Mad March in the PESH deli; in like a lion, out like a lamb?

[Medee]

BESH BAYBEES

dontrythisathome, girl born March 25.
Cheggers, twinz girlz, born April.
FannyPriceless, boy, born June 8.
CurlyCasper, girl, born June 24.
CUNextTuesday, boy, born June 29.
AlpinePony, boy, born 1 July.
Carrots, boy, born July.
IggyPiggy, girl, born July.
Cosmosis, boy, born Sept 5.
Backinthebox, boy, born Sept 7.
Skatergrrrl, girl, born Sept 10.
VAG, boy, born Oct 2.
Silversky, boy, born Nov 1
SomethingSuitablyWitty, girl born Nov 2
okiecokie, girl, born Nov 12
Honeymoo, boy, born Nov 11
ReginaMonologue, boy, born Nov 13
Maswera, boy, born Dec 24
PollyPoo, girl, born Jan 5
MrsFC, boy, born Jan 7
ChoChoSan, girl, born 6 Feb
Ginhag, boy born 11 Feb
Muser, girl, born 15 Feb
CluckyKate, boy, born 18 Feb
Perfect Dromedary, boy, born 23rd February

UPDIFFED

Medee, Gah! Top of the list! Was due March 12
Casserole, cracking open the sunroof on March 31
Scorpette, thinking of displaying her enorma-bump at freak shows, due 18th May.
Laurielou, the unmarried hussy with the "surprise" diff, due 31 May (ish)
Rocketleaf, sprouting out all over the place, due 1st June.
TwinkleToes, supergluing her fanjo shut, due 20 June.
Orchid, hoping for a zen like child, due 1st July
Ginfox, loving the new mega-boobs, due 12th July.
LadyGoneGaga, Has lost her waist, due 24 July
Ivegotmrbitey, appears to have eaten posh spice, due 27th July.
Milanomum, eating for 7, due Aug 6th
Owlbooty, suddenly weeble-shaped, due 7th August
Ocarina, there's a what in there?! due late August
Mountie, too shy to shine, due Autumn
Truffkin, growing a padawan, due 17th November

Well done Meds - fab news there. Just another 2cm and you'll be in active labour . Sounds like you just need to get those oxytocin levels going - laughter helps so get some funny DVDs out (Michael McIntyre worked for me), have your fav food for tea (I had fillet steak with blue cheese sauce), box of choccies and put your feet up. The walking's good but you also need to conserve energy for tomorrow.

I put babychick in his grobag last week - he was 4 weeks and has slept soundly at night ever since without needing to co-cleep (still wakes to feed but goes straight off after).

Fear not Lozza - baby girls are born with enormoflanges too due to mothers hormones, hence why they are sometimes confused with boys. They do go down so enjoy while it lasts

go medee! sounds to me like your body is preparing itself nicely. You're 2-3cms already, which seems far on for me cause I was on labour ward while cervix tightly shut! Looking forward to you having your babe in arms by end of tomorrow. All the best.

On the vests front, I had a stack of short sleeves which were not used all winter. What a waste. in fact, she was still in long sleeve vest, pjs and 2.5 tog bag last night. i suppose it's time to cut to short sleeves underneath. which is better as one fewer set of sleeves to dip in food.

'congrats on all the lovely scans and flava news!

That's all sounding v encouraging Medee, especially that you're feeling happier about it all.

OK, thicko question, why can't you put newborns in gro-bags? Not that I've even thought that far yet.... (Although we do now have a cot for when baby grows a bit, which is a little scary - real baby furniture in our house.)

Oh that is brilliant Medee, round one in the beat the hospital race goes to you! And that's fab news about still being able to have a water birth tomorrow as well isn't it? Marvellous :)

Is it in case they slip down into it Ocky? Miniboo always hated them much to my disappointment, he always wanted to have his legs free to kick them about.

I bet they would wiggle down and get stuck at the bottom. Y'know, like they do in cots if you don't put them feet to foot.

I was planning on taping the bottom half of my PFB into a binliner each night to catch the fallout. That's acceptable parenting, isn't it?

Good work medee! Hope you are getting your fluffy towels ready

I wonder if we gorgeous bunch should open up a freak show stall at the BESH fun fair? I will be BITEY! The Bottom Bearded Lady*

Gro-bags are one of those items that just make my womble jump for joy! Hope BiteyBach likes them.

Owlie that is a fab idea and you should deffo contribute to the practical parenting chapter in the manual.

*Poetic license on the lady there.

Ah meds well done for sticking to your guns! I hope the walk is doing the trick but not tiring you out too much. You sound so much happier about the whole thing which is prob the most important thing (PMA people!!) great news on still being able to get the birth you want in the MLU, oohh so exciting!

I love how you lot have adopted enormoflange this afternoon :o On the foot front I haven't got to much swelling yet (although calves and thighs are defo much chunkier, I just put that down to all the carbs I've been troughing) which is bloody lucky seeing as I have eff all chance of getting a foot massage off TB. He HATES feet, but at least he doesn't flinch from back rubs (or washing up) so that's something.

I luff those grobag things, we have a couple on the JL list and I bought a teeny cute yellow one for 50p at the NCT sale. So I guess that inevitably will mean Sprout will hate them. Good tip on the not for new born thing, the JL smallest ones do say 0-6 months on them so prob wouldn't have realised that. So at what point do they become 0 and not NB?

pol your BB luffs is so lovely to hear She is gorgeous and I bet smiles and giggles make her even more so.

I think you can use gro-bags once the bubba is 10lb. BB hated being swaddled but loves her gro-bag.

Sorry for delay Loz, I've been out in the garden all afternoon. Boo is pretty nonplussed by BB atm . She occasionally sticks her face in BB's and coos at her and is disappointed if BB doesn't immediately smile. We've had some bad behaviour - temper tantrums and attention seeking, but nothing major and to be expected really. At least she doesn't take her frustrations out on BB.

Well done Meds on your negotiating skills! You sound much happier - I really hope things kick off for you over night, all the signs sound promising.

I just found some bags of breast milk in the freezer, made me howl. Silly innit? Even though we are all much happier with the FF, the lack of BF still feels like a failure.

Ooh ooh! BB is trying to find her thumb, it is beyond cute! I hope she is a thumb sucker - then I can ditch the dummies.

pol you have finished this hormonal wreck off! She sounds absolutely gorgeous! I am just a puddle of goo and the FDH will have to cook his own tea!

I'm glad you realise how daft it is to feel like a failure over the BF, but :( that that doesn't stop you feeling it. It's great to hear how well you're all doing though, and BB sounds just adorable. The kind of things you and the other FESHes post when they're being lovely gives me hope that I might survive the baby phase (but it's also good to hear the reality of the tough bits too - I'm probably just better at imagining those for myself than the nice bits).

So are you going to turn the breast milk into icecream and sell it for a stupid amount of money?!

Pol In the garden - lucky buggar BB does indeed sound adorable, & none the worse off for being FF. But you know that really, don't you? Sorry you feel like a failure - you only have to see a chuckling BB to know that you are far from that. Boo sounds pretty good with BB - long may that continue!

Rocket I would happily massage your tootsies for you if I can fit in one last meet with you before you drop

We'll be putting The Lad in a shoebox for the first few months, so no need for a gro-bag or worrying about wiggling down anywhere Love your binliner plan, Booty

Pol, turn that regret into positivity and give BB some of your lovingly stored milk whilst stocks last - that way she IS getting yummy breast milk (and you free up freezer space for more ice-cream! ). It must upset you, poor old stick, but glad you realise you are not in any way failing her. Staying sad and feeding weakly would've been the crap choice, not getting better and filling her up Boo sounds pretty good for an newly-made older child, I reckon - and with a face like hers, she could get away with blue murder if she so wished (well, she could with me - melt!).

Don't be so quick to hope for a thumbsucker, though, take it from me - I still find my thumb in my mouth! I'm terrible for sucking my thumb in the cinema in particular. It's cute as a tot, not so great as a grown woman... (although I guess there's a grubby corner of the internet where I could good make good money from it, yuck!). Not that it means she'll keep it up after infanthood, of course!

Quick flyby to wish Meds an easy, sneezy birth, however it gets started. All sounds like you're doing the right thing. And muchos kudos for thinking about what you want to happen.

Have not been posting much because newborn weeks = crazeeeee. Is like having a different baby every day. The most important things I have learned: a) get out of the house every day, even if it's only to buy a paper b) make sure you have nice people near you going through the same stuff. The combo of the East Lahndan ESH massive and my amazing NCT group has kept me from throwing self off the balcony at times and c) the more support you can muster, the better. My parents and the in-laws have cooked and washed and calmed the baby and I am super-grateful.

Am lurking for baby news - can't wait for more ESHlets!

Hello all. Just wanted to say a big woop for Medee, and I hope that baby gets moving tonight. But however it happens, once you're little one is here it'll be amazing.

We are back from visit to my dad. It was good fun but also very hard work. Glad to be home and wishing we lived closer to my dad.

Lovely to see you here, Drom and glad you have been getting support. And well done, Muse on your trip north - very impressed!

Medee! So pleases you managed to compromise with the white-coated ones in the hospital. Of course, whatever happens, it will all go wonderfully and you'll be cooing over your own baby very soon!

Loz thank god someone lese mentioned the enormoflange (TM Rocket) - I was beginning to think something was terribly wrong. Maybe that's why you always see pregnant women waddling then, no?

Re the grobags - I'm pretty sure we used them shortly after birth (maybe after a month) because we had the type that folded and buttoned back at the bottom so there was no getting lost in there. But I really can't remeber very well at all. I won't be using them until he is about 3 months old because it'll be too hot here until Sept. And no, not even nice enviable hot -just sweaty and horrible. Can't wait to BF in that.

poll sounds like BB is a happy little bunny. I's say you deserve a big pat on the back for that!

Drom and muse lovely to see you here! Drom I think it took me 3 months to get out of that whaddyameanihaveababycanijustsleepplease haze. And getting out of the house is most definitely the best thing you can do for it.

Am so tired, yet suffering from mid-night insomnia. Tiny little things wake me up and then I can't get back to sleep for aaages. I know I had a really great idea during that time and now can't remember any of it. Lost moments of genius

Pleases? Pleased obviously.

Yaay! Hello, Drom - lovely to see you back in here :) Sounds like you have your hands full but also sounds like you've got wonderful support; not just your pals but a lovely family too. Mind you, who wouldn't want to do everything for the gorgeous Mini-Humpster?! Hope your sunroof has healed well too and those tips are v sound.

Sounds like you've had a great time, Muse. Must've been lovely introducing BobKate to her Granddad for the first time. And a certain mad-looking canine family member, eh?

Medee, hope you've been enjoying your last evening of your old life tonight - I know the last fortnight has felt like every evening could be just that, but This Is It! There'll be a lorra lorra pacing and lurking here tomorrow, that's fo sho! Good luck for tomorrow XXXX (yeah, I went there - think you deserve it after so much time in lay-limbo)

My fingers have started swelling up and typing is getting hard. Stop rejoicing, you gits!

X-posted - Milano, I get that too - every time I need the loo in the night (probably easier to count the times I don't, TBH) my mind starts racing and I'm awake for hours, no exaggeration. But at least I don't have a child already or as much on my plate as you do, you poor thing. It should also be illegal for preggos to murder anyone who quips that it's 'preparation' for the baby, grrrrrr.

No sparks of genius lost here, I'm afraid.

Do't wear yourselves out pacing too early, my appt isn't till 4pm! But thanks all, your support especially over the last few days has been invaluable.

Morning. Just checking in for MedWatch. I hope you managed to a) get a good nights sleep or b) lay a baybee!

Morning! Also checking in for Med news. Can I crack open the bubbly now though, even though appointment isn't until 4pm?

Pol Glad to see you here at a more sensible time. Have another nice day in the garden bitch

Mr Loz was packed off back to our room last night so I could have an uninterrupted sleep. Don't mean to sound smug, but sleep isn't really a problem for me at all. Oddly I didn't sleep well whilst we were away & I was nice & relaxed. But back home & I'm deado for hours. Only getting up a max of twice a night for a pee too - RESULT! There is no need to hate me - of course you all realise that I'm going to have a real night owl baby & never sleep again from June onwards.

Drom & Muse lovely to see you both here. Although things sound mad Drom you sound very in control & have all bases covered. Support is invaluable - the only advice I've had from a close friend is to accept offers of support & don't try to be a hero. Talking of heroes Muse how was journey with BobKate? We've been invited to a wedding (still in the UK) when Bug will be about 10 weeks old. I've provisionally booked hotel but will see.... I bet it was lovely showing her off to a new audience.

Mr Loz is away for the weekend - a boys weekend in London to see Primal Scream. They're all dad's or dad's to be & like kids themselves let off the leash. I intend to work wonders around the house without having him under my feet

Talking of feet, how are my fellow hobbits today? I'm now in the skimpiest of flip flops & they still leave marks on my feet. Lush!