To be really excited that a woman is having a baby. Again. I mean, no one else has ever had a baby, have they?

[dougierose]

And it's going to be on the TELLY! And in the papers. And all over Twitter. We've got three weeks of this.

[Sparklingbrook]

She knew what she was taking on when she married into the Royal family. If I was her I would be keen to have a home birth and piss everyone off. Ha!

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

At least now the Queen Mum's dead the bookies won't get ripped off over the name. She took William Hill for 25k over Harry.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

The thing is, I think it is the papers/Sky TV etc who are much more excited about this than the average member of the public

I'm about Kate's age, have two DC and am pregnant - so in the same demographic and therefore perceived wisdom would say that I would be very interested.

I'm not in the slightest bit bothered and neither are any of my friends. I'm not checking social media and news websites constantly to see if there is any news. I couldn't care less what maternity clothes Kate (or Catherine or whatever) wears I'm slightly interested in the name - as I hope they don't chose one of our favourites and then we can't use it

What I think is interesting is to contrast this with the general public feel when Diana was pregnant. According to MIL and my DM, there were tons of people who were desperate to know william and Harry's names so they could use them and the pregnancies/births were part of the general chatter - eg supermarket check out people asking what you thought Diana would have etc for months before the birth

I think most people (apart from the very small minority queuing up outside the hospital and Kay Burley) are completely disengaged with the royal family and I wouldn't be surprised if in two generations time it's defunct or only has a very minor ceremonial role such as opening of parliament - basically just another civil service role

[NerrSnerr]

I find it hard to get worked up over. On the day they leave hospital. I'll look at the photos and think how lovely and that will be that.

Gives people something to moan about though doesn't it?

[lem73]

I actually felt sorry for Kate last time round with the crowds outside the hospital. She went way up in my estimation with how she handled herself.
I remember reading in an biography of Marie Antoinette that the room was filled with courtiers when she was giving birth so I guess it could be worse!

[mistybluebellwoods]

Happening at a similar time of the election is a rather stark reminder that this child will be entitled to the best of everything due to an inherited title and funded by the taxpayer wealth, whilst the rest of us squabble over whether people earning £6.50 an hour should pay tax or not, whether nurses' jobs should be cut or not and whether those in social housing should be able to buy their property or not.

I've given up even caring about it but it does depress me that sticking pictures of perfectly groomed and coiffed men and women in front of us makes us clasp our hands and say 'ahh! How lovely!'

[AliceLidl]

You're all being really mean.

Last time was brilliant. They had a bloke carry a gold easel outside to announce the birth, did you miss that? A gold easel.

If I ever have another baby very unlikely the first thing I'm getting from Babies R Us is a gold easel to announce the birth with.

I don't know how we managed without one last time.

Although the downside of that is at the first whiff of an easel, Kay Burley will turn up and make someone cry.

[GingerCuddleMonster]

aww but it will be a cute squishy newborn, you can't hate squishy newborns.

I'm with the others who feel sorry for her, I was glad I could sneak out of hospital at 10pm in the dark after a 3hour release, I looked horrendous wet hair, puffy and holding my swinging empty potato sack belly and doing some kind of Monty python ministry of funny walks the world's press would not have been "ideal"

[Sparklingbrook]

seriously why doesn't she have a home birth? In Norfolk where I think they live. Give one picture to the press about a week later. Job done.
No need to run the gauntlet of crazed fans at all really.

[mistybluebellwoods]

I don't hate 'squishy newborns'; I hate the fact that this particular 'squishy newborn' is considered 'better' than mine. I hate the fact that my children will have to bow or curtsy to him or her should they meet. I hate the fact that the best of everything - healthcare, education, clothing, toiletries - will always be freely available to him or her. I hate the fact nannies and servants are available on tap to change the baby's nappy as elsewhere elderly people sit in their own urine; I hate what the baby represents - the very worst of 'british values.'

[CornChips]

Alice thank you..... now I wish I had a gold easel too.

I felt sorry for her too alst time..... people waiting, camping out, helicopters hovering, media all looking at their watches and commenting how long it was taking..... Kay Burkey asking someone 'she still has a baby tummy, why is that?' 2 minutes after she gave birth. All that attention, comment, the lack of privacy etc. I think it would be utterly ghastly.

Would not mind their new house and her clothing budget though.

[CornChips]

Oh, and yy to most of what misty says.

[MadAsgardian]

You know we could just repost all the threads that popped up when George was born. They'll all be the same. Plus the ones after the baby is born about using Nannies, car seats fitted incorrectly and how quickly she goes back to "work".

[Sparklingbrook]

Good idea Mad.

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

ginger - you might have looked s bit better if you had had a hairdresser and s make up artist available though? And an aide who brought you various carefully ironed outfits to chose from. Plus, if you had had a nice private room with two midwives on call at all times to ensure that you were fully supported whilst establishing breast feeding and you were never short of pain relief. And everyone was quite happy for you to stay as long as you wanted. Rather than punting you out dazed and confused in the middle of the night due to bed shortages.

I'm assuming you didn't have these facilities available to you so it's not surprising you didn't feel quite so dinky do on release.

[GingerCuddleMonster]

misty I think you may be a tiny bit jealous/envious more than hate if I'm honest because said squishy newborn will have a privileged life. Don't be envious said squishy baby will have a life hounded by the press, thrust in to the eye of the media and the world. Will be judged and scrutenised constantly, it's not a life I'd wish for DS. Swings and roundabouts and all that.

[Northernlurker]

I have a theory that she actually DOES intend to give birth in Norfolk 'accidentally'. I also think she probably had post natal depression after George's birth and nothing is as easy as it may look.
I unashamedly like Wills and Kate. I think they are a perfectly pleasant couple who would really like NOT to have people camping on pavements etc. There are some total nutters out there. There were some pictures last week of George and Kate at a farm park. Clearly paparazzi shots, they have featured on many of the Kate blogs with people speculating that it was a set up to a) show she was a mum really or b) get the press off her back (would be a fail in that case as quite rightly the UK papers haven't published) and that further we (they) deserve to see the shots of a child playing because his parents have unreasonably kept him out of the public eye. Imagine living with that - that people think your baby is their property and they have a right to see him. The country is like the worst MIL EVER!

[ginslinger]

And her hair - how good her hair looked. Don't forget the hair!

[Sparklingbrook]

I really hope she does Northern an 'oops we didn't make it to the capital' on time home birth in Norfolk would be the best thing ever.

[EdithWeston]

Perhaps MN could have a topic, so that all those who want to be excited and do it together, and all those who don't care can hide it? Considerate for all, and all that

Oh, hang on...

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Ahh I am quite excited, but im done having babies so have a crazy part of me that gets quite excited about celebrity pregnancies. I remember last time the waiting for them to leave hospital and face all those crowds.

For me I just like to know what people have called their babies. I am equally looking forward to Keira Knightly having her baby and learning the name.

[mistybluebellwoods]

I'm not remotely jealous. I used my children as a general example - no ones child is 'superior' to someone else's and I hate the thought of it.

That is not the same as envy. Like most republicans I spend very little thought on the royals, other than to think they should not be here. That isn't because I am jealous but because I am against all that they represent.

[GingerCuddleMonster]

gobble no magic ironed dress was going to make a deflated me look much better . I looked like someone had put a pin in the Michelin Man!

I still stand by, I feel sorry for her though, she can't exactly just forget about appearance for once and go home in peace with said newborn. It's not a life I'd like or choose.

[Sparklingbrook]

There is a Royal topic but people always post in AIBU about the Royals so that they can put their point across about how disgraceful they are.

I would think most of the bajillion threads that will appear when this baby arrives will be in AIBU.

[Behooven]

I'm looking forward to it, quite like a bit of royal action.