Babies due in JUNE!

[Ellie Bellie]

Happy Sunday! Just checking in before I start a marathon day of baking gingerbread houses for our holiday party next weekend.

I keep referring to the baby as "he" so I guess it's fair to say that I'm guessing it'll be a boy. No specific hunches or dreams at all, more just an assumption based on:
- DH's "family curse" where in the past 4 generations there have been 13 boys and only 1 girl.
- Timing of DTD and O

The Chinese gender predictor (which I'm sure is OH SO valid!) also calls for a boy. However, the heart rate (160) and location were the OB found the heartbeat (upper left) would suggest a girl, right?

I have my next us tomorrow morning and I've been told there's a slight chance they may be able to tell then. Has anyone else had luck with that at the 12-week scan? (I think someone may have, but I'm still waking up and can't remember) We're almost definitely wanting to find out in advance. However, my mom had a good point of saying "once you know, you know" so it might be nice to wait until the 18-20 week scan though I think I'd be too impatient and couldn't pass up an opportunity if offered.

 

[Sunshine12]

I was sure it was a boy to begin with and my sister adamant it is too but my grandma, father and mother all reckon its a girl so now Im not sure. I couldnt get a nub shot on my scan and cant tell from the skull theory as Im no good at it so I have no clue. We arent finding out until the birth so its gonna be a long wait! Ive got my 20 week scan on 20th January. There is every change I might guess at that point but OH really wants a surprise and I dont want to spoil it for him.

I bought my first maternity clothes during the week. Got a dress and a pair of jeans. I need to alter the jeans but they seem really comfy! My bump is getting quite big and Im struggling to get anything shut! x

 

[Ellie Bellie]

Sunshine - I'm amazed that you got until 13 weeks before getting maternity clothes!

I've been struggling with "regular" pants and using a hairband to keep them closed. Then a belly band over top to help it look smoother. I'm going to start telling clients at work this week, so the maternity clothes will "officially" be making a debut. I did NOT expect to have such a noticeable bump so early on, though I'm looking forward to when it looks more round and pronounced. Guess it's pretty clear that there's going to be a baby!

 

[SecondTimeMom]

Have a little time this weekend to catch up a bit in the thread!

I am thinking boy but not sure if that is just wishful thinking. I think the chinese predictor predicts boy. I hope we might see something on my level 2 NT screen ultrasound at 12 weeks (10 wks, 6 days today) but that would be bonus. I for sure want to find out at my 20 week utrasound.

SO thinks girl but that is because he has 3 girls already. I have a boy already so I think it's very possible looking at family history and us together we could have a boy! (I do think genetics is one component of many.)

 

[Sunshine12]

Sunshine - I'm amazed that you got until 13 weeks before getting maternity clothes!

I've been struggling with "regular" pants and using a hairband to keep them closed. Then a belly band over top to help it look smoother. I'm going to start telling clients at work this week, so the maternity clothes will "officially" be making a debut. I did NOT expect to have such a noticeable bump so early on, though I'm looking forward to when it looks more round and pronounced. Guess it's pretty clear that there's going to be a baby!

I didnt have any choice TBH. There are no shops that stock it round here so I had to go elsewhere to try and get them. Edinburgh..its a capital city and not one shop sells maternity wear! If I worked I would have had to order loads online but I dont so its not been too much of a problem. Most of my time is spent either in the house or meeting friends for lunch/coffee etc. If Im indoors I just wear joggers and if Im lunching Ive got loads of little dresses that accommodate my bump nicely! My bloating went down substantially at about 10 weeks but my proper baby bump is forming now so I figured it was time to get the proper maternity stuff on the go. I miss wearing jeans! xx

 

[sadie]

Hi ladies. I am sensing girl... No real reason why tho. Tomorrow is another scan with my new gyno. Maybe we will be able to see a nub! (is a nub where the penis or vagina would be??)
My 20 week scan is scheduled for jan24.... I will find out the sex then for sure.
I went back to the gym today after a 4 month pause. The scale has me gaining 12 lbs since aug 31. OUCH!! No wonder i have a bump. Thats where it all went, no joke.

Ellie any tips on the gm. What to do and not to do??

Anyone know if a massage at the nail salon in the sit up chair is OK?

 

[Ellie Bellie]

Ellie any tips on the gm. What to do and not to do??

Anyone know if a massage at the nail salon in the sit up chair is OK?

For the gym, the biggest thing to consider is your own feeling about things. Heart rate shouldn't be above 145 for more that 15 minutes at a time, though short bursts are okay. I wear a heart rate monitor when exercising so I can better keep track of this.

As pregnancy progresses, it's recommended to not do exercises where you're on your back. Don't do any abdominal-specific exercises (crunches, etc) for obvious reasons. Use lighter weights than you ordinarily would.

My biggest challenge with exercising is accepting that I can't do everything that I used to be able to do. 75-90 minutes on the elliptical has become 45. No more leg press or squats. I was talking with my trainer yesterday and he's all geared up for June/July when he can really kick my butt again. Though I must say that what he's doing now feels like a butt-kicking!

I'd steer clear of a massage at the nail salon unless it's someone who knows specifically about prenatal massages. The woman I've been seeing for prenatal massages said that, especially in the first trimester, there are areas where you don't want to massage. She also uses a much lighter touch than she'd ordinarily use.

 

[sadie]

Wow, OK cool. Thanks for the load of info. So no leg presses, huh?

My gym visit lasted 45 minutes! 20 min on a precor and then 25 min doing the circuit, only one set of each exercise, lowest weight possible... However, there was a leg press, but again I did it on the lowest weight....


My holiday gift request is a gift card to a spa so that I can get pampered during the rest of my pregnancy.... Massages are so great.

 

[sadie]

I didnt have any choice TBH. There are no shops that stock it round here so I had to go elsewhere to try and get them. Edinburgh..its a capital city and not one shop sells maternity wear! xx

Business opportunity perhaps, after the baby is born?

 

[sadie]

I didnt have any choice TBH. There are no shops that stock it round here so I had to go elsewhere to try and get them. Edinburgh..its a capital city and not one shop sells maternity wear! xx

Ooh, business opportunity oerhaps, after the baby is born? Or even before and then you can get discounted clothing!

 

[sadie]

It sent before i finsihed then bnb shut down so i never thought it really sent!

 

[Ellie Bellie]

I think it's okay but not great to do leg presses because of the possibility of stomach getting in the way and knees possibly pressing into stomach. It also uses a lot of core muscles. I did squats with the bar the last time I trained (about 2 weeks ago) and my trainer had said something about not doing leg presses as often. The weight was a lot lighter and he was standing right behind me to give extra assistance if needed.

Is there a trainer at the gym that you could ask while you're there for a workout?

 

[sadie]

I will definitely ask the next time I go. i am going to aim for every other day.... My leg squats started off at a 90 degree angle, so as to keep them away from my tummy! I was afraid theyd give me a hard time being pregnant in a gym, like perhaps i need to provide medical clearance first? I wonder....

as for pregnancy clothes... i went to target this weekend and got two sweaters and a sleaveless tank. I tried on some other stuff, but the fit was just off. And the quality wasnt so great. Then to the gap where they had some great sales going on and i bought a bunch of stuff.

Ellie how often do you go to the gym? Everyone else??

 

[Sunshine12]

I never go to the gym and never intend to!

Sadie, here is an informative piece relating to the nub. If you read the bit at the bottom relating to the angle of the dangle that should help you out. x

https://www.baby2see.com/gender/external_genitals.html

 

[Ferne]

Great link Sunshine! Thanks.

 

[Ferne]

Hi Sadie,
As far as working out, I lift weights with a trainer for 1/2 hour twice a week and I walk 40 mins 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[Ellie Bellie]

Today was the 12-week scan and everything was looking really good. The NT measured at 1.3mm. The Crown-Rump length was 56.0mm. Nasal bone looked normal. Heartbeat was 153BPM. We'll find out the blood scan results next week and make any decisions about amnio from there.

If we went by the angle of the dangle, the guess right now would be girl (more down than up), but the technician said that down could mean anything. Up would more clearly be a boy.

We were just really excited to see the little critter bouncing and squirming around. It must be DH's child, because of such a refusal to cooperate with the screening! I was just relieved when DH said he was much less anxious and worried after today's appointment. Maybe there's a chance he'll relax after all! (though probably not....)

 

[Ellie Bellie]

For exercising, I generally lift weights once a week for an hour with the trainer. It's a tandem session with DH, but we both get total body workouts done. I canceled last week because of the pain in my side. This week the trainer canceled because he tore his bicep on Saturday evening and will have to have surgery. Yikes!

For cardio, I have an elliptical at home. Before pregnancy, I was getting 4-5 days of cardio in with 75min per workout. Now I'm averaging 1-2 and they're about 45-55 minutes long. Mostly, this is because I'm tired and want the extra hour of sleep in the morning. I get home pretty late at night and there's no way I can rally for some cardio then!

 

[Sunshine12]

Lovely photo Ellie. Congrats. x

 

[Ferne]

Great photo Ellie!