h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Fab!

G - that is just general advice though right? Not just for when one is pregnant? They've got very shifty eyes, have

I've always suspected that was because they were on the lam.

B

Unless you think I'm fleecing you, of course.

B

I'm already feeling nauseous B...

Ok, so along with the icky feeling I've also got periodic bouts of
ohmigodwhathavewedoneican'tbelievewe'regoingtohaveababywhatifsomethinggoeswrongitsgoingtoreally*hurt*andeverythingisgointochangeforever.

I assume this is normal.

I am also noticing men more Keep catching myself thinking 'gosh he's sexy' almost at random. Keep having to remind self I'm a)married b)*happily* married c)pregnant d)not available for flings. Most odd!

Apparently the random 'gosh, he's sexy' moments are also quite normal... it's hormonal or something.

And under the present condition, you can't get a child out of wedlock... Just enjoy the thoughts, no self blame!

Ooooh - I forgot I can now use the 'it's my hormones' excuse for *everything*

" am also noticing men more weird Keep catching myself thinking 'gosh he's sexy' almost at random"

Sure you're not coming to the Meet?

B

I would have put folding money on you posting something like that B

The ginger tip has turned out to be invaluable. Only thing that stops the faint feeling of nausea I seem to be stuck with semi permanently.

I'm with you on the not reading magazines thing, I have to say.

I can recommend twinnings lemon and ginger tea I'm the same as you - not throwing up but feeling faintly sick all the time.

I have also totally gone off the idea of eating anything warm/hot, so lots of salads for me. Have been cooking things one day to eat the next (cold pasta, cold pizza, cold quiche, cold meats) with salady stuff. Most odd.

Have totally gone off yoghurt but want most other dairy things.

Am getting cross with J a lot, probably the hormones again - although maybe he is still a bit in shock because he doesn't seem very interested or particularly happy about it. This is fairly normal J-being-overwhelmed behaviour but I don't think he quite realises quite how scared I am at the moment, and how much I need him!

Have found the Pregnancy and Baby message boards on iVillage - will stick with these and avoid the magazines I think

According to various websites I'm due somewhere around 10-12th March (sorry Gnomon your future-seeing glasses are a little bit faulty!), although I think it may be a little earlier. Have made an appt with the GP - don't know if it is too early but I figured I might as well get the ball rolling...

Add 266 days to the date of conception.

Well it'll be early March sometime anyway Unless they put in an early appearance - J was 8 weeks early His mum said he looked like an

I was a week late.

I was three days late... which was lucky, if I'd been born on the predicted due date my birthday would be April 1st which would've made my time at school a living hell (well, more of a living hell than it already was anyway).

My first daughter was born three weeks early. She was due on the 15th of January, but arrived on the 22nd of December. I remember going in to buy a nursing bra for Mrs G on 23 December, when everybody else was furiously Christmas shopping.

Keep away from sheep.

Keep away from cat poo.

Keep away from soft cheese.

Check your rubella immunity.

Anything else in small doses can't do much harm, but any of those can be devastating.

I remember seeing a poster at the surgery showing an ecstatic woman throwing herself into her overjoyed husband's arms, and the caption was "Darling ... we're going to have a baby!". It wasn't like that when it happened for us - J's reaction sounds exactly like my DH's, and yes, I was apprehensive (and pleased and happy ... but a little frightened) and wanted support.

Hope it goes well with your GP He or she may want to talk to you even at this early stage about the ante-natal care and birth arrangements you want - community midwife, home birth, consultant-led ... Z will probably know more about what's currently on offer, and it does depend on your local area; just don't be surprised if you're asked (and if none of it is actually explained to you). Anyway, at some point you will "book-in" (usually with a midwife) and they will give you some useful-ish books. One of these used to be "Emma's Diary". I have 3 editions (they had slightly altered it each time I had another baby) and I do hope they still use it because it's so ... entertaining. Not to be taken too seriously (although the health experts who wrote it would be horrified to hear me say it).

Thinking of you

Mol

The doctor was quite brief with me. He told me to choose my hospital and that was about it.

I must admit that I remain absolutely convinced that I have damaged the baby in the first three weeks or so. B is being alternately annoyingly dismissive about this and helpfully reassuring. I do hope I can fixate on something else soon...

Sol. Don't fret.

Sometimes it seems that we know too much and thus have mutilple reasons to worry.

Why not focus on how many children are born every second in good conditions. Kids are robust, and common sense, joy of life and love are the best remedies to secure the child a good start.

If I told you I smoked, drank, danced, had very little money for proper food and studied ten hours a day right up to the day my oldest daugther chose to be born (I was 20 and didn't know anything) - three weeks premature - you won't tell, will you?

She is now a very healthy mother of a four-year old (did all the 'right' things through her pregnancy and still does...) - she is a Master of Arts in Irish politics, reading/writing her PhD at a Northern Irish University from Denmark and sometimes teaches at universities here. She is a former dancer and a very successful choreographer of dance- and (fashion) shows, also works as a dance instructor and has just passed her examen as a Pilates instructor and teaches classes two mornings a week.

To illustrate the robustness.

Tartaronne - that is incredibly reassuring I too have been worrying about the few drinks I've had since I conceived, especially after reading the entry here!

Mol - what is it with sheep? I really thought Gnomon was joking with me! I'm not likely to encounter any but I'd like to know why I should avoid them...

And with the soft cheese - it is mould ripened cheeses isn't it? Things like brie and goat's cheese and stilton. My pasturised feta (that I *really* fancy) will be alright won't it? Gah! I hate not knowing all this stuff because I am *totally* paranoid I'll do something to damage the baby.

Been on the folic acid for a while and am getting a fair amount of folate in my diet - the spinach from my garden is helping with this!