Feb 2011 - The home stretch! Let's see more of those babies :-)

[WanderingInAWinterWonderland]

A shiny new thread for a shiny new year.

Lovely news eaurouge, you'll be fine, baby will sleep the whole time on the plane Looks like you all jinxed me with your bloody cleaning yesterday!! Have spent most of afternoon, cleaning shower, on hands and knees with bleach and cotton buds for the hard to reach bits!!!!! I would like to point out that shower is not actually dirty

Girls are still off school/playgroup, they don't go back until after the Ephinany, so all curled up watching tv, dvd. Mr Wiggles let them watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe over Christmas, he at least had the good sense to tape it and they are obsessed with it. I think they are far too young but its funny what kids latch onto

Thanks for the carpel tunnel syndrome pointers - sounds like that's what it is. I'll try some frozen peas and see if they help!

Just got back from a gorgeous reflexology session. So chilled out and for the first time in a week I can finally breathe through my nose (which had been stuffed up with this cold everyone's got). Bring on a great night's sleep!

Hi all, hope you're enjoying the getting fatter and sitting on the sofa stage (or the manic cleaning stage - depending on which way you swing!).

Just a quick question from me, is anyone still at work and absolutely exhausted? I'm here until next week and by this time of day I can barely stand up - I'm so achey and just generally tired, so much so I needed a 3 hour nap when I got home these past 2 days! Should I expect this to get better when I finish work? Or am I doomed to crippling tiredness for the next 5 years?!

Hi ElleB...I'm still working and yes am really, really tired. I'm a freelancer though, with no nice maternity leave entitlement, so am pushing myself to go on as long as possible. I don't feel like I make much sense when I'm working, though, and do everything extremely slowly!

god ive been nesting like mad,have tidied all dds toys and put her xmas stuff away phew.I then did the utility room and toy cupboard and play/family room.Dh wanted to watch dvd's but i said we should get on,he was in a right strop like a child,all petulant-knobhead.
I thought my waters had gone last night ihad a sort of trickle,felt all tearfull and emotional it was weird.No sign tho.Section is 3 wks today just finalised my bags and packed big bess some bigger gros just in case,cant remember who asked but yes,i am now measuring 40 wks at 36,most uncomfortable.
Have heard that mat hosp may bann all visitors except partners due to swine flu,shame for dd,ill prob come home even earlier now if all is well.

ledk - can´t believe you will have your baby so soon! bad news re. visitors but good if it means you get home quicker. how long do they normally keep you after a section?

Elleb - i am still working but only 3 days a week, even that I am finding a strain at the moment so can totally understand if you are full time it is taking its toll. At least we really are on the final countdown now!

Finally finished the playroom - chucked out about 3 bags of miscellaneous rubbish/ broken toys and put some of the less used toys away, looks miles better now and makes the new influx of toys not look so bad.

Feeling knackered now though! Hoping dh takes ds off out for a walk soon so I can flop. fingers crossed.

ElleB I took two weeks off for xmas and go back on Monday, but as I've spent most of the last week sitting on the sofa or dozing in bed I'm not sure how the "working" thing is going to pan out! I'm meant to put n another 5 weeks.... hmmmmmm.

Hi Ladies

I'm due 11 Feb - your posts are making LOL! Thank you. :)

I'm 27 and this is my first pregnancy - mixed feelings on an hour to hour basis from happy, excited and laughing to nervous, scared and teary!

Also very anxious about post birth - you see, I'm the first of my friends to have children. The people at my NCT clases weren't there to make friends and people at my yoga class keep themselves to themselves.
Basically I'm scared of being lonely when my partners goes back to work and all the friends and family calm down with the visits!

Is there anyone else out there in the same boat/have a group of mums/mums to be that wouldn't mind another joining in for chats, coffee and cake?

ElleB I'm still at work til next Friday - I will be 38+2. Thought it'd be a good idea to keep going as long as possible to have more time off with baby but omg I'm regretting it. The commute is knackering and I'm not doing a good job when I am there! Took the afternoon off today it was bliss - had my hair highlighted and fell asleep!!!!

Anyone else feel like they can't possibly go to 40 weeks? I feel so big and tired and like the baby is pressing down all the time!

Hi knasher where r u? There must be someone on here who will be near you

knasher29 When I had dd1 I was the first of my friends/relatives etc but I'm quite a grumpy old soul so mixing with other people didn't bother me so much but my best friend did baby yoga and made some great friends. There are lots of posters etc up at my GPs, midwives offices advertising parent and baby clubs and you might get some info from health visitor. I loved getting out with the baby and when I was up for it I used to take dd1 out for a big walk every day for about 1 hour, it was great and people were so cooey and lovely over a new baby

Lulabel I am 35 weeks and am wondering how much longer I can go, my dds were both late by a week but this one has always felt really different and I am convinced it may come a bit early, of course that means I'll probably be sitting here like Norma No Mates into March

knasher, welcome to the thread! I was the first of my group of friends to have a baby and it was a bit daunting at first but once I realised that everyone at playgroup had been there, some quite recently, I soon made friends.

It's a bit like starting school, you just have to strike up conversations with total strangers and invite random mums round for a cuppa and you'll soon make friends. If there's a surestart centre near you then there'll be all sorts of groups like baby massage that you can sign up to and meet other parents.

welcome knasher and other new people joining us recently. Sorry bit of a quick selfish post:
Today walking to and from school got pain really los down, in what I'd call the pubic bone, which would come and go, but get some relief if i breathed deeply, then suddenly it would come back double the strength and it'd stop me from moving, just for a couple of seconds. It felt really low down, not like what a contraction or BH sounds like, what could it have been?

Knitta sounds like it could be a bit of SPD. If you tell your MW they'll probably give you some exercises to do and some dos and don'ts (how not to stand, sit etc). I was getting pain so told MW and she referred me to physio. I had a group session today where the physio gave us exercises to do etc. She said that with the exercises the pain can often be managed (although it can be quite debilitating and painful) which I think mine will be but some people need further physio.

Knasher Hello and welcome to the thread! Congratulations on your due Feb baby! Do you know the sex? I'm the same age as you but was 23 nearly 24 when I had my first DD so I know how you're feeling re being the first to have a baby! I can't echo what others have said about playgroups enough, particularly the surestart children's centres! They have been invaluable to me and DD and we've both made loads of friends. Some toddler groups can be a bit hard to crack into at first (it feels like everyone else knows each other and you feel like a bit of an outsider) but don't let that put you off - keep going and try others out. It's easier joining with a baby anyway, IME, as people tend to strike up conversations about babies but not so much about 3 year olds! I'm a parent helper at our local children's centres, not so much now that DD is at preschool but I intend to get more involved again when I have this baby. It's good because you get to know the staff too!

Wiggles it was DD's first full day back at preschool yesterday. I was taking the decorations down but I very nearly put Nick Jr on for background noise, then I realised that I didn't actually want to watch it!

hello ladies and welcome to the newbies, hope u r all well. Quick question for u all, is it a routine thing for midwives to measure your fundal height? I ask because i have not once been measured.

As for the nesting i am now cleaning like a mentalist! we managed to fix up the baby's nursery its soooo pretty, i keep going in for a wee look when i am upstairs. Cant wait till baby comes now.

Janedoe they're supposed to measure you at every appointment. How many weeks are you?

We haven't got a nursery for the baby this time (she's going to be sharing with DD once she's out of our room) but I loved having the nursery ready last time! I kept going in to look at all the tiny clothes in the wardrobe. It's so lovely, isn't it and makes you feel really excited to know that soon there's going to be a little person sleeping in there!

I meant to add - my friend who is using the same name as me is being induced at 37 weeks due to Obstetric cholestasis . She seems fine though and is popping round for a catch up on tues as she's started her maternity leave. It means that she'll be having a January baby instead of February. She was only due a week before me so I was hoping I would beat her to the finish line then it wouldn't look like I'd copied her name !

knasher I was also the first of my group of friends to have a baby as I had DS when I was 23. DH is 10 years older than me so it felt right for us. I found the SureStart centre to be a fab place to strike up friendships and remain close friends with the women I met there now. I would say don't worry if the ppl at your antenatal classes seem a bit antisocial as thus will soon change once they have their babies!!! I don't know how it works in your area but we can go and weigh the baby at a clinic held at the SS centre instead of the surgery so you will meet a lot if people there. Agree that you will have to just invite randoms round for a coffee :-) I did that loads and now have a great circle of "mum" friends!!!

We're in London tonight and have just had yummy hotel room service :-) have had to forego half my main course in order to cram in my dessert lol but DH is currently eyeing it up so not a waste!!!

Meeting a friend tomorrow to do yet more shopping for the baby haha! This baby is going to need some more wardrobe space lol!

Thanks ladies - whoops - I thought I had written where I live!! Baby brain!! Yes, if any of you live in London I'd love to meet up! :)

When you said that wandering I thought you meant there was another wanderingsheep on the thread. Duh!!

Am incredibly tired and in pain today, did loads with DD including swimmimg which was probably a mistake because my SPD is AGONY I can barely walk. MW said she'd sent a referral for physio through for me but this was in the middle of December and I've heard nothing. They are pretty crap round here I think.

Welcome knasher- where have you been the last 8 months?!!

ledkr you bloody astound me, 4 kids already, 12 years older than me and nesting, cleaning, working- I want some of what you're having!!

janedoe, I never got measured until today either! My midwife usually seems to be competing to achieve Britain's speediest ante-natal appointments, but today she had a student with her who was brilliant, and did all the stuff they're meant to. She even gave me time to ask questions about the baby's positioning.

ok third time and several hours after first attempt am trying to post! frustrating!

Hi knasher.. welcome from another newbie i agree with what the others have said. I had my first at 29 and first of all my (local) friends to have a baby. Honestly it was a wee bit lonely but I found a breastfeeding support group and a mum and baby group and they got me out of the house a couple of times a week. Was nice to just speak to other mums for that few hours and I did make a couple of friends that I still have 3.5 yrs later. Just sign up for what you can and don´t be scared to get chatting! This year about 8 friends have had their first babies and I have been a bit envious of them but to be totally honest they still don´t get together crazy often.

Wandering - i was really confused by that too! wasn´t til i read debka´s post that it clicked. lol.

My mw was measuring fundal height but at last 30 week appt she said my bump had dropped and i guess that´s why she didn´t bother measuring. not sure how that squares with the scan finding the baby is breech. Can your bump drop if baby is breech? or can it drop with baby head down and then baby turns and it goes back up again? hmmm...

no nursery for us either this time, baby will be with us and then i guess in with ds1. haven´t really thought it through that far yet! lol. still haven´t got a moses basket. should try to get a bit more sorted i think.

knitta - not sure what that pain could be, SPD sprang to mind but only from what others have said, I´ve never had it. is it still sore?

Hope you are all having a lovely night, got a busy day tomorrow so won´t be a late one i don´t think.

Lol at another WanderingSheep! There'd better not be! No coincidently she's having a girl, like me and has chosen the same name! Neither of us are bothered (it's not like it's an unusual name or anything, it's often in the top 20) and mine will probably be known as a nickname anyway.

Knasher I'm up North but I was in London for a few months a few months ago. That's a shame as I could have done with a friend while I was down there!

Hi everyone, thanks for feedback on the negative hb comment! 40weeks I'm on the 2nd floor. Midwife was here today to go through the checklist with me & assess the flat. She said the staircase was wider than average so should pose no probs if I have to transfer. She said it'd be a chair that they'd use. She felt every other aspect of the flat was fine & gave me some pointers as to what I should get in. She is extremely positive now and said I was the "ideal" hb candidate which was nice to hear! Thanks for your thoughts too Breezey. I've always felt comfortable with my decision but feel even more buoyed by today's visit! Feels very real now & very exciting! EauRouge I too hate negative opinions when they aren't asked for, I like your stock reply! I'm just not feeling up for anything confrontational just now! I'm too achey and tired but in a great place mentally so determined no one is going to get me down! Anyway, despite all that baby has been breach again for a while today, very sore! This baby has 2 weeks to get down permanently! Should I be rocking on all fours?! I'll give it a go, DP away so not a bad way to watch Eastenders. 40weeks i got the Bugaboo cup holder when DD was a toddler & it only seemed right to use it for her drinks! This time with baby it will hold my Costa! Rock n roll as you say!
I've been reading with interest the baby sling & bf stuff, I looked at the Close baby carrier on eBay which looks great tho don't know if it's good for bf? Is the ring sling better for this? Didn't go this route at all last time, just had a BabyBjorn carrier which I used a lot but not as intimate as the slings & the idea of more discreet bf is appealing! I'm impressed by all of the nesting going on! Still haven't packed my bag but will make a start thus weekend when I start to get stored items back from my mums house! Been on a major organising / cleaning thing though it feels like it's a room a day so can't see the end in sight yet! I'm so loving time off work and I'm sorry to say that when a few of you are still there! I have every respect for you as I know how hard it is at this stage, hope you'll be off & relaxing soon!

Hi knasher - welcome to the thread! I second what everyone else has been saying about surestart centres, I made some great friends there at the breastfeeding and first time parent's group, and now our toddlers go to the same nursery. I'm planning to rejoin the breastfeeding group from next week to get to know some new people and to start peer supporting there again. Good luck!

Not sure if this counts as nesting (perhaps extreme nesting...) but today I have arranged for both a tree surgeon to come and quote for removing a couple of large conifers from my garden that have been annoying me for ages, and a decorator to come and quote for painting the hall, stairs and landing.

knitta also sounds like it could be SPD to me - mine often leaves me in agony and unable to move if I make a slightly twisted movement. I have physio monthly to straighten me out and it works wonders (for a few days at least).