Google Reader

Apologies in advance as this post is not being very baby-eccentric.

If you are pregnant and you do not wish to follow any such feed about pregnancy publicly, you may want to try Google reader. Friends and other people who are networked to you won't be able to see what you are selecting to view in your feed, unless you select otherwise. So if you are before the 12 week mark and want to keep your news to yourself, or even if you are interested in the horrors of being pregnant and don't want to have to answer questions to others Google reader would be good for you. (Especially if you are like me and always forget to check bookmarks.)

Want free Stuff? ...Join the club

Today I was advised by a friend of mine who has recently had a child to spend some time signing up to supermarket baby groups and the like, as most of the time you will get free samples and vouchers in the post. Below are some I have signed up to avoiding ones that look a bit unhelpful/pointless/dodgy.

Boots baby club. Not sure about samples but good offers if you are into your advantage points like I am.

Bounty baby club. If you live in the UK you would have probably got a pack from these guys given to you by your midwife anyhow. They have different types of packs for different stages with the pregnancy which can be picked up in stores such as Sainsburys and Boots.

Tesco Baby & Toddler club. Vouchers, club card point offers, Tesco magazines, recipes and also a priority parking permit to get closer to the entrance of any Tesco store.

Heinz baby club. Mentions it gives lots of samples out, but from looking at the site it seems it has more to offer in the way of on going support for the mums to be.

Sainsbury's Little Ones baby & toddler club. Free Huggies pack worth £9.99. Special offers and vouchers, also nice features on website such as pregnancy/breast feeding meal planners.

Hipp baby club. Samples, vouchers, weaning guide, 1st year record book and some other stuff.

Toys/Babys-r-us baby club. Mentions samples, i'm not sure what exactly but thought it was worth a shot.

Cow & Gate Mum and Baby club. Free cuddly cow, free pregnancy diary, vouchers and a scheme online to meet other mums-to-be in your area.

Asda baby club. Vouchers and special offers dependant on where you live.



Many of these sites have the option to tailor the information they use or be it, give out to other companies. Read carefully when filling out forms as you could save yourself from some unwanted spam.

15 weeks update!

So, 15 weeks and 3 days have passed.
I have just got back from the hospital filling all my forms, ticking numerous boxes and giving out samples of different fluids. It's all very exciting, not to mention I can, for once have a night off without thinking the worst.

At around 13 weeks my hyperemesis started to fade and it has been getting better (slowly but surely) day by day. Some other symptoms have started to become a bit of a pain though, for instance I keep fainting, especially in shops/supermarkets. And as I have previously mentioned without an obvious bump people treat you differently, for instance the last time I fainted the security guard assumed it was because I had been drinking (it was a hot day and everyone was picnicing and that sort of thing). He radioed for an ambulance and another guard from the Arndale precinct, causing a massive scene in front of all the people at the checkout. Very embarrassing. Took me a while just to explain to the poor fellow that this happened frequently to pregnant women (and that no, I was not drunk).

Headaches! Migraines! Mood swings! Three things I do not need more of in my life, but hey, it's better than throwing up 99% of the time. I find a dark quiet room and a 20 minute lie-down can cure a lot of aliments. Just as well really as I won't be taking any over the counter medication for a long while!

Richard/boyfriend/partner/'the other one' has become a lot more excited now he has seen the baby move, I do think men usually need to see it to believe it. Saying that, I know there's a thing growing inside me as I am the one peeing 5 times a night and throwing up my favourite meals!
We're making scary 'life plans' telling parents and generally being really proactive. This is great as my sickness/fatigue is starting to fade just as the sunshine is coming out.

Things feel much more positive.

It's a hard time.

I think the first trimester is really difficult, not only has it been put on par with the third trimester for how annoying and tiresome it can be, you also can't really reap the benefits of being pregnant.
For my own reasons I won't tell any of my friends of my pregnancy until I have passed 12 weeks. We are all different, but, without an obvious bump on show and bags under the eyes it can just be such a drag. My friends are suspicious that I have been 'ill' for sometime.I think my housemate is already in the know as I have been vomiting and avoiding contact with the kitchen (I cant stand the smell of even the blandest of foods) for about 3/4 weeks now.

Some tips then:
Probably best not to blame it on a made up hangover. Something I did at first. Although the symptoms are in a way similar you dont want to give the wrong impression when you do give your good news.
Take as much time as you want in bed. The rest is good for your and your mood, also it is scientifically proven fatigue makes morning sickness worse. Don't make a difficult time worse out of guilt.

If you are sensitive to smells suggest a safe place to meet friends and the like, mine is the Chinese resturant, for some reason I find the soups and starters ease off the nausea. Something like an Italian or pub would make me gag and probably be sick, in front of my unsuspecting friends. Make a mental note of places that make you feel normal(ish).
Don't eat rich healthy foods out of guilt, you wont keep it down and you will tire and dehydrate yourself from vomiting.

If you are lucky enough to have a partner or pet, enjoy this time to snuggle and watch films you didn't have the time for before. Below is a couple of pics of our cat Moloko (sadly no longer with us.)

Use this time to plan your new hairstyle as you will have lovely new locks to play with. As hair is growing, fast!
Pampering is a great way to elevate nausea. I add 4 drops of Patchouli oil in the bath as I have found it really helps me out. (Or try another essential oil to your preference but do be careful, some oils are harmful when pregnant. There are numerous articles and guides about this topic, do check them out. Aromatherapy can help with lots of smallish health problems.)

I carry peppermint oil when I am going to have a long day working, it helps with the weighty feeling in my ankles and it feels really refreshing. I guess I will be doing this a lot more when summer hits!

Sip water every 15-20 minutes if you can't keep lots down, find a fluid which is right for you. Mine is plain sparkling water, probably not the best thing for gas and tummy aches but it does make me feel a wee bit better.

Consider telling a trusted member of staff about your morning sickness if it is bad, I did this when I worked in a cinema as the nacho cheese made me gag. They kept it a secret and I got to help out away from the food working with little children. Score.

If vomiting is more than you are keeping down go to a walk in clinic or emergency gynaecology unit, if your doctor says something along the lines of 'you aren't ill, you are pregnant' seek advice else where. Make sure you get the correct urine and blood tests if you are worried you are unable to keep any nutrients.

Next time, a write up about bowels. Yaay!

Morning sickness eats and treats.

I know that morning sickness, cravings and aversions vary from women to women, but there are also some foods that many groups of pregnant women seem to swear by.
Here are a few things that I have found helpful.
Some of these are not good for you, the morning sickness foods suggested in magazines I find are always a bit too rich or just made out of things I wouldn't possibly be able to keep down.
Eating rich foods that you can't keep down out of guilt is not going going to work, it is not a sustainable method of coping, don't be really hard on yourself, try to do your best, but if you know that organic 3 of your 5 a day will probably come back up try and buy something a bit more bland. Being realistic is more healthy for you and baby.

Some bits and bobs:
Apple Nutigrain bars, have a far of these in my handbag, strawberry ones make me feel queasy but the apple ones hit the spot.

Bananas, eat slowly as they can be quite rich, I pull them apart so that I eat them in smaller chunks. Another good handbag fix also low release sugars to help with fatigue.

Honey on toast, no butter a thin layer of runny honey, this helps with the gurgling, bubbling sensations in your tummy. Dry toast with a little bit of anything can save the day.


Pineapple chunks, from a tin preferred, I went out and purchased some from a deli part in a supermarket and it tasted really strongly of chemicals and the texture was really hard. Pineapple from a tin is easy to eat and soft, not to mention cheap to buy and store. If you mix it up with another1 or 2 fruits you feel you can keep down you could have a cheap fruit salad for you and the family (or for your friends).

Pink and white wafers -Don't ask me how, but without these I wouldn't have been able to cope. Sweet and bland. Also, very cheap. Good if you are sick of eating dry crackers and rice-cakes.

Lucozade, the sugar fix really helps with the fatigue, gives a much needed boost after vomiting.
Please try to combine this with drinking water, Lucozade alone isn't going to be good for you or baby.

Tuna sandwiches, again no butter and especially no mayo, even typing the word it is something me and my tummy are regretting. Corned beef and peanut butter can work too. Just keep it all separate ladies...

Cherry bake-wells, they are sweet enough to go down quite well, flavoursome to the pallet without being too rich and the crust dry to settle the stomach. I often have two for breakfast.


Petit Filous, lovely, healthy, cooling and not too rich. Yum.

Cottage pie, roast dinners, vegetable stews, etc. Okay, these foods appear to be quite rich, but I have found potatoes and carrots are quite successful in staying down. Most vegetables which are boiled or plainly baked seems to add a bit of weight to your meal making it harder to come back up. Just make sure your gravy isn't wine based or overtly saucy as it may undo the hard work. Make sure you cut the veg chunkier than usual, if you don't like your veg over cook it slightly. Bigger chunks of veg are better for you and they will be more likely to stay down.

Best to avoid spreads sauces and milk when at all possible. This sadly includes tea, one of my big joys in life; I have switched to light herbal teas (or on a bad day just boiled water adding a little cinnamon to help with the digestion.)

...

Also even with the blandest foods try and find the right antacid for you, the one you can stomach the most. They can potential save an evening's meal and subsequently an evening's energy.