so here it is, a new home for us newly updiffed ladies or still seeking that golden egg after a mc part 3

Worm, you have my sympathy, may I vent alongside?

My PIL are flying in on Christmas Day morning (they live in Florida), ostensibly to see their elderly mothers but really it's to see the prodigal grandson. They didn't consult us, just booked up which pissed me off, and I know they'll want to be round nearly every day and are hardly the types to whiz a hoover round on their 'holiday' so dh will be running around entertaining. I am trying not to be churlish as it is their first grandchild, of course they are excited, but I too want to get to grips with feeding and am not whapping the baps out in front of them. I've been getting really stressed about this, but it's not constructive.

I have come to the conclusion that I will try and be a lovely dil but with hormones, sleep deprivation and possibly a level of physical discomfort a week after giving birth (if that) I will be in no mood to entertain. Do what I intend to do, stay in your pj's and when babs needs feeding poilitely excuse yourself and retire upstairs until-you-hear-the-front-door-go

Try and get them to ring ahead and if it's not a good time, dh needs to feel comfortable to tell them so Don't worry about appearing rude, it's not; make your bedroom a cosy little sanctuary and try not to let it spoil things. Can they take your dc's out for the day instead, give you time to hunker down? A campervan in late November, crazy il's!
Wombat, happy due date! Are you at aquayoga? I've been feeling frisky for weeks, apparently it's a hormone thing, though poor dh is not seeing much action. So glad you're getting excited, and feeling better about things. I wobbled yesterday, spent 2 hours in a soft play area with dnieces and did wonder if I was cut out to be a mum, I was so tired I had to go straight to bed when I got in, and I hadn't really enjoyed the day which made me feel evil, as they are such sweethearts. I am so irrational when I'm tired, which is starting to worry me as part of me thinks I will never sleep again and that I will therefore lose the plot at some point.

On the plus side, the health visitor popped round the other day and was lovely, also confirmed that I don't need to provide my own sieve for the birthing pool which was good news
I will have a toffee donut thanks, even though I have opened a box of Thorntons for breakfast

Happy due date wombat sending love and postive vibes for an easy birthing experience.

Ok so I need to vent............... DM in L has come up to be with her daughter since her baby was born 10 days ago, now firstly I want to say I really like her, and her partner (in small doses!) they have been staying in their camper van whilst visiting Ds in L daily. Dsin L has needed the help too as she is young and this is her first baby, and has really appreciated having her mum here for her.
So we have had them around for tea a couple of times, it's nice to see them, but I have had on my mind what their plans are to be when our baby is born so tentatively broached the subject last night.
They are planning on doing exactly the same for us when my baby is born!! I am so pissed off!!!!!! I don't want them around every day, we won't relax at all and I will be recovering from surgery. DH wont relax either as he likes to be a good host and will be running around after them.
Now I don't want to stop them from seeing their grandchild, but at the end of the day if they hadn't buggered off to the other end of the country we wouldn't have to be having this situation and I neither need or want the same level of help that Dsin L has needs.
The other thing is the breastfeeding thing....... I need to learn how to do this and do not want to do it in public until I know what I am doing. I can just see myself appearing rude while buggering off all the time to do this. In fact no why should I have to bugger off upstairs, it's my bloody house!!
How am I gonna deal with this without looking like the Din L from hell??!!

You're right worm - we have all come miles and miles on this journey and it really has been so fantastic to share it with you brilliant people . Thanks for the info on your labour starting - good to know. I have been feeling a bit frisky over the last couple of days so I guess that may be something....

I am also pleased to report that I had a frisson of excitement today about the thought of bringing wombatjunior home. I'm a little that it's taken me this long to get excited but now v pleased to experience it . In celebration of that, toffee doughnuts for all!

Morning Girlies

Worm ELCS to be W/c 3rd Jan

I think harrased is before me with a due date of boxing day-ish?

So good to hear you sounding brighter wombat your due date is tomorrow ! I have just gone goosebumpy all over!! We have all come so far in just over a year.:) Our various MC anniversaries have all been and gone, I was very aware of mine as I was paraniod that Ds in L would have her baby on that day, fortunately there were a few days between it! I didn't like to mention it and bring everyone down. We need to hear all the details...... my first labour symptom was that I went all "lubricated" down below, so much so that I thought my water had broken and called the midwife out to check. Couldn't believe I had made that mistake when my waters actually did break............it was like a damn bursting! sprayed all over the midwife. Have fun at yoga.

You will definately need the car seat yellow the nip cream is called Lanisoh and comes highly recommended on the BF threads on here, it is pricey though. You are lucky having so much BF support. Here we have one BF cafe, and that is it as far as I can tell. Thats what you get for living 25 miles away from the nearest city.

So I am on day 3 of ML, and yesterday I was wishing I was at work! I felt so lonely, ended up going over to my neighbours for a chat. I am ploughing through my list and at this rate will have it done by the end of this week! Todays job is to collate all the photos we have on various computers and phones and organise them all onto a portable hard-drive. I may even name them all and there are 12 years worth!

Speak soon :)

Hello wonderful ladies and thanks v much for your lovely messages. I really was having a down day on Sunday but I am def lots better now. A friend described it as being hostage to your emotions and once I accepted that, rather than trying to fight them, life has become much easier.

Thanks for the reassurance worm on the loving thing - another friend of mine said something v similar to you, which has made me feel far more normal and not some cold-hearted witch.

Lovely and toast sparkly - thank you v much. Love how you are into the mince pie making before anything Monts related - throw some over this way when you're done would you?! Like yellow, would def recommend the videos. I also bought the NCT breastfeeding for beginners book which is lovely and straightforward. (GBP7.99)

Work sounds horrid yellow - please do take it easy where you can - it's very easy to think we are super-women and can do it all and then it comes and bites us on the bum.... Thanks for the suggestions on alternative therapies - a massage is prob a v good idea. They do have alternative other stuff here too but I'd like a recommendation first. And you're right about the cast - very strange present and apparently you're supposed to mount them on the nursery wall afterwards - it's really not us at all but we really felt obliged to do it - I don't think they're cheap....

So, the spreadsheet - I think we need to start a proper list as I am losing track a bit too - I think it's me, then sparkly, worm, harassed, yellow, marathon (where are you?!), star, emma, kool and of course wellie will be with us very soon. I could have that order all wrong and huge apols if I have missed anyone off. I think I might give you all a shock to know that my due date is..... tomorrow! Can you believe it?! - still planning on aquayoga tomorrow and have booked in my lady for normal yoga as normal for tuesday. REally don't think wombatjunior is ready though (or maybe that's just me!)

Maybe you could all add your EDDs and we could do a proper list.

Waves to all and leaves mountains of pancakes - French and Scotch with heaps of toppings (I need my strength you know!)

i know, I know, I really wasn't going to get a car seat (due to not having a car) but everyone and his dog thought we should. They said we wouldn't be let out of the hospital without it and also if you go to coffee meet ups and stuff you often need to leave the buggy in the hall/outside and if babs is sleeping you don't want to wake them up so if they are in a car seat you can just pop if off the buggy and bring them in with you. Plus when we go to my parents/france we always get picked up in the car so we'd need it then too. I think the videos will really help sparkly but at my class they also said to have the b/f specialists numbers handy as they can help you. I've got the national no. I can give you and apparently they'll route it to your local office. Apparently in my area there are volunteers who'll come to your house and help and about 10 b/f cafes where you can just pop in.

What magic nipple cream worm? i might need some of that. So jealous of all this mat leave going on and you'll have your babies waaaaaaaaaay before me. I'll have some of that toast and some danish pastries too.

Morning Ladies
sparkly I posted a link further up the thread with breastfeeding vids on, you will probably have time to look at them now [unappreciated emocion] its here

Try to rise above the work stress yellow once baby is here you really wont give a toss if the place grinds to a halt! you sound very positive regarding your alternative therapies, and I am certainly alot less cynical about them given that I believe they are responsible for your up-duffed ness.

Hope you are feeling brighter today wombat regarding the rush of love when the baby is here, I never got that at all. Not to say I didn't love them but it was more like I was so focused on the practical stuff I needed to do and my recoveries from CS that the emotional stuff just fell into the background

Loving how we are all in full on nesting mode, I have yet to order my cot as I wanted to wait until the carpet was fitted and being that i am tight watching the pennies I have been looking out for a bargain roll end. Think I may have to bite the bullet and order one this week. Worse comes to worse baby will be in our room anyway in the moses basket for a bit. I have ordered the magic nipple cream and am going to start putting that on everyday as soon as it comes, it can't do any harm.

Right I must get started on my list of jobs and not turn on discovery home and health and watch back to back baby programs like I did yesterday!

"Re the car seat, we've ordered one but don't have a car" Eh? What's the deal, Yellow? Dsis is giving us a seat, just waiting for dniece2 to fatten up a bit more and grow into her grown-up one. I can see me and dh having huge arguments over fitting it so might just ask dsis to pop it in the car and it can just stay there for a year
Well I am officially on mat leave, and cannot sleep! Woke up all excited like it was Christmas Day, my head is full of things to do and stuff I still need to buy. I might get the mince pies in the oven and do some Christmas wrapping The cot went up in our bedroom yesterday which was quite a moment, thinking our son will soon be wailing sleeping in it! The cats kept plopping in so I've propped the mattress up, not an option when Monts arrives so will put up one of those Ikea mosquito net thingies to keep them out. They're quite cute, we've got the blue one with the fluffy clouds.
Yellow, I need to watch some clips of women actually breast-feeding I think, can't quite picture the positions and as I am hoping to leave hospital quite soon after the birth if all goes well, I need some knowledge behind me. Thread on MN earlier about scooping poo out of the birthing pool, some women relaxed to such an extent that the pool had to be drained and refilled! I am hoping I don't notice, but dh will so need to arm him with the sieve and prepare him mentally! I hope work eases off for you, I know about 2-3 weeks before my mat leave I got so tired and despondent as it still seemed ages off. Your therapies sound blissful though and really helpful.
Wombat, I hope you are feeling better today. I've lost the spreadsheet too, when is your actual due date? Would you like some white bread toast and creamy slightly salted butter with a ?
Waves to everyone else lurking, toast? x

hello ladies

wombat sorry to hear you've still got the blues, hope the vits work for you. I know that personally I get very teary and negative when I'm tired. I was feeling very tearful Thursday morning but after my visit to the acupuncturist felt much better. Also was feeling a bit nauseous, tired and tearful on Sat am but went for a maternity massage followed by a 2 hour nap and felt very good afterwards. Can you tap into any 'alternative' therapies like that over there? Might be worth a try? And of course please come on her and chat to us and we'll do our best to be supportive and cheer you up. How long do you have to go now? (sorry, not sure where the spreadsheet has gone) You are our pioneer, leading the way........how exciting you'll soon meet your baby. I can totally understand your concerns about loving the baby but either it'll come as a rush or gradually build up but I'm sure either way you'll get there. The cast things sounds very funny, sounds like a slightly odd present to me (if that doesn't sound rude) what are you meant to do with it afterwards? Re the car seat, we've ordered one but don't have a car so not sure how we'll practice, sounds like it'll be tricky though. We might end up having that problem the first time we go to France, stuck in the airport car park for hours!!!

worm breastfeeding class was excellent today. They'd made a mistake and it didn't actually start until 11am which was annoying as we'd got up early to get there at 10 but it was just 2 hours. There was a bit about the benefits, seems to do everything from preventing asthma to ovarian cancer! There was a lot of detail about how much they feed on each day and how many wet and poo-y nappies to look out for and what colour etc as well as lots of advice on latch and how to know if you're doing it right. If your interested I'll type it all our for you here, let me know. She did recommend someone called 'jack newman' who apparently has useful stuff on the web/youtube, I've not looked yet but that might be helpful. DP found it great too, the midwife was really good and knowledgeable, I didn't realise how much I didn't know. And I second what wombat said, you didn't fail.........giving birth is complex, lots of different factors and as long as you and the baby end up healthy that is a positive outcome.

Hurrah for ML sparkly and worm sounds like your teams/colleagues gave you a good send off. I am officially jealous!

Work for me is totally mental, next week and the week after will be more of the same. My cover starts on 12th Dec and that won't really help either cos training someone is so time consuming that you don't have time to get the actual work done. But having said that things will have calmed down quite a lot by then, I just need to make sure I prepare some notes etc before then. The next 2 weeks should be the hardest, esp as next week I have antenatal on mon and tues and yoga wed........but i do have acu on Thurs which normally perks me up! Am trying hard to remain calm and not think of the mountain of things I didn't manage to do last week.......

Did i tell you we did a big online shop and ordered loads of stuff. The cot arrive yesterday and we've realised we've got no space in our small flat for all this stuff! I have to do a LOT of clearing out which is something I hate and am not good at. I'm sure a hoarder. Added to that I need to do the final accounts for my company which is also going to take some time as of course i didn't keep the invoices/receipts in any kind of orderly fashion.....arrghh, too much to do! I always think I'll get stuff done at the weekend but am usually so tired from the week I just end up sleeping.

I'm off to cook dinner, I'll just leave this lemon drizzle cake.

Don't worry worm - you guys will be the first (after DH!) to know

Good luck with the b/fing - I reckon you'll be a natural.

Feeling very low again today - I think it's just hormones and tiredness and general irritation with everyone. Just want to curl up into a ball on my bed and not be disturbed - difficult with parents around of course..... I did get some vit b6 and b12 today on m/w's advice - hoping that and a couple of good night's sleep will do the trick. This is so un-wombat like, I can't tell you

Bf wasn't pushed at all and I don't remember seeing anyone on the post natal ward bfing. I hadn't decided what I was going to do and after failing at vb I didn't give it a thought when I was handed a bottle. I was so much younger then (23) and didn't do any independent research. Basically I just went along with everything !
Now I have the internet to tell me what to do! And a more mature and in control mindset.
A plaster cast of your bump and boobs? I have no desire to be reminded how awful my body is looking !
Great that your mum came along for the scan ........ I bet you a lemon cup cake she stays after the 25th!
Don't forget we need to know the second anything starts happening !

Right - a proper catch-up at last!

Great to hear from you kool although sorry you're stressing a bit about movements - totally understandable though, I was def the same. It seems every time one gets over a certain stressy perioid, there is something equally stressy right around the corner! I think you need to have seen an awful lot of scans to know what you're looking for so don't worry about not being able to see much - a good size is v good to hear!

I did speak to a m/w last week who suggested vits B6 and B12 now which should also help with pnd, should it arise. I haven't tried too hard to get it though as I have been feeling so much better since my resolution to have some fun every day. Had a great 3 hour gossip with 4 other mums to be over lunch today which was v funny - I think we managed to clear the restaurant by the end of it - not quite the same as talking with you ladies- only general talk of lady-gardening mentioned! ALthough apparently if you don't have it all off before you go in here and you need a c section, they do the whole lot for you - can't believe that's really true though....

Congrats on your mat leave worm and sparkly and how lovely to get so many gifts etc. I do hope that you don't end up like me and letting your mind go into overdrive when you don't have work to focus on.... I'm sure you'll be grand. I think your colleague was lovely giving you something for you sparkly, especially Jo Malone stuff . Good question re: whether I'm nervous about the birth, I'm actually more curious than anything, it is the post stuff that I'm most anxious about - i.e. will I love this baby? - crazy I know, but it is a real fear. I'm sure the curiosity factor will wear off after about two, or maybe three contractions

I know we haven't see you for around for a while wellie but we do still think of you often - really hope you are enjoying the swi action and life in Aus in general as you come up to the summer time.

Interesting re: not having tried b/feeding your 2 other dcs worm - was it not pushed so much back then? I hope it works out well for you and you get some good support. Was it you that recommended that bump to breastfeeding link? They actucally showed that at our last ante-natal class and I felt quite smug that I had seen it already, but putting that aside, it's obviously a good one if they shipped it out here. The one workshop I went to was 2 hours but the time flew by yellow so I'm sure it will be the same with your one. The best thing was all the questions everyone asked so don't be shy in holding back with those - it seemed to encourage everyone else too. Will be interested to hear how you get on with it. Is work likely to calm down for you, or just get busier? Hope you're not letting it stress you out too much.

And harassed - how are you doing m'dear? Have seen your updates on fb so know that you're still out there!

Oh, one other thing from this end - I have group b strep.... they do a vaginal swab as routine here at 36 weeks for it and it's good to know as it means I have to have a shot of antibiotics as soon as I go in and possibly again if I'm in labour for ages. I have done some reading / research on mn on it and, as usual, you get everything from don't worry it's totally manageable to some poor lady's baby getting meningitis as a result.... I feel informed enough now not to worry about it, particularly as neither the m/w nor my ob/gyn seemed too concerned. worm is right - the parentals are still here which makes getting access to the laptop much harder! Mum came with me to the latest appt and got to see junior on the scan so was very happy about that. There is still much debate as to whether she will stay on after the 25th which is when their flights are booked for. Dad is definitely going back and mum may depending on junior's arrival or not.

Oh - quick tip - do try out your car seat before it's too late. DH and I had a real tussle with it yesterday - turned out we were both being complete thickos (after we had been to a baby store and given the proper instructions) but it was a bit stressy at the time - DH said he'd never heard me swear so much! Oh and earlier in the day, we'd had a bit of a time with one of those belly casts - have you seen them? We weren't overkeen on doing it but some friends had given it to us as a present and we felt obliged to use it. So, we start off standing (me starkers, parents out the house obviously) but DH thinks it much better if I lie down while he does the plasterning so to speak. Got about half way - think of it as damp strips of goo over your boobs and belly and all the goo leaking behind you onto the tiles - and then DH's phone won't stop ringing. Tell him to to and get it and it is a real emergency at work (he's in aviation) so he's on the phone for the next 15-20 mins sorting out various bits and pieces while I am lying quite beached in a pool of damp goo unable to move for fear of ruining the cast! Gave up in the end and bloody glad I did too. We have a v flimsy half cast to show our friends, but at least we gave it a go and looking back it was pretty funny!

Right, think that's enough to bore you with for now. Sticky toffee pudding with extra caramel sauce for all! xx

Yoohoo ladies! Sorry I've been so quiet of late. Everything tickety boo here and in fact, Tom Jones was a real tonic and made me realise that I have been taking life far too seriously of late, making it all about the bub and leaving no room for fun so my new resolution is to make time for a bit of fun every day! Thanks for all your lovely supportive messages and food (nom, nom!)

So absolutely no sign of junior and I honestly don't feel anywhere near like I'm going to drop any time soon which I'm fine with (for now anyway!) but famous last words and all that!

HAve to dash to a surprise bday party now but will update properly tomorrow.

Lots of love to you all and thanks again for your concern x

I've just stalked wombat on facebook, she went to see Tom Jones on tuesday and had a fab time, I've left a note to say hello. Thinking about it she has her parents over just now so is probably busy with all that.
Have a wonderful last day at work sparkly I think the candle is lovely, it's all about the baby when it's here so it's nice of your boss to think of you, albeit unknowingly!

Congrats on your ML Worm! The shower sounds lovely, it's nice when people are so caring. It's my last day today, my team are slightly unprepared and are blowing up blue balloons around me but it's the thought that counts We're having a buffet and the whole floor has brought in cupcakes and things, it's really touching. I hate being the centre of attention but it's also someone's 30th so the limelight is happily swinging more to her as she's an attention-seeking harpie. My boss came up from London yesterday to take me out to lunch; she's very un-maternal and bought me a Jo Malone candle and a box of matches which I thought was hilarious. When I said 'Ooh, candle for the baby!' in a jokey way she said 'Oh I didn't think of the baby!'

Anyway Worm, less talk of 'failing', it's your choice if you want to breastfeed but if it doesn't work out then it wasn't meant to be and sure baby will not suffer; of the 4 new-ish mums I know, not one has made it past the first couple of weeks, for various reasons, so I'm under no illusions that it's easy (but still hoping to fall lucky and have baby latch on like a limpit )
Wombat, you ok chickadee? Appreciate you're probably taking some time out to reflect, but we are here with hugs and cupcakes (and a sneaky jam donut, hom). I'm prepared to mental next week when I have time on my hands, I haven't thought things through too deeply yet so am prepared for a major freak-out!
Funny how we are all feeling pressure to tidy our gardens! I'm opting out, I had a moment when I thought I had an ingrowing hair when I pondered who am I doing this for anyway; Monts is not going to notice, I can't see down there anyway, and dh doesn't get close enough any more So I'm going to embrace my hairy hippiness, and groom several months after the birth.

Well yellow I don't actually know what the proceedure was called as it was just on the price list as "skin tag removal" it involved her getting hold of a skin tag with tweezers and them using a pen type thingy to zap it off. It could have been a laser or something? It didn't cost much, I think from memory about £3.50 each?

Take notes for me on the BF workshop, I am not going to one as I didnt give the form back in time apparently. I have been watching you-tube videos of people BF and am hoping to learn from them. The main tips I got from them were to make sure babies mouth is wide open before putting it to the nipple. Be at an angle which means the end of the nipple isn't rubbing on the inside of babies mouth and make sure the baby is square on to you and not having to turn their head.
There was one video I saw filmed in africa where you saw the baby actually crawl its way across to the breast itself when it was ready. Baby had been put directly on Mum after the birth and just left there and within half an hour (speeded up on film) had made its way over all by itself and opened up
I am really nervous about BF, I didn't do it with DC's as it wasn't really spoken about like it is now and after feeling such a failure at not being able to give birth naturally I wasn't prepared to then fail at something else. This time I am determined that my body will be able to do something it is naturally supposed to do! CS babies are not usually hungry for the first day as they don't get the mucus squeezed out of them in the birth canal, so I am going to try to be led by the baby as to when it wants feeding rather than be told when to do it by a midwife who is trying to fit it into her schedule. The last thing I want is for the first time the baby to not want it and fail straight away.

So I am now on ML, and was thrown the most wonderful surprise baby shower by the team at work, homemade cupcakes with little feet on the top, flowers, hand knitted jacket and bootiies, teddies, 2 hampers of toiletries, and more baby groes than could ever be needed! I was so surprised and overwhelmed, it was lovely.

Here are some baby shower cupcakes for all :)

hello ladies

I meant to ask you worm what was the name of the treatment at the beauty salon re skin tags? I once had them burnt off at the drs with a nitrogen thing or something but they only wanted to do v big ones or if they were catching on something rather than just being unsightly.
Your lady gardening made me laugh. I have the same problem, could just about see last time but not for much longer. I asked DP if he would help me and he wasn't keen, said it wasn't sexy! Hmmmmm. Good that you are excited about your news business, less good that it is interfering with sleep. You need to have your exciting ideas during waking hours! I think if anyone asks me about a second one I'll go mental......or more mental than usual. I'm only planning one anyway...
I also feel quite anxious about something going wrong. Baby is quite active but I'm very worried something will happen. Two miscarriages was bad enough but clearly would be soooo much worse now. In my head I want to avoid being induced but I know if they start with the scare tactics I'll probably cave straight away.....I just wanna have cuddles with my baby! Obviously not quite yet but that will be a good stage to be at.....

hello kool good to hear from you. So pleased everything was good at the scan. I was v keen for movements too and I think mine were quite late although i cannot remember exactly now. Re sleeping on your back, it is a little scare mongery really but I do tend to feel a bit nauseous if I lay on my back now so have to go for side although sometimes wake up with achy hips.

sparkly that does sound a bit extreme for the poor little baba, I guess it would wake them up though!

wombat where are you my lovely? How are you feeling? Would you like a chocolate brownie? they are delicious, all gooeey in the middle...yom yom.

I'm having such a crazy week at work I don't know if I'm coming or going....have soooooo much to do and am very behind and starting to feel a bit stressed as it always seems to be 6pm and I've not done my work for the day. Have so much to do now that I am procrastinating on here!

Am going to a breastfeeding class on Sunday, it is scheduled for 3 hours, surely it won't take that long?

Morning girls, great to hear from you kool , great news on the scan, I take it you are team yellow like me ?
Yes I did mention the blood pumping thingy to mw, she just looked at me like I was mad and mubbled something about having lots more blood circulating at the moment.

Last day at work today I have been awake since 3 can't get back to sleep , I don't feel in the slightest bit tired, very weird! I had all my ideas whirring around my head about my ingenious house and pet minding service and had to get up and write them all down.
I know what you mean about people going on like you will never sleep again yellow .......its most annoying, sleep is over-rated anyway another thing that really peed me off when I had first had dd, was how many people immediately asked will you do it again? To which I always answered in a sarky tone " let's see if I can look after 1 first" basically what they really want to hear is all the birth details, the more horrific the better!

I have the same fears about baby sparkly I so wish I could be hooked up to a monitor permanently, and am obsessing over movements. There still isn't any pattern to babies movements, some days it doesn't seem to stop other days I only feel it if I lay on my side and concentrate. I keep re-assuring myself by thinking statistically there is far greater chance of baby being healthy and here, than not.

I had a right mis-hap the other day when attempting to tidy my " lady garden" . I was going for the neat little triangle look and have ended up bald dh thinks its hilarious. Next time I will use a mirror!
Waves to all

Morning all, is it weird to not be fancying breakfast? What can you tempt me with today?

Sparkly I'm with you on the feeding, sleeping and cuddling .

Yellow I too wonder why people take great delight in gleefully telling you how you'll never sleep again etc etc Not sure what they hope to gain from sharing those "insights". There was a lovely thread on here a few weeks ago about how lovely it all is. It wasn't full of people trying to rose tint it either, it was just full of all the the really special, snuggly stuff. Will try to find it... Thanks for the dream genii info update btw - I'm surprised it's not a great quality thing as it always seems to be marketed as the king of maternity pillows, hmmm, will keeping thinking about it. My very wise (mother of 2) best friend said that sleeping on your back isn't as dangerous as it sometimes appears and said that if it was doing you/baby any harm, your body would realise and you'd wake up feeling a bit dizzy, which would make you turn over anyway. So I'm going with that for the time being

Worm congrats on your new nephew! Wow, I also had no idea that babies didn't wake up if they're hungry....Did you see your ms re your gushing umbilical thingimajig?

Wombat did you see your midwife yet? I think it's really healthy to acknowledge your up and down ness. Better than ignoring it and then feeling the full force of it later on. I've suffered from bouts of depression in the past and always suffered worse if I pretended it wasn't happening. It's good to look out for it now too so that you can be on guard with pn depression. Hugs to you x

I had my 20 week scan yesterday, all looks fine, phew! Utterly paranoid though? As at the moment we're buying a house (bear with me, I'm about to try to make sense) and the surveyors report was full of statements like "x and y look fine but we can only go on what we've seen". I found the scan to be a bit the same! "I've not seen anything I'm worried about" but what if there's something they didn't see? It all seemed thorough and I know they're far more expert in seeing all they need to see, but it all looked so blurry to me! I was expecting it to look loads clearer than the 12 week one but I guess it all depends on the position of the baby? I still don't think I've felt anything and the consultant said it can be as late as 24 weeks in some people. So I'm going to try to be more patient. It was wriggling away in there, so I'm happy. It's apparently a "good size" which I'm thinking is a euphemism for a big un...I'm quite small so it should be interesting to see how things progress !

and those danishes all round I think, we're all starting to wobble a bit as the time gets closer.

Hugs to Wombat, it doesn't seem real does it? People keep asking if I'm excited but that seems utterly the wrong word to me. I'm excited about Christmas and mince pies (too early Yellow, and never with custard! ) and sparkly lights and getting to wear my new White Company bootie slippers that I've been saving.

With Monts I am a bit scared for him that he is still healthy and will come out alive and well, and I can't comprehend such a massive, all consuming presence in our house and in our lives. I'm even nervous how relaxed and blase I am sometimes, because it's all about feeding, sleeping and cuddling surely?! That's my ideal day.
Do you think you're nervous about the actual birth and it's manifesting itself in smaller pockets of explosive stress? I hope the midwife helps you talk things through.
Midwife made me giggle when we had the breastfeeding session, talking about waking baby up to feed. She says most people just prod gently, whispering 'coochy coo, wakey wakey babeeee' whereas she pops them down on some cold flagstones and strips them of all clothing. "That does it!" she announced gleefully.

sorry crossed posts with you! Ah cuddles sound lovely. I don't have much of a clue really either, wouldn't really have thought to wake a baby to feed, would think she'd let me know if hungry I still have the antenatal classes at the hospital and breast feeding workshop to attend so I guess I have time to learn!

Yum, I'll have a bacon buttie pleases!

Ah wombat sorry to hear you are so up and down and not yourself. I guess you are on the brink of a massive life change and it's bound to make you feel a bit apprehensive and add into that all the hormones it is a potent cocktail.

I was getting freaked out about how 'mean' people with kids were being, almost gloating about how tired I'll be etc but I am in a much more positive frame of mind now. I have noticed that I get more negative towards the end of the week so put this down to tiredness, have you been getting enough sleep? I am still on about 9 hours uninterrupted a night and long may it last.

Hope things are going ok with your p's, that can also be an added stress. Don't really have any other advice so here is a big hug and some lemon Danish pastries with icing and some freshly squeezed orange juice.

Sorry you are feeling blue wombat I have no advice though I'm afraid............ I remind you of what said hormones did to me at the exact same stage as you. Watch out for the suckers again 3 days after the birth, they were mental for me. I would start crying for absolutely no reason, then get worse because I knew I had no reason to cry. Chocolate is the answer!!!!! It's really good that your DH is looking out for you, he sounds great.
Thanks for the breastfeeding info, that was something I didn't know.

Welcome back yellow it is amazing how advice has changed, even as little as 10 years ago when I had DS, there was no mention of skin to skin or encouragement at all for BF, also there was regimented advice about the amount to feed, and how long between feeds that has all gone out the window now.

Re the skin tags, these are a menace I have always suffered with. I had all mine zapped off at the local beauty parlour about 8 years ago, some of them have grown back since PG and will be getting zapped again after the birth. I remember when I was about 13 I had one tied at the docs, after about a week, it fell off when I was at a disco and I remember chasing my best friend around the hall with it

I had some lovely cuddles with the new nephew yesterday, has made me so excited to hold ours. Poor DsinL really doent have a clue.......... I had to really bite my tongue re his feeding, aparently he has gone through both nights without feeding I said well as long as he is filling up in the day, and the reply was No not really he has only had a few feeds, doesnt seem hungry!!! I tactfully suggested she may need to be waking him up or he will drop too much weight, at least I hope it was tactful. She was feeding him when we got there, then he came off and got passed to me for cuddles, (without being winded) and tried to latch on to me!! I said I don't think he is full!! Bless I didn't have a clue either and mine have turned out ok.

Right off for my third to last day at work have some bacon cobs...............

Welcome back yellow - glad to read you are back safe and sound and straight into yummy food! HAd to really laugh about mil and her book of advice - if you want to get really technical with her, the foremilk that comes through when you first put bub on boob is more watery and quenches the baby's thirst and after 5 mins or so, the hindmilk comes through which is rich in fats etc which is why it's important to empty one breast before offering the next. I think that formula (while not quite so clever) still has the right combo so that baby is definitely getting enough of the right type of fluids. Please tell me to bog off if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs! YOur mat leave will be here sooner than you know. WEll done for ordering buggy and stuff. WE still haven't watched the dvd of ours to know how to put it together or fitted the car seat but as I keep saying, I don't feel in the slightest bit ready to drop. Off to see ob/gyn in a few mins so will be interested to know what she thinks. Re: the asprin - I stopped at 34 weeks (on advice of ob/gyn).

Will also be speaking to the m/w about how up and down I've been feeling recently - I think it's probably just hormones, but DH is worried it's more serious depression and I'm not really sure. I think he's never seen me like this before as I'm generally pretty happy go lucky and he's not sure what to make of me....I'm not entirely sure what to make of me either. Had a big wobble again yesterday after trying on a nursing bra - wanted to scream and run away and put my head in the sand and kept thinking that everyone else seems to want this baby more than I do..... I'm sure I'll get over it but I do seem rather gloomy about it all.

Enough of that. I think what is needed is copious amounts of home made carrot cake.

Love to you all x

Allo mes amies, I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow I can't believe you guys are going on mat leave so soon.....not that it is soon for you and all well deserved etc but I've still got 9 weeks to go.......Xmas will be in the middle of that though so that should help.

I have skin tags all over my neck too and some of my boobs, I hate them. I find (tmi coming up) if I squeeze them hard they eventually go black and fall off. Not very attractive at all..........

wombat you are so close to the finish line, v exciting. I read that not much weight gets put on at the end but it'll be good to get reassurance. Personally I am staying well away from the scales and closer to the mini chocolate rolls....
I also keep meaning to ask you, at what point did you stop the aspirin? I feel nervous about stopping it as if that was the magic bullet but I guess it has anti clotting properties it wouldn't be good to be still taking by the birth? I know what you mean about parents, mine mean so well but really annoy me after a few hours never mind if they stayed with me. My DP may have to go to Australia on business a few weeks after the birth and my mum has said she'll come and stay but I'm not too sure about that........

worm try not to worry re scans....it does seem amazing that they can miss something like that, esp if they were looking for it but........erm dunno maybe other stuff like organs and that are easier to see?

So you guys had better not all abandon me on here just cos you're not working any more.....and where has harassed got to?

I went shopping with my mil in france and she bought me some cute baby stuff and we've just been online and ordered the buggy and cot and other random stuff. So all that is underway. One funny part was that she was telling me that babies need to drink water but I'd read that they don't need additional water cos the milk is enough. I didn't say anything though but mentioned it to my DP who looked it up online. So then he told her that the advice had changed and then she got out her baby books from 1969 to prove that babies do need water........!!! But what was most funny was all the other outdated advice such as it is fine to smoke as long as it is not more than 5 cigarettes a day! I don't think I'll be taking too much advice from that book!

right I need to go and attend to my roast chicken and roast potatoes!