Due April/May 2016

Hi ladies! Hope you are doing well.

@Sonsbaby, Yes! They agreed to let me do a few small tasks from home so my colleagues are not overwhelmed, and then I still get my increase, so I am so thankful for that
I actually had the opposite problem that you had, instead of being very dry, I have more discharge (tmi) and so I had irritation because of wetness all day, luckily have the problem under control now, the joys of being pregnant!

We had our first appointment with the midwife on Saturday, and it was very nice, there was actually a lady in labor while we were there but it sounded so calm and quiet, we are considering having one last appointment with my gynae just to discuss the day when I go into labor and hear her thoughts, and then we will make our final decision, if we want to stay at the Mediclinic, or go to the birth unit at Femina.

My mother and husband tried very hard to keep it a secret, but unfortunately for them, I figured out that my baby shower is this Saturday, hehehehe, I actually RSVP'd to attend an event this Saturday, so as far as they are concerned, I think that I am still attending this on Saturday, but my hubby will obviously drop me off somewhere else haha, shame they really wanted to keep it a secret but I am sure you ladies are the same, if you know there is a surprize party thing being planned, it is not that hard to figure out what is going on, so looking forward to it, although I am an introvert and I hate things where all the attention is focused on me, I prefer to be in the background, but I know that all the people I love will be there so I am sure it will be a lot of fun

I have started drinking Raspberry Leaf tea, have any of you ladies heard of the benefits of this tea and are any of you planning to drink it? I was also planning on drinking Evening Primrose Oil vitamins from 34 weeks onward.

Hope you ladies have a wonderful day!

@ Sonsbaby about the disposable panties. they are awful! but its better than having your nice panties ruined!!
With pregnancy and birth comes alo of awful looking stuff. At least they have improved things in terms of nursing bras!!

@ licious and sonsbaby is an odd balance to find in terms of maternity leave and how the load is carried during your absence. I also think its in someway discrimination, but how else should it get handled. people are always disgruntle when they have to take on more work, without an increase in pay.
I feel in someway woman are discriminated as they have children too, it does not stop once you are back from maternity leave. We will drop everything and stay at home with the kids when they are sick, but its never an expectation that a man will need to take a day off to stay with their sick child at home. (my husband is the biggest culprate, as a few hours is too long! )
And that just makes the guilt worse, as you dont want to give your colleagues a reason for that discrimination, but you dont want to neglect your child as well.

@sonsbaby, its the stress thats making you emotional. I also am feeling sooo sorry for myself nowadays! yesterday i was almost in tears because I was the last person in the office. I am always the last person here, but thats because I am also the last person to get in in the morning!
Has the baby's movement been ok since the big turn though?
regarding the bladder infection, hope i clears soon. Do what the dr has prescribed and drink lots of water. Are you taking a probiotic. Just to get the balance back?

@ninies thats awesome about the breastpump! I was also looking @ the spectra, but now that i will be at home, I will use the manual pump if i need to.
I hope that you are successful with the breastfeeding, it is fantastic!

I am so tired today, have been yawning non-stop since i woke up!!

Hallo Ladies!!

@Blou - did you manage to come to an arrangement with your work regarding your increase? Glad they at least open for options!

@Licious - I agree with you on the feeling that we are still being discriminated against because we are pregnant! Although my work gives a great maternity package and I still get my increase and yearly bonus I am getting the stiff shoulder from co-workers that have to take over from me. My manager has split my work in in small bits and spread the load of my work between 4 people so they not overworked. To make matters worse its all women and I just feel like they suppose to understand better as they all had children already and also went on maternity leave. It frustrated me to no end!

@Jay-bee - how was the hospital visit?

@Maj - Wow wish I could resign seriously would love that but as things are we need every penny we can get so that wont happen for me anytime soon! I was still with old gynea till now. My first appointment with new gynea is 15 March and getting nervous about it!

@Ninies - I have also considered the spaghetti strap pj's as they look more comfy to me than button ones also you find more spaghetti ones than button up ones.

I have been feeling very blue the last three days not sure why! Maybe its the whole attitude that I am getting from co-workers? I am very emotional and cry at the drop of a hat! Also my morning sickness is back with a bang!!

I had a moment of panick on Saterday when I realised late afternoon I have not felt the baby move for the entire day! I was just about to tell hubby maybe we should go to our gp as they also do scans to check if he is ok when I felt this very weird, turn insides out shift inside me! He must have been lying in a awkward position and after he did the big shift he was kicking as normal again but now I constantly feel paranoid about his movements. After the shift I have been moving around more awkwardly and definitely doing the preggy swagger lol! Sleep at night is a mission as my hips gets so sore when I lay on one side too long so I toss and turn allot during the night!

A very personal question has anyone been having bladder problems or dryness problems? My bladder has been burning on and off of late and it made everything over sensitive also everything down there just feels super dry and that is making it uncomfortable!! My dr just said I should drink lots of cranberry juice but if the bladder infection gets worse I must go in again so she can treat it with meds.

I will have to pull finger with getting stuff for the big day!! I had a look at those hospital panties and nearly died!! OMW sorry but those is the ugliest things I have ever seen lol!!! My hubby nearly wet himself laughing at my reaction when I took out one of those "beauties" out of the packet!

Morning ladies,

@Maj - Pregnancy Swagger sounds alot more sophisticated than waddling...
I will definitely get some disposable panties - they worked really well the last time.

I am super excited - My hubby gave me R 1 500.00 towards a breast pump. I am looking at the Spectra 350 from Takealot. It looks relatively well priced. They are selling it for R 2 199 (with the tote bag) and I saw last night on bid or buy they are selling it for over R 4 000.00
All I know is that I will have to try and breastfeed atleast for 3 months to make up this money. With my son I had to buy about 4 big tins of formula for a month and it worked out to R 600.00 per month. That was 4 years ago. So in order for me to justify this spend I must exclusively breastfeed for 3 months. Obviously I would like to feed for longer.

Has anyone else bought a pump yet?

I am hoping I can pack my bag in the next 2 weeks or so. There are still things I need to buy aswell.

Pregnancy swagger,

I am on the Discovery Keycare Plus so only have limited hospital options.

@ ninies, its not a waddle, its "pregnancy swag"!!
I have been waddling from 18 weeks i think! it really irritates me when people comment on it! I am 7 months pregnant of course I am going to waddle!

The hospital bag: think its still a bit early for me. Also think I am missing too many things to pack one! eeek!!
I will prob pack it only pack it at about 36 weeks.

@ JayBee, i am also on Discovery, did not even check whether they cover origin. I just assumed they did as Origin says they are covered by the major med aids....
I'd also recommend the disposable panties, even if you have natural, just for the first day or two.
No bending either, else my tummy pains. Have to sit to put shoes on!

@ Maj, I absolutely love the new Origin Hospital but they are taking forever to finish it and unfortunately it is not on my Discovery Hospital list. I also like PJ pants as i toss and turn a lot and if I wear a nightie it will be around my neck in the morning

The nurses spoke about various things on the hospital tour the weekend and one of them was that disposable panties are much better than normal panties as the waistband is much looser - especially for a C-section.

@ Monei, how cute your little one sounds!

@ Ninies, I also get stiff on my right hand side if I sit to long and can't really bend as the boepie is in the way I am going to have my bags ready at 31/32 weeks. Luckily it is cooler in Cpt as the heat is terrible when one is so pregnant.