October 2010 Ready or Not, Here We Come

[ILoveGregoryHouse]

You can't hide....

Tyson Thats so rubbish, is there another group near you at all?

I was just at the Supermarket buying some carrots (I know, I'm living it up these days) and I saw a woman with a baby in a buggy, the baby was protesting very loudly and as I walked past I could see why as the lady had piled all her fruit and veg on top of the poor little guy. I think I would have been protesting as well.

I normally go to the messy play at the local surestart centre as it is a different atmosphere but missed it this morning as I was enjoying having a lazy morning. Big mistake! :)

Some groups are really cliquey. The one I go to has taken weeks/months to get regular mums I chat too, but it is the closest to me so it was worth it, as they all live round the corner and will go to the same school.

It's like school all over again, only this time I have learnt to ignore the cool girls/the bitchy cliquey ones and hang out with the happy misfits!

seashells I wish you were around when we were labelling ourselves in school, 'happy misfits' sounds so much better than 'bunch of loosers' IMO.

Lol Hermya, when I was a teenager I thought myself a loser; I've got comfortable enough with myself to be a happy misfit now I'm nearly 30!!!

Please can I join the happy misfits? I still feel awkward picking the children up from school and I have been doing it 4 years. I am quite shy too and find it very difficult to go up to strangers and start talking. Dreading mother and toddler again!! I might try the local surestart though if it is a better atmosphere!

I dont remember if I said it earlier but welcome to baby Ella the girls are definitely keen! Hoping my girl will follow suit :)

no nesting here either, although feeling very hormonal! I am all over the place today... sign??

wow congratulations floozie and jennimoo and welcome to the world babies zazie and ella, how exciting!!

I'm getting nervous about baby groups too, I think a lot of the women round here are all older (I saw them all coming out of the group once), and I'm scared I won't fit in. Seems crazy as I'm 29. I've made a nice friend in our village with children though so hopefully there will be a few others hidden away!

anywya, dh has obviously decided its time baby arrived, he's just coming back wiht curry

Thats made me nervous about baby groups as well!! Tired I was surprised when I went to antenatal classes that I was one of the youngest there (I'm 32!) A lot of people have recommended the Surestart so will have to try them out as I am sure it will be a lifeline having some other 'mummy' friends.

Surestart is good, and the Nct bumps and babies groups tend to be good (but like everything, they are all different).

A good group is a sanity saver so give them a go :)

tf, I'm 'older' (36) and I too feel apprehensive about these mother and baby groups. I'm very happy doing my own thing, love my own space, and it works for me, but I think I'll need to get out of my comfort zone for the sake of this baby's social life! We'll see!

Does anyone remember I said a while ago I felt a bit left out that I hadn't had a baby shower? A friend has just called me and suggested one. But I am now 39 weeks along, I don't know, I just can't think if it's worth it, it's so last minute, and I just feel weird. Bless her, she's had so much on her plate (ill mum, wedding vows renewal abroad, other stuff) and said she'd thought someone else would organise something for me by now, and as no one had, she'd like to, if I'd like it? I can't work out if I do. I don't have one group of friends; I have a friend here, a friend there, all over the country, I just can't see how it would work easily with the people that matter to me, dunno dunno dunno. Sorry, just offloading here in the hope it'll clarify things (it hasn't yet!). Any advice? If I tell my friend not to bother, will I feel regret later on that I didn't have one? I hate the idea of people feeling they need to buy a gift too, I just thought I'd like a bit of a party, but that's a bit indulgent and me me me, which isn't very me! And quite often the idea is better than the reality anyway! She's suggested I could have a baby shower for when the baby gets here, if it all feels a bit much now, but who's to know if I'll be up for it then, with a newborn?

Rather than a baby shower why don't the two of you (plus others if they "go together") go to a spa for the afternoon or something that will be hard to do once LO is here? Chances are LO will turn up the minute you plan anything

It's hard to know what to do! Everyone will want to meet the baby too-constant stream of visitors :)

Abfab Actually I felt the same way, I don't think it's me me me. I think sometimes you just want to celebrate a new chapter in your life and tbh why wouldn't you want to do that with your friends. If you do decide to go ahead it doesn't have to be anything big, it could be a group of you getting together and going somewhere nice for lunch. As for presents you could always ask people to bring you a meal to put in your freezer instead of something for the baby, that way you'll have food for afterwards and people will feel like they've contributed.

TF I know what you mean about Mum and baby groups, my church have one that I've been along to a few times but I'll be one of the youngest there. It felt a bit strange tbh. I did manage to pounce on one of the girls in my antenatel class and I'm meeting up with her for coffee later on in the week.

I didnt mean to put everybody off the mums and tots groups, im sure there must be some good ones or they wouldnt of lastest so long. :)
Surestart is good, i didnt realise they existed till ds was 1 yrs old but they do baby groups, messy play, stay and play and music for tots, some even do free swimming classes for lo's. I guess i thought mums and tots would be similar.

lilmiss I'm all hormonal tonight too. Been clinging to dh & he was only out an hour!

SS, I didn't think I could do a spa pregnant - you can't enjoy the steam room, Jacuzzi or sauna, can you?

Could go to Pizza Express or similar as per Hermya's idea. Have a tiny freezer section in our fridge though, and it is already stacked. Plus I hate 'suggesting' gifts, like I expect anything.

Tyson, perhaps they just suit some mums better than others?

Possibly, but my mum and mil both had similar experiences and they are like chalk and cheese lol

It seemed a eventful weekend for a few of us including me.

Went in for routine monitoring on fri morn 10am and there was a heartrate dip on the read out, so they wanted to repeat it in a couple of hrs. Went out had lunch, did shopping, went back at 1pm monitored again this time there were 3 dips, the consultant said as i was due to be induced on mon, they thought they would do it the following morning, she went away came back and said let's do it tonight because of the static growth, dipping heartrate. So away we went again had to come back at 6 (had bags in the car already incase it happen quickly) as I was 2-3cm already they only had to break my waters.

Did this at 9.50pm starting contracting straight away was being monitored all the time they give you 2hrs and if you haven't progressed they give you the
hormone drip, examined at midnight still only 3cm I
was gutted thenthe contractions started to increase so
they let me carry on at 1am I was 5cm. I was still onthe monitor and with each contractions babys
heartrate was dropping and taking its time to come
back up i have to say its not the nicest sound to hear
when uour in labour i had to try and keep on my left
side as baby was happy. My body was shaking and
the contrations were coming thick and fast . 2am 8cm

& at 2.04 baby was delivered. The reason for the heartrate dropping the cord was round the neck 3 times once that was released he made small sounds and placed on my chest and the flavour of the new arrival is blue. Weighing in at 6lbs 4oz & named Phineas Fred.
I can't get over how small he is and now the fun starts.

Congratulations to the others.

Wow! Congratulations loobyloo :) welcome to the world phineas! What a weekend

Abfab- no you can't, but I spent a hen do recently at one and had facials/pedicure/pamper/swam and generally lounged about chatting and eating. A restaurant is a good idea too-whatever you'd enjoy!

Congratulations Loobyboo & Phineas!

Our first boy, I hope mine is not too far behind.

looby, awesome work - and wow, what a truly BRILLIANT name! I love it! Many many congratulations, bet you are sooo happy right now! Hello, Phineas.

Tyson, suppose we should try a few, and see what fits. Some groups may suit some mums, depends who else is there too, huh.

SeaShells, thanks, it's a lovely idea! :) I shall think on it!

Loobyloo Congratulations on Phineas!!

I've just been swooning over Richard Armitage in Spooks, I swear that man gets more and more beautiful. I feel my day will involve a reviewing of North and South tomorrow.

Wow - congrats Floozie and Jennimoo - two very different experiences but the end result - two beautiful baby girls. Cross fingers Zazie is out of the incubator and in your arms soon, Floozie.

It does feel very 'real' now doesn't it!

Had one of those days when I literally feel like I'm sleepwalking - not through lack of sleep - I'm just lacking in all kind of energy. Getting a bit worried I won't have any strength to actually do the 'labour' bit!

When I had my first I had a lovely toddler & baby mum's group to go to but I've moved since then and not sure if there's anything around here that good. Always felt better when I got out of the house with the baby though - I would get quite stressed at home if the baby cried a lot & I had no-one else to talk to - so for me the group was a lifeline, even if it just made sure I got up, went outside and saw other people with screaming babies too!

good night!

jb x

Blimey - loobyloo as well - and what a wonderful name, Phineas! Hadn't read the extra messages when I posted so missed yours (while eating dinner!) & cross posted.

Congrats loobyloo Brill name choice and welcome to our first baby boy