Hi girls,

Lovely yo hear from you Vanilla - my DH is off to DS's footie class with the instruction to bring me back a vanilla slice - I kid you not! Lovely to hear you are in your pg bubble, enjoy it, its such a special time especially after the sickness goes . And yes looking back on the mc threads we used to haunt makes you realise how far we've all come .

I have a tummy tub and DS absolutely loved it as he was never cold, just bobbed about in it. We've got it all set up in main bathroom for DC2. I also read The Baby Whisperer twice (and made DH read it once) while pg with DS. Also read Gina Ford and poached bits from both. Main points I garnered and used were:

Don't rock or shoogle baby to sleep.

Don't let baby sleep for more than 3 hours at a time between 7am and 7pm and you'll get a longer stretch during the night. This absolutely worked for me and DS was breastfed..

Use the 'shush-pat' method for settling where you hold them tight and just shush in their ear while slowly patting their back. Great for calming them down

Look out for signs baby is tired, pulling away, eyes glazing over and put them down at this stage or they will get overtired

I'm hoping Tyrone is not on your shortlist of names .

Hey Irish - sorry to hear you've been floored by yor migraine. I used to get them when I was on the pill and had to come off it as used to get terrible focal ones where I couldn't see out my left eye.. Really feeling a Xmas BFP for you, keep guzzling the GF juice!

Hey to everyone else. Head - how did it go yesterday?

Its DH's b'day today and me and my Isabella Oliver dress are taking him out for dinner tonight . I was very gushy in his card but he has been a tower of strength for me during the mc's and very accomodating during the ttc on demand he deserves a big shout out!

Have a lovely weekend everyone x

Hey groovers!I am back albeit in disguise. I'm sure you'll guess who I am without too many extra clues. Forgive the silly name - regretting it already as it takes about half an hour to type. Well there is loads and loads to catch up on . i have read nearly everything but won;t attempt to deal with it all in one go.

blue and head i cant believe how near the end you both are now. all sad discussions on the MC threads and frustration on the ttc threads feel like a lifetime ago and yet the time has passed so quickly. i am now 32 and a bit weeks though by the look on people's faces measuring about 42. missed my appoinmt today as had put the wrong time in my diary. eejit that i am.

my littley is head up - it moves all the time but from left to right not up to down so i went and had moxibustion today at the acupuncturist. he sort of burns your little toes til you can't take it anymore. the little petit four has been wriggling around loads ever since but still doesn't seem to be able to see the sign that says Exit. There is still plenty of time but i am really keen on a waterbirth at home and i think they'll tell me no if it hasn't moved by 34 weeks which is when i think they will determine eligibilty so am a bit concerned. anyway what will be will be and the bambino will do as it pleases so might as well just be chilled about it...

My pregnancy has been a lovely bubble. I haven't been worried about the baby luckily i have just really struggled with concentrating at work and so do get midnight demons about being made redundant when i'm off and everyone saying what i slacker i have been. all i want to do is indulge each little kick and wriggle. i fear i might be the bridezilla equivalent of a preg woman. so in my own little world. then again i am always a bit away with the fairies.

Can i just say issy wasabs blue and head MAN are you all organised and active! decorating houses, moving house, all stocked up with everything. Makes me realise that i really have been leaving it all a bit late. i have two babygrows which are so sweet i want to cry every time i look at them that DP got me for my birthday - actually that's a lie i have a big bag of hand me downs from a friend, oh and i have a tummy tub which is adorable. have you seen? basically a clear bucket for baths up to 6 months. apparently they love it ... anyway going to john lewis with my mum soon so will hopefully catch up. but then there is christmas shopping not to mention 4 more weeks of work. gulp. need a magic pill to get me out of this stupid indulgent pregnant stupor. all i'm good for these days is cooking and making intelligent use of tupperware. hardly anything to write home about!

suz delighted to hear your news. congrats to you and i hope that you can enjoy it. it took me some time for the worry to subside but then hopefully you will be able to love the whole experience

sunny so pleased all still going well with you too and irish hang on in there missie - twill be your turn soon. i found pink grapefruits taste much much nicer, or normal mixed with orange. actually i just wimped out and drank tropican ruby breakfast. oh well at least i was getting lots of vitamin c!

bubbs pleased to see that y our body is back on track - should n't be too much longer for you either now xx

Other news...welljeez none of the scares and dramas that poor blue *issy and head have suffered touch wood. got a bit shocked the first time i saw colostrum though i must confess!

Cannot believe that i am going to be a mummy in 8 weeks...am starting to get scared about handling the first bit. have read the baby whisperer books which basically say keep calm and carry on which sounds wise to me. babies cry because that's all they can do not because they are sad or depressed or they think you're a crap mum. i am also trying to get that programmed into my head before the big day. other than that post christmas i intend to do my yoga dvd everyday (done it twice so far!!) and to learn how to meditate so that i can climb the mountain that is each contraction.
who am i kidding?! i expect i will either be told i have to have a section or I will demand hard drugs within seconds. it's ok to have a little fantasy of tea lights, fairy lights and a nice hot paddling pool though isn't it?!!

jesus mary and joseph this is a long long long post!! hope i haven't bored you all senseless.
Here's to an uneventful weekend to all of you. irish sorry you have been feeling so poorly - that sucks.
can't believe we're entering the final countdown!

oh and we have no names for either. though DP has started nicknaming the bump tyrone. nice!

ps lost track of jumping - is she due nowish?

Evening ladies

Haven't had my laptop for a few days and have just had migraine for the past 3 days - headache, nausea the whole 9 yards. Never had it for this long before though so might have to go to docs if it comes back that bad again. Still feel a bit bleugh but should be ok.
Head poor you with your fall - must have been quite shocking. Hope it's gone down some. Hope everything going ok for you with DD position etc. I'm getting used to the GF juice now - don't mind it a smuch as I did last week although don't think it will be a fixture once I get my permanent BFP.

Issy I'm wincing too at your big LO - I've got no plumber etc but at the mo I know of plenty of people who would nearly pay me to let them do the job, God bless them they are desperate for work.

Blue hope everything goes well at the next can too - I like the playlist idea - note to self.

Sunny 16 weeks already - congrats

I hope all is well chez Jumping - hopefully we'll get some (good) news from her soon enough.

Bubble how's the marathon planning coming along with you? DH has been given his orders - he has exams next week so hell be getting some good stress relief during them. Starting the OPKs tomorrow.

wasabi hope your little peanut shifs into a more confy position for you soon how are the name choices coming along? DH and I already know our names (if we ever get a LO for our own. ) They are Irish in origin becauee I love Irish names (strangely enough [smile} )

Suzi how are things going with babybhoy? Have you had much MS?

Well as I said have been off work since Tuesday with migraine - not very nice but could be worse. Planning to sort out the spare bedroom this weekend now (after my sister moving out nearly 3 months ago)

No other news - hope you all have good weekends and I'll talk to you all later.

Hey Issy - sorry they had to swab (ouch) you but better safe than sorry. at your big girl!! Your name choices are lovely, had a wee listen via the BBc Wales link . I love names tha start with a vowel, they have such a nice lilt to them.

Head - hope things are clearer re: DD's position after scan and your bruising is going to the not as sore yellow stage.

wasabi - you have been a busy bee on the home front too <hats off>. Its so funnt we all headed to the name threads in the same week - spooky! I see Eric has been black balled . I do laugh quietly at myself making this awesome playlist when I may be straight from car-theatre and do not pass go but I've been listening to my tunes more to remind me of this time, leading up to birth etc. and will hopefully get a few hours of listening to them after birth in hospital when DC2 is sleeping .

Had my 36-week ante-natal yesterday and babyblue's heart rate was a perfect galloping horse @ 140 bpm but accept now that it changes on a weekly basis so still taking it a week at a time. My next scan is Monday.. Baby also measruing 37 weeks so getting nice and chubby .

How's everyone else?

Quick update from me. Went to hospital today, bit of a waste of time - they don't do scans for just one episode of bleeding so just did all same checks as doctor but much more painfully and took a swab to check for infection - nice! BP was high though - sure just anxiety - so have to see mw again next week to be double checked. Oh and bump measuring 34 weeks at 31w4d so off the chart, way above the 90th percentile .

Hope everyone else doing well. Good luck for scan tomorrow Head.

Thanks for all the kind messages everyone. Bruised bum notwithstanding I'm doing ok. I'm not too worried about the growth scan, I'm sure it's because she's still transverse and is wrapped around me. Still, it'll be nice to get an extra peak at her on Friday

Sympathies Irish on the whole grapefruit thing... I hated the stuff at first, but eventually got strangely used to it. I did have to drink about a litre a day to get a noticeable effect, and you have to drink the freshly squeezed stuff I think, rather than from concentrate or long life stuff (it's actually quite hard to find) or alternatively buy a load of grapefruits and make your own. Drinking it super cold made it easier for me but as I said, it got better and I was actually quite in to it at the end!

Morning all!!

HF you poor thing... how awful...i hope the brusing goes down soon
with regards to baby size i think that given your height and footsize baby will be ok there is just alot of room for her to hide.
My sister is 6ft and size 9 feet. her bump never measured correctly but her lil man arrived at over 10lb. apparantly he had been lying into her. on the other hand my sil had her baby last week.. all this time she had been measuring big for dates and her LO weighed only 5lb..
i hope that everything sorts itself soon xx i know its easy to say try not to worry but im sure ur lil fairy is thriving

issy glad you had some reassurance.

<<waves to everyone else>>

well... im still waiting for af to completley leave. am preparing myself for a bd marathon this month.. dont think DH will know whats hit him ;)

Blue - Mw didn’t exactly refuse to listen to hb, but I thought it was routine, so when she didn’t do it I asked and she said she didn’t need to. Should have been firmer but caught me off guard. I’ll check out your baby name thread.
Irish - Could you mix the grapefruit juice with lemonade to make it bearable? Exciting to have chosen your bathroom. Will you find it difficult to get a plumber or do you have someone in mind?
Bubble - You’re brave to start the xmas shopping. If I can manage it, everyone is getting books from the work book club or presents I can buy online from me this year.
Suzi- Sending you another . How’s the morning sickness?
Head - Ouch, that sounds like a nasty fall. How scary. Try to find some time to take care of yourself. Fundal height is notoriously inaccurate so hope everything is OK for you and good luck for Friday. I’ll check out your name thread too.
Wasabi - I love the exciting stage of decorating, always find the first coat of paint so satisfying as the room is transformed, but the second coat is more of a chore. Sorry you’re feeling uncomfortable. I was really bad until last week but she has now turned so my ribs aren’t being stretched anymore. Thanks for the cot tip – will check out mamas and papas – there’s one near my dance lesson, but I might have to miss tomorrow as having SF jab in the afternoon, so expecting arm to be too sore to drive.

I had my GP appointment today. He listened to heartbeat and it was good (initially sounded like a train then galloping horses so no answer on the boy/girl theories there) and he didn’t seem best pleased with midwife for not sending me in on Friday. Didn’t measure my fundus height but I think that’s because he called the hospital for me and am seeing consultant for scan on Thursday to try and discover cause of bleeding. Should get a more accurate idea of size then. We had a discussion about the jab. He recommended having it as the general population is 2-3 times more likely to end up in intensive care if get SF compared with seasonal flu and we are 7-8 times more likely than that, but he did understand the concerns fully as he has been having lengthy discussions with his pg wife about it.

Thanks for all your lovely supportive comments and suggestions of things to buy. Blue had to at your rushing to get ready at 32 weeks as this weekend I ordered a maternity nightdress and birthing ball online and half packed a small case and drove home from today's antenatal session a strange route so could go to Lloyds pharmacy and buy their TENS machine (only £30 which seems similar to hiring) – the hospital bag is coming together as a matter of urgency. I haven’t bothered washing clothes yet though as figure if she comes this early they won’t fit anyway.

Names wise I’ve chosen mine but may have to change them if she comes early. Have gone for traditional Welsh names to try to impart a little of my heritage. She’s going to be known as Eira (pronounced Eyra like this), which means snow, but her actual full name may be Eirlys (pron. Eyra-lis) which means snowdrop. I prefer the sound of Eira but prefer the meaning of Eirlys and think if Eira is already the short form then hopefully it won’t be further shortened to Ey. If she turns out to be a he then she’ll be Aneirin (like Bevan – the NHS man - but with the original spelling and pronunciation).

Hi everyone,
Gosh I take my eye off this thread for a few days and loads of stuff happens – not all of it good .

Issy I’m so sorry you have had this bleeding scare. I hope everything has settled now and that you are reassured. Bleeding at any point in pregnancy is terrifying (and I know as I bled on and off for about 12 weeks in the 2nd trimester with DS). Have you had your consultant appt today and heard heartbeat? My bleeding with DS was due to cervical erosions which interestingly hasn’t reoccurred this time – I hope whatever caused this is similarly harmless. I can’t believe your midwife’s attitude but hope all is well.

Just fyi on a more frivolous issue we did the dark wood and cream colour look on a budget – we can’t afford Boori either (and frankly even if we could I’m not sure I could bring myself to spend that much cash on kids stuff) . I think the cotbed was Mamas and Papas which admittedly still wasn’t that cheap but we made a cot top changer from a plank of wood and a couple of little rods stuck on the side, stained it dark and varnished it and popped a mat in the recess– looked really lovely. DS’s room was so tiny in the last house that was all the furniture we had room for bar a little bookcase that we got baskets to sit on the shelves and folded his clothes into them. Plus baskets under his cot! BTW we used Bambino Mio washables but only from about 6 mo – I’m afraid that using washables when we were still on the 10 changes in 24 hours regime wasn’t appealing. Be careful before shelling out for one of those £200-£300 kits – I have known several people that did that simply abandoned them after a few days.

Head You sound like you’ve had a rough time of it as well – poor you falling down the stairs. It is so scary and so difficult when you want to sit and sob out of shock but you have to be strong for your DS. I remember a very similar feeling when I had my mc I hope your growth scan brings positive news – like Blue I am hoping you have a dainty lady in there! I also echo Blue’s sentiments re maternity leave – especially as you sound increasingly less likely to go to the full 40 weeks. I understand your concerns re organisation – all our baby things are still at brother and sis in laws plus the nursery is still unpainted and a general box dumping ground. That and the snug are the next rooms to be “done.”

Blue You are so organised <really quite envious emoticon>. I haven’t even thought about birthing tunes yet! To be honest I worry about jinxing it by doing any birth prep given my oh so well thought plans last time for home birth/gentle music/water birth blah blah turned into slow rupture of membranes/huge stress/failed induction/c section scenario. Glad your nesting is all but sorted – the new baby Blue will have a lovely house to come home to that’s for sure! I had to laugh – your shopping sounds exactly the same as mine – Mothercare for sheets, check, Grobags from Jo Jo Mama and Grobag, check! DS had a rainbow sleeping bag from Jo Jo that I loved – I might get a matching blanket this time round!

Sunny Yay on 16 weeks – goodness that seems to have flown although I suspect it hasn’t for you! Laughed at your comments re the boob pump. I had a manual Avent one last time and it took AGES! I remember standing in the kitchen almost in the dark at 3am one night with rock hard, sore boobs (DS was cutting down on night feeds but my boobs hadn’t taken the hint) pumping away trying to relieve some of the pressure! All you could hear was this squeaky noise – nice!

Suzi Congrats on your BFP! That’s fabulous news.

Irish Hope your 2WW is fruitful. I know you say you missed what you thought was the right time but sometimes that seems to work! Hope your cat is on the mend – I never knew cats could get anaemia. Mind you I never knew they could get cystitis either until mine did a couple of years ago. Best of luck with the BFP for Xmas plan.

Bubble Good to hear from you again! Glad to hear your body seems to be co operating with you again. I just hope that you get the result that you want.

Jumping I am looking out for your news!

Well, all is slowly plodding ahead at Chez Peanut. The house is beginning to resemble a giant patchwork project due to little tester squares of paint everywhere but it looks like we can do more fun stuff like painting and buying soft furnishings now after the depressing and frankly dull weeks of fixing electrics/fixing water issues/fixing hinges/having multiple cookers delivered etc. DH is away on a work jolly but I am busy oiling woodwork, painting the downstairs loo, generally cracking on while he is gone. Well as much as I can when feeding ducks/going to park/entertaining, feeding and generally looking after DS as well.

I am feeling ok but seem to have grown a lot in the last couple of weeks and I’m starting to feel the strain a bit more. Peanut is bearing down really quite hard in my nether regions – it’s quite uncomfy at times. It is head down with it’s foot (according to my midwife) lodged a couple of cm’s under my left boob – also somewhat uncomfy. Every time I cough or sneeze I get this really sharp pain as it digs in. Like Head and Blue I am also struggling with names! We have several girls names but are stuggling for inspiration on the boys - see you on the name threads!

The annoying thing is Blue that I'm much more comfortable on my feet, so I've not even been able to get out of doing any DIY etc! Still after a morning clearing away the 10,000 rain soaked cardboard boxes in our back garden I've earned the cup of tea and slice of carrot cake I'm about to have

I had a at me having a dainty girl, I'm just about the least dainty person on earth, 5'10" with size 10 feet, always the person who spills something or knocks something over, so God knows where she'd get her dainty genes from... perhaps they skipped a generation (or six!)

I'm off to the names thread....I've got a thread on there too, so we can try and name each other's baby