Nov 2011 - Mat B forms are in and time is flying not long now

[PamSco]

Sorry just went for a new thread as I couldn't see another.

Hope you are all well this morning

Snoozle I'm using a local company called Alba Kitchens. I've used them before. It's mainly a refurb, the base cabinets are top range magnet, machine finished not nailled together probably good for another 10 years.

So £6k gets all cupboards refaced, new doors, new pelmet, new kick plates, 4 new cabinets were we need to add more space, new drawers, new splashbacks to match worktop and glass splash for cooker and sink. I would have loved to get granite or wood but expense is too much at the mo.

So it is in the colours of the 3rd one down on the right on the page below but in the style of 7th one down on right.

www.albakitchens.com/After-photos.htm

I WANT TRUFFLES :)

Sorry Voodoo the last thread wouldn't let me post to direct people here - it was already full.

Ahh bump I hope yoou get kicked son. My belly grew significantly today. just lay down and my belly didn't flatten. So I reckon about this time the baba has a bit more space so I'll feel him less.

Pam If you come to Glossop in the next 24 hours, I can guarantee truffles ;)

Last night after we had "Daddy is rubbing mummy's belly" time, I went to sit up, and Sprout just popped out as a distinct shape - it freaked me out, but DP nearly cried with joy! I'm starting to think he's actually more excited about this baby than I am...

Nice new thread! I was on vacation for a week so I won't be catching up on the last one but have read this through:)

I want a truffle too:) or bananachoco bread! I am doing lots of cooking today as I had the day off but it was all pre-made meals and no goodies. Think I might have to bake something yummy now.

ziggi and terry I have been having really strange dreams about losing bubba and not being too upset or having her deflat or nursing a cat -- then last week I finally had a dream where I held her and nursed her instead of losing her (and oddly not caring). Hope this means I am subconscienciously more ready to be a mother

truff i know what you mean about leaving work. I think it will be very hard at the start but I'm looking forward to it. Stressed about who we will hire to replace me though - its not as easy as I thought... I'll probably pop into work lots with the baby (but who knows I might not ever look back)

I was a complete idiot and thought that if I bought maternity clothes that they would fit me throughout the 9 months. Now I am squishing into them and realizing that I will need to buy more (I bought way too many of the 3-6month sizes). I am def going to a consignment shop this time... PMA: lesson learned and I will be well dressed for the next pregnancies

I'm still not in maternity clothes (due to initial weight loss) but I am down to 3 work trousers from about 7 so not sure how long I can hold out.

Hmmm? I could be in Glossop in about 6 hours?

Not a dream as such, but at yoga on Monday during relaxation a "moving image" so to speak appeared in my head. It was me bent over my wee boy changing him, he was lying on a changing mat. I was blowing raspberries on the souls of his feet and doing peekaboo with his feet and he was belly laughing so hard. A few tears of joy were shed when I sat up.

Ohhh a nice new roomy thread, lovely. Just a quick line wondering if I can ask for everyone's PMA for tomorrow as I have my appt with the consultant who I need to sign me off as 'medically safe' to use the MLU. I was hoping to speak to either of the two sisters of the MLU today to find out if what I want is feasible and they would be happy having me labour there but both were off so am having to hope one is back from sick leave tomorrow and I can talk to her then. Talk about last minute. Apparently they do have VBACs in water but on a case by case basis, and the midwife who answered the phone didn't want to be drawn further. My PPH is the thing that's really worrying them all - and particularly freaking them out as far as a water labour is concerned, as my risk is tripled because I've had one already - but it quadruples with an elective section!! Or increases nine times if it all goes wrong again and I have an emcs. Gaaah, I wish they could see I'm trying to do my best to lower my chance of it happening again and all their interventions are likely to actually make the odds of it happening again higher!

Evening all! What a rubbish day...so much to do at work and head full of cold!
poppet fingers crossed for you for tomorrow. All this talk of cake has made me peckish...off to hunt down a kitkat!

Hi all, back from holiday. wasnt the sunniest/most relaxing ever, some family politics, a suprising amount of rain, migraine after headache after migraine, but DS enjoyed himself anyway, and we did have some nice times, and I have great rose tinted spectacles when it comes to holidays. Though they seem to be getting tarnished of late. Anyway. So. Only read this thread, not the rest I missed. Anything major happened I should know about, good or bad?
Poppet, sending PMA to you for tomorrow. I had that wierd internal scan they seem to do as standard here but never really come accross it as standard before. Apparently I am at low risk of significant pre term birth or preeclampsia, which is good news. Less fun having a large condom covered probe stuck up me, but actually not that bad either. Arrived back to a stressful but unexpectedly cope-able week at work, though next week is now also looking a tad alarming. I'm aiming to go off four weeks before this time, but havent worked out how the leave/maternity leave thing will balance yet.
Kate, sorry about the cold. Sucks. Too hot for a cold. Too hot for most anything really. Except ice lollies. Of which I have none.

Hi ladies, I'm from the July thread and had my baby 5 weeks ago. I have just listed my maternity clothes on Ebay, lots of summery items for the hot weather, all at 99p starting price. I think they will go cheaply as the photos are rubbish but I don't have time to do better ones, with a newborn and a 2 year old. I'm also giving away a free baby sleepsuit with each purchase. If you're looking for any clothes, PM me and I'll give you the link. Jojo Maman, Topshop, Next etc. Good luck with your babies!

H007 That is a lot of annual leave to take still. Enjoy!

Truffkin I am in the same boat. Well, ish. I am actually leaving to become a SAHM and I am terrified. I am very career driven and have made it from nothing to my absolute goal in my career in a few small years.
Whilst I am at home with the LO I shall be thinking of a different career though, as my one is too demanding with a family.

Terrys I am just . I will maybe finish work on the 31st, but looks like work will ask me to work through September, as I have not been replaced, but I am the only staff out here in our new branch office, so they can't afford to have nobody here.

bump, so sorry you are worried. Fingers crossed that baby has moved more now.

Pam lovely kitchen style and colour

Cali my DH has been waiting patiently to be able to see a hand, or foot sticking out, which is easily visible

I have the weirdest dreams too, but last week I started dreaming that I actually gave birth to our little boy. The birth itself was blurred out, maybe as I have no idea what to expect, but holding the baby was so amazing and I woke up crying with happiness.

Poppet fingers crossed for today!

I have a ridiculously stressful and busy time in work off late, so can't wait for this week to be over.

On Saturday DH and I will go to register for antenatal classes. And they start in September!!! Scary how time has flown by!
Also on Saturday we will interview a "Confinement Nanny". I am really worried how I will cope with a stranger in the house for 4 weeks. Ho hum! It is standard here and I guess it would be nice for someone to cook, look after the house and me. I can also ask her to look after the baby if I want her to.
I really hope I will be able to cope with all the new things, but DH is adament that the confinement nanny is a great idea to get me started.
This is provided as standard out here. I just hope I like the Lady and that she cooks "normal" food, rather than chinese confinement food, such as birds nest

Good luck Poppet, hope that you get your way with the consultant!

So glad it's Thursday, would be better if it was Friday afternoon mind!

poppet good luck with your appt today; will be thinking of you & hoping you manage to agree on a plan you are happy with.

cali I love truffles...may have to make some!! Have you tried truffle mixture placed into shortcrust pastry cases?? It makes an amazing desert :)

pam yay for new kitchen

Am really of those being able to nest & decorate...would love to change so much but as in rented & landlady wants it all back a magi when we leave I can't do with the hassle!!

truff it can be a little scary not working but looking after a LO but I really cannot wait...would love to be a SAHM but finances won't allow

poppy good luck with looking at nannies; hope you faind one who is helpful

kate hope you feel better soon x x

just hope you had a good time & welcome back

Ended up being checked at hospital last night as even with cold drink etc baby didn't move - all ok, baby seemed to have moved into a position where I could feel minimal (could hear on trace baby was moving but not feeling it). MW was lovely & very reassuring. Anyway baby did an almighty turn in middle of night that woke me up - am now getting planty of kicks this morning :o

Have physio today so hoping they may help with spd pain :)

Good luck poppet.

Raining here but hopefully that means it will be cooler tonight. I am so tired as having been sleeping much at night. Thankfully have taken meat from freezer to cook tonight as forgot last night but fortunately has spinach and chick pea curry and nan bread which I could cook from frozen. Anyone else got pregnancy brain? I just can't remember things unless I write them down at present.

Found you!!!!

Poppysmum I am so of you having a confinement nanny!

I was talking to my acupuncturist this week, and she specialises in traditional chinese acupuncture (I actually fell asleep on the treatment table with loads of needles sticking out everywhere it was so relaxing!). In eastern countries, a new mother is given 4 weeks after the birth to just rest, bhond and feed her baby. It used to be that female relatives came in and did everything else but these days, confinement nanies are all the rage apparently.

I think it's a brilliant idea (she's been nagging me to nag DP to make sure he does most of everything). Labour is very tiring and getting feeding going and bonding with the baby is so important.
I wish we did that sort of thing in the west. I intend to not get dressed for a couple of weeks and just live in pjs when we have visitors and remain naked in bed with the baby when we're alone.

Sigh - can't wait!

I've booked my mat leave - i finish work on 4 Nov using annual leave and flexitime and my mat leave starts on my due date week (w/c 21 Nov). My mat leave finishes on 20 Aug and then I'm adding accrued bank hols/anunual leave to actually return to work on 18 Sept. I think I'm going to work 4 days a week for a year until DD goes to school FT in Sept 2013, as we worked out that to have 2 kids FT in nursery would 'cost' the same as me working 4 days a week and having them at home with me for one day IYSWIM. Once DD goes to school, our childcare costs will plummet so we can cope for a year.

Terrys good to hear from you - 2 of the ladies on our charters anonymous graduate thread have already popped and have newborns!
I did think about finishing work early to spend time with DD but I also remember the hell that is leaving your baby in nursery for the first time (am dreading it - the first 2 weeks were hell on earth), so want as much time with this new one as posibe.

By the way all first timers - please don;t be put off it you are going back to work. Those 2 weeks are so awful but it is the mum that suffers - the baby is fine and generally loves nursery. :)
So much so, that I am keeping DD in nursery 3 days a week whilst I'm on mat leave. I could have her home with me full-time but she would miss her friends and the routine so much. I'm content to think that I can keep her off nursery whenever she wants and perhaps, fingers crossed that she gets chicken pox whilst I'm off so it gets it out of the way!

Sorry, long post. Must do some blardy work!

Btw, sorry to ramble on but i was thinking - those in the Manchester/NW area - do you fancy meeting up once newborns are here and going to the mum and baby cinema in the Trafford centre? I did it with DD and it was fab! basically, there is a special showing of a good film (generally up to a cert 15, the sound is lowered and they don't show things with lots of explosions or loud bangs)) and if you have an under 12m old, they go in with you.

It's all mums and babies so no one cares if you feed, change a nappy, baby cries, you walk up and down the steps rocking them and the adults get to watch a good film at the same time.
When i took DD, she was restless the first one but the second time I took her she slept most of the time then woke and watched a bit of the film!

I'm an avid cinema goer, so sign me up for that one!

Poppet My mum is coming over from Sweden to be here for the first two weeks - I may crumble otherwise. Confinment nurse sounds good - just be firm on feeling confident with who you choose.

pam thanks for the new thread.

HOO7 OMG the 19th Sept, that?s sooooo early! and Terrys finishing today!! Enjoy your last day, spending time with ds sounds perfect.

Truffkin I have always been completely career minded and previously the thought of being off for a year freaked me out, thought I?d be bored, and worried about the impact on my job. But I have to say my perspective has really changed since I had a miscarriage last year. This is now the most important thing ever to me and I can?t wait to be off. Although having said that work is also particularly sh*t at the moment as major restructures happen so I?m also glad to be away while it all happens and the dust settles. I figured, more than likely I?ll have a job at the end of it, but if not, something will come along and I?m sure eventually I?ll think it was all for the better.

Pam wow I can?t believe your still in your normal clothes!

MrsAI am up for a meet up in the TC cinema with babies!

I sympathise with all the heat suffers. Air conditioing is a luxury we don?t have at work and its seriously HOT! Working from home today and its sooooo cool!

Anyone else suffering back ache? I have been suffering lower and upper back ache and have had no sympathy or support from GP or MW. But seen chiropractor today and he was great and seemed to have a good diagnosis for the pain. I start my treatment next week so will let you know how it goes, but I am already very impressed.

Poppys confinement nanny sounds like a good idea if none of your family will be coming over although the title scares me a bit! You would have to make sure that you feel absolutely confortable with her, not just think she is okay. The woman will be sharing your space when you are at most vulnerable and tired and maybe a bit overwhelmed so need to feel like it's not an uncomfortable stranger with you. Sorry that's my bossy britches off now! Loving that she'll do the cooking though, that will be goddesssend.

Anyone in or near Edinburgh considering slings? there's a sling meet on Sunday September 4 at the parents and pregnancy centre where you et to try on different slings and talk to people about slings and generally that's about it i think. I think I'd like to go, although appreciate I said before would like to spend the day with OH- still sling meets don't come around very often.

Oooh and poppet how'd the appointment go?

Yeah it is early for me to leave work but it's due to my annual leave being calculated from September to September so I'd saved loads of last years to have in the summer before I was pregnant then due to Bean being sue in November if I take 9months ML I won't have anytime to take AL after the birth so it all has to go before Bean's arrival. I'm quite happy with it that as have been struggleling with the 4 hour commute since I found out I was pregnant and it hasn't eased at all which means it can only get worse. Am only planning on going back two days a week so having time after Bean's arrival isn't an issue either.

Had a massive stupid argument with OH last night he doesn't understand that I get tired and when I go to bed it's cause I want to go to sleep and he finds this the perfect opportunity to start up a conversation it doesn't matter how many times I tell him he just doesn't listen! He was asking questions about the birth etc that I don't know the answer to, I'd tell him that I wouldnt know the answers till 35weeks but again it's like he wasn't listening and instead asked the same question over and over just in different ways... I totally flipped out in the end and still feel stressed about it now! Why can't he just leave me alone to get on with it?!

hi ladies

terrys hope last day went well.

poppys hope the interview went well.

bumps glad baby's ok

hoo7 i think men deal in facts and so maybe he's trying to involve himself in the pregnancy by asking birth details. Is he going with you to the 35 wk appt where you get the answers? it's nice he's interested though, mine just isn't interested in any of it.

H007 agree with cep in that he'll be trying to get the facts straight, some folks are just like that but maybe just better to say not now but we can talk about it tomorrow over dinner or some other time when you won't be dead on your feet?

I've just had MW appointment- baby's head is right at top and heartbeat good and strong. I'm measuring 28cm for being 26+4 but she said that was totally within the guidelines- it can be 3cm out. Spose not an exact science is it...Talked about my 36 week scan, bleeding and she advised that the CS will be at 39 weeks if have to have one so makes me feel even better in my choice to start maternity leave when 35 weeks.

Pam I enjoyed your kitchen porn! We both love the really modern look, and were tempted to go for something along those lines. But, we have half an eye on selling our house in a couple of years, so decided to go for something more boring, that might appeal to more people. Its not ground breaking design by any means, but its plain and simple, and compared with the ghastly country-kitchen-complete-with-fancy-trim-and-extractor-fan-with-swirly-artex-chimney that we have had no choice but to live with for the past eight years, it will be a thing of beauty! If we were in our 'forever' house, I'd go to town and go super modern......

Enough about my kitchen (I'm a bit excited, can you tell?!). Maternity leave.....I will have only about 3 days annual leave left by November (I get only the legal minimum leave, and it runs with the calendar year) so I can't finish early, but I'm planning on leaving around mid Oct.

Am I imagining it, or is it a while since we heard from Caz? I keep thinking of her, especially as she was saying how (understandably) anxious she was feeling....

Hiya gals
I'm a little giddy because.... we are all systems go for a VBAC in water!!!! Forth Park has apparently won awards for its progressive VBAC care, and once my consultant realised I'd done my reading and rung up the MLU and had a chat there too, we had the 'I recommend constant monitoring in case of the small but definite 1 in 200 risk of scar rupture' 'thanks but I prefer to be active in labour and would like to have intermittant monitoring' chat and she said she'd write a letter referring me to MLU care. I didn't think she'd go for water but as she put it if I'm happy to disregard the recommendation on constant monitoring to labour in the MLU then I should use everything it has at its disposal to increase my chances of success. I'm at the lower end of the stats for likely success because of failure to progress after getting fully dilated and pushing so 60 per cent rather than 80, but that's still only a 40 per cent chance of a section! She also agreed with my dates not the scans so I can go 13 days over by their dates (which is actually 10 over) not 10 (which would only be 7) before they schedule a section, but even then if I turned up 3cms dilated or almost ready to go they'd leave me to it. Am so relieved! Now I just have to confirm with head of midwifery tomorrow - the consultant reckoned she'd be delighted to have me as she's very progressive go back for one more appt at 38 weeks to see how i'm doing and how I feel about it all, and then hope to god Bunny doesn't decide she wants to be breech.