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]

Xmasevie, it's all him. It's always all him when you're pg (or at least this is what I tell myself ) I get The Look and The Sigh quite frequently as well. And why is it that they don't understand that hearing them tell you that they are tired is absolutely infuriating?! They have no idea what tiredness is.

I have had the week from hell this week: my boss is actually losing the plot I think and is making everyone's lives a complete misery at work which is a nightmare.

And then today we had planned to go to the big festival/ carnival thing in the town where I work and couldn't go because DH took DS swimming first and didn't notice that he still had his rabbit toy (it's like a fifth limb) under his arm as they walked into the pool. Of course the rabbit went into the pool, DS went berserk and we had to come home in order to wash and dry the damn thing, missing the big parade in the process.

DH and I had a huge row in the car, he accused me of putting work above everything and I sat in the car while he took DS to the park, crying hysterically, as parents dragged small children past telling them not to stare at the crazy lady losing the plot.

On the plus side though, xmasevie, you've got a really lovely pic of your DC which must be great. My friend paid £100 to have one done and her pics were really rubbish!

Ssmile, I'm in Cornwall; where are you holidaying? Hope the drive down's been OK and that the weather improves, it's a bit grim in my bit at the moment...

feeling all your pain girls. Most monumental row with dave on wed. I was hysterical trying to explain to him that im not coping with all the work and he just wasn't getting it. Thought i was critisising him when hes working so hard. Totally different wavelenghts. Perhaps this is normal, well it sounds like it is because there's more than one of us who thinks our partner is in a different universe to us!

And YES, quite frankly, it IS all them. Men just aren't able to empathise like we can.

So ladies, we're mostly fabulous, and they're generally idiots. Lovable idiots..

Probably just part of the process... Take care of yourselves.

Minky, we're doing lots of discussions about names too. Polly Rose for a girl and maybe Dylan Heath for a boy (Rose and Heath are both family names). Not sure about Dylan though; I am changing my mind on a weekly basis. I really like Oliver Xmasevie, but my best mate's son is called that so it's a no-no for us! It's dead hard naming your DCs when you're a teacher; all the names we come up with remind me of some 'orrible kid I've taught!

I agree, men are annoying. Luckily for me, my DH goes up to London a lot for work and is always much nicer when we don't see too much of each other. I also get the bed to myself... Yay! My PhD supervisor however, is an effing %#$&! I've got my upgrade meeting on Wednesday and he's insisting on a Gantt chart detailing when I'll complete each chapter. I've tried to explain that I can't commit to a definite time frame because I don't know what I'm going to be like once the baby arrives and also in my current state, I can't really concentrate for long periods of time. He's copying other people in to his emails now, just to cover his own back I'm sure, trying to make out I'm lazy and sloppy with my work. Arrgh! What should I do for the meeting on Wednesday? Should I wear something that really exaggerates the bump or play down the pregnancy? If I exaggerate the bump, then I might get some sympathy, but also raise doubts about my ability to finish, but if I play it down, I lose out on the sympathy. Probably should just concentrate on doing a good job instead of trying to use my current "condition" to gain points. What a great mum I'm going to be! Hope you're all well and your men start to behave. I find a period of absence is always helpful.

Bumpy Please remember that his behaviour would possibly be viewed as discrimination in any legal proceeding - that is why he is copying people in on his emails as he is probably worried about you making a complaint. Whether its a job or a phd doesnt matter, the fact is that with a pregnancy it is a medical issue that means that undue pressure could be construed as unreasonable. If a manager in any employment situation was pushing you to commit to deadlines when you were a new parent or even pushing you to decide on whether you would return to work it would not be allowed - so how does a PhD supervisor have any greater powers? I would be honest and try to set reasonable deadlines but emphasize that there needs to be flexibility because of your medical circumstances. I would also be keeping copies of all emails you send and notes of conversations and dates etc just in case you need it - then try not to worry as its not you that is wrong.
I had another consultant check today at 28 weeks and it seems that I may have a UTI which could also explain the number of braxton hicks contractions I am getting. The urine sample showed something that needs testing but they didnt tell me how long I have to wait for the results. Seemingly you dont always have symptoms but if untreated a UTI can cause premature labour - I now wonder whether my last two early births could have been caused by this! Whatever, I am now a little panicked till the results come in. I also have to go for another baby scan in 4 weeks time to check all is okay and I am seeing a neurologist for a possible MRI scan on my brain in 3 weeks - all go here! Good news was my measurements today looked spot on and we heard the heartbeat loud and clear which was great as my dd came with me and was so excited as she hasnt heard it before (she is nearly 9 and getting very excited!).
This week is a long one and I am exhausted. Tomorrow I have to do battle with ds's school because of another child who has shredded his trousers with a pair of scissors while he was wearing them! I am so fed up of dealing with problems at this school - one day we will manage to get him into his local school and hopefully leave these problems behind us but until then its just a question of dealing with ongoing problems and trying not to lose my cool! Anyway, off to bed to recharge my batteries to deal with the next round in the ring!

Thank you all for your support on the unfair men front! Things much better now. I enjoyed reading your posts and they cheered me up. An 11 hour working day for me today. So tired you have no idea.
Baby wasn't moving much again, anterior placenta side effects. So I went on ctg trace and all is fine.
Minkyj - I had ketones in my urine on Monday - which was the really hot day so I was probably dehydrated, next day it was glucose I had in. No surprise given the chocolate fix I had the previous evening.
Not much other goss here. Started nct classes :-) second session tomorrow evening, I cant wait. Xx

Bah, so tired this morning that I was sick twice. Cannot believe that I am still puking at 30 weeks. Bloody absurd!

HI, Oh dear all seem to be having DH/P problems. I can throughly recommend a lovely sunny relaxing week away in Cornwall! We had fab time very chilled out and my DH really started to realised how much energy it takes to look after a 4yr all day and how much I am slowing down with this pregnancy. So currently have lovely attentive DH. It was funny because I hadn't realised quite how much I tune out my DD incessant chatter and monologue / attention requirements until seeing my DH trying to keep his cool with her :o at end of another hot sunny day.
Not looking forward to Tues when back to work for 4-5 long wks until I go on A/L for 3 wks then hopefully planned C-sec. Tum getting v.large and baby moves getting more uncomfortable as less room to move around.

Loving having the paddling pool out in the garden though, the easiest way to entertain little people and cool my feet at the same time ;-)
Hope you all manage to keep cool this lovely weekend. Just downed a pint of chocolate milk yum my current fav tipple...

Glad to hear you had a nice holiday ssmile, where in Cornwall were you? A week in Cornwall isn't that relaxing for me as I live here anyway but it's always nice to hear people saying how lovely it is!

We are also loving the paddling pool/ sandpit/ hose/ eating raspberries, strawberries, peas and beans straight out of the garden atm. Could bloody murder a G&T though...

I used to live on the lizard so I know what its like to live in cornwall through busy holiday makers &foggy winters but its lovely place I miss. We moved to nr Exeter for work.
Off to see midwife tom 31wk+3 so hope is well. I've been taking lowest dose of iron liquid I could get away with so hope she doesn't do bloods again!
Hope u all keeping cool in the sun.

very jealous of your holiday ssmile and sorry to hear you're still being sick feralgirl! Not good this late in the day! Have you tried drinking lucozade thorugh the night?

Had my first NCT class today. Really enjoyed it actually. I was worried it would be a bit cheesy at times but was really informative and a really nice group of people there too!

Then must blew the budget at mothercare! Babies = expensive!

Keep cool, ladies!

x

Will try the Lucozade; I think it's mainly just because I'm working way too hard so I get to the end of the week and I am absolutely exhausted. Roll on the summer holidays, I cannot believe I've got another three weeks of school to get through

Sorry to hear your suffering feralgirl have u had your iron levels checked? Mine were low and last 2wks I've been having little top up with floradax liquid iron and vhealthy diet and I feel SO much more energized and generally better. It might be worth a try. It's helped with my sick feeling too by eating half sized portions. Gd luck hope u can get some rest soon.

Sorry to hear your suffering feralgirl have u had your iron levels checked? Mine were low and last 2wks I've been having little top up with floradax liquid iron and vhealthy diet and I feel SO much more energized and generally better. It might be worth a try. It's helped with my sick feeling too by eating half sized portions. Gd luck hope u can get some rest soon.

On separate note this maybe TMI but anyone else struggling with keeping body hair under control! Can barely reach legs to shave now and as for bikini area its a case of shave by touch :o I've not had wax before but seriously considering it now. But does it hurt more if u preg? Last time I didn't worry too much as carried DD mostly in winter. But was bit embarrassed to be shaved on op theater by MW for emcs I know its not logical everything else u go through but I still remember it!

Oh dear guess it was tmi. Has everyone gone into hiding.......:o
I had gd swim on thurs but now I dread getting out the pool. When I'm in I feel SO light& normal then as I climb the steps out gravity takes over & I feel the 2stone heavier I really am!
Hope everyone else is doing ok & DIY is progressing for those racing to get done before our little people arrive. Our bathroom is 80% there now but still no sink. Getting fed up of brushing teeth in kitchen sink as can't lean over it properly. Dropped DD at preschool this wk with lovely white residual around mouth no wonder two of mums looked at me odd. Only realised when got to work used the bathroom mirror We haven't got one at mo.

Aww, no it wasn't tmi ssmile :)! I've been having same prob for a while and semi-stopped caring- it is quite disconcerting to no longer be able to see parts of my body! Think I can just about manage toenail painting (well did the other week), though it did take me about five mins to get my walking boots on the other day!
Sorry to hear about others oh's being a bit frustrating, mine just seems to have similar symptoms to me rather than offering sympathy! I've just started to get nasty leg cramps in middle of night, so we'll see how long before he develops them ;)
I finished my nct course a couple of weeks go- thought it was really good and a lovely bunch of people. First of their babies was born last Monday, and whilst I can't wait to meet the wee one, think it'll make me rather impatient for own!
Not much else to report here- still working on nursery- had to get a leak in roof fixed and now we have to put up some plasterboard before any decorating, but I've stocked up on wallpaper and fabric samples, oops!
Hope everyone else doing well. Apologies for another rambling post! Oh and think we've chosen our nappies- totsbots- any opinions(sorry, know we covered this before but I'm too lazy to go and find it via my phone...)
Take care

Hello all! Not posted for a couple of weeks where does the time go?
I'm midway through nct MEERKAT it's a good laugh but think it's quite slow paced! We are still on labour after three sessions! I think teacher frustrated with our group cos we ask so many questions. Lovely group
Of people though.
Had glucose in my urine twice consecutively now. Anyone else had this? So I've To go for glucose monitoring on Thursday to check for the gestational diabetes
Still doing DIY here! Final stretch.
Got given bundles of baby boy and girl clothes from my sisters last weekend. I now have so much stuff! It's great.
Hope you are all great
Xxx

Gd luck *xmasevie I had glucose test with my first preg. Do take a snack with u for after as they don't always give u anything and I was vwobbly after. My sister also picked me up after. If u don't like fizzy drinks like me you can let the lucazade go flat the night before. I was all clear but my sister did develop ges diabetes in her preg and she said it was ok she just had to follow a strict diet in last 8wks of pregnancy which with hindsight she said was gd as it stopped her putting on too much weight. Gd luck.

Def not tmi ssmile, you made me as I have all but given up with my bikini line (out of sight, out of mind I figure!) I just about manage to shave my legs so I can take DS to his swimming lessons once a week but it is getting more and more tiresome. I reckon I'll just pay someone to wax me from my ankles to my waist in a couple of weeks' time when I really can't reach anything anymore!

Got all the noob clothes down out of the loft today

Ps no bikini line here either! Mines are long enough to blinking French comb and style

Meerkat11 I love Totsbots. Used them with DS1 and DS2 and will be using them again for DC3 . Easy to wash and dry and no problems with leaking.

Getting v tired now. Heat not helping AT ALL. Looking forward to finishing work (last day 1 August) though I doubt DS1 and DS2 will give me much chance to rest!

Glad to hear such glowing recommendation louplet [hsmile] (sorry just wanted to try a wizardy one!).
I actually got my DH to try and shave at least the top of my bikini line last night (MW appt today), and he did a reasonable job, though perhaps a bit too cautious! I did go swimming yesterday even without shaved legs (they weren't too bad though) - must be starting to lose my pride (or other appropriate word)...
Went to my NHS antenatal physio session and she told us standing on one leg isn't such a good idea anymore, so even trying to wash myself might get interesting in next few weeks, oops!
On a more serious note, I have been thinking about home birth and a birth pool since even before pregnancy, and having been more or less dismissed my mw at initial booking appt, I decided to bring it up again today (wk32, and all going well). Apart from trying to ignore the home birth bit for a while, she eventually gave in and discussed it with me, and now I have to continue to worry about the risk factor associated with it. Sorry I've forgotten who has had an HB, and what their experience was, but would be interested in opinions. We live about 15 mins away from hospital (with us driving), and DH is worried about risk, as well as practicality of filling up a birthing pool... any experiences?! Obviously I have looked around the internet including MN, but after today's discussion, I'd like other input...
Ta!

Meerkat, that's a bit rubbish that your MW is a bit dismissive; mine are well into HBs (but Cornwall's rates are well above the national everage, I guess because it takes people a while to get to hospital). I think I'm going to do the HB route as I hated my local hospital when I had DS. I'm not sure if I would do it if it was my first though (can't remember if this is your DC1?)

I figure the risks of hospital (statistically more likely to have a longer labour, more likely to involve intervention, MRSA, longer recovery time) outweigh the risks of HB (higher infant mortality rate) DH would prefer us to go to the local birthing unit and I am torn between the two but the idea of not having to get in the car whilst in labour is incredibly appealing (it was horrible last time).

I'm looking at this for a pool which comes with a hose for filling. I figure I'll hire it as I don't want to be stuck with it afterwards and then, if I'm early and don't get to use it, I don't have to have it!

Meerkat I've already bragged on here about my wonderful HB, but just to re-iterate it was my first child and I had a completely normal pregnancy, so I could see no reason not to give it a go (plus we only live ten minutes from hospital, so would have been pretty easy to get there if I changed my mind). I felt that I should at least aim for the HB I wanted, because I could always change my mind at the last minute if I felt otherwise on the day... whereas you can't do the reverse (suddenly decide you want a HB at the last minute).

It probably helped that my team of community midwives were all very positive about it. They dropped off two tanks of entinox about a week before due date (although I didn't use them in the end), and we bought a pool on the internet, which my DH focussed on filling - it was a bit of a mission (we drained the hot water tank pretty quickly, and then it was kettle and saucepans a go-go!) but if you have a combi boiler this probably wouldn't be an issue. The pool was absolutely blissful to climb into, and I definitely want to have it again second time around - I don't think I could have done it without (although maybe the entinox would have been a good substitute - I totally forgot about it until afterwards when the midwife came back to collect!).

It's a real shame that your MW isn't positive about the idea - do you think she can be convinced? Hopefully there are others on her team who are more experienced/enthusiastic - after all she won't necessarily be the one attending the birth. I can only say that it worked brilliantly for me, and I would be a bit disappointed if I had to go into hospital this time around for any reason (after all, hospitals are where you go when you're ill, not when you're perfectly healthy). But each to their own, you know?

I'm intrigued about being advised not to stand on one leg - what's the issue there? Last time I had to do just that in order to get my [whispers] perineal massage done... ??

I've not attempted any kind of bikini line action for weeks and weeks. I am very happy to be hairy and natural 'down there', although I haven't been near a swimming pool either! I am rather excited however about booking myself a full body massage next week - my lower back is really sore and I can't wait to be pummeled