September 2011 - a Happy non-alcoholic New Year!

[Louplet]

Hi

Still whispering the good news but is there anyone else out there wishing they had made the most of the Stilton this Christmas? [Wink]

Hello everyone, hope it is okay to join in. Have just found this thread... Using the free mumsnet app which is taking a bit of getting used to .
I am due 9th sept with my first. Team pink! Can't believe I am 27 weeks today, it is going by so fast ... But also so slowly. Not that that makes any sense!
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend planned!

Hi Miss T, welcome.

Amateur, I know I'm saying I'm all chilled about the birth but really I am a bit scared! I think first time round ignorance was bliss but quite a few of my friends have had pretty heinous experiences since I had DS so now I'm a bit more aware of what can go wrong iyswim. I kind of have this feeling that I had such an easy time of it the first time that surely it must be my turn for something unpleasant!

However, by the same token, this time I deserve a child that sleeps properly as DS was a complete bugger at night for ages. I must have some good karma due on the baby-sleep-front!

amateur I laughed too. Welcome. My approach of attempting to assemble things whilst asking loudly where is the screwdriver where is..... normally results in a would u like some help then? &after 2mins I retreat and make a cuppa letting DH finish it :o job a gooden!
feralgirl I'd love a homebirth option but do understand ur dialema I lived in rural cornwall for 4yrs &close friend is MW at truro. If ur preg low risk ur healthy &relaxed then its gd option. But the MW are vstretched in SW cornwall its gamble if u would hav enough on duty.
I 28wks today having to eat small portions otherwise tum just cannot process food &pain around belly button gets too uncomfortable. Got iron test on Mon hoping I do not have to take iron supplements as hate the affect they have on me. &fingers Xed won't need diabetes test this time as was horrid last time. I don't like lucasade & DD went mental in my tum.

Been told there's 20%off online babies r us this weekend if anyone needs stuff. They had lots tommy tippee stuff on offer in our local store. I got a bottle pack & microwave sterilizer. Our old sterilizer is electric took up lots room on counter so hoping this one ok. But not sure my breast pump will fit in it though will have to check once I actually locate it in loft.

hello everyone, I have not been on computer for months and I have been so bad at keeping in touch on this! How is everyone going? the last time I was on this was at the 12 week point and here we are approaching the 3rd trimester! I hope everyone is getting big bumps!! Had the 20 week scan, all was OK, baby gave us a scare last week when it stopped kicking, a trace at the hosp revealed decelerating heart rate which was marked as suspicious but all is fine now, just a one off blip I hope! Nothing much else to report, ordered pram and nursery furniture. THat was exciting, Mothercare have 50%off Tommee Tippee steriliser just now which I am going to buy tomorrow :-)
Sleeping is becoming more uncomfortable, my back aches in the morning, especially the side of my back,just at the "love handles" bit. only 7 weeks left at work, woo hoo, is anyone else counting down like me!?
anyway, sorry its been so long, now that the app is launched I promise to be more active :-)
Any of you from the wiltshire area

ps major nesting here too :-) currently have no carpets upstairs, just floorboards and DH is tiling the hall floor as we speak whilst swearing lots and making grunting noises too. He is working so hard and I am glad to now see light at the end of tunnel :-) Nice to read all your updates and see the same folks on here - good to be back.
redlaura - congrats on moving
*SSmile" thanks for the tip on babies r us
*feralgirl" my friend had a homebirth in a pool to a 10 pounder, she said it was great. I am personally going for the hospital option in case anything happnes as its my first and I am a panicker.

Hi all

Haven't updated for a while...feels like not much changes at this stage. 28wks tomorrow! In three months we will almost definitely have had a baby! Scary. Getting loads of movement now, although can't really tell which way he's lying - how do people tell that?? DH was lying on my stomach last night and getting kicked in the head . We've made a list now of what else we need, but getting DH to consider actually buying things is easier said than done! It's not even the parting with cold hard cash bit, just the actual thought involved in purchases... Slowly building up our stash of cloth nappies -after a pretty negative experience with one online retailer. It's hard to know what to go for, although we know not to get too many of any one type.

Has anyone else got a birthing ball yet?? I've got SPD so thought it would help with core stability and heard that bouncing from now onwards helps with positioning for birth....but I can't decide where to get one from. Any recommendations? Spent a while looking on t'internet last night - but as usual came away empty handed... Planning on a water homebirth so far, and ball would be good for that too.

xmasevie - I'm in hampshire, so not far from wiltshire; whereabouts are you? sounds scary bout the decels - glad all is ok now.

sleeping is also getting harder here - waking up a lot and getting night sweats :( not even getting up to pee, just waking up. Quite stressed so that's probably why....

Has a pamper session and painted my toenails today as not sure how much longer I'll be able to reach them... Bump is very noticeable now!

Hope all other sept mummies are well x

Evening all. And welcome to the newcomers. app???? Will get downloading.

I'm losing my mind ladies. Due 7th September and thought i was 27 weeks this Wednesday just gone but looks like by the calculations of others I'm 28??? Help!!! For those of you who are yearning for some extra nesting please feel to visit. New central heating being installed after next weekend which entails dave knocking down kitchen walls. DUST EVERYWHERE!! Been planning and ordering our kitchen which dave and his dad plan to install once the heating's done. Spent the day pollyfilla-ing and sanding the main bedroom and have chosen paint which we'll vet up tomorrow evening. We're aiming for kitchen, main bedroom and living room to be done by the time baby arrives. I'm trying to stay zen but we're in the phase of it getting alot worse before it gets better!

Blazing rows with dave yesterday. Basically I'm stressing about everything and doubting dave's ability to do this stuff, which is pretty shitty of me given how he's working his ass off. Can't believe how pregnancy can turn me into such a critical cow!!!

Totally counting down the days until I finish work. 10 weeks but I'm down to four day weeks now.

Sorry not to respond to all your individual posts. Reading them is keeping me going knowing I'm not the only one.

Xxx

I've got a bog standard exercise ball which I bought in Lidl last time and never got around to using as DS was so early. Not sure if that's any different from a birthing ball but the one they had in the birthing unit this week looked exactly like mine.

I have six weeks until I finish work as I've timed it so that I have the summer holidays on full pay before my mat leave kicks in; there are perks to being a teacher My year eleven classes have gone now so I am theoretically on a PT timetable but I've got so much else to do at work that it doesn't actually feel as though my load is any lighter.

RL, people keep asking me how far gone I am and I have no clue in weeks. If you're due on the 7th - I am due on the 5th - then I must also be 28 weeks in as well.

Misty, I can never really tell which way the spawn is lying but I can sometimes make an educated guess as to which bit of it is sticking into my ribs depending on how sharp the pain is.

I am really feeling as though there is just not enough space in my belly for all the stuff that has to fit in there. I was massively sick after lunch today, and I didn't even eat very much. I think maybe the sprog braced itself against my stomach and something had to give!

Hi, I got my 'exercise' ball from Tesco it was £5, the same as I had last time just I couldn't find it in the loft. My DH prob chucked it out as he hated it last time as it took up lots of room in the lounge. This time around my DD loves it as its bright pink but keeps rolling it around and knocking things Doh! I rest on it in the evenings on all fours with a fleece blanket over the top lay my head on the top and watch TV when my stomach just had too much. It helps to take the relief off it. When I am feeling good I do my simple pilates exercises on it and watch TV (only managed that twice as normally just too tttirrreeddd by time got DD into bed after work :o )
I 28wks (due 3rd sept) but keep forgetting too so have now marked a count down on my calender at work and home. Plus just put babycentre my pregancy app from adroid on my phone which tells me daily. Handy as with 2nd baby I really havent been reading up like I was with the first and its nice to be reminded of little things happening inside to me and baby.
Hope you all had a gd weekend despite the rain. I had no toliet for 9hrs on sunday as DH is frantically finishing off new bathroom. Seems like we are all DIY mad at the moment. by 7pm I was nearly in tears I was just SO tired and fed up of it all. My DD was lovely told me to sit somewhere quiet so I would feel better arhhh I was still helping DH to sweep up all the dust at 8pm as he was shattered too and he is now away most of this week with work poor sod.

I picked up my 'birthing' ball at the baby show for free - it does have pampers stamped on it though!
Whilst sitting on it, I circle my hips clockwise then counter-clockwise. I also do figure-of-eights.

Another one on a DIY buzz. Started painting the external walls of our extension on Saturday (which was completed a year ago ), been putting it off as it's pebbledash - it's a slow, laborious process, and uses a lot of paint...

Will also be decorating our bedroom and replacing the downstairs cloakroom over the next few weeks...

Just been to midwife for 28wk check up. All ok I think they took bloods so find out later if they ok. Was surprised as its second she wasn't going to see me until 34wks again!! I asked to see her sooner as my baby this time around is very quiet compared to my first. So she offered to see me at 31wks and 34wks. She said they are really cutting down on the midwives service locally so if its not your first the care feels really limited. Glad I spoke up as this late in the preg I think waiting 6wks to see your midwife is really poor.

Been ages since I posted. Found out on Friday that I have until the end of September to submit the first draft of the complete thesis for my doctorate or I'll have to find another supervisor. It's very hard to get motivated when all I can think of is the baby and I've lost most of my vocabulary. Forgot the word for radiator the other day when talking to the plumber about installing a Rayburn, then forgot the word for Jumper and just had to get up and get it myself.

Feralgirl You can get a birthing pool in a box for £85. Google it. No need to pay £200 for it.

We're also doing DIY as all the other mums I know are telling me I'll need a downstairs toilet once the baby is here. DH is also doing some work in the sitting room. Poor sod took 4 weeks to design and build a cabinet only to make a tiny mistake at the end, which means he'll have to redo most of it.

I'm sitting on my exercise ball all the time now. Got it for £6 at a Charity Shop. I love it so much that I'm considering getting one for every room in the house. Somehow got myself wedged between the ball and my desk yesterday and had to slowly roll myself backwards whilst balancing on it to get out.

Hope you're all well and enjoying the 3rd trimester.

Wow, quite a few updates on here this time.
xmasevie, glad to hear that things seem to be fine again.

Not much to report from here, I am wondering if I should call the hospital to see if they have got the results from my blood test already but I'm too negative thinking at the moment (in the sense of they still haven't got them rather than bad results)
The baby was kicking me a lot in the last 24 hours after a couple of rather quiet days so I was quite relieved and actually thinking that i can not understand women who are complaining about it being uncomfortable as it is just the best sign for me that everything is fine.... until I got kicked soooo hard a couple of times that it was actually painful. So I do understand them a little bit better but I am still happy about it.
Oh, and I got so tired lately. Yesterday I was almost falling asleep during my daughters lunch. I had to put the head on the table to rest.

Hi ladies! First post via the app! Muchbetter but you'll need to excuse my typos
Misty I'm in Chippenham not sure where that is in relation to you?
Our diy project is now in it's 9 month - hub doing it all alone! Final stretch now,nursery,downstairs loo and finishing bedroom. Sympathise with you re crying and dusting at 8pm - I cry regularly for how exhausted he is and how useless I am. He forgets sometimes that I'm
27 weeks preggers as geneally I've been keeping well and I'm not too big yet!
What are your other halves doing about pat leave? We only get stat pay and can't afford him to take it - I'm gutted! You would think companies would at least give dads 2 weeks paid leave - or 90% like we get. Rubbish!
Only 7 wks left at work can't wait - literally falling asleep as I type this
Got a fetal Doppler online and its great. I have an anterior placenta so movements can be few and far between - this is great this wee device.you can also download the app my babys beat which works in third tri as a Doppler - my friend got hb from 32 weeks on it -
Hope you're all ok xx

Hello ladies and lovely to hear all your news. I think I may be one of the lucky ones not doing a major DIY project at the moment but thats because I spent every waking moment renovating the inside of this house for 18 months, putting in new kitchens, bathrooms and a loft conversion, new heating system, boiler, pipework and electrics - so feeling for you all at the moment as I know how tough it can be - just think though how it will be worth it in the end.
xmasevie I understand completely about the paternity leave - my husband runs his own company and so with all my kiddies he has not been able to take paid leave - in fact, it has meant he has had to work through the night when the babies were born as he missed his days work - in the end, I usually end up looking after him as soon as I get home as he is so exhausted and has had no sleep - great fun when you have just had a csection and had no sleep either. I accept now that thats the way it is for us and just bite my tongue when my friends make comments about how lucky we are that we have so much "flexibility" because he is self employed - yeah right!
I had another midwife appointment today and am just about 26 weeks now - all fine so far.
DH has left today for a work commitment in Cardiff and wont be back until midnight on Friday night - just phoned to say he seems to have a problem with the brakes on the car but not to worry - yes because I am just soooo rational and relaxed at the moment! Probably a really bad idea to watch "baby hospital" tonight - wont be doing that again for several years as it was just awful - so I warn any of you that might be tempted - not a good idea in our current states!
Anyway, off for another restless tossy turny night. Hope you all stay well,

Morning all
Working from home today so enjoying an extra hour in bed! Very comforting that I'm not the only one covered in dust and pollyfilla! Dave painted the bedroom ceiling, which is the first bit of reconstruction rather then DE-struction and that feels good. Will be nice to have the main bedroom sorted at last so it doesn't feel like we're squatting!!

So I took delivery of my mothercare value swimsuit the other day. Soooooo flattering I'll be fighting them off! But here's the dilemma!!! I can't see my bikini line, and just because I can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there, and boy does it need some pruning!!! Do you guys reckon hair removal cream is still okay to use. Mixed messages on the web!

As far as paternity leave goes I feel totally selfish as I don't want to give any of mine up. A little while ago he sidles up to me and suggested he takes the last month or so... Which just so happens to coincide with the olympics. He protested just a little too much when I pointed out that coincidence. But, the bottom line for me is if I've worked so hard at getting baby settled in during the cold and wet winter months, I really want to have the summer months to enjoy with the littlun.

I've got it sussed. I'm 28 weeks today. Third trimester officially!

Hi ladies
Blimey, all this DIY'ing, I don't know how you all cope! We'll be moving pretty soon after this little fella arrives, so def no home improvements here!
As for pat leave, well my hubby gets made redundant at end Aug, so no pat leave for him. It's quite good timing in a way, as he'll take 4-6 weeks to be with us before starting work again (decent redundancy package) which will be as a self-employed to start his own business. So things are about to change massively for us with a big move, new job (for him), qualification (for me) and a baby! Has left us feeling a bit in limbo for now, as we just have to get through the next 9-10 wks before all that happens.

xmasevie - I used to live in Chippenham! And Swindon before that. Basingstoke isn't far tbh, but we're off to Norfolk in October.

28wk mw appt today and I've discovered that my belly going hard in one place is a BH, and not him poking a body part out as I thought! In that case I've been having them for weeks, and sat here having a couple more. Feels like proper preg stuff to be having those :)
All fine so far and baby is head down (but could move) so on track for water homebirth.

Has anyone started a birth plan/not going to bother?? I started preg exercise/yoga last week and have started to contemplate how he's getting out of my belly now....Breathe....!

Thanks for tips re: exercise ball. I need 75cm one (tall) so will prob get Birthease one as most cheaper gym balls are 65cm.

Oh, and bumpy I know a little how you feel - just submitted mine and got viva in three weeks.....eek. Also got essay and case report due in 3wks (great timing) and yes it is sooo hard to think of anything other than baby stuff (although tbh, I've never been great at motivating myself...). Good luck with it - feel free to PM me and we can motivate each other :)

Sorry for mega long post! xx

Hi all!
Redlaura - working from home rocks I'm going to ask if I can work from home one day per week for the last month at work. I'm pooped driving 2 hours per day to work.
Misty - shame you're moving to Norfolk or we could have met up! I'm new to chippenham been here 9 months and we don't have any friends or family around.
Minky - paternity leave sucks - if dads don't get paid for the 2 weeks - how do we survive financially
All good here. 27.5 weeks. Baby moving a lot more now and some of the movements are really slow like a limb is poking out. I love feeling them
Midwife app tomorrow :-) bloods for 28 wks next week and 4d scan whoop whoop

DH will def take the basic pat leave for the first two weeks in September and we will just have to live off beans and lentils and walk everywhere. There's no way I'm spending all day every day for the first two weeks looking after a toddler and a newborn!

I earn a lot more than he does so we will do the new paternity leave deal thingy and he'll probably take over at about 6 months-ish and I'll go back to work FT. We'll survive on my full pay and his paternity pay until the baby's 9mo one way or another (credit cards and overdrafts, if last time is anything to go by!) Then he'll go back to work PT, doing about 3.5 days a week.

Re birth plans; I have one in my head but I haven't written anything down. I never got it onto paper last time either so I might try to do it fairly soon so as to avoid being taken by surprise again!

Hi,
Lots of update since I last posted,glad to hear everyone's happily heading into their 3rd trimester, all starting to become more real - especially feeling baby's kicks (and becoming dyslexic and forgetting words!).
I'm also in the midst of DIY - we've been doing our hall for months now - it's a 3 storey job, and with high ceilings, so quite a challenge, and no carpet since christmas so can sympathise xmasevie. Ah well, will all be good when it's done!
Finally started painting it last weekend, and have had this week off so managed to do all the bits I can reach, and tame the garden, and do some clearing out and cleaning - phew - what's "relax" mean again?!
Having a bit of a nightmare with the proposed nursery though - took off the wood panelling along one wall and found the horrors it was hiding - awaiting some plasters' expensive views on the matter, eek!
Re. birthing balls - I bought a 'miracle box' ball from amazon as seemed to be similar price to exercise balls (though not as cheap as ones you've found!) and it comes with exercise suggestions, although so far all I've done is sit on it and wiggle around a bit! Also came in a small size, so more suited for me (there's a larger one too...).
Hubby is taking both weeks paternity leave, and agree it's realy harsh that they only get SPP - what's wrong with the employer being slightly nice and giving a wee bit more?!
Right, will stop my ramblings - can you tell I've not got out much this week ;)?!

Hello all, from another one who's not posted for ages... it's lovely to read everyone's updates, and spooky how so many of us are 'nesting' on a grand scale. We are currently trying to finish the renovation work on a house that we bought over two years ago - the electrician is doing second fix now, and we're just waiting on a date from the plumber as to when he can come back to put in the boiler, rads, underfloor heating etc. Meanwhile DH has been drilling for lights, fixing up cornice everywhere, measuring the floorboards, and I've been painting and sanding with the assistance of our 19yo nephew who's come to visit from Canada for two months. The plan is to be in during August - but we haven't even ordered the kitchen yet (god bless Ikea and their 0% finance)! Anyhow, the best thing about it is that we don't actually have to live in it... paying two mortgages is worth every penny when it means that you can shut the front door and walk away from all the dust back to a civilised space!

Xmasevie you should definitely ask for one day working from home - I do this already and it's a HUGE bonus not having to drive, both financially and physically. Hope your MW appt goes well today. I'm in Wiltshire too - Salisbury, so let me know if you're ever coming down this way - it must be really hard with no support network around you, how are you finding Chippenham?

minkyjj my DH is self-employed too, so totally understand your situation re. no paternity time off, although you have it a LOT harder with all the kids (I've only got one five year old to cope with), and bank holidays are pretty meaningless too eh?! Still, at least the money is coming in I guess

Nights are seriously boring now, I wake up about every two hours and swap sides (with the extra knee-pillow!), although getting a bit paranoid now since reading about the supposed dangers of sleeping on your right side (wish I'd not read that particular news snippet), so trying to spend more time sleeping on LHS than RHS...

Also haven't written up birth plan yet, although I know that I want HB with pool, like last time. BUT last time was well prepared having done my hypnobirthing classes from about 16 weeks, and practiced every other evening. This time I've managed to listen to the relaxation CD just twice! Really hoping that it all comes flooding back, just like riding a bike!!

Blimey - that's more than enough gabble from me - take care y'all!

xmasevie, try to find an antenatal class and later all sort of support groups like breastfeeding cafés (well, I guess only if you are planning to bf), mother and toddler groups,.... and you will meet lots of people and surely some that might become really good friends.

loomer, I knew about the recommendation to sleep on the left side but I have never heard that it is dangerous to sleep on the right side. I keep changing too.
But this time round things seem much better (well, so far) because I've put a blanket between matrass and sheet and I think I might actually add another blanket in a couple of weeks.

birthplan, no, haven't done that yet. I guess I will just look for the old one on the computer and then make changes if needed.

DIY, we will put together a huge wardrobe tomorrow, does that count?

I second the blanket / duvet under the sheet. I sleeping SO much better with this baby, as long as I watch what I eat.
Big mistake last night ate takeaway battered chips oh dear been a bloated vuncomfortable whale all day DOh! When will I learn to stick to lentil soup and weetabix!!

Birth Plan - do I need one with a planned C-sec? Last time around the whole thing went out the window so not bothered at all this time other than asking to see an aneastistics (sp?) before birth as I wanted to discuss my options.