First-timers due December - new thread!

[mopsytop]

Had to start a new thread, as our old one got too big to post anymore.
yay figgy - your scan sounds great! A wee boy - now you only have to think about boy names. Woohoo.

Been invited to one, but not going because it's a 4 hour journey there and also I am exhausted in the evenings and wouldn't be able to go home early as wouldn't be near my own bed (obviously!) and would stay with a friend and have to go home when she did. I just don't want to be stuck out feeling knackered and not able to drink with everyone else getting merrier and merrier. Don't I sound like such an old moany grump!

Heheh... Oi I have no bloody idea where my life is going... but I can always pretend that it is all part of the plan :) Plus my singleton mates don't need to know that being married comes with its own set of challenges [hgrin]

Frankly we can all be excited about going to a party... though I can bet I will be dead tired. DH reckons that I should just go there show my face and then hide out in my friends room and take a snooze... he can then wake me up at 11:30 to hang out for another hour before we head home!

V excited my presents sister arrives from New York tonight with her 2 lilttle girls aged 2 and 5 to visit me for a week. DH is gonna head to the airport while I rest up before they arrive home !!!

Northen, I don't envy your 5 hour car journey...I would like a big hat to balance me out though!

mopsy, you don't sound like a grump, don't think I'd go to any big do's atm either, god knows how Natalie Portman managed to look so happy at the Oscars this year. And good, with her nice flawless skin, what a cow. [hgrin]

lala, sounds like you've got a great weekend ahead of you! Plus you can always trust little kids to tell you the truth; 'blimey Aunty Lala you're HUGE'.

Saw new MW today, she's lovely! She also managed to get DH to come round to the idea of home births, hurrah!

Ordering our nappies today, there are so many colours to choose from that I'm stumped (do I order the light colours and get them poop stained or the dark colours and have them fade after a year, getting 24 white ones seems like a boring idea)? Gah! I'm really excited about the nappies...it's quite sad.

northern dont worry mine isnt a great social life... just OH dad is having 6 adults and their kids around, i dont want to go, but i guess i have to play the dutiful girlfriend!! Although recently i wonder why i bother, but thats a grumble i have already had lol :o

Nah mopsy, I've organised my attendance at this wedding round when I can sleep, and am also using a handbag for the first time in my life, willingly, so that I can hide food in it...fours hours from setting off to wedding to wedding breakfast does not a happy Northernchinchilla make [hgrin]

Right, off to dry hair and pull dress on, and await the arrival of OH from his parents. If he is late I will be giving birth in a prison hospital...

Have a good weekend all!

Just got back from the wedding - it's obviously the weekend for them! 3 hours in the car, which was a bit of a test, but had lots and lots of snacks with me for the wedding and the journey.

Managed to find a dress which just made me look very pregnant rather that like I was wearing a tent.

Only down side - I have managed to badly twist my ankle. Fell down a step yesterday and am a little black and blue, fortunately did not hit bump. Couldn't put any weight on it last night, but can manage a few steps today. Not sure whether to go to the doctors or not. Have a scan tomorrow and baby boy has been making his presence know, don't think he was too impressed with the shake up!

How has everyone else's weekends been? Hopefully a bit less eventful!

Oh no London, how horrible :(
I'd pop to doctors just to be on safe side.

Quiet weekend. Did some work and then just chilled. Sorted out all the free baby clothes I've been given also.

Hope you feel better today London, if you can't put any weight on it you should go to Dr's, just to be on the safe side.

mopsy, we've some how managed to obtain almost 30 babygros/vests in newborn size, but only 18 in 0-3 months (secondhand, haven't looked at the stuff we have been bought new), sorted them into colours & whites today...may consider washing some stuff later [hshock] because, y'know, it's not that long to go!

So weird planning wedding attendance around food, and not copious amounts of booze... Really sorry to hear you hit the deck london, and I'd definitely get it checked out if you can't put weight through it. It's the last thing you need when pregnant. Hope the scan goes OK tomorrow too, is it a growth one, or an extra private one?

Our house is a total tip, as we've been away two weekends on the trot, and got birthday presents and baby stuff to put away. Am looking forward (can I actually believe I'm about to say this...) to a lazy weekend of housework. I can just about cope if I know it's going to be cleaned and tidied at a specified point. And catch up on some sleep too, far too many late nights.

Will enjoy sorting through all the baby stuff though

The baby room in our house is a tip too. Stuff all over it. Wardrobe not arrived yet and won't for a few weeks but can't wait until does and I can tidy it all up!

I was staring into the fridge today...wondering when the last time I'd given it a proper clean was. Planning to do it tomorrow (when there is less food in there), what FUN!

Our bedrooms are a tip too, spare room has the moses basket & all the boxes waiting to go to the top & our room has a buggy & car seat sitting in it! Hadn't even thought about baby clothes storage, going to try find a decent solid wood chest of drawers this weekend.
Nappies came the other day, they look awesome, wish I could wear something that comfy (not that I'd go in them, they just look snuggly)!

london how are you??

Morning, another one here who needs to do some organising!

Ankle is still not great, have been told to rest it.

But, had my scan and my placenta has moved up, which is great news. I can now use the birthing centre at the hospital. The scan was also a growth one, his growth has slowed down so now only a week ahead. He is one tall baby!!

I am now off for half term and maternity leave starts on Monday.

5 weeks now until due date, anyone packed their hospital bag yet?

Morning all, I have semi-packed a hospital bag. Or, I've started. Lots to go in there yet. And lots more baby stuff to buy yet too...
Great news about the placenta moving London, bad news about the ankle. Happily half term will give you chance to rest up a bit.
3 weeks and 3 days of work to go til MatLeave for me.
Luckily I got a lot of sorting and washing done yesterday whilst skiving working from home, so I'm feeling a bit more in control. In the office today, I will work on writing lists today ...as well as doing some work. :)

Yayyy for the placenta :o and hope your ankle gets better!

I too am at a wedding tomorrow (apparently cheaper on Thursdays?!) Have an ok dress, but have to wear massive heels, which I could hardly walk In pre pregnancy! Can't find a coat that looks good or fits, and I'll be in black bolero and black shoes... and an old minging grey coat... not very attractive but I want to keep warm!! Also worried about looking like I'm at a funeral!

Nice one re: placenty London! I am planning to use birth centre too!
I am sure you'll look lovely kri5ty!
I don't get maternity leave per se as PhD-ing, I will take 4 months though but going to try and work until baby is born if at all possible or at least until the week before I am due as want to get these chapter drafts finished. On that note, back to it!

placenta even! Has baby brain started already?!

I started packing my bag but going to have to get a bigger bag, i dont know how much is too much, do you pack assuming you will be out within normal timescales? What if something goes wrong and you need to stay in do you have a back up bag with more clothes and supplies? Wherever i go i have about 3 bags with me so DH has told me only allowed 1 i may have to pack a secret emergency bag too and hide it in the boot :)

4 weeks tomorrow and going on maternity leave it cant come quickly enough have seen my mat cover advertised for £5k more than i am on.....charming!!
My weight gain is quite terrifying now by the time this is over i will left normal weight range, have shot through the overweight measures for BMI and into obese hoping there is a lot comes off straight away what with baby and fluids. I know BMI is crap when PG but still upsets me to see it, damn my lack of control, the diet starts boxing day!!

Yay for London!

My hospital bag came in the post a few days ago, so far I have put some breast pads in there

DH woke me up at stupid o'clock this morning so I've just been having a cheeky snooze.

figgy, I'm the same as you, outside the BMI 'normal' range for the first time and it's making me nervous (even though I know there is a reason for it)...what if I can't loose the left over weight?? Joining slimming world/weight watchers/another diet club after Squatter is evicted.

At Parentcraft last night, they disspelled the idea of the "Birth and Go" idea I had in mind. They said it's best to stay overnight until you are really comfy with breastfeeding, and also you can have a bathing baby demo... we'll see. Ideally, they would want you to stay at least 6 hours so they can do the various checks on the baby. I suppose it depends what time baby makes an appearance. If it surfaces in the early morning, I'd probably look to go home at around dinner time, perhaps, but if it arrives in the evening then I'd stay until lunch/dinner the next day, I suppose...
I'm going to pack for 1 overnight stay. And I may pack a back-up bag to leave at home for DH to collect should that change - but I won't prepare that until my maternity leave.
How many breast pads would you need for a 24 hour period?

So glad to hear other people's homes look like Mothercare after an earthquake too...makes me feel sooo much better. We've done the same AHWCH, got a solid wood chest of drawers, and ours arrives Saturday. So yes, sexy house cleaning this weekend, and then start to try to make the nursery actually look like one the weekend after.

Mind you, I'm away the weekend of the 19th of November, and have Dad and family coming over the following weekend (with the damn cot, finally!) and then it's frankly very little time until the little man makes his grand entrance. Which means....when am I going to sort out Xmas presents?! [hconfused]

Great news re. placenta london, and glad the ankle's not too damaged, if not marvellous. I have so far bought some big knickers and what my mother charmingly referred to as 'fart pills' (ie peppermint oil pills, I can't drink tea at all) as the first two vital elements of hospital bag but nothing else...

Feel like I'm running out of time!

Mothercare after an earthquake would be an improvement on our spare room! DP had to take the landing apart on Sunday to get the baby's wardrobe upstairs but now it is it still has to be sanded, painted & lined & DP has to put extra rails up so for now clothes are in bin liners [hsad] I have absolutely no idea where I'm putting all the washable nappies & I'm 35 weeks tomorrow! [hshock]

Congrats on the placenta london I was in the same boat as you, was worried I wouldn't get my home birth but I'm all go now; it's such a relief isn't it [hsmile]

Oi can't you just Birth & Go & then get a community MW to visit you the next day...surely breastfeeding will be easier if you're more comfortable in your own home? I've heard others say that bfing in hospital was very difficult with other mums & screaming LOs around.

I had a dream I had the baby....woke up and panicked because I couldn't find it
Tried raspberry leaf tea last night, as someone who likes herbal teas...it's rank and needed a spoonful of sugar. Hope Squatter appriciates the effort!

Northen, it's gone from dragging & 'I can't believe I'm still pregnant' to 'Arrrggggh! It could be here in five weeks, must wash clothes'!!

possibly can birth and go... we'll see.
My biggest fear at the hospital is that the two birth pool rooms will be occupied. What do I do then? I have my heart set on a pool birth. Do I refuse to go into hospital and get in my bath? The next Parentcraft class is the hospital tour. I'm going to ask, if I hire a pool - can I bring it in with me and set it up in either a birthsuite or a delivery room?
I am tempted to hire one as back up... to use either from home or at the hospital. I just know I'll panic and be really upset if there's no pool available.

Oi i would ask at the next session about your concerns over the pool i expect you wont get a very reassuring answer and they try to fobb you off that a birth plan is just that and that you shouldnt be too inflexible over it as that will lead to stress if you cant have the birth, drugs etc that we want. At least that is what i have been told when i asked about epidurals.

Yeesh, what's with all these flavoured teas you're meant to drink whilst pregnant? Hideous stuff, and all I can say is bring on the flavoured Stoli from 13th Dec onwards...

I think with the pool Oi you have two options- hospital and hope (and you'd have to be pretty unlucky for both to be in use for the entire time you'd want one) or rent one for home and be certain.

Found out last night that my friend's daughter, who is the same age as me, is in fact a MW assistant at the hospital, and as she put it 'had already dipped my wee!' I'd just not recognised her! It was great being able to have a long discussion about the wards, what to expect, tips, etc- very lucky. Although that was tempered today by the report which shows my hospital has the sixth highest death rate in the country [hshock].

Please God my Mum did not read that article.

Can't believe that we're all a matter of weeks away, and that people are probably going to start having their babies next month...