always roll them down and make a half panel. 

I really hope this is a girl like weve been told because I may be going a little wacko buying stuff :haha: Not too bad we have a few outfits and last night I bought 6 girly diapers (we use cloth) and a rocknplay sleeper in a super girly print.


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## Ameli

I agree with the others about maternity pants. At the beginning I loved the thinner bands (under the bump) that I got from Gap. Now that my bump is bigger i love the full panel and the thinner bands roll down when I sit and are uncomfortable. My sister said she hated anything on her bump though, so I guess it's different for everyone. I also got lucky at a thrift store and got several jeans and work slacks.
As for me, I am having a scheduled C-Section tomorrow morning at 7am! I am totally nervous and excited at the same time. They are doing this because of my high blood pressure. I have been on bed rest for the past 3 weeks to buy more time, but I'm 38 weeks now so my dr decided it was the safest thing to do. Wish me luck! I will post birth story and pics of my baby girl when I can.


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## kksy9b

Good luck ameli!!


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## magicwhisper

good luck :D


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## daddiesgift

Good luck!


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## Buttercup84

Hopeful I preferred the full panel ones by far, hated the under bump type!
Good luck Ameli, looking forward to hearing your good news :happydance:


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## Kwaggy

Hopeful I also prefer the full panel band. I like them even more now. I feel like they are hiding the after baby pudge. My stomach feels so weird now, kind of like a squishy water bed lol.


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## kksy9b

In agreement- love the full panel! And I bought one pairs size up and they are huge! So for me I found sticking with pre-pregnancy size has worked great


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## melann13

Super excited for you Ameli!


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper I've been living in pajamas except when we go out. :haha: 

@melann13 Thanks! :D I'll look for medium and perhaps size up one pair. It doesn't sound like complaints! It's just good advice! :thumbup:

@daddiesgift I think I'll go with full panel then. The short panel may start to annoy me. I already fold my pajamas over once so the elastic part doesn't sit right against my skin. I hope she's still a girl too! :thumbup:

@Ameli I'm sending luck and excitement your way! I hope it's an easy delivery. You'll be holding baby soon!!! How exciting! :happydance: Keep us updated!

@Buttercup84 Thanks! :)

@Kwaggy :D I'm sure you're beautiful. You just did a magical, wonderful thing! Did you get to go home yet? 

@kksy9b Thanks! I think I'll try my normal size and a size up. I really only need them for when I go out. I'll probably stay in a lot more towards the end too. I already find that I'm staying home more than usual. I don't like the idea of walking around all the stores because it makes me tired and I'm avoiding people in the flu season. :dohh: Does/did anyone else feel like staying in more?


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## melann13

I'm definitely at the "staying in more" point, but I've been told that's normal for the end of the pregnancy. Plus it's dangerously cold here (Monday the high will be -12F) and DH is scared of me slipping on the ice.
Had some contractions this morning, nothing that strong. I tried to encourage them by bouncing around and even tried nipple stimulation. They hung on for about an hour (once again- not strong) and then died out. DH offered his "services" for today, not sure whether we will or not. I don't think it will push me into labor, but maybe it would help get things ready? Still drinking my raspberry tea. I really hope tomorrow's the day! (highly doubtful though)


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## KatyW

Congrats, Kwaggy! She's beautiful.

Welcome, Buttercup!

Good luck, Ameli, very exciting.

Hopeful, I like both types of pants. I think sizing depends on belly size. I size up shirts in pregnancy but pant size remains the same. Everyone is different.


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## newbie2013

Good luck ameli!!!


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## mummy2o

Good luck Ameli.


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## Ameli

Abigail Morgan was born yesterday (1/4/14) at 7:45am via c-section at 38 weeks (b/c of high bp). She is perfect- 7 lbs 12 oz and 19 1/2 inches. We are so in love!! :cloud9: I am still in the hospital for monitoring until probably Mon or Tues. She is feeding well so far. I will post more when I am not so tired. If anyone has questions about c-sections, etc - feel free to ask me! Here's a pic of our sweet girl.
 



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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 We're having a cold front as well. Sunday's low is -3F and Monday's high is 1F and low of -1F. AHH! We're predicted a lot of snow and rain this next week. I can't wait until summer! I'm still crossing my fingers for Sunday for you! I know it must be so frustrating/uncomfortable waiting it out. Keep warm and let us know if baby Felicity makes an appearance. :D

@KatyW Thanks! How have you been? Are you back home? Yay for being halfway there! :)


AFM We went shopping Saturday to get things we were out of before the winter storm and freezing temperatures are supposed to be here. I got some nice after Christmas sales (ornaments/things for next year) as well. I got a pair of short panel jeans from Target. They were the only ones they had in store besides a pair of dress pants. They felt so much more comfortable to my belly and I almost hated having to put my pair back on for the rest of the trip. :haha: I plan to look online for other options soon.


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## Hopeful2014

Ameli said:


> Abigail Morgan was born yesterday (1/4/14) at 7:45am via c-section at 38 weeks (b/c of high bp). She is perfect- 7 lbs 12 oz and 19 1/2 inches. We are so in love!! :cloud9; I am still in the hospital for monitoring until probably Mon or Tues. She is feeding well so far. I will post more when I am not so tired. If anyone has questions about c-sections, etc - feel free to ask me! Here's a pic of our sweet girl.


She's beautiful!! :happydance: That's such a cute name! I'm so happy that she arrived safely and that you are both doing well. I can't wait to hear more!


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## magicwhisper

congratulations


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## kksy9b

congratulations!! she is beautiful!


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## Kalush

Congrats Ameli, she looks perfect. Glad to hear everything went well, hope you guys get to go home soon.


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## daddiesgift

Congrats on your baby girl!! Glad to hear everything went well!


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## OurLilFlu

Congrats on your girl being here ameli! 

Oh hopeful, I wish it was that warm here.... Yesterday it was -33F with the windchill! It's definitely an indoors weekend! We're building the nursery furniture today!


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## Buttercup84

Congrats Ameli, she's a little beauty! :cloud9:


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## newbie2013

Congrats Ameli!!!


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Your appointment is Monday, right? Good luck! I hope you get to see her face better and that she's still a girl! :thumbup:

@OurLilFlu Oh no! That's way too cold! I hope you stayed inside and warm. Yay for building the nursery furniture! :happydance: Congratulations on getting engaged too!


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## OurLilFlu

Thanks hopeful! Yes at least the rest of the week we creep back up to the warmer side of things.
And yes, we got engaged Christmas Day, it was so sweet!


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## daddiesgift

Yep! Sitting at my appt now!! Soo nervous. Hope I'm not waiting too long but there's an unusual amount of pregnant women here right now!


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu I looked up our windchill today. It was -23. Brrr. I can't wait until summer. :thumbup:

@daddiesgift I read your update in your journal. I'm glad baby is doing well and that she is still a girl! :happydance: Congrats! I can't wait until my 20 week appointment! 


A couple of updates for me:

I wore my maternity jeans for the first time today. They were so much more comfortable on my belly! :happydance: BUT I had to keep tugging them up when I would stand up or sit down. It's the short panel pair from Target. I'm hoping this stops soon. I'm looking into finding a full panel pair soon.

I've felt what feels like bubbles in the past few weeks, but I think I'm actually starting to feel baby move/press against me on the inside. I started noticing it some days ago and it's always in the same area of where she found the heartbeat and where baby should be now. I know it's not gas. :haha: It feels more like she's lightly pressing against me or how a muscle twitch would feel. Is this how you would describe it once it became more noticeable? It's been off and on and mostly at night. She was doing it for 2-3 minutes off and on tonight. I can't wait for it to happen more frequently. I still find that I need reassurance at times.


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## OurLilFlu

For me in the beginning it always felt like bubbles , hard to distinguish from gas but it would happen at odd times and more noticeable... Now if I'm resting my arm on my belly my whole forearm gets a big roll, enough to move my arm lol


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## melann13

@Hopeful,
Yes, I definitely thought it felt like muscle twitches. I did get the bubbly feeling too, I think that was more rolls and somersaults. Now I have the, "You're going to bust through the skin on my belly" feelings!


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## mummy2o

Ameli: Congrats on your little one. I so can't wait for March to hurry up and get here. It seems so far away :(

Hopeful: It does sound like the beginning of movements. I bet your getting excited. Won't be long before you telling her to get off various body parts. Mine seems to have a thing for my ribs. They are so sore at times.

Ourlilflu: Congrats on your engagement if I haven't already said that. I have such a baby brain at times.


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## OurLilFlu

Thanks! I didn't really mention it anywhere just changed my siggy, you ladies are so keen! Lol it happened on Christmas Day! Just thrilled!


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## magicwhisper

yeah thats how my movements started hopeful :D

ive started to feel them on the outside a little now which i find amazing :D


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## KatyW

Hey Hopeful, thanks, I am still home in America, though I think the cold German weather followed me here, ha, as it is 11 degrees Fahrenheit this morning, and I'm in Virginia Beach! 

Definitely have been feeling movements for awhile now (second pregnancy, so this time I know what it feels like), and could feel it from the outside yesterday. Also, I've got a legit bump, unsurprisingly (I had the watermelon look last time, ha).


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- for me it felt like muscle twitches in the beginning. Thats so wonderful that you are starting to feel her move! For me, over the last couple weeks we've started to see his movements from the outside too. So now my favorite thing to do is just lay there and watch him dance in my belly :)

Congratulations ourlilflu!! How did he propose?

Sitting at the lab waiting for the blood draw on the GTT. Drink was not as bad as I expected but still bad lol. About 45 min to go..


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu Wow! Baby is getting strong! :haha: I think it must be amazing to see baby actually move. I can't wait for that too! :D I noticed when I saw the new ticker and I noticed your new avatar too! Do you have any plans/ideas yet?

@melann13 I hope baby Felicity comes soon! :flower: Any new signs? 

@mummy2o I am sooo excited about movements! :happydance: I start talking to her when I feel it and try to encourage her to continue. I can't wait for my husband to feel it because he's missing out on feeling her right now. I hope March gets here quickly! 

@magicwhisper :D Yay! I bet it's really exciting to feel her on the outside too! 

@KatyW It's way too cold right now. I imagine it's much different than what you expected to have in Virgina Beach. Stay warm! I'm sure it's a beautiful bump. :thumbup: Yay for outside movements!!

@kksy9b Enjoy watching him dance! :D Good luck on the GTT. Let us know how it goes. 



I'm so excited that you ladies know what I'm feeling and would describe it the same way. That makes me believe it is her more, even though I was mostly sure already. :D Most websites just tell you about the earliest feelings (bubbles, butterfly wings, etc.) so it's great to know that this is the next stage. How long did it take for you/someone else to feel movements on the outside after you could feel movements on the inside? I want my husband to feel them too, but I will love each movement I get until he can. :winkwink:


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## melann13

@Hopeful, nothing. Super frustrated. I got a bunch of texts from people today asking me if baby is here yet. It's sweet that they're thinking of me, but I feel like "don't you think if she was I would tell you?!?" Had DH come home for a nooner today :) It was fun, but doesn't seem to have done anything... Occupied myself doing housework all day. Now it's 5 and I'm pretty bored. I've been reading breast feeding books, but I think I may find something random and mindless to read. Just having menstrual type cramps (terrifying early in pregnancy, normal at this point apparently). Have a doc appt tomorrow. I haven't had them do a cervix check yet, but I may give in tomorrow. I haven't had a bloody show, only mucous discharge for a couple weeks.

I don't think DH was able to feel baby's movements until about 24 weeks. Even then it wasn't frequently because they were so localized and he'd miss them a lot. Now he's fascinated by her since she can move my entire abdomen and there's frequently pointy spots :)


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## daddiesgift

Describing early movements is hard! Later on its thuds :haha: I've felt her from the outside but OH hasn't yet. I don't really remember when OH could before but I'm thinking well after 20 weeks. :shrug:


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## daddiesgift

Melann- sending labor vibes your way! I went to a doctors appt with my 2nd and they said I wasn't dilated, softened, engaged.. NOTHING. Then two days later my mom said I needed to call the hospital as it seemed contractions were pretty close, though they didn't hurt so we headed to the hospital all intention of leaving for lunch after but they said 5cm!! So in two days I went from nothing to something and gave birth at 38+6.


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## OurLilFlu

Thanks for the congrats ladies! 

He proposed on Christmas morning at his parents After we opened our gifts, there was one present left with no tag or ribbon etc I opened it and it was a box I had painted and shipped him something in when we were dating long distance... So I just thought it was a cute gesture when he came around the corner with a ring box in his hand of course I burst out crying and as he got down on one knee I said 'oh no you can't do this to me right now...ill be crying all day!' Immediately I realized those are probably terrible first reaction words lol!! The ring is his Nana's who passed away before we were together and his Opa passed away a few months after he moved in with me... They were very special people so I am honoured to be able to wear that ring... And hopeful, as you asked right now we're thinking of August 30 since it would have been their 51st anniversary and it coincidentally falls on a Saturday... So pretty crazy! Wedding 6 months after baby:S


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## kksy9b

I think it was 22 or 23 weeks when DH felt from the outside. I was feeling them from outside earlier (maybe 21 weeks?) but baby would stop moving if DH put his hand there lol. 

Ourlilflu- wonderful proposal story! Its so special that you get to wear a ring that means so much to you and him. Congratulations again! I guess you'll have a built in ring bearer or flower girl once baby is born lol


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I'm sure it's frustrating for people to ask since you're still waiting. I've just been telling everyone June so they don't know exactly when to expect her. My hopes are to have only close family there on the day of and extended people/visitors on the second or third day. I think finding something to read will help some. I love getting lost in a good book. :thumbup: Good luck at your appointment! Perhaps they will tell you she is almost ready!! 

@daddiesgift Happy 20 weeks! :happydance: 

@OurLilFlu That's such a sweet way to ask. :D It would be sweet to honor their anniversary. At six months baby will be sitting up and able to enjoy the wedding too!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I hope things are starting to move along. :thumbup:


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## melann13

@Hopeful,
They're not unfortunately. Been crampy and very uncomfortable with mucous discharge, but nothing else. I had some strong cramps this afternoon that I thought could be contractions. There were two only 7 minutes apart, but then it was 15 minutes and then no more. Tomorrow would be a fun birthday, 1.11, but no sign of that happening. I really just wish I knew if this was going to happen on it's own or not. I feel like I could be more patient if I knew I'd go into labor on my own, but I'm really afraid of induction for some reason. As a FTM the whole process is scary and unknown to me, but something induction just seems worse. Just keep praying she comes on her own.


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## Kalush

Melann - It sounds like things are going in the right direction, as long as everything is good you should still have quite awhile before they would think about induction. If you can, do something fun to get your mind off it and relax. You'll get to meet her soon!

I'm excited to be joining you guys! 4 weeks today, due September 19!


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## mummy2o

I think induction isn't as bad as it sounds, as long as its done in one. I think when that fails it totally sucks as your getting your hopes up to have a baby out and it doesn't happen. In the UK its normal for them not to induce you until your 2 weeks over, not sure where you are as some places only wait a week. I was induced with DS 13 days after my due date and it failed 3 times until he final felt like coming. I'm hoping for another induction (hopefully all in one go) at 13 weeks overdue as it will be my mums birthday, so I'm probably the only person I know who wants to go overdue, although I will probably change my mind at the time.

I'll be starting raspberry tea next Friday. Can't believe how quickly it gone. I'm not sure if it help labour or not, but nothing can be as bad a DS labour, so worth a shot.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I can totally understand that the process seems scary. I hope she comes on her own and that it's very soon! :thumbup: 1/13 could be cool because they add up to 14 as in 2014. Come on baby!!

@Kalush :happydance: I'm so excited for you! I added you to the front! 

@mummy2o I hope you make it until your mom's birthday. :flower: I've seen many ladies start raspberry tea. What is it supposed to do for labor? 


AFM I hate pregnancy nightmares! I had another bad one tonight. :(


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## mummy2o

OMG I was so not with it. Congrats Kalush! 

Hopeful: Its suppose to make the pushing easier in the 2nd stage of labour. I couldn't naturally push DS out at all. So I'm going to give it a shot. You should start at 32 weeks. You can take evening primrose oil from 36 weeks or so, but of course everyone gives you a different week. Some says it softens the cervix, others say it brings on labour, so I'm at a loss on that one. Maybe no one really knows.


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## daddiesgift

I think having a baby in general can be a little scary! Not knowing when you'll go into labor or scheduling it comes with all its own fears but trust your body and your doctor and everything will turn out! I'm terrified of going over due! I never have before but just the idea of going so far over due that something happens to baby. So I guess if I went over 41 weeks I'd get induced but idk! You hear all these horror stories out there of what can happen but I think positive outcomes are more likely than negative ones! I've met a few women who've been induced and none ended in a csection or something worse. :shrug: 

Red raspberry leaf tea just helps strengthens the uterus and helps contractions be stronger when labor has already started. I've always drank it from the beginning of pregnancy, then daily in the end. Was told its fine to drink whenever as it won't cause labor or any softening. With #1 he was anxious to be born and came at 37 weeks so I didn't have time to take evening primrose with him. Just lots of sex and pineapple :haha: with my second I started it orally daily at 37 weeks as it can soften cervix so not safe to take early on. Then at 38+5 OH and I had sex and afterward I inserted evp pill vaginally like some recommend while taking it orally, and the next day he was born. So I recommend that though everyone's body is different. I think I just grow babies fast as naturally I've never made it to my due date and they've been perfectly healthy, ready to come and a great weight! My youngest was 8 pounds 13 ounces, he would've been huge had I gone any longer! :haha: 

It's early so I'm babbling but what I'm trying to say is you'll hear all these horror stories and what to do or not do but that doesn't have to be your story and doesn't mean it will happen to you. Try evening primrose oil orally and vaginally and if you like drink some rlt.


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## magicwhisper

we had our 22 week scan ella is fine :happydance:


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## kksy9b

great news magicwhisper!

welcome over kalush! congratulations!


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## Buttercup84

Congrats kalush!! Hope you're doing ok melann, I was induced with my DD and though I'd prefer to go naturally with this one I'd be induced again if I needed to be.


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## melann13

Just an update... No sign of baby today. DH tried a little acupressure this morning. Had hot curry last night. We also went for a bit of a walk. I feel like she might be a little lower, but that's about it. Just took a nap as I barely slept at all last night. I try to remind myself that no matter how frustrated I get as each day goes by with no baby, it's still a day closer to meeting her. I had lots of dreams of her last night (in my 3 hr sleep :). Usually she's a baby, but in these she was around 2. Dark curly hair :) C'mon Felicity!


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## Kalush

MagicWhisper - Congrats on everything being good!

Melann - Hope you are able to get as much sleep as you can. That sounds like a good dream! Only a couple weeks left at the most.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks! :) You're getting so close now! 

@daddiesgift Thanks! It's nice hearing stories from women who have already given birth and especially when the stories are not really frightening! :)

@magicwhisper :happydance: That's wonderful! 

@Buttercup84 How have you been? :)

@melann13 C'mon Felicity!! :happydance: Happy 40 weeks! May this be the last week and may baby come soon!!

AFM I'm feeling more and more of the 'muscle twitching' type of movements. Some are stronger than others. She was just kicking/pressing against me off and on for 5-10 minutes. I assume she's asleep now. :cloud9: I'm in love. My 20 week scan is on the 20th. I'm so excited and so nervous.


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## mummy2o

I think this baby is trying to scare me already. So I had a stomach bug Saturday and she didn't move a lot, so I put it down to being sick. Yesterday she moved about once, so I went in after being concerned that I haven't felt her move a lot. So I spent a few hours on the assessment unit, which was fine as they had other ladies going in to labour and needed them to be checked before me as the poor midwife was by herself, plus now I know when my turn comes I'll be pushed to the front. So they hook me to the heart monitor which was ok, but they didn't like how her heart was fluctuating so have to go back in a couple of hours to have a scan to see if there are any problems. I'm sure everything is fine and she just spent a lot of time playing hide and seek with the monitor as she's not keen on them. On the plus side I get to see her in a few hours although I just want to sleep as I'm really tired!

Melann13: Congrats on getting to your due date. Hopefully she'll be here soon!

Hopeful: I bet your getting excited also with all the new signs. Won't be long now before she'll be kicking you all over and at times you'll want her to stop!

Magicwhisper: Congrats on the good scan!


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I'm sure all is fine with baby. I understand being cautious though. I'm glad you'll get to see her soon. Let us know how it goes. :hugs:


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## Mummy to HP

Our baby girl Esther May arrived Sunday 12/01/14 at 4.17am 7lb 1oz :thumbup::happydance: totally smitten she is beautiful. 

I am a bit sore :blush: (got to the hospital at 1.45am and it was pretty full on straight away so needed some stitches).

Managed with just TENs, gas and air.

Back home the same day (before lunchtime in fact).

Looking a bit jaundice this morning and being weighed tomorrow just hoping everything is OK.

How is everyone sorry I haven't been around much the last few weeks of pregnancy were really tough.

xxxx


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## Hopeful2014

@Mummy to HP Congratulations!! How exciting! :happydance: That was a quick delivery. I'm sure it's nice to be home already. I hope you start to feel better soon. I updated the front and our parenting thread. 

Congratulations!! I can't wait to hear more about Esther.


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## magicwhisper

congratulations :happydance:


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## OurLilFlu

Congrats!! Sounds like you had a great experience!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!


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## kksy9b

congratulations!! love her name!


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## newbie2013

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!


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## newbie2013

Hopeful, how about starting a baby count on the parenting thread?? (Or this one - which one do you think is best, ladies??)


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## mummy2o

Congrats mummy to HP! What a lovely name!

The scan went fine. She measuring a week behind her due date, so if in a months time she hasn't done enough growing or turned around (currently breeched) they are going to discuss my options with me. Midwife today so that's good too.


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Happy 23 weeks! :happydance:

@daddiesgift Happy 21 weeks! :happydance: 

@newbie2013 Good idea! :thumbup: Which thread would you ladies like me to add it to? A #pink / #blue / #yellow bumps on this thread and/or a #pink / #blue kids born on the parenting thread?

@mummy2o I'm glad the scan was good. I hope the midwife appointment goes good too. :thumbup: I'm sure she will catch up.


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## Kalush

Mummytohp- Congrats! Sounds like things went well.


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## magicwhisper

your 19 weeks along today hopeful :happydance:


one more week until v day for meee :happydance:
and i have the heart scan tomorrow


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Thanks! :happydance: I'm so excited to almost be halfway there! I'm so happy that v day is so close for you! :D Let us know how the heart scan goes. I'm getting excited for my 20 week appointment next week! 

@Kalush How are you? :flower:

@melann13 Baby watch continues. I hope to see that baby Felicity has come every day. :D


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## melann13

@Hopeful, no such luck. the nurse at the doc yesterday even commented that the baby must still be high because I walk too fast... :(
Still 0cm. I will see the doc on Tuesday and schedule induction for late next week (he doesn't want me to hit 42 weeks)


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## magicwhisper

heart scan went great she is perfect :cloud9: 

she is lying sideways though so bladder kicks = not fun


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## daddiesgift

Melann- she must be too comfortable! Ive never heard the way you walk can effect baby positioning! Do you have a ball you can sit and bounce on? I guess start walking slow :winkwink: good luck! Some people say all it takes to get baby out is scheduling an induction, they'll decide to come in their own when they hear that! :haha: 

AFM- nothing much going on. Freaking out about the fact I've already gained ten pounds! Five just in the last two weeks!! Not a good sign for my "keep your weight gain around 25 pounds" as my midwife would say. I'm also feeling her move all day everyday, baby brother felt her yesterday :) not sure he knew it was a baby but he went crazy slapping my stomach after that with an evil laugh :haha:


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## melann13

@daddiesgift, she didn't mean that my walking was preventing anything, she meant that the baby must still be high if I'm able to walk so well. I have been bouncing on a fitness ball for a few weeks. It's quite comfy.
I'm going to try the famous Scalini's Eggplant Parm today. Headed to the grocery store in a bit. https://www.scalinis.com/Bambino.htm Not at all convinced it will do anything, but it can't hurt, plus cooking it will give me something to do.
My due date buddy from baby class (who also hasn't had her baby yet) and I are going to get pedicures tomorrow.
I think I started losing my mucus plug yesterday. I've had mucus discharge for weeks, but it was brown and a little different (grosser) yesterday and today. I'm still not 100% sure because I got a cervix check yesterday and it could've caused it. I didn't have anything after my check last week, so who knows.


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## daddiesgift

Oh, well that makes more sense then :)


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## Kalush

Magicwhisper - glad the heart scan was perfect!

Daddiesgift - I figure as long as you are trying to eat decently you are going to gain what you are going to. Though it would be nice not to gain 40 lbs this time.

Melann - Have fun with your pedicure. It'll be nice to relax with someone in the same position as you. Have fun cooking the parm!

I'm doing well. After waking up feeling not great a couple days I woke up feeling great today. Of course it's then, did I make it up or am I really pregnant. A couple hours later I feel pretty crap, so yay I guess. Also I'm freezing all the time. Today is grocery shopping day and all food sounds bad. I have meals planned and the list so it should be fine. Time seems to be going fast overall but still dragging at times. I'm looking forward to telling our parents this weekend.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I hope the doctor sees some progress by Tuesday. It's very possible that it can happen all of a sudden. I hope you start to see/feel something soon! :flower:

@magicwhisper :happydance: I'm glad all is perfect! That's wonderful news!

@daddiesgift I'm so happy you're feeling her so much. It's so sweet that your son was able to feel her too. Was it Dominic or Anthony? I'm not sure how much I've gained so far. I shall find out next week; I'm hoping it's good. :haha:

@Kalush Do you have any special way you are going to tell your parents? :flower:


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## daddiesgift

Well I gained 40 pounds with each boy so my heart wasn't set on this "25 pounds" :haha: I just don't want to gain over 40 pounds! With the boys I didn't gain till 20 weeks this time I've gained 10 before 20 weeks! 

Hopeful it was Anthony :) Dominic I think understands I'm pregnant. Anthony is still oblivious. Then again Domi was 15 months old when Anthony was born and didn't know I was with baby till he was born :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I'll update my weight gain next week. :winkwink: The other day someone asked my niece (8-years-old) what she thought about my baby bump. She looked at me from the front and side and examined me. 
She said "Where is it?" She is expecting the big final belly size that she remembers from her mom. :haha: After we told her at Christmas she asked, "Are you really pregnant, like, right now? You don't look pregnant." :haha: I definitely notice a difference at this point, but I could still hide it from others.


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## mummy2o

Is it at all possible for men to go through a mid-life crises whilst under 30? I swear OH does this to wind me up, but never mind. So he comes to me saying that his course is a whole sham, which in truth it is as no one is getting whatever you get at the end of it. So he's going to start legal process to get his money back. Now he has decided he wants to go uni with me. Different subjects of course as I will be doing Business studies of some kind with Japanese and he'll be doing Games design or similar. I guess I just never imagined use both going to uni with a young baby. On the plus side it won't be for a year or two as he also needs to do the access course and possible retake his GCSE's as his mum died before his exams so studying wasn't his priority. It just seems a complete waste of time though from my point of view since he already has a studio with games being developed. Never mind though, I guess I should be the supportive as he's letting me do what I want.

Melann: any news yet?

Daddiesgift: My son is 6 and oblivious I'm pregnant. I have to say despite DS school being totally crap right now, they are helping him prepare for his new sister.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I think it's possible for people to have a life crisis at almost any age now. :dohh: There's the quarter-life crisis too. I hope you both get it sorted. I imagine you'll be able to work it out especially if it's a couple of years away. Perhaps you can work your schedules around making sure one of you are always available to the kids.


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## melann13

Nothing to report here. Yesterday I had lots more mucous, it's thinner though and a little yellowish... Not sure what that means, but it doesn't smell or anything or itch, so I'm assuming it's fine. DTD last night. Had a couple contractions after, but nothing much. Today is MIL's Bday, so I think she'd like it if it were today. I had horrible nightmares about the baby last night. I don't want to repeat them as I'm trying to get them out of my mind.
Even if I went into labor in the next hour, I don't know that she'd get here today since there's only 14.5 hours left in the day. I've been sleeping pretty well, which is great. Just means that each morning I wake up and realize that another day has gone by uneventfully.


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## daddiesgift

My husband is having a quarter life crisis :haha: 

Hopefully it's soon Melann!


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## melann13

My DH is calling it a "before parenthood" crisis. Fortunately for me it just meant that he bought a very expensive stereo ($3000) and built some beautiful speakers. He sold a bunch of old photography equipment to pay for it, so it's no skin off my back! He's extremely handy and entertains himself by making things. Works for me!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 :hugs: I'm sorry about the nightmare. I know it's hard. I'm glad you're sleeping good still. I really hope she comes soon. Fingers crossed for a good report on Tuesday or that she comes before then. 

@daddiesgift :haha:

AFM My 20 week appointment is next week. Do you have any advice of what to expect or how to prepare?


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## Kalush

Melann - Sorry about the nightmares. Glad you have been able to sleep though, that's great. It's nice that he was able to sell things to pay for his new things. You'll get to meet her soon, :hugs:, it can be hard to wait. It'll be worth it.

Hopeful - I was the same way last time. My friends kept saying I didn't look pregnant. It started growing in the 20's and a huge jump from 30-31. We'll see what this time brings. I don't remember anything special about 20 week appointment, they all were pretty much check urine, blood pressure, feel stomach, listen to heartbeat, see you next time.

Excited to tell my parents tomorrow. I took a picture of DD in a big sister shirt, added september 2014 to the picture and will e-mail it to them. We'll do it during facetime under the guise of asking if the picture will work for a family photo of the 3 of us we promised to take for them. Probably we should take that at some point too. Then Monday we're going to DH's parents house and we'll just have wear the shirt and let them notice. So the next couple days should be fun. Today was the first day I've been exhausted, also nauseous all day starting after breakfast. Took a nap during DD's nap time too, I forsee more of those in the future.


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## KatyW

Hang in there, Melann, not much longer. :)

I wish I didn't look so pregnant already at almost 23 weeks (I feel like I look more like 27 weeks), haha, but I am one to show early and have a huge bump. I guess it must be equally annoying to not show too, but I've never had that experience. I'm guessing I'm on track to gain 35ish pounds, but I don't really mind as that is what it was like last time, and I lost it all without a lot of effort due to breast feeding and exercise. My doctor didn't give me any advice on weight gain. I don't indulge much in pregnancy, though, so I don't know if that helped too.


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## Buttercup84

:hugs: Melann, I went 12 days over with DD so I understand the anxieties when you go over your due date and the phonecalls, texts etc asking if anything has happened don't help. Hang in there :flower:
I'm 6+2 and still don't have any real symptoms. Fatigue some evenings but it's random and some very mild waves of nausea but I think that's just because i'm more conscious of my body and noticing little things more. Trying not to let it all worry me but i'll be so glad to be past 12 weeks! My NHS scan is at 12 weeks but i'm thinking paying for a private one at 8 weeks like I did with DD, I said I wouldn't this time but the lack of symptoms is making me want that bit of reassurance again. Got a bit of time to decide anyway...


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## melann13

Just went for a long walk outside (it's about 37 degrees, so decent enough) with DH up and down hills through the snow etc. I woke up at 3am this morning with very mild contractions every 10 minutes that fizzled, and then at around 10:30 the back pain kicked in. I've always gotten bad back pain with my periods and TERRIBLE with my MC. It's ebbed and surged throughout the day. It was VERY strong on our walk home, but no discernible contractions. Back pain has receded a little bit now, I think I'll bounce on my ball for a bit. DH has volunteered to DTD again (we did on Friday), so if I'm up for it, that'll be on the schedule as well. SOOOO hoping to avoid induction!


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## Hopeful2014

@Kalush I bet your parents will be excited. :D Let us know how the reveal goes. I like the shirt idea. 

@KatyW I'll find out my weight gain on Wednesday. I'm not sure how much I've gained. It's all in my tummy so far so that's good. :D I've noticed my bump is slowly moving up. I've had a roundness to the lower tummy for a while, but it's becoming rounder at the top now. I love it. 

@Buttercup84 I totally understand wanting reassurance. I say have one at 8 weeks if it will make you feel better. My first appointment was at 10 weeks and it was so hard to wait. I imagine your symptoms will get stronger soon. :D

@melann13 That all sounds like so much work and hopefully progress! I really hope it happens naturally for you and SOON! :D


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## KatyW

Melann, that sounds like progress, the pain of my labor was mostly in my back, and started with coming and going contractions, then ramped up within a day to full-blown, progressing labor. I hope this is it for you!

Hopeful, that sounds like a cute little bump!

Congrats to Kalush and Buttercup! I hope you ladies have an easy first trimester.

AFM, I forgot to mention I had a scan again and cervical length measurement; cervical measurement is perfect at this point, normal length, so fingers crossed I have no signs of incompetent cervix going forward from here (they're monitoring for this issue since I had spontaneous preterm delivery last time). And she's still a girl!


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## melann13

Just a note to say that I'm still here... Made it through the night waking up hourly just due to discomfort. Migraine this morning and more back and pelvic pain, but no real contractions. Hoping my body is at lead progressing so that induction is smoother if we end up that route.


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## newbie2013

Melann - thinking of you!


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## melann13

I have had two bouts of pink discharge this morning. I've had lots of yellow and some brown in the last week, but this is the first pink. Lots of pressure down there and my migraine has not improved. Hoping the hormones are shifting (my migraines are usually estrogen induced) and things start to progress!


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## kksy9b

Hi ladies! I've been away for a few days. Was hoping to come back and see that Melann's little girl was here... but hang in there... she will be here soon!! Wishing you all the very best of luck!!

AFM, had my first shower this weekend and it was wonderful. Have another one in 3 weeks! Getting the nursery painted this week and all the furniture put in the room next weekend. Very anxious to start getting things set up. Had to call the nurse back today. The lab that did the GD test had misplaced the results. OB was able to track down and I "passed with flying colors!" So overall a really nice weekend!


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## Buttercup84

Melann, when will they induce you? It didn't happen for me but i've heard of so many ladies on her going into labour the night before they were due to be induced, or even the morning of, so fc this happens for you if things don't start before :winkwink:


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## KatyW

Melann, sounds like things are getting started, I really hope you deliver soon as I am sure it is exhausting. Hugs!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Thanks! :D Yay for her still being a girl! Fingers crossed you continue to have no signs of incompetent cervix. 

@melann13 Let us know what you hear at the appointment Tuesday. :thumbup: I hope you are showing some progress. Yay for the pink! I think you are on your way!

@kksy9b Yay for passing the GD test! :happydance: I bet getting the nursery together will feel amazing. Happy 30 weeks! 3/4 of the way finished!!


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## melann13

Bloody show yesterday and today, but at doc this morning I still have a closed cervix, although 80% effaced. Fluid is starting to get low and hospital is pretty booked, so I'm going in in 5 hours to start the ripening process and then pitocin. Very nervous. Pray for us! 
It's surreal to have a timeline. Came home and repacked the hospital bag. I added lots to the labor bag since I'll be there starting this afternoon. Movies, games etc. I REALLY wanted to avoid induction, but certainly wouldn't put baby at risk. Hopefully she's here by tomorrow night!


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## mummy2o

All exciting stuff Melann. Can't wait to hear your next update (hopefully with baby news!)


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## kksy9b

So exciting! Can't wait to hear that your little girl is in your arms!


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## Kalush

kksy - Glad your GD result were negative. Good luck with the nursery.


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## Buttercup84

Good luck Melann! I had low fluid with DD aswell hence being induced 11 days over (they were going to make me wait until 14 days!) Hope your induction is fast and smooth and little Felicity arrives very soon :flower:


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## daddiesgift

Good Luck Melann!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I hope you have an easy delivery and that she is here by tomorrow night. I know it's not what you wanted, but I know you're strong enough to do it. Baby Felicity will be here soon. :happydance:


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## Ameli

Good luck, Melann!


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## magicwhisper

good luck


v day :wohoo:


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Happy V Day! :happydance:

@melann13 I've been thinking of you all day! :D


AFM I'm 20 weeks and halfway there! :happydance: I am so blessed and thankful for this. I had my 20 week scan and appointment. I've gained 6 lbs and 2 oz so far. I gained most of it in the first trimester. I assume I'll start putting more on in the next few weeks as my belly continues to grow. My fundal height is on target at 20 cm, which really made me happy. She's still baby Emma and her heartbeat was 166 bpm. She was curled up and didn't want to be bothered. :haha: She was sitting quite low, which explains why I mostly feel her at my pants line. I will have another scan in February to get better pictures of her face and heart. I was so nervous that they might have seen something, but she said everything is A-OK and that this is only because they need the best pictures due to their guidelines. I spend most of each day being thankful for this little girl.


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## Ameli

Happy Vday magic whisper and Happy 20 weeks Hopeful!!


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## kksy9b

So happy to hear that baby Emma is perfect in there Hopeful!


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## mummy2o

Happy V-day magicwhisper.

Glad you had a good 20 week scan hopeful.

My cousin had her baby this morning. He was slightly late but that's fine, but its made it all so much more real for me if that makes sense as I'll be next to give birth in my family. OH's family are already making bets with each other if me or his cousin gives birth first. We're due the same day so it could go either way. Both on second babies too. So exciting stuff this end.


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## Hopeful2014

Thanks! :D 


@mummy2o I can understand that feeling. I get it when I see a little baby. It's starting to become more real for me at this point too because of the scan and because it's not only adding a new week each week, but it's also like a 20 week countdown now too. It's neat that you are both due on the same day. You're getting so close! :happydance:


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## athena87

I guess I finally made it to this forum :)
 



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## KatyW

congratulations on your new pregnancy, Athena :)

Happy 20 weeks, Hopeful!!

Good luck, Melann, we're all awaiting the happy news of you baby girl's arrival.

AFM, mood swings, blah (I am having really witchy moments that I would like to blame on pregnancy, as they come out of nowhere and then I'm cheeful). A lot of women cry, but I get flashes of irritation. Oh well, just trying to contain it! It could also be that my mom has been visiting for a long time and sometimes it is hard to get along with your mom, not sure.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations again Athena!

Sorry about the mood swings Katy. Ive had a few timea in the pregnancy where it feels like I can't control the emotions for a few days/weeks at a time so I can certainly emphathize. I'm sure its pregnancy related for you but I hope things get back to normal for you soon!

AFM, getting excited..the nursery will be done being painted tomorrow. My husband and a couple friends are moving all the furniture around on Saturday. Then I get to start getting things ready and set up! Just over two months to go and I'll have my baby boy in my arms. He's such a great kid already (DH and I have given him a lot of personality lol) and its a bit surreal that he will be here before we know it!


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## kksy9b

Oh! Also wanted to mention for anyone that hadn't heard yet. Babies r us is doing their trade in event from jan 24-feb 14th. You can trade in old car seats, strollers, cribs etc and get 25% off a new one. I had a friend mention it yesterday and then got a book in the mail.


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## Kalush

Hopeful - YaY for 20 weeks! I'm so glad everything looks great with Emma. 

Athena - YaY! So glad you are here! We can talk about all the fun first tri things like all food sounding awful!

Katyw - Sorry about the mood swings, hope they level out. 

Kksy - That will be nice having the nursery all painted. Do you guys have a certain theme you are going with? Two months seems so close, exciting!

afm - Lovely all day nausea here. I also apparently can't eat my normal fare. I've subbed in bagels for the last two dinners after realizing I couldn't eat anything I made. Managed to eat pasta with mixed veggies for lunch, so YaY for actually eating some veggies! It's just so weird to go from eating mostly veggies and fruit to almost no veggies. Fruit is still delicious though!


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## athena87

Thanks ladies.

Kalush I thought I was going to barf earlier, this girl in my class had some kind of bagel and it smelled disgusting. I am apparently sensitive to smells though cause Sunday before I even knew I was pregnant I tried this new perfume from my birchbox and in church I thought I was going to be sick from the perfume. I was having a little motion sickness to. The biggest thing right now though is the constant flow of cm and headaches when I get hungry.


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## magicwhisper

congratulations on your bfp!


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## kksy9b

Athena- try to keep a few small snacks nearby. For me, always having something on my stomach (fruits veggies crackers etc) really helped in the first tri to keep nausea and headaches away. And lots of water! Hope you start feeling better soon!


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 I'm so excited for you. :happydance: Shall I update you officially? If so, do you have an estimated due date yet?

@KatyW Thanks! I have moments of extreme frustration and then it's gone. :dohh: I imagine it is hard having a visitor for a while too. I hope it gets better soon! 

@kksy9b I think getting the nursery finished (or even starting it) is such a sweet moment. :D Baby Charles will be here very soon!

@Kalush Thanks! :D I'm so sorry that all food sounds awful. I know I was lucky because I was always starving during first tri as opposed to not being able to eat. I had some nausea, but it was mainly because I was too hungry. Heartburn came for me at the end of first tri and is coming off and on during second tri though. Could you try putting veggies/fruit in a smoothie? I know that's easier for some people. I hope your appetite returns and the nausea leaves soon. 

AFM I saw the first visible kick from the outside this morning. <3 My husband couldn't get in the room fast enough and missed it. I hope she keeps going now!


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## magicwhisper

awh yay to outside movements 

oh still hasent seen any movements or felt her move but he is waay to impatient. he will only try for a couple of secs ten give up :dohh:


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> awh yay to outside movements
> 
> oh still hasent seen any movements or felt her move but he is waay to impatient. he will only try for a couple of secs ten give up :dohh:

I was just sitting here using the laptop and felt a hard kick. I was so surprised to actually be able to see the kicks. He was two rooms away and I didn't want to move because I thought she would stop. I've tried looking and feeling on past kicks, but she quits immediately when I try to feel. :haha: So I (as loudly as I can/but as quietly as I can so as not to startle her into stopping) scream for him to come in here. He doesn't hear me over the dishwasher. I grab the ipad and think to record it as she's on the fourth or fifth kick and she stops as soon as I hit record. :dohh: It's the highest movements I have felt, so I hope it means that I'll start to see more if she continues to move higher.


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## melann13

Felicity Jo FINALLY arrived at 7:45 on the 23rd, 39 hours after being admitted for induction, 29 hours after my water broke. By that point I was 41+4. The wonderful thing is that she has a full head of hair and is very alert. Feedin is going very well so far too, which is why I was so afraid of drugs. But the epidural was definitely necessary in this case. The cervical ripener pushed me into full labor and about 6hrs after the true contractions started, there was no longer pauses in between. Non stop. After about an hour and a half, the nurse became concerned as I couldn't catch my breath and was becoming disoriented. Got the epidural which slowed labor a bit, but honestly was amazing because I was able to be so aware. They kept calling it "the perfect epidural" because I could still feel contractions and pressure of where to push, but it wasn't that painful. After 3 hrs of pushing, they assisted with the suction which got her out in 2 more contractions. Will take good pictures soon, we've just been staring at her gorgeousness. 8lbs 4oz. 21 inches


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## OurLilFlu

Aww congrats! Well worth the wait!


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## magicwhisper

congratulations :happydance:


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## daddiesgift

Yay!! Congrats! :dance: can't wait to see pictures


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## kksy9b

Yay!!!! Congratulations melann! Looking forward to seeing a picture of your beautiful baby girl! Sounds like it was a long but beautiful labor and delivery!

Hopeful- isn't it wonderful getting to watch them from the outside? For a long time charles would stop kicking as soon as I put my hand on my belly. He still does it with my DH and in no way will he let me get a recording of him. Finally this morning he had hiccups and my hubby got to feel them but it's only been a couple times he's been able to feel/see him. This kid just wants momma to have him to herself! Wouldn't let grandma feel him either. I'm not complaining lol.

Kalush- sorry you're not feeling well! The nausea is a good sign that things are progressing like they should be but I hope you get a break from it soon! We are doing a safari/jungle animal theme. DH didn't want one but agreed as long as it wasn't too over the top. I'll post pics once we get it set up!


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## KatyW

Kalush, I also had a lot of aversions and stuck to a bland diet during the first trimester. Rice cakes and yogurt (and lots of fruit) really helped, as did just eating all the time. Hope you can find things you like and can keep the nausea to a minimum. 

Athena, yeah, perfumes can be rough, I avoid my favorite one still. It just smells too strong, and I use unscented soaps when possible. 

MELANN, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! Sounds like she is a beautiful little one, and I'm glad feeding is going well. What a great birth weight too. Well done, mama :). 

AFM, I feel great today, but yesterday I went from irritated to wanting to cry to super happy all in about 3 hours. Ha! I am normally very steady and calm so it's always weird to see what pregnancy can do to your mood. Other than that, feeling good, just getting urges to reorganize my house (which is probably a January thing too). It got messy when I spent months nauseous.


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## newbie2013

Congrats Melann!!!! Photo, please, when you have time


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## athena87

Melann congrats. I can't wait to see her.

Hopeful today is 13 dpo and the day af normally comes tomorrow I should be 4 weeks. And estimated due date based on ovulation is October 4. I guess you can make it official now :)


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## Buttercup84

Congratulations Melann, can't wait to see pics :happydance:


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## magicwhisper

rice crackers, toast, crackers, i lived off in first tri :dohh:


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## melann13

Having trouble loading more than one photo at a time from my phone. Will be better at home with my computer. Everything is well, but cluster feeding is no joke!!
 



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## melann13

Oh, the little splint is just because she had 48 hrs of antibiotics (given every 12) because from water breaking to delivery was so long and I spiked a fever.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Congratulations and welcome baby Felicity! :D I am so glad she is here and that all is well. I can't wait to see her and hear more about her. :D

@OurLilFlu Happy 36 weeks!! :happydance:

@kksy9b :D Seeing those little movements felt so sweet. I appreciate each movement. My husband asked me later today if I'd seen any more. He is so anxious and knows I have been feeling them, but he wants to feel them too. He's looking for reassurance as well. :) Baby Charles loves his momma. I can't wait to see your nursery!

@KatyW I get in the mood to reorganize too. I'm glad you're feeling better. :) I totally agree about how pregnancy can change your moods. I usually get a bit anxious for spring and yearn for sunshine after Christmas and the new year, which makes me a bit sad at times. I've felt much better this year though. 

@athena87 I updated the front and the ttc front. :)

@Buttercup84 Happy 7 weeks!! :happydance:


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## Hopeful2014

melann13 said:


> Having trouble loading more than one photo at a time from my phone. Will be better at home with my computer. Everything is well, but cluster feeding is no joke!!

She's such a cutie! I can't wait to see more. :D


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## mummy2o

Congratulations Melann and welcome to parenthood. She is lovely.

Congrats Athena if I haven't already said on the BFP.

AFM I'm sick with a chest infection and feel pretty crap really so not on much. Earliest doctor appointment is on Tuesday so I have to wait until then before I can get some antibotics. I did try and shift it on my own, but it seems to be worse again :( A lot of tea I think today!


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## magicwhisper

she is such a cutie :D


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## daddiesgift

Adorable Melann!


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## athena87

Melann congrats she is beautiful.

I think I have a pretty good progression.
 



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## daddiesgift

Thats great progression! :thumbup:


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## Buttercup84

Melann she is a beauty, you look so happy too :cloud9:
Nice progression athena, and congrats! :happydance:


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## Kalush

Melann - Congrats! She's beautiful. So glad things went well. Long labors are tough, but so worth it. Enjoy your newborn snuggles.

Mummy2o - I hope you get better soon. 

Athena - Great progression!


I have went to the store for a bunch of things I can eat. It seems like eating doesn't really help. I remember eating all the time last time really helped. It's okay though, just hoping it doesn't get worse. We're heading on a ski trip with friends from college on tuesday. I'm exctied, it should make the time go fast and be fun! I'm not really sure there will be a way to hide it from them. After the skiing the rest of the time is spent with lots of alcohol and hanging out in the hottub. I'm more of a 1-2 drinks a day person, but none I will be called on.


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## ALiKO

hey ladies! :)

i've been m.i.a from this thread for sometime but i have been lurking periodically. a super CONGRATULATIONS to kalush and athena H&H9M ladies :happydance:. i hope everyones pregnancy has been going great.

Congrats to melann YAY shes HERE :happydance:. you two look beautiful :)

AFM currently in the 3rd tri. super happy about that. also i have a bump now that i cannot deny anymore. cant wait till april to meet my little girl :).
 



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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o :hugs: I hope you start feeling better soon. I imagine it must make you so much more tired and sore. 

@athena87 That's a great progression! :happydance: Happy 4 weeks!! 

@Kalush I hope you're able to find something appetizing. :thumbup: Have fun on your trip! Do you plan to tell them if they get suspicious? 

@ALiKO :hi: That's a beautiful bump! Happy 27 weeks!! Only 91 days to go!! :happydance: That's so exciting!


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## ALiKO

hey hopeful :wave:

thanks so much. when i think about how far i've come in this pregnancy i feel like time has flown by. but when i think about how much more i have to go i feel like its taking so long :dohh:. im just so anxious to meet her but in due time as she needs to cook a bit more :).
and happy 20 weeks! woo hoo! :happydance:


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I totally understand how you feel. Sometimes I feel like time has gone by so quickly. That's true for weeks when I am very busy. However, sometimes it drags and I can't wait. I want to enjoy this pregnancy and be thankful for each day, but there's a large part that wants baby Emma here already just so I can have her and know that all is well. You're right though; it'll be worth it when the time comes and when they are ready. :D


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## mummy2o

Aliko: I love your bump. So cute! I was thinking the same about the time gone in pregnancy. I can't imagine Hopeful being almost 21 weeks, no offence, but I still remember you coming on here claiming when you got the BFP not so long ago. And with Athena and Kalush just getting their BFP and others already having their babies it doesn't feel that is been that long already! I have a hard time believing I only have less than 50 days to go, give or take.

AFM: I will be going to the doctor later today. I still have this cold. I think its more a chest infection I can't shift. I've had it for 3-4 weeks now and its driving me mad. I just want it gone now. So maybe I'll get some pregnancy safe antibiotics as this lack of sleep is more or less killing me as I start to cough/sneeze when I pee in the night and just can't get back to sleep :(


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## pennymarie

Oh my goodness it's everyone I was so envious of!! :D 

I just got my BFP today! 8 months since I first joined this thread! Some of you should be ready to pop!

I'm so shocked


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o It's hard for me to believe on some days as well. I'm sorry you are still feeling so poorly. I know it has to be so hard. I hope they're able to give you something to get better quickly. 50 days to go - Wow! That's amazing! :D

@pennymarie I added you to the front and put you under October. You can update with a date when you know. Congratulations! :happydance:


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## athena87

Penny I'm a few days ahead of you. Congrats on your bfp.


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## OurLilFlu

Pennymarie! I remember you from the early days of this thread congrats to you on your bfp! H&H 8 months!!


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## kksy9b

Penny- congratulations!!! Completely remember you from the beginning of the thread and so happy you are joining us here! H&H 9 months to you


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## daddiesgift

Pennymarie- congrats!! :dance: 

For me this pregnancy is going very slooooooow. :haha: I want days to hurry on and get to her birth but with that days of my life pass and my children get older so its bittersweet. I want time to go by then again I wish it would stand still!


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## pennymarie

athena87 said:


> Penny I'm a few days ahead of you. Congrats on your bfp.

My LMP was December 25th, so that puts my due date at October 1st. But I know my cycles are 37-40days. And I had to ovulate sometimes after the 15th? So the typical thing doesn't work for me here. 

Also, ladies, how and when should I tell my husband??? I don't want it to just be a chemical thing and me making a big deal out of nothing. But it's so hard not talking to him about it


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## kksy9b

Penny- did you say on the other thread that the line is darker than the control? Sorry if this wasn't you. If its darker then it indicates that your levels are increasing like they should. Maybe call your doctor to confirm and then tell your husband? After a long journey I can certainly understand hesitating to tell him. However, I'm sure he will want to join in celebrating and in checking that everything is okay. Good luck!


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## pennymarie

Yea it's the same color as control, but has a line on the side thats darker? Like half is darker and the other half is the same color? 

How can that be if the embryo is only two weeks and has only been implanted a week??

I keep trying to load picture on advance and where it asks me to browse it won't let me

):


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## daddiesgift

If there's two lines regardless which is darker than that's a BFP. Have you only taken one test? I'm confused by the embryo is two weeks old but implanted a week ago thing. If your lmp was December 25th then you'd be nearly 5 weeks along. Maybe you ovulated at a different time than you think


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## pennymarie

We used a condom until the 15th of this month. And he pulled out. We weren't going to start trying until next cycle. But say before his birthday we decided that I had probably already ovulated (obviously not). I usually ovulate really late like between CD 20 and 30. My luteal phase like barely 10 days. But there was it happened before the 14th of january.


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## daddiesgift

Hmm well I think when you make your doctors appointment they'll send you for a dating scan just to check how old baby actually is. How many tests you've taken? I believe regardless a line is a line and youre pregnant! He pulled out while wearing a condom or just pulled out sometimes? They say pre cum is more concentrated than cum. I guess I'd take a few more tests, ring the doc and tell OH.


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## pennymarie

One test. I'm so terrified. In fall of 2012 I had a 14 wk missed miscarriage. And I just rather not know I was pregnant if I miscarry. 

I know I'll take one next week if I don't spot. But I just don't believe I am. I'm too shocked

And he pulls out with a condom. We were actively trying not to get pregnant until this cycle. According to him a couple times in December and the previous months we would sporadically dtd without a condom. But around new years we decided to try again next cycle.


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## kksy9b

I can't imagine the fear and worry that goes into falling pregnant after a miscarriage. We are all here for you. The stress and worry though may do more damage than if you were to test earlier. Maybe wait 48 hours and test again? To see if the line is darker? Regardless we are here however we can, I just dont want to see you worry/stress over the next week not knowing.


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## pennymarie

I'm one of those girls who always says I'll hold out on testing.....and never do. So yea. Poas addict here


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## athena87

Penny my lmp was Dec. 14 but I know I didnt ovulate til January 11th. I'm a little confused though. were you saying there were 3 lines. Maybe I read that wrong, what kind of test did you take? To add a picture go to advanced, click on manage attachments,choose your picture then click upload. You don't close the advanced page, it attaches to that page and then you have to type something in the reply box and submit.


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## pennymarie

It's not letting me choose my picture. It's all pale. I'm on my phone and away from my laptop. Not three line, but you know how opks sometimes has two colors, it's looks kinda like that


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## Kwaggy

My phone wont let me upload photos, I have to upload them to photobucket, and then copy the URL from photobucket and paste it in my reply


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## pennymarie

That's smart. Let me try that. I don't think I have a photobucket account but I can try


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## pennymarie

Okay it's on photobucket, how do I copy the URL?


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## pennymarie

I think I got it!!!! Using my partners phone and mine combined. He was really confused why I was being so secretive on his phone...

Yay! This was from yesterday at 3:30pm ish so not fmu or smu
 



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## daddiesgift

Um yeah that's positive :haha: congrats! As dark as it is I'm thinking your further along though I know you said not possible. So that's a mystery but I'd say its safe to tell OH!


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## daddiesgift

Also on mobile I scroll to bottom and hit desktop version then go advanced then manage attachments and it lets me pick from my phones photo album although it will only do one pic at a time. I have an iPhone if that matters


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## Kwaggy

Thats a great line! I dont think mine ever got that dark! Congrats :)


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## OurLilFlu

Ya that line is unreal! Get bloods if you're worried to tell oh it might give an indication of the timing too... But with that test I wouldn't be thinking a chemical that's for sure, it's def positive and not just an early bfp


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## kksy9b

WOW! That is a DEFINITE positive! I agree... either you're a little farther along thank you think or maybe multiples? I would definitely say safe to tell your hubby and call the doctor! Congrats again!


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## pennymarie

Yea. I decided to go see the doctor Thursday. There is a curfew out tonight because the weather, so it's not worth it today. I'm going to try and hold out for thursday. I just can't see how I'm further along. 

But thank you all for the hope! I thought chemical pregnancies could be strong like that, but they end less than 5 or 6 weeks or something? Or is that an early miscarriage? My brain is foggy


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## OurLilFlu

Chemicals are generally only detected with early testing and your AF would be on time or slightly late, usually that equates to a fairly faint bfp that fades and AF comes... So generally I would think that it occurs mostly around 4 weeks or earlier... Even with different cycles lengths most LPs are around 2 weeks or less..... If that all makes sense... Either way Your bfp looks like at least 5 or more weeks, or maybe multiples lol 
Good luck on Thursday! Check out the beta base.org site to gauge whatever your hcg comes back as, it's a broad range but if its significant it could point to the timing


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## pennymarie

Yea. I looked up high hcg levels and it said molar pregnancy or blighted ovum, so I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I just jumped the gun on this. I feel a bit foolish.


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## melann13

Not necessarily penny. True higher than avg HCG could indicate those things, but those cheap tests are not quantitative at all. Check with your doctor!


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## ALiKO

mummy2o said:


> Aliko: I love your bump. So cute! I was thinking the same about the time gone in pregnancy. I can't imagine Hopeful being almost 21 weeks, no offence, but I still remember you coming on here claiming when you got the BFP not so long ago. And with Athena and Kalush just getting their BFP and others already having their babies it doesn't feel that is been that long already! I have a hard time believing I only have less than 50 days to go, give or take.
> 
> AFM: I will be going to the doctor later today. I still have this cold. I think its more a chest infection I can't shift. I've had it for 3-4 weeks now and its driving me mad. I just want it gone now. So maybe I'll get some pregnancy safe antibiotics as this lack of sleep is more or less killing me as I start to cough/sneeze when I pee in the night and just can't get back to sleep :(

thanks so much there is no denying this big ol' bump now :). and yea i agree! i still remember when a lot of the ladies announced you as well. and now the 1st round of babies has already been born. its gonna be so exciting from here on out as everyone starts popping in the next few weeks and months. im sorry to here your still feeling unwell. it sucks that theres not much pregnant women can do or take in these situations. try to relax in a warm bath maybe? drink an herbal tea with some honey and ginger. you can even put a bit of cayanne pepper inside itsvery good for you. but all in all i hope you get better soon :flower:


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## ALiKO

pennymarie- i remember you as well congratulations! and welcome! that test is definitely positive!

melann- loving your new avatar pic your daughter is such a cutie!

kwaggy- i cant upload pics from my phone either so thanks for posting that photobucket suggestion! 

oh and ladies i came across the funniest cutest article about a 13 year old boy who was adopted and never had or seen pics of himself as a baby. well his adoptive mom decided to give him a newborn photoshoot! complete with a swaddle photo, and soft lighting. if your interested in reading the pics and the article are here


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## mummy2o

Congrats penny. So happy to see you here. Lovely lines by the way.

Aliko: That's a lovely idea. Maybe I should do that with OH, when we get babies photo's done although I don't think he'll be up for that! I think its bothering OH more and he's thinking more and more about his birth mother and closer we get to having a baby. I'd love to help him, but I'm at a loss on where to start.

Anyway on some antibiotics but I knew I would be, so hopefully they'll kick in and clear out my infection. Also so I can get some sleep! Bad news is car broke, so going to take it to the garage later today. Also going to buy my pram later so all good :)


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Happy 23 weeks!! :happydance: I totally understand what you mean. I want to live every day and appreciate it all, but I want to rush it too. :haha:

@pennymarie I agree with the others. You could confirm with your doctor before telling if that will make you feel more comfortable. Or you could tell him if it would help and put less worry on you. I'm sure it will be hard to keep for too long. :thumbup: Those are very nice, dark lines. I wouldn't say it's too dark for your suspected dpo though (meaning I don't think it suggests anything negative since it is so dark). The only thing that made me believe it at first was testing every few days to make sure the line was darker or still as dark as the previous tests after having my c/p loss. I know that's not the answer for everyone, but it helped to see that the line was still dark. Of course I still worried until each appointment and still continue to worry. I'd suggest testing again just to see the line or going in to get bloods/dating scan. As for my c/p loss I tested positive on 14 dpo, 15 dpo, and 17 dpo (all on Wal-Mart tests), but started af on 19 dpo. However, none of my tests were super dark and they didn't show a good progression at all. I was terrified the whole time because I knew they should have been getting darker. However, this time my Wal-Mart test was dark much earlier and all the other brands stayed dark or continued to get darker. The digital test made me feel better too. 

@Kwaggy :hi: How are you and miss Dalylah? :D

@ALiKO That's a neat story. I always wish I had more pictures of myself as a baby. :( I love photography. My nieces will have tons of photos of themselves. I can only imagine how many baby Emma will have. :D

@mummy2o I hope the antibiotics help soon! :thumbup: I'm sorry about the car. :dohh: Why do we always have one thing to deal with right after another? Have fun buying the pram though. :thumbup:

@melann13 I agree; that's a cute avatar picture. :)

AFM My husband felt baby move tonight for the first time! :cloud9:


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## ALiKO

mummy2o- i think the photo's would be both hilarious and sweet. something you guys can look back on and laugh at and perhaps he'll feel a bit of closure. maybe suggest it to him? cant hurt... haha :)

hopeful- i also wish i had more baby photo's of myself. even video! even though i just turned 23, i feel kids of today are so lucky because its so convenient nowadays to take pic's and video's and store them on flash drives, SD cards, and DVD's, and print whenever you feel like. i know my grandma has a ton of pic's of me i've never seen. when i visit home maybe i'll try to wrestle a few from her.


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## Kwaggy

@ hopeful- Glad ur hubby got to feel baby movethats so exciting! Every time I would try to get my hubby to feel her move she would stop moving :) I miss feeling those little kicks and jabs. 

@ melann- love the pic. Hope you and baby are doing well!

@ aliko- Very cute bump :) 

@mummy2o- hope you feel better soon. 


Baby Dalylah is doing great. She is up to 6lbs already, and she has grown out of her preemie clothes. :) I wish now that I would have spelled her name the more traditional way. Its pronounced Delilah, but every time she has an appointment they cant seem to figure out how to say her name. The nurse today kept calling her Dale-ya. I go back to work Feb 10...leaving her is going to be so hard.


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## pennymarie

The one today was much lighter....does that mean a chemical??? The control line is also lighter so I have no idea.

Partner and I decided to go to hospital because now I'm even more worried about miscarriage or something. And I refuse to be stressed this time around
  



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## melann13

@penny, I don't think it's really lighter, it just looks like the urine is less concentrated. Good luck at the doctor, I pray you are pleasantly surprised! I truly do think that your chance of a positive outcome is much higher than a negative at this point though.


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## pennymarie

Thank you melann! We are at the hospital now, so hopefully within a few hours I'll know. So fx that they actually do something instead of brushing it all off.


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## athena87

Penny it could be the hook effect. Once hcg gets so high the tests can get lighter 

Afm So I went to the dr. She did an u/s, if you go by my period date which they did I'd be almost 7 weeks. But I'm pretty positive I'm 4 week 4 days. I go back next Friday. I'm hoping we will see something. They're doing blood work to make sure my numbers are doubling.
 



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## daddiesgift

Penny- fxed! I'm sure you are just nervous from past experience. I'm sure it's hard but try not to think "worse case scenerio" maybe this is your rainbow babe!


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## pennymarie

Oh Athena! We might be perfectly matched!!!! They took my blood so waiting on the hcg test, I really hope thy do an u/s so I can know its not a molar at least


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## pennymarie

Thank you so much everyone!


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## pennymarie

So no ultrasound....but they said i can make an appt for next week. So at least I can get an early appt. 

But hCG levels: 3036 whatever units 


I have no idea what this means??? I asked how far along be said between 3-6weeks... Seems a bit vague, which I know it's hard to tell now.


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## melann13

Yeah Penny, unfortunately a single HcG doesn't tell you much. Would they let you come back in two days and have another draw? HcG at least doubles at least 48 hours. For my little one, it was 23 on a Thursday and 72 on Saturday, so more than triple, and that was perfectly healthy considering she is now sleeping on my chest :). I think once it hits about 200,000 it begins to top out. Most things I find online say that a level around 3000 implies about 4.5-5 weeks, so ovulation 2.5-3 weeks ago. Does that sounds reasonable? You can see from this chart https://www.pregnancyloss.info/hcg_levels.htm that the range is VERY wide.


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## pennymarie

Okay, it's the from conception or from lmp that's so confusing. So it means I ovulated about 2.5-3 weeks....hmm

I think I'm a smidge on the high side then, cause we weren't even dtd (without a condom until 1.5-2weeks ago). 

But it's not too much of a stretch


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## ALiKO

penny- if its any help i found this chart awhile back. sorry if the pic is a little blurry it is a picture of a picture on my old cellphone. its a chart of hcg hormones in early and late pregnancy.

https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0035_zps92b49772.jpg

also here is a pic of all the pregnancy tests i took. the 1st from the left is 12dpo which is the test i took at the doctors, i was 3 weeks 5 days pregnant, i had'nt even missed my period yet (it was 2 days before my missed period). the last test i think was either 16 or 17dpo.

https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0036_zps72582fe3.jpg

i know its easier said then done but please try not to worry :flower:

also im not sure about the green test but all the other tests measured 50 mIU's of hcg*


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## pennymarie

Thank you Aliko, I'm pretty sure I'm 17-21dpo...its the only thing that makes sense. And then it still doesn't make sense. 

But no sense in worrying about it! I need to work on my inner calm

HOW IS EVERYONE ELSE??


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I wish I had more video too. I only have a few videos from school plays. :( I don't even have my hospital birth photo. I do have quite a few child photos, but I wish I had more of me as a baby and toddler. I love flash drives, SD cards, and DVDs for storage. I hope you're able to get some photos from your grandma! My husband's parents have a bunch of photos that we took photos of to have as copies. The picture of your tests is so cool. I think it's cool to see tests from other countries! :thumbup: 

@Kwaggy I love that he got to feel her. She's a bit sneaky and would hide when I would try in the past. I hope she makes it easier in the coming weeks. She does seem to be getting stronger. :winkwink: I'm so glad to hear Dalylah's growing already! I'm sorry people are having trouble pronouncing her name. Could you change the paperwork on her birth certificate or would it be too much of a hassle at this point? 

@pennymarie No, I think that's still really dark. :thumbup: They may not be the exact same amount of dark each time based on your urine concentration. Plus that test may not have as much ink anyway since the control line is lighter too. Yay for getting an early appointment next week! 

@athena87 They usually like to go by lmp date, but I'm sure the dating scan will help. That's a beautiful line! :)

@melann13 Awe to her sleeping on your chest! :D I can't wait. :happydance: 

AFM My mother-in-law bought us our crib and mattress yesterday. I love it. I thought it might be a bit early to get, but it was on sale and it's the one I've wanted. I struggled with putting on my rings yesterday as well. (I don't wear them at night or while doing tasks around.) I think it's that I was rushing around, taking a shower, and drying my hair. I was quite warm. I took my wedding band out shopping with me and was able to put it on easily after I had cooled down. I hope this was just a random occurrence. :dohh:


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## daddiesgift

Nothing too knew here! When is Vday? I thought it was 26 weeks but I see on here people say 24 weeks? :shrug: 

This pregnancy I've suffered from heart burn, trapped gas and sour stomach HORRIBLY. Nearly everyday all day and nothing is helping! I could deal with everything but the trapped gas! I had it only a few days with my boys now it's been everyday for the past week! Even before I eat or drink anything :nope: I know I said before I don't want time to fly by but today I think if it would just fly to May I'd be okay with that :haha:


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## kksy9b

Daddiesgift- it is at 24 weeks. At that point baby's organs have developed to the point that they are compatible with current technology. By your ticker you're almost there!!


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## athena87

My beta was at 400 yesterday. I just called the nurse to find out. I'll have my second draw tomorrow to make sure it's doubling.


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## pennymarie

Athena- I hope everything is doubling nicely! 

Daddiesgift: that's exactly how I would describe it! Trapped gas!! I've been saying I'm bloated. It's uncomfortable. I can't put on my shoes cause it hurts in my abdomen.


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## daddiesgift

Trapped gas is the worse! I'm normally not a gassy person at all but this whole pregnancy! It makes my chest, back and stomach feel like it's going to explode! I've been sleeping in the kids room just so I can sleep in odd positions to find relief! Just this hour the sour stomach has started again :cry: maybe I need a water filter? All I've had is water since I ate earlier and I had some olives and feta (yes I know feta is a pregnancy no go) baaaaarf


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## athena87

Daddies gift you freaked me out for second. I eat feta on my salads, but this website has it on the safe list https://www.babycentre.co.uk/x3175/is-it-safe-to-eat-cheese-during-pregnancy it said as long as it's made fro pasteurized milk, it's ok.


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## daddiesgift

Well most the time it's just a no for soft cheeses like Brie, feta, blue cheese ect because some don't pasteurize? No idea but I eat it sparingly it's the same thing with deli meat, listeria? I believe


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## melann13

Cheese made in the US legally HAVE to be pasteurized. The only danger with soft cheeses are imported ones. I didn't eat lunch meat either unless it was heated or fresh sliced.


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## mummy2o

I won't touch cheese after a documentary on cheese mites. But I was never a big fan of cheese to begin with.


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift V day is 24 weeks from what I've read on here. I never knew about it before. I hope you feel better soon. I've read that cereal, crackers, etc are supposed to help with sour stomach. I've also heard that having a lot of dairy could cause it more frequently. :shrug: I'm not sure. I'm ready for May too! :thumbup:

@athena87 Good luck on the beta! :thumbup:


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## daddiesgift

Might be dairy :shrug: I usually only use almond milk but this pregnancy I crave dairy milk a lot. I really need to kick it though as both my boys one more than the other had protein allergies to the proteins used in cows and soy milk so I always had to cut it out while breast feeding or they got sick so I doubt this baby won't have the same issue!


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## melann13

@daddiesgift
Maybe it's a girl thing? I craved dairy (chic milk, cheese and malts) with this little one. A LOT. So far no issues, but I haven't craved as much since she's been born, although I did have a big choc malt the day after :)


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I hope you're feeling better. :flower:

Is anyone watching the Super Bowl? I am, although I'm not rooting specifically for either team. I hope it's a fun game. Meanwhile I think we are supposed to get more snow today. :dohh: I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend.


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## pennymarie

Been in hospital for two hours cause I had spotting last night. It was pale brown/pink mixed with cm after orgasm. Called midwife and she said to come in for ultrasound. Tech isn't even here yet....


I can't stop crying but partner says to stay positive. I can't find the strength to. 

I just feel unworthy. So I kept thinking I hope to keep the baby because he deserves it, not me


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## Hopeful2014

@pennymarie :hugs: You are worthy and I know having a baby is something you have wanted and deserved for quite a while. 

Remember brown is old blood usually. It's very common to have some spotting in the beginning. I had some spotting around 8 weeks and was terrified, but read that it can be common and might happen around when your second missed period should have happened. I had bright red bleeding after my pap smear around 11 weeks. Anything, including being intimate, can cause spotting because the cervix is so sensitive. 

I know it's scary though. I hope the tech is there soon and that everything is good. :hugs:


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## pennymarie

So the tech finally came around 8:30am, 3.5 hrs later. And found an empty sac and some ovaries...that's about it.


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## daddiesgift

Penny-so sorry hun. Are you scheduled for a rescan? 

Hopeful- we are! My husband is a big football fan, not me so much. But its the Superbowl so Im excited to see funny commercials and I like Bruno Mars so I want to see the halftime show. Im also a Broncos fan after living in Colorado a few years and I like Peyton Manning so Ill be rooting for them. Think we will be snacking on pizza and chips as well.


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## OurLilFlu

Sorry to hear about the spotting penny but according to your chart you only got your bfp the last week of jan? So you're how far along? 4ish weeks? Probably too early to see much, hope they are sending you for a rescan


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## pennymarie

Home now. They said just go to my Wednesday appt and they'll handle it...blah. 

But betas are a-rising


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## Hopeful2014

@pennymarie They say it's hard to see anything until a certain point. It could be too early. :hugs: I'm so sorry. It's fantastic that your betas are rising. That's very important. I'll be thinking of you and hoping that Wednesday comes quickly. 

@daddiesgift What a game, right? I can't believe how it's going so far. :shrug:


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful- Uh yeah! I liked the half time show at least :nope:


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## mummy2o

Hopeful: my partner loves American football so we watched it. He said pick a side. I went for the seahorses as its was a nicer animal. So I was happy about that. Not so happy we woke me up as he went for the others who lost and said it was all my fault. Men. Never mind though.

Penny: I had my first scan at around that time and all they saw was an empty sac. I also went in due to bleeding. Everything ended up fine, it was just a bit to early to see anything. So don't worry to much about it.


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I was so surprised by the game. I really thought it would have been much closer and down to the end. :dohh:

@mummy2o Oh no! I hope you got more rest afterwards. :(


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## pennymarie

Thank you guys! It took me this long to calm down, but I think I'm there. 

I'm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, so obviously I was going for the saints. So I really wanted the Seahawks to lose cause they whipped us so bad. BUT they did it with skill, so I respect that. On top of that I'm going to Seattle for grad school, and they've never won a super bowl, so good for them. I would have been happy either way. 
But I wish it was a game! Not a slaughter. It's more interesting if someone doesn't dominate the whole game
:D


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## KatyW

Penny, glad to hear betas are rising. Hugs.


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## athena87

Afm my nurse called. I am so angry with them. She starts out with your levels weren't exactly where we want them and my heart sank and I was like well what were they and she says well they were 400 on wed and they were 766 on Friday and I was like oh. Well the lady in the lab told me since it wasn't at the same time it wouldn't show accurate doubling and she tried to tell me that that doesn't matter. So you're telling me over the 5 hours between I wouldn't produce more hcg dh was like your not worried and I was like no they are stupid. The beta calculator says I'm doubling every 45 hours.


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## Kalush

Penny - Glad you are feeling more calm now. It's definitely hard to stop worrying in the beginning. Glad your numbers are doubling and hopfully they'll be able to see more on Wed. even a few days this early can make a big difference.

Athena - Those numbers sound good to me. Sorry the nurse was not very encouraging. 

afm - Just got back from our vacation. It was nice to get away for awhile and see everyone again. First night was a bit rough, horrible headache and nausea. Lots of laying in bed and running to the bathroom to throw up. Luckily felt decent the rest of the trip, mild/moderate nausea most of the time. It was great to not feel like I was a slacker for not getting all the chores around the house done and have someone else do most of the cooking! Excited that it is February, now just to wait until the end of the month for my first apt. Hopefully it'll go quickly.


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## pennymarie

Those numbers do sound fine Athena. I don't know why nurses this week are so insensitive!

And thank you Kalush. I just don't feel very pregnant still. And last time, for me, I just knew I'd miscarry. Nothing felt right. So I just want to feel the hormones!


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## Hopeful2014

@pennymarie I completely agree. I usually pull for one team over another, but I usually say the team who wins deserves it if it's a good game. I wish it had been more competitive too. It seems the big games are never as fun as just regular games. I'm glad you have been able to calm down. :thumbup: 

@KatyW Happy 25 weeks!! :happydance: How are you?

@athena87 That's nearly double. I wish they wouldn't worry you or that they were more sensitive. I think that's a great rise. :flower:

@Kalush I'm glad you had a nice time away and got to relax and not have to clean and cook. :thumbup: I hope your nausea eases up soon. Did you have a lot with your daughter? I can't wait for your appointment. I hope the time passes quickly for you. :)


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## KatyW

Hi Hopeful, thanks! I am good, just getting over a yucky cold, but otherwise feeling good and getting big. My doctors appointment went well the other day, cervix still normal length (yay!) and everything else looks great. Put on a good amount of weight for this point in pregnancy (at least 10 kg so far), but this is how it was with my daughter, annoyingly my doctor mentioned it (they took my blood pressure twice to make sure it was normal, which it was, 110/70). It is a pain to be eating salads, Greek yogurt, other nutritious foods, etc. and avoiding desserts, and still getting comments about weight gain at the doctor's office, but I refuse to deprive myself or baby due to worries of gaining "too much" weight. I definitely get that gaining too much or eating excessive sugar, etc., isn't good, and risks of pre- eclampsia or gestational diabetes perhaps increase with more weight gain, but I think some people need to gain more than average. Sorry, rant. Ha!


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## KatyW

Kalush, I hope your nausea eases up.


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## melann13

@Katy I totally agree! My doc mentioned my weight once. The nurse practitioner always said it was fine. I ended up gaining about 35lbs which was high since I was technically "overweight" prepregnancy (over the cutoff by 2lbs), but I'm 12 days postpartum now and down about 28lbs just from nursing and swelling goin down. I know I'll need to exercise to get toned, but it's clear tht most of the weight was purely pregnancy.


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## kksy9b

Wow..that is awesome Melann!


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## daddiesgift

I was always told 25-30 pounds... I gained 40 with each boy. With my first I lost 20 AT BIRTH! :haha: and only 7 of that was baby :winkwink: with my second I only lost 10 at birth and he was 8 pounds 13 ozs! I totally got jipped that time! :dohh: but overall I lost all of it within a few months and that was with little to no breast feeding. I think you should be conscience of what you eat but not obsess over your weight. This time I was told the same 25 pound gain and I'd love to stick to that but I know me and my history and 40 is more the norm.


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I wouldn't worry much about weight because you know what your body needs and what it can do! This is especially true because you are eating healthily. I don't really think that everyone is the same and would base it more on overall health and well being. :thumbup: I'm glad your appointment went well and that your cervix is still normal. 

@melann13 Congrats on the immediate weight loss! :D How's Felicity?

@kksy9b Happy 32 weeks!! :happydance: OH! You're getting so close!

@daddiesgift I think it's amazing how women's bodies can jump back so quickly. That's probably a credit to being conscience of what you eat. We can't help if we are hungry, but we can control what we eat. But-it's okay to indulge sometimes! I'm sure your body knows what it's doing and you'll bounce right back again. :thumbup: Are you feeling any better?

@pennymarie Good luck at your appointment today. I hope they are able to tell you more and that everything is good. :thumbup: 


AFM My doctor said to keep it around 20 lbs. I had gained 6 lbs. by 20 weeks. I'm interested to see what it is at my next visit. I do think I'm at the point when my belly is starting to show quite a bit more. The nurse asks how tall I am each time after she weighs me. (She writes weight/height/blood pressure/etc. on a sticky note). :dohh: I'm 5'3-5'4 and an average/slim build. I guess they suggest it because of my height, but it does irk me a bit. However, none of them have said anything about my weight yet and my fundal height was on target at the last visit.


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## mummy2o

Just a quick update from me really. Getting very uncomfortable now with lots of pressure down below and making it harder to walk. Totally normal though so that's good. As of yesterday she's still breeched, which is bad, but there is still time so no one is that worried yet. She hates having ultrasounds and heartbeat checked and tries to protest as much as possible, its kind of funny. You can see her kicking away and trying to hide from the wand/probe things. But other than that all good.


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## pennymarie

Mummy: hope everything and everyone stays great and healthy! She'll get into position soon I bet. Maybe explain to her it's important? And be nice to the probes and wands? Though I wouldn't like them either

As for me, can't sleep. I don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm so scared they're going to brush me off and say "oh no, we do all the serious stuff for actual pregnant people at 12weeks, you have I wait."


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I'm glad that all is good. When do you go back to check on her position? Do they check by feeling your belly or by ultrasound? Emma tends to hide sometimes. She turned and refused to flip off her belly at my last ultrasound. :haha: Try to get as much rest as possible. 

@pennymarie I hope you were able to get some rest. I really hope they do whatever they can to ease your mind. :hugs: I know they're afraid of checking ultrasound and heartbeat early because you can't always see or hear something until a certain point which might make you worry more even if all is good. But I hope they do something to make you feel better. Will they check your betas again?


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## pennymarie

They better! And my progesterone levels. Or I'll eat her


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## Hopeful2014

pennymarie said:


> They better! And my progesterone levels. Or I'll eat her

:haha: That's a great attitude to have. Stick up for yourself! Good luck.


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## pennymarie

SO. Louisiana bureaucracy make no sense. Repeat. NONE. 

I woke up late to appointment by 5 min but thankfully live 7 min away from appointment. So I stroll in about 15min late which means I had to wait a bit longer. Then by the time they call me, they say they can't get a hold of my insurance and could I call because they claim it isn't active yet which makes NO sense. 

So then I was on hold which insurance for over a hour just to be told in the end that this part of the insurance hasn't kicked in yet even though we called when we informed them of my pregnancy etc. which was week ago. 

And even though I'm going to get approved for it because maternity care is automatically okay, someone has to review it. I asked if someone could just look at it now or send a fax to the dr office. They said they couldn't. I asked to speak to supervisor, and they said it wouldn't work. I begged to just try. Tried explaining I really needed those tests today to make sure the baby is okay and started crying so she transferred me to her boss and the boss hung up on me in the midst of me giving my info. I'm positive it was a mistake, but I'm not very rational. 



So no doctors appointment until they call me back with info

I'm in bed and give up on today.


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## melann13

Oh penny, that's awful! So sorry. I hope tomorrow is better.


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## daddiesgift

Wss^


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## Hopeful2014

@pennymarie That's horrible. :( Is there another office you can go to at all? It seems that they would see you and then just let the insurance pay afterwards. That's what my place did before everything was squared away. That really sucks. Will they contact you when everything is ready? 


@daddiesgift Happy 24 weeks!! That's V day and only 12 days until double digits! :happydance:


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## kksy9b

Hi ladies! I haven't been posting recently but have been keeping up with the thread.

Penny-sorry to hear you're having so much trouble with your doctors office. I hope things get worked out quickly so that you can get the answers you need. I agree with Hopeful- is there another office you could try getting into?

AFM, things have been going pretty well. We finished a remodel of our bathroom/kitchen/bedrooms in January. We moved the nursery furniture in and are in process of getting it set up. I have another shower this weekend. Afterwards will go and get everything else we need. Looking forward to having everything set up and ready to go!

A question for mommas who cloth diaper...is there a specific brand or kind of cloth diaper that you found better than another for a newborn? There is so much information out there and it's a little overwhelming. I think I'm going to get a few of each...pockets AIOs, prefolds/covers and see which is better for us but would love any insight!

The other big thing is we found out my DH has to get a pacemaker put in. He has a genetic heart condition . He was diagnosed at 15 and in the last couple years has been getting worse. He's now at a high risk of sudden cardiac arrest. We are kind of relieved he is getting it just because it will protect him but neither of us thought we would be dealing with these challenges at 26. Hoping he can get it done before the baby is born. Meeting with his doctor on the 19th and will schedule the surgery time.


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## daddiesgift

12 days until double digits!! That sounds scary :haha:


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## Buttercup84

kksy, I haven't CDed a newborn but i've heard good things about the Totsbots teenyfits so I might try and pick up a few of those preloved. Since Nancy was a big baby at 9lbs 4oz I reckon this one might be too so i'll probably use sposies for the first week or so then move on to the BTP nappies quite quickly :flower:
Penny, that sounds awful! Whilst I like the idea of an insurance system in some ways it's stories like yours that make me grateful we have the NHS over here. Hope your next appointment is better and you get some reassurance :hugs:


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## daddiesgift

KKSY- we cloth diapered both our boys and going to cloth this baby from birth. We prefer pocket diapers but we've gone through phases of using a bit of each kind. For newborn we used Kawaii pure and natural and Fuzzibunz One Size. The kawaii are velcro instead of snaps but have snaps to adjust height. They are pockets. Fuzzibunz have elastic to make waist and leg holes tighter, they are snaps. We also have used Thirsties Duo AIO for newborns. So 7 pounds plus. They are one size but they all fit very small and trim. We mostly use Sunbaby diapers now but they didnt fit newborns. If you are on Facebook there is a ton of BST groups for each brand where you can find brand new ones for cheap. Although Kawaii and Sunbaby are cheap anyways. Thirsties and Fuzzibunz can cost a bit! 

For babe now weve bought only Fuzzibunz and Sunbaby. So she will be in Fuzzibunz at first and Sunbaby later on. I actually just posted a ton of pics of the ones weve bought in my journal the past two days. Cloth is great and can be addicting :haha: If you have any questions I can try and help!


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b It sounds like you have been busy nesting. :D I'm sorry to hear about your husband, but agree that getting it done will be a relief once it's finished. I hope they are able to work it out before baby Charles comes. :hugs: 

@daddiesgift :D It seems like it's going so fast and so slow at the same time. I was reading one of my update newsletters and read that because your abdominal organs are becoming more compressed it can cause trapped gas. It didn't have any suggestions for making it better. I thought of you. I hope you're feeling better. 

@Buttercup84 Happy 9 weeks!! :happydance:


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## athena87

We could see the heartbeat flickering. She said she was surprised since it was so small :) she said I'm right at 6 weeks which I told her based on my ov date I'd be 6 weeks tomorrow.
 



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## kksy9b

Wonderful news Athena!! Have you thought of when/how you are going to start telling people? My DH and I really loved that part :)


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## Kwaggy

A 5 day old baby has gone missing in the town where I live :/ Its so scary. Its been over 24 hours and still no leads! Please say a prayer for baby Kayden to make it home to his mommy and daddy. I hope that where ever he is he is warm and has a full tummy :(



https://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w674/Kwaggy11/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_25559955438450_zps9bc8f375.jpeg


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## athena87

Kksy9b we have told our families, last weekend my whole family got together so we decided that would be the best time. Dh just has his parents since his brother died so we told them after Sunday lunch. He has his grandma too but she is a grouch so we are waiting a bit to tell her.


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## Buttercup84

Omg kwaggy the poor mother she must be frantic :( Hope he's found safe and sound soon!


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## athena87

Kwaggy he was found. Praise Jesus https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-wisconsin-newborn-found-safe-in-iowa/


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Athena!


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## magicwhisper

yay anthea :D

i was wondering about cloth nappies once i have researched it a bit i will ask questions :haha:


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## Kwaggy

Thank god he was found! I cant believe someone left the poor little boy outside in the cold! I cant imagine what that mother was going through, glad it was a happy ending, could have been much worse


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## kksy9b

So happy to hear the baby was found kwaggy. That is such a terrifying situation to think about.


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 That's amazing! :happydance: I'm so glad that you got to see baby and the heartbeat and that baby is measuring right on target! Happy 6 weeks!!

@Kwaggy That's horrifying. I hope they find out why this happened to this precious baby. :( I'm glad he was found and seems to be okay, but what a sad story.


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## mummy2o

Athena: That's great news. So happy everything is going well.


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## athena87

Thank you ladies we are so happy and so excited. I can't stop looking at the ultrasound picture.


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## mummy2o

OH got his first taste at real parenting last night. DS had an accident in bed at 3am, we're still not sure how since he had a nappy on, but sometimes they just leak when you see no apparent reason for it. So OH was getting all cross with DS as he didn't realise to begin with. I had DS crying as he didn't mean to be a bad boy, and OH complaining, but when I worked out what was wrong OH completely changed his tune and helped me remake his bed, and get DS changed into clean pj's. He even chucked the washing machine on. Just had to calm DS down, explaining accident happen and I know he didn't mean to, just it was a naughty nappy not a naughty him! Anyway DS is now up, mummy is tired and OH is sleeping it off >.> But hey at least its a start of him realising what he's in for.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I'm glad he helped. I'm sure it can be frustrating for some when they don't know what to do. You're getting so close and soon will have lots of diapers to change. :thumbup: I hope you get some rest today.

Do any of you have any good Valentine's Day plans yet? We will probably go shopping in the middle of the week and pick up some gifts. I don't know if we will go out to dinner or stay in and watch TV/movie and have dinner in. We will probably stay in on Valentine's Day though.


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## KatyW

Kksy, 
I hope that your husband's surgery gets scheduled soon, I know it must be a little hard waiting for his upcoming surgery. I am not into cloth diapers but so many ladies are. 

As for me...nearly 26 weeks, which is making me feel like this pregnancy is flying by!
No Valentine's Day plans other than a Skype date with my husband, who is deployed again.


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## daddiesgift

No plans here! Finding a baby sitter is a real pain in the butt. So unless we find someone which doesn't look too promising we'll just hug and kiss and eat chocolate and call it a day :winkwink: we'll both be off work so that's great!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Isn't Skype/technology great? :thumbup: You only have 14 weeks left! Wow! Time does feel like it's going quickly. 

@daddiesgift Just spending a day together and off from work can be awesome! :thumbup:


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## kksy9b

It's been so quiet around here the last few day! How is everyone doing? 

I am doing well... went last night and picked up the car seat/stroller and a few other things. Spent tonight washing clothes, blankets, sheets etc. Going to put them all away tomorrow night and then spend this weekend trying to get a few more things ready!


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## mummy2o

kksy9b: I haven't even started washing clothes yet. Then again I still believe I have loads of time although it seems to be slipping away.

Hopeful: For valentines day I am spending time with my two favourite boys at different times. DS has a football (soccer) thing at school which they are making him do, which wouldn't be to bad if he liked football or didn't take a place from a child who is really good at football. I know its inclusion and all but this other boy plays day and night, in the local club etc and my son really has no interest in it and I'm guessing would prefer to be inside. This is weather permitting mind you and with the storms lately I'm not sure if it will go ahead. But Bristol as a whole hasn't been very effected, unlike some of our neighbour. Then a review for his statement afterwards.
Then since its daddies weekend with DS, OH and I were going to go out for a meal. Maybe just a subway as that's what I've been craving non stop! Then snuggle up and watch a film. So nothing very exciting.

AFM normally I'm so excited about a scan, but this time no. Reason being I woke up sick. I'm feeling very sorry for myself right now. However I am running a lovely hot bath which I'm looking forward to and hoping that will perk me up a bit. Normally I would just rearrange the appointment, but its with the consultant afterwards so I feel like I need to go since baby is still breeched and for my own sanity I'd like to know a plan of action.


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## ALiKO

kksy- wow sounds like your getting so much done! i bought my car seat and stroller also, is'nt this stuff expensive?! especially if your not having a baby shower like myself. thank god OH parents are volunteering to buy the bed.

mummy2o- ahh! subways sounds amazing right now! and fx baby turns soon :flower:

AFM no valentines day plans atm as DH is away on a business trip. he wont be back until valentines day evening so i plan to just run him a hot bath with a few essential oils inside followed by perhaps a nice meal. and we're supposed to have heavy snow over the weekend so yea pretty much no use in making plans. my last appt. baby was measuring good and weighed about 2.5 pounds and feels every bit of it and more. also started experiencing those rib kicks everyone talks about, one word... ouch :wacko:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b :) It has been quiet in this thread and the others lately. I wonder if it's the weather, sickness, or what else. Yay for getting the car seat and stroller and for getting things ready! I bet it makes it feel so real and like baby Charles is on his way! :) How's your husband? 

@mummy2o I wish they wouldn't make him play if he doesn't want to play. I know schools do try to have inclusion time and sometimes just want to prove that they do, but I can't imagine forcing a kid to do something like that. Hopefully he has some fun if the weather permits. Dinner, snuggling, and a movie sounds wonderful!! I'm all about cozy evenings in. That sounds almost exactly like what we will do. :) Enjoy your bath. I hope you have a great day and get good news at the scan. I'm always a mixture of extreme excitement and nerves on my scan days. 

@ALiKO We have had so much snow! :dohh: Next week is supposed to warm up so I'm hoping that it melts it all and we don't get any more this season. :haha: It's such a mess out there and highly dangerous. I hope you have a nice night in with DH. I definitely feel that Emma is getting heavier in the last weeks. My belly has popped for sure. I love it. Does your doctor tell you the measurements and baby's weight or is it in your notes? Mine never tells and I don't actually get printed notes. I might ask her next time.


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## KatyW

Hi ladies, just getting over sickness here, am now on antibiotics for sinusitis. I am rarely sick, so it is tough having to slow down and heal. Thankfully, my mom is visiting and has really helped out a lot. Not the most fun trip to Europe for her, but we did manage to get in a little sightseeing, which included a trip to Amsterdam. 

Hopeful, it is fun when your belly pops, for sure.

I agree that car seats and strollers are.pricey. I am looking into a double stroller and those are not cheap! Any other moms here recommend a good one?


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## melann13

@Hopeful, my doc measured the fundal height til week 36, after that it doesn't mean much. He didn't give me a weight estimate til week 39, and that was just to say, "I think she's average size, about 7.5 so I wouldn't worry about having a giant baby." At my appt on 41.2 he said that if he had the baby in his arms that day she'd probably be 8lbs. She was born two days later at 8lbs 4oz, so he was pretty on.
Can't believe she's three weeks old already! She's already changed so much! I took this picture a couple days ago, and my avatar was taken at 4 days old.
 



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## daddiesgift

I'm cheap :) I've never had a problem buying used stuff but really you can look a lot of places and find brand new stuff for cheap. I bought our baby car seat from someone who thought they were having a girl but it was a boy! So I got a brand new car seat that's over $100.. For $25!! I bought our baby carriers from people who tried them once and didn't like, most her diapers (cloth) were bought off BST groups on fb so they are new but way cheaper. We co sleep but we side car a crib to our bed so we are using the crib I used with the boys but I bought it used for $40 and just got a new mattress. Her swing was $30 again over $100 and the mom said her baby cried every time they tried putting her in it! And all her clothes have clearance tags on them :haha: so you can really score at sales and from people's misfortunes :haha: I use local fb selling groups and craigslist. 

KatyW- we had this one

Graco DuoGlider Classic Connect Stroller, Dragonfly by Graco https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AHVR4N8/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_83m.sb0168GQS

And I liked it but it is heavy. You can lay the seats down so that was great for naps and a matching car seat can fit in back seat. I ended up selling it because it was just too bulky and we no longer needed something so big. It's compact compared to double jogging though. 

We have this one now 

Graco RoomFor2 Stand and Ride Classic Connect Stroller, Metropolis by Graco https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VM62QS/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Z6m.sb0XXKPN1

LOVE IT! It's so much lighter and compact. It's the size of a single. My 2.5 year old just sits or stands on the sit and stand part and my 14 month old sits in the front. You can see from pics that you can fit baby car seat in front though we never tried since he was in a convertible seat by the time we got this. The only thing I don't like about this is it has to options to buckle in front, around waist and over shoulders around waist. The over the shoulders just takes too long but again wouldn't be an issue with a baby as much as a toddler


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## daddiesgift

AFM- nothing too new really. :haha: tired a lot, heart burn is horrendous, I mean every hour everyday :cry: feeling huge today as I couldn't find any clean shirts to wear that fit. So I'm wearing OH shirt but he's slimmer than me anyways so it's still tight :dohh: bought some maternity pants last night so hopefully that will help me look pregnant and not just fat! Also last night I felt a weird movement, then had a sharp pain and had to get up and run to bathroom and had diarrhea most the night :nope: I feel okay now but that sharp pain is still there :shrug: I thought maybe food poisoning but all I had for dinner was tea and two slices of cheese pizza and I ate no meats yesterday so who knows! Hope to get paid soon so I can buy my car! "Family car" but it's not much bigger than the one we have now! But it will be nice to have two vehicles again. Found out OH will indeed be deploying in May :nope: here's to hoping he's here for birth and I don't lose my mind in a small desert town with three small kids!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I hope you feel better very soon. :hugs: It must be hard with a daughter and a baby on the way. 

@melann13 She's beautiful and what pretty eyes! :D How is everything going? My doctor measured my fundal height at my 20 week appointment. I was so happy to know I was on target because I hadn't gained much weight at that point. I go next week for my next appointment. I think I might have gained a little this month. I assume if I'm measuring on target and they don't mention anything that she is growing as she should. I just love facts and figures. :haha: 

@daddiesgift That's a great deal on the car seat. :thumbup: I love looking at clearance and most of her clothes have been on sale so far as well. But it's great for saving money and getting more at once. Plus you can buy for the other seasons when things are on sale. We bought two fleece outfits for next winter for $2-3 dollars each when they were originally almost $20 together before. I hate to hear that you felt so bad yesterday. :hugs: I hope the heartburn eases up soon too. I hope they change their minds about him having to leave in May. I know it has to be so tough on you. 

Ladies, what are your suggestions about car seats? Should I get an infant car seat or a convertible? I've done a lot of research but would like to hear your suggestions too. I don't plan to buy it for another month or two.


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## kksy9b

Hopeful2014 said:


> @kksy9b :) It has been quiet in this thread and the others lately. I wonder if it's the weather, sickness, or what else. Yay for getting the car seat and stroller and for getting things ready! I bet it makes it feel so real and like baby Charles is on his way! :) How's your husband?

It definitely brings things in to focus on how quickly its coming up! We are working on getting everything ready though and I feel confident we will be ready (as long as he doesn't come too early!). My DH is doing well, thank you for asking. We meet with his surgeon next Wednesday and will find out if he can get it done before or after baby.

How are you and baby Emma doing?


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## daddiesgift

Hopeful- we also debated this. With my first he was in a baby carriage seat till he sat up and crawled around so 6 months we put him in a convertible car seat. Hes still in that same seat! LOVE IT!! With our second again we did the baby carriage till out grew it at literally 5 months old :dohh: hes a big boy :haha: hes in the same convertible car seat. 

https://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-C...2348699&sr=8-1&keywords=safety+first+car+seat

So we debated on starting her off in a convertible seat since we always switch to one anyways around 6 months old. Heres some pros and cons :winkwink:

Baby Carriage 

compact
easy to carry around with baby in
fits onto strollers
fits into shopping carts
Keeps a flimsy baby more secure :haha:

Pretty much when a baby is an infant or non mobile these are great for taking out of the car and taking with you so you dont wake baby or baby is too little for stroller on its own. Baby carrying is great but for me its not always practical so the carriage is a great option.

Convertible seat

grows with child. Some even turn into a booster! So its one seat in one. 
easier to fit more car seats next to it
better for older children

so IMO I would not start with a convertible. Even though they say from 5 pounds to...its just not possible to make a all in one seat that could fit a 5 pound baby up to 40-80 pounds. The straps and head rest will not go low enough. There are some that are good for infants but they will not be good later on. We wanted to go straight to convertible this time as we dont need a baby carriage to carry around but after much research and asking some friends and seeing infants in convertible seats its just best to wait. :)


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## daddiesgift

Since I had time :) Heres some pics


1st is Dominic when he was big enough for us to go in his convertible seat. About 6 months old. 

2nd pic is of Dominic the day he came home from hospital. Even the baby carriage was huge! 

3rd pic is Anthony at three days old in his carriage. I learned that they need a little support so I bought a car seat insert that keeps them warm and snug. LOVE THAT THING!! 

Fourth pic is Dominic now in his convertible seat. So youve seen how much hes grown :cry:

Last pic is of Anthony side by side with him in his convertible and him in the baby carriage. He out grew it weight and height at about 7 months old! 

Yes we got them matching car seats :haha:
 



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## ALiKO

melann- shes getting so big! i really like that little gown/onsie shes wearing with the little purple flowers. i've been purposely buying and trying to find different colors like reds, purples, blues, etc. besides the average pink or green clothing. but i suppose i cant avoid pink forever :)

daddiesgift- wow great tips and even better baby buys! i love hearing from experienced moms. and i also had a sudden weird bout of diarrhea around week 21 or 22 but i cant really recall when but it literally just came out of nowhere and only lasted a few hours with minor cramping and i hadnt had a problem since. it was so weird so im doubtingit was any sort of food poisoning but im not sure. also my heartburn kicked in at exactly 26 weeks. i suffered for 3 days b4 i finally went to the doc for a prescription. hang in there sweetie :hugs: also i really hope your DH can stick around for the birth! FX :flower:

kksy- with DH's surgery im hoping all goes well :flower:


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## ALiKO

hopeful- i bought a convertable car seat that is for ages 0-4years. it has an infant insert, and adjustable straps to accommodate a smaller baby. it also does a complete 180 degree so you can lay it as flat as you want, its almost like having a bed in the car :)
https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0112_zpsdf0c481b.jpg

the stroller i bought is also convertable in a way as you can arrange it as a pram to hold a smaller baby, or a normal stroller for larger kids.
https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0131_zps84346b1c.jpg
https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/Mobile%20Uploads/DSC_0130_zpsf1221368.jpg

i also agree with daddiesgift about the baby carrier/carriage seat. it is very convenient to put on a shopping cart and also keeps baby comfy and settled while you transport them instead of keep having to take them in and out of a car seat but i also bought an ergo carrier to kinda wear baby around while i shop. i bought mostly convertable things to save money.


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## ALiKO

sorry the pics are so big im not sure how to resize them :blush:


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## ALiKO

im in a pic happy mood hope you guys dont mind :). this is the view from my balcony and what i woke up to today valentines day morning... 
https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/DSC_0201_zps8b621531.jpg
https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/happy45/DSC_0202_zps437ac1d6.jpg

no fun :(. its supposed to snow all the way till saturday so any weekend plans i had are now gone. please stay safe and warm ladies this weather has been crazy. also in my home state of new jersey i heard they may be getting hit with a nor'easter blizzard. ah crazy times.


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b I hope the surgeon says he can do it before. We're good. :D I love feeling her move. I have another appointment next week. I am being as patient as possible, but I really can't wait until June. :D

@daddiesgift Thanks! :friends: Those are all great points. Thanks for the pictures too! Your boys are so cute. 

@ALiKO I try to vary up colors too, but I do like pink too. My sister-in-law got us a little dress and cardigan in January and my husband said that it helped him realize how much pink there would be. (We found out gender in December). I told him she can wear other colors. But every time we shop around he keeps picking up the girly clothes and pinks. He says he wants her to be pretty. :D Thanks for your pictures and advice too! I love having you ladies to talk to. We still have tons of ice and snow left over from last week and we might be getting more today. :dohh: I'm ready for spring!!


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## mummy2o

Aliko you can't believe how envious I am with you living in Japan. Its like my favourite country in the world. OH and I have made a deal, once we've finished having kids we'll live in Japan for a bit, until we move to the states as that's were he wants to retire! I have a similar car seat to you though, although in pink.

My pram has a small travel cot attached for when she's tiny, but goes up to 4+. I originally wanted a travel system, but my pram was in the sale £400 off, so it really was an offer I couldn't refuse. My conclusion for prams is try them out in store and find one which suits you. Car seats, there is no best one, just don't buy one second hand.

Melann: She's grown so much. Time really goes by so quickly! She's such a cutie pie!

AFM: She turned around so heads down ready to go. However, I told my consultant she will not come on by her due date, but was trying to convince me otherwise. I know each pregnancy and birth is different, but babies in my family always come after their due dates, so I'm not holding my breath. I would rather go by the longest possible date I'll be pregnant and anything before that is a positive. Anyway I'm seeing the midwife every week until my due date now until I see the consultant again. On 38 and 39 weeks I'm getting a sweep, although that did nothing for DS so I'm not holding my breath on that. Then back to the consultant at 40 weeks. I told her, I want a section on my mums birthday which is the 27th March if she's not out by then, I'll be 13 days over due then, as they can't induce me due to a previous section. So we'll see what happens.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Happy 36 weeks!! :happydance: I'm so happy to hear that she moved for you! That's a relief. I hope she comes quickly and easily. Are there any certain places in the U.S. where you guys would like to live?


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## melann13

@Hopeful,
I think you said you were in Colorado, and as a cold weather girl myself (WI) I would say definitely go for the infant car seat instead of just the convertible and here's why... These days you are not supposed to put snow suits or fluffy jackets on kiddos in their carseats because in a crash the fluff compressed and creates too much "give" between the baby and the harness. So, you're supposed to just have the baby in their clothes, buckle them in and then use blankets or covers on top. If you have an infant carrier, this is easy. If you have a convertible seat that stays in the car, are you going to wrap baby up, carry out to the car, unwrap baby, put baby in carseat, re-bundle, drive to destination, un bundle, wrap baby and carry in? and then where does the baby go while you're at Target or the grocery store? I'm as frugal as they come and did everything I could to be efficient in our purchases, but that's just something I couldn't get my head around. I think if you're in a climate that doesn't get as bitterly cold as it does here, it might be fine, but not when there's so many layers involved. Last night DH and I went out to dinner- put Felicity in her seat in the house with blankets and covers, carried it/her to the car and popped it in. Got to the restaurant, popped it out, set it in the booth next to me, folded down the blankets so she could see, and she hung out there while we ate. Afterward we just put the blankets back over her and went back out to the car. 
We have the Ergo carrier, the Baby Bjorn and the Moby. All great things to have... but they don't serve this purpose. We use the Moby around the house, vacuuming, doing laundry, working, all while wearing her. The Bjorn and Ergo will get used when I take her to work with me via the bus (although I might take her carseat then too because otherwise where does she sit once we get there?) and they'll also get used plenty for walks and such. The Moby is nice for the newborn stage because it's so snuggly. DH likes it better than the Bjorn because it distributes the weight better. The Bjorn also shouldn't be used for hours on end because it can cause hip problems. I can definitely see us using it or the Ergo for farmer's markets etc when we're not about to try to carry a carseat around and strollers are obnoxious there (I live near the largest farmer's market in the U.S and it gets VERY crowded). The only reason we have all three types of carriers is because I got them all at a consignment sale. The Ergo is VERY expensive new, but I've seen people use it for kids up to 18mos, so it's the one that will get used the longest. They do make an infant insert for it, but we have the Bjorn for while she's still tiny. That's a ton of info, I know, but that's what I've learned in my short time as a mom!
Oh, that and if you're trying to change your baby after a massive spitup that got all in her hair etc, she will pee while in the process necessitating a full wardrobe change and her first tub bath (umbilical cord finally fell off yesterday, just in time apparently!)


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## athena87

I had a little scare earlier. I was spotting called my doctor and the nurse said it was normal as long as it's not heavy. It was literally a spot on tp when I went to the bathroom.


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## daddiesgift

I'm very pro baby wearing and run our local baby wearing group but sometimes it's just not that practical. For long periods no matter what wrap or carrier I've tried I start hurting. Today it's 82 degrees outside, in late May when Scarlett is due it will be well into the hundreds last thing you want is a sweaty baby wrapped next to your sweaty body while your outside walking around :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Thanks so much! Those are great points! I do think an infant seat will probably be best for weather and travel purposes. I love to hear about you all going out to eat and house life. That's so sweet! :D Maybe not the spit up in the hair-just joking-I would even appreciate that moment. :haha: I have been considering getting some type of carrier as well. I think I might prefer that while walking around when shopping. Yay for the first tub bath and for the umbilical cord falling off! She's growing so fast! 

@athena87 :hugs: I totally understand being afraid of any and all spotting. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about either though. I had some spotting around 8 weeks that scared me as well. I suggest just watching and making sure it doesn't increase a lot. Take it easy and get some rest if possible. Your cervix might have been irritated or something else like that. 

@daddiesgift 82 degrees! Oh! I'm jealous. :haha: I'm sooo looking forward to the 50s-60s we may get next week. I'm so hopeful that it does start warming up and that spring is coming soon. That's a great point though. I imagine the weather there will definitely make it harder to wear her while walking outside. 



Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone is having a great day regardless of what your plans are. :D
 



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## ALiKO

mummy2o- its definitely worth a visit here. look me up when you get here :). i live about an hour from shinjuku, shibuya, and akihabara which is the parts of tokyo you see a lot on tv. i live closer to ikebukuro which is another fun part of tokyo also. im guessing your DH wants to retire somewhere warm like california, florida, or arizona? even perhaps guam, puerto rico, or another u.s territory? my DH wants to retire in australia or malaysia. but we'll see how it goes :)

athena- i had bleeding too that started 5w+3d and lasted til about 6w+2d on and off. and it was'nt just a spot, it was bright red and would streak the toilet paper everytime i wiped. i was soo scared. i went to my doctor 5w+4d and she said as long as i was not having strong cramps with the spotting that it was completely normal and not to worry. you should be absolutely fine :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO I've always wanted to go to Japan. A friend of ours taught there for a few years after university, but we weren't able to make it over then. I would also like to go to Australia at some point. I plan to travel a lot in later life. That's one thing I want to do differently with my kids. I didn't get to travel or go to a lot of places as a kid and want to make sure we take lots of trips. :thumbup:


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## melann13

@daddiesgift, I can definitely understand not wanting the hot sweaty baby up against you! :) Even though it's quite cold here, when I use the Moby in the house I have to just have a tank top on because otherwise we end up all sweaty! (Plus it's a lot easier to nurse quickly with the Moby on if I don't have more than a nursing tank underneath.

My LO is growing so fast, but we certainly are blessed that she sleeps quite well for three weeks old, her first stretch is usually 4 hours (at which point the doc wants me to wake her up to feed her anyway if she hasn't woken up herself) and then I get about a 3 hour stretch after that. DH gets up before me and has been taking her out of the bedroom after that so I can sleep soundly for another 1- 1.5 hrs before getting up and feeding her again. It seems like so much sleep for me, but I'm certainly finding that nursing is exhausting! (but so rewarding, definitely wouldn't change it!)

@athena, I didn't have any bleeding this pregnancy (except a little brown around 34 weeks, but I think that was a bit of the mucous plug), but last time I had a speck or two at 7.5 weeks and an internal US showed everything was fine at that point. Granted I MC the next day, but that next day I woke up in SEVERE pain and was having full on contractions (and having been through labor now, I can tell you they were just as powerful), so it was not the speck that meant anything bad.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 That does sound like a good sleep schedule! :thumbup: It's sweet of your husband to take her for a while too. I can see my husband doing that as well. I know he is ready for some daddy-daughter time. :D I bet it's a big help to nurse her while in the Moby.


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## KatyW

Thanks for the stroller tips, daddiesgift . 

I would also push for the infant car seat, since my daughter slept in it in the car and I could move her without waking her up and get stuff done like shopping, etc. I am sure you can make a convertible work well too, though. My child was not a good sleeper so I did everything I could not to wake her up. :)


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I do think letting them sleep while moving them around will be a big benefit of an infant seat. :thumbup:


Do you ladies have any thoughts on getting an infant car seat vs the infant car seat and stroller combo/travel system?


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## daddiesgift

I think they come in handy when baby is still pretty flimsy and tiny :haha: infants fit better In the car seat than the stroller so its helpful to just attach the car seat to the stroller. Most travel systems are cheaper too than buying separate stroller and car seat.


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## melann13

I think that witha summer baby I'd get the system. We didn't because a)
We really wanted a jogging stroller because our house is surrounded by beautiful gravel trails that require the bigger rubber wheels b) the jogging stroller systems with car seats I found were quite $$ c) I got a plain jogging stroller at a consignment sale for $20 and d) by the time it's warm enough here to be taking her out for walks, she'll be 4-5mos old and can go in the jogger without a car seat and we have all the wearable carriers in the meantime.
But, if she had been born when it was warm and I wanted to take her out, I would've gone for the system.


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## kksy9b

We opted for the travel system. He's coming right as it turns to spring and I want to get that baby out for some walks! Also, the system we got was on clearance plus an extra 25% off so we saved over $100 and paid for nearly all of it with gift cards. I love that the seat can just snap right into the stroller and go. Just need it not to rain every day this spring and we will be all set :)


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## ALiKO

Hopeful2014 said:


> @ALiKO I've always wanted to go to Japan. A friend of ours taught there for a few years after university, but we weren't able to make it over then. I would also like to go to Australia at some point. I plan to travel a lot in later life. That's one thing I want to do differently with my kids. I didn't get to travel or go to a lot of places as a kid and want to make sure we take lots of trips. :thumbup:

yea same here. when i was younger we never traveled a lot only domestically really. im a very get up and go person and i always said to myself when i was younger that when i got old enough i am going to definitely take trips and travel as much as possible. my husbands the same way and at the moment we both have the travel bug and itching to go somewhere :haha:.


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## mummy2o

ALiKO said:


> Hopeful2014 said:
> 
> 
> @ALiKO I've always wanted to go to Japan. A friend of ours taught there for a few years after university, but we weren't able to make it over then. I would also like to go to Australia at some point. I plan to travel a lot in later life. That's one thing I want to do differently with my kids. I didn't get to travel or go to a lot of places as a kid and want to make sure we take lots of trips. :thumbup:
> 
> yea same here. when i was younger we never traveled a lot only domestically really. im a very get up and go person and i always said to myself when i was younger that when i got old enough i am going to definitely take trips and travel as much as possible. my husbands the same way and at the moment we both have the travel bug and itching to go somewhere :haha:.Click to expand...

Like you all I also want to travel. I love travelling and also want to do one of those around the world in a year trips. Just for the experience. I doubt that will happen now with a new baby on the way! My mum hates travelling aboard too, which is why we never went as children although she's getting better now in her old age. She's taking my son on a cruise next year, luck thing!

On a side not my OH's cousin who was due 3 days after me had her baby on Valentines day at 35+4. So I spent the whole weekend having phone calls asking if I had my baby yet. It was very annoying. She'll be here when she's here so I wish people didn't ask me, especially a month before my due date!


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## kksy9b

Went to the doctors this morning. Baby is measuring 3 weeks back but grew 2 cm like he was supposed to. They think it's just because of bad positioning but if he's any further back at next appointment they will order an ultrasound. I'm not too concerned as he's growing and is moving great. He still has room to do flips and spins and takes full advantage! I'm back in 2 weeks for an appointment and then every week to delivery... I can't believe how quickly it's all coming up! We are just about ready for him though now I'm thinking I should get a bigger box of newborn diapers in case he's too small to fit into cloth right away!


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I get a little nervous thinking about how flimsy and tiny baby will be when first born. :haha: I've been around kids my whole life, but those first few weeks always make me a little nervous. You're right; I think being able to push baby in the car seat/stroller will be easier than having to carry it always also. 

@melann13 Yay for the good deal on the jogging stroller. Those are good points too. I'm trying to plan ahead based on weather and timing. :thumbup: You're such a big help.

@kksy9b I hope it doesn't rain too much and you are able to get him out. We don't really have a lot of places to walk around here because we live on a large farm area and it's mostly rural around us, but I definitely see the benefit in getting baby out for some outside time. I can't wait for a little sunshine for myself too. :thumbup: It sounds like you got a great deal on your travel system! I'm sure all is well with baby Charles. Are they measuring him based on your measurements or what? It might be good to get some extra diapers. Some places will let you exchange for a larger size if they are still in full packaging. 

@ALiKO I always want to go places, but then lose some of my motivation to do it. However, I know that will change when I have kids because I'll want them to experience cool things and places. :thumbup: Do you plan on going somewhere before baby comes? 

@mummy2o I think traveling the world in a year would be such a cool experience. I think it would be cool to at least pick one new place for each season of the year. :thumbup: How cool that they are going on a cruise. Don't grandparents always seem to spoil grandchildren more than they ever did their own kids? :haha: It seems that way sometimes. I'm sorry you had so many calls over the weekend. The babies will have more space between birthdays now! Baby Emma is due close to my nephew's birthday. 



AFM I had my follow up ultrasound today. They couldn't get good pictures of baby's heart or face at my 20 week appointment because she was on her belly. They told me everything was perfect at that time and that they only needed another scan just to get the pictures, but I was still slightly worried. She was on her belly again today! :haha: However, the technician jiggled her around and we gave her time to shift over. We got all the pictures we needed and some lovely pictures of her face. The technician and doctor says all looks great and that baby is wonderful. :happydance: :cloud9: I have another appointment this week for my monthly meeting with my doctor. I've gained 11 pounds so far at 23 weeks, 5 days. I gained 5 lbs in the first trimester and 6 lbs in the second trimester so far. Does that seem good? I knew I gained more from this last month! My belly is definitely showing.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, baby's flimsiness depends on the baby. Because Felicity was so late she actually has impressive neck control and gross motor coordination (course Im' biased :) but she can reach for and grab toys and when she's snuggled up against me she almost always holds her head up and away and turns it back and forth. As for weight gain, I gained about 35 over the whole pregnancy, which was a lot, but at 3.5 weeks postpartum I'm already down 32 with absolutely no diet or exercise, just nursing, carrying around a baby and getting reasonable sleep. I've actually been anxious to exercise, but the easiest with a baby is walking, and considering we're having another blizzard today, that's not happening! I've probably been eating more than prepregnancy anyway, just with the caloric demands of nursing and the amazing baptism cake that we had last week (and brought half of home - think I've had a piece most days with my half caf coffee. It's delicious!)

@kksy9b, I just suggest keeping receipts for diapers so you can return/exchange any you don't open. You will go through 8-10 a day for awhile. Felicity was out of NB size at 3 weeks, but she was born at 8lb4oz.


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- glad they were able to get all the pictures of baby Emma that were needed! It is definitely a relief when you know baby is in there safe and sound! Good luck with your next appointment! You'll be going every two weeks here soon!! 

The measurements were based on me. Pretty much you should measure right with how many weeks you are. I'll be 34 weeks tomorrow but am only measuring at 31 cm. If it gets any further back they will order an ultrasound to rule out IUGR. I'm really thinking its just because of how he is positioned. At 28 weeks he was spot on. The last 2 appointments he has been transverse and fundal height has been behind. We will see. I'm back in 2 weeks.

Melann- That is so wonderful that she is already holding her head up and reaching for toys! And it's every mom's right to be a biased towards their babies :):) 

We will definitely keep receipts to return. We are cloth diapering and I have the stash built up but I opted out of getting newborn sizes and just went to small (which start at 8 lbs to be able to fit). But if he comes out smaller I think we will just do disposable until he fits into the cloth. Like you said, Felicity outgrew NB at 3 weeks and I just can't see spending the money on cloth for just a 3 week period.


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## athena87

Everything is ok. Our baby has a nice strong heart beat. We got to hear it this time :)
 



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## kksy9b

great news athena! glad you got to hear baby's heartbeat and see them on the u/s. i'm sure it is such a relief for you!!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Letting baby have more time to mature and gain more control can be a positive for being late. It's great that she can already hold her head up and turn it. :) Yay for great weight loss!! I'd love a piece of cake right now-chocolate to be exact. :haha: 

@kksy9b When does the every two weeks visits usually start? She hasn't mentioned when yet. It was such a relief to know that all is well. I feel like I still hold my breath some days. I've heard you can measure 2 cm off and it is normal. I've also heard many ladies say that at a certain point that the measurements are not as reliable. I'm sure all is well. I wish you didn't have to worry about it. Happy 34 weeks!! :happydance: 

@athena87 I'm so happy to hear that all is well!! :happydance: What a special picture! Hearing the heartbeat is amazing. :D


I saw an interesting article about a retired lawyer who is traveling around the world. He has a tattoo of the world map on his back and is filling in the countries with color as he visits them. I thought some of you might think it was interesting. Click here to read.


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## daddiesgift

Great news Athena :thumbsup:


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## OurLilFlu

Great scan Athena! Always relieving to hear that sound!


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- I started at every 2 weeks after my 28 week appointment.

Oirlilflu- I've been thinking about you! How are you feeling? Any labor signs yet? I bet you guys cannot wait to meet your little one and find out if they are a boy or girl!!


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## OurLilFlu

Aw that's sweet! You're getting up there too! Hope its treating you well. I've been doing ok really, Yesterday was a particularly uncomfortable day but today is looking better! It's still quite surreal that a real live baby is coming! I'm still team yellow but my DF does know the gender and has since the end of January, keeping a very good secret! For our anniversary I let him find out when we did our maternity pics, he went off and did a few reveal pics with an outfit in a box that I had arranged! The cashier at the kids store thought I was crazy! But it was a lot of fun, I love love love not knowing and he is so happy and feels more connected now that he knows! And soon everyone will know too! Getting a teeny bit impatient!


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## mummy2o

That's great news athena.

Hopeful: that's a pretty interesting way to record all the places you've visited. although I hate pain, not sure how I'm going to cope with childbirth, so I think I'll take a more traditional approach.

Ourlilflu: Not long now. Do you have any idea what you might be having? I always knew DS was a boy even if he never showed me. It was a nice surprise I will agree.

AFM I have one cheeky monkey. I had the midwife today and all was fine except she couldn't find the heart beat. She moved 5 times whilst trying to locate her! So we then had to go to hospital for to the day assessment unit and they found her first time! I had plans today too! Never mind though, always tomorrow.


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## magicwhisper

cheeky baby!

great news anthea

the appointments came ever 2 weeks from 28 weeks

however much i dislike my midwife for constantly being late, unpleasent and disorganised i love hearing ellas heartbeat.

she is right on track measuring correctly with a strong heartbeat :happydance:


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## OurLilFlu

Mummy, I've flip flopped the entire time! I think I'm hoping for a girl but banking that I'm probably wrong! Haha so boy? But I really have no clue.. All my dreams / visualizations have been girl but that could mean anything lol


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## kksy9b

Wow! He has done a great job keeping it a secret this whole time!! Thats so wonderful that you guys each are getting what you'd like with it :) All my dreams were that he was a girl and turned out to be a boy but my best friend dreamed hers was a girl and was right! Guess you never know!


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## daddiesgift

Double digit days!!! :dance:

I have no idea when I start going more than once a month :shrug: because I live an hour and half away from birth center I'll probably just start going every week from 36 weeks :haha: I seriously HATE driving up there and I don't have too many concerns where I think I should go more than every few weeks


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## Buttercup84

Wow ourlittleflu, good on your DF for knowing the gender and keeping it a secret. And you for not begging him to tell you, i'd be unbearable if someone else knew and I didn't :blush:
Hopeful, I just checked out that link :thumbup: That guy's tattoo is pretty cool, just a shame he hasn't updated recently so we can see how it looks now. How awesome to be retired before 60 aswell, I can only dream! :winkwink:
My 12 week scan is next Wednesday and it can't come soon enough, my 8 week one feels like ages ago now and i'm so paranoid something has gone wrong between then and now. I can't find baby on my doppler (I know it could well be too early though) so I don't have that reassurance yet. I'm feeling OK, not as sick as I was with DD but the nausea is there sometimes. It's easy to ignore and get on with my day though as I don't feel like I want to BE sick. Tiredness is the biggie really, especially as DD doesn't nap anymore and my job is in childcare. So ready for my second tri energy burst lol!


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu :flower: We will soon know- pink or blue! You have strong will not to find out especially since he knows. Keep us updated!

@kksy9b Thanks! :) I guess I'll have two more appointments until they start coming every two weeks. Wow!

@mummy2o I agree! :) I wouldn't get the tattoo, but it looked so interesting. I'm sorry she was hiding from your midwife. These babies will do whatever they want. :haha: I was so glad that she finally turned the other day so we could get the last pictures we needed. She took her time though. :)

@magicwhisper Happy 28 weeks!! :happydance: I'm glad to hear Ella is doing well! I love hearing the heartbeat too. 

@daddiesgift Happy double digit days!! :happydance: I can't wait to join you. :D 

@Buttercup84 I wish there was some way to keep up with it to see if he updates. Retirement sounds awesome. :winkwink: I'm glad you haven't been as sick this time. I mainly suffered with nausea and no actual morning sickness. I bet it is hard getting enough rest. I remember falling asleep while sitting up watching my shows and I know it must be harder since you're chasing your daughter and working. I can't wait to hear about your appointment! I hope the week flies by for you!


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## KatyW

@kksyb
I have heard that measurements can be off- I bet they are being cautious. 

@hopeful
Sounds like a great weight gain rate to me. I am sure your body knows best. I already go every three weeks to the doctor but I am sort of higher risk


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## KatyW

On the subject of travel, I love it and have been blessed to see a lot from an early age but it wasn't until I was almost an adult until I really got anything out of it. I will probably save our effort and money on taking our kids on international trips until they are much older, because man, traveling to other countries with babies and toddlers is so tiring. I have done a lot of that. We Wil stick to Disneyworld when we move back to America, ha


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## kksy9b

Heading to the doctors this afternoon to meet with my DHs surgeon. Really really hoping we get news that he can have the surgery in the next 2-3 weeks. Otherwise we will have to wait until after the baby comes and neither of us wants that. Will keep you guys updated!


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## mummy2o

Congrats ourlilflu. Not long now.

I'm kind of sad right now. My cousin just posted on facebook her 12 week scan photo and I feel sad that I'm almost at the end of mine. She could appear any day now, but hoping to go over due and give birth on the 27th March as its my mums birthday. OH asked me when we could try for another. I'm not sure how big an age gap I want, but I know 7 years is just far to big this time round!


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## OurLilFlu

Thanks for all the lovely comments! He's kept it a secret for almost a month.. Doesn't bother me one bit, remember I had to have the envelope from the U/S tech in my purse from 28 weeks til 37 weeks when we did the pics! No temptation! We got our pics last night I really want to see his reveal pics, not to find out but to see his reaction! I'm sure they're adorable!! 

Hope everyone is well! Counting down!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I totally understand not wanting to travel internationally until the kids are older. They really will get more out of it when they are older too. I'm thinking of taking our first trip (only a state away) in the summer after Emma turns one. It's a place we've gone to a lot with our nieces and family and I'd love her to go too. I'd be excited to take her and my youngest niece. As for the weight gain, I was surprised that I gained five lbs just in the last month, but not too surprised as my hunger is back again. I hope my body knows best and is doing what needs to be done. :haha: This is when baby is supposed to be putting on the weight too! How are you? 

@kksy9b I hope you get good news and that they can get him in as soon as possible. :thumbup:

@mummy2o :hugs: I'm sorry you're feeling sad. I think it can be sad to get to the end of pregnancy because you lose that connection and can miss the movements. All will be better once you are holding her though. :D Do you plan to start trying again soon or will you wait to decide?

@OurLilFlu You'll have two special surprises when baby comes as you'll get to know and see his reactions. It's exciting! :D


AFM I had my appointment today. All was well and baby's heartbeat was amazing. I'll have to take the GD test at my next appointment. I'm not looking forward to it. :dohh: The big celebration of that day-beyond hopefully passing it-will be that I'll be starting third trimester as well. :winkwink: AND I'm 24 weeks today!!!! :happydance: I've been waiting for this milestone for a while.


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## magicwhisper

Yay to 24 weeks and i hope the test goes ok!

I had my anti d injection today i thought it would bworse but i was nervous as hell but it wasnt bad. It helped a lot that i had my friend there to distract me


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## kksy9b

Happy V-Day Hopeful!! It's such a wonderful milestone to hit!

We had my DH's appointment today. We are going to go back in 3 months once his surgeon and cardiologist speak and make their official recommendation. He will definitely be getting a device put in, but there are a few more options getting ready to be available in the next month or two. With him being so young, these other options may give him greater flexibility (ie being able to get an MRI scan later in life) than just the traditional defibrillator. Lots to research and consider now that there is more available to us so we are going to wait for after baby to get anything done:)


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Thanks! I'm glad your friend was able to distract you while you had the injection. Sometimes thinking about those type of things make me feel more nervous before actually doing them. I'm already slightly irritated with the idea of having to give blood after the GD test. I know it's easy and I've done it, but I wish it was more of an instant thing and that the nurse didn't have to keep the needle in so long. The pressure is what bothers me. :dohh:

@kksy9b Thanks! :D Perhaps some of those other options will be better in the long term. Hopefully it'll be easier to consider in three months as well instead of just as soon as Charles is here. You will have a routine by then and hopefully it'll be easier on all of you. Maybe it's a more advanced treatment/solution and might not take as long to recover from. That would be better too. Will your husband be able to function easily until then?


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## magicwhisper

Yeah i hate needles more than i thought :haha:


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## kksy9b

Thanks Hopeful! Recovery time isn't that bad- overnight in the hospital, can't lift anything for a week and then can't lift arm above head for 4-6 weeks. He wouldn't be able to use some machinary ever again (ie welding equipment) but otherwise lives a normal life. His condition puts him at risk for sudden cardiac arrest/death due to the thickness of his heart muscle. Unfortunately there is no way to predict if/when this might happen. The device would be an insurance policy to make sure of it did, he would be shocked back to life. Since he is so young though, there are other factors to consider when deciding which type of device to get.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, many people will say not to prepare for the GD test but I say it's worth it. Just a 2hr fast before the test can help prevent a false positive. I had eggs toast and orange juice(healthy breakfast right?) about an hour and a half before and I failed by 1pt. The three hour test is 100x worse. I passed that one by large margins, and the phlebotomist said that my carb breakfast (complex in toast and simple in juice) probably screwed me over. She said that they used to tell people to do the 2-4hr fast, and since they stopped a lot if people fail the 1hr test. She figured they're trying to catch people on the fringe, but if baby size, your heart rate and weight are good, there's no reason to think you actually have GD.


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## OurLilFlu

Ya definitely no to OJ before your GD test! I stuck to protein and veg for that breakfast and passed


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## kksy9b

I just did toast and water and had no issues! Good luck with it! I had expected it to be much worse than it actually was.


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## daddiesgift

My test is early in morning so I'm considering just not eating before. With my oldest I didn't know I was having that test and at that office wait time was loooong so I hit up the bakery and bought two chocolate croissants, a Mars bar and A mezzo mix to drink (its a German soda of orange soda and coke mixed AMAZING) :haha: I still passed test but boy did I feel sick! I was more active then but heavier so I'm hoping ill so fine this time. I had no issues with my seconds test.


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b :hugs: I'm so sorry that you both are having to deal with this. I hope they come up with the best plan possible. 

@melann13 Thanks! :) I do want to prepare for it. I really don't want to fail or have to do the three hour test. Did you prepare for days ahead of time by watching meals or just by fasting in the morning before? 

@daddiesgift Oh no! I'd hate for it to be a surprise test! :dohh: My appointment is around 9 am. I hope that I can get up early in the morning and have something and then not eat for 2-3 hours before the test. 


I really lucked out with the appointment/test date and time because it's my niece's birthday and I would have hated if the test was the next day and I had to be super aware of everything I ate. My husband and my birthdays are also in March so I know we'll be having lots of dinners out. :haha: 

Ladies, Do you have any specific suggestions of what I should eat in the days leading up to the test and/or the morning of the test?


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## kksy9b

I just watched my sugar for the 2 days leading up to it. still ate normal meals but opted out of desert (i dont eat it often to begin with). i will say i was glad to have had something on my stomach (ate some toast with nothing on it about 30 minutes beforehand). Otherwise I'm not sure if I could have kept the drink down for the first 15 minutes or so after drinking it.


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## melann13

@Hopeful,for the 3hr test I are a good amount of complex
Carbs for the couple days before. You don't want to Lower carb intake and cause your body to slow insulin production, then when you flood it with the orange drink, your body won't react quickly.


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## mummy2o

In the UK we only do the 2 hour test and was told not to eat/drink 12 hours before and only water afterwards. So nothing really special to eat and just do your normal diet prior to it. Although it does make you pick healthier choices.

AFM I felt guilty letting OH taking DS to the hairdressers as its normally a mummy and son event, but I just can't walk all the way to the bus stop then to the hairdressers then home. I can barely get around the house! 3 weeks left, so not long left. OH is still adamant on no birth control, but its not him who has to be pregnant for 9 months!


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## kksy9b

Its getting so close daddiesgift! You and ourlilflu are next next I think. Any labor signs yet?


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b How bad is the drink? :dohh: The nurse described it as flat Sunkist or Tang. I imagine the sugar rush will bother me a bit because I don't often have things with much sugar either. I hope it doesn't make me sick. I tend to get a little nauseous in the early mornings especially if I don't eat enough. I'll try to eat early in the morning and then nothing else for 2-3 hours before.

@melann13 I'll try that then. I'll look up good ideas with complex carbs. Thanks! :)

@mummy2o Don't feel bad for not taking him. I'm sure he had a good time. I can't imagine walking that much while only three weeks away from birth! You're getting so close! :D


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## daddiesgift

No labor signs for me! But I'd be a tad concerned if I did :haha: I have Braxton hicks all day everyday but they aren't painful. Hip pain has started so finding a comfy position at night isn't so easy. I had this in prior pregnancies too where I'll feel so heavy in the crotch like I was kicked! Maybe my babies always lay the same way or something. I feel like she's trying to dig out. My cervix with literally feel like it's being scratched. Maybe that's why my crotch hurts :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I get some hip pain/discomfort after being on one side for too long and have to turn over. It can get uncomfortable. :dohh:

@kksy9b I think you meant mummy2o and not daddiesgift. :winkwink:


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## kksy9b

:dohh:yes, i did :blush: that's the problem typing on a phone... i read through the posts and then by the time I get to typing I get everything jumbled and it's hard to go back and double check... lol


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## mummy2o

Hehe no worries kksy9b. No labour signs for me yet, but DS was late by 16 days and with 4 inductions. So if she follows suit I've got still a month to wait. I'm secretly hoping she'll make it until the 27th March as its my mum's birthday and would love for them to share a birthday. My mum would to. I even told the consultant I want a section that day if she's not here. Minus not being able to move and rolling over in my sleep can pull all sorts of muscles I never knew I had its not a terrible 3rd trimester. I'm not peeing loads so that's a plus side.

Hopeful: I think OH taken him to places has done wonders on their relationship. They are getting on better than before and DS is starting to say good night to him and even kissed him the other day! He even wanted him to dress him today. So its all good.


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## melann13

Can you believe it?!?
 



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## Ameli

Happy 1 month. Felicity! Time does fly!


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## daddiesgift

Take lots of pictures and enjoy every moment! They grow waaay to fast :(


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## daddiesgift

I've spent the weekend getting things and thoughts together for baby. Kinda.. :haha: I woke up this morning feeling so ill prepared like I have nothing done!!


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## KatyW

Melann, Oh she's cute! That a great milestone to hit that one month old point.

AFM, doing well, doctor's appointment on Friday went great, cervix looks nice (haha, my doctor's words), Blood pressure fine, no infection, got bloodwork/urine sample done so hopefully that is okay. Hitting the third trimester, and feeling pretty good, dare I say? I think the stretching and rapidly growing belly feels easier the second time around, I remember feeling enormous last pregnancy, but it was probably the feeling of my skin stretching. 

Yay on hitting 24 weeks, Hopeful :)

Good luck to the ladies at that full term point, well done, anytime now.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I'm glad the 3rd trimester is going so well for you! I already dislike rolling over in bed sometimes. I hope it doesn't get too bad as I continue to get bigger. I'm so glad he is spending more time with him and taking him places. I'm sure it creates a special bond and it will definitely help once the baby is here too. :D

@melann13 Happy one month to baby Felicity!! :happydance: It seems we were waiting so long for her and it's already been one month! I really like that dress. :)

@Ameli How's everything? I hope Abigail and you are adjusting to your work schedule. :D

@daddiesgift It looks like someone is about to hit 3rd trimester!! :happydance: I really need to get on things soon too.

@KatyW I'm so glad to hear that everything is going well and that your cervix is good. :thumbup: I hope you continue to feel good and that the 3rd trimester is the best yet! :D Happy 28 weeks!! :happydance:


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## daddiesgift

I have no clue when third tri is :haha:


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## kksy9b

You can break up the trimesters evenly if you want to be exact (i tend to be pretty precise lol)

End of 1st trimester: 13+2 8:00AM
End of 2nd trimester: 26+4 4:00PM
End of 3rd trimester: 40+0 12:00AM (obviously it ends when baby comes!)


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## daddiesgift

:haha: so technically speaking, I'm there!!


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## ALiKO

hey ladies been MIA but still lurking around.

melann- congrats shes gotten so big its amazing. and so chunky and cute i see shes enjoying her milk :)

daddiesgift/katyW- congrats on the 3rd tri! wow time really is flying! :flower: 

hopeful- your soon to be 25 weeks and in double digits how exciting :happydance:

the timing of the trimesters are so confusing and i just never understood it. when i was 12 weeks i thought it was the last week of the 1st tri but then i saw that it was 13 weeks some even said it was 14 weeks. its just so confusing.

U.S. standard:
Your First Trimester:
1st Month = Weeks 1,2,3,4 
2nd Month = Weeks 5,6,7,8 
3rd Month = Weeks 9,10,11,12,13 
Week 1 till end of week 13

Your Second Trimester:
4th Month = Wks 14,15,16,17
5th Month = Wks 18,19,20,21
6th Month = Wks 22,23,24,25,26 
Begin week 14 till end week 26 

Your Third Trimester:
7th Month = Wks 27,28,29,30
8th Month = Wks 31,32,33,34,35
9th Month = Wks 36,37,38,39,40 
Begin week 27 till Birth 

the above chart ^ is what i went by but here in japan they count pregnancy as 10 months which in technical terms would make sense if a month is 4 weeks then you'll have 10 even months. 

Japans chart:
1st tri:
month 1= wks: 1,2,3,4
month 2= wks: 5,6,7,8
month 3= wks: 9,10,11,12

2nd tri:
month 4= wks: 13,14,15,16
month 5= wks: 17,18,19,20
month 6= wks: 21,22,23,24

3rd tri:
month 7= wks: 25,26,27,28
month 8= wks: 29,30,31,32
month 9= wks: 33,34,35,36
*month 10= wks: 37,38,39,40

in japan they they give you a 40 week estimated due date but consider you fullterm at 37 weeks. sorry ladies for the long spill on this topic. :blush:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b I still think it's cool that you figured the trimesters out evenly like that! Happy 35 weeks!! :happydance:

@ALiKO Thanks! :friends: I'm so excited to reach double digits!! :D I've been counting down. It's cool to see how other countries classify the trimesters. I just always assumed every three months was a new trimester before I started ttc and learning about pregnancy. I never thought much about specific weeks/milestones and how there is technically a 10th month. :haha: 


AFM I've noticed baby Emma's big movements much more lately. I think it's because she is finally starting to move up and is gaining weight. She is showing big movements on the outside now. She did like hiding down low until the last week or so. It made it difficult for me to see those movements because they were mainly on the underside of my belly when sitting. :haha: I'm going to be making a do-it list here shortly and I plan to give myself/husband/etc. until the end of March to complete most of the things.


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## melann13

For you FTMs, there are a couple things we use all the time that I highly recommend...
Halo Sleep Sacks- we have fleece ones, the hospital gave us one, we have two more... one of them the "wings" come off, and I use them during her naps so that her startle reflex doesn't wake her. They're AMAZING! I used them as a template to make an extra set for the daycare to have too. She sleeps much more soundly. https://www.halosleep.com/sleepsack-swaddle/
Baby leggings are great for days at home for her to wear with onesies. Makes diaper checks and changes fast and they work from 8-35lbs which is great because her legs are longer than NB sleepers, but she still fits in the onesies.https://www.babyleggings.com/ Don't pay full price. Motherhood maternity had a code to get 5 pairs for FREE, just pay the $12 shipping!
Also, at this point the baby bath tub was a waste of money. We used it once and she screamed the whole time. My mom said that they just took me in the shower. DH gets in, I hand her in to him (he keeps his back to the shower so the water doesn't pound her, but runs over his shoulders onto her) and I reach in the back of the shower and wash her with a washcloth. It may sound crazy, but it works so well, she seems to love it, absolutely no crying. It also means bonding for DH and LO. Obviously just being careful with a wet baby... which is why we do it together, he just focuses on holding her. Maybe we'll use the tub in the future, but probably not. We bought a cheap one $10, so I'm not that concerned.
Finally, the Wubbanub! This is our most recent purchase. At first I thought we weren't going to use pacifiers at all due to BFing, but she BFs like a champ but likes to suck while falling asleep. She uses the AVENT Soothie (which is what the hospital gave) but when she's falling asleep it falls out when she stops sucking. I found myself holding it in for AGES and it was awful as I'd drift off, it would fall out and we'd be awake 10 minutes later. The Wubanub helps it stay in her mouth even when she's not sucking. It's not foolproof, obviously if she spits it out or tosses her head it's gone, but for the most part she was just losing it when she'd drift off and this stops that. Available on Amazon. https://www.wubbanub.com/
We use the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper as well, which gives me so much peace of mind and great sleep!

No I'm not being paid by any of these companies, just things I thought might be helpful!


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## Buttercup84

We found the baby bath a pain too, I found it easier to bath a small baby in the sink and then graduate to a bath support in the normal bath. That's what we'll be doing this time around :thumbup:
We loved the baby sleeping bags with DD, I like the ones you posted though Melann for the early days. Think we might invest in one :thumbup:
My most useful buys for the early days were: Car base for the carseat (so handy to quickly put the carseat in especially with my winter baby!), loads of muslins/burp cloths, Lansinoh nipple cream, some newborn rather than just 0-3 clothes (DD was a big baby at 9lbs 4oz and the 0-3 was too big even on her for the first week or so. It was nice to have some clothes that fitted in that early curled up stage) and the Fisher Price rainforest playmat :)


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## melann13

Yes buttercup, car seat base was a must. The newborn clothes only fit Felicity for about 2 weeks, although some of the onesies still fit as well as the kimono style Tshirts which are nice before the umbilical cord falls off. I loaded up on receiving blankets because everyone told me how much I'd use them. I don't. I mean, I have one nice waffle knit one (from the hospital) that we use in the carseat, and one fleece one that I wrap around her legs in the bassinet (since the sleep sack puts 3 layers on her top half). But all the cotton ones that are called receiving blankets in the store aren't big enough for swaddling, they're not absorbent, and I just haven't found a reason why I have 10 of them.
There are some $$ swaddles from the brand Aden and Anais, and I got a 3 pack of beautiful ones from a friend. They are solid colored and patterned. I have come to LOVE these for going out with her because I wear it as a scarf and it doubles as a burp cloth and nursing cover. I have an UdderCover, but so far have found it awkward and a scarf or light small blanket is easier.
I also have some cloth diapers that I use as burp clothes and munchkin changing table liners. These are both things I would have had more of. I have a burp cloth in her room, on her bassinet, in the diaper bag and one in the living room. They absorb much better than receiving blankets. https://www.target.com/p/gerber-new...sku=13574459&gclid=COSW7eOc6LwCFajm7AodoC0A6Q https://www.target.com/p/munchkin-w.../A-14323622#prodSlot=medium_1_2&term=munchkin
Agreed on the Lanisoh.. I don't use it anymore and probably didn't need such a large quantity, but it was a MUST in the first two weeks. I also needed breast shields to keep my clothes off my nipples sometimes. The hospital gave me those though.
We have a playmat too that we use, and a bouncy seat, which is a convenient place to set her in the bathroom while I shower and DH takes her downstairs and works out on our rowing machine with her next to him. He says she works out too batting at the toys :) https://www.target.com/p/fisher-pri...sku=14297076&gclid=COn2jrqe6LwCFTBk7AodHAQAtA


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## Buttercup84

I love the Aden and Anais big muslins/swaddling blankets, I didn't have any with DD but i'm going to buy some for this baby. I'll probably go for the Summer branded ones that are cheaper though! I totally agree that most of the receiving type blankets are too small to do much with and you don't need very many of them, they seem to be something everyone gets a lot of as gifts too :dohh:
I really liked the bouncy chair (we have one nearly the same as yours Melann, just a different theme) and have kept DD's for this baby. We also had a swing for her which I sold as she didn't care much for it and I hated how much space it took up (our home isn't very big so one thing for baby to sit in is enough really!) I know others swear by them though.
I didn't have a breastfeeding cover for DD, though I never actually ended up feeding her in public anyway. I thought if I did this time (hopefully!) a muslin or similar would do the same job :flower:


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 Thanks! Those sound like great products. I'd love to hear more recommendations over time. :thumbup:

@Buttercup84 Thanks for your recommendations too! I'm slowly adding things to my registry and it's nice to hear what you ladies found/are finding useful. :thumbup: I spent a lot of time with my nieces when they were babies because their family lived with me for a long time, but it's been years since they were babies so it's nice to hear ideas. :winkwink:


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## daddiesgift

Both my boys loathed being swaddled :haha: I had a halo sleep sack that you could wrap arms out and that worked but arms in was a massive melt down :dohh: 

Agreed about baby bath tubs. I just took/take baths with them. Now that both sit up fine they bathe together more than anything. As infants hubs or me just took bath with them. 

I love baby gowns. Especially early days when they poop every meal and in middle of night you can just pull gown up instead of un snapping or in zipping and getting legs out/in. They are my must have! I'm far too lazy in the middle of night to do a ton of work :haha: 

Co sleeping was a must. I got sooo much more sleep that way. 

Gas drops!! Total must for us. Legs kicks and belly rubs just didn't cut it all the time but a few drops and the gas would be flowing! 

When they are older a jumper is awesome. (Hubs told me to say that :haha:) 

And teething necklaces!


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## melann13

@daddiesgift, I've been wanting a teething necklace! DH did get me a beautiful necklace as a "mommy present" it's from uncommon goods and it's a little metal birds best with a blue egg/stone inside. I study birds, so it's highly appropriate. Plus when Felicity is hungry I lovingly call her angry bird because of the way she pecks at my chest before I'm ready to feed her :)


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Good points! :flower: I think I need to invest in some baby gowns. I can't wait until we go to the actual store to register for things. I've already made an online registry, but it will be fun to see/pick things in real life too. 

@melann13 That sounds like a lovely necklace. I didn't know you studied birds. That sounds cool. :flower: 


Does anyone have any suggestions on nightlights or a preference between wall lights/a small light that you can sit on a dresser/lights that come from toys?


AFM I'm trying to decide if I want to get a 3D scan. I always thought I would and think it is so neat. However, we're not sure. March is the optimal time for me to go so I really need to decide soon. I would definitely have it done if they did it at my doctor's office, but I'm not sure I want to go somewhere else. One reason we are not sure is because my husband feels a bit uncomfortable since it won't be at the office and another is because she was tucked and hid for most of my 20 week scan and 24 week follow up scan so I'm not sure how well she will show her face anyway. Any pro/cons?


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## kksy9b

We opted not to get the scan done. Early on I wanted one but by the time it came around to get it done, we could just sit and watch him dance in the belly for an hour at night and that was enough for me. Its 150 to get it in my area and I just couldn't justify spending it (and at that point I had already had 3 regular ultrasounds). They are really cool when you get them done but I also wanted to leave more mystery as to what he looks like. I missed it yesterday but happy 25 weeks!! Just a dew more days and you're in double digits and fast approaching third tri!!


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## Ameli

Agree with the products you guys mentioned. We use Aden and Anais for swaddling and it is great at night. We didn't do it at first because she seemed to hate her hands being wrapped up, but she only fusses about it for a minute and then sleeps through the night (5-6 hrs), without her startle reflex waking her. 
The other thing that's saved us at night, is a sound machine. White noise really does calm babies down. I'm sure I won't be able to sleep without it soon.


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## daddiesgift

I think 3D scans are fun if you can afford it. But they can be costly and once the boys were here they looked nothing like those 3D scan pics :haha: I wouldn't refuse one but I wouldn't pay a lot for one either!


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## melann13

@Daddiesgift, I had a few gowns, but since we use the fleece sleep sack swaddles at night, I have to say that whoever designed them is a genius- they zip from the top down (whereas most sleepers zip up) so that at night you only unzip it as far as you need to change the diaper, not all the way, so I don't have to undo the swaddle part or find both halves of the zipper.

@Hopeful, yeah I probably never said I study birds before... some people freak about animal research. I'm doing my PhD in behavioral neuroscience, so I study the neural mechanisms underlying vocal behavior as it relates to changing social circumstances. Think autism... no, the birds are not autistic, in contrast they are amazing at reading changing social context and altering their vocalizations appropriately. I'm an animal lover, used to be a zookeeper, and for a long time I thought I'd be a vet, but I'm fascinated by what "causes" the behaviors I saw for so long.
This is the necklace DH got me https://www.uncommongoods.com/product/nest-egg-necklace


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Thanks so much! I can't wait for double digits and to be in third tri! :D I would love to know what she looks like and always thought I would, but I'm not sure how well she would show us her face anyway. I might be able to use that money towards something else too. How are you?

@Ameli Which sound machine do you use? I'm thinking we will get one because you can hear almost everything rooms away in our home. I'd hate to think that turning on the water might wake her. :haha: 5-6 hours sounds good! :thumbup:

@daddiesgift I think it would be easier for me to get a 3D scan if my doctor's office offered it. I would feel more comfortable and like it wasn't more of an expense because I might have to travel to the other place as the recommended place is a little farther away. Did you do it with both boys? I agree there are so many things I could get instead. Perhaps I could splurge on something else?! :D 

@melann13 That's such a neat necklace. I'm sure you're great with the birds since you enjoy it and like working with animals so much. There was a time when I wanted to be a vet because I love animals so much. Sometimes they're easier to work with than people. :haha: Can you apply that research to humans and vocal behavior or it just about studying bird behavior?


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## daddiesgift

Our office offered it for free so we got them done quite a bit in the end as it was just a switch of a button on the regular machine :haha: I saw same office for Dominic then for Anthony up until 23ish weeks when we moved back to America so I didnt get any of Anthony later on in pregnancy. Ill see if I can locate some to upload :) Newborns dont even look like what they will at a few months..few years ect. Dominic looks NOTHING like he did as a baby. Although he does make the same pouty face :winkwink:


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## ALiKO

daddiesgift said:


> Newborns dont even look like what they will at a few months..few years ect. Dominic looks NOTHING like he did as a baby. Although he does make the same pouty face :winkwink:

is'nt it weird how that happens? i feel like even one month after birth your looking at a whole new baby. they change so drastically.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, the work we do isn't "directly" applied to humans, but the theories are. For example, we know dopamine and opioids are involved in autism. My specific research looks at how androgens (testosterone) and opioids interact. I believe this could explain a little of why autism is such a male dominated disorder. Our lab does the primary research behind what motivates social communication (communication that is not extrinsically rewarded, e.g. breeding song is used to attract mates)


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift I knew that some of the regular machines could switch to 3D. I wish mine did. I'm not really sure if it does, but I did ask them about their opinion and she suggested another place so I assumed their machine did not do it. I'd like to see them if you can find them. :D

@ALiKO :flower: How are you?

@melann13 That's very interesting! :flower:

AFM Baby Emma is definitely a night person. I'm sitting here watching and feeling her kick a ton. :cloud9:

We're on to March tomorrow and more due dates!! :D


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## KatyW

Also love the swaddle blankets, sleep sacks, baby gowns.....nipple cream, breast shields, breast pump (you can rent these ) , glass bottles for bottle feedings, other than that cannot think of any other newborn essentials.


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## mummy2o

I see Ourlilflu's got a new ticker. Congrats.


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## magicwhisper

Ella is such a night owl to hopeful :D

I love the baby lists thanks


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## kksy9b

Congratulations very much to Ourlilflu!!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Do you have any specific brand recommendations for swaddle blankets or breast pumps? I'm not sure if I will buy a breast pump or try to get it through my insurance at first. I want to get a good brand that's easy to use. Thanks! :D

@mummy2o Oh! I hadn't seen her ticker yet! :D

@magicwhisper I wait for night now and can't wait to see her. :D 

@OurLilFlu Congratulations!! :pink: I'd love to hear all about her when you get the chance! :D I'll update the front with the details too and add you to the parenting thread!


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## ALiKO

hopeful- im good thanks :wave:. how are you and baby emma getting along? you'll be in the 3rd tri soon! :)

AFM ahhh cant believe April is next month! im starting to freak out a bit about labor. i also had things nice and situated but since i got bored i started a few new projects around the house that i may not be able to finish. ugh i hope im not in over my head :dohh:


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## OurLilFlu

Hey ladies! Thanks for noticing my little update! I still haven't written my birth story but it was an intense one, 42 hrs of labour before ending up in a csection because baby had pooped inside and was very very stuck, she ended up with a very swollen head, bruising and needing an IV for antibiotics and we had to transfer to a different hospital for that!


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## melann13

@ourlilflu
Congrats! I had something similar- 39 hours with meconium in the waters and LO needed antibiotics for chorionic amniitis, but everything turned out fine! I'm more than a month out now and no worse for wear!


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## ALiKO

ourlilflu- CONGRATULATIONS mama and welcome to team pink! :happydance:. sorry to hear your labor and delivery was a little tough, but i know it was all worth it in the end and im happy to hear that you are both doing well :flower:. ahh cant wait till its my time :)


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO We're good! I love her more active days. She's been moving higher so I can actually see her kicking around. It's such a special feeling/sight! :D I'm really starting to get antsy about getting things in order. It really won't be long until your baby girl is here! I've also started to worry a bit about labor. 

@OurLilFlu Oh no! That does sound very intense. I'm so glad she is here and doing well. I hope you are both getting rest and enjoying every minute together! I can't wait to hear more. :D Did you name her Royen Arquelle? How's Kyiero adapting?


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## daddiesgift

Congrats Ourlittleflu!


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## OurLilFlu

Yes her name is Royen Arquelle, Kurtis's mom's family name is Van Rooijen and both his grandparents passed away in recent years so we simplified the spelling to kind of tribute that side of his family! Love her name more everyday! Arquelle just made it on my list and it just is pretty and it worked, it's kind of made up, there is a band called The Arkells but we didn't name her after them lol I like it because I'm French also and it kind of fits the bill that way! 

Kyiero is doing fine, kind of begging for attention at times but she's really good with the baby, she'll sniff her toes etc but knows not to give kisses. She's less curious now and more protective, she goes and checks up on her if she gasps, coughs or starts crying. Too cute!


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu I love the name tribute. :) I can't wait for my puppy to interact with baby Emma. I hope they grow to be best friends.


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## mummy2o

I had my first BH last night yay. Only lasted 15 minutes, 2 minutes apart and lasting no longer than 10 seconds each but I hate the pain (I have the lowest pain threshold in the world) but hoping its a step in the right direction as I never had any with DS. Also sweep on Thursday. All going in the right direction. I also wonder if any of the April mums will give birth before me. Loads of March babies came in Feb!


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I've been wondering about our March ladies! I hope the BH and other contractions are not too bad on you. I can't imagine what that will be like yet. I know you were hoping to wait it out until your mom's birthday, but do you think you'll be soon? :flower: It's so exciting! 

@chulie How are you? Any signs? :flower:


AFM I'm double digits today! :happydance:


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- congratulations on double digits!!! And you're almost to third tri! It seems to be going by so fast! Have you started getting anything ready for Emma?

AFM, went to doctor yesterday and baby has finally flipped head down? 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. Grew 3cm in last 2 weeks and is measuring at 34 weeks...fine with me though- he caught up a bit..if he had fallen anymore back they would have sent me for a growth scan bit now he's back on target for him. Its been a really rough week so far. We had to suddenly put our dog to sleep Sunday and my mom slipped on ice and broke her leg . Good news about the baby has really helped take some of the stress away!


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Thanks! :D It really does seem to be going fast. Some days are so long and some fly by. We have the crib, mattress, some clothes, diapers, and wipes. However, we still need to put the crib together. I have a list of things that need to be finished! :dohh: I have the motivation and time, but it's hard to get started. I'm hoping to get the car seat and stroller soon. My baby shower will be in April so we'll get everything else we need afterwards. My hope is to have everything ready by the beginning of May. 

That's great news about him flipping head down and about the growth! You're almost there! You're under a month now!! :happydance: 

:hugs: I'm so sorry to hear about your dog and your mom. Pets are like family so I know that is a very hard thing to do. I hope your mom gets better soon.


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## magicwhisper

Congratulations :kiss:

30 weeks!


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## Hopeful2014

magicwhisper said:


> Congratulations :kiss:
> 
> 30 weeks!

Happy 30 weeks!! :happydance: You're getting so close. How is everything?


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## mummy2o

Congrats on double figures hopeful and congrats on 30 weeks magicwhisper.

AFM: My nipples are sore today, plus I can hardly walk. I'm in so much pain when I walk I feel like crying. Going to mention that to the midwife this afternoon when I go in for my sweep. Of course some days are better than others but mainly its so painful, which I really don't think is normal. We'll see what they can do though as I'm not having 3 more weeks of not walking. They tend to induce you in the UK about 12 days overdue.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks! :D I'm sorry you are in so much pain. Hopefully your midwife can do something or offer some advice. Good luck with the sweep. Let us know how you are. :friends:


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## KatyW

Congrats,Ourlilflu! 

Hopeful, I have the Ameda double electric pump. The Medela is great of course, but I liked the price of the Ameda since we bought it ourselves. Oh and I love the Aden and Anais swaddled, not cheap for blankets but they are worth the price. Definitely put them on a registry if you are having a shower.


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## magicwhisper

im good, crazy tired half the time but thats to be expected. it feels like we are so not organised#1 but really we just need a few things nnow. its a shame money is tight right noe cos i want to buy stuff now :rofl:


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## daddiesgift

I'm also having pains for being this early! She must be really snug deep down in there as I didn't have these pains with the boys till late pregnancy. Just an overall heavy feeling in the vagina, like someone's kicked me really hard, and I can't cross my legs or walk with them too close together or my vagina hurts! It's not really "the bump" as it doesn't feel heavy and I have no back pain. It hasn't gotten so big its in the way yet :haha: 

I had a first years pump. Absolute crap! This time a friend gave me a medela.. I'll have to look which one. Insurance covered one for her after she already got one so she gave it to me for free! Although I'm really trying not to pump at all this time till my body regulates itself which in my case seems to take forever! But I was so engorged with #2 and people told me to pump to have relief. That back fired and made things worse!


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## melann13

Insurance has to at least cover a base model- for me it's the Medela Harmony single manual. I had to wait til she was born so a doc could write a Rx. Also call your insurance and see if there are any special programs that could get you a better one. My insurance has a program where they call every trimester to check on your mental state and homelife and they have a form where you keep track of all your appts including the postpartum. The doc signs it at the end saying that you came to all of them and then they send me a Medela Freestyle double electric. I think the program is intended for low income/ high risk, but they couldn't tell me I couldn't participate. I've been using the manual one successful to get a freezer supply and once the electric comes Ill use that at work.


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## kksy9b

I have the medela in style advanced double pump electric. Came free through insurance and doctor was able to write the script before baby was born. A lot of it just has to do with what insurance company you have and what supplier you have to go through. But definitely call and find out- like melann said- they have to provide at least a base model and you might find out there are some really nice ones available!


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## mummy2o

Just got back from my sweep. Wasn't to bad, minus my cervix is to closed to break my waters. Having another on Monday at 9am. If by the consultant it doesn't open it looks like another section for me. Not sure what to make of it all, but at least the end of the line is in sight.


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## ALiKO

hopeful- hooray for double digits! it will go by fast. i started my countdown at 100 days. now i have 31 days till im fullterm and 51 days until my due date lol :haha:.

kksy- im sry to hear what happened :hugs:. but im sure the excellent news about your lil guy helped in some way. so happy to hear he flipped for you. 

mummy2o- aww sry your in pain. i hope everything works out good. thinking of you :flower:

can i get in on the pump talk? haha. i wish i was in the states to recieve a free pump im so jealous :). i bought a single electric pump by a japanese brand called pigeon and it got pretty good reviews online so im praying it works. if not then i guess i'll have to go all out and buy a good medela which retails for $300+ yikes!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Thanks! :thumbup: I'll look into those brands. Would you say the Ameda works good? I'm not sure how much I would like to spend on a pump as I'm not sure how much I'll use it at first. 

@magicwhisper I really need to start getting more organized! The weather has delayed me some because I haven't felt like getting out in the snow/ice and because we can't move certain things in and out. We're starting to discuss and plan everything. I really don't think it will take us long once we get going. :thumbup: Are you getting everything settled in now that your mom brought it over? I totally understand wanting to buy everything now! I'm trying to wait for some things until after my shower. 

@daddiesgift How long should you wait to pump or for your body to regulate before starting? I'll probably try to breastfeed exclusively at first and see what happens. Emma stays very low down as well. I mainly feel all the movements low still. I love when she goes higher and I can actually see them by my belly button. :D I hope the heavy feeling eases for you.

@melann13 I've been meaning to check with my insurance to see what they offer. :thumbup: When do you think I should call? I've heard a lot of them make you wait until baby is here. What do you think of using a manual model?

@kksy9b Oh! I hope they let me have mine before baby is here too. I'd like to figure it out before I actually need to use it. How's your mom? Good, I hope. :flower: 

@mummy2o Happy 39 weeks!! :happydance: I hope it opens for you and that it goes as easily as possible. The end of the line is in sight! 

@ALiKO Wow! That sounds so much closer when you say it like that. :D Let us know what you think about the pump when you use it. I can't believe our insurance is finally giving free pumps. I'm sorry they don't offer it there too.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, the manual works fine for me, but I have very fast flow. Right now I'm just pumping one side once a day just to build a freezer supply. Next week I'll be pumping while she's in daycare. I think it would get frustrating doing it multiple times a day. My double electic came already today but I haven't used it yet because I need to sanitize it. I'm hoping to work out a hands free system... They sell bra things to do it... We'll see. I've also heard people say just to cut holes in a sports bra.


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 I've wondered what the best option for a hands free system would be too. It always looks like they are just hanging, but there has to be a better way. :haha: Are you going back to work next week? 


Ladies, what types/brands of sanitizers do you recommend for cleaning pumps/bottles? I've heard of actual sanitizers and of people just washing them as well. Opinions?


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## athena87

Hey ladies I'm just stopping in to say hey. Can't believe I'm already 10 weeks. I hope you are all doing well. I ordered a medela manual pump and an electric single pump. My father in law is a preacher and he has this membership through this company where they get products and sell them cheaper the manual pump was $4 and the electric was $50 both are medela.


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## KatyW

Hopeful, I thought the Ameda was comparable to the Medela, just a little louder, and didn't come in a little backpack thing. I pumped exclusively for a few months with it, around the clock. 

I just boiled parts and then washed them after that. Hot soapy water. And washed hands, etc before and after pumping. 

Daddies gift, yeah that was awful advice to pump to relieve oversupply and engorged breast s. I pumped to increase my supply, so it works in reverse. Oh man, I forgot about breast pads, nipple cream, etc. Ha. 

Anyone have favorite bottles? Especially if you breastfed with the occasional bottle?


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 Happy 10 weeks!! :happydance: Wow! You got some good deals. :thumbup: How is everything? Do you have your next appointment yet?

@KatyW I'll look into the Ameda. It sounds like a good option. Does pumping increase the supply? I'm so happy to have you ladies to talk to about these things. :D I've heard really good things about the Avent bottles. Those are the ones we used mainly with my nieces and nephew.


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## daddiesgift

I dont really know if there is a set time to wait to pump. It takes a few days for most women to get any milk in and you really want to stimulate it by babe only. If you add more pumping sessions then its signaling your body to make more milk. When the first few weeks you and babe are getting the hang of it and your body is starting to regulate so I guess id say not to pump unless you absolutely have to the first two weeks. Then again every situation is different, But those first few weeks I wouldnt say you dont have enough milk or too much. Some days your leaking like mad, other days baby seems to cry no matter how much they eat and you think you dont make enough when thats all normal. 

I just boiled everything to clean. Never really used any special sanitizer? 

Ill tell you what bottles NOT to use. Whatever ones come with the Medela pumps. I have an in home daycare and I had a baby for awhile that was breast fed and her mom brought those bottles..HATE. Bottles need to have different options for nipples, like slow flow, medium flow, fast flow. Not just one flow. If you hold it upside down and it steadily comes out its going to be too fast for baby. Especially a breast fed baby where its more work to get milk than out of a bottle. That babe was always struggling to not choke on that bottle! HATE. 

With my boys we pretty much used Playtex Dropins. Only because it squeezes the air out and helps with reflux or gassy. I think breast fed babies should ALWAYS use latex nipples. If they can. The brown ones not the clear ones. Again the latex nipples are a little harder to get milk out of and mimic breast feeding more than the silicon ones. While boys were bf they got those, while bottle fed full time we just went to silicon no problem. Always slow flow. Playtex ventair are good too but a pain to clean.


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## melann13

@Hopeful, there are a few hands free options. I'll let you know if I find one I like.

We use the medela bottles with slow flow nipples with no problem. My flow is quite fast, so maybe that helps. The advice I got was to not buy more than a couple of anything until you've tried it to see what baby likes. Some babies are very picky. I started pumping at 3 weeks. It's been going really well for me. I have lumped once a day to get a bottles worth of backup each day. I've got about 40oz in the freezer. Now I'll be pumping while she's in care, but I still hope to do an extra each day.


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## KatyW

Thanks for the note recommendations, daddies gift. 

I also agree to try to use baby only to stimulate your body to make enough and not way too much milk. Pumping on top of normal feeding times increases supply, if you empty the breast that is. This can be good if you want to have a freezer stash like Melann does. I am not sure how much pumping I will do, since we are moving when our new baby is only two to three months old and I plan to stay home with her. We occasionally used some formula with our first even though she was mostly breastfed. It was fine for us and took some of the pressure. Just throwing this out there, that it is not all or nothing.


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## mummy2o

I just boiled also and put in the steriliser which is mainly boiled water. Avent worked best for my son, but he didn't really like bottles or breast so had to wean early due to him loosing weight. That fixed his problem and he's been 50% ever since.

Just got back from the midwife and a 2nd sweep. 2cm and she could feel the head. So something must of happened over the weekend. But I can have my waters broken rather than an elective section, so yay. So it can happen now, or in two weeks.


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Is formula the best option for the first few days/weeks or until the milk comes in fully or will baby get enough breast milk while waiting for it to come in? I really need to start looking into this more. I've tried to pace myself and focus on just what's next during the whole ttc and pregnancy process, but I need to start focusing on this next step. :haha:

@KatyW Happy 30 weeks!! :happydance: I'd definitely be interested in supplementing with pumped milk or formula so my husband can get more involved in the process. He is already talking about how he can't wait to feed her. Was your daughter fine with having both and accepting them both at the same time? 

@mummy2o Oh! I'm so excited for you! Keep us updated!! :happydance: 



Ladies, What are some of your favorite formula options?


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## OurLilFlu

Hopeful, it's definitely best to get baby to the breast in the first days even if your milk hasn't come in, the colostrum is super important for its immuniry properties and sense nutrients. It'll stimulate your milk to come in quicker and the more you practice a good latch the better your chances of success at home. That said sometimes you need to supplement or top up the really hungry babes. I had to with Royen being 9lbs 9 oz and due to the fact that we had to use a nipple shield for the first few days so she wasn't getting the most of it.


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## melann13

@Hopeful,
Yes do you research. Most people do not need to use formula. Don't forget, formula didn't always exist. Your body is made to do this. I read a couple books that gave me a lot of confidence. In the first few days your baby's stomach is only the size of a marble. The key is getting baby on the breast right away- in the delivery room if possible, and then frequently. At first nothing may come out. That's okay. The doctors and nurses said that babies really don't need to eat for 24hrs, but the more frequently you try, the faster your milk comes in. At first it will just be colostrum which is clearish yellow. Around day two, baby will cluster feed, wanting to go to breast as frequently as every twenty minutes. This is exhausting, but key to your milk coming in and it will ease after a day or so. 
Arm yourself with resources. If your hospital isn't a breastfeeding advocate, out the phone number if a lactation helpline (check out le leche league onlibe) in your phone. I read "breastfeeding made simple" and" the ABC's of breastfeeding"


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## daddiesgift

"Most" babies sleep so much those first couple of days even if you have no milk they won't notice as colostrum will be enough. I know some who didn't get milk till five days and still didn't need formula! So I wouldn't worry those first few days if baby is hungry. I think first time it was day two milk came in with second again about day 2-3. I never noticed them extremely hungry. That came later :haha: 

I think if you plan to breast feed try your best to just stick with that. Don't worry about using formula unless doctor is concerned. I know for me and maybe because I had such a hard time breast feeding that once I went to the bottle it became easier and I preferred it. So it made it easier for me to want to stop bfing when times got tough because I knew I always had the bottle. 

With my first at my baby shower I got lots of bottles and a friend gave me some formula she got from somewhere. So I remember being in that despair state of mind when baby was crying, I was exhausted and nipples were bleeding that I just dug that stuff out and made him a bottle. With my second I had kept bottles as I planned to pump for him if things got rough but as you can guess I sent OH to store to get formula. This time I have zero formula and zero bottles in the house. For me I don't need anything around for when I get down about bfing that I can fall back to.

So I'd say if you want to solely fb don't even have formula in your house. Just offer the breast. 

Every woman's different, there's some that never have issues bfing, some that have a couple and overcome them, then there's some like me who have problem after problem. If you become that woman you don't want anything around to tempt you to stop your original goal of bfing.


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## Hopeful2014

@OurLilFlu Thanks! :) I knew the colostrum is super important. Is it enough at first? How is baby Royen? 

@melann13 That's such good news. I didn't know about the stomach being so small in the first few days or that they didn't need much for 24 hours. That makes me feel a bit better. I worry a bit about being judged by the nurses. :winkwink: Does baby get some every twenty minutes on day two or is it still coming in slowly by then (usually)? I'll look into those books. :flower:

@daddiesgift It's good to know the colostrum seems to be enough. :thumbup: I <3 that I have you ladies to talk to about this because I would not like to talk about it with others. :haha: I'm so sorry that you had such a hard time with breastfeeding. Don't feel bad if you do have to go to formula for her! I know it's what I will do if it works out that way as well. 


AFM I have my GD test on Wednesday. Ugh. I dread it a bit. I don't think I have a problem, but I really don't want to fail.


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## KatyW

Yeah, what they said. I am not sure of the ideal time to introduce a bottle when you are breast feeding. We had a NICU stint at first, so we were unique in that we switched from bottle to breast that first month, not something I would suggest if you can avoid it, but for us it was of course unavoidable. My child got mad when I left her on rare occasions with a bottle, but it was infrequent so that may have had something to do with it. Nursing can be very hard at first, so getting help in advance will increase the likelihood of success.


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## melann13

@hopeful
We introduced a bottle after 3 weeks. Breastfeeding was going well at that point for us, but you really need to wait til it is for you and your baby. 4 or 5 weeks may be better as your supply will be better established by then, but with me going back to work today (ahhh!) I wanted to start a bit earlier to make sure she'd take it well. Once you introduce a bottle it's important to give them one every few days (it usually goes better if someone else gives it (like DH) so that it becomes routine. Just giving one and then assuming you'll be good in a couple weeks is a bad idea. They can forget. 
Don't be afraid of being judged by the nurses. If they are anything but extremely supportive and positive while you're learning to BF, they really shouldn't be L&D nurses. The best possible thing you can do is educate yourself so that you're super confident. Everyone I know who has given up BF gave up because they thought they weren't doing it well when in reality they just needed to know that what they were experiencing was totally normal. We'll all be here to answer questions, but definitely find someone who will support you and make sure DH is on board too. BFing especially in the early days is very exhausting so it's important that he understand why it's important and how he can help.


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## OurLilFlu

Yay! Everyone is absolutely right about bf on here! I'm a nurse who works in postpartum and sometimes it's hard to convince ppl that it's normal that they feed so often or that their stomachs are so small and need refilling. It's all true and yes the first 24 hrs can be hit or miss some babies do feed well the first 24 hrs and some sleep it all away, it's still important to try to get them to the breast every 2-3 hours but its not the end of the world if they don't. With royens traumatic delivery, us being in separate hospitals for 6 hrs and having to use a nipple shield due to flat nipples it was just too much work for her and she just got hungrier and hungrier, so I think it was the second night that we filled her up on formula after each feed so she's be satisfied enough to sleep. But again, with healthy, term babies everything you girls have talked about is bang on, do some reading and just trust yourself!


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## Hopeful2014

@melann13 How was work? I hope it was an easy transition for you. I plan to research it all and be as prepared as possible. I think that will help in addition to being able to ask you all for advice. My husband is totally on board with BF and wants to do it. He's been such a sweetheart and so supportive this whole time. He is getting more and more excited now as my belly continues to grow. :cloud9:

@KatyW & @OurLilFlu Thanks! I appreciate all the encouragement and advice! :friends:


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## KatyW

Yes! What they said, again. Ha. 

Anyone else dealing with fatigue? Insomnia issues are the root of it, oh and a two yr old. Curious if you ladies have any energy boosting tips..on her than giving birth


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## daddiesgift

KatyW- Im right there with you!!! I was soo tired in the beginning then I started to feel a tad normal then about two weeks ago started to extreme tiredness again! The last few days have been plagued with insomnia. Some times its because my mind is racing about so much thats going on with us other times my mind is blank but I just cant shut off to sleep! Last night I was so tired from about 7pm, laid down after training at about 9..still didnt really fall asleep till 1am! Then I kept waking up and having to force myself to fall back asleep. I dont remember ever having this issue before. 

As far as energy bursting tips..no clue. I drink one cup of cold starbucks premade coffee in the morning to help me get to mid day and thats about it!


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## ALiKO

daddiesgift/katyW- me 3! i am so tired and fatigued these days that i have to to take naps. ugh i feel like those awful 1st tri symptoms are coming back. i hope not.


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## kksy9b

Right there with you ladies! Have been feeling so fatigued these last few days. Getting up to pee 5 times a night probably doesn't help lol. Have been feeling more pressure and pelvic pains today along with some light cramping. Hoping things are progressing a little...will be checked tomorrow!


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## mummy2o

Kksby9 you might go before me then. Nothing has happened yet, minus more insomnia than I can handle. Got the consultant tomorrow so hopefully can get an ETA of when baby will be here. Getting really envious of people in the March group all having their babies early!


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## KatyW

Well, at least we have company in our tiredness....I know I could feel much worse but for someone who is usually busy, slowing down is tough. I think part of my issue is being a temporary single parent since December, thankfully the husband is going to be home soon from the desert. 

Daddies gift, I know you are super busy taking care of more kids than me. I hope you can find some time to get some time to yourself to recharge. I did have a green tea that I put over ice and that helped, as did adding in more snacks. I know sometimes I do not notice it has been hours since I have eaten. Seriously ,having a newborn is tiring but not as exhausting as this stage. We are growing humans, it is a tough and honorable job. :)

Kksyb and Mummy, almost there ladies! Exciting!


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## KatyW

ALiKO said:


> daddiesgift/katyW- me 3! i am so tired and fatigued these days that i have to to take naps. ugh i feel like those awful 1st tri symptoms are coming back. i hope not.

I do think a few of my first tri symptoms are reappearing. A tiny bit of nausea in the morning when my tummy is empty as well as extreme fatigue....


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I am also with you on insomnia. I find it easy to fall asleep because I am so tired, but I haven't been able to sleep more than 3-4 hours at a time before I wake up. Sometimes I am able to fall back asleep, but it's difficult usually. I had a solid 7 hours a few days ago and felt great about it. :haha: I've only been able to deal with it by sleeping in bursts lately. I'll sleep at night and then take a nap during the day. I know that will be more difficult to do with a daughter already. I think it's being uncomfortable, getting hot during sleep, and needing to go to the bathroom that bothers me. I hope we all get a good night soon! 

@daddiesgift The Starbucks coffee sounds good. :thumbup: I know you must have it hard with providing child care and watching your boys too. 

@kksy9b That sounds promising! Keep us updated! :thumbup:

@mummy2o I hope it happens soon! I imagine labor watch must be intense/exciting/scary/exciting! :haha: Let us know what you find out tomorrow!

@ALiKO My fatigue is returning and I'm starting to feel really full/heartburn after eating medium-large meals like in the first trimester for me. :dohh: It makes me a little nervous since I know I have so much time left. I hope things level out. 



AFM I took the GD test yesterday. They said they'll call if I fail or tell me I passed at my next appointment, which is in two weeks now. It wasn't so bad, but I REALLY hope I passed. :winkwink: I'm measuring perfectly at 27 cm, which makes me happy because I was off 2 cm at my last appointment. I know that's fine, but you know how we can all worry about things like that. I'm in the third trimester now, although according to kksy9b's figuring I have been for some days now! :happydance: I'm now up a total of 16 lbs. This was a big growth spurt month for me. I am really starting to notice how tired I get when walking. It makes me not even want to walk around/shop at times.


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## magicwhisper

im right there with the insomnia its horrible it takes hours for me to sleep.

a odd time i have felt sick too. i thought i had got past that stage :dohh:


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## kksy9b

mummy2o said:


> Kksby9 you might go before me then. Nothing has happened yet, minus more insomnia than I can handle. Got the consultant tomorrow so hopefully can get an ETA of when baby will be here. Getting really envious of people in the March group all having their babies early!

Maybe we will be labor buddies :) Hang in there...your LO will be here soon!

Went to doctor...progressed to 2 cm dilated and still 50% effaced so some progress was made! Need him to hold off until after this weekend at least and then can come anytime :)


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## athena87

I bought a Doppler. I found the hb finally today after trying since Monday to find it. This is the video 

https://s253.photobucket.com/user/a...8586-0D79-4385-AFAF-20B4F409D805.mp4.html?o=0


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper I'm noticing that I feel a little sick/full after eating occasionally. I wonder if it's because I am running out of space. :haha: 

@kksy9b Yay for progress! This may be somewhat daft, but how do they actually check the progress? I know it's internal, but I've heard different things. Do they use a speculum or just mainly feel? Also when do they usually start checking that? I hope he comes soon! We need a boy in the group. :D 

@athena87 Happy 11 weeks!! :happydance: What a sweet sound!!


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## kksy9b

Sounds great Athena! I'm sure its really comforting to be able to hear the heartbeat :)

Thanks Hopeful! I'm really hoping at next weeks appointment that its even a little further... it will just be that much less to do during labor :) My first check was last week at 36 weeks, at the same time they did the group b strep test. I'll be checked weekly until he's here, but I know some offices vary their practices. And for checking, they just go by feel so it is a little subjective. I'm starting to get over the awkwardness so maybe its a good thing to have a lot of checks before actual labor and delivery lol. I'm hoping he is here soon too! I have one more week of work so of he holds off until after that it would be great but we will be ready for him anytime after this weekend!

And congrats on 3rd tri!! :happydance: I've really enjoyed every stage but especially these last few weeks when you can just sit there and watch baby's movements and patterns :) Fingers crossed you passes the test! Keep us updated!


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## ALiKO

athena- congrats on finding the heart beat sweetie! i know it was very exiciting :)

hopeful- your ok, at 26 weeks is when i actually developed heartburn and acid reflux and it lasted through 27 weeks. even though you still have time left no worries :). take it as a sign that baby is growing nice and healthy and therefore pushing your stomach out of the way :haha:

kksy- your almost there! i agree with hopeful i cant wait to finally get some blue in the group! :)

AFM been getting movements so strong from baby that they actually hurt pretty bad. all in my ribs and chest. her movements are so forceful that i can even here slushing and popping noises at times im guessing coming from the amniotic sac as she moves. anyone else heard noises before coming from their bump? and yay! my ticker is a bit off since im a day ahead of you guys but i have only about 3 weeks left till im 37 weeks and can finally start hoping for labor :happydance:


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b Thanks! I'm watching your countdown with anticipation! :D I hope you make more progress by next week. Enjoy those last inside movements and patterns because soon you will be holding baby Charles! :happydance: 

@ALiKO That's true! I am also noticing that it's becoming a bit more work to take deep breaths. I'm good as long as she is good though. :D Yay for the three week countdown!! I'm still noticing most of her movements quite low. I'm not sure about hearing noises, but I suppose it could be that or any liquid you've had being moved around.


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## magicwhisper

Well this baby loves being sideways grr but otherwise everything is.good!


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## kksy9b

magicwhispher- my LO was transverse until almost 36 weeks as well...fingers crossed she flips in the next few weeks for you!


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO Well I said I haven't noticed noises coming from my bump and then I heard several this morning after waking up. I think they were just digestion noises though. I wonder if it's related to the indigestion I'd been feeling. Today is the first day in several that I have felt like my food is moving down to my stomach and not staying in my throat when I eat. I'm very thankful for that. :D

@magicwhisper I'm wondering if baby is sideways or just really low. I tend to feel most movements down low. I will try to ask at my next appointment. I'm glad everything else is good. :)


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## mummy2o

Just a quick update for you all. She's here. I've seriously just copied and pasted my birth story so you can all read. But I'm starving so going to have some proper food now.

Erika Alice arrived in the world on her due date 14/3 weighing 5lbs 15oz. I went to hospital thinking my waters had broken, so they checked me out and they were unsure if they had. So had some more observations and got told they had, and got moved to a ward. I was told I'd be induced at 6am if contractions hadn't started. By night time I got moved to another ward around 9 for bed and had baby on a monitor at 11pm. This is when all the trouble started. Most of the time her heart rate was fine, but every so often it dip low between 90-110hb. So I got transferred to the delivery suit at 1am to see what happens. In the transfer baby semi-stabilised herself and I got checked again, got told my waters hadn't broken so also had them broken. After that her heart rate went down again so had to have an epidural in case I needed an emergency section. Afterwards her heart went normal, but the epidural didn't work as the spray was still cold. It was 6am and I guess staff were tired and weren't concentrating on the job, started the hormone drip to get labour started. So at 7.30 heart rate went down yet again, so stopped the induction, but baby never recovered so at 9 was told I was going to have to have an emergency section. So I had a new epidural done, by the lovely consultant. It was the best one ever, work so fast. I honestly would of married the man in a heart beat it worked so well! Considering the other one checked on me several times and was making out it was me and not her epidural which was broken.... Theatre was fun. I had one surgeon passing out. So they had to go out, the other walking around in blood, and me blissfully unaware of it all so this is what my OH told me. They worked fast and she was out by 10.43, an hour after the start of surgery. Recovery was lovely and the staff at the hospital were amazing. Got discharged today, and just got home. Feels great to be out.


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## daddiesgift

Congrats mummy2o! What an experience! Im glad you are home and recovering nicely


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## magicwhisper

Congratulations :kiss:


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Congratulations and welcome baby Erika!! :happydance: I'm glad that all went well and that you are home and able to rest now. Keep us updated! I updated the front and added you to the parenting thread. I'll add the birth information about your son on the parenting thread as well if you want me to add it with her information.


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## ALiKO

mommy2o- CONGRATULATIONS!!! im sorry everything didnt go as planned but i am happy to hear you two are home and recovering well. thank you for updating i was actually wondering about you and wondering how you were as i knew it was getting close to your due date. and wow she actually came on her due date so she was being a good girl and didnt keep mommy waiting :)


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## ALiKO

hopeful- its the craziest thing right? when you do hear it? i can only laugh as it just cracks me up. its only happened to me like twice but i used to think other women were just imagining it or something when they would bring it up until it started to happened to me! :rofl:.

you might experiece it again as little emma gets bigger. but its just them moving around and squishing around the waters and bumping the sac :)


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## Hopeful2014

ALiKO said:


> hopeful- its the craziest thing right? when you do hear it? i can only laugh as it just cracks me up. its only happened to me like twice but i used to think other women were just imagining it or something when they would bring it up until it started to happened to me! :rofl:.
> 
> you might experiece it again as little emma gets bigger. but its just them moving around and squishing around the waters and bumping the sac :)

I've heard it when getting up from sitting in a recliner and after waking up in the morning and sitting down. It's quite strange. The time after waking up went on for a little longer. I didn't know if I needed to go to the bathroom, if I was hungry, or what?!? :haha:


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## kksy9b

Congratulations mummy!!! Happy to hear you and baby are well and are at home!


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## KatyW

Congratulations, Mummy!


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## kksy9b

Went to the doctor today..progressed to 3cm dilated, cervix is soft and still at 50% effaced so some good progress was made! Doctor sent me for a growth scan (FH was measuring at 33 weeks) and baby is measuring 10 days behind. Will find out tomorrow if doctor is concerned about it, but I suspect she will be fine with it. Next appointment is next Wednesday but hopefully he is here before then!


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## ALiKO

your progression sounds wonderful kksy! labor dust to you! :happydance: 
and since he's pretty much done baking i wouldnt worry about the growth scans at this moment. everything is done at this point and baby usually is just gaining weight :flower:


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## KatyW

Mommies, how often or frequently are you getting Braxton Hicks? I am wondering if I am too hyper aware at this point given my history of Preterm labor.....


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## daddiesgift

I think you get more BH the more children you have. I have them all day everyday this time.


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## mummy2o

I've never had them. Not on either pregnancy. Then again I've never gone into natural labour.


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## KatyW

Well, that makes me feel better, thanks. I also thinking baby's kicking is so frequent and strong now that I sometimes confuse it for BH. Cervix was very long at last appt so things are normal I


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## ALiKO

katyw- not too sure how true it is but i heard baby can trigger a BH with it's movements. i have noticed that myself that i get more BH the more active she is, and when she is just chillen i dont seem to get them or i just dont notice them as much. hmmm.. :shrug:


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## ALiKO

well time for the next batch of babies to born. APRIL Ladies! we're up NExT! eek!
im super nervous :wacko:

hope everything is going good for you kksy :flower: :hugs:


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## kksy9b

Yay for April babies! I'm doing well Aliko! Had really bad cramping (like a period), pressure and feeling a heaviness in lower abdomen yesterday...so hoping we are getting closer! Today has been less intense but a lot more pelvic pressure. Hoping our little guy decides to come join us in the next week!


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## kksy9b

haven't heard from Hopeful for a few days- I hope everything is okay?


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## jessicasmum

:hi: ladies, newbie here! I was kindly invited by hopeful :D

My name is Heather and I'm pregnant with #2 and due 19th September.

Be nice getting to know you all :D


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## daddiesgift

:hi: Jessicasmum!


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## ALiKO

kksy- yea im also getting tons of pressure as i just found out that baby is head down and fully engaged in my pelvis yikes! hoping little charles likes March and comes soon for you :). about hopeful, i noticed that too and hoping shes ok and getting along ok. perhaps shes jus very busy. :hugs:

jessicasmum- welcome :wave:. you'll find a very nice and inviting group of ladies here and im sure we're all looking forward to getting to know you as well :flower:. how are you feeling? morning sickness still lingering :)?


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## daddiesgift

I couldve swore I commented a long thing the other day on here and now its not there! :shrug:

As far as pressure, the pressure I feel this time is insane. I really cant wait to make it back to the midwives and ask whats going on. I didnt feel this till maybe the week of birth with my boys and this has been going on for at least two weeks now! Its hard for me to cross my legs or even walk, Ive never been a waddler but I am now! After sex is even worse. It even hurts to touch the outside of my vagina all the way up to panty line. Like a bruise feel :shrug: My butt hurts a lot too. I have no idea whats going on. My bump seems lower this time but not as big and I havent gained as much as I did with my boys so its not that. I just feel like at any point she is literally going to fall out :haha: Ive never had a long pushing stage but this time better be one push and shes out!


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## daddiesgift

Also about movement, it really worries me! The boys kicked hard and all the time. So its for sure different this time but I feel her rarely during the day and a few things when I lay down for bed. Counting kicks would be nearly impossible because I dont feel ten kicks everyday! I had an ultrasound a while back when I didnt feel her for days and they said placenta was in right spot and everything looked well so IDK if shes just lazy or what. I hope nothing is wrong with her and thats why there is not much movement. Another thing Ill bring up with midwives. I think the most I ever felt her was a few days ago when I took the glucose test she moved for about an hour straight.


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## magicwhisper

Some just arnt big movers
i know ella isnt.

As long as her movements are the same as they always have been i wouldn't worry


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## mummy2o

Daddiesgift. I so know where your coming from. Its totally normal though. I had so much pressure I was in pain to even walk at times and I spent a lot of time just crying to my OH about how much I hated it. My midwife told me it was just pressure from her and not a lot I could do about it and its totally normal. I never had anything like that with DS so I put it down to her being a girl. As for the kicking thing, Oss kicked all the time but she was selective and we could go a day without any proper kicks. So try not to worry, but its easier said than done.

Hi Jessicasmum, and welcome to the group.


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## newbie2013

Where's hopeful, ladies? Has anyone heard from her? Hope she's ok!


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## KatyW

I am gettqing a lot of swelling in my lady parts / butt. I know that contributes to a feeling of pressure that is way worse than it was with my first pregnancy. I know pushing gave me hemorrhoids the first time so those are returning with a vengeance.


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## ALiKO

katyw- yea me too. i dont have any now but around 24+ weeks i was getting hemmroids bad. i was so embarassed to get checks at the dr. have'nt gotten any since maybe 26 weeks and hoping to keep it like that.


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## KatyW

Yeah they are no fun but should improve after the birth. I guess some people are more prone to them. Makes fun times, ahem, with the husband something more difficult but at this point my giant belly does that too. Oh well.


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## jessicasmum

ALiKO said:


> kksy- yea im also getting tons of pressure as i just found out that baby is head down and fully engaged in my pelvis yikes! hoping little charles likes March and comes soon for you :). about hopeful, i noticed that too and hoping shes ok and getting along ok. perhaps shes jus very busy. :hugs:
> 
> jessicasmum- welcome :wave:. you'll find a very nice and inviting group of ladies here and im sure we're all looking forward to getting to know you as well :flower:. how are you feeling? morning sickness still lingering :)?

Hey, thanks for the welcome :flower:

I'm feeling not too bad thank you, I haven't had any morning sickness this time around which is strange as I was terrible with it when I was pregnant with my daughter. I don't even feel pregnant this time the only thing I've started with in the last week is little energy and back pain but I get that sometimes any way.

How's your pregnancy going so far?


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## newbie2013

Still nothing from hopeful? I'm getting worried now


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## jessicasmum

newbie2013 said:


> Still nothing from hopeful? I'm getting worried now

I know I checked earlier, the last time she messaged me on my journal was 13th and hasn't been on since 17th. Hope she's alright.


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## magicwhisper

Hope shes just really busy :wacko:


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## athena87

I'm really getting worried about hopeful. I don't always post but I always follow along and it's been a week since she last posted. Is anyone friends with her on fb or anything?


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## newbie2013

I know what you mean Athena. I sent her a private message a couple of days ago and haven't heard back. I hope she's ok.


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## ALiKO

jessicasmum said:


> Hey, thanks for the welcome :flower:
> 
> I'm feeling not too bad thank you, I haven't had any morning sickness this time around which is strange as I was terrible with it when I was pregnant with my daughter. I don't even feel pregnant this time the only thing I've started with in the last week is little energy and back pain but I get that sometimes any way.
> 
> How's your pregnancy going so far?

oh you are so lucky with having no morning sickness im jealous :p. mine kicked in my 6th week and lasted all the way to 13 weeks! 14 weeks is when it actually started to let up and i began to feel somewhat normal but it was terrible! im so glad that half is over. but my pregnancy has actually been going very well actually thanks for askin :). besides the morning sickness in the beginning the rest has been smooth sailing :flower:

AFM i'll be 36 weeks in a few days. got an appointment at 36+6 in which doc wants me to start going in once a week after that until my due date. ahh! this is becoming so real! :wacko:. i actually have to push this baby out eek! *shudders*.

and about hopeful i really am praying shes ok and just really busy :hugs2:. hoping for her return when she has the oppurtunity.


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## daddiesgift

I'm worried about Hopeful as well :nope: 

Come back Hopeful!!!


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## Kwaggy

Hope you ladies are all doing well :) My princess is 3 months old already, and growing too fast! Where does the time go? I love
every mintue of it, even on her cranky days :) 

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## daddiesgift

3 months!!??

ADORABLE picture!


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## KatyW

She's beautiful, Kwaggy!


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## melann13

Beautiful Kwaggy!

Felicity hit 2 months on Sunday. She got all her shots yesterday and is a sad little girl today. I think it's mostly the muscle ache in her legs. I have a heating pad on low on them now (on top of her clothes) and she's sleeping soundly for the first time since yesterday. She become such a smiley happy girl that it's hard to see her not herself. Here's a recent pic!
 



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## kksy9b

Wow! Time has flown for you ladies! Your LO's are adorable!


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## OurLilFlu

Aww cute pics ladies! I'm just a little behind you guys! I can't wait til we get smiles from Royen, you can tell its coming lol when did your Los smile first? Anyways ill add a pic too, this is probably a few days before being 1 month old!
 



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## KatyW

Love the baby pics, adorable!!!


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## Buttercup84

Such cute photos of three adorable baby girls :flower:


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## mummy2o

So cute baby pictures. I should get one of Erika uploaded in the morning. Although she's behind the lot at 2 weeks old.


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## athena87

All the babies are so cute. It's making me even more excited. I am officially in the second trimester Yay!


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## magicwhisper

Love all the baby pictures!


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## ALiKO

thanks for sharing ladies the pics of your babies are gorgeous! 

AFM im so excited my ticker just moved up to the last box, eek! i've been waiting months for that, and now im so anxious to get things started with labor spotting next week! hoping walking, a daily stretching routine, and heavy housework and cleaning will help encourage baby girl to come out. if i get desperate definitely daily DTD and hoping adding hot baths to my above routine will do the trick. :)

and GL to all you other ladies hoping everything is going well for you all :hugs: :flower:


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## kksy9b

She will be here before you know it Aliko! And hopefully your routine will help encourage her along!

We are still just waiting for baby boy to make his appearance! We were really hoping for a March baby but he is still nestled really high in my ribs and looking like he will make it to (or past) his due date. That's okay though...other than having trouble sleeping (its 3 am here and i'm on BNB...) I'm not uncomfortable or anything so if he wants some extra time, I will TRY to be patient ... :)


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## OurLilFlu

Ooh! Labour watch is exciting! Can't wait to hear about it ladies, make sure you don't overdo it on all the labour inducing activities! You need rest too incase you end up with a 42 hour hard labour like me!


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## athena87

We made our announcement today!
 



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## athena87

Getting a bump too
 



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## daddiesgift

Congrats! Lovely photos!


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## kksy9b

Cute announcement (and bump!) athena!


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## KatyW

Cute announcement!


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## mummy2o

Cute announcement and bump.


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## athena87

Just wanted to let everyone know I heard from hopeful. She and her husband are in need of some prayers. I'll let her explain everything when she comes back, but I know everyone was worried so I thought I'd let y'all know.


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## ALiKO

kksy- any news? oh i hope he comes soon for you! 

athena- awesome announcement and bump pic, you are glowing girly :). and thanks for the update on hopeful. cant wait till she comes back and im definitely sending prayers her way.


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## melann13

Will be praying for Hopeful...

Cute pics Athena.
Careful with all the labor induction stuff. I got more frustrated because I tried it all and nothing helped. I drank more Raspberry Leaf Tea than any human should, did hard housework, bounced incessantly on the yoga ball, acupressure, DTD, long walks, curry, Mexican food, pedicure, etc etc etc. Still ended up induced at 41+2. And yes, when that long labor comes around you may wish you had a bit more energy. Mine was 39 hours, but didn't seem that long and I was fine, but others are not so fortunate. Do the things that may not happen after baby. The pedicure was nice, painting my fingernails as well, reading a funny book- I recommend the Waverly Bryson series (she's the main character- they're very light fun reads, I finished the last one while in labor and I think you can get one free if you're a Prime Kindle user). I'm also glad we DTD up until the end as it's taking awhile longer than I expected to get back to it. I did have an episiotomy, so it's made me very nervous. We finally tried yesterday and got pretty far, but were unable to finish as I was getting sore and uncomfortable down there. Just makes me happy I didn't write it off at 3rd tri. We did it at 41weeks if I remember right ;)
You can do everything you want to induce, but don't get depressed if it doesn't work.
Have fun labor spotting!


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## OurLilFlu

Good job on the announcement and your bump is definitely cute! 
Thanks for updating on hopeful, they are in my thoughts.


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## KatyW

So I went for the growth scan today, and our little girl is huge. They scheduled another appointment for me next week to rule out issues with blood sugar I think. Her femur and belly size at least match in size, so she is proportionately large. I will.probably have a 9 pounder if I make it to close to my due date. Oh boy!! My husband was 9.5 lbs at birth so she could be following in his footsteps..

Good news is that my cervix is still a normal length. Yay!


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## KatyW

Episiotomy recovery does take some time, I went through it a few yrs ago. Good advice on having fun times with your significant other pre baby. It can take awhile to get going with it again post delivery / due to sleep deprivation....


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## kksy9b

No news over here! trying not to overdo it too much. Just DTD and walking really to encourage labor.. otherwise letting him decide when he's ready. He was measuring at a little under 6 1/2 lbs and 10 days back at his last scan, so if he wants some extra time then I'm okay with that! My doctor said my cervix is favorable and would be fine with scheduling an induction anytime after my due date (tomorrow). We're going to give him about a week and a half over (as long as he passes the stress test next week) before inducing. So no matter we are down to 11 days and counting!


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## ALiKO

melann/ourlilflu- thanks for the advice ladies! i understand what you guys are saying. its just that im so close that i can almost see the finish line and am so anxious to get there, but i should take it easy and make sure i get some rest in. my cousin said what did the trick for her was constant :sex:, long walks, and hot baths. she also had a sweep done at 38wks 5days and went into labor exactly 2 days later at 39wks, ah if only it were that simple haha :haha:.
melann i do agree with DTD as much as we can until the last minute. i have no idea how long my recovery may be so hubby betterget the getting while the getting is good:blush: :haha:


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## ALiKO

kksy- aww he's so cozy in there it seems. are you going for a natural birth? or you just do not care either way? i guess he chose april over march hehe

katyw- 9 pounder wow makes me scared! my DH was around 6 pounds and a few ounces i was 7 pounds 14 ounces and lil lady has been measuring pretty average in the 50th percentile so im guessing she'll be around 6 to 7 pounds at birth and even that sends me into a panic :o


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## daddiesgift

39 HOUR LABOR???!!! Good god I couldnt even imagine being in pain that long! Thats my worse fear, long labor, csection and episiotomies. No matter how many kids you have I think you always have a little fear of the unknown. But I will say... KNOCK ON WOOD...that for me things have been fairly easy. Both labors from time I noticed something was off till they were in my arms was all under 7 hours. I never had any complications and dont think I ever pushed that long. I tore both times but the first wasnt so bad at all..he was only 7 pounds. The second I tore worse but he was nearly two pounds more :haha: It was still not a bad recovery. Just not comfortable when I peed :winkwink: 

So Im REALLY REALLY hoping this time follows about the same standard Im use to! I know Id never make it over 24 hours without pain meds. Id say maaaybe 12 at most :haha:


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## Buttercup84

Thinking of Hopeful and her DH, hope everything is OK soon with them and baby Emma :(
Good luck kksy, hope her arrives soon! Melann, I got so frustrated going over my due date too... If I wasn't out and about (my thinking was that my waters would most definitely break in the supermarket/cinema/any other busy public place lol!) I was bouncing on my gym ball desperately trying to go into labour naturally lol but as it turned out I was induced at 41+4 anyway!
Katy, my DD was 9lbs 4oz and I did tear quite badly but I think that was because my pushing stage was so short (just a few minutes!) rather than due to her size. I'm expecting a similar size or bigger baby this time, I was 11lbs 4oz and my sister 9lbs 4oz so big babies definitely run in the family!


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## magicwhisper

I hjad my growth scan today and ella is finally head down :happydance:

She is also going to be a small ish baby thry reckon she is going to be 6 13oz ish XD


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## KatyW

Buttercup, I think baby size must be genetic. My brother was 10.5 lbs at birth and my mother had no GD. He was just man sized lol. I am scared of delivering a large baby but it is going to hurt regardless, right? 

Thinking of all these things, but still wondering how Hopeful is doing. I hope the rest of the ladies here are doing ok; I know we are all here to listen and support, as pregnancy can be a rollercoaster.


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## melann13

@daddiesgift, I'm sure mine was so long since I was induced. The stron pain didn't start until 8 hrs in when my water broke and then 7 hrs after that they said they needed to give me an epidural because I was in transition contractions with no breaks and my body was trying to push but I was only 3cm dilated. They used the epidural to slow things down so my dilation could catch up. They didn't really end up using pitocin with me at all. I was 0cm when they started so they just began with cervical ripening and it kicked me into full blown labor! Once I had the epidural it was pretty fine. I even pushed for 3 hrs and didn't really mind it. They finally ended up using suction assistance and she was out in 2 more contractions. All in all it wasn't so bad, but I definitely couldn't have gone that long without the meds even though my original plan was to do without.

Continuing to pray for Hopeful...


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## mummy2o

Praying for hopeful and her DH. Also hope baby Emma is ok.

I think I'm just odd when it comes to having babies. They say your 2nd is more likely to be bigger and at all the scan Erika was average, which makes sense as DS was 7lbs 12oz, but no she was tiny at 5lbs 15oz. I was just over 6lbs though, don't know about OH's birth weight since he was adopted.

Kksy you might be lucky and just have your waters go naturally today. We'll have another due date baby, that will be cool. But I agree going over sucks. DS was 16 days late.

AFM we've decided to go NTNP as OH wants another baby and I want to wait until after our wedding next year, so it was a compromise. Erika isn't sleeping well right now so I'm really questioning his sanity if not my own, although it will be me looking after both since he'll be back at school and running his own business. Sometimes being a man would be great, I swear they have no idea what we go through daily.


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## magicwhisper

well according to our growth scan ella is going to be roughly 6 12 

im happy with that :haha:

she looked perfect :cloud9:


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## kksy9b

great news magic!

AFM...still pregnant! Officially past due now. Had a biophysical profile done yesterday- he still has a large pocket of fluid, is moving great and passed the heart monitor test with flying colors (they said he was a "wild boy" because he was moving so much...it was because he hated the monitors! kept kicking them!). So he was cleared to stay in longer. Go back to the doctor on Monday if he hasn't come and will get another BPP done to make sure he is still doing well. My doctor is on call next weekend so we will induce then if he hasn't made his appearance. So at most will be another week and a half!


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## athena87

I thought I was passed morning sickness, but apparently not. I threw up so violently this morning I peed my pants :(


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## daddiesgift

kksy- wow thats great that they are checking on babies well being instead of just automatically inducing cause you are late!


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## kksy9b

daddiesgift- i have been so amazed by my doctor through this process. She has the attitude of do what feels right to you and no need to micro-manage the pregnancy. There have been a couple of things that have come up (an early bleed, measuring behind, etc) and she has sent me right away to get checked and make sure baby is fine without me having to ask. A friend recommended her years and years ago and I kept her name in the back of my head- so glad I did and will definitely be staying with her through all my pregnancies :)


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## ALiKO

hey ladies! :wave: 
had an appt. yesterday at 36+4 starting to go to my appointments once a week now starting next week (doc starts at 37 weeks and twice a week after 40 weeks). baby girl was good and measuring 6 pounds :). nothing else really to report on this end, just playing the waiting game at this point :shrug:.

athena- aww feel better :flower:. my morning sickness ended right at 14+weeks and i thought it would never end. have you felt it at least taper off slowly?


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## athena87

I've been just nauseous on and off for the last couple of weeks, not vomiting. I'm wondering if yesterday was something else. We had Chinese the night before so I'm thinking maybe it was from that.


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## magicwhisper

My morning sickness tailed of slowly. I had a week of feeling sick but not throwing up before it went


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## KatyW

Athena, my morning sickness would taper then I would have a random bad day if I got too tired. It was gone by 17 weeks for good. :) 

Aliko, glad to hear all is well, not too much longer. 

I am about to hopefully surpass 34 weeks on Monday, a milestone of sorts since that was as far as I made it last time. Hoping for 40 wks this time::)


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## ALiKO

anyone else finding sex very uncomfortable? i know this is tmi but hubby and i DTD the other day and it was soo uncomfortable for me. not only did i feel a ton of pressure but there was also like a dry burning sensation even with lube. only finished for hubby's sake but man was i not into it.

too bad as DTD was definitely going to be one of my induction methods... :(


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## daddiesgift

Im not enjoying sex AT ALL. I get "in the mood" about once a day and its usually when OH isnt home! By the time he is home Im just too exhausted. During sex isnt so bad but afterward for about two days Ill be horribly sore! Most the time my vagina hurts without sex so having sex just makes it a whole lot worse.


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## KatyW

Sex is no fun for me either, it is like I mentally want it but my body /vagina refuses. It is a little frustrating, but as my DH reminds me, this is only temporary. 

Oh and I definitely have varicose veins, on my vagina. UGH. If this is my worst complaint, I will take it to meet my sweet girl in May.


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## magicwhisper

I have had no sex drive at all until 3rd tri and now not only am i too exhausted but it hurts so i can't 

I cant win :dohh: :haha:


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## OurLilFlu

I'm sure some have seen, but Hopeful updated the May ttc thread, our hearts are all with her and her family through this difficult time...hugs


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## athena87

14 weeks 3 days
 



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## kksy9b

wonderful scan athena :thumbup: I hope your MS eases up soon! second tri was definitely the best for me in terms of feeling well and I hope its the same for you!

Went to the doctor yesterday- i'm 4cm, still 50% effaced, cervix soft and ready to go..just need this baby to make his appearance! I'm a week postdue today and inducement is scheduled for saturday morning if he doesn't come on his own beforehand!


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## athena87

Kksy9b thank you. I think I've been sicker this last week than I have the whole time. My neighbor is 40 weeks 4 days and she still hasn't had her baby boy either. I saw her out walking on Sunday and was thinking she's trying to get him out lol.


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## magicwhisper

love the scan!


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## Buttercup84

Good luck kksy, hope he arrives soon! Sounds very promising that you're already 4cm dialated, I bet you won't make being induced or if you do it shouldn't take much intervention to put you into active labour :thumbup:
Lovely scan athena :cloud9:
I saw my new midwife today and she's really lovely, she'll be doing all of my antenatal care and attending the birth aswell. I didn't have a great birth experience with DD but i'm much more optimistic for a better one this time around and I feel having continuity of care will go a long way towards that :)


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## Hopeful2014

First, I want to thank you all so much for your concern, prayers, and well wishes while I was away. I really appreciate it so much. I wrote about what happened in our TTC thread if you want to know more about it. 


@jessicasmum Welcome! I added you to the front page. I'm glad you joined us here. I hope everything is going well. I plan to catch up on your journal soon. 

@daddiesgift I hope some of the pressure you mentioned is not bothering you as much now. I hope the other pains are gone as well. Fingers crossed that her positioning means you'll have a short pushing stage. How did the glucose test go? Do you have your results yet? I'll catch up with your journal soon too. 

@Kwaggy That's a beautiful photo. Happy 3 months to Dalylah. 

@melann13 Felicity is a beauty too. Happy 2 months to her. 

@OurLilFlu So cute. Happy 1 month to baby Royen. I hope you get the first smiles soon. 

@athena87 Cute announcement and great scan. Congrats on being in the second tri.

@AliKO How's labor spotting? Any signs?

@kksy9b How are you? Baby Charles is almost here. I bet you can't wait until Saturday. 

@KatyW Yay for good news on your cervix length and yay for passing 34 weeks! 

@Buttercup84 I'm glad you like your new midwife. It really can make a difference. It won't be much longer until your gender scan! That's so exciting.


Does anyone know anything about chulie? She was due in March, but it's been a while since I heard from her. I'll try a search soon.


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## magicwhisper

:hugs: hopeful


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## KatyW

Thanks, Hopeful. :)


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## ALiKO

hopeful- nothing to quite report yet on this end. i have a doc appt soon so im hoping my doc will check to see if i am dialated or effaced at all. also hoping i can get a sweep done just to help move things along. im now starting to get those calls from everyone asking if shes here yet and i must say it hasnt bothered me the way i thought it would :haha: :shrug:


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## kksy9b

Thanks Hopeful- continuing to keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers :hugs:

We are ready to go for tomorrow- hoping he comes on his own today but can't wait to have him here in just over a day :)


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## Hopeful2014

@ALiKO Good luck at the appointment. I'm sure everyone is so excited and can't wait for her. You're so close. 

@kksy9b Good luck! We can't wait to hear the good news and welcome baby Charles.


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## mummy2o

Chulie is part of the facebook march group I'm on. She had her baby boy on the 13th march.

Good luck kksy9b. Hope to see some pictures soon.

Aliko I bet your getting excited now.


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## pathos

:flower: good luck kksy9b!


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## KatyW

Kksyb good luck!! So exciting!


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## kksy9b

Charles Louis arrived on his own (yay for no induction!) at 8:40 am April 12th. 6 pounds 13 ounces 21 inches long and a full head of strawberry blond/red hair. It was a wonderful labor and delivery and we are both doing well. He scored a 10 on his apgar after birth and almost immediately went to nurse. DH was a perfect coach and is doing so wonderful with Charles! We are getting discharged in the morning and are looking forward to being home!
 



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## magicwhisper

Yay congratulations he is beautiful :kiss:


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!


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## ALiKO

kksy- yay! he's finally here! how wonderful! and he's gorgeous! :happydance: so happy you guys are doing great and double yay for no induction :)


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## mummy2o

kksy: congrats. Glad you had no induction.


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## KatyW

Congratulations! So happy to hear it went smoothly. He is precious. Wishing you all the best as you take him home. :)

And I made it to 35 wks ! Happy dance.


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## daddiesgift

:dance:


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Thanks. I'll add chulie's information to the front. 

@pathos May I add you to the front with your due date? 

@kksy9b Congratulations! I'm so glad that everything went well and that baby Charles is here. He's adorable. I updated the front and added you to the parenting thread as well. 

@KatyW Yay for 35 weeks!


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## pathos

kksy9b, congrats! he is adorable :happydance::dance:

hopeful, yes please add me :)


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## Hopeful2014

@pathos I added you to the front and on the May thread. How are you?


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## athena87

So I'm just curious. How many are opting for a natural birth and how many plan to get an epidural? I'm weighing my options. I'm going to talk to my ob about it also but just wanted some other input.


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## magicwhisper

Personaly i plan to take pain relief as i need it. That i will start with gas and air and work my way up as i need it :thumbup:


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## Buttercup84

Congrats Pathos, so happy to hear you got your long awaited BFP :happydance:
Athena, I had an epidural with my DD... I didn't plan to as such but since I ended up being induced at 41+4 I decided to keep my options open as I didn't know what to expect. I don't regret having the epi as I wasn't coping well with the drip induced contractions (they were very intense and pretty much back to back) but I wouldn't necessarily opt for one next time, particularly if I go into labour naturally. My advice would be to see what happens and get one if you feel you need/want it once in labour :thumbup:


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## daddiesgift

I got my home birth kit in the mail today!! :dance: Making this pregnancy almost real :haha:


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## kksy9b

Athena- I went in wanting a natural labor but open to an epi if needed since I didn't know what my pain tolerance would be. Wound up getting one when I hit 8cm because contractions were coming back to back with no break to catch my breath. Even though it didn't go exactly as planned (with wanting a natural labor), I dont regret that choice at all. It kicked in right as I hit 9cm and slowed things down enough that I was able to get a break and rest before pushing. I dont think I would have had the energy to push without it and with the break was able to get him out on 40 minutes. With that, everyone is different...as long as you make the best decision for yourself then no matter what it is okay. And its fine to change your mind too when the time comes!


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## KatyW

I have a wait and see approach. My first was a natural delivery so to some degree I know what I am getting myself into and it did go well. But every labor is so different. I am looking into using air (nitrous oxide) to help a bit as it is offered here. 

Athena, my advice if you are looking into a natural delivery is to read up on it and/or take birthing classes. Having a mental game plan will help.


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## ALiKO

hey ladies :wave:

thought i'd give a bit of an update.

im sitting here bouncing away on an excercise ball as i type this hoping baby decends a bit further so i can finally lose my mucous plug, have a bloody show, something! went to the hospital on wednesday in false labor, contractions were 2-3mins apart and i was admitted for monitoring. lets just say i wasn't making any progress and to add insult to injury my contractions came to a complete stand still thurday night, so i was released friday morning. had an appointment today saturday and still am only about 2cm dilated. talk about frustrating! 

baby is also measuring pretty big and my doc started talking about induction if shes not here by my due date this weekend. ahh! 

athena- i planned on giving birth naturally but doc is talking about induction if i dont get little lady out by my due date. less just say if i have to be induced im definitely opting for pain meds. from what i hear i cant imagine an induction without any. yikes! :wacko:


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## kksy9b

Daddiesgift- awesome news!! Were your other two home births as well?


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## kksy9b

Aliko- hopefully that baby girl decides she is ready to come this week on her own. And if not it sounds like it won't be much longer until she is here anyways! Try to relax and enjoy these last few days without her here- do something for yourself ( massage, pedi etc) or go out on a date with your DH. You'll appreciate being rested and relaxed going inroblabor and delivery :) I can't wait to hear your good news soon!


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## ALiKO

thanks kksy :flower: i cant wait to update u all. im praying shes a good girl and comes before any scheduled induction date like little charles did for you that would be awesome! :)


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## KatyW

Aliko, I hope your labor starts up again very soon. From what I have read and experienced, there is often a false start before the big show begins. Cannot wait to hear the good news! 

Hopeful, it is nice to see you checking in. How are you feeling?


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## daddiesgift

kksy9b said:


> Daddiesgift- awesome news!! Were your other two home births as well?

nope! Ive had a birth center and a hospital birth so I guess this was the last option :winkwink: I always planned a home birth this time but when I found out I was pregnant I called every HB midwife in the area and they were either full, not willing to travel to where Im at or taking time off! So I settled for a birth center 1.5 hours away. Well then we found out a few weeks ago that we are moving to a different state so I contacted a HB midwife there and we are good to go! Im leaving here next Sunday (36 weeks pregnant YIKES) and driving cross country (27 hours!!) with two toddlers. My husband will join us May 15th. So lets hope she holds off until then!!


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## Hopeful2014

Happy Easter. I hope everyone had a nice weekend. 

@ALiKO Good luck! Keep us updated.

@KatyW Thanks. I'm feeling better physically. It seems most things are adjusting back to 'normal'. I'll have more blood work in a month. Happy 36 weeks! How are you?

@daddiesgift I hope she waits until you all are settled in and there. It sounds like you have the drive planned. I hope it goes smoothly.


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## KatyW

Hi Hopeful, yes, it was a nice low key Easter for us. Today is a holiday in Germany so we are all hanging out and relaxing today. I am glad to hear you are getting back to normal physically. I hope every day is bringing a little improvement. Do you know how often you are going to go back to the doctor? Hugs.

I am doing well, and have made it two weeks past my first pregnancy. Taking every week at a time, and hoping to go 37 weeks or beyond. :)


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW I've been back a few times since already. I have my 6 week exam soon and another appointment to check blood work in a month. Then we'll meet with the specialist after we get those results. I assume I will be going a lot more often now to check blood pressure at least, although it's been good at every check since. 


I'm really glad that you are 36 weeks! I know each new week must be a relief. One more week until 37 weeks!


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## magicwhisper

eek officially full term here! :happydance:


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## KatyW

Glad to hear that you have lots of appointments coming to check on you, Hopeful. I hope the doctors are supportive and can give you a plan going forward. So glad you are physically improving. 

Yay for full term, Magicwhisper!!


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## Hopeful2014

@magicwhisper Yay for full term!

@KatyW Thanks. I'm eager to talk with the specialist after my next blood work results are in. Not knowing everything really adds to the frustration. I'm not looking forward to the exam though. I hope she's gentle and that it is quick.


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## KatyW

Hopeful, i hope your next appointment is easy on you and your doctor gives you answers. I am sure the more you know, the better. Hugs.


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## mummy2o

Hopeful: Hope you get your answers soon. I'm still so sorry your going through this.

Aliko: I'm thinking of you and hope you had your baby before now.


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## ALiKO

hopeful- praying all goes well at your appointment and you get the answers your looking for :hugs:

mummy2o- thanks so much :flower:. baby girl is still tucked away... went to the dr.'s on saturday and my cervix is soft (unsure of effacement percentage) and i am 2cm dilated. today is my due date and i only have an hour and change left in it so unless something happens miraculously looks like im definitely going overdue :shrug:


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## kksy9b

Sorry aliko! I definitely know it can be frustrating to go past your due date but she will be here before you know it!


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## melann13

Aliko, I was 11 days overdue, and while I don't wish it on anyone, I can tell you that baby brain development goes at the same rate whether in or out, so it just means less days of day/night confusion for baby, more nights of good sleep, and sooner smiles and milestones! The app "Wonder Weeks" which explains the developmental milestones of your baby (not just the physical ones) makes a big point of this fact. It just means that you'll get to brag to all the other mommies of babies born at the same time because yours will be ahead! :) Felicity just turned 3 mos and she's rolled over, mimics and babbles at us constantly :)


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## ALiKO

kksy9b said:


> Sorry aliko! I definitely know it can be frustrating to go past your due date but she will be here before you know it!

i hope your right. i guess i just felt a bit gutted as this whole time doc has been saying oh shes a big girl looks like she'll be here early and to now being overdue and still not knowing when she'll come im not gonna lie is a bit disappointing. one of the May ladies may pop before me :wacko:



melann13 said:


> Aliko, I was 11 days overdue, and while I don't wish it on anyone, I can tell you that baby brain development goes at the same rate whether in or out, so it just means less days of day/night confusion for baby, more nights of good sleep, and sooner smiles and milestones! The app "Wonder Weeks" which explains the developmental milestones of your baby (not just the physical ones) makes a big point of this fact. It just means that you'll get to brag to all the other mommies of babies born at the same time because yours will be ahead! :) Felicity just turned 3 mos and she's rolled over, mimics and babbles at us constantly :)

i didnt really think of it that way but your right. im gonna download that app as well :). aww felicity sounds like shes getting so big! i remember when she was just born :hugs:


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## KatyW

Hang in there, Aliko, she will be here soon. Congrats on making it this far :). 

I am so happy to be here at 37 weeks, 3 weeks further than I made it last time. !!!


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## melann13

@Aliko, she is SOO big!
 



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## melann13

I also highly recommend the "Baby Feed" app. I don't use it anymore, but it's great at the beginning to keep track of feedings and diapers etc.


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## ALiKO

well ladies SHES HERE! had her today at 1:33am. full labor story and pic soon!


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## kksy9b

Yay!! Congratulations!! Can't wait to hear her birth story and see that beautiful baby!


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Thanks. Happy 37 weeks! You're full term!

@mummy2o Thank you. How's baby Erika?

@melann13 She's precious. 

@ALiKO Congratulations! I'll update the front and add you to the parenting thread. Was it on April 28th or 29th there?


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## KatyW

Aliko, congratulations! We can't wait to hear about it!


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## melann13

Congrats Aliko!


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## mummy2o

Congrats Aliko.


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!


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## newbie2013

Congrats Aliko!!!!!! Mabrook!


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## Buttercup84

Melann she is such a cutie, I must remember to do those labelled month photos this time around :thumbup:
Congrats Aliko, she's a beauty! Hope you're doing well :flower:

Just a wee update from me... I'm 21 weeks and we found out the baby's gender at our anomaly scan yesterday: It's another girl! Looks like daddy is going to be well and truly outnumbered :winkwink: She's doing well and is very wriggly in there, so much so that the sonographer couldn't get a good look at her spine and I have to go back in 3 weeks for a rescan. She could see 2 sides but not the third so I think it's just a precaution, will be nice to see baby again anyway :)


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## magicwhisper

Yaaaaay congratulations i cant wait for pictures :D

Yay to another girl too!

38 weeks tomorrow and i have the midwife! no signs of her arriving but i bounce on my birthing ball whenever i get bh and i walk to my oh work most days.

She is way too comfy in there :haha:


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## pathos

Congrats Aliko, mashallah:flower:


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## kksy9b

Congratulations on the baby girl buttercup! Have yoh started thinking of names?

Magicwhisper- almost there!! Have you had an internal to see where you are?

Melann- I'm a few posts back k on saying this but oh my goodness! Felicity is so adorable!!

We are doing well over here! Charles has his two week check up tomorrow and I'm curious to see how much weight he has gained- he is definitely a champion eater! He continues to be such a light in our lives and my DH and I are so happy he is here (tiring days and nights and everything).


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## KatyW

Melann, your baby is beautiful and very happy -looking. So precious.

Kksyb, glad to hear things are going so well!


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## magicwhisper

Nope they don't do internals until 40 weeks here so i have no clue if im dilated at all


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## Hopeful2014

@Buttercup84 Congrats on another baby girl. I remember Nancy wanted a girl. That will be a lot of fun.


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## athena87

Congrats aliko!

I'm 18 weeks today, I can't believe it. I feel like it's flying by. I have an appt Tuesday and set up the gender scan.


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## magicwhisper

Ohh exciting! do you have a inkling of what gender baby is?


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## athena87

I'm thinking girl as is dh but I guess it's a 50/50 shot lol.


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## ALiKO

hey ladies im still hangin around. sry i havent been on much or updated just so busy these days! :) i am now 6 days post partum and me and little one were discharged from the hospital early yesterday morning (average hospital stay here is 5 days for a vaginal delivery).

i went into labor the day after my due date April 28th at around 8pm and gave birth April 29th at 1:33am. it started off as period like cramps and then started to progress into more sharper pains with tightness. i was unsure if it meant anything as about 2 weeks prior i went to the hospital in false labor so i decided to wait it out a bit. the pain started to become more intense and at that point i called my husband to come home just in case. now at 9pm pain was more intense to the point where i told my husband to take me to the hospital. when i got to the hospital the nurse performed an internal check and i was already 5cm dilated and in active labor! 

to make a long story short from the time i got my 1st contraction at 8pm, to the time i had my baby at 1:33am brings my labor to a total of 5 hours! my birth was all natural unmedicated so labor came hard and fast. after i did gave birth i lost a lot of blood and actually fainted twice. but it corrected itself and i did not need a transfusion or anything.

her name is Hana :)

hope everyones doing well :flower:


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!


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## KatyW

Thanks for sharing, Aliko! Congratulations again. 

I am getting nervous / excited since I am planning to do a natural birth for the second time. 

I hope you are healing well, and enjoying time at home with your baby girl :)


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## mummy2o

Aliko I'm glad you got a natural birth and labour wasn't bad for you.

I was going to call Erika Hana for a while. I even said to my OH when I was 6 weeks pregnant I'm going to have a girl and call her Hana. At 20 weeks her name changed to Kimi for a bit, but back to Hana. Then at 38 weeks I went off the name, so she was nameless until the recovery room. If you hadn't noticed all my names can be used as Japanese names also. The only one which was mentioned which wasn't was Alice, which ended up being her middle name.

Congrats again.


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## magicwhisper

Congratulations :kiss:


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 Finding out the gender will be so exciting!

@ALiKO That's an amazing birth story. I bet it was wonderful to have such a short labor time. I'm glad that everything went well with you and Hana. Congratulations!


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## jessicasmum

athena87 said:


> Congrats aliko!
> 
> I'm 18 weeks today, I can't believe it. I feel like it's flying by. I have an appt Tuesday and set up the gender scan.

:thumbup: you have your gender scan day before mine :D Getting really exciting isn't it!?


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## athena87

Thanks ladies it is very exciting. 

Jessicasmum, I haven't set up the appt for my gender scan yet, I just have a regular appt tomorrow.


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## Buttercup84

I think we have the first name pretty much decided but it's a tough one to find a middle name for so that'll give us something to mull over for the next 18 or so weeks :winkwink:
jessicasmum and athena, can't wait to find out what you're both having :happydance:
Aliko, glad you had a swift and generally good first labour experience and also glad you didn't need the transfusion. I had one with my DD and, daft as it sounds, I hate that it means I can't give blood anymore! Sounds like they take good care of new mums in Japanese hospitals, I stayed 2 nights with my DD but only because of my large blood loss. It's usually just 1 night for a natural birth but I know quite a few ladies over here that had 4 hour discharges even with their first.


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## melann13

My hospital was 2 nights following a vaginal birth and 3-4 following C-section. I was glad Felicity was born in the morning (granted I'd already been there 2 days) so I got 2.5 days in the hospital before going home. I loved being home, but I loved all the free delicious order whenever you want food and nurses helping me do everything part.


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## jessicasmum

athena87 said:


> Thanks ladies it is very exciting.
> 
> Jessicasmum, I haven't set up the appt for my gender scan yet, I just have a regular appt tomorrow.

Sorry I miss read your post. Hope you don't have to wait long for your scan :)


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## pathos

Oh I am scared of vaginal birth, but when I read stories like Aliko's, I realize the aftermath is easier compared to c section.


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## melann13

This is something we talked a lot about at the mother baby hour I attend lately. Vaginal vs Csection recovery. Of course there are horror stories about each. I had vaginal and while I felt pretty great pretty quickly, episiotomy healing wasn't super fun and we're still working to get back into our bedroom routine and she's 3mos old! We've DTD a few times, but it'll still be awhile before it's like it was. However, I also had friends with C sections literally the day after me and two days before me. The not-driving not-picking up your baby part for them is hard too. Either way you will be surprised by something. Regardless, you just look at what your body did and it's amazing it works at all!


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## OurLilFlu

One huge vote for crappy csection recovery. My incision still hurts every so often and we're almost 3 months here too... Ugh I hated it. Ive heard you can get incisional pain for years. The no driving, no lifting sucked but the first few weeks of getting out of bed were the worst, couldn't sleep on my side because it would pull and getting up and down so often for baby made it open up a bit, so ouchy. Now I just feel so weak, I couldn't so much with spd in pregnancy and the 6 weeks of limited stairs, no lifting, and not being able to walk for more than a few mins I feel like now I'm such a weakling trying to lug this near 12 lb baby around. Need to start getting back to normal but I'm scared to overdo it


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## magicwhisper

I've been told a vaginal birth your in pain at the time c cection it is the recovery thats the worse. Obviously that depends on the person as well.

Well we have got the cot up at last :happydance: shame ella is showing no signss of wanting to arrive :nope:


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## melann13

Here's something that people won't often tell you- if you have a vaginal birth, especially with an episiotomy (I ended up with one- although not a big one- because they had to use suction after 3 hrs of pushing and the babies come so fast with that that you don't have a chance to stretch- although, they stuck that suction on and she was out in 2 more contractions!). Anyway, they give you a little squeezy bottle to use to wash your undercarriage after peeing since you most definitely dont want to be wiping it with dry toilet paper. (Don't use baby wipes as they have alcohol and will burn). You can buy "feminine wipes" by the pads in store now and those are alcohol free and more soothing. BUT, the best thing you can do for your own sanity the first time if possible is to pee in the shower. The acidic urine is instantly washed away from your lady bits, so no burning without having to bend over on the can and try to squirt yourself.
I realize how awful that made things sound... it wasn't that bad- really. I was barely bleeding by the time I left the hospital as they said my uterus was already down to 16wk size by 48hours after. I had intense contractions after and took pain meds for it, but it was short lived and by the time I got home I was just using IBuprofen. If you're BFing get some breast shields to keep your nipples from rubbing on your clothes since they get a bit chapped at the beginning. My hospital is a WHO ranked Baby Friendly hospital and VERY supportive of BFing, so they gave me some and lanolin. I LOVE BFing!!


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## magicwhisper

Oh wow thank you i will have to pack a squirty bottle :thumbup:


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## mummy2o

Ourlilflu: I can't remember but did you end up with an emergancy section? I found my recovery with my emergancy a lot longer and a lot more painful and I wasn't myself for months. This time and it was semi planned I was driving again just after a week (doctor ok it as although I live in a city its more or less the middle of no where) DTD as soon as my pp bleeding stopped. That is even with a minor infection and had a course of antibotics for it.


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## Buttercup84

I didn't have an episiotomy but I did have a third degree tear so the recovery was quite painful initially, and yes I agree a jug or bottle of water was my best friend for going to the loo in the early days :winkwink: After the first week or so I did heal quite quickly and by 4 weeks postpartum I felt almost normal down there. I imagine with less severe or no tearing recovery would be quicker :thumbup:


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## athena87

We find out the gender next Thursday. I'm so excited. May 15 can't get here fast enough.


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## daddiesgift

No need to be scared of vaginal birth, it is what our vagina is for after all :winkwink: With my first I tore but not too bad and I had no problem with recovery at all. I was up being completely normal within minutes of birth and never needed any kind of pain medication. I tore worse with my second. I have no idea what degrees are lol but instead of tearing towards my anus like I did with #1 I tore up through my pee "hole" (I can not remember what on earth that is called :haha:) So recovery on that was different because when I felt the urge to pee I had to go pee right then! There was no ability to hold it. And once I started peeing I could not stop it. Im of course better now and can shut it on and off but that was not fun. I didnt have a squirt bottle with #1 but I did with #2 and I agree it was great with warm water. I hated when I was tired in the middle of night and would use it and it was freezing cold water :haha: 

But honestly it wasnt really that bad at all. Everyone is different of course but just try to think of it as being easy for you and harder for others :winkwink:


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## kksy9b

IMO, trying to pee after delivery for the first few days (I tore up, not down...peeing HURT) and the abdominal "massaging" they did was more painful than the labor. Definitely agree to use the squeeze bottle...I just stopped using it at 3 weeks pp. I also really liked the tucks pads- provided a lot of relief. Beyond the first day or so at the hospital, the recovery hasn't been bad. Heavy bleeding was done in first 24 hours, just the stitches healing were uncomfortable. For BFing, I had a bad latch for a week and nipples have been cracked. They are almost healed now but require a lot of work at each feeding: squeeze out a little bit of milk when he's done and let air dry while I burp. Then slap on the lanolin- if you are BF, this is a must have! don't try to feed without using it! Then I use a soothies gel pad (for me, the lansinosh brand works better than medela) and a nursing pad. I have no idea on a section recovery what its like, but from the stories Ive read, a vaginal recovery is a lot less painful and gets you up and moving a lot quicker.


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## KatyW

I second the no need to fear a vaginal delivery, that is what vaginas are made to do. With my first, I had an episiotomy and tearing along with hemorrhoids from pushing, but I think tearing was so bad because we had to rush to get my preemie baby out. Midwives and doctors will try to ease the baby out slowly, normally. Anyway, recovery was fine and manageable. It was a drug free birth so I got up and felt pretty normal within a few hours after a nap. And this was in Germany, Pathos :).


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## OurLilFlu

@mummy my cs wasn't emergency perse but it definitely was not planned. I know it was a LOT rougher because Royen was so stuck. They had 2 surgeons jumping on my ribs and had to yank really hard 5 or 6 times to free her from my pelvis...which ended up being forceful enough to tear my uterus. I was soo sore for so long, I couldn't walk further than the bedroom and back, couldn't sit for too long, bf only in football hold and could only lay on my back and rolling onto my back was by far the worst! With the extra blood loss from the tear and almost needing a transfusion, basically anything made me out of breath and dizzy. Ugh I'm glad I've kind of forgotten how bad it was. I sooooo want a vbac next time!!!!! 

But if it is a csection I know my recovery will probably be 100x better


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## daddiesgift

FULL TERM :dance:


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## kksy9b

awesome news daddiesgift!!!baby will be here before you know it!


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## melann13

I had an epidural (due to being induced and contractions getting strong before dilation they had to use one to slow my labor down) and I was still up (with assistance of course) within the hour. I was in the shower on my own within 2-3 hours. I didn't find the abdominal pushing they do afterward bad actually. I had tingling in my one foot for a good couple weeks after, but they were so swollen before the birth that I'm not sure what caused it. It was just weird. Overall I would definitely not shy away from it again and would prefer no epidural. I had about 12 hrs of labor before I got it, and I felt like I was handling it well with just breathing and groans, it was just when transition contractions kicked in and my body was trying to push and I was only 3cm that we opted for the epidural to slow contractions and give the cervical ripening agent a chance to work. I know some people feel scarred from their birth experiences. I feel the opposite. I feel like I've been through it, it wasn't that bad and I definitely plan to do it again! :)


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## pathos

:wacko: I had problems with the capabilities of the vagina as some of you might recall. It took me years to believe that something can go in there, now I have some 7 months to start believing something as large as a baby can come out... and it apparently does :cry::cry: by tearing the vagina omg! omg!

How do they fix it? Do they stich you?:dohh: I dont want to be vaginismus again :(


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## KatyW

They stitch you but you are numb when they do it. It isn't too bad, even though it is an intimidating thought, I know! Some women do not tear.


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## magicwhisper

What are tuck pads? Is it a American thing I've not heard o them until recently but everyone who has mentioned it lives in the USA :haha:

I've felt "off" for the last couple of days I can't explain it I just haven't felt right. Starting last night I've had terrible bowl movements constantly (sorry for the tmi) and I now feel sick and eating my dinner is the last thing on my mind!

Last time my tummy was as bad as this I had food poisoning but I have literally not eaten anything that could give me that. Not even a maybe it could be this item! And it isn't the same as my ibs. 

I'm really hoping its a pre labour clear out and it's not a bug or anything. But I'm not thinking anything of it yet :/


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## kksy9b

Not everyone tears pathos! And like Katy said, you are numb when they stitch you- I only felt a slight pulling but was so focused on baby that I barely remember it. The stiches dissolve in about 2 weeks so you don't have to mess with them afterwards. I also did the epi (I labored naturally to 8cm but with the transition I didn't think I could get through with enough energy to push.) I loved my labor and delivery and would definitely do it again! Its exhausting but so worth it. I was pretty terrified going into it not knowing what to expect but once it going those fears went away and instinct and excitement took over. Its scary leading up to it and you have an added layer with your past issues, bit its really not bad and I hope everything goes smoothly for you!


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## magicwhisper

Actually giving birth dosent scare me. Being in the hospital does. I hate hospitals as it is an because I have moved across the country I don't know the hospital at all. It is a completely new place the hospital in question. However stupid it is my fear is being alone in the hospital (in general not in labour)


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## KatyW

Tucks pads are little wet pads with witch hazel soaked into them. They offer relief for hemorrhoids and soreness after vaginal childbirth. I used them last time and have stocked up again. Yeah, sold in America. 

I was afraid of hospitals but surprisingly was not too affected by it when I delivered the first time. It felt like a hotel sort of, ha....with enormous maxi pads


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## melann13

My hospital was fantastic. I didn't feel the stitches either. I had no interest in a mirror to watch the whole thing, but after I was done pushing I looked up and realized I could see the reflection of "down there" in the light above me! At that point it was a mess down there and I kept telling myself to just listen to the baby crying and not stare at what was going on. I couldn't feel what they were doing down there, but watching made me think I could... power of suggestion I guess
Tucks pads are great, hopsital gave me some hemmoroid cream to slather on pads for down there which helped with all the swelling (not just hemmoroids). I never bought the Tucks, but I always have witch hazel in the house (I use it to clean my makeup off) and just soaked cotton discs in it and put them on my maxi if I needed some extra cooling relief. That need didn't last long though.
Finally- magic whisper- a pre labor clear out is a great sign! It's totally an early sign of labor. I was wishing for diarrhea for two weeks! :)


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## kksy9b

Melann-I made the nurses put towels over all the reflective surfaces at the back of the room....I had zero interest in seeing what was happening down there! lol


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## CoastalSw

Uh those are the worst!


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## KatyW

All right, in labor and at the hospital. Epidural kicked in :). So much for a drug free birth, this has been more intense than anticipated. Will keep you ladies posted.


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## newbie2013

Good luck Katy!! Thinking about you


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## daddiesgift

Can't wait to see pics!!! Good luck!


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## melann13

Yeah Katy! Just in time for Mother's Day! My epidural was wonderful! Hope you enjoy yours! (I plan to try for without again next time, but when it happens and you need it, you might as well just enjoy it!)


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## magicwhisper

Yay good luck!


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## kksy9b

Yay!!! Looking forward to hearing your good news Katy!! Enjoy your sweet new little one!

Magicwhispher- how are you feeling? Any more labor signs? Just keep in mind that symptoms can come and go as your body gets ready. I had about 3 weeks of early labor signs before it kick started. All my fingers and toes are crossed for you though that baby Ella makes her appearance soon for you!

And I definitely second that Melann! I went in not wanting one but things happen and its better to roll with it and enjoy the process (oh my goodness...that hour of sleep after it kicked in but before pushing ...amongst the best sleep I've ever had lol)


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## mummy2o

Good luck Katy. Its all exciting :) Can't wait to see pictures.


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## KatyW

She is here! 8 lb 15 ounces, 21 inches long,born right after midnight on Mother's Day locally :). Faye Amelia. Pics to follow. L and D went really well, about 12 hrs total.labor but only half hour ( or so of pushing with just a few stitches.


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## Hopeful2014

@KatyW Congratulations! Enjoy baby Faye and Mother's Day. We can't wait for pictures. I've updated the front and added you to the parenting thread. I'll add the information for DD#1 to the parenting thread if you want me to as well.


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## daddiesgift

Congrats! She is long!


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## mummy2o

Congrats and happy mothers day :)


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## melann13

Yeah Katy!! Congrats!

Kksy, considering I went 12 or 16 hrs without the epidural (depending on how I count it) and didn't have her for almost 24hrs after having my epidural, there's no way I would've made it without. The epidural allowed me to rest and function during the 30some odd hours and be ready to push (since that took 3+ hours in and of itself.) definitely don't regret my decision! ;)


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## magicwhisper

Congratulations!

Pre labour signs but no actual labour signs which is fuatrating!


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## jessicasmum

Had gender scan Wednesday and we are team :pink: again!! Really thought she was a boy so a bit of a shock.


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## magicwhisper

Oh congratulations in team pink


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## jessicasmum

magicwhisper said:


> Oh congratulations in team pink

Thank you :D


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## kksy9b

congratulations on the baby girl katy! and great news on team pink jessica!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats on team pink! 

Nothing new to report here just waiting for hubs to arrive at the end of this week so I can start hoping to go into labor :)


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## pathos

:happydance::happydance: KatyW congrats!! Yay!! :baby:


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## jessicasmum

Thank you Kksyy9b and Daddiesgift :D


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## athena87

Do you ladies wanna guess? Our appt is tomorrow at 9:30
 



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## daddiesgift

hmm first thought was boy..but then I thought girl. Soooo girl :haha:


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## magicwhisper

Girl :D 

So no sweep which upset me a bit apparently they don't do sweeps until 41 weeks but a different midwife earlier said I would have one at 40 weeks so it must depend on the midwife :shrug:


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## melann13

I guess boy


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## kksy9b

I've thought girl for you all along so thats my guess!


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## KatyW

Girl


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## athena87

Well it's a boy for us. Elijah Robert will debut in the fall. We haven't told my family yet but my in laws were over the moon and my mother in law cried when we told her the name since he's named after Dhs brother.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations!


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!! Boys are the best :)


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## mummy2o

Congrats athena on the boy. As daddiesgift said boys are great.


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## athena87

https://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh73/athena8785/imagejpg1-3.jpg

I am really irritated right now. The ultrasound tech said it was very obvious we are having a boy. Well my sister says that's not a penis and 2 girls have commented that 3 lines is a girl. Well that isn't necessarily true. Boys can have three lines and girls don't have the space between their vagina and legs. It pisses me off that people want to make us doubt it when we are so excited.


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## mummy2o

Not sure how she can mistake that for a girl tbh. He very much looks like a boy to me. Besides the tech has been trained in her job your sister hasn't. So go out and buy blue things and enjoy it. I think your sister is probably just jealous.


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## pathos

congrats athena :blue:. I would definitely rely on the tech's words.


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## athena87

My sister isn't jealous, she has three kids, two girls and a boy. But she was so sure i was having a girl so I say she is in denial. I will say, her sons ultrasound does look different, it has a triangle at the end where the tip is and you can't really see his. I also know if I had said her sons didn't look like a penis she would've flipped out on me because they wanted a boy since they had 2 girls. We didn't care either way, we were just excited to know and people just had to rain on our parade.


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## jessicasmum

Athena- congratulations on team :blue:

We found out last week we are team :pink: again but when I told midwife on Monday she sort of put it into our heads that they could of got it wrong, she knew someone who was told girl and bought everything pink and it turned out to be a boy, I know this can happen but there didn't seem to be any hesitation from the woman doing the scan she just said it's a girl. From the look of your scan I think it looks pretty certain it's boy bits so I wouldn't take any notice of what some have said :)


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## magicwhisper

It definetly looks like boys bits to me! It looks nothing like my ultrasound.


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## daddiesgift

Looks boyish to me and I have two boys :winkwink:


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## Buttercup84

Athena he is so a boy, don't listen to your sister! Neither of my girls' potty shots looked like that, more like a burger with the 3 lines lol!


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## KatyW

I agree, trust the tech. Sorry people are being weird. Congratulations on your little boy, and I love his name!


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## athena87

His uncle's (dh's brother) was named Robert Edwin and he passed away 2 years ago tomorrow. When he died dh said if we ever had a boy he wanted to name him after him. So shortly after that we started ttc and I started looking at names. I was looking at biblical names and wasn't really finding anything and then I was like why don't I look at E names so they would have the same initials and found Elijah and dh loved it, but he will be called Eli. So his name has been picked for almost 2 years. We are doing a sports theme in his nursery since dh played baseball and is on his 4th year coaching high school football. We have his brothers football jersey and we are going to get it put in a shadow box with his name on it and hang it in the nursery.


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## melann13

Would you believe that that exact name is on our extremely short list for boys if we have one?! Elijah because it biblical and beautiful (backup is Elliot) and middle is Robert after my dad. I'm my dad's only child so his last name is gone. He's an amazing man who served his country secretly for a long time. I feel like he has such a rich legacy that no one knows about and I respect him SOOO much. I hope someday we can pass on his name.


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## ALiKO

Hey ladies just droppin in for an update! 

sorry i've been m.i.a just been trying to adjust to parenthood and soak up everyday with my little lady shes growing up so fast!...

she'll already be 3 weeks old tomorrow and i feel like i just had her yesterday! time really does fly. i've been exclusively breast feeding since shes been home and its been a great experince.

i do have some questions about breast feeding though if you ladies dont mind.

first off breast feeding was going great up until about a few days ago when i started to overproduce milk. i also have a very strong let down. so much so, that poor Hana cant even take it and looks as if shes drowning while eating and can only feed for about 1 to 2 mins when before she'd do 10+ mins on each breast. so for the past few days i've been pumping and giving her milk through bottle at night which seems to help her better control the flow but i want her to be able to feed from my breast without any discomfort to her. any tips?

and when will the pain stop!? for your nipples in particular. i love feeding her but i've been dreading mealtime lately. any tips there? 

and her a pic of her:)
 



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## ALiKO

congrats on your boy Athena! definitely looks like little boy bits to me :D


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## ALiKO

katyW- you had the baby wow congrats!!! i've missed so much...


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 Congratulations on :blue: I'll add the name to the front. I'm sure your mother-in-law was touched that you picked that name. 

@ALiKO Look at all of that hair. She's cute.


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## KatyW

Aliko, thank you. Mine is already a week old! Time. Flies. 

Breastfeeding is tough at first. A breast shield can help with a strong letdown and nipple pain, so can hand expressing a bit before each feeding. Also air dry as much as possible. It can hurt, and has both times for me.

Another bit of advive is to grab your boob and hold it while you cram into baby's mouth, so you get as much as nipple in as you can. I also compress my boon while feeding. 

It will get easier!


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## daddiesgift

I have a strong forceful letdown as well and I was shown and told to not have baby laying down with first latch. I was shown hard to explain but like you would hold a baby on your hip or like babe sitting in your lap with their nose on top of your breast instead of to the side like in cradle hold or football hold. That way they are upright when letdown happens instead of laying down. They compared it to trying to drink out of a hose while laying down or on your side, you're going to choke! 

Sore nipples and how long it lasts is different for everyone. A friend of mine said only four days for her, lucky b :haha: but for me it's awhile only thing I found to help was switching breasts and positions at each feeding. That way one part of nipple wasn't taking all the pain causing healing to take longer.


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## daddiesgift

39 weeks and no end in sight! I've officially been pregnant the longest I ever have!


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## melann13

For me it was a few weeks of discomfort with BFing. Putting lanolin on before showers helped. Also putting breastmilk on the nipple after feeding. There was definitely a time of dreading the feedings, but it is SOOO worth it. Just know it does get better!
Keeping baby upright for let down is helpful, or pumping just a little bit before feeding can help too. You don't want to pump too much though as then your body will continue to produce more and more! Only pump enough so that your let down isn't as forceful for her.
The time they feed will decrease as they get older as well as they become better at feeding and more efficient. I have always only had to feed from one side at a feeding and at only a few days old Felicity was only feeding for 10 or so minutes from one side and that was all. The last few days she has eaten from both sides and spent more time, but she is almost four months and I think she is having a growth spurt and so she is telling my body to produce more!


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## imaginary8x

Forgot to update here...

I had my little boy Dexter on 26/04/14 at 21:55pm.


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## pathos

aliko oww so cute :baby: mash&subhanallah again.

me and my next weird question :blush:, does pumping hurt as well? any difference between hand vs. electro pump (in terms of pain and comfort)?


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## pathos

:dohh: ow congrats magicwhisper! :happydance::happydance:


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## melann13

pathos, pumping doesn't hurt. if the nipple rubs on the breast shield too much (pumping frequently right away) it can get a little raw. Putting a little olive oil on the nipple or on the inside of the shied where it rubs can help tons and doesn't affect baby. I just did it this morning (I've only had to do it a couple times) because LO clamped down a few times yesterday and one nipple is a little sore. 
I used a manual pump for about a month before my double electric one came. I wouldn't say there's a difference in comfort because both have a lot of control. I have the Medela Harmony manual and the Medela pump in style advanced double electric. I haven't used my manual one since I got the double electric as it's much more efficient once you get used to it and I can work while pumping which means I can pump longer or more frequently without it affecting my work as much (granted I'm fortunate to pump at my desk as I have a private office or today I'm working at home so I just pump at the kitchen table while working :)
My let down reflex is a little painful but that's true with baby or the pump. The manual pump you're in complete control of the strength, the electric they tell you to find where it just starts to become uncomfortable and then go just below that. If it's still uncomfortable you may need different size breast shields than the average that come with the pump. It has less to do with the size of the breast and more to do with the size and shape of the nipple/areola.
Any other specific questions? Insurance here is required to provide at least the base model which is how I got the single manual, and a special program through my insurance that keeps up with pregnancy and post partum provided the big fancy one after I attended my post-partum appt, so both were free of charge for me. I will say that I had an issue (at least I thought I did- in retrospect I may have been crazy) with my electric after a month. I contacted Medela, they were SUPER helpful, overnighted a part and then ended up overnighting a brand new pump. It's considered a medical device here and therefore you're entitled to have a new one ASAP.


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## athena87

I know some things have been posted before but I'm wondering what are some must haves for baby? We are making our registry soon so I'm just trying to compile a list. Also what bottles do you like with breast feeding? I'm liking the tommee tippees but open to suggestions.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations magicwhisper on baby Ella's birth! I hope you are enjoying her sweet baby snuggles and looking forward to hearing from her soon!!

Athena- the biggest thing I wish I would have had sooner is a vibrating chair. SIL gave us her old one but the vibrating poart had broken. It took us until he was almost a month to replace but I wish I had done it earlier. I just got a cheap one- 30 from amazon-but it has been amazing and lets me actually put him down in the day for him to sleep in or keep him occupied while I cook or told laundry etc. Several times he has been fussy and I turn it on and he calls right down! Not every baby takes to them but I thought 30 was better to be out if he didn't like than 150 for the big swings.

The other one is Dreft stain remover. I cannot tell you how many countless clothing/fabric items have been saved... Just spray the item, rub it in and throw in wash and comes out stain free! Amongst the most useful gifts we received.

As many wipes as you can get. Whether you use cloth or regular, you will go through more than you think. I thought I had a 6 month supply but really only have about a 2 1/2... You use a lot!

For breastfeeding- lanolin... Don't try to nurse without using. I also really like the soothie gel pads by lansinoh... Has helped with cracked nipples. If you're pumping, the stream sanitizer bags for parts and bottles. Saves a lot of time IMO for cleaning. A good nursing cover with boning in it so you can cheek on baby. We have only given him a bottle a couple times and have used the medela one and they've been fine but someone else could probably answer that better.

Finally- aden and anais muslin swaddle blankets. I never used the cute receiving blankets that I got ( the kind that come from the store in a 4 pack.) They were too thin and small.. Wish I had taken all of them back. But the muslin blankets are amazing. Soft, breathable, stretchy... My LO loves them and I love them because he stays cool against me when wrapped up. Other blankets seem to turn into a sweat fest. They get softer with every washing and so far I haven't seen any signs of wear. They are pricy (35 for a 4 pack) but worth every penny!


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## KatyW

Congratulations, Magicwhisper!


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## magicwhisper

Hello everyone I hope you are all well :D


Ella Laura was born on the 18th May at 1.35pm weighing 6lb 4oz after a 12 hour labour. She was born with her cord wrapped around her neck twice then around her shoulder which made her heartrate drop low at times so we was in a rush to get her out. I got her out just before they would of assisted and got away with a small 2nd degree tear. 

We are both completely fine after our distressing pushing stage of labour. Though I do keep thinking about it :( but most importantly is that we are both fine :D

We are completely in love with her she is perfect


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## daddiesgift

Congrats!!!


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## mummy2o

She was born on my sisters birthday! Congratulations :)


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## kksy9b

Congratulations!! Sorry for the dramatic entrance but so happy to hear that you are doing well now!

Daddiesgift...I think you're up next! Any labor signs?


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## newbie2013

Wow! These May babies are popping out now 

Congrats to all! I'm super happy for you all!


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## daddiesgift

Labor signs? What's that? :haha: nothing too exciting. Everyday I get constant contractions all uncomfortable, some hurt but then they die off to nothing! Been walking, bouncing on ball, sex, chugging pineapple juice, taking epo and today I've taken a sniff of clary sage oil :dohh: my oldest is extremely sick so I guess maybe today wouldn't be the best for her to come so I'm taking it moderately easy.


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## daddiesgift

I saw my midwife yesterday and she told me to use my pump for five minutes a day for some nipple stimulation so I guess there is always that left!


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## kksy9b

Wow! She is being a stubborn one!! Hope it starts for you soon! Were your boys on time, early or late?


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## daddiesgift

Early! This is the longest I've ever been pregnant :) both came on their own, Dominic 37 weeks, Anthony 38+6. So I figured she would be before her due date but it's not looking that way! She has been a stubborn one this pregnancy, not a good sign for the future!


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## magicwhisper

Thank you everyone :kiss:

I swear nipple stimulation put me into labour it worked wonders! Though I didn't pump because I'm not breast feeding


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## daddiesgift

I've been rubbing them while in the shower. I told OH what midwife said yesterday and he said if I wanted he could play with them instead :rofl: I'll put pump together tonight but I'll wait to use it till tomorrow since Dominic is sick :( been disinfecting house all day. Don't want a sick newborn!! 

So maybe tomorrow if he's better I'll go for a long walk, bounce on my ball, sniff my oil, have some sex, drink some pineapple juice while pumping then get on all fours and try to get her in a better position if that's the issue. Mw asked me if it's a mental block but I don't think so! I'm motivated to do this!


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## Buttercup84

Congrats magicwhisper! Glad you're enjoying those precious early days :cloud9: Sorry your labour was a bit action packed :hugs: I had complications after my first DD's labour and it took me a while to feel OK about it but the memories do fade after a while, mother nature's way of making us have more babies I guess :winkwink:
daddiesgift hope you're doing OK, hang in there and fc she arrives very soon! :flower:


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## melann13

Good luck daddiesgift-

Athena- kimono style onesies for the first couple weeks til the cord falls off
Totally agree on the aden and anais swaddles. When I got them I was going to take them back because I thought that with all the receiving blankets and swaddles I had I'd never use them. I couldn't take them back though because the person bought them from a store we don't have in this state. Turns out I use them every FREAKIN day. The more expensive ones (there are cheaper of the same brand at Target) come in a three back and are absolutely beautiful- as such, I tie two of the corners together and wrap it around my neck twice as scarves. Instant burp cloth, nursing cover, blanket to lay baby on on the floor or outside, cover up the car seat or stroller or just let them wave it around and play with it! (LO is 4 mos tomorrow and loves flinging them everywhere!) Tonight I put it over her activity gym like a tent and she thought it was hilarious. Since I've started "wearing" them, tons of other moms from my mother baby hour have been doing the same. Unless you're a mom that has them you'd never know they're not just fashionable scarves! https://www.giggle.com/on/demandwar...d=0004099583&gclid=CNnP4antwL4CFaNhMgodYSYAaA
Bottles- we used Medela at first until daycare gave her a MAM and now that's all she wants. I do like that I can microwave sanitize them (the MAM pacifiers do that too) and she drinks out of them VERY well, but Medelas work fine for some people. I still have to pump into the Medelas since they fit my pump.
I love my Halo Sleep Sack Swaddles- although we're out of them now and no longer swaddling her at all...
Burp clothes- I use the Gerber cloth diapers (the cheap version) and have about 15 of them so that when one gets spit on I don't think twice about putting it in the laundry and grabbing a new one. I have one in almost every room of the house as well :)
We do use our vibrating seat (ours doesn't vibrate though- bought it on CL) as a convenient place to set her in the kitchen or even outside lately. Yesterday she sat in it and watched me plant some flowers.
The biggest item that I can't imagine my life without is our Arm's Reach Co-sleeper bassinet. Having her right next to me has saved me an immeasurable amount of worry and sleep. I bought that on CL too. I knew I wanted one early on and am SOOO glad I was stubborn about it.
Finally, don't be afraid to put a couple things for you on there. I put on Burt's Bees Mama Bee oil and lotion for my stretch marks. Some people like to get stuff for mom.
Also, I put on a ton of Johnson and Johnson Bath products for baby thinking we'd use them eventually. Problem is she reacts badly to them and they dry her skin like none other, so we returned most and bought other products to try.
Don't forget things like infant tylenol, gas drops, butt cream etc. You don't want to wait til you need them to buy them :)


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## pathos

daddiesgift - how exciting, i hope your son gets well soon.

today i ordered, the happiest baby on the block. apparently it is one of the best baby books. at least it is marketed as so. i m more interested in real mom's suggestions. any good reads you suggest?


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## daddiesgift

I've had lots of friends swear by the happiest baby on the block!


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## melann13

I liked this one. Learned a lot. Because of it Felicity happily goes to bed by 7pm and gets up around 7am, usually with just one wake up to eat in between at 4 mos old (it was two until about 3.5 months)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0...1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345486455#


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## ALiKO

magicwhisper said:


> Hello everyone I hope you are all well :D
> 
> 
> Ella Laura was born on the 18th May at 1.35pm weighing 6lb 4oz after a 12 hour labour. She was born with her cord wrapped around her neck twice then around her shoulder which made her heartrate drop low at times so we was in a rush to get her out. I got her out just before they would of assisted and got away with a small 2nd degree tear.
> 
> We are both completely fine after our distressing pushing stage of labour. Though I do keep thinking about it :( but most importantly is that we are both fine :D
> 
> We are completely in love with her she is perfect

even though my labor was 5 hours it was an intense 5 hours. i actually didnt mind the contractions it was the pushing phase for me as well where i felt like i was'nt going to make it. (sorry if i scared any of you ftm :dohh:). pushing was awful i felt. Hana's cord was short so it also caused her heart rate to drop during pushing and i too got a second degree tear and one big bad hemorroid that was more painful than tearing!

after i gave birth and even now i still remember the pain and quite frankly am a bit scared to do it again. im not too impressed with the place i gave birth and i feel if i were somewhere else i would have a more positive outlook on my birth experience. so needless to say i would do it again but under very different circumstances.
congrats again!



magicwhisper said:


> Thank you everyone :kiss:
> 
> I swear nipple stimulation put me into labour it worked wonders! Though I didn't pump because I'm not breast feeding

yes i agree with this. from the moment i was sure i was feeling contractions i started to stimulate my nipples to make my contractions last longer and come stronger. 



daddiesgift said:


> I have a strong forceful letdown as well and I was shown and told to not have baby laying down with first latch. I was shown hard to explain but like you would hold a baby on your hip or like babe sitting in your lap with their nose on top of your breast instead of to the side like in cradle hold or football hold. That way they are upright when letdown happens instead of laying down. They compared it to trying to drink out of a hose while laying down or on your side, you're going to choke!
> 
> Sore nipples and how long it lasts is different for everyone. A friend of mine said only four days for her, lucky b :haha: but for me it's awhile only thing I found to help was switching breasts and positions at each feeding. That way one part of nipple wasn't taking all the pain causing healing to take longer.

4 days! yes she definitely is one lucky b*tch! :haha:. they are definitely getting better (currently 3 weeks postpartum) and i feel my milk supply is starting to regulate itself out more.



pathos said:


> aliko oww so cute :baby: mash&subhanallah again.
> 
> me and my next weird question :blush:, does pumping hurt as well? any difference between hand vs. electro pump (in terms of pain and comfort)?

thanks so much. alhumdulillah im so in love with her :blush:. i have an electric pump and it works wonders. its small and portable, has multiple suction and speed levels, and is more gentle on my nipples than my baby! :haha: it definitely came in handy in the early days when my nipples were unbearably sore and i wanted to give them a break for feedings and just give her a bottle. i use a japanese brand pump by a company called pigeon and its their premium model. cost me about $90.

im not too sure about a manuel pump but my mom used one once and said she hated it and it was terrible on her nipples. and then you have to sit there and physical pump with your hands which i guess can get tiring especially if its the middle of the night. i hope u find what works for you :flower:


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## magicwhisper

Aliko I'm glad I'm not the only one that found the pushing stage the worst especially after everyone in general saying that is the "best" bit! Though very true people wouldn't have any more children if it was that bad :haha:


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## Hopeful2014

@imaginary8x Congratulations! I updated the front and added you to the parenting thread. 

@magicwhisper Congratulations! I'm glad that all went well with you both. I updated the front and the parenting thread.

@daddiesgift I hope she comes soon.


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## Ameli

Good luck, Daddiesgift! Also, Happiest Baby on the Block saved us! Totally recommend.

Also, Hopeful, I am so very sorry to read your siggie and realize you had a loss. I haven't been on this thread in quite awhile and I didn't know. Big hugs to you. You are amazingly supportive of everyone. I am so sorry. :hugs: :cry: :hugs:


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## daddiesgift

Still pregnant! I was feeling hopeful earlier but now back to feeling discouraged. I think I'm anxious because I have so many signs through out the day that's so real then just stops or continues but doesn't progress in intensity. 

Off to have :sex: and pray it's today :haha:


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## kksy9b

darn! i was hoping that you hadn't posted in a couple days meant you were snuggling with your LO! soon though!!


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## pathos

:wohoo: congrats daddiesgift =)) :happydance:
well, who is next? :haha:


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## athena87

Congrats daddies gift!

Pathos on the front it says tangerine may 30th, but I don't think she's been here in a while. Then the next due dates are the September due dates.


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## magicwhisper

Congratulations daddiesgift


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## mummy2o

Congratulations daddiesgift.


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## daddiesgift

Scarlett Anneliese was born at home may 28th at 3:29 am. Weighing 9 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches long!


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## Buttercup84

Congrats daddiesgift :flower: Good weight, my DD was 9lbs 4oz and I thought she looked tiny at first!


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## jessicasmum

Congratulations daddiesgift


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## kksy9b

congratulations!!!!!


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## daddiesgift

Thanks ladies :)


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## melann13

I'm late to the party, but congratulations daddiesgift!! I met a woman recently with a new daughter Scarlett - they call her Letti! Adorable!! (The mom's name is Emerald, so I guess they wanted to stick to colors :) I know another baby same age named Violet... now I'm on a tangent... Congrats again!


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## daddiesgift

I got the idea from Gone with the Wind :)


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## KatyW

Congratulations!!!


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## Hopeful2014

@daddiesgift Congratulations! I updated the front and added you to the parenting thread. Let me know if you want me to add the information about the boys to the parenting thread as well.


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## athena87

I had an appt baby Eli is measuring in the 24th percentile. I'm going to have a growth scan at 28 weeks to make sure he is growing correctly and to look at his heart because they couldn't get a good picture at the 20 week scan. His heart rate was 148. My blood pressure was 120/66 which they said is awesome. I've lost 3 more lbs, 15 since my first appt. she said she'd like to see me gain 10 lbs from now til the end, but if I don't that it's ok since he is growing. My next appt is the glucose test and I got the lemon lime flavor instead of orange.


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## mummy2o

That's great. That percentile is way better than Erika's ever was. She was in the 5% so she really was just a small baby. I'm sure he's growing fine :) Also when I was in the hospital one of the cleaners said her babies never grew after 30 weeks and they are now currently 6ft giants! I hope you pass the GT.


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## magicwhisper

they nnever mesured on the percentile with ella. in fact if it wasnt for me markiing it in her book i wouoldnt know :dohh:


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## melann13

I don't remember being given a percentage for Felicity during pregnancy. Once I was going overdue my doc felt my belly awhile and said, "probably about 8lbs, so at least you're not going to be dealing with a giant baby" He's been doing this a long time. She was born 2 days later at 8lbs4oz :).
Now she's 72nd% for weight and 84th for height! 15.5lbs at just over 4mos and 25.5inches!


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## athena87

Tomorrow is v-day. I still can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going. I can't wait to hold my baby boy in my arms.


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## kksy9b

yay athena!! enjoy the day! i felt like the rest of the pregnancy went so fast after v-day!


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 Happy V-day!


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## athena87

Where is everybody? This forum has been so quiet.


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## mummy2o

I was thinking the same. I'm still lurking here. Almost 30 weeks now though athena.


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## daddiesgift

I'm still here :) Scarlett is nearly 6 weeks old! We are doing great. I usually get on BNB in middle of night while nursing her so sometimes I'm to tired to post I just lurk :)


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## jessicasmum

I'm still here too, lurking also :haha:

Had an extra growth scan Thursday because they wanted to check baby after me having an emergency appendix operation after my 20 week scan. Baby was being awkward for measuring and then I was told by my consultant straight after scan that I have increased amniotic fluid :( so I'm going to have another scan on 31st July and baby is lying transverse so I've sort of scared myself looking up things and saw that babies can sometimes not be able to go head down because of the extra fluid.

Any way how is everyone else doing?


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## kksy9b

Daddiesgift- I'm the same way :) in fact, sometimes I type out posts but he finishes eating before I'm done and I wind up just deleting them without posting. Lol. How are your boys doing with Scarlett?

Jessicasmum- sounds scary to have had to have surgery during the pregnancy! Sorry that baby wasn't cooperating for your scan. I had multiple growth scand as well because he was so small. Its nive to get to see baby again but also a bit anoying to have to keep going back and be worried etc. Hopefully they can get all the measurements at the next scan! I was never told that I had excess fluid, but I did still have a large pocket at term. My LO was still doing flips and was transverse up to 34 weeks before he went head down. Hopefully your LO cooperates and gets head down for you!

How are everyone else's pregnancies going?

AFM- Charles is 12 weeks old now (where has time gone?!?) and doing wonderful! We are pretty consistent with getting a 6 hour stretch at night, eat for 30 min and then another 1-3 hours (The earlier the long stretch starts, the longer the second stretch will be). He is just the sweetest little boy and we are so blessed :)


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## athena87

Yea I'm almost 30 weeks. I went on vacation and gained 4 lbs which is new since I had lost nearly 20 lbs. my gestational diabetes test is tomorrow morning, I'm praying I don't throw it. My stomach has been pretty sensitive even since morning sickness stopped. Last week was out of my comfort zone as far as food goes because we were in Puerto Rico. Some places I just had to order from the kids menu to get food I'm used too. 

Anyone using bumpers in their baby beds? I was told by a friend not to because it can reduce risk for SIDS.


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## jessicasmum

kksy9b said:


> Daddiesgift- I'm the same way :) in fact, sometimes I type out posts but he finishes eating before I'm done and I wind up just deleting them without posting. Lol. How are your boys doing with Scarlett?
> 
> Jessicasmum- sounds scary to have had to have surgery during the pregnancy! Sorry that baby wasn't cooperating for your scan. I had multiple growth scand as well because he was so small. Its nive to get to see baby again but also a bit anoying to have to keep going back and be worried etc. Hopefully they can get all the measurements at the next scan! I was never told that I had excess fluid, but I did still have a large pocket at term. My LO was still doing flips and was transverse up to 34 weeks before he went head down. Hopefully your LO cooperates and gets head down for you!
> 
> How are everyone else's pregnancies going?
> 
> AFM- Charles is 12 weeks old now (where has time gone?!?) and doing wonderful! We are pretty consistent with getting a 6 hour stretch at night, eat for 30 min and then another 1-3 hours (The earlier the long stretch starts, the longer the second stretch will be). He is just the sweetest little boy and we are so blessed :)

Yeah it was really scary having operation because it wasn't expected and also so worried about risk to baby.
Even though they are calling it another growth scan for the next one but just think it's mainly for checking the fluids.

Awww your little boy is so cute :)


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## jessicasmum

athena87 said:


> Yea I'm almost 30 weeks. I went on vacation and gained 4 lbs which is new since I had lost nearly 20 lbs. my gestational diabetes test is tomorrow morning, I'm praying I don't throw it. My stomach has been pretty sensitive even since morning sickness stopped. Last week was out of my comfort zone as far as food goes because we were in Puerto Rico. Some places I just had to order from the kids menu to get food I'm used too.
> 
> Anyone using bumpers in their baby beds? I was told by a friend not to because it can reduce risk for SIDS.

No won't be using bumpers because of same reason your friend said, saying that my husband's nana bought one for baby but I can't bring myself to say we can't/won't use it but I know I definitely won't be using it.


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## athena87

Jessicasmum I have to have a growth scan in the next week or so because Eli measured small at 20 weeks and I was losing weight and also because they couldn't get a good pic of his heart. I feel like drs love to make us worry.

Kksy9b and daddiesgift I can't believe y'all's babies are already that big. It doesn't seem possible. How is breastfeeding? I'm kind of nervous about it. One of my friends that works with my husband has been so negative about it, she told my husband not to expect me to breastfeed for too long because most women can't/dry up early. Which I don't believe, since my sister had no problem breastfeeding her kids, but since hers dried up at 6 weeks I guess that means every bodies does. She's a nice person, but she's kind of a one upper. Like in December before we got our bfp. I was complaining to her about ttc being so hard and instead of being supportive she basically told me to suck it up because it took them 3 yrs to conceive. She told me not to waste my time with Clomid because it didn't work for her, well if I hadn't I wouldn't be pregnant.


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## jessicasmum

athena87 said:


> Jessicasmum I have to have a growth scan in the next week or so because Eli measured small at 20 weeks and I was losing weight and also because they couldn't get a good pic of his heart. I feel like drs love to make us worry.
> 
> Kksy9b and daddiesgift I can't believe y'all's babies are already that big. It doesn't seem possible. How is breastfeeding? I'm kind of nervous about it. One of my friends that works with my husband has been so negative about it, she told my husband not to expect me to breastfeed for too long because most women can't/dry up early. Which I don't believe, since my sister had no problem breastfeeding her kids, but since hers dried up at 6 weeks I guess that means every bodies does. She's a nice person, but she's kind of a one upper. Like in December before we got our bfp. I was complaining to her about ttc being so hard and instead of being supportive she basically told me to suck it up because it took them 3 yrs to conceive. She told me not to waste my time with Clomid because it didn't work for her, well if I hadn't I wouldn't be pregnant.

I hope all is well at your growth scan soon :) I know what you mean over doctors giving you things to worry about and I'm a natural worrier any way always think the worse case with everything. I was told by the sonogram woman that fluid was measuring ok when I asked and then when I was in the waiting area waiting for the scan photo and notes she said "we will probably see you again", I was like thinking you just said everything was ok.


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## melann13

We use a bumper but it is one of the breathable mesh bumpers. Baby was in the "Arm's Reach Co-sleeper bassinet" until 4.5 mos anyway which has mesh sides. Now she's in her crib and has the mesh bumper on three sides (the back is a solid wood headboard). She rolls now and I am confident in her ability to move herself. Some friends have commented that without the bumper their kids have gotten their limbs stuck (not injuring themselves, just getting upset). my suggestion is to tie the bumper on the outside of the crib to prevent the limbs from going through but still not allow them to get up against it. It comes down to your own baby though. Even the nurse that runs my Mother Baby Hour from the hospital agrees. Most SIDS cases are before 6mos. My little one is 5.5mos, but the doctor has commented every time about how strong she is and has GREAT muscle control. She's even feeding herself with "Baby Led Weaning" now.
For breastfeeding, we are thankfully doing great! 5.5mos and going strong! She has started to snack on things at breakfast and dinner, but since we're following Baby Led Weaning she hasn't really ingested too much yet, mostly just learning to feed herself and try new things. So far she LOVES Belgian waffles (homemade, no syrup), sweet potatoes and cherries. Her milk intake has not decreased, and most likely won't yet for quite some time. Read about BFing and go in confident. It's AMAZING how much your mentality can affect your supply. I got stressed our needlessly a couple weeks back thinking that maybe I was having a low supply issue and suddenly instead of pumping 5-6oz in the morning I got 2. I got really upset and it just got worse. I got myself to relax and spent 2 days snuggling with my baby and letting her nurse super frequently (reminiscent of the first few days after she was born) and it popped right back up. A good friend has had issues since the beginning (various underlying causes) and she's still BFing at 5.5mos. She has had to supplement a little bit with formula as well as donated milk from me and another friend, but that's more because of her daughter's growth issues. Surround yourself with support!


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## melann13

Here's a couple more recent pics!
 



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## daddiesgift

I had a horrible time breastfeeding my boys for a ton of different reasons. I do think lack of knowledge and support was a factor but I eventually gave up and went to formula. It was very hard for me because Ive always been a "crunchy" parent so not breast feeding really made me feel aweful at first. Since Scarlett is our last and its always meant a lot to me to breast feed I kind of didnt give my self the idea that quiting was an option. One thing that really helped me this time was taking it a day at a time. Sometimes a nursing at a time. If I thought long run or to my long term goal on bad days it made me feel hopeless. So I would just say "I dont know about tomorrow, but we are going to continue today." This time has been loads better but I have still gotten mastitis, a plugged duct x2, a milk blister AND thrush. You know the fun stuff :winkwink: Now we are told I have vasospasms, as well as her clamping down causing blanching. Blah. So during those times I just tried to remind myself that it was temporary. Also HONEST support. Women who told me that it wouldnt get better right away, that they didnt start enjoying bfing till..., that it DOES make you sore even when doing everything right. ect. That really helped me to stop waiting for this magical date of things getting better. With my first people would say "oh at three weeks it was better...at two weeks..." ect so when those dates would come and it wasnt better I felt really down. 

Not everyone has issues breast feeding. But I did. So for me this is what I feel has gotten me through so far...

1. Ibuprofen! OMG thank heavens for this. This would help so much during engorgement to help soften my breast enough for her to nurse better. And take the edge off of some of the pain.

2. Booby tubes. Pretty much something to freeze to put on my breasts during engorement to help soften them.

3. taking pictures of the times I enjoyed nursing. That way when I was feeling down I could look at those and know it was going to be worth it. 

4. A call list of people to call for help. Ive seen so many people Im sure they are sick of me by now :haha:

5. Having pictures of sayings that help me example: "Dont quit on a bad day"

6. For me having ZERO bottles and formula in the house. I now have about 30 ozs of breast milk in the freezer just from times I pumped one breast because she was sleeping long and she never nurses two breasts in a feeding. But I still have ZERO bottles. Eventually I will buy some but for now when it is still tough some days I dont want a crutch in my kitchen. 

7.KellyMom website. GREAT for information. 


I could probably go on and on :haha: But I will say doing those things have made this soooo much easier and now I feel like I can do this long term. Im not having as tough of a time as I was those first two weeks.


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## pathos

i was thinking of buying movement sensor, especially the ones you attach on a diaper may work for me. i am freaked about SID, and i am not planning to buy bumpers for the same reasons... i say to myself i cannot control everything still i find myself reading about SID prevention.


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## magicwhisper

i did notice this tread went quiet :haha:


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## Buttercup84

Daddiesgift, glad to hear breastfeeding is improving for you and Scarlett. I really admire how you've persevered so far, hope you're able to continue for as long as you both want to this time around :thumbup:
Melann, Felicity is adorable, I can't believe she is 5 months old that has flown! Love her dimple :cloud9:
Athena and Jessicasmum, hope your growth scans go well. I had a repeat scan with this baby at 24 weeks as they couldn't see all 3 views of her spine at 20 weeks, just a precaution really but was nice to see her again :)
kksy, great to hear Charles is sleeping a long stretch at night for you :thumbup:
Afm i'm 31 weeks and very busy with decorating our new house as well as the usual working 3 days a week and looking after my 2.5 year old DD! Hoping it'll be ready to move in on the weekend of the 19th July so we can finally get settled in well in time for the baby arriving :)
I had a 3D scan at 28 weeks so thought i'd share the pics we chose:


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## daddiesgift

Thanks buttercup! I actually have mastitis right now :( really came out of no where. Blah

Don't worry yourself about all the "what ifs" just try to prevent and don't stress yourself. We've always co slept with the kids and never had a scare. I keep baby napping in room I'm in to keep an eye on them.


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## kksy9b

Blast...hit the wrong button and erased my reply...this is why it takes me so long! Lol

Bumpers- we have a mesh bumper but our crib is an old one from my SIL. It is a drop rail (bolted) with slightly wider spacing between the rails. With that, my DS is still in a bassinet. He has great head control and it will still be probably another 2 weeks before we transition to the crib (after our next trip out of town) so I'm not concerned about the risk for SIDS and the bumper.

Breastfeeding- it's going great for us! He just finished nursing and its 4am so I'll come back in a few hours and finish updating this one :)


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## KatyW

Daddiesgift, I hope you are proud with how you are doing with breastfeeding despite the hard times. I am beginning to get mastitis, just woke up with the red streaky, painful boob so pumping, compressing, applying heat like crazy. Hope it works.

For us,.though there are some challenges, the bonding and ease of it make it worth it. I would encourage.anyone to try to do it, because it is rewarding for mother and baby.


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## athena87

I need some advice I'm 28.5 weeks and I just had some spotting. It was red and only when I wiped. Should I be concerned or is this normal. I'll probably give my dr a call just to be sure, but wanted see if anyone has experienced it. Eli is still very active and I haven't had any contractions.


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## kksy9b

Was this after DTD? Spotting after sex is normal but I would always call the doctor (or a triage line/ L&D after hours to see if you can wait or if they want you to come in) and let them know right away. I am sure that everything is fine, but let them check him out just to be sure. Better to be overly cautious than not. :hugs:


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## athena87

No we haven't dtd in probably a week.


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## kksy9b

I would just give your doctor a call then and let them know this morning. I had a bleed in my pg and they sent me for an US but I wasn't as far along as you are so I'm not sure if they would do anything more as well.


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## melann13

Agreed athena, I'd call. I had some brown at 34 wks for no particular reason. I'm sure everything is fine, but if it's not you're still well within the realm of "fixability"


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## kksy9b

Hoping everything is alright with Athena!


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## athena87

Everything is good. It was just some irritation.


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## kksy9b

Glad to hear! I can't believe how far along you are- he will be here before you know it! How are you feeling otherwise?


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## athena87

I know I can't believe it either. It feels like it's flying by. I've had heartburn lately and hip/pelvic pain. The pain and having to go to the bathroom every two hours at night has been keeping me up and I'm thinking my body might be prepping me for lack of sleep. October 3 my due date just so happens to be my husbands football teams by-week so he keeps telling Eli he has to come that week so he won't miss a game lol.


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## kksy9b

Sorry you're having that 3rs tri pain kick in...just hang in there and know that other than the lack of sleep, all of the other aches and pains go away once he's here! For me, the best one was not having to pee every hour and a half :) that would be wonderful if he came during the by week- is it a team your DH plays on or a professional one?


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## athena87

He's a high school football coach.


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## kksy9b

That makes more sense :)

Have you started getting Eli's room ready? Any specific theme that you're going for?


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## athena87

Yes his room is almost complete. We still have to hang stuff on the walls. I want to get some black out curtains and there are still a few things we need, but it is coming together.
 



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## kksy9b

Cute! Looking great!


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## magicwhisper

love the nursery


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## athena87

We got some new pictures. The ultrasound tech and I were watching him yawn and open an close his mouth. She even got a video of him sticking his tongue out. And he's definitely a boy :)
 



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## kksy9b

so sweet!


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## athena87

I had my 30 week appt today and I along with my dr are frustrated. Eli is looking great. He is over 3 lbs now. We had the ultrasound on Tuesday to check his kidneys. They are still slightly dilated but my dr said they are within the normal range. She said now they are saying they didn't get a good picture of his lips so they want to send me to a specialist to get a better picture because they couldn't rule out a cleft pallet. It irritates me because the tech and I watched him open and close his mouth multiple times and then she went to the radiologist and asked if she had all the pictures they needed and he looked through them and said yes. I dont see why they said they had them all and then sent a message to my dr saying they didnt.


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## River54

Hi ladies,

I've been stalking for awhile, but finally feel comfortable to leave the May 2013 ttc thread...lol
I am now 9 weeks eek! :)
Had an u/s at 6w5d, and everything was on track. Since then, I've been quite nauseous but never actually thrown up. 
Got to stop my meds today (Estrace and Crinone) :)
Next u/s is only in 6 days - hoping everything is still great :)

Realize I am way behind most of you, but thought I'd give an update that it did finally happen for us :)


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## newbie2013

Woohoo river! So pleased you've migrated over to this thread! Super happy for you! Can't wait to follow your progress over the coming 30 or so weeks!!!


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## kksy9b

Congrats again river!!


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 I hope it all works out. I'm sure it's just a precaution. 

@River54 I'll add you to the front. What's your estimated due date?


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## Hopeful2014

edit: I'm not sure why this posted more than once. :)


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## River54

edd right now is Feb 27th.

Had an OB appt yesterday, and it seems the FS gave them the wrong info, as she had my retrieval date wrong and that I was on some meds other than hormones...it was really odd, so at first she was saying my edd was something alot diff, and both OH and I said no...

So, I have my last u/s from the FS tomorrow, hopefully get some good pics, and need to ask them to transfer all that info to the OB.

Stopped Estrace and Crinone, and have been feeling alot better - hardly any nausea at all, and a tad more energy (still sore bbs, and I still try and nap, and I just started getting headaches)... was worried about it all, then finally something clicked yesterday after the OB appt, and I stopped being so worried. Looking forward to the u/s tomorrow! I'll be 9w6d :)

Won't be getting another u/s after that til 18weeks...that just seems sooo long away!


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## Hopeful2014

@River54 I updated the front. Good luck!


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## River54

u/s went well. We have graduated from our fs clinic now. Everything measuring on track :)


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## jessicasmum

Not been on here much. Hope everyone doing well. Congratulations river :D

I had 4th scan yesterday and fluid around baby is now fine but baby is still lying transverse, I know she has time to move but I'm a little concerned that we will end up going down the C-section route because me and hubby will refuse baby being turned by pressure on my stomach.
Can't believe I've only got 7 weeks to go!!


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## magicwhisper

if its any help ella didnt move until 34 weeks. she was transverse too


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## kksy9b

Ditto on LO being transverse and not flipping until 34 weeks. 2 days before he finally went head down he was doing somersaults (tracked with hiccups). And then suddenly he turned and stayed down :) hope your little girl decides to cooperate soon :)


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## athena87

Well we had our appt and he is perfect. Developmentally he is right on with everything.
 



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## magicwhisper

love the scan


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## kksy9b

adorable!!


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 That's great news. What a great picture!


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## athena87

Thanks ladies. The tech turned and looked at us and said I think he looks like his daddy. Which upon further inspection, we agree, which is funny because my dh always says babies don't look like anybody til they are older. Oh and even though I know my due date is right on, they said he was measuring a week ahead and was 4 lbs 15 oz already. So I guess he isn't so little like they thought. I know they can be wrong too though, they forced my friend to have a csection because they said her baby was 11 lbs and he was 9 lbs even when he was born.


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## magicwhisper

i wouldn't worry to much about the weight guess it is not accurate


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## kksy9b

Hi everyone! How are you ladies doing? I know there are a couple gals due this month but not sure who is still hanging out on the boards! Any labor watching going on?? In any case, hope everyone is doing well and can't wait to see these new babes being born!

Here's my not so little anymore baby :) He will be 5 months old next month and has mastered sitting up in the last few weeks. Finally over being sick and is just a super sweet and content little boy! Comparison to see how much he's grown...started off at 6 1/2 pounds and is now about 17! Momma's milk..does the baby good :haha:
 



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## jessicasmum

kksy9b: Awww your little man is so cute :)

Yeah I'm one of the ladies that is due this month, my due date is 19th September but after loads of scans and consultant appointments it was decided that I'm booked in for a C-section 15th September, so only 9 days to go :o The reason why for C-section she has been unstable lie, has increased fluid around her again and they think she is going to be a big baby, the estimated weight at scan on Thursday they said 10 pound 9 ounces but I think this is crazy weight because at 33 weeks she was said to be 5 pounds so they recon she's over doubled in weight in 5 weeks, the ultrasound lady couldn't even measure her head so I really don't think this is a very accurate weight.

Hope everyone else is doing well :)


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## Buttercup84

Aww Charles is adorable, its so cute when they first sit up :)
I'm due 8th but thinking I'll go over like I did with my dd, hopefully not by quite so much though (12 days erk!) Been having quite a few 'twinges' I guess you'd call them but not getting excited unless or until they actually turn into proper contractions!


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## athena87

I'm due October 3 but I'm thinking I'll have a September baby. I lost a big chunk of my plug last night and now having smaller pieces come out. At my appt yesterday I was dilated between a 1 and 2 and 50% effaced. I've been having contractions too.


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## nikkilucky77

Athena: That is an awesome pic! I hope you have an easy delivery when it comes :)

kkys9b: Oh Charles is adorable! I love baby pictures!


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## Hopeful2014

@kksy9b He's adorable. :)

@jessicasmum How exciting! Good luck!

@Buttercup84 It's almost time! Good luck!


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## jessicasmum

Hopeful2014 said:


> @kksy9b He's adorable. :)
> 
> @jessicasmum How exciting! Good luck!
> 
> @Buttercup84 It's almost time! Good luck!

Thank you :D

How are things with yourself? it feels like ages since we last spoke. :hugs:


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## Buttercup84

Hopeful I see you're planning on TTC soon so just wanted to wish you all the very best, hope you get a swift BFP and your take home baby :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

@jessicasmum Thanks for asking! I've been working out and getting in better shape. I had a lot of fluid weight and regular pregnancy weight to lose. I'm almost at my target weight. I know I'll never feel "better", but I feel better. Part of the plan for the next pregnancy is to take (low dose) baby aspirin every day for three months before trying in addition to extra folic acid and other vitamins. October will be the last full month of that so the plan is to start ttc again in my October cycle assuming ovulation happens in early November. 

@Buttercup84 Thank you so much. I appreciate that.


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## jessicasmum

Hopeful2014 said:


> @jessicasmum Thanks for asking! I've been working out and getting in better shape. I had a lot of fluid weight and regular pregnancy weight to lose. I'm almost at my target weight. I know I'll never feel "better", but I feel better. Part of the plan for the next pregnancy is to take (low dose) baby aspirin every day for three months before trying in addition to extra folic acid and other vitamins. October will be the last full month of that so the plan is to start ttc again in my October cycle assuming ovulation happens in early November.
> 
> @Buttercup84 Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

That's great you are almost at target weight.

FX you get a bfp soon after starting to TTC and happy healthy 9 months.

I think you a very strong person and you deserve it more than most that piece of happiness :hugs:


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## Hopeful2014

@jessicasmum Thank you. Only 2 more days! Good luck!!


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## jessicasmum

Hopeful2014 said:


> @jessicasmum Thank you. Only 2 more days! Good luck!!

Your welcome, and thank you :D


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## athena87

My baby boy Elijah Robert was born today at 37 weeks 1 day. He is 6 lbs 7 oz 19.5 in long and perfect.


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## kksy9b

Congratulations Athena!!

And good luck tomorrow jessicasmum!

Can't wait to see the squishy baby pictures of these new little ones!!


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## Hopeful2014

@athena87 Congratulations! I'll add it to the front and add you to the parenting thread.


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## mummy2o

Congratulations Athena.

Good luck Jessicasmum.

I agree kksy9b, Buttercups baby should be here soon also.

I have some exciting news also. I have found out I'm expecting again so I'm hoping for a nice and easy pregnancy again and Erika can have a little playmate all the time, although I'm not sure about 2 under 2 now it might actually happen!


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## Buttercup84

Congrats Athena! And to you too mummy2o on your bfp :) how big a gap will that be with your dd? I'm hoping to ttc again when this one is about 8-9 months. Speaking of my stubborn second girly... Shes still cosy inside but I'm really hoping she decides to come out soon! First sweep tomorrow...


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## jessicasmum

Congratulations Athena :D. Thank you kksy9b :flower: Thank you also mummy2o and congratulations on the bfp :D

So nervous now, this time tomorrow I should of near enough arrived at the hospital :argh:


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## mummy2o

There will be a gap of about 14 months give or take with DD. DS will be 8, so I don't think it will bother him as much. We didn't expect it to be so quick to be honest as normally all my babies had a due date of March until now, so a May baby makes a nice change.

Hopefully the sweep will get things moving, they did for me at least!


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## pathos

Congratulations Athena!:baby:
GL jessicasmum :hugs:

:happydance::happydance: mummy2o! yay bfp!! h&h 8 months


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o Congrats. Shall I add your pregnancy to the front? When is the expected due date?

@Buttercup84 Good luck.

@jessicasmum Good luck.


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## mummy2o

I'm due 20th May. Two days before my sisters birthday.

Thank you everyone. The tests are slowly getting darker, so I have hope.


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## kksy9b

Congrats mummy!

Buttercup- how did the sweep go?? Amy progression?

Jessicasmum- I'm sure your LO is here by now...hope all went well and am watching for updates!


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## athena87

This is Eli. We had to go back to the hospital yesterday because he's jaundice and he was under the lights all night. His bilirubin went rom 18 to 10 and he's out from under the lamps to see what his levels do. As long as they stay down we will get to go home.
 



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## kksy9b

Look at those squishy cheeks!! Too cute Athena! Hope you are able to go home soon...how is being a new momma going?


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## mummy2o

He's so cute athena. When DS had jaundice I got told to put him by the window so he could get the suns natural rays, so we put his mosses basket there. Hopefully you'll be out soon.


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## River54

Congrats Athena - soo cute!!


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## melann13

Congrats Athena!


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## jessicasmum

Thanks everyone :D Just a quick update, Jasmine Ivy Ella was born 10:45 am on Monday 15th September weighing 9 pounds 8 and half ounces. She was born by C-section and because of failure of the spinal working for me I had to be put to sleep.
I got home yesterday evening and I will upload a picture when I get more time. She is so beautiful and I'm very proud to now be a mummy of 2!!


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## newbie2013

Congrats on our new mums and babies!!!!


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## River54

wow - congrats!!


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## mummy2o

Congrats Jessicasmum. Sorry the spinal didn't work though :(


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## kksy9b

Congrats jeasicasmum! Can't wait to see your little one!


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## athena87

Thanks everyone. We got to go home last night. His weight has dropped to 5 lbs 12 oz and he has to go back to the dr tomorrow to check his weight again.


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I added it to the front.

@athena87 He's so cute. Good luck tomorrow.

@River54 What a great new scan.

@jessicasmum Congratulations! I added it to the front and added you to the parenting thread. Let me know if you want to add information about Jessica on the parenting thread as well.


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## pathos

jessicasmum, congrats! Wishing you a quick recovery :flower:
Athena, ow so so so cute. I hope all is well. 

Oh hormones, i cannot stop crying


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## mummy2o

Pathos, I'm with you there. I was crying at Pokemon whilst watching it with my son. I think he thought I was mad! Don't think I've seen a program I've not cried to recently.


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## melann13

Pathos, just let it out! I cried so much and just told DH to ignore it because it made me self-conscious. I said I would tell him if I actually needed something, but otherwise to just assume the hormones were leaking out of me. :)


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## Buttercup84

Astrid Zoe born at 4:02 this morning weighing 9lbs 7oz. After a slow start to induction I went from 4cm to baby in 2 hours which was very unexpected! Will post a pic once shes met her big sister :)


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## kksy9b

yay!! Congratulations buttercup!!


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## River54

Congrats buttercup :)


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## mummy2o

Congratulations Buttercup. Can't wait to see the pictures!


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## jessicasmum

Thank you everyone :D

Here's Jasmine :cloud9:





Hopeful thank you for update, yeah adding about Jessica too is fine :)


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## kksy9b

beautiful baby girl!!


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## mummy2o

She's so cute. I can't remember Erika being so small!


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## Hopeful2014

@Buttercup84 Congratulations! I've added it to the front and added you to the parenting thread as well. Let me know if you want me to add info about Nancy there as well. 

@jessicasmum She's adorable.


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## Hopeful2014

I hope you all are well. Any updates? :)


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## River54

I am just chugging along :)

Baby shower on the 20th, and we've got a bunch of stuff ready.


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## mummy2o

We're going fine here also. Starting to feel baby kick which is so much earlier than Erika. By 5 weeks! Still genderless right now and I don't even have an idea what the sex is, which at this point I do. So waiting until the 8/1 to find out gender :)

How you doing Hopeful?


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## ALiKO

wow i've missed so much! congratz on the new pregnancy mummy2o! thats awesome!

glad to see your still hanging in there River54! :)

as for me, baby girl Hana is 7 months old. shes now crawling and getting into everything haha :D. 
any other updates from you ladies? its been so long. :flower:
 



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## mummy2o

Thanks. Was kind of unexpected, but no less loved than my daughter.

Wow can't believe Hana is crawling. Erika sits and stands at 9 months so I have a feeling we'll miss out the crawling stage.


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## Hopeful2014

@River54 You're getting so close! Have fun at the shower.

@mummy2o You won't have too long to find out now! That's exciting. Do you have a preference for gender this time? I'm good. We're in month three of ttc. I'm hopeful and feeling mostly positive. Thanks for asking. :)

@ALiKO She's so cute. 

@pathos I haven't read the other threads yet, but was wondering if you had any news yet? Good luck!


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## kksy9b

Hopeful- I hope this is your month but know that it will happen soon for you!

Hana is so cute!!

Not too long now River!

mummy- congrats! thats going to be great for Erika to have a sibling so close in age!

AFM,Charles is 8 months old, is crawling, pulling up and cruising and tries to stand/walk on his own unassisted. He just said his first word tonight- momma! He has 4 teeth in with 4 more about to cut. Sleep has been terrible for the last 6 weeks...worse most nights than as a NB. But it is VERY slowly getting better...I think we are heading towards CIO (hubby set a deadline of this friday to show improvement but C woke up sick yesterday so its postoned). I really dont want to but may have to try for a few nights to see if it helps. He finally started accepting a few solids but 95% of diet is still breastmilk (which is going great!) He is just the sweetest little boy who loves kisses and snuggles with momma, music, dancing, reading, anything water related, lights and exploring.We are getting ready to list our house for sale in January and move to a bigger place. We are looking at sometime Jan-May of 2016 to start trying for #2. That may be sooner though if the house sells quickly!


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## Hopeful2014

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
 



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## mummy2o

I had the worst Christmas ever. On Christmas eve at 8pm I gave birth to Daniel Scott Anderson born sleeping at 19 weeks due to an infection I got. I spent the next 3 days in hospital. I will be trying again soon though.


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## Buttercup84

I'm so sorry for your loss mummy2o, how awful :( Sending hugs your way, take care x


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## newbie2013

Mummy2o, I'm so sorry for your loss. That's awful news. I am sending you many hugs of support from afar.


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## kksy9b

I am so so sorry mummy. Sending prayers and good thoughts to you and your family as you work through this time of grief


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## Hopeful2014

@mummy2o I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I know there are no words to truly comfort you, but please know that we are here for you.


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## Hopeful2014

@Pathos, @RaeChay, @River54 

I think we missed your announcements. I hope all is well.


How is everyone?


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## magicwhisper

happy easter :kiss:


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