March 06 - Into the 3rd Trimester

[RosiePosie]

Here we are girls. I think we are all a bit shell-shocked at the moment, aren't we?

Thinking of you DHW and wishing life wasn't so cruel sometimes.

Nice to catch up with everyone's news. Have been a bit under the weather last couple of days - horrid when you can't take much although CT my midwife said Lemsip ok as it is Paracetemol.
Have had a couple of braxton hicks so far - don't mind saying scared me shitless the first time! Am already panicking about labour now...!
Very at those giving up work soon. I will be stopping the day I go into labour to maximise the time afterwards... Can't afford to do more than prob 10 weeks as I am main breadwinner. DH is going part time though to look after baby and I do work from home 3/4 days a week so not tooooo bad
Hope you are all doing Christmas shopping on the internet like me and avoiding the crowds!

Jackstini, I'd try and stretch to 12 weeks off if you can, you'll need the time to recover and adjust to lack of sleep....we're your braxtons painful then?

Kalra, ignore your midwife, what a plonker!

RP, you'll be ok re the bloods, they did mine again today for 28 weeks, boo hooo....it wasn't my normal midwife either, she was off.....boooo....which reminds me, I've just noticed that I forgot to get a MATB1 off her, argh! will have to get one sorted in Jan....pah! mind you not that I can claim that much being self employed.....well one more apptmt and then goes to every two weeks, argh! birthing deadline drawing near!!

Hope all ok?

Oh Rom, have you had the glucose test for diabaties? I have to ring hosp and book one apparently (damn granddad!) how boring is it during the two hour wait (I have a sheet that says this, is it really 2 hours?)

at your midwife, Klara. She sounds horrible.

So I've been avoiding Lemsip for nothing??? Typical! We're all fine and healthy again (touchwood!) but I shall be putting Lemsip on my shopping list for when the next horrible cold comes along.

friz - u have to wait for 2 hours? I'm ment to have the GD test as well on tues I think - damn mum/aunty! lol.

talking of MATB1 who does it/when do u get it, i'm yet to see the same m/w twice.

I think the midwife is supposed to give you the MATB1 at 24 weeks. It says on the back "Do not fill this in more than 14 weeks before the week when the baby is expected." I got mine at 20 weeks but I think the midwife made a mistake tbh.

JackFrost - beware of your timing for work! Last time I felt great for the first three weeks and was at my computer emailling and following up work etc. then the sleep deprivation kicked in and it all went horibbly wrong!!
Frizbe - I'm self employed too but £100 for six months is a pittance eh? Last time I must admit I did some work and got clients to pre or post date invoices ! That way you could officially finish a month before etc...Don't tell the inland revenue please!
Munz - I fully approve of the bump naming - mine is Zeb for Zebedee for obvious reasons and may stick if it's a boy and we're brave enough to go through with it. Really fancy a name with a Z at the front for some reason.

thanks for te messages re my m/wife. To be fair i am at a practice where there is 3 of them and the other 2 are total starts, including the one who delivered my son the last time round. Am seriously considering telling the senior one that I don't want the plonker present at birth of this child as if she comes out with one of her daft comments I'll whack her.
Last time round I had some stupid nurse telling me that "every contraction you have is one less'. That's true, but it's not helpful when you are only 1 cm dilated!!! Silly cow

Rant over - sorry.

klara

Friz/Laundry - I am worried about going back to work so soon must admit. Have said to my boss if I feel really crap maybe I will have to build back up to full time over a few weeks
Munz - I got my MAT B at my last midwife appt - was about 25 weeks
Klara - if your nightmare midwife is there and you end up whacking her - who can blame a woman in the throes of labour......!
PS - yes my Braxtons were quite painful (like bad period pains) but I am sure I have much worse to come..!

Jack Frost it's a difficult one for sure as it's so unpredictable. We started a new business just before I popped and I ended up with PND through the stress. I have said that things will be different this time but you never can tell. Does your employer have a really crap maternity policy?

Ouch for you Jackstini, hopefuly they'll mean a fast labour tho!
LL thanks for the info re invoicing clients before and after! not sure if I can be bothered to even try and claim, as haven't officially paid myself that much during this year....might just have to wing it and see, sure dh can take up the slack for the first few months, dum de dum, I too set up a new business last time round after 3mths at home with a small baby (nutter right!)
Munz, apparently 2 hrs, according to a typed sheet from the quacks, although forgot to make my appt today oopse! must ring tomorrow!!

Hi everyone

I've been away for a week so only just heard about dhw and have read through the threads. DHW I will miss you on here - I think we have a lot in common and I always find your posts really helpful. Thank you for all your advice and humour over the last few months - take great care of yourself xx

I'll post more in a day or two as I am meant to be unpacking and washing etc !

Hi Laundry - well I work for a US company but they basically match the UK bare minimum so 6 weeks at 90%. I have said I will take 2 weeks annual leave and my boss will match this & up to 100% so I will get 10 weeks off on full pay. However, I am the main wage earner so if I don't go back we can't pay the mortgage. DH has got 2 weeks paternity then is dropping to 3 days a week & will look after baby 2 days. Not decided yet what to do with other 3 days - childminder, nanny share etc. Am lucky I work from home mostly so can be flexible but still clueless as to best option really. Will have to read some childcare threads on here!
Hope you had a relaxing week away Newgirl

Laundry how about Zachary? we had that one till DH decided it was too 1980's america (we grew up with saved by the bell see)

Jack - my boss is doing the SMP as well, 90% and then £100, but we're in negotioations about me returning and working purely from home (I will insist on that) for 10/15 hours p/w only to top my £100 back up to F/P but need to speak to our accountant/auditor first and see what he says. (cos i'd be doing it once the 90% finishes) i'm down for have 2 weeks annual leave first so mat pay will begin on 1st march to end of august. I wanted to approach pay rise etc once i'd got my MATB1 form as we normally get an annual rise in april, and I don't want to miss it if i'm on mat leave and end up with the same rate for next year iycwim. so if we get it all in writing first.

starting to get worryed about this whole labour lark now! esp after what u girls have said BH's are like. under 2 weeks to go till we break for xmas! - YAY!!! (then only 5 weeks left!)

Hi everyone

All this talk of work and maternity leave and pay is going right over my head! I haven't worked in over 5 years, well not in the paid sense anyway!

I've just got back from having my 28 week routine bloods done. I fainted! Never done that before! Anyway, fingers crossed my iron levels are okay, because I'm not doing that again.

hey girls feeling in such a good mood today, friday and only 10 more working days 'til i go on mat.leave

friz and munz - i only had blood taken by the midwife after drinking the lucozade an hour before, but are you both going for further tests because of diabetes in the family? or because of your blood test results?

am going to start looking at cots, buggies this weekend - any tips from anyone of what to avoid, or particular brands to go for?

yeah go on rom rub it in! lol. i've got 8.5 days this side of xmas and then 25 days the other side not a lot when said like that! OMG! lol. (working days that is) OMG OMG we're actually doing this rom - we're gonna have a baby!!!!! OMG!!!!!

welcome to the third tri my friend! lol.

hope all is well with everyone.

found an easy way to put the car seat on the pram as well - gonna try it out in the car tomorrow! - what fun! lol. roll on next fri as it's pay day so can go xmas shoppin for DH!

rp - hope ur feeling better after having ur bloods done - how long till the results?

Hope everyone is good today.
Do not have a clue what to buy DH for xmas!!
Have just got Lola a Baby born doll as they were on special offer in sainsburys.Cant wait til xmas to play with it now!!
Have been feeling SO ILL this week.Really breathless now and cant even walk up the stairs without being out of breath!God I feel like an old woman!!lol.

Munz - ggod luck with your boss - let me know how u get on. Will be asking mine about payrise too as our usually apply from January
Rom - we are starting to look at buggies/furniture etc too. Have been in a few specialist shops that sell lots of brands to hopefully get some honest opinions as I am clueless. So far have been told - Mamas & Papas great for furniture but not as good on buggies etc. Also recommended for furniture were Kidsmill, Boori & BabyStyle. Wheeled products coming out top were EmmalJunga & Dorel (Maxi-cosi, Quinny & Bebe Comfort). I will definately be looking on here for product recommendations as it is all too much info for me!
Pop - know what you mean about feeling like an old woman. The effort it takes to turn over in bed at night! And apparantly my breathing is getting louder and louder and I am introducing my DH to the delights of sleep deprivation about 3 months early....!

lol@ jack - yes mine keeps telling me i'm snoring and kicking/punching him in my sleep so he's gettin no sleep - well try moving over on the bed DH! lol.

rom - we got the pushchair from mother care - it's urban detour in the end seems v smooth to push (albeit around the kitchen/hallway - i'm sooo sad! lol) and the cot/changer MIL got from babies r us as they have an online sale on. can't tell u what it's like as it's not arrived yet - will know more on tues when it's ment to be coming. good luck.

Oooh Munz - we saw Urban Detour ones too - looked superb! Let us know what the Babiesrus stuff is like. I have got most of my nursery decoration coming from there as Christmas pressies from various family members!

Where is everybody today?!My DH is working and im BORED!!!
Talking of pushchairs I ordered one but sent it back as too heavy.Still havent been refunded by rubbish mail order company, two left feet.They are terrible, do not order from them as they are so hard to get hold of.
Think im going to try and get a Quinny zapp.
Hope all is well today.

i'm floatin about pop - just done a lovely lemon sponge, cleaned the house from top to bottom, done the washing, and also did the xmas cake.

so who was the compnay then - come on name and shame girl! lol.

will do jack - we weren't going to put it together till after xmas as my mum and dad are coming down and bring the crib - might actually get DH to put the changing station together, we'll have to get it oout thou and make sure it's all ok. urban detour is fab I think - althou trying to get it in the car yesterday it's rather bulky in the boot and rather heavy - but (and this is a v good thing for us) it will go on the back seat comfortably with the car seat and space for out bags etc when we take the dogs and baby home. will only be an issue when we go in for no 2!

rom any luck shopping?

dh put the car seat in yesterday - i'm not convinced he's done it right but it's right to the instructions. he recons we should leave it in so I can park in mother/toddler - or I could just drive aboutt ill I find a nice space with 2 empty slots next door! lol

Munz, the company are called Two Left Feet and they have caused me and Dh nothing but trouble!
Baking and cleaning eh?I havent got the energy for all that today!
Trying to convince DD to go out to local xmas carol service at 4.But all she wants to do today is watch disney videos and veg out!Konw the feeling!!
Take Care.