April 2011 - we'll shop til we pop!

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

Continuation from our old thread here

So maybe this thread we'll see some babies?! And definitely lots more shopping

My friend has sent me some links to some interesting/entertaining reading.

I've just found this cracking website from two ladies who have just written a book in the same vein: Lets-Panic.com

And the original link my friend gave me for some light feminist reading: offbeatmama.com

Should keep those people on early mat leave entertained for a little while!

I would say the commute's not that bad but the trains were screwed AGAIN today. Grrrrrr

On the plus side, DP is working for the lady who runs Roobub and Custard which does nice baby bits. To cheer me up he's taking me with him on Saturday. He'll talk to her DH about work they need doing, she and I will look at baby stuff :@)

Hi all,

Lis I am so that you got to 'properly' see the Scotland v Wales game. I've never managed to see a 6 Nations game anywhere more exciting than down the pub! (Not that it stops me getting excited, my Mum keeps checking on me just in case my over excitement cheering brings on labour. I'm known for getting rather passionate about rugby!)

I have to agree with petal, JoEW speaks words of wisdom. People keep commenting that if I'm in pain now how will I cope with child birth. Difference is labour is quite a short time compared with the however many months of joint pain I've had. Plus I'll be taking stronger stuff than paracetamol!

On a different note DH has learnt what happens to the umbilical cord after it's cut. He then googled umbilical stump and is now traumatised and freaking out at the mere mention of the words tummy button! As the evil wife that I am, I'm happily winding him up by pointing out that once upon a time he'll have had an umbilical stump as well...

tee hee @ Beetle's DH!

I similarly freaked out my year 10s by answering one of their questions with 'yes, the baby does wee in it's amniotic fluid. But why does it wee? Because it's drinking the amniotic fluid too' Swiftly followed by 'what do you mean "eurgghh!", you all did it too!'

Ha ha! Lots of confused teenagers not knowing whether to be grossed out or fascinated!

I am rather annoyed with my work at the moment. I have 3and1/2 weeks left until I start maternity leave. At the beginning of January I wrote them a written request asking if I could reduce my hours from 31 to approx 16-20 on my return which they said they would look into.
It's the deadline at the end of this week for me to confirm DS1's hours at preschool for this September and work still havn't confirmed if they will grant my request and what my hours will be.
HR manager phoned me just before I left today to say sorry they'd been very busy and it wasn't as simple as just granting my request as they have to review all other hours due to changes in job description, other staff retiring etc. He guaranteed I'd be able to return on my current reduced hours of 31 a week which I have done since having DS1, which isn't what I asked and not what I want. So I am none the wiser and just hope they will eventually make a decision and then be willing to accommodate me around DS's preschool hours which I have had to decide on already.
SOMEONE PLEASE PASS ME A LARGE BAR OF CHOCOLATE

lis how rude! Stupid woman.

joew Paris. Have a lovely lovely time.

liv Grrr at HR! Useless. I hope they give you what you want.

notanother are you there??

Already enjoying "Let's Panic About Babies", Thank you Petal. Particularly fond of the section on foods to avoid:

Martinis - contain alcohol, money, sadness
Chamomile tea - contains flowers, death

Ha ha.

Will PM you some Paris info, Jo, on the footing that if you have it you won't need it!

Nursing bras I have some non-specific sized mothercare ones in 10, which I'm wearing at the moment to sleep, 12 and 14 and some nursing sleep bras. I'm hoping that the crossover style will be supportive enough and I can just pop a boob out easily! Then when supply settles down I can go get some pretty ones.

it's the best thing for dealing with HR bods.

Birth....well. It's going to happen whether I want it to or not so I'll plan for best and worst case scenarios and we'll chuck it out the window on the day. My MW agreed with my sentiments - apparently you can't keep them in indefinitely

Oh yes re nursing bras in our class Mon night she said get measured in mothercare or similar at 38 weeks if that helps. My mate said the same thing at the weekend (she has a 3 month old)

Re bras - i would say, if you have changed size already, then maybe get measured near the end. If you are like i was with DS1 and haven't got bigger yet, wait. Use vests until you can get to a shop once your milk comes in.

Not much to report here really, baby still not head down, varying between transverse & heading towards breech

Same here, baby's favourite position at the moment is transverse, sometimes getting to an almost breach diagonal position, although he has seemed to manage to get into the right position a couple of times he doesn't stay there yet.
RE bras, leave as late as possible, assuming you buy before the birth don't buy many, just enough to get you through until you can get measured after milk comes in.
Got driving test tomorrow, hope baby doesn't kick me too much during but he was having a good old stretch during my last lesson so I won't be surprised if he makes it extra uncomfortable for me lol.

good luck with the driving test stuffedmk!

Ditto that!

Good luck stuffedmk

I think my little one has moved head down over the last couple of days. There has been much wriggling, excruciating back ache and my bump has changed shape. Hopefully it will stay put that way.

Hello,

Sorry it?s taken me ages to come back and update you! My parents have taken DD1 out today so I finally have a chance to catch up with m?net

After I spoke to you on Friday, I kept feeling the pressure on my cervix so reluctantly went back to the labour ward on Saturday evening ? where I had another test to see if the chemical was present to indicate baby was about to come. Happily it was negative again . I felt a bit bad as I was assigned to a male doctor but asked for a woman to do the speculum test. I didn?t want to be sexist but they can?t put any gel on it so it?s really important you relax, and I just knew I wouldn?t be able to do that with a young, handsome, sloaney type male doctor

I also felt silly for taking up their time for what was essentially strong BH and a few twinges ? especially as the poor lady in the bed next to me was already 5cm dilated and calling for Allah to come save her! But then I kept imagining how awful I?d feel if I did go into preterm labour and when asked if I?d had any warning, I had to reply ?well yes, I?ve had this pressure on my cervix, sort of like a baby?s head bearing down, for about a week now??

So now it?s back to trying to rest as much as possible and hoping DD2 will go to term. We managed to get to the swimming pool on Sunday (DH had to get both me and DD1 dressed!) which cheered me right up. DD1 finally got some proper attention and while we were in the water, I didn?t feel a single contraction. I could feel my tummy was tightening with my hands but it wasn?t uncomfortable at all. I am really hoping for a water birth in the hospital?s MLU now.

Hope everybody is well? I'm going to catch up with all your news now, if I can keep my eyes open long enough...

Glad to hear all is well notanother

x

Glad to hear all is ok notanother - make sure you take care of yourself and get as much rest as possible! (easier said that done with a DD1 to look after though I'm sure!)

Can I ask for some advise on cot/crib mattresses please?

Are foam ones a no-no? what sort of things are you going for?

Oh Gosh, PMSL at:

Salted Pretzel: Not sure about what looks like a blue cannabis leaf on the mug though maybe pain relief option?! Lol

Alibabaandthefortynappies: I think it is the MN logo?

I must admit, I thought it was a cannabis leaf too! Sign of a mispent youth perhpaps?

NotAnother - glad all is ok. I have such strong BHs that i'm going to mention them to the MW tomorrow but really don't want to raise my profile with the hosp as i still want to have a HBAC if possible.
AM planning on swimming this weekend with DH & the boys, hoping to just float around for a bit while he does all the work

Tip: if you love a deep bath but your bump sticks out of the water now, get some blu-tack and cover the overflow holes before filling the bath. gives you a few more cms worth of water. (Obv remembering to take blu-tack away before DC/DH's use the bath and flood the place!)

Mattress wise I spent about £35 on a Mothercare one for our crib as DP's lovely brother gave us an £100 voucher for Christmas. He's so lovely, he'll be a fab uncle I reckon.

Am feeling really weird today, a bit migrainy. But of course I can't go home, I'm needed at work

Am so sick of it now. Can't even text DP for sympathy as he'll just tell me to come home. He's probably right but I just don't have the mental energy to insist and am worried I'll burst into tears or something.

Two and a bit more weeks, two and a bit more weeks, two and a bit more weeks.....

Have a big hug cycle xx

Thanks Kitty, I feel like such a moaner! I'm sure people put up with worse.

Hmmm, am visualising the cycle up Ditchling Beacon, it's horrendous but worth it when you get to the top. These last two weeks are my Ditchling...

Hi ladies

Cyclebump - do look after yourself, you'll be doing yourself a mischief (another one!) at this rate

NotAnother - pleased everything is still ok, was wondering when you hadn't posted for a day or two!!

stuffed - good luck with the driving test!

Liv - how annoying! Really hope it works out with the pre-school hours

JoEW - have a fab time in Paris! We went for a few nights as part of our honeymoon, it was amazing

lucie - we bought a pocket-sprung, airflow thing from Mothercare when we had DS in a moment of PFB-ness It has been brilliant though and has a removable and washable waterproof outer layer which I really recommend.

I agree about bras - unless you need to get bigger ones now then just get some nursing vests and/or sleep bras until your milk comes in. JL are better than Mothercare for measuring if you have one, Mothercare do the same weird thing that M&S do where they insist on adding 4/5 inches to your actual back measurement to get your band size which for me results in a horrendously fitting bra that gapes and rubs all at once
But Mothercare nursing vests and sleep bras are v.good I think, I've got some just in my normal pre-pregnancy dress size and they fit really well.

I am officially fed up now and would like this baby to come out. DS is going to my parents this weekend so that DH and I can have a grown up weekend, but once that is past then I would like to issue an eviction notice

Just back from my 34wk appt and am very pleased that baby is head down :) Found a trace of protein and a + of glucose but they werent too worried right now.

Stuffed, good luck tomorrow.

Notanother, So pleased the test came back neg. I went in twice before dd2 was born as i wasnt sure if the regular bh's were in fact labour.

Liv How annoying of them, hope it turns out ok.

Stuffed Good luck for tomorrow, fingers crossed

Notanother Glad your ok, so far so good

Alibaba Totally agree about Mothercare sizing it's waaaaay out, JL are brilliant

April Good news on head down