The PESH Deli - No ESH left behind

[PerfectDromedary]

I have opened the virtual gin, found the Desperate Romantics and am about to start playing I've Never. Who's with me?

Muse Bugaboo is tres expensive and I have an irrational hatred of the brand due to working in Richmond...:)

Am thinking either this or this

Oh I like those Drom. I know what you mean about Bugaboos, the brand is so very smug. And god they're expensive. The thought of spending that much is a bit horrific and I am not convinced it's necessary. They are on my list to try out though and would probably depend on us finding a good second hand one.

Although, I would really like a pram where the baby could face me to start with. So I can talk nonsense to it more easily. Yes, I am going to be one of those mothers.

My thoughts on slings: someone gave me their old Baby Bjorn type one - I have D cup boobs when not pregnant and they went up to about and F/G when first breastfeeding - well, I could barely get the harness over them and it was so uncomfortable. I used a Closer babysling in the end. I didn't use it as much as I thought I would, mainly because I looked ridiculous and bore more than a passing resemblance to a Kari Krishna devotee when wearing it . I did however manage to work out how to BF in it and there were times that was a godsend as it was so easy and discreet (and handsfree)

Muse not silly to want bub to face you. I felt like that and would want that again.

Finally rang midwife about the whole slapped cheek thing. In direct contrast to the doctors she got into rather higher gear than me about the whole thing and so now I have a blood test tomorrow to see if i iz immune or wot.

It's not a bad thing, Muse - studies have shown that babies are generally happier and more alert when facing whoever's pushing their pram/buggy. They need soooo much eye contact with faces and seeing facial expressions and hearing words and watching the mouth - is all essential for top development. I'll be one of those new mothers too, with baby facing me, and proud of it

I hear you on the Bugaboo thing however, there is a reason why they are so popular and that is because they are generally very good especailly. I haven't really heard a bad thing against them. They are small, lightweight, face both ways, adapt as baby grows, good to hang your shopping on(!) and the customer service is pretty excellent etc. As they are so popular now it is not really a trendy baby accessory/symbol, it is simply a good practical pram solution. I think anyone buying a pram as a "status" thing is a bit wrong, I bought mine because it was best for my needs (I discounted the Torro, I-Candy Apple and the whole selection of Mamas and Papas ones).

Cass, everything crossed that the slapped cheek test will be fine

Just to join in the buggy debate - we got a bugaboo, thanks for MIL, first time round. Yes, it is brilliant and light and easy to use and blah blah blah. But it drives me nuts that it cannot be folded down without dismantling it first. I wish that we had gone with a friends suggestion at the time, which was a MacLaren techno or something of a similar ilk, and spent more on a decent sling.

I would happily flog the Bug on ebay, but TG won't hear of it as he thinks it is excellent. And his mother paid for it. Mind you, he will probably use it for a couple of weekends, and I will end up using the sling this time most of the time, so he may come round to my way of thinking. We've bought one of these with an infant insert and I think I will get a moby/carry me as well. Baybee had better bloody well like the sling, or at least get used to it!

switty I get that. Everytime they put me on the sodding machine it stressed me up and we just watched the numbers rise... every 5 minutes for 30. :( Every time the numbers went up I stressed more and it was this horrible cycle. Mine hit 185/125 the first night in hospital which was pretty scary although I felt fine. However, I was very pleased with the hospital experience overall, I found the testing stressful and the worry of what was going to happen terrifying. In a way I'm glad that my blood pressure didn't come down because I was getting more and more upset being in bed and couldn't have spent weeks in hospital waiting. Did they measure the baby? I think they made the decision to induce me because of the blood pressure which did come down, but was still at around 140/110 and when they did an echo they saw that Bear was no longer growing... :( As soon as they said "we're going to induce you" it was a huge relief for me - however because I'd been so stressed the previous two nights and barely slept I was already exhausted before it started. But, but, but - I left the hospital healthy and so did Bear. Which hospital are you at? I've stayed at the AZ Jan Portaels (Vilvoorde) and thought they were wonderful.

Sorry to butt in. I just wanted to agree with scorps - my SIL did a study as part of a her MEd and research showed how babies were so much more engaged and responsive to facial expression, tone of voice and eye contact than babies who faced the other way. They also stuck a camera at baby eye level on buggies facing away from the pusher and it was quite scary - lots of legs and wheels!

Just lurking.

Also meant to say Switty, can you not get signed off work for a week or two? I agree with the others - your body is trying to tell you to slow down!

I haz Mothercare My3 for number of reasons:

3 wheeler
Has either car seat or pram and the pram bit changes to sit up seat meaning less storage at home
Folds down easy
Had £50 off offer
MIL was buying!!

Been out shopping this afternoon and now I am crackered. Proper. Got a sharp pain in my right side under my bust like I had months ago. Not sure if it's a foot or a pulled muscle.

cassie all is crossed for the blood test tmw. I am off to the hosp for an appt. Guess I can cancel the mw appt I have later in the week as surely don't need two?

I've just related the following factoid in the Palais, but it bears repeating here: just had to go to new Doc to be referred to the MW - lovely LadyDoc told me that I'm the OLDEST preggo they've got registered with them currently Do I win an award? I know the area's got a big teen pg rate, but that's just hilarious!

Today I have eaten an entire pack of jam doughnuts. 5 of them. Ooops.

They seemed to cure the nausea that sent me home from work a treat though.

Aargh, someone is doing the "the cat will sleep on the baby and suffocate it" line. They have heard too many stories of it happening.

Really? Have you really? Actual real life stories from people it has actually happened to? Or stories of the "it happened to my sister's auntie's third cousin" or "this woman once somewhere".

I have never heard such a story. Not once. And I know many a person with cats and babies. I have googled and got a lot of "oooh, it could happen" and one newspaper story where it was being investigated as a possibility because the cat was near the baby when discovered. Very sad. But I'd be willing to bet it was SIDS.

Well done Scorps that is a bit of an achievement.

2days left at work! Tomorrow I have NCT class for half a day so really it is only 1.5 days left! I have been saving up loads of tasks and items to buy for my mat leave but bought pads for vag today (not our Vag but my foo foo vag) as I had pains in tum tum and panicked that with no bag packed at all that I should at least be slightly ready with some pads for vag.

My cats don?t want anything to do with wah wah baby. Too noisy. In fact when baby entered room, cats would haul their arses up and relocate to another room. They now "tolerate" him however I could NEVER imagine them relaxing and sleeping on top of him, ever.

Evening ladeez,
Thanks for the kind thoughts. I hear ya on the stay at home/rest/feet up advice and I know it's sense. I have a lovely boss who I think would let me work from home from next week on, so depending how things go at my check-up on Friday morning, if I can keep working, that might be the way to go I reckon. In the meantime, I am taking it very easy and letting darling boyfy look after me. I am actually still working - mainly because I need a sick cert to do otherwise and no-one offered me one and I didn't think to ask. I also actually feel good - but am v aware of taking it easy and not stressing...

Thanks for letting me know more about how it went for you Alpine. It's really helpful to be able to compare. For me, because the blood and urine work was clear and the monitoring print outs for the baby were all good, we did't actually go down the road of scanning the growth, but last week she was bang on at the 3rd trimester scan, so hopefully all well. My blood pressure also came down very quickly - it was just a bit freaky the way it shot back up again a few times. Anyway.

I am interested in the pram talk. The Quinny also faces both ways. Hurrah! It's nice to hear some positive feedback on it from a user curly - a lot of people seem to hate it - not really what you want to hear when you have just purchased it. But it seems pretty nifty to me. I actually do have the pram part too - planning on using that as a carry cot in our room for the first weeks. I still have to get a car seat plus adaptor for it. Will get around to that in the coming weeks...

scorps congratulations on your trail-blazing pregnancy! You carry the torch of the Besh.

Doughnuts hmmm. Could be interesting. Time to see about having some dinner.

The My3 does both ways too.

scorps clearly you are due a medal! I did see an advert for a programme called " I am pregnant and ...." and one of the options Was 55.

Nowt wrong w'donuts. Carbs, fruit and sucre - all essential growing bayberry ingredients. Fill ya boots!

Muse - I was talking about getting a cat to my mum at the weekend and she was all 'ooh, but once you have the baby it'll either bugger off or smother it...'. I pointed out that she has had 3 kids & 2 cats and did either of them bugger off or ever try to smother any of us....? Umm, no

My friend got a cat net. Apparently the cats thought it made a great hammock.

Did I forget to congratulate GrannyScorps on her impressive achievement? I look forward to the Living documentary.

Hello!

Fuck me I can't keep up with you lot or the palace. Bastard work getting in the way of my social life.

stew glad you getting checked. From what I read in my 'What's That Rash?' book (not actually a party game, just a particularly bizarre present from mr gin's grandma ) the rash would've been short-lived and would've started with a fever. If that helps at all. Is obviously not as useful as the test! :)

muse scary re nephew but am so glad all's well. Also agree intermittent movement v normal at start.

witty make sure you carry on looking after yourself. Them's your orders :)

On pram debate... After cs I couldn't use a sling. We got a bugaboo on ebay and it has been great, only just stopped using it and mooch will be 3 soon. Didn't use any other pram or owt during that time so price doesn't seem too mental. Did use a baby carrier for a while sometimes... Will also use same pram next time so actually works out a bargain! I managed to break it and had whole chassis replaced under warranty. and my dad was all and that a pram could be so much... Until he tried it :)

Just had big homebirth risk chat with mr gin prior to consultant appt tomorrow. Made him read a load of stuff on vbac. Erk. Scan and scary consultant tomorrow am...wish me luck peshies

Best of luck gin

OMG anyone watching "Wedding House" on Channel 4? What a load of dross.

Good luck for the chat tomorrow gin. Go get your homebirth.

I am not feeling Bob much at all today either. Definitely shifted away. Bah. I miss the bubbles.

muse the bubbles will be back. Bob's just knackered himself out.

Re. Cats. Shame people don't give more thought about their pet dogs which could do way more than a cat. Most cats run for the hills or, oohh get me what a revelation, we / the parents are capable of keeping an eye out for wandering cats. Doh!