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Hollywood, Ca (PRWEB) January 09, 2013
In order to refinance an upside down mortgage in the Hollywood Real Estate market or anywhere in the country, basic refinancing principles must be followed.
But before focusing on these steps, examining the reason for the occurrence of an upside down mortgage is key. Like any financial market, the housing industry couldn't sustain rising prices forever, resulting in a decrease or decline in the values of properties across the nation. When this
occurs, home owners find their loads upside down, in other words, they have a mortgage that exceeds the actual worth of the home.
Handling this situation in order to refinance upside down mortgages begins by contacting the loan servicer for the existing loan, the company a home owner pays. Fannie Mae and Fredie Mac are the largest mortgage investors, and government sponsored. They set the standard guide for conventional mortgage rates, and both provide refinance upside down mortgage plans for homeowners in this situation.
After initiating contact with a loan servicer, homeowners need to request a quote for the refinance program their loan is eligible for. The program will differ between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae's program is the Refi Plus, Freddie Mac's is the Relief Mortgage Program. These programs were developed through the government's Making Home Affordable program, established in 2009. To qualify for this relief, a homeowner's mortgage must be either owned or guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie, it must have closed before May 21, 2009, payments must be current, with no late pays within six months, and not more than one in the past seven to twelve months. And loan to home value ratio must be more than eighty percent. Lastly, the loan must fall under conforming limits, at or below the Federal Housing Authority's maximum financeable amount, which varies by the area in which a home owner resides.
It's perfectly acceptable to ask for quotes from both a current loan servicer and additional lenders. In some cases, a current provider may have better access to a wider variety of program that other lenders don't, simply because current customers may have more options than new customers. Some programs will allow at Loan-to-Value of up to one hundred and twenty-five percent of the residence's value.
Once a homeowner has analyzed the options available through existing and additional lenders, the next step of course it to apply for the program that offers the most relief. To apply with a selected lender, homeowners must provide all required documentation such as income documentation, or a home value appraisal. Some existing lenders will not require these types of documentation, but it's important for the homeowner to work closely with whatever lender was selected to make certain that all information necessary is provided. Working closely with the lender until the loan is approved and closed is key to refinance upside mortgage loans.
Patience is rewarded. Refinancing of an upside mortgage can be a fairly lengthy process. During it, homeowners should refrain from making any substantial financial changes such as incurring new debts, changing jobs, or making a major purchase such as a vehicle, to avoid any chance of declining a loan.
The current Home Affordable Refinance program can make a real impact in eliminating upside mortgages in Hollywood Real Estate or anywhere in the country. Contact a premier real estate expert at http://www.Redbluerealty.com for help in refinancing such loans.
Email: Contact(at)redbluerealty(dot)com
Phone Number: 1-(855) 66-RBREALTY or 1-(855) 667-2732


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Staying organized and keeping track of your activities is key to keeping your sales moving and making sure you get those all-important wins.
To help you manage this, Pipedrive has given you the all-new Calendar View!
From the Calendar, you'll be able to see a day by day plan of your activities, add new activities, change or remove activities, and view colleagues calendars that you have visibility of using filters.
To access the calendar view, click on Activities, then click on the Calendar button to the left of Add activity.
From here you can add an activity using the Add activity button, or by clicking on the time and date where you'd like to add the activity and filling in the quick add form. However, the quick add form will just schedule a basic activity but will not link it to a deal.
To link an activity to a deal, the Add activity button at the top should be used, or the Details... button in the quick add form.
In order to edit an existing activity, simply click the time block in the calendar and change what you need. If you'd like to change the time, or make the activity longer or shorter, you can click and drag the activity around the calendar, or click and drag the bottom of the calendar either up or down to change the duration.
In the top right hand corner you can also change the week you're looking at. Either click the left and right arrows to move backwards and forwards, or pick a date from the dropdown menu and the calendar will show the working week around that date. Clicking 'Today' will bring you back to the current week.
Lastly, it is also possible to view other users calendars, providing you have visibility on their activities. In the top right hand corner you'll notice the regular filter button, shown as 'Dave Pipe' in the picture above. Click that, select a different user, and then you can view the activities over which you have visibility from their calendar. Please note that you can only view one users calendar at a time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Diversified Crop Insurance Services » eocoverage
Errors and Omission Insurance ( E & O Insurance) protects crop insurance agents from liability resulting from negligence, unintentional omissions, and errors. E & O insurance policies are designed to cover many expenses related to unintentional omissions and errors. Please visit the Website listed below for information regarding E & O policies for your agency.
American Insurance Services, LLC http://www.tomstanleyinsurance.com and CRC insurance will provide your agency Errors and Omission coverage with A Rated carriers at an affordable price.


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101 Best Android Apps is an Android Apps gallery for the best Android phone applications
Rank: #
Price: $0.99
Resurrection of arcade's masterpiece game!!
Snow Bros, the game that was sensationally popular in the 90s is back.
With many loves from worldwide gamers, Snow Bros has become a remake and been launched.
Optimized into the Smartphone environment, anyone can easily enjoy and play.
You play out the game more than 50 stages by defeating about 20 kinds of monsters.
Also you can compete with other players in leaderboards and achievements through acquiring items, clearing stages, and raising the all-kill points.
Now! Let's create the snowballs, defeat the monsters, and save the princess!
If you delay, the pumpkin ghost will appear and harass you. So be careful!
Sponsored Links
There are a ton of parental control apps with features like usage monitoring and limits, location tracking and blocking content to make sure kids stay safe when using smartphones and tablets. Here are the free and paid apps from reputable companies tha…
Intrigued by the functionality of Google's Pixel Buds, but unconvinced by the form factor? LG's got you. The Korean manufacturer has announced two new additions to its collar-style Tone line of in-ear headphones: the Ultra SE, which features an extern…
Mobile data is a valuable commodity and Google's Datally — formerly Triangle — aims to help you conserve it. In certain countries, data can be extremely expensive, so the app can really come to the rescue during billing periods in which you use your phone a lot.
Datally recently introduced new features such as a Guest mode and daily data limits. The latest update, to version 1.6, adds two new tools. Bedtime mode helps you save even more data while you sleep, and Emergency bank lets you set aside some of your allowance just in case you run out.
Google data-saving app Datally adds 'Bedtime mode' and 'Emergency bank' [APK Download] was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
One of the things that's unique to the Play Store compared to other mobile app stores is the ability to try out an app without having to download and install it. Android Instant Apps have been around for over two years now, with support for Instant Games added back in March, allowing potential users to play around with a game before deciding to download the full version. For developers, this provides a golden opportunity to get their app or game into the hands of users who would likely not have downloaded it otherwise, with the only real drawback being the small additional work involved in getting the Instant app up and running.
Google simplifies requirements for Instant apps and games, support for app ads coming soon was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
Mozilla started messing around with a pared down version of its Firefox browser specifically for Indonesia late last year. It's got the data-saving features you'd expect in a bare-bones mobile browser, like options to not load images or save web pages to read offline.
[Update: Back to Firefox Rocket] Mozilla's Indonesia-exclusive Firefox Rocket browser is now Firefox Lite was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
Charge your gadgets in style, without all the messy cables.
There's nothing more convenient and satisfying than wireless charging. Just drop your phone or smartwatch on a wireless charger and — bam! — it instantly starts receiving power, without you ever having to fumble with a cable in the dark. But sometimes you need to charge more than one device at a time, and in that event a cable can still be useful. Some wireless charging hubs
There are all kinds of great wireless charging hubs to choose from, and we've sorted through all the best ones so you don't have to.
Nomad Wireless Charging Hub
Samsung Wireless Charger Duo
HyperDrive Wireless Charger USB-C Hub
Nomad Wireless Charging Hub
The Nomad Wireless Charging Hub is a circular enclosure that's capable of charging up to 5 devices at once thanks to its built-in USB ports. It'll run you about $70, but it's well worth it for the shopper with legions of device to charge.
See at Amazon
Nomad's Wireless Hub perfectly …
A tablet worth buying!
Amazon is currently selling its 10-inch Fire HD Tablet for just $99.99, which is $50 lower than its regular price. The price has only dropped this low a few other times before, one of which was back during Black Friday. This is the largest Fire HD Tablet that is sold right now and comes with a base of 32GB of internal storage. If 32GB isn't enough, you can double the internal storage for $40 more.
The smarter thing to do would be to grab the base tablet for $100 and then add a 64GB microSD card for just $21, which is a far better value. This will give you 32GB more than if you purchased the more expensive option, and actually helps keep your cost about $10 lower!
Looking for more Amazon hardware? There's a bunch of it on sale right now, so be sure to check those deals out as well!
See at Amazon
Cases, screen protectors, skins, oh my!
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is one of the most powerful (and expensive) phones of 2018. It's got a premium design, super-fast internals, and one of the largest and most colorful displays on the market.
On its own, the Note 9 is a stunning piece of tech. However, with the right accessories, you can make it an even better fit for your lifestyle.
Our AC forum members have been talking about which accessories they've picked up for their Note 9, and this is what they've gotten so far.
Already got my WhiteStone Dome glass yesterday, and my Official Samsung Rugged Protective Cover in Black is coming in the mail today via Amazon.
Black UAG Monarch in today.
The stylus has come full circle and the Note 9 proves it still makes a mobile device better for having one.
The Galaxy Note isn't the first time we've seen how useful a stylus can be. There was a time when the best mobile devices all had a stylus. Whether you're talking Palm's Grafitti handwriting recognition software or the absolute marvel that was WinPad on early Windows mobile devices (seriously, it was awesome and ahead of its time) the stylus made an impact in how you used your mobile and what it could do.
The stylus faded from memory as other features like scroll wheels and trackballs came along, until someone figured out that you could do "everything" you needed to do with just a good touch display. Nowadays, there's not much talk about using a stylus outside of one specific device, the Samsung Galaxy Note. The Note proves that we might have stopped needing a stylus, but there are still some really cool reasons to have one.
Unless you're playing Brick Breaker, a good sty…
Google's location-tracking practices endured a new wave of scrutiny at the start of this week thanks to an investigation by The Associated Press, which put some meat on the bones of suspicion many users have harbored for a while now. By week's end, Google updated some language on the help page for its Location History setting, though its tracking policies remain largely unintelligible for the everyday consumer.
[Update: Possible class action lawsuit] Google clarifies its language about Location History settings, but there's still room for improvement was written by the awesome team at Android Police.


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Time Out New York Online Internship
Provided by: Time Out New York
The Time Out New York Online Internship is open to students who have an interest in online publishing. You must be familiar with Mac OSX and have a working knowledge of Microsoft Applications, PhotoShop, InDesign, BBEdit and Filemaker. Experience with in HTML, XML, and CSS is also a big plus.


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A Footnote to Nuclear Venting
Alex Chadwick, BURN Host
The New York Times, four days ago, runs its nuclear vent/filter story about the ongoing debate on safety regulations. That was the subject of our Marketplace report that aired last week.
Good detail I left out: the filters at the center of the argument are already required on the vents in many other countries. Still no word on when the NRC will decide this. The equation again: very, very low probability of an event with very, very high consequences. Stay tuned.


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BOX Café and Bar
The perfect place to enjoy a pre-show drink or a bite to eat!
Located on the terrace of the Aotea Centre, BOX Café and Bar offers great coffee, delicious sweet and savoury cabinet food and a selection of local and international wines and craft beers.
Since opening we've built up a great bunch of regulars. Some get their coffee fix on their way to work, others enjoy the free wifi for business meetings - and most come back for Happy Hour!
Our new breakfast menu is now available, Monday to Friday 7.30am – 2pm.
Need a function venue?
Overlooking Aotea Square, BOX Café and Bar offers a great outdoor setting for up to 60 guests, and best of all, is FREE to hire, depending on your food and beverage requirements.
We can cater for large groups at BOX Café and Bar with 3 different options:
- the outdoor space for up to 60 guests
- the indoor space for up to 30 guests. (this can be opened out to be both an indoor and an outdoor space)
- the bar leaner on the Terrace which seats up to 12.
Book a table, book the bar leaner or book the whole place!
About our food
BOX Café and Bar has a variety of great cafe food available, made fresh daily, from the cabinet.
We have a superb range of sweet treats like macaroons from Ma Cherie. Also, a variety of Gourmet Pizzas are available throughout the day.
We can cater platters for large group bookings, but please pre-order your platters 48 hours before coming.


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Family Survival System review indicates that the program provides people with useful tips to help their family survive during the disaster. Is it reliable?
Seattle, Wa (PRWEB) May 03, 2014
Family Survival System is made by Frank Mitchell, who promises to help people survive during a serious crisis easily. Frank Mitchell is a certified survival and disaster expert with over 60 FEMA certifications and experience as a military policeman. In the program, Mitchell, the author introduces to people the basic concepts of prepping that will keep them alive through even the worst disaster. Moreover, the e-guide reveals to people three important skills they must learn in order to survive. These skills are:
- Purifying water Starting a fire
- Controlling bleeding
Besides, the e-guide uncovers the top 5 items people need to purchase as preppers, such as water filter, survival radio, a weapon, a survival knife, and a comprehensive first aid kid. Furthermore, this program points out that the one mistake most new preppers make in starting a food stockpile is accumulating things they do not really eat. The food choices for the prepper could be canned soup, canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruit, and rice. In addition, the creator also advises users to create a plan to deal with intruders. This system outlines how families could use household trash to create clean drinking water. People also get to know steps on how to create a DIY alarm system and quick tips on how to save a life without any prior medical experience. Thanks to the useful tips delivered in this program, a large number of people all over the world can prepare their families for the worst effectively. As a result, the website Vkool.com has completed a detailed review about the efficiency of this new product.
A comprehensive review of Family Survival System shows that this program delivers to people easy methods on how to build up their food supply. In other words, when ordering this product, clients will get several bonuses, including "Survival Prepping With Children", "Building Your Survival Food Suppy", and "Home Defense Pistol Buyers Guide".
Minh Hoang from the website Vkool.com comments that: "The Family Survival System is actually informative and consists of a lot of innovative techniques to choose and purchase weapon for the defensive use. Additionally, the creator offers customers a full money back guarantee if they are not satisfied with the result."
If people want to view pros and cons from a complete Family Survival System review, they could visit the website: http://vkool.com/family-survival-system/.
In order to get more detailed information about this program, people could get a direct access to the official site.
About the website: Vkool.com is the website developed by Tony Nguyen. This website introduces to readers reliable and unbiased reviews about new digital products. People could send their ideas to Tony Nguyen on any product via email.


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Sitting too much could raise the risk of memory related chronic ailments like Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to a freshly published by
Injecting wastewater from oil and gas activities underground caused 2012 Texas earthquake: Study
An earthquake of the 4.8 magnitude that caused massive destruction in Texas in 2012 happened due to human activity. Scientists have said that injection of large volumes of wastewater from oil and gas activities underground was responsible for the earthquake that destructed buildings and severely affected residents near the town of Timpson, Texas.
Study's lead researcher William Ellsworth from Stanford University and team have taken the help of remote sensing technique known as Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to reach at the conclusion.
The researchers using this technology have measured ground deformation near the wells in the East Texas where the earthquake took place. Ellsworth said that in the study they have focused on four high-volume wells, which became operational between 2005 and 2007. The researchers have also gone through many years of radar data.
During their peak, around 200 million gallons of wastewater was injected per year underground. Ellsworth affirmed, "Our study reports on the first observations of surface uplift associated with wastewater injection. The detection of uplift when combined with well-injection records provides a new way to study wastewater injection".
The study has further strengthened the link between fracking wastewater and earthquakes, which has increased by six times in Texas. Ellsworth said that from May 2007 to November 2010, the ground rose 3 millimeters above two of the weeks.
It is the first study to provide answers to questions like why some wastewater injection led earthquakes, where it starts and why it stops. As per the US Environmental Protection Agency, two billion gallons of brine are injected in the US on every day basis. Majority of the oil and gas injection wells are present in Texas, California, Oklahoma and Kansas.
A report published in Seeker informed, "Radar data gathered by a Japanese satellite provides evidence that injecting wastewater from fracking into deep wells near Timpson, Texas, caused the ground to deform, and led to a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that shook the area back in May 2012."
The study, published in the journal Science on Sept. 23, found that the disposal of fracking wastewater put pressure on rocks and caused the ground to lift, up to nearly 5 miles from the well sites. The research further substantiates the link between fracking wastewater and earthquakes, which have increased sixfold in Texas and 160 times above historic levels in Oklahoma in recent years.
The team, which included Arizona State University's Manoochehr Shirzaei, Stanford University's William Ellsworth, Kristy Tiampo from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Liverpool's Pablo Gonzalez, studied several years' worth of radar data and focused on four injection wells near Timpson.
According to a report in Science World Report by Alex Davis, "Mother Nature sometimes sends us natural calamities such as earthquakes. As many have known, it causes severe damage such as trembling of buildings, grounds opening, and death by humans. But, investigation reveals that the earthquake that happened in Texas is man-made due to injection of wastewater in the ground."
A team of geophysicists from Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, headed by William Ellsworth, long suspected that the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that hits East Texas in 2012 is manmade. It is the largest earthquake to be recorded in the said state.
The experts explore the town of Timpson in Texas where the earthquake centered in 2012. They studied the nearby high-volume wells in the east and west of Texas that were used for disposing of wastewater. The wells begin its operation around 2005 and 2007. It has injected almost 200 million gallons of wastewater per year underground since it started.


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We don't need it though. We have enough wealth and resources to last countless generations without it. Can the other countries in the west say the same?
On 10 January 2013, debt held by the public was approximately $11.577 trillion or about 73% of GDP
Originally posted by skalla
there is no need for a left or right political leaning to have any bearing on one's view to any countries involvement militarily abroad.
this in no way defines the left or the right,
Originally posted by Rodinus
Originally posted by all2human
The War on Al-qaeda/terrorism is all but a joke, it's just a name the ptb attaches to people they want to remove
my 2 cents..
46.2 Million people are living in poverty in the USA.
Originally posted by lucid eyes
Originally posted by Rodinus
Im not opposed to French efforts in Mali, I support them.
But I hope you are not saying that when the French do it its called helping and when the U.S. does it its called war.
Hi Lucid,
Thank you for your comment.
Sadly the French MSM are calling this a war and probably in other countries too, however, in my own personal opinion this isn't a war as as i explained in my post the Malian president actually begged for help.
Again, in my own personal opinion, when two or more nations, states or parties actually declare a state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict then, for me this is called war... nothing to do with left or right sided views, just my own personal opinion.
Kindest respects
The job was dirty in Irak, that's true there was blood everywhere. But no WMD as far as I know.


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Spring Glen Park is now closed for the 2014 season. It will reopen May 2015 long weekend.
Thank you to all who spent time with us in Spring Glen Park. We hope you enjoyed your stay.
We are taking bookings now for the 2015 and 2016 season. Have a great winter and we will see you in the spring.


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Provider Profile
Tom Blanchard, CMT
TouchTech Therapies
Add to My Finds
The # 1 Mobile Massage Therapist in Northern Virginia
Contact Tom Blanchard, CMT
**While visitors may post any questions they wish, the posted answers to those questions should not be misconstrude as a diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment recommendation. The posted answers do not in any way constitute the practice of alternative care medicine or any other health care profession. Visitors are expected to consult their own health care provider regarding their specific case. Neither Medfinds nor the provider who answer the posts will be held liable for any action taken by a visitor in response to any post. You need not use your real name or include your email address when you post a question. Please allow two to three days for the practioners to respond. In order to enter a quesetion, visitors must agree to the above conditions.
Map to Provider LocationDirections (map)
TouchTech Therapies
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Patient Feedback
Providers Blogs
Blog Footer


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Find Hotels in Fontanges
Fontanges Hotel & Accommodation
Whether you're looking for accommodation in Fontanges or across France, Webjet has a great selection of hotels to choose from at prices to fit your budget. Find great deals on hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, motels and serviced apartments in Fontanges. With over 1 hotels we have something on offer for everyone.


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AWS services or capabilities described in AWS Documentation may vary by region/location. Click Getting Started with Amazon AWS to see specific differences applicable to the China (Beijing) Region.
Retrieves information about the specified IAM user, including the user's creation date, path, unique ID, and ARN.
If you do not specify a user name, IAM determines the user name implicitly based on the AWS access key ID used to sign the request to this API.
For .NET Core and PCL this operation is only available in asynchronous form. Please refer to GetUserAsync.
Namespace: Amazon.IdentityManagement
Assembly: AWSSDK.IdentityManagement.dll
Version: 3.x.y.z
public abstract GetUserResponse GetUser()
|The request was rejected because it referenced an entity that does not exist. The error message describes the entity.
|The request processing has failed because of an unknown error, exception or failure.
.NET Framework:
Supported in: 4.5, 4.0, 3.5
Portable Class Library:
Supported in: Windows Store Apps
Supported in: Windows Phone 8.1
Supported in: Xamarin Android
Supported in: Xamarin iOS (Unified)
Supported in: Xamarin.Forms


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|Life in the intertidal zone
Mussels in the intertidal zone experience extremes in temperature, from baking in the sun in summer to freezing in winter. They are subject to freshwater exposure during rainstorms, to risk of being dislodged by waves or battered by logs during storms, and to periodic interruption of feeding, gas exchange, and excretion through tidal cycling.
This section begins with several papers of a more general nature that use transcriptome-analysis techniques to give information on physiological responses
Research study 1
Although much as been written on the physiology of mussels, most articles deal with specific responses measured at specific times, and/or in laboratory conditions. A more comprehensive approach is taken by researchers at Hopkins Marine Station, California who measure physiological rhythms in sea mussels Mytilus californianus through complete tidal cycles and at different intertidal levels, and the study is worth considering as an introduction to the general topic of life in the intertidal zone. The researchers' approach is to analyse changing levels of gene expression through identification of transcriptome products. Results show that mussels exist in 4 distinct physiological phases or states corresponding to 1) a respiration/metabolism phase, 2) a cell-division/growth phase, and 3) & 4) two stress-response phases linked to moderate and severe heat-stress events, respectively. The first physiological state is characterised by genes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), electron-transport chain, ATP synthesis, and so on. The second state, that of cell division and growth, is characterised by genes involved in mitosis, cytokinesis, transcription, RNA processing, and the like. Expression of these respective clusters is temporally separated. The magnitude and timing of the phases vary with intertidal position and thus with microhabitat changes correlated with state of tide and climatological conditions. A sample of data to demonstrate this shows expression of the respiration/metabolism Eigengene cluster for high-level mussels through 3 tidal cycles (see graph). Note the similarity of gene expression in the 3 tissue-types and also the poor correlation of Eigengene levels with either tidal cycles or air-emersion temperature cycles. The authors suggest that this may owe to the restricted opportunities for these high-level individuals to feed, a situation that would tend to dampen metabolic activities. Other data, not considered here, reveal patterns of expression of Heat-shock protein 70 and several protein-folding genes, as expected, correlated with body temperatures associated with tidal height. This unique study is rich with data and provides the research community a standarised methodology with which to assess physiological changes in intertidal organisms, especially important in this time of global climate change.
NOTE the 2 mussel beds studies are located within 1m of one another, one at 1.6m above MLLW (mean lower low water); the other, at 1.5m. Individuals are removed at 20 time points over 3d and gill, digestive gland, and adductor-muscle tissues sampled for analysis dots on graph indicate sampling times
NOTE a cDNA microarray is employed to monitor transcriptional changes. A pattern analysis is used to identify Eigengenes, or key gene-expresssion patterns in the data. The first of 4 of these gene-clusters (involved in respiration and metabolism) includes 76 genes and the second (cell-division and growth), 272 genes
Research study 2
A similar approach is used in a later study by a group of west-coast scientists to compare physiological variation in mussels Mytilus californianus at 2 sites in Oregon. The researchers sample tissues from individuals periodically over a 6mo study period and analyse for transcription profiles using cDNA microarray methodology as in the foregoing Research Study 1 above. Temperature records are made at each site using thermisters embedded in silicon-filled mussel shells (real-animal proxies) and chlorophyll-a measurements (proxies for phytoplankton). The authors are particularly interested in small-scale gene-expression variability (amoung individuals and within tide-levels) compared with large-scale expression (as between sites). For example, is intra-site variability greater or lesser than inter-site variability? Tissues are sampled for analyses of gene-expression profiles from different sites and tidal heights and, in a separate study, from individuals just prior to and following inundation by the afternoon high tide. Body temperatures during the study period are about 2OC higher at Boiler Bay than at Strawberry Hill, while equivalent phytoplankton levels are 2-3 times lower at Boiler Bay than at Strawberry Hill. Results of gene expression, as expected, show strong variation in levels in individuals inhabiting different tidal levels, most notably in genes relating to metabolic processes, but little variation is evidenced among individuals inhabiting the same level on the shore in populations even as far distant as 15m. Overall, the authors identify 648 features displaying significant change in gene expression to at least one of collection-site and tide-height parameters. Genes showing largest differences in response to emersion stress are, as expected, heat-shock proteins. The data show interesting interactions between temperature and food availability, suggesting that mussels living in areas of low phytoplankton productivity, such as at Boiler Bay, may be living closer to their thermal physiological limits than previously thought. The authors relate their study in this regard to predictions of impact of future climate change.
NOTE the sites are at Strawberry Hill at Cape Perpetua and Boiler Bay at Cape Foulweather, Oregon, separated by about 65km. Mussel populations at Strawberry Hill are known from previous studies to differ from those at Boiler Bay in several aspects of physiology – greater reproduction, greater cellular response to stress, and higher growth potential – so the expectation is that gene-expression levels and patterns will reflect these differences
|Topics dealing with life in the intertidal zone include temperature effects considered here, and HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS, GAS EXCHANGE, WAVE EFFECTS, SALINITY EFFECTS, TRANSLOCATION STUDIES, and WATER-CHEMISTRY EFFECTS, considered in other sections.
Research study 1
Seasonal temperature changes for mussels may be extreme, but they generally come on slowly. What about stress-effects from more abrupt changes occurring daily owing to tidal emersion and immersion? This is shown for a single mussel Mytilus californianus on a summer's day in San Juan Island, Washington during 10h air exposure. Note the abrupt temperature drop of almost 15OC when the incoming tide covers the mussel. The dark shell of the mussel acts like a "black body". Internal tissue temperatures are close to rock-surface temperatures and are consistently higher than air temperatures.
Mytilus californianus with
Research study 2
A detailed thermal history is presented by researchers at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon for a population of Mytilus californianus located 1m above MLLW level. Results show that average tissue temperatures range from 8oC in winter to 13oC in spring/summer. Several years of field observations, however, show individual temperatures reaching as high as 34oC in individuals at the +2m level in summer, or as low as 0oC when the bed is covered in snow. Experiments with radiolabelled Isochrysis galbana as food show that periods of air exposure actually lead to increased assimilation efficiencies, likely because of the longer residence time and better processing of food in the gut. The authors measure filtration and absorption rates, and present estimates for energy budgets for mussels at different levels on the shore. These estimates suggest that mussels living higher on the shore have less scope for growth than ones lower on the shore.
NOTE a hypodermic thermoprobe is used to record tissue temperatures of individual mussels
Research study 3
A unique approach to assessing temperature adaptations in mussels Mytilus californianus is taken by researchers in Oregon. The state of phospholipid vesicles in a membrane enables the health of the membrane, or the degree of its "order", to be estimated in an organism. Lower temperatures are known to cause the packing order of membrane phospholipids to increase, thus lowering membrane "fluidity", while higher temperatures cause the packing order to decrease. If these changes are too great the membrane may not function properly. Under prolonged exposure to potentially membrane-disrupting temperatures, some organisms can adaptively modify the packing order of their phospholipids, either by changing the phospholipid composition or by modifying membrane structure, processes collectively known as homeoviscous adaptation (HVA). An important question relating to intertidal organisms such as mussels is whether HVA occurs in response to temperature cycling of the tides, or whether temporary membrane disorder, with associated physiological consequences, is simply tolerated. This is investigated in the ctenidia of M. californianus both seasonally, involving mean temperature differences of about 10-32OC between winter and summer, and during summer when tidally induced body temperatures of high- and low-intertidal individuals in the same population differ markedly (see graphs on Right).
Results show that the packing order of gill phospholipids differs significantly between seasons in accordance with predictions, indicating both summer and winter acclimatisation. Moreover, in 6-wk laboratory experiments to test the effects of simulated daily temperature cycling, as would occur from the tides, the authors are able to document compensatory HVA responses in high-level mussels, but not in low-level ones. Overall, the authors conclude that sea mussels are able to adjust membrane order both seasonally as well as hourly, with the latter being done in relation to intertidal height occupied. An interesting question posed by the researchers is whether membrane-structuring is done in advance of exposure to high temperature, or whether it is done while the mussel is experiencing the temperature increase.
NOTE in a later paper, George Somero writes a thoughtful account of the value of physiological studies on thermal tolerances and types of genetic modifications that would lead to adaptations to acute and long-term increases in temperature, in increasing our understanding of how to predict the effects of climate change in marine organisms. The paper is well worth reading.
Research study 4
Another example of how thermal landscapes can differ for sea mussels is shown in this study on Mytilus californianus living at low and high levels on an Oregon shore. Thermistors embedded within the tissues of test individuals record similar temperature increases for both populations during the morning, with the low-level population being covered by the incoming tide at about 1020h. Immersion of the high-level population does not occur until about 1220h. Two features are of interest. First, note the marked and precipitous temperature drops for both populations on contact with the incoming tide. Adverse physiological effects of this kind of hot-to-cold temperature shock have only rarely been investigated for west-coast marine invertebrates. Second, while rates of temperature rise are similar for the 2 populations, heat stress is cumulative, so the high-level population is being subjected to much greater potential temperature stress than the low-level population. Note that tissue temperatures are above 18oC for 2.5h during emersion at the high site, but only for about 0.5h at the low site. On another day at this site, or at other sites, thermal histories will be quite different.
NOTE the two sites are vertically separated by 1m. Temperature records are for July
Research study 5
For comparative studies of temperature effects on the physiology and behaviour of intertidal invertebrates it would be handy to have a deterministic model that employs all requisite environmental inputs to predict body temperatures. This is done for intertidal mussels Mytilus spp. using inputs of solar radiation, air/ground temperature, wind speed, and so on to determine heat flux in a model mussel. The balance of heat loss and gain determines the total heat stored and, therefore, its temperature. In all, 6 kinds of heat transfer are required in the model, as shown in the accompanying illustration.
Tests of the model's predictive ability are done in the field at locations on the Olympic Peninsula and San Juan Island, Washington with Mytilus californianus and M. trossulus. The mean deviation of the predicted temperatures from actual body temperatures is within about 1oC. The model allows ready comparison of heat budgets of solitary mussels versus ones aggregated in beds, comparison of evaporative heat loss in mussels of different sizes, and so on. Data for the first comparison show, as expected, that body temperatures of mussels in beds may be several degrees Celcius cooler than those of individuals living in open spaces. With respect to the latter, larger mussels are confimed to have a greater "thermal inertia", which buffers them against rapid change in environmental conditions. The author makes the point that because body temperature is controlled by several factors, then no one measurement of a single factor, such is air temperature, is likely to provide a good estimate of actual body temperature.
NOTE for comparable studies on limpets see LIFE IN THE INTERTIDAL ZONE: TEMPERATURE STRESS
Research study 6
Anyone who has spent time on the shore knows that the thermal landscape of, say, mussel beds, varies greatly depending upon intertidal height, aspect to the sun, slope of the shore, and many other factors. Add to these the changing conditions over tidal cycles and season, and the thermal history of a mussel in one patch could differ greatly from another individual in a not so distant patch. Such information may be important to researchers interested in the thermal biology of mussels and other shore organisms. The author of the previous Research Study 5 has tested the efficacy of using climatological data to recreate the thermal history of mussels Mytilus californianus at 2 tidal heights under conditions of aerial exposure over a typical "climatological year". The author uses hourly weather data from federal meteorological databases for the area in question, the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, to develop heat budgets as described in the earlier study. Results show: 1) that body temperatures estimated in this way may fluctuate by more than 20OC over a 12-h period, and 2) that mussels could be hotter in spring (Apr-Jun) than in summer (Jul-Sep), and colder in autumn (Oct-Dec) than in winter (Jan-Mar). Both sources of variability owe primarily to the effect of tidal cycles in determining exposure times. Thus, tidal cycles may be more important than seasonal differences in determining body temperatures of the mussels.
View of a mussel bed in Barkley Sound, British Columbia
Research study 7
Is it possible that harmful effects of summer-time heat are ameliorated in mussels by gaping, allowing evaporative water loss to cool the tissues? Studies on internal temperatures in sea mussels Mytilus californianus using "data-logger" thermistors "thermally matched" to the mussels' own tissues show that gaping does not significantly influence body temperature, at least not under simulated conditions in the laboratory.
NOTE for a complementary study on sea stars Pisaster ochraceus employing biomimetic data-loggers see
Mussels Mytilus californianus in the sun with
Research study 8
Can the effects of climate change be monitored by changes in diversity and abundance of species in mussel-bed communities? This important question is addressed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles by comparing diversity data collected in 2002 at 22 sites in California with historical data collected during the 1960-70s at the same sites. Results indeed show significant declines in species numbers ranging from 24-80%, the last value equivalent numerically to about 140 species (see accompanying illustration). Note that the authors have arbitrarily divided the array in 3 major geographic divisions for convenience, and mean values for species richness are presented for each. The data are, of course, correlative, but are strongly suggestive, with changes associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation being implicated as likely agents. The work is part of a growing and important literature on possible climate-induced change in west-coast intertidal community structure.
Research study 9
A species with large latitudinal distribution such as Mytilus californianus is subject to correspondingly wide geographical range in temperature. Yet, to what extent can a temperature regime for a population of Mytilus be predicted from latitudinal position, or even, for that matter, from a few temperature measurements taken at the site in air or water over a relatively short period of time? To investigate this, researchers install termperature-data loggers at 10 sites along the west coast from northern Washington to southern California, and record continuously over a 5yr period (see map).
Some of the results of this unique experiment are shown in the display on the Right and indicate the large-scale mosaic of body temperatures that exists in these populations. Temperature variability for a given location reflects a myriad of physical conditions that exist intertidally, including aerial exposure during low tide, degree of solar radiation, day length, upwelling occurrences, timing of low tide, and so on. Results show that simulated mussel-body temperatures may vary in physiologically meaningful and often counter-intuitive ways over large sections of the species geographic range, and show the existence of "hot" and "cold" spots, where temperatures are hotter or colder than expected based on latitude. Overall, southern mussels exhibit more predictable body temperatures than northern mussels. Body temperatures of these ectotherms are often quite different from temperature of surrounding air or substratum. Localised patterns of wave splash can overwhelm predicted trends in latitudinal temperature. Temperatures in excess of 30oC, when formation of heat-shock proteins is likely, also show a complex pattern, with sites having a relatively high probability of occurrence being interspersed with sites having a lower probability. None of the findings is unexpected, but to have the data recorded in such a long-term, comprehensive way, and presented so strikingly, is quite original, indeed. In summary, rather than simple latitudinal gradients, these intertidal mussels experience a complex thermal mosaic. With so many potential variables affecting the thermal state of an intertidal organism, the authors remind us of the importance when doing field research of quantitatively assessing biogeographic patterns in temperatures and other environmental variables at scales relevant to the organisms themselves.
NOTE the thermocouple ends of these data loggers are not inserted into live mussels; rather, they are either encased in black-tinted expoxy plastic or inserted into real mussel shells filled with silicone. In each case, the temperatures recorded mimic real temperatures with about 2oC accuracy
NOTE more on heat-shock proteins (HSPs) can be found in another section of "life in the intertidal zone": LEARN ABOUT MUSSELS: HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS
Research study 10
A few decades ago it seemed enough to take a few measurements of seawater temperatures then relate these to latitudinal distributions of an intertidal species without attending to the myriad conditions that exist at the microhabitat level. A more detailed approach is taken by researchers from the University of South Carolina who investigate distributions of native mussels M. trossulus and their invasive counterparts M. galloprovincialis, and hybrids, in relation to spatial variation in microhabitat temperatures at several sites in San Francisco Bay (see map; this is the "hybrid zone" of overlapping distributions of the 2 species). The researchers focus specifically on species inhabitance of shaded vs. sun-exposed regions and intertidal vs. subtidal areas at sites in San Francisco Bay over a 2yr period. Results show, as one would expect, that M. trossulus is more abundant than M. galloprovincialis in shaded intertidal and in subtidal habitats. Temperatures in these habitats are found to differ commonly by 5-10oC, with peak differences of up to 16.5oC (see graph). Translocation of individuals of both species and their hybrids from a single "donor" site (orange dot on map) to cages located in sun-exposed and sun-shaded intertidal, and subtidal locations at several other sites (yellow dots on map) leads to greater summer mortality after 100d in all habitats for all mussels combined. Overall and as expected, survivorship is lowest for both species and their hybrids in the sun-exposed treatments. The researchers also find that the native species M. trossulus has lower survivorship that the invasive species in all habitats studied, a result that is both unexpected and unexplained. The authors conclude that processes operating over broader geographic scales may be experimentally detectable over much narrower scales. Such detailed analyses may likely reveal a mosaic of distribution of the 2 species where localised "hot spots" in otherwise cool M. trossulus-inhabited areas may be occupied by M. galloprovincialis, and vice versa for localized "cool spots" in otherwise warm M. galloprovincialis-inhabited areas.
NOTE after collection of all mussels, a small portion of mantle tissue is snipped off for genetic identification of species and hybrid status. Species are identified through assay of the diagnostic genetic marker Glu-5' after amplification by polymerase chain reaction
NOTE temperature sensors placed in silicone-filled mussel shells create "biomimetic loggers" that provide temperature data for shaded and sun-exposed intertidal microhabitats
Research study 10.1
In a later paper on a related topic researchers at University of California, Santa Barbara use levels of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins in ctenidial tissues to assess seasonal physiological stress in 2 mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus, and their hybrids in a zone of overlap at Bodega Bay, California (see map). These and shell lengths are measured in the 3 groups 8 times over a 2yr study period to assess stress levels. Temperature-loggers provide 1 hourly data continuously throughout this period. The species are spatially separated in the Bay, with M. galloprovincialis dominating (91%) subtidally in one location and M. trossulus dominating (71%) in a nearby intertidal mudflat area. Hybrids are only rarely present (18 and 9%, respectively, in the 2 habitats). Results show significantly higher growth rates for M. galloprovincialis and hybrids than for M. trossulus. As expected in view of the mid-distributional location of the study, just at the northern edge of range of the invasive M. galloprovincialis and at the southern edge of that of the native M. trossulus, seasonal highs in levels of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins are seen in winter for the former species, and in summer for the latter (see graphs). Note the correspondence of highest levels of ubiquitin conjugates with highest and lowest annual temperatures for the 2 species in their respective habitats. The authors discuss the relative scarcity of M. trossulus in the subtidal area, a region expected to provide equally favourable conditions for growth of this species as for M. galloprovincialis, and suggest that the competitive dominance of the latter invasive species may exclude the native species in the generally more crowded conditions of the subtital habitat. In contrast, in the intertidal area, suitable substrata for byssus attachment is at a premium and predation levels are greater, leading to more sparse distributions and, as a possible result, to less intense interspecific competition for space.
NOTE ubiquitin is a small protein (only 76 amino acids in length) present in the tissues of all organisms whoses function is to attach to other proteins, labeling them for movement to other locations in the cell and identifying damaged proteins for repair or for destruction and recycling. During times of stress, such as from temperature as in the present study, more proteins are damaged and attached to, or conjugated, with ubiquitin, and turnover is generally greater. The levels of these ubiquitin-conjugated proteins can thus act as proxies for levels of stress in an organism
NOTE identified through genotyping of DNA material extracted from adductor muscles
Research study 11
Thermal and other stresses related to longer exposure to air, such as drying and reduced feeding time, increase with increasing height in the intertidal zone. The physiological costs of stress1 and their effects on growth and reproduction will be greater, then, in high-level mussels than in low-level ones. This is investigated from the standpoint of gonadosomatic indices2 in two3 populations of mussels Mytilus californianus in central Oregon. Results show, as predicted, that higher-dwelling individuals invest proportionally less energy in reproduction than lower-dwelling ones. Spawning times and frequencies are affected by intertidal height at both sites, but perhaps less so at the Strawberry Hill site (see graph on Left). Here, both sexes spawn in late winter/early spring. In comparison, at Fogerty Creek (see graph on Right), high-level mussels spawn in early summer, while low-level ones spawn small batches of gametes continuously throughout the year. The authors conclude that mussels exhibit physiological trade-offs to stress and suggest that under the increased thermal stress predicted from climate change, may increasingly allocate energy from reproduction to physiological defenses.
NOTE1 the researchers also investigate possible defense against stress, specifically, harmful oxygen radicals, of carotenoid pigments in the gonad, thought from earlier observations to be more prevalent in high-level mussels based on their more orange-coloured gonads. However, the results are inconclusive and not considered here
NOTE2 gonadosomatic indices are calculated as gonad mass divided by gonad mass plus somatic-tissue mass, and are equivalent to the more commonly used "gonad indices" of other publications
NOTE3 the 2 sites are at Strawberry Hill and Fogerty Creek. The former has somewhat higher mean daily temperatures than the latter. Field temperatures are measured within "robomussels", that is, dead shells containing thermal-loggers embedded in epoxy/resin
Research study 12
Scientists in Oregon uniquely apply cDNA-microarray techniques to investigate genetic variability in physiological responses to emersion in sea mussels Mytilus californianus. Specifically, the authors compare gene-expression profiles1 in gill tissues sampled at low-tide periods from mussels at 4 west-coast sites extending from Bamfield, British Columbia to Punta San Isidro, Baja California (see map on Right) with respect to emersion times2. That these estimates provide a reliable index of temperature stress at each site is shown by the strong correlation of the emersion times with level of expression of heat-shock protein3 hsc71 (see graph lower Left). The findings, which are understandingly complex given the broad scope of the study, reveal that expression patterns for the majority of genes assessed vary significantly as a function of collection site. Thus, mussels at each site respond differently to emersion time in the different areas sampled, with the biggest difference being manifested in the Strawberry Hill, Oregon site (a suspected "ecological hotspot"). Interestingly, the 2 sites exhibiting the most similar expression patterns are Bamfield, British Columbia and Jalama Beach, California. While acknowledging that other factors, such as nutrient availability, predation effects, and so on, may be contributing to variation in gene expression, the authors conclude from their findings that physiological responses of M. californianus to temperature effects associated with emersion cannot be predicted simply from latitudinal location. The study is a wonderful integration of genomics, environmental physiology, and biogeography. It provides a glimpse of possible future directions of research in marine physiological ecology.
NOTE1 the profiles refer to gene clusters (cDNA microarrays) relating to the following 12 general areas of physiology: cell-cycle regulation/cell proliferation, protein rescue/protein folding, cell signaling, protein degradation, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, apoptosis, cell adhesion, transcriptional regulation, protein biosynthesis, cellular trafficking, and cytoskeletal reorganisation
NOTE2 these are not measured directly; rather, are estimated from the cumulative amount of time the different mussel beds are emersed during daylight hours of the month preceding collections
NOTE2 more on heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in mussesl can be found in another section: LEARN ABOUT MUSSEL: HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS
Research study 13
With all the attention being paid to microenvironmental temperature variability within mussel habitats, all of them employing large numbers of temperature-loggers, it is interesting that a group of researchers from several west-coast universities have undertaken, in a way, to ask the mussels directly. They do this by outplanting specimens of Mytilus californianus into high and low intertidal positions in San Diego Harbor, leaving them for over a year with temperature-loggers, then serially microsampling and chemically analyzing their shells for temperature-related chemical parameters, such as delta18Ocalcite and Mg/Ca. Seawater bathing the mussels is periodically sampled and analysed for concentrations of delta18Oseawater and Mg/Ca. Results show a significant correlation of delta18Ocalcite values with equilibrium values predicted from the environmental data (see graph). In contrast, Mg/Ca values are significantly correlated with growth rate and intertidal position, as more-or-less expected, but not with temperature. The data, then, seem to provide a reliable proxy for past temperature events and, as summarised by the authors, make "M. californianus a valuable source of information for paleoceanographic reconstructions".
NOTE measured isotopic values in the shell are compared with predicted values obtained from the seawater-sampling data. The method has been used previously with success with carbonate-secreting organisms such as molluscs and corals
NOTE in a related study, also on the mussel Mytilus californianus, scientists are unable to correlate 9yr of directly measured environmental data (including pH) with B/Ca ratios measured in the shell to test the feasibility of B/C being used as a proxy for pH. A single individual mussel shell is used in the study.
Research study 14
Previous studies have shown that differences in thermal tolerances are likely the chief explanation for the success of the native Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in invading and displacing the native congenor M. trossulus in southern and central California. The extent to which species-specific heat-stress genes are involved in this displacemnt is investigated by a research group at Stanford University, California. The researchers develop an oligonucleotide microarray with probes that are able to recognise 4488 different genes in both species. In acute heat-stress experiments, 1531 of these genes are expressed similarly in the 2 species, representing a conservation of the heat-stress-induced transcriptome within them, while 96 genes exhibit species-specific differences in expression. The genes that differ are ones involved in oxidative stress, energy metabolism, proteolysis, ion transport, cell signaling, and others. Most telling is the difference in expression of the gene for heat-shock protein24, an important molecular chaperone that is highly induced in M. galloprovincialis (64-fold) but only slightly induced in M. trossulus. Interestingly, and somewhat unexpected based on results of previous studies, another set of heat-shock proteins, Hsp70, is expressed similarly in the 2 species, with induction values ranging from 31-fold in M. galloprovincialis to 34-fold in M. trossulus. The authors conclude that the different responses to acute heat-stress (especially noted in 3 oxidative-stress genes and one molecular-chaperone gene, Hsp24) may help explain, and predict, the invasive success of M. galloprovincialis during future climate change. The study provides a unique and valuable insight into the molecular basis of invasion biology, and should be of great interest to other researchers.
NOTE all mussels are acclimated to 13oC, a thermally realistic temperature for both species, then heat-ramped in 6oC per-hour increments from 13-32oC to simulate thermal heating on a hot day during low tide. At intervals, gill tissues are removed from experimental and control animals of both species for transcriptional analysis
NOTE heat-shock proteins are dealt with in their own section LEARN ABOUT MUSSELS: HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS
Research study 15
A somewhat different approach is used by researchers at the California Polytechnic State University to investigate essentially the same subject as in the foregoing Research Study, that is, a comparison of heat-stress responses in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus but, in this case, not by measuring transcriptional mRNA gene-expression products, but by measuring proteomic responses. As in the foregoing study, mussels are acclimated at 13oC for 4wk, then acutely exposed to temperatures between 24-32oC for 1h, then gill tissues sampled for analysis. Results show 47 proteins that significantly change in abundance in M. galloprovincialis and 61 that change in M. trossulus. As expected, the onset temperatures of greater abundance of several heat-shock proteins are higher in M. galloprovincialis than in the native species, reflective of a higher tolerance to thermal stress. Levels of certain oxidative-stress proteins decrease at higher temperatures, but only in M. trossulus, indicating that its ability to combat heat-induced oxidative stress is less well-developed than in the warmth-tolerant M. galloprovincialis. Thus, in these and several other related cellular processes, the warm-adapted invasive species exhibits a lower sensitivity to thermal stress, consistent with its expanding range in the warmer waters of California. The study is the first detailed comparison of proteomic response to acute thermal stress in any pair of Mytilus congenors, and the results will be especially useful for researchers interested in other species undergoing similar biogeographic flux or in ones facing future trends in global warming.
NOTE analysis of actual proteins produced, identified in gill tissue by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrophotometry
NOTE the similarity of treatment protocols between this study and the foregoing Research Study above owes to a sharing of facilities between the 2 research groups, with one group doing transcriptomic analysis and the other, proteomic analysis
Research study 15.1
Partly because of the time-scale involved it is not easy to demonstrate direct effects of global warming on distributions of marine-invertebrate species. However, based on baseline data collected in the mid-90s, researchers at University of South Carolina and Irmo High School, South Carolina are in a position to test whether a hybrid zone formed between the invasive Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the native M. trossulus has shifted northwards as a result of global warming over this time. The authors collect mussels from 15 locations (see map) spanning the distribution of the 2 species and their hybrids, and determine genetic makeups using the same methods as in the earlier study. Results show, contrary to expectation that the warm-water preferring M. galloprovincialis and their hybrids with M. trossulus would have shifted northwards in response to global warming, they actually shifted southwards by about 200km (see map). The distribution of the native cold-water species M. trossulus is little changed and the species is still rare or absent south of Monterey Bay. The authors credit the reverse trend with a decadal event known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation in which a previous 15yr warm phase shifted at the turn of the Century to a cold phase with minimal El Nino warming events. The authors note that this distributional shift of M. galloprovincialis represents one of the largest and most rapid ever recorded for any species and greatly surpasses that expected through global warming.
NOTE a synopsis of this study can be found at LEARNABOUT/MUSSELS/IDENTIFICATION OF MUSSELS/MOLECULAR-GENETICS METHODS
Research study 15.2
Researchers at the University of North Carolina investigate the effects of food and temperature on survival of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis and M. trossulus obtained from a commercial supplier in Coupeville, Washington. The researchers' expectation is that high food availability will ameliorate thermal stresses during air exposure. Experiments are conducted in 2 laboratory tidal tanks using heat lamps to yield 3 body temperatures (20, 25, and 30oC; 30 mussels of each species per treatment), with an additional treatment batch remaining continuously submerged at 12oC (see diagram). Once daily the water is pumped out of the tanks for 6h to simulate low-tide conditions. Food consists of a commercial algal paste reconstituted in seawater to form a 10% solution, and is provided in low amount to one set of mussels and in 10-fold greater amount to the other set. Biomimetic loggers placed within each mussel aggregation provide continuous thermal records. Survival, measured after 9wk, is >85% in all treatments save for 30oC, so only the 30oC data are shown here (see graph). Note that survival in the hot (30oC) treatments is significantly better in high-food conditions than in low-food conditions for both species (57% vs. 33%, respectively, for M. galloprovincialis, and 38 vs. 16 for M. trossulus. Overall, thermal tolerance is greater for M. galloprovincialis (an invasive species) than for M. trossulus, a finding corroborated in several other studies. The authors note that theirs is the first study to examine interaction of emersed body temperature and food supply on survival of these 2 mussel species.
NOTE species comprising the paste are Chaetoceros-B, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Nannochloropsis oculata. High-food water contains approx. 550µg l-1 chlorophyll, while low-food water contains about 58µg l-1
NOTE these are mussel shells each packed with silicon and an iButton data logger, expected to record body temperatures within 1.5oC of living mussels in the field
Research study 16
In a time of growing concern about climate change, west-coast scientists are becoming increasingly attentive to the potential impact of ocean warming on the health and vitality of intertidal invertebrate communities. But what kinds of effects are anticipated? With all the microenvironmental variability associated with rocky intertidal shorelines, can effects of temperature increments associated with global warmed be even measured? A heat-budget modeling approach is employed by a group of South Carolina scientists who use biomimetic mussels with implanted temperature sensors, positioned at 3 intertidal elevations on a rocky shore at Bodega Bay, California to assess potential effects of changes in air temperature, solar irradiation, wind speed, wave height, and time of low tides on "body" temperature of the mussel mimics. The results show that there is little consistency among the different sites. Even substantial increases in air temperature of 2.5oC may be mitigated by moderate wind velocities, the timing and heights of low tides, and other factors. At some sites increases in air temperature primarily affect organisms at high intertidal levels, while at other sites the effects are felt across all tidal heights. At other times, "body" temperatures may be high even when air temperatures are not because of solar irradiation, or low even when air temperatures are high because of convective cooling and wave splash. Local mists, pockets of high-humidity, and aspect and shading associated with local topography would all be expected to contribute to variability. Based on the strong influence of, and interaction between, local oceanographic and weather processes, the authors suggest that the timing and magnitude of warming will be highly variable at different coastal sites. Moreover, a single environmental parameter such as air temperature or water temperature cannot be relied upon to predict reliably future physiological stresses associated with climate change.
NOTE more information on environmental data logging can be found in Research Study 9 above. The present study is really a collaboration of ideas and techniques initiated in several earlier studies by the senior author
Research study 17
What is the degree of variation in individual body temperature of mussels in a typical west-coast mussel bed, and to what extent does within-site variability in temperature and tolerance to thermal stresses influence the persistence of an intertidal mussel population? These important questions relating to the ecological effects of climate change are addressed in a study of sea mussels Mytilus californanus along a 336m length of rocky shoreline adjacent to Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, California, an area characterised as being moderately wave-exposed. The researchers use several approaches in the study, the main 2 of which are noted here. The first is to construct a simulated mussel bed of 23cm diameter using 114 mussel shells, each emptied of its occupant and replaced with a silicone sealing compound and, in 38 of these, an embedded temperature logger. Temperatures are recorded every 20min over a 29d period. The second approach involves selection of 2 sites for close examination of temperature variation in individual mussels, one at a cool, wave-exposed part of the shore (the "exposed" bed); the other, at a relatively warm, protected part of the shore (the "protected" bed). The 2 beds are separated by 24m. In each site about 20 mussels are removed and replaced with shells containing silicone and implanted temperature logger. Temperatures are recorded every 20min over 2 replicate periods of 24 and 28d. A number of other experiments are done on thermal tolerance of individual mussels. Results for the simulated 23cm-diameter bed show lower maximum temperatures on the edge than in the middle (see graph upper Right), unexpected in view of previous predictions, and likely owing to more convective cooling by wind at the edges than in the more thermally insulated centre of the bed. Overall site-results show that within-site variation in temperature over the 4wk study period is similar and oftentimes greater than that seasonally recorded over a 1600km length of Pacific shoreline (11-40oC). Moreover, the authors discover a much larger inter-individual variation in thermal tolerance than expected, something not apparently noted previously by physiologists. The graph on lower Right shows mortality of mussels in relation to aerial thermal stress. In the authors' view, such within-site variability may actually buffer the effects of long-term temperature trends or short-term extreme-temperature events on the proportion of population killed by heat stress. The researchers discuss ways that future intertidal ecologists can best incorporate localised temperature variability into their predictions of effects of climate change.
NOTE known from other studies to approximate closely the thermal properties of of live mussel flesh (see Helmuth & Hofmann 2001 heat-shock proteins)
NOTE the athours remark that their highly variable temperature readings are obtained within what ecologists would normally consider a "single site"
Research study 18
Given that temperature is likely to be the single most important influence on biological rhythms in a mussel, the question arises as to which daily event will have the most influence on behaviour and physiology: the 24h diel cycle of light and dark, or the superimposed 12.4h semidiurnal cycle of the tides? This interesting question is investigated by researchers at the University of Southern California in a most unique way. They expose mussels Mytilus californianus in the laboratory to a simulated intertidal environment of 12h cycle of light and dark, and 6h cycle of alternating high and low tides at constant temperature of 17oC. On Day 4 (80h time point) the mussels are warmed during low tide by 7oC. Samples of ctenidia are taken from 4 individuals every 2h for 96h, including 8 high tides and 8 low tides, then analysed for relative transcript abundance. Results show that >40% of the transcriptome (representing 2,756 transcripts) exhibits rhymicity of gene expression and, of this amount, over 80% of the transcripts (about 2, 365) follow a circadian cycle with a 22-28h period (see graph on upper Left), while only 20% or 236 transcipts oscillate with a tidal rhythm of 10-14h. Note in the graph that highest gene expression occurs just following the start of dark phase of the 24h cycle. Note also in the sample data for RORB the relatively small effect on the circadian rhythm of a 6h exposure to 7oC+ warm air (graph upper Right). Thus, contrary to expectation, the tidal cycle of air exposure and water emersion is not the dominant driver of rhythmic gene expression in M. californianus. A small field experiment provides supportive evidence for this. The authors identify several transcripts, including 2 isoforms of carbonic anhydrase, whose expression can be linked to hypoxia associated with the onset of low tide, so the methodology holds considerable promise for future research.
NOTE represented by the sum total of RNA molecules present (= transcriptome), and providing a measure of gene activity (expression). At this juncture, the reader is invited to guess which of circadian light-dark or tidal cycle will have the greatest effect. Hint: follow the advice of your old physics prof…incorporate all parameters, reason it out carefully, then choose the opposite answer!
NOTE considered by the authors as an ortholog of the mammalian "clock" gene RORB, one of several circadian oscillators that activate the transcription of a range of target genes in mammals, plants, and certain invertebrates
Research study 19
As if our understanding of tidal effects on metabolism in mussels were not already challenged enough by such things as heat-shock proteins, isotopic carbon/oxygen, membrane phospholipids, and other biochemical entities, researchers at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles have raised the "bar" to an even higher level. They have done this by creating a simulated tidal environment in the laboratory with alternating high and low tides of 6h duration, and populating it with mussels Mytilus californianus freshly collected from the field. They then sample gill tissue from the mussels at 2h intervals over a 72h period and quantify levels of 169 metabolites.
Of these, 24 are found to cycle significantly with a 12h period linked to the tidal cycle. Seven of the 24 peak during high tide, while 17 peak during low tide. Eight of the low tide-peaking ones are carnitine-conjugated metabolites that appear to be involved in anaerobic energy metabolism. The tight fit to the tidal cycle of 2 of these, propionycarnitine and acetylcarnitine, is shown in the graph at upper Left. Glucose, the primary substrate for anaerobiosis, also declines significantly during each low-tide period (see graph on Right). During high-tide periods the lipid sphingosine appears in the gills and is thought by the authors to be acting possibly as a signaling molecule. The study is novel and should be of great interest. Much of what has been discovered is new not just to west-coast "mussel science", but also globally (e.g., M. edulis, and further investigation will be required to determine how this new information adds to our present understanding.
NOTE using techniques of liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
NOTE carnitine is an ammonium compound synthesized from amino acids lysine and methionine, and is involved in the transport of long-chain fatty acids to the mitochondria during their oxidation to generate metabolic energy
Research study 20
In an attempt to explain the invasive superiority of introduced Mediterranean mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis over the indigenous M. trossulus in California, a group of scientists compare proteomic responses of each species to long-term temperature stress. After 4wk acclimation to 7, 13, and 19oC, cytoskeleton composition and expression of certain energy-metabolism proteins in the ctenidia changes in both species in response to the higher temperatures, but moreso in the native species than in the heat-tolerant invasive species. The colder-water-inhabiting Mytilus trossulus also produces abundant protein chaperones at the 19oC acclimation temperature, while M. galloprovincialis does not, indicating different upper temperature tolerances. Conversely, at the cooler temperatures both species exhibit changes in cytoskeletal proteins accompanied by increased amounts of oxidative stress-proteins and molecular chaperones, but with M. galloprovincialis exhibiting significantly more change than M. trossulus. The authors note that these metabolic adaptations all cost energy, and this may help explain the competitive advantage shown by the invasive M. galloprovincialis in southern California since its introduction there in the early 1900s. They also predict further expansion of its northern range, with concomitant pull-back of the southern-most limits of M. trossulus, during future anthropogenic global warming.
NOTE these changes reflect increased rates of filtration and respiration owing to increased ciliary activity
NOTE these are special "repair"-type proteins that function to reconfigure the amino-acid structure in damaged proteins
Research study 21
Is the behavioral repertoire of mussels Mytilus spp. of opening and closing of the shell valves sensitive enough to use as an indicator of thermal stress? This is tested by researchers at Hopkins Marine Station, California for Mytilus californiansus, M. trossulus, and M. galloprovincialis, by exposing individuals of each species to gradually increasing seawater temperatures (13, 25, and 33oC) and air temperatures (13 and 33oC) over 1 or 3d, and monitoring the shell opening/closing behaviour along with complementary analyses of stores of glycogen in the shell-adductor muscles. Results show a threshold effect at 33oC in both media, but especially in air, where mussels mostly gape (see sample data for M. californianus in graph on Left). Valve closures under control conditions (13oC) in M. trossulus are 2.5 times longer on average than in M. californianus and 3.3 times longer than in M. galloprovincialis. A lack of correlation of closure times with decreased levels of adductor-muscle glycogen or other contractile functions in the muscle suggests that valve gaping is primarily in response to the need to maintain oxygen flow to the ctenidia. Post-treatment effects of elevated temperatures on survival reveal significant differences among the species, with M. trossulus experiencing lowest survival through the 90d recovery period following exposure to elevated body temperature in seawater. Artificially sealing the valves closed for 1 or 5h to simulate an anti-predator response during the 90d recovery period, leads to no significant effect on survival in any of the species. The authors discuss their data at length.
NOTE the propensity of mussels to gape in warm weather has long been noted in the literature, but has never been tested in such a rigorous and well-documented way
Research study 22
An interesting contribution to the subject of stress tolerance in mussels is made by researchers at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, British Columbia who investigate temperature/desiccation effects on 1-2mm juveniles of Mytilus trossulus. The juveniles are collected from the field shortly after settlement in Barkley Sound, British Columbia during spring/summer. Larvae typically settle preferentially onto filamentous algae or byssus threads of adults in the mid-intertidal zone where they will be air-exposed for 5-8h per tide cycle. Results from a series of 6h-duration laboratory exposures to temperature range 10-45oC (in 5oC increments) reveal a critical dose between 30-35oC (see upper graphs on Left). A second set of finer-scale experiments reveal that the critical thermal-stress level is between 33-35oC, with the LT50 = 34oC (see upper graphs on Left). Temperature recordings from the field indicate, however, that these lethal limits are almost never encountered by these new recruits. Results from a similar series of 6h desiccation experiments show that half the juveniles die at a Vapour Pressure Deficit of about 1 (see lower graph on Left). Measurements of VPD in the field during the season of larval settlement (May-Aug 2011) reveal many days where a VPd of 1 is exceeded, suggesting that desiccation stress for these 1-2mm juveniles may be a significantly greater source of mortality than temperature. Later in life, at a size range of 3-8mm, risk of death from desiccation is much reduced, even at relatively high levels of VPD (see histograms on Right). This ontogenetic shift in tolerance to drying has interesting behavioral implications, because it is at the approximate size of 3mm that the youngsters abandon their preferred settlement habitat of moist filamentous algae and crawl to the much drier conditions of the adult rock habitat.
NOTE Lethal Temperature is the temperature at which 50% of the test individuals are dead. For their desiccation results, the authors use the term LD , or Lethal Death
NOTE rather than the usual RH% units seen in such studies, the authors use Vapour Pressure Deficit (measured in kPa). VPD is the difference between saturated and actual vapour pressure and, in effect, indicates the evaporative power of the air. It is more informative for the purposes of this study than Relative Humidity, or how much moisture is in the air, that alone gives no indication of the rate of evaporation. VPD is also more sensitive to temperature change than is RH. Note that a low VPD value is least desiccatory, while a high value is most


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Advice: Expect the worst, because it WILL happen. Or, you know, not...(56 Posts)
I reeeeeeeeeeeeeally need to get this off my chest or I am going to explode everywhere.
My friends and parents seem to be keen to lead me down a particular conversation path, which goes something like this:
"Ooooh soooo are you prepared for the baby yet?"
"I hope so, I've been - "
"Because you shouldn't expect to be able to breastfeed, I wasn't, I only managed it for 2 minutes/24 hours/3 weeks and I got mastitis and my boobs fell off and there was BLOOD EVERYWHERE and I had milk coming out of my ears and OH MY GOD my boobs were like concrete slabs and oh the PAIN -"
"Right, er, well, thanks, I mean, I'm open to breast feeding and formula, it needs to work for me and the baby, so -"
"Oh and you won't produce enough milk anyway, especially if your baby is horribly premature and you've been unable to deliver after being in labour for THREE WEEKS and you've ended up having a C section, god my scar was terrible -"
"You'll want them to induce you, mark my words. Get that baby out quick smart. Before it dies or you die. God. Bloody dangerous business having children. AND don't think it'll sleep through the night, you didn't sleep at ALL until YOU WERE FIVE..."
WHY are these people so keen for me to be ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED of child birth and being a new mum? Why do they get so angry? Why should I spend the rest of my pregnancy scared shitless? If it is really that bad, why did they have multiple children? Why do people get so angry when I say I want to consider the options available to me, and set out to try to ensure I am fully aware that breastfeeding is IMPOSSIBLE and I might as well go straight to formula? Why do people keep telling me I'll have a 'tiny premature' baby when I'm normal-sized and nothing yet suggests I'm growing something that'll need to go into an incubator? WHY WHY WHY am I not allowed to even HOPE that I might have a fairly normal labour and delivery, and that my baby might actually be healthy, and might like my breastmilk, and that I might be able to breastfeed for longer than five minutes? I KNOW it's hard. Stop ramming it down my throat. PLEASE!
Ha ha and breathe.
Glad it's not just me then. I don't think people are deliberately trying to scare you, but it seems like a badge of honour to have had the worst pregnancy/ delivery possible (birth horror stories seem to confer a particular status). I just swiftly change the subject.
Don't worry. Why do so many people do it a second (and third, and fourth) time if it's really that bad?
Because misery loves company?!
People love bragging with horror stories, if it makes you feel better I had exactly the same view on bf and dd got it within 2 days, I never had any problems even cutting down and stoping, she also slept through from 10wks and I mean from 7-7/8 the next day and has woken in 15 months since then a handful of times ( yes that's one of those breast fed babies who don't sleep!) I went into natural labour early and had a good birth ( nothing eventful anyway- no intervention etc) so while I accept not all children are the same or experiences they are not all bad either! Just aim to piss them off by staying chilled about it as I'm sure that helped me
Purrpurr didn't you know that when you are pregnant EVERYONE you meet is a world renowned obstetrician/ child development psychologist/fetal medicine expert??
I hear you op. on the flip side I'm sitting with ds2 on my lap, delivered at 38+6, after a 3hr 10min labour, with no stitches. He feeds like a dream and at 5 days old he only woke twice last night.
People tend to only share the horror stories. It the nice ones.
Good luck, and if they keep going on about it shove your fingers in your ears and 'la la la la' as loud as you can.
if they don't get the message they'll at least think you're crazy and stay away
I had family members telling us the other day that we need to chuck out our perfectly nice double bed and get a kingsize for reasons varying from I WILL want to co-sleep with the baby (however much I want to I won't for various reasons - I'm set on that) to I'm going to get soooooooooo huge there won't be enough room in the bed for me and DH .
Plus my Mum keeps telilng me about Daily Mail birth horror stories. I really don't see the point! I'm pregnant now so what will be will be!
Ignore the horror stories OP and enjoy your pregnancy and your baby when he/she arrives.
Kittens you have made me feel so much better! It's nice to hear the positive side of things. What really, really makes me cross is that I'm normally such a pessimistic person, I'm really making an effort to be positive and allow myself to be excited and optimistic, yet those that know me well are seeing that as a bit of an insult to them, for some reason... I think I'm unintentionally pissing people off by saying wouldn't it be nice if, and I'd like it if things worked out like this, but am willing to consider all options...
I guess if you've had a traumatic experience, choice wouldn't have factored into it. But I'm still not sure how that is my fault.
Twitchy, you are absolutely right. I think I might need to learn how to change the subject. A small, wicked part of me wants to just start saying, "Well that was YOUR experience. Thanks for sharing. Again. I don't really want to hear about it again though, particularly not in such graphic detail. If you continue to repeat it, I will have to ask you to leave..."
Oh my dear god Panda! WHY do people insist upon behaving as though they are psychic/can see the future/know better than everyone else?! Emerald Aren't they just? And they all seem so keen for me to follow the pattern that their own pregnancies and subsequent parenthood did. According to the men in our family, post-birth my priorities must be as follows:
1) Cease to exist ("Once you've had the baby it's NOT ABOUT YOU EVER AGAIN"). This ceasing to exist MUST begin as soon as the baby has come from my body, regardless of whether they need to stitch my foof or my belly. I must lower my head, let my insides hang out and get to scrubbing mine floors.
2) Lose all the pregnancy weight overnight, otherwise my husband will be disappointed that I haven't regained my figure - this being my most important attribute obviously.
Now, luckily for me, not existing should hopefully translate to some sort of ethereal slimness only normally obtained by celebrities with armies of chefs and personal trainers behind them. Yay.
Ah the birth stories. I think you either get the HORROR or the "well unless you serenely hypnobirth in a pool while your husband chants and whale music plays then it just isn't good enough" camps.
There is a middle camp. I had a perfectly nice labour in a hospital with some lovely lovely gas and air. Breastfeeding was a bit tricky to start with, but I saw a helpful counsellor and got that fixed fine. My baby didn't sleep brilliantly, but we coped ok. It was all really kind of fine. And having a baby is quite lovely.
You are so right. I have also (as am sure you have) repeatedly been told by people (usually much older women as it happens) that I had better enjoy my evenings/days out now because I will NEVER HAVE ONE AGAIN; that I had better enjoy the second trimester because the third trimester WILL be awful; that I should sleep while I can because I will literally never ever get a wink of sleep for the next half-decade.
People mean well (er - I think...) but I don't understand the mentality that goes "here is a person who is about to enter a new phase of their life and who may be already just a little apprehensive about it - I know, I'll add in my two-pence worth and make absolutely certain it's nothing but utter doom and gloom!"
Do you think it would be a good way to stop it if, next time, you pulled a Macaulay Culkin-in-Home-Alone face and screamed, "Jesus, why did nobody warn me before I got pregnant?! Now my only option is to leave my child on the slopes of a mountain and hope they get eaten by wild cougars."
TwitchyTail's masterclass on how to change the subject:
Doom-mongerer: and after I got the fourth degree tear and was being being sewn up with dirty twine by diseased leprechauns-
You: "Oh, what's that over there?" (pointing behind them)
Doom-mongerer: "What?"
You: "I thought I saw a guinea pig, right there!"
You: "Anyway, gosh, hasn't the weather really turned recently? I need to pick up more de-icer after work. I heard it might snow this weekend."
It's all so unhelpful. What might be helpful is saying, e.g. : breastfeeding could be anything from easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy to awful. (I've done both.) Just have your local breastfeeding counsellor's number to hand and make full use of her if you need to. Not giving you horror stories which are no guide to what will happen to you anyway.
It is dressed up as advice, but actually people just want to trot out their favourite pregnancy/childbirth/parenting anecdotes. And remember, it is all completely irrelevant, because they are not you, and their babies aren't your child.
'sewn up with dirty twine by diseased leprechauns' has just made my entire week
And remember that those older women who say you'll never go out again probably have useless husbands who have no idea how to look after a baby. I have no problem going out by myself, and the brilliant thing about going out after a baby is you get drunk after about 2 glasses of wine. And you feel a bit like a teenager again because it's all that much more exciting rather than just being yet another night out.
ha ha ha because it's mostly true. Sorry but you did ask. It's worth it though.
I know I get the same thing. "you will NEVER EVER be able to do anything you enjoy EVER AGAIN", "You will NEVER get your figure back", and such like. I half think that sometimes its women who struggled with their birth and early years who feel better if they suggest that its normal for things to be really bad. I think that happens especially with breastfeeding because if it doesn't work immediately, I think its far too easy these days with all the formula available to just give up. I take it all with a pinch of salt, nobody knows how they will cope with these things before they happen so the best thing is to just go into it open minded. yeah it can all go badly, but its equally likely that it will all go swimmingly!
I agree with most of what has been said on this thread. I didn't find pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding or year 1 easy at all but I don't think my experiences are common at all and certainly would not be sharing them with first-time pregnant women!! That is not how it will work out for you, everyone is different!
I do think that dontcarehow's comment about breastfeeding is an equally unhelpful generalisation though. Like EldritchCleavage points out above, breastfeeding can be easy peasy or awful, or anywhere in the middle, and it is not a case of just giving up because formula is available. Infant feeding can be a deeply emotional issue for many women, as you'll probably find from looking at the breast and bottlefeeding section on here.
I hope your pregnancies and births are wonderful experiences and feeding works out how you hope. Arm yourself with the information that you need, and then go into it all with a positive outlook!
Yes, some women LOVE to play up the bad side of having children, no doubt to make themselves feel better about what they've been through... Goodness knows!
I remember people going ON and ON about the lack of sleep... But I LOVED getting up every 2 hours to breastfeed my baby; I literally skipped out of bed for months as it was such a special precious moment between just the two of us. It was once he was weaned and sleeping mostly through the night (and all my bf hormones had left me, that I struggled with the occasional nights of interrupted sleep).
I'm about to "pop" out number two and now everyone delights to tell me how HARD it is to manage two children... One is apparently a piece of pie in comparison.
Personally, I take it all with a pinch of salt. I am confident in my natural mothering abilities and don't feel other people's experiences having any bearing on my own. Block it all out, trust your body and your own mind... You'll be fine. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
enjoyed this thread yes women LOVE telling horror stories of birth/children just do what I do, Smile nod and say oh well everyones different and it cant be that bad or women would have stopped getting pregnant a very long time ago wouldnt they.
My theory is yes its going to hurt but OMG I cannot wait to meet my baby girl xxx
i think, after having 1 dc and another on the way, it is because having a baby and the changes it brings comes as a huge shock to a lot of people.
There's a big difference between knowing something on an intellectual level and actually experiencing it. So - even with a lot of 'prep' it can still be a big shock.
i also think some parents are actually not happy with the choices they made or the situations they found themselves in with perhaps no choice (financial, physical etc) and this makes them a bit bitter tbh. If ever you say anything positive, they come back with 'Just you wait until [insert random doomy development]' - as if any joy you have must be shattered round the corner!
I think how women experience early motherhood depends on their personality, their partner, family and social network, and their baby - they are different, some are 'easier' than others! and that's luck of the draw, imo.
People do use your pregnancy to talk through their own history and ishoos though. Breastfeeding is a good example. People also want confirmation of their own choices and behaviour by persuading you to do the same as them - the 'routine queen' will feel more secure if you do things her way, the co-sleeper likewise. That doesn't stop after you have the baby, is the bad news - but you will get a thicker skin/become an expert of your own!
OP you are right to ignore all this nonsense as everyone has said other peoples bad experiences don't predict yours- it's possible you might learn something but not likely, and the reason I think is this-
women tell these stories as a kind of therapy, to come to terms with their own bad experiences. It's not very kind, or helpful, but they don't see that because they are still 'stuck' with their own feelings, so can't see how their story sounds to someone in your position.
BUT, I do think they're right about the sleep
but as someone has said you will be amazed how you cope
Ahh the old verbal diarrhoea towards pregnant women.
I had read about becoming public property on here but never imagined it'd be so grating, I've had it from the moment I announced my pregnancy, the very first customer I told said "congratulations, did you hear about my daughter? she had a miscarriage this week, it's very common you know".
I've since heard sooo many horrible stories that often include copious amounts of blood and the word 'excruciating' then on the flip side I have my DM who tells me that childbirth is no worse than toothache/earache and that she can't understand why women make so much noise in labour.
I know I've told my pg friends both good and bad experiences I've had, but only after checking if they actually wanted to know. Thing is, birth and having a young baby is probably the most dramatic and life altering thing that's happened to most people so it is natural they want to talk about it because it just makes such a deep and fundamental impact on you. And the great bits are just wonderful - but the bad bits can be traumatic.
i definitely wanted to know everything so was keen to hear the range of people's experiences. When i have shared stuff with friends it has been because i wish someone had told me.
I think people in general mean well but I do remember it being annoying if it was unsolicited!!
Your thread really made me laugh.......some people LOVE misery, they're not happy unless they're telling a horror story & worrying people!! I know someone just like this, never a positive but there's always a negative!!!
Stay positive and I'm pretty sure you'll be just fine!
I'm on number 4 so it can't be that bad & I've given birth to twins all my pregnancy have been wonderful, I've had two natural births...home the same day and I breastfed all my children till they were about 3 even my twins who even my health visitor told me I wouldn't have enough milk!!! I ignore every negative opinion about this pregnancy as it is the one sure thing in life......no one can tell what any pregnancy or labour will be like in advance! You enjoy it & good luck
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