PP here.

Ha ha! Yes, I wouldn't recommend it for more than a few times, but she is early on in her pregnancy. I did something similar last month at week 11. I wanted to dress up for date night with DH, so I wore my short black skirt and high heels, and the black belly band was an absolute necessity because I couldn't zip it up! I put on a nice top and a colorful scarf and felt transformed.

I'd been feeling pretty shlubby for the prior weeks, wearing primarily sweat pants (so comfy!). Getting dressed up for the night made be feel attractive, even if it was with smoke and mirrors!

High heels, skinny jeans with hair band to extend the button if needed, belly band to cover up the problem area, and a new top. Done!

Anonymous wrote:DH's parents wanted to be around and I didn't want them there, so I made everyone else uncomfortable with my nursing in the living room. I also didn't bother to lift a finger to help with any household duties and basically treated them as my servants, but in a nice way. Three days in and they got a hotel room.

PP here. This is one way to do it. I don't suggest trying to be rude, but if they plan to visit, they have to accommodate the needs of the new family. If their desire is to be entertained, there are better times to visit.

Anonymous wrote:the first few days I walked around mostly topless with the equivalent of an adult diaper on my rear end. I complained about my episiotomy, all the blood I was passing, and constantly was feeling myself up to see if milk had arrived. I was also grouchy. Perhaps you can share this with your DH and ask him if he thinks his parents might not want to wait a week.

Sounds like good advice to me. Then again, I'm pregnant with #1, so I have not had the experience yet. From what my sister tells me, the first weeks are hard and she recommends that the parents take control of the situation to determine, who, what , where, when and how visitors are to be integrated. Perhaps one way around it is to be VERY CLEAR of what the tasks are. Any visitor must make 2 meals a day & go shopping, and not make any demands to see you, your DH or the baby. Let them understand that you have no idea how you will be feeling and you may not be wanting to see anyone at all. Tell them that if they visit, they must be OK with you telling them to leave. It just goes with the territory of being around at this sensitive time.

Visitors role should be helpers. Period. The perk is that they get to help and be around at a special time.

If they have a sense of entitlement, then maybe they should not come at all. Then again, maybe they really DO want to help, in which case it is important to lay the ground rules so that they fulfill their own good intentions.

Also, if doing the cranberry juice thing, go for unsweetened.

Routine Antenatal Diagnostic Imaging Ultrasound Study ("RADIUS") is a non-invasive ultrasound scan.

There is a significantly higher detection rate of serious birth defects if performed by physicians with extensive training in fetal diagnosis. Is this more accurate than the nuchal screen test?

Has anyone heard of this? I brought this up with my OB, but she had not heard of it. This is a popular (and affordable) option in Europe. In Germany, it is recommended to have one done every trimester. RADIUS can screen for heart abnormalities, etc.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Anyone know of an experienced reader in the area? (Or can the ultrasounds be sent overseas to be interpreted?)

I'm at week 9, and am looking for the best non-invasive test.

Links re RADIUS:

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2011/10/prenatal_testing_birth_defects_often_come_as_a_surprise_.html
http://local.obgyn.net/Fetal_Ultrasound_Screening_Falls_Church_VA-r1256424-Falls_Church_VA.html
http://www.ob-ultrasound.net/routine.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8090403

Thanks!

I'm ravenous and finicky at the same time. It is hard to decide what I want to eat.

But at least I have breakfast figured out: a fresh yogurt smoothie!
- low-fat yogurt +
- banana +
- pinapple.

Or you can buy frozen fruit like strawberries or blueberries.

It is goooood, and healthy, too!

As for later in the day, my safe is tomato and cheese pizza or pasta with tomato sauce (same thing, really). Lately, I've been into PB on toast.

OP - I'm so with you! If it is any consolation, there appear to be many other people out there experiencing something similar. I'm one of them.

Many days I feel like crying a little. It is so bizarre. I feel for my husband who has been very supportive, but he, like me, is hoping this will go away after the first trimester.

I wonder if there is a pregnancy support group that can help? I'm on the lookout for one near Tyons Corner...

Good luck!

It is so great to hear all of this. I'm 9 weeks and I have been fluctuating between hunger and nausea since week 6. The uncontrollable eating started even before then, at week 4. I have never been a food-motivated person, so this is a bizarre experience for me. Really, there are times when I'm at a restaurant and IF I DON'T GET WHAT I WANT IMMEDIATELY, I WILL BITE THE WAITER'S HEAD OFF. It is embarrassing, but I can't help it!!

I've just started week 9 and I've gained 8 pounds already. Though it is hard to tell what my baseline is since I got pregnant during my 3-week honeymoon, so weight gain may have started due to all the celebrating pre-conception! (oh my) I've been concerned about my weight gain, too, but OB seems OK with it for now.

Take heart that that nausea peaks at 12 weeks. Maybe you've just passed humpweek?

FYI - I'm 9 weeks and my nausea/malaise is creeping upwards. Ugh. My friends with kids all say that it all gets much, much better in month 4.

Good luck!

I'm 9 weeks with #1, and I'm also experiencing mood swings - not as drastic as yours though. I either feel normal (which is quite good!) or I feel persistent malaise (more often). I was thinking of joining a pregnant women's support group to share with others. I realize this si hormones, but it doesn't make it any easier!

Good luck.

Check out RADIUS - a diagnostic ultrasound which is performed regularly in Europe. It apparently has a great accuracy rate and tests a wider variety of fetal abnormalities. I asked my US OB about it, and she had never heard of it.
http://consensus.nih.gov/1993/1993UltrasoundScreeningta012html.htm