The Pregnancy Thread

[charliechaplinfan]

This thread isn't for female contribution only. I welcome all comments and support.

I've got to my first two niggles today.

I've just had to order maternity pants. I'm only 8 weeks and there's no hiding the fact I'm in the pudding club, it's so obvious. I didn't want to say a word to anyone until I was 12 weeks and I'd had the first scan but I can't keep it covered, if I try to wear smock tops or empire lines it's even more obvious. Chris keeps looking at it worryingly hoping the comments by well meaning people about there being two in there are complete rubbish. I've always expanded in the stomach area first and it's always been the last to get back into shape. I'm out of all my trousers apart from jogging pants, I can't fit into my skirts and have borrowed Mum's. I've only put a couple of pounds on and considering I spent two weeks in France eating cakes, that's not too bad.

I'm hungry all the time, no change there really. I've always been hungry all the time.

My other niggle is my emotions. Joe wasa very naughty day today and Chris had to tell him off and told him he wasn't going to a party that he was promised to go to (he had been very naughty) and looking at his little face crying, I started myself. Then Joe cried even more because I cried. I have to get a handle on myself. When having Joe I watched Babe with Libby and wept buckets when Fly the dog had to give away her puppies. I cried so much my throat hurt.

Despite it all, I'm determined to enjoy this pregnancy because it will not be happening again. I'm going to try to enjoy all the magic of creating another human being. I shall remember I put this at the start of the thread so I can come back to it and remind myself it days and months to come.

[Synnove]

Alison, it's nice to hear how things are getting along for you. The hormone changes that come with pregnancy must be so bothersome, it's completely understandable to break down and cry but I can see how awful it must be all the same.

My mother got pregnant when I was Libby's age, it was fascinating for us but of course she had quite a difficult time. We gave her a lot of fresh fruit, she liked that.

[Ollie]

We can play the Name Game, maybe!

Or maybe I should send you my voodoo dolls that I claim look like CineMaven and MissG? (Of course, this was long before I saw them on TV. How was I supposed to know they weren't gingham or blue-stripe denim with red & yellow-yarn hair?!! And those mustaches and goatees - well, those just seemed like a good idea at the time. I just wouldn't mention those eyebrows. Er, eyeBROW.)

But you can stick long needles into them constantly. I'm almost sure they work.

[charliechaplinfan]

The name game, never will I be allowed to name any male offspring after my favorite actors.

CHARLIE - We're from Chorley and the two names are said the same way, it Charlie that gets the mispronounced. Plus I know of three Charlie's.

CARY - I couldn't even suggest it, even though I love him to bits, the name might be a bit soft for a small boy. Archie is very popular.

EUGENE/GENE - Chris doesn't like it at all

FRED - That's the cats name

MARLON - That will probably belong to a cat one day and should belong to my other obese cat.

Back to the drawing board. For boys SEAN and DANNY seem front runners.

Girls we like KATE but would want CATHERINE/KATHARINE as the long name. Chris wants the first version because it's traditional I favour the second because it's the way Katharine Hepburn spelt it and the way I've always preferred it. Thankfully we have months.

ELIZABETH ALICE are Grandmother's names and JOSEPH VICTOR belonged to Grandad's. If I use the other Grandfather's names that we didn't use you get LEONARD CECIL, again better cats names. GRACE and ROSE are family names and could quite likely get used too.

[silentscreen]

Alison,

I always think of Grace and Rose as being perfect middle names,I don't know why. Maybe because they're short. My great neice is named Emma Grace. Katharine Rose is really lovely I think, and goes well with your last name. I favor Sean- Sean Leonard maybe? You'll figure it all out. As you say, you have plenty of time. We've a run on Emma's in our family right now. This weekend I found that one of my great grandmothers was named that besides my great neice and one of my granddaughters.

The weight gain and hormonal stuff are hard to get through, but totally to be expected. The great thing is that it's of short duration.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've always been one of those people who can't hide the fact they're expecting. The kids went back to school today after three weeks and I felt sure some of the parents were wondering have I put on weight or am I pregnant? They were afraid of asking in case they got it wrong.

I have always waited until I am absolutely sure that someone is expecting before asking. I'd rather not offend someone who's having a weight battle.

As for me I have to turn the obviousness into a positive. It's because I'm small framed and I'm sticking to that

Emma is a lovely name, it's the name of my friends first born. I'm taken with both Grace and Rose. I wonder about using them and having longer first names so they match with Elizabeth Alice but then using the second name as the given christian name. That's a trend in my family too.

[MichiganJ]

Girls we like KATE but would want CATHERINE/KATHARINE as the long name. Chris wants the first version because it's traditional I favour the second because it's the way Katharine Hepburn spelt it and the way I've always preferred it. Thankfully we have months.

My sister's name is Kathleen but always go by Kathy. The nice thing about the names Kathleen/Katherine (Catherine) are there are many "nicknames" that work well.

There's also a British reporter for BBC America (and is often on NPR) with the name Katy (Katy Kay). I'm unsure if that's a shortened version of Kathleen/Katherine, but either way, it's a nice name, too.

[charliechaplinfan]

It goes well too with Elizabeth. She is Libby to us, at school to the teachers she's Elizabeth, that's her preferred name. She's Lizzy, Liz or Beth to her friends. For a twist she sometimes goes by Eliza.

So if it's a girl it would be nice to go for a name with as many versions to play with.

[Ollie]

As much as I like Archie, I can never help but wonder where the BALD come in. I've been tempted to create a whole new name with ARCH as its first four letters. My wife keeps saying, "No, it can't be d'Archagnan, or Archos or Archamis..." Like I say, she never lets me have any fun.

[jdb1]

As much as I like Archie, I can never help but wonder where the BALD come in. I've been tempted to create a whole new name with ARCH as its first four letters. My wife keeps saying, "No, it can't be d'Archagnan, or Archos or Archamis..." Like I say, she never lets me have any fun.

This is from surnamedb.com:

"... derives from the Norman given name "Archambault", composed of the Germanic elements "ercan" meaning "precious" plus "bald", bold and daring. The name was introduced into England by followers of William the Conqueror after the Conquest of 1066."

I guess most men would prefer the "bold" root meaning to the "bald" one. I know I would.

[charliechaplinfan]

Very true.

I really don't think husbands should be so touchy about names. Their contribution on names should be kept to a minimum just like their contribution to the babymaking process.

Oh dear I'm in a silly mood tonight

[Ollie]

(psst, Alison... well, between you and me, at least we know ONE guy who survived intact long enough for "3". ha ha)

[jdb1]

Alison, I thought you might enjoy this. It came over the Internet from England, and I got it from a correspondent in Texas.

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?
A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q : I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
A: With any luck, right after he finishes university..

Q : What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?
A: Childbirth.

Q: My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she's borderline irrational.
A: So what's your question?

Q : My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labour, but pressure. Is she right?
A: Yes, in the same way that a cyclone might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q : Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labour?
A: Not unless the word 'child support payment' means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?
A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q : Do I have to have a baby shower?
A: Not if you change the baby's nappy very quickly

Q : Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again?
A: When the kids are in university.

[knitwit45]

Thanks, J, for the laugh on this cold rainy afternoon. I've already forwarded to friends.
Nancy

[charliechaplinfan]

Oh that's great, it's given me a laugh.

Re the baby shower, touch wood it hasn't happened to me yet, I suppose there's time. Not as much as a problem with girls unless you like to pick them up without a nappy on. With boys it is a race against time. Joe never piddled on me but he did get his own face when he was tiny. Quite an achievement for a little baby.