Pregnant at conferences

Naturally, early into a pregnancy when the tummy is small the only difference for most is the not drinking or socially smoking (that very archaeological vice). The cocktail parties are normally a yawn with the almost non-escapable orange juice. The more thoughtful organisers have also mineral water and apple juice but there is a definite lack of more adult options – probably for cost reasons. Non-alcoholic beer or tonic water would cut the mustard. Tonic water was also a saviour in the TAG annual Christmas party!

Sometimes those foods pregnant women are told to avoid are unavoidable. When expecting Number One Son, I went to a seminar in Finland where I was faced with a selection of gravadlax and blue cheese for supper; luckily, there were some salad and meatballs. However, when attending this conference I felt for the first time how my ‘jellybean’ kicked and moved. A friend with a young child with whom I shared a room convinced me I was not having wind.

I was one of those mothers who faced insomnia late into the pregnancy. Ironically, when one was not hangover after a conference party, there was the tiredness after waking up at small hours. The insomnia was at its worst around the TAG that year and it would have been more relaxing if I could have been able to sleep. Hot bath in my hotel room before six am helped and my paper went swimmingly.

Later into my pregnancy I was waddling around Liverpool just after the first proper snowfall. If only people from Southampton hadn’t been hindered coming because the motorway was closed. I really had waited for hearing their talks. Walking around was slow and I ended up using taxis and buses more than ever. I even had to leave early from an event to make it in time for the conference dinner. Sitting was slightly uncomfortable but otherwise all was fine. It was a computing conference and in those pregnant ladies definitely are a minority group.