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

I shall be checking for Medee updates. Really hoping things kicked off over night.

laurie the trip went really well. She was great on the journey. Slept all the way to the airport (2 trains, 45 mins) and then stayed asleep until our gate opened. Big cry as we walked to the gate just to announce her presence to everyone and scare them. I fed her, she settled right down. On both flights she was an absolute star. Lots of feeding and a bit of snoozing. It was a lot easier than I thought. Not scream free, but I didn't expect it to be.

I couldn't have done it without my sling though. Both for getting her on/off plane and persuading her to sleep occasionally at my dads. He was of course delighted to see her. And my aunt came to see her too and thought she was great. She also got cooed over a lot by strangers on the journey. I do love it when people do that.

relax, I'm still here! Nothing overnight, but feeling really calm and chilled today. Going to do my yoga, have a bath, take a walk.

I am all excited for you again Medear. You sound fabulously zen. :)

Aw, BobKate sounds like a star :)

I have no untoward bodily swellings. I feel left out. I wonder if I will just puff up like a balloon overnight at some point?

Medee you are amazing, so calm!

Medee you are an absolute inspiration! MiniMed obviously takes after you & that's why they're relaxing & staying put

Muse thanks for the encouragement regarding travel. We don't even need to fly - will be a long car journey, but we can pull over whenever we need to. I think I just went into "I can't possibly think / plan anything for after the baby because I have no idea what to expect" mode. One thing I do know is that I'm definitely not getting a sling. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of them & am very envious of people who use them. But I'm seriously so awkward I'm terrified of falling & squashing Bug. If I fall when carrying Bug I intend to yell "Catch!" & hurl Bug at the nearest passer-by.

OK, next stoopid question from me (my brain has well & truly gone bonkers this week). What is a vest? Is it the same as a bodysuit, ie does up underneath? All the lists say you need vests - fine. But I keep thinking if you put a sleeveless bodysuit under another suit the baybee will have a million poppers between their legs - surely that won't be comfy?

I did buy some fab bodysuits & sleepsuits in M&S yesterday, really bright ones.

Meds thinking of you so very much today.

medee you are amazing! I hope I can take a leaf out of your book in a few months time. It seems like taking control yesterday has put you back in the driving seat mentally iyswim. Loads of luck for later. < clandestine hug>

muse your trip sounds great and Bobcat sounds like a little star. I am excited by the Kari me I bought as I got my friend one and we got her 4 week old in it for the first time earlier this week and it worked like a dream. I think her fella is a bit about it as it sounds like he is in the GF camp and doesn't think they should let LO get to used to always being held so I hope I havent caused any trouble. My opinion is it's not him that is constantly having to feed and anything that makes life easier for her is a bonus.

BTW these are the same people who took him to a wedding in London at 3 weeks old!! Pretty impressive stuff although think if they had been using the sling then things would have been a lot easier on her as he was feeding constantly.

Just back from chiro, she was lovely. Quite young but really good (also said i didn't look pregnant from the waist up which made me love her) I have a slightly twisted pelvis (one leg longer than tother to prove it) She is going to fix that which should help with the back pain and also birthwise, also one of her clients is a hippobirthing instructor so she is going to get her permission to exchange my details with her, that should be interesting as she is local.

Loz, yes, vest = body suit, dont think too many poppers are an issue because they have a nappy between their legs anyway. Bit more bulk doesnt really make much diff. Also babies legs arent straight like ours but more bent akimbo iyswim. and no walking/chaffage.

On the sling front, I get what you mean but surely if miniloz is in a sling when you fall you can put your arms down to break fall, whereas if you are carrying then you can't? Just a thought. Besides which you havent got very far to fall if you just stay on the sofa, right?

Ooh sorry for clusterpost but forgot to say to boo YES PLEASE* on foot rubbage. back over easter, will text you details.

Muse told me to get sleeveless vests on my mammoth shopping trip and I got sleeveless bodysuits - was this right, O Baby-Shopping Guru of mine? I hadn't thought of the million poppers issue.

BTW, love the fact the BobKate is already a glamorous International (sort-of!) Traveller at just over a month old. Start as you mean to go on, eh, BK?

Loz, am struggling not to hate you, but I woke up every hour last night for a wee. Then I woke myself up doing a colossal fart that felt like I was blasting razor blades out of my arse That was fun
But you might hate me now, because t'other day, when I was at my folks' for Mum's b-day, she'd dug out a really old pair of fancy flip-flops I'd bought years ago but hadn't worn very often because they were too baggy. Well, now they actually fit and I also have 2 pairs of magazine freebie flip-flops to keep me going. The irony is, of course, I need support for my weight now more than at any time of my life and have to wear the flimsiest of footwear! Hmmph.

Also, your point about the sling has reminded me that I must never let my Dad use one. Or let him eat or drink anything hot around the baby. Or even walk around holding the baby. Or look at him. He managed to dislocate my arm twice before I was 3 just by cuddling/holding me - thank god SS weren't so shit-hot back then! Nah, there'll be no keeping the soppy old git from his first grandchild and huzzah for that!

Medee, hope you're enjoying a nice day so far. You sound so relaxed; is an inspiration. I guess knowing that today is the day hands you back some feelings of control, yay! Keep chilling and having a great day - it's only going to get better after 4pm (well, worse for a bit then better, IYKWIM!) :)

Yes to vests being sleeveless body suits. Watch a wriggly baby and you will know why poppers are good.

Lozza, I fall over and walk into things a lot. Nothing like having a baby strapped to you to keep you careful. And they can't wriggle and jump out like they can your arms. Bollocks to the babies shouldn't get used to being held all the time brigade as well. The world is big and scary and babies are very small. Why shouldn't they happily snuggle up next to someone?

I couldn't agree more muse but held my tongue as its not up to me (although IMO its not really up to HIM either ) I am kind of surprised, he is a bit of a hippy really so would have thought he would be more open to the fluffier side of child rearing. Hey ho.

After all, it is Spring.

I hate the idea that babies are 'spoilt' by too much cuddling and being held - they've just spent the first 9 months of their life being cuddled inside someone so what a rude shock to suddenly not have that! I know it's not possible or even desirable 24-7, but life's hard enough so surely a baby deserves as much snuggling as poss when they first arrive?! Tell that bloke that all the latest research shows that far from being 'spoilt' by constant holding, love and attention, it actually creates the most confident, well-adjusted and independent people; because they never or rarely feel insecure or unwanted or lonely in their formative years, it give them huge inner security, confidence that the world is good and great self-esteem.

But then I am from the most tactile family on the face of the earth, so I would be pro- all that!

Am glad I got the right vests

I want a navy fabric sling - no navy Moby or Kari-me on eBay at the mo (well, one v used one, yuck). Will keep looking.

Meant to add, Rocket, that many people have inherited odd or old-fashioned ideas from various sources (probably their own family) and he's no doubt unconsciously taken on some ideas about holding babies without really thinking properly about them. It's a big learning curve for both parents.

Rocket thanks for confirming vest = bodysuit. Sorry to have set you wondering too Scorps but we've now been put straight. Also I see what you mean about putting hands out to save yourself, but last time I did that I broke my wrist, hand crumpled & ended up with carpet burns on face anyway (when I fell downstairs). I honestly think I will only carry Bug around in car seat, or hold him / her close to me when I'm stationary on sofa propped up with cushions (like mum settled me when I was 4 years old to hold brother & sister).

at your fart Scorps. Must admit I let a sneaky one out last night then kind of looked around - as a dog would - coz I couldn't believe that stench could come from such a delicate little pfft. I almost wish I could wee more - not every hour obviously - as I thought it may help with all the water retention. But if you're suffering with that too then that's a non-starter. Argh! Am vay jealous of your flip flop collection - the ones I'm wearing are pretty much on their way out too - if the little bit between my toes snaps (as could really happen very soon) then I'm arsed. Mebbe some more shopping is in order

In other good news a colleague of mine is taking me out for cake at lunch time - HUZZAH!

x-posts - thanks Muse too for putting me right.

MrM literally cannot wait to be carrying his child around in the sling. I might not get a chance to hold him/ her when we are out and about.

CAAAAKE! Have a scrumptious time!

Sorry to disillusion you about weeing and water retention. It doesn't mean, however, that your non-incontinence isn't related to your trotters, just that mine clearly isn't. I am a terrible salt addict, so that's prob my issue!

Oh, and all the mags will start giving away free flip-flops very soon now, like every year, so keep your eyes peeled

Awww, I love seeing men with babies in slings! Mr M sound so excited :) I wonder if TYF will take to a fabric wrap one (what with it potentially drawing attention to him); we might need his n hers slings, hmm.

I am thinking that score I think TB might feel more comfy in a carrier type one, (babybjornesque) but he might get on ok with the Kari-me, have to see. BTW muse if you are breast feeding in the sling and need to swap sides is there an easy way to switch the cross over bits from front to back without taking the whole thing off? We were trying to figure it out the other day but i think I might have put it on wrong. In my head you should be able to slip each side over your head, then put them back on the other way round, but in practice it all got tangled up. :S

My back is now BROKEN, she did warn me of this but have just walked to the shops (final straw) to get a gel ice pack and they are out of stock. TB will bring one home from town but that means waiting longer. I think my planned cake baking might have to go on the back burner!!

I don't know how to feed in it rocket. I take her out to feed.

It was pretty easy in the end, you just fold the inner cross piece in half to make a sort of pouch. Lie her in that and then kind of tuck the arm closest to you round under your breast/armpit. then put the other pieces back up over her for support. Instant hands free feeding. Its just you have to use the crossed piece closest to your body to hold her, so when you come to swap boobs you have to reconfigure the sling or the boob will be blocked by the inner cross piece. Not sure I have explained that very well!

Poor Rocket & your back. Is it any easier now? How long until ice-pack time?

One of my well meaning male colleague's is vay sweet, but english not being his first language can sometimes come across as blunt. Usually I think he's hilarious, until he shouted "Oh my God - look at your swollen feet!". Cue everyone gawping at my trotters. Humpf. However, this was soon followed by a sunshine filled lunchbreak sitting down Cardiff Bay with a cup of coffee & a massive slab of walnut cake. YUM! You have to take the good with with bad in this life