April 2013 due date anyone?

Hi Max thank you for your reply, i cant find the private link to mail you back?..... Well i hope to be out full time about maybe even January now because of scans, visas etc, i'm due the 12th April, you? Is this your firs How long have you been staying in Dubai for? Our original plan was to live at the marina but i think since baba it'd be better with a bit of greenery!! We've been told about arabian ranches and it sounds good with the communal areas etc and also Victory Heights rings a bell, ive a feeling my husbands old work friend and his wife stay there?? Lovely place they have!! I'm leaving Aberdeen tomorrow night at tea time getting excited now!!! And saw online about the bumps and babes meetings at Dubai Mall next Monday? So think i'll head along, although judging by works medical policies etc i think could be coming back here for the birth although at the moment it wasn't our first choice.

Hi everyone, Hope you are all doing well. Did a bit of maternity shopping at Destination Maternity, which was heaps of fun. They have an extra bump you can add on which is heaps of fun. Got a bit of an idea of how I should look (give or take a few chocolate bars and kilos!). A tad expensive, but thought it was really nice stuff and I found it a better range and nicer fit than at Mothercare. But they have got some really cool "Mind the Bump" jammies and Tshirts. Haven't really found anywhere else to try yet... Max - personally I wasn't too keen on the "range" at H&M. Seemed like when you get pregnant you lose all sense of style! As you are all a few weeks ahead of me, I'm guessing you've been stroller shopping? Any tips on what to look for or what to get? 2silverfish - I heard that it's best to wait till the shopping festival (late Jan/early Feb) to get the really good deals on everything, or to check online. Also, I really like the Greens - heaps of places to take bubs for a walk and really family-friendly. Got other friends in our building who are moving Safa Park way. We'll be looking at moving after Smurf arrives, so will be keen to see what you think of different areas. Max - def looking at going to the Baby Show. Give me a text/email and we should meet up there! Philly

Hi max and pinkbutterfly, lovely to meet you. yes, maternity stuff..so difficult. I ordered some at ASOS.com, really nice and there are a few nice places at the Marina Mall, to floor. I also heard that Mamas and Papas have a big sale end of this year or beginning of next, so definitely worth waiting buying stuff from there. Have you had a look at strollers yet? My husband is getting all excited, he feels like he is buying a new car. Hihi. I am living in the Marina at the moment, but the place will be too small once the little one is here. It has also very little green and with the building going on at the beach there is nowhere I could take the baby. Yes, the greens sound really nice, so far we have seen a few very run down places so we are still looking (luckily there is still some time before I get too big to unpack boxes) ;) Arabian Ranches sounds good, too. I was also thinking of Jumeirah (around Safa Park). Thank you also for the tip with Al Barsha, we have not looked there but will see what is out there. How are all you ladies feeling? I am soo happy not feeling too tired anymore. Hope you all are well.

Hi Everyone, Its refreshing to read everyones posts about who what and where? My husband and i are due to move to Dubai the end of this year, i'm heading out to meet him this Thursday to go look for properties/ potential midwives,hospitals and get a general idea of costs etc. So much i've read online its scary and how easy is t to sign up for these packages with the hospitals etc? Oh i have no visa at the moment and think it could be January before i get it which could then leave it too late, help i feel pretty clueless at the mo!! i just wonder if finding out costs etc this week will defo help determine where we have the baba... Ps we're moving from sunny Aberdeen, Scotland incase theres any fellow Scots here to help xx

Max - Hi there. How was your trip to UK? I'm sure your family and friends are very happy for you. Hows' the pregnancy going for you? 2silverfish - Hi there congratulations to you too. :) Hmmm.. Al Barsha is a nice neighborhood if you ask me, you can walk to Mall of the Emirates especially now that the weather is fab. Then there's Lulu as well. We'll be neighbors. Lol.

Hello lovely ladies, finally got round to joining this forum :) Congratulations everybody! How amazing. I am also due in April and slowly the bump is showing. 18 weeks today and craving Tom Yum soup (out of all things). Soon I have to have my second big scan. Anybody here who has had theirs? Bit of a dilemma for me: I am in the process of changing doctors and my first appointment with the new doc will only be in my 21st week, a bit late for the scan. So I don't know weather to just go ahead and book the scan or wait till I meet my doctor and wait... Also: Any tips where to move in Dubai? I don't have a car so it is important to have supermarket and cafes around once the little one is here? Are you ladies enjoying where you live? Or are you going through something similar at the moment? xxx

Whoa!!! What?!?! Leaky nipples?!?!? Now?!?!? Nobody warned me about that!

Hi ladies. I've been reading the EW forum for quite some time now, getting tips and such. Now I've finally decided to join. :) I'm expecting my little angel on the 3rd week of April. Hubby and I are sooo excited. I had my ultrasound for 12wks, and OB thinks it's a girl. But she said it's not 100% accurate, so we have to wait til the next scan. I did the blood tests as well, everything is normal. Alhamdullilah. I'm praying that everything will be fine this time around as I had a m/c last year.

Hi Girls Had my 12 week scan yesterday (although I'm just over 13 now). All looking good. I'm soooo relieved. Doc even gave us an idea what gender he thinks it is, although it is only a best guess at this stage. So we've finally been able to start telling people and its such a relief. There were lots of tears yesterday telling our folks and siblings. It all feels exciting now. Even my hubby has got a sudden rush of excitement has can't stop talking about it where before we were both a bit subdued about everything. Starting to think about how to deal with work etc. which will be a bit of a headache. Well, hope everyone's feeling well. I'm hoping to get a bit of energy back soon and go skipping into the second tri!

Hi everyone, Hope you are all going well. Bunintheoven - congrats on the scan results! I shared with family/friends on skype by showing them a photo and getting them to work out the rest - heaps of fun watching my father-in-law and brother-in-law trying to work out what the photo was of! Enjoy sharing the news with everyone. Max - it was great meeting you last weekend! Will have to do it again soon. Hope your scan went well today - can't wait to hear the results. Just had a bit of a stress this week: coming up to the 12 week mark and haven't been taking folic acid as it makes me sick. Has anyone else had this? What did you do about it? I'm guessing that the next scan should give a few answers on it all. Philly

Hi Max, Hi Aprils, Good news! I had my scan on Monday and got my blood test results today - all normal! What a relief. I feel very fortunate. And lucky. And happy. Now to break the news! First I need to decide, am I: 'with child', 'expecting', 'up the duff', 'breeding' or just plain preggers. It still feels weird to say I am pregnant. I think it might lead to confusion (or disappointment) if I say I have a bun in the oven. Good luck with your scan tomorrow Max! Best wishes to everyone. xx

Hello everyone! I'm new here. So nice to read updates and experiences from you ladies. I'm 15 weeks pregnant and I'm due on the first week of April. First baby! My only issue now is my back because of too much sitting in the office and because I travel from Dubai - Abu Dhabi everyday. Doctor advised that I use donut pillow. Any idea where I can buy one? :)

Hi all, I am really enjoying this thread. desperatejumjane - I don't know if one month discrepancy would be a problem but I don't think so. As long as you are married I can't see it being a problem. I seem to remember a case where two expats were caught 'in a fond embrace' in public so they went to jail. They got married and were then released. I think you'll be fine. I hope so. You can't be the first person in this situation. Let us know how you get on. What do you think of Dr Britt? I am having my scan next week when I will be 12 weeks, 2 days. I am glad to hear that they can tell you something during the scan and you don't have to wait too long wondering. Congrats Eli1979 on the good result. It must be a relief. I am amazed they could tell you if it was a girl or boy so soon. Was it clear to an untrained eye? I am hoping to not find out until the end so I should probably tell the doc that so I can look away at the right moment. Philly - that's good to know about Dr Ibrahim. I haven't registered yet so it is good to have recommendations. I haven't had the different body smell or the brain fog or the brrrrrrt! But I have had vivid dreams, super sonic powers of smell (when normally I have a bad sense of smell), a metallic taste in my mouth, stubborn pimples (what about the glow?), and what they call slow transit time (aka constipation). What joys. Max - I also get those weird pulls in my lower abdomen if I crouch or twist when I am getting up. The idea of mushrooms turns my stomach but if someone else cooks them then I LOVE them. This week I haven't been able to get enough tomatoes. Last week it was cheese. I don't mind eggs but I have been trying to eat more of them for the choline. Good for baby brain development apparently. I have been paranoid about calcium lately. How much is enough? I don't know why but there is no calcium in my pre-natal vitamin. I am using Pregnacare Plus. You need vitamin D and magnesium to help absorb calcium too but being in an office all day means I don't get much sunlight. I have taken to going out at lunchtime and walking slowly down the street with my arms stretched out trying to catch some rays. Crazy lady! I have quite a number of things that I can't wear anymore because they are too tight around my waist or because they don't hide the tubby tummy. I wouldn't say I am 'showing' but it does look like I have put on weight in my middle (and a little elsewhere too if I am honest - all that cheese and eggs). I am looking forward to being able to tell work and then being able to let it all hang out. And not have to make excuses about why I'm not drinking. As much as I'd love to, I can't catch up this weekend but looking forward to hearing everybody's updates. Did anyone notice a little while back any references to meeting up got deleted from our thread? I wonder why they would do that... Good luck girls. xx p.s. maybe too soon for us but I discovered on the Abu Dhabi woman forum (the competition) they have a pinned thread called 'Ask a midwife'. Could be useful reading.

My nt scan blood test was done by dr. George michailidis and yes, he told me everything was fine during the scan. He could also see that it was a girl, quite easily:) i was 12 w 2 d. With my previous preg my doc back home told me the *** of the baby at 11 weeks even! The results of the blood test were given to me after 4 days. They also emailed me some nice 3d pic of the baby ;)

Max - you make me laugh! Feeling much better this week. Told my class and parents at school now (they kept on pitying me for catching so many Dubai bugs ?!?!?) I have noticed that it's not so comfy to sleep on my tummy anymore. I thought that wasn't supposed to happen for another few months! Been having major memory lapses as well. I can be mid-sentence and have no idea what's going on or what I'm talking about. From what I've been told, these lovely changes are just all part and parcel of being The Pregnant One. I have noticed a different body smell too - keep putting on deoderant upteen times a day as I panic that others can smell me. Although it could just be paranoia because no-one else has commented. Re your next scan: when I talked to my doctor, I got told that I bring the scan back to her and she would go over everything in detail for me Meantime, keep well and enjoy. Philly

Hi girls, I'm booked in to City Hospital with Dr Ibrahim. Heard great things about them from my doctor and a few others I've met. Was a bit nervous about having a male ob (as only like female docs), but the ranting about him was too good to ignore. Just told family and friends this weekend which was really exciting. I was starting to run out of excuses for being sick and not drinking. Luckily everyone has been so polite that when they thought of, they didn't mention it! Nausea has been setting in which really sucks, but had a few more suggestions: been told that hubby needs to bring me black tea and dry toast before I can put my feet on the floor. Still working on that so will let you know how that goes... Anyway, hope all is going well with everyone. If anyone wants to have a weekend catchup, let me know. Either through here or email me phillipareddy at yahoo dot co dot nz Philly

Hi! I am due at the end of March, and I am seeing dr. Britt at City Hospital at the moment... I am not covered by insurance, and I am getting my visa this week... I am considering signing the package at Latifa to deliver there, there is an excellent NICU and the costs are lower for any kind of service...but I don't know which doctor I will be assigned to... but there is a month discrepancy between conception and date of marriage - would it be an issue for a government doctor/hospital to register the birth? anyone had this experience before?

Congrats Eli. You must be so relieved. That's the first big one out of the way!