Flying mattress graduates - dock here!

[festiemum]

Hey chaps! Here's the space for us to witter on incessantly about our pregnancies!

20 week scan today and it was soooo fantastic! I'll post some pics on my profile later. The sonographer wasn't 100% sure, but thought that it was probably a girl, due to lack of visible meat and two veg!

Hope everyone's doing well! xxx

That's great news Rus, so pleased for you and hah to the MW! Does this mean you can use the MLU now? You deserve it the way you have lost weight even when pg. Congrats!

Sounds like I will have to go to B&Q next time as can't put up with doing 3/4 coats every time.

I really need to get an NHS dentist sorted soon. I am a wimp about the dentist thought so haven't been for years and dreading it but as it is the only time I'm going to get it free I need to bite the bullet and just do it.

My DH would say I do bonkers stuff normally but being pg is def making it worse.

Hi Flour and Chips hope you are both ok and bumps are growing well.

Yay for normal GTT Rus! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it NHS!

Just a quickie cos I've got to take ds to the dentist. It's a bit difficult to sort out stuff with ex's dw. We get on fine, but, to be fair, she took the clothes out of the loft when she was pg, before me and dh had even decided to ttc, so she didn't know I was going to want them. I just feel a bit cos she nicked my partner, moved into my family home and then took the clothes we had dressed our dcs in to dress their new baby!!!! It's my problem, I do realise that!!

Anyway. Did lots of baby washing this weekend, so feel like I've at least made a start in sorting stuff. Now I just need to convince myself to buy the new pushchair!

Anyway, need to go, will catch up properly later! Hope everyone's ok! :)

Hi ladies, hope it's as sunny for all of you as it is for me here!

Lil don't know whether they'll let me in the MLU, think it's the consultant's decision... will ask when I see them. Gulp. Better lose some weight!

Been frightening myself over stillbirth statistics- going to be counting the kicks from now on, printed off a chart here:

countthekicks.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pocket-Kick-Count-Chart-V2.pdf

You need to start from 28 weeks, so I'm about a fortnight late, but I'm going to be totally on it from now!

Really glad we've got a growth scan at 36 weeks so we can check to make sure there aren't any complications or umbilical nooses so close to due date, trying not to freak out, sure it will all be fine, but want to make sure I know Peanut's patterns inside out so I can spot if anything is wrong.

Don't we ever get to stop worrying??!!?

Festie I need to do some baby washing too. Went through all the baby clothes I've bought with my mum, and she says I've got way more than she ever had for either of us... feel guilty now! Will have to be more discriminatory in charity shops. Repeat to self: 26 babygrows for 0-3m is enough... Lol.
I'm going to have a list of things I do need to look out for, like jeans or skirts or whatever for particular age brackets, and obviously if there's something awesome I'll get it, but I need to rein it in now, I think.

Parents have left the baby gate they got with us so we can see if it's feasible to fit one at the top of the stairs, but have a feeling we're screwed no matter what we try. Don't want one on their bedroom so they're caged in like an animal, but not sure how else to stop them going flying down the long flight of stairs... Hmm.

Right, got to go get baby spinach and compulsory exercise. Then when I get back maybe pull out one of the board game bookcases and empty it to get access to the hole in the floor where the latest wave of mice appears to be coming from- sigh. Got some metal lattice to fix over it though, so hoping it'll stop them getting up through there. Better not be chew holes in my bookcase!

Advice needed!
School has hand, foot and mouth going around. Went out this am as as soon as I got back they put me in the office to keep away from the children and sent me home. It is now up to me what I do - stay home until it blows out or go back tomorrow as usual.

MW has said that I am probably immune but no blood test available to check

It is highly contagious between children, adults rarely catch it but can get it more than once. (Don't think I have ever had it)

Spread through coughs, sneezes and unwashed hands.

If you get it when pg it is unlikely to harm the baby.

There is some limited evidence that catching hand, foot and mouth disease during pregnancy may result in miscarriage in very rare cases.

Chances are all will be fine but DH says any risk isn't worth it, I am worrying about the impact on my class and other staff / money to pay supply but also would never forgive myself if I am the rare case and something happens

WWYD? I wish someone would just tell me what to do as I am torn and see both sides.

Sorry for the long me me me post, I hope you are all ok and will post properly when I've calmed down and de stressed abit.

Oh lil, I can understand your concern and your worry about you, the baby and the school. It sounds as if school have your best interests at heart, so why not take their lead and stay away until it's all blown over? So, they'll have to get supply staff in, but frankly, that's not your problem, and as you say; you'd never forgive yourself if you were affected. xx

Thanks Festie I am at home till Friday and school have been really good about it. They rang yesterday saying they also have a case of chicken pox but MW thinks I'm ok with that as I had it when I was younger. At least I have got some time to write reports and sort things out so less stress and more rest.

Rusulka sorry to hear your mouse battle is continuing!

I haven't bought any clothes yet - do you have many newborn things or are you going for mainly 0-3 months? Bit worried if I stock up on newborn they might not use them.

DH was listening to bump the other day and felt a kick on his head was lovely he got to actually feel baby and convinced me that I'm not imagining the movements. Not counting kicks yet though as don't think they are regular enough but do tend to feel him every day now which is nice.

Festie I would feel the same about the ex's dw - couldn't believe it when you said you had lent them to her! Thought you must be amazing to have that kind of relationship (or they had got together after you and ex broke up and were ok about it) Hearing more of the story I don't think I could bring myself to acknowledge her let alone lend baby clothes for their new family, you're a bigger woman than me x

I'm glad school is being so understanding lil. And 'yay,' to a bit of extra marking/chilling time!

It's difficult to say what size to go for. It varies so much! M&S newborn stuff is 7.5 llbs which was great for me - all my babies have been 6-7llbs; a trend I'm hoping will continue with this one - but my mate's were both over 10llbs, so they were straight into 0-3 months! Mothercare newborn stuff is 10llbs I think, so a safer size to go for. I personally liked having the smaller stuff for the first month, but then, my babies were little. It's a bit of a lottery though!

Aw, it's lovely that your dh has felt movement! Dh has tried to, but Cleetus stops moving as soon as he so much as looks at my bump, the little minx!

I'm sure I'm not a bigger woman than you (well maybe in arse size). I've always got on with ex's dw; even though she pursued him while we were together. The thing is; my kids love her; she's a great step-mum and they have always been my priority. I was damned if the crappy behaviour of their Dad and his 'younger model' was going to screw them up.

Anyway, it's dh's ex who's causing problems at the moment. After announcing that her and her dh were splitting, things went quiet and they seemed to be sorting it out amicably. However, this weekend, we had dh's kids staying with us, and as they were getting ready to go home we get a call. Her dh has discovered she recently slept with two other men, has gone mental and kicked her out! Thus dh's 2 are living with us while she finds them somewhere to live!! That's 5 kids in two (small) bedrooms!!! Poor little buggers, they're coping really well, but it's not really fair on them at all!

Anyway, in pregnancy news, I am rolling into the 3rd trimester feeling decidedly sweaty, big and knackered! Defiinitely slowing down big time now! I also finally bit the bullet and bought my pram today! Hooray!!! I am absurdly excited, particularly as its purple! (sad)

Hope everyone is well. rus, you still being mentally productive?!

Festie only mentally productive in the sense that in my head I can get all this stuff done, then plan it, then.... don't do it.
Sounds like things are manic your end, I wish people would put aside their issues to consider the kids first. Grr.
And the first pram I looked at was purple too! But it was so huge and clunky, and wouldn't have fitted in any car except my mum's zafira... happy with my mothercare 3 wheeler though. It may be grey, but I'm going to accessorise with brightly coloured toys and blankets, and a red parasol!

Lil sorry to hear of your school infestation woes, I think you're better off at home too, it isn't worth the risk. Sod school, they have to be prepared for this kind of thing, and like you said, you get some more time to get stuff done- it's like a mini-half term before the last 3 weeks of term! And I bet you need it as well.
Re: clothes, I've only bought 0-3 months, although some of the charity shop ones say they're newborn- Gap seems to think a newborn is 12.5lb, so, erm, yeah, whatever!
My thinking was, a regular size baby will fit in 0-3 and won't need newborn clothes, neither will a big one, and if we have a smaller one, then I can get some smaller clothes IF we need them. Or they can just be buried in clothes for a little while and lump it, no biggie!

No more mice since the one when my parents were here (that the dog never noticed. Crap dog!) which is just as well since I still haven't put that metal mesh over the hole. [rubbish Rus emoticon]

Spent the past few days busily washing washing washing, trying to take advantage of the sunny weather. With all the stuff I'd bought, I had 4 coloured loads (1 bright, 1 paler, 1 dark, 1 new stuff that might run), 4 white loads, and 1-2 mixed new where there's colour & white on the same stuff- I'm doing the 2nd to last white one now, will do the other white when DH gets home from late night and bung his week's shirts in with it, and I need to buy colour catchers before I wash the new stuff and the mixed stuff. Oh, and there's blankets and other stuff to handwash too, but not much thankfully!
Made the mistake of putting in a red & white polka dot coat with the colours, some of which I recently dyed purple, only for the white velvet ribbon trim to come out suspiciously lilac, so have a feeling I may have ruined that one. I'm so crap at washing beyond the basic bung it in and go. Have lots of angora stuff I daren't ever wash after I ruined my favourite cardigan (and covered the rest of the wash in red fluff)... still makes me sad to think about it.

Shopping for little P nearly all done now- got my moses basket sheets- 2 from Wilkinson for a fiver and 4 secondhand off eBay, and I'm going to get my cot sheets from John Lewis as their basic ones are £15 for 3- which is £11.25 with my discount. Works out a little cheaper than everywhere else, so 2 packs and I'm sorted. Other than that... it's just getting FiL to pull his finger out and get the play gym, and maybe figure out the baby gate problem. So now I can just mooch in charity shops at clothes, with my little A4 tally chart so I know what I've already got, and just keep an eye out for nice things. No more babygrows! No more jeans for 6-9m, that kind of thing. Might write a clothing wishlist based on a sensible sized wardrobe for a baby, and try to stick to that...

Also we've been reading to bump every night.
Other than that, just getting things ready, clean, accessible, and thinking about hospital bag... oh, and wondering if I'm a jelly short of a party for planning to travel up to Norwich on the train when I'll be 8 months!!!

Bought £100-worth of stuff on Mothercare website just to take advantage of their 10% off, so that's Peanut's birthdays and christmases sorted for the next few years, lol. I'm going to sit and work out how much we've I've spent so far, and I bet it's eye-watering. I'm also going to work out what of that was actually necessary. Keep your eyes peeled for a wince-worthy financial update!

Good gravy, I've done an essay again, must have missed you or something.

Yes, I have to admit I have loved being at home for the last few days and actually feel human again. Nearly up to date with work, the house is fairly tidy and I have slept! Don't want to go back to work on Monday now and really can't wait for mat leave to start

I need to get organised too Rus. We have our 20 week scan on Wednesday so after that will have to get on with it. Dh is bidding on some bits on ebay and we have chosen pram and cot bed so have started at least. Still have your list which is going to be a godsend.

Will wait with baited breath for the financial update - I think I would be too scared to work it out - particularly the unnecessary bit!

Dh has been listening to bump and I talk to it during the day but like the idea of reading to it. My friend used to sing to her bump each night but if I do that it might not be quite so relaxing!

PiL visiting tonight. Only stopping one night so nothing like your epic visits Rus!

Think I will go with mainly 0-3 months and maybe throw in a couple of newborn just in case I manage my tiny sneeze birth dream! (although if I prepare only for a big baby maybe I'll be more likely to get a littler one )

I love your attitude Festie and hope that I could look at it in the same way, poor kids though, hope something better is sorted out soon.

Pram sounds great, I love purple. ATM we are deciding between red and cream for ours (sadly they don't do it in purple, only bright pink [yuck])

Better go and make Dh some dinner as I am currently playing good housewife!

Get red Lil, it won't show the muck so much!

Really fighting with washing these whites, they just get dirty so easily... really tempted to just dye everything purple- muslins, bedding... I mean, some of them have dirty marks from where they touched the line on the rotary airer. ARGH! I can't work with this!!!

DH has so far been reading some of childhood favourites- he was reading Fungus the Bogeyman last week, and he read Fox in Socks at my request- tripped over nearly the whole thing, which was quite funny, but I felt terrible for giving him a tongue twister to read! I've read some picture books including Where the Wild Things Are, but I'm planning on reading lots of Dr Seuss.

I know what you mean about preparing for a big baby- sod's law dictates we'll get tiddlers! But rather that than have to try and squeeze out a huge baby which then gets stuck like I saw on One Born Every Minute- eep!

I'm kind of hoping that my body just gets on with it, and my contractions happen so fast that before we can really react I have to get in the bath cos she's crowning... anything to get out of going to hospital!
Although realistically if I'm honest, I'd be happier to be there just so they can check everything's ok. Ah well. Not long to wait now to see what happens...

Ooh, definitely red over cream lil! You'll be kicking yourself when it looks grubby after five minutes! Very exciting about your scan. Are you going to find out the flavour?!

See, you're still putting us all to shame with your proactive organisation, rus! I know what you mean about white stuff though. Babies look gorgeous in it, but it's so unpractical! I bought this lovely little white cardi. Washed it lovingly in gentle fairy non-bio, and left it on top of the washing basket to be put away. Within an hour, it had a brown stain on it (dh blamed the kids, but it looked like coffee to me ). So, washed it again in fairy, but of course, that didn't sort out the stain. Had to do the whole stain remover, nasty bio thing and then REWASH in fairy - ffs! :o

Feeling a bit sorry for myself. Sat cross-legged for an hour yesterday and ruined my pelvis: ouchy, ouch ouch!

Still, it's quiet here now. Dh's kids gone back to Mum's, who's sorted a rental property, but while that's going through has rebuilt enough bridges with her stb-ex, so they can carry on living in the house while it's sorted out!

So definitely a weekend of baths, rest and NO MORE sitting cross-legged!

Have a great weekend all! xxx

I think red for that same reason but Dh likes the cream so need to try to consider it objectively!

Festie sorry about the pelvis, I can definately sympathise. A hot bath is fab but I can't seem to sit or lie comfortably for more then 15 mins.

Glad things are getting sorted for the kids and you can now have some rest.

Rus I saw that OBEM too - was cringing when I saw how big it was. Sadly I was 9lb and my cousin has gave birth to a 10lb 3 baby so guess big babies are in the genes.

Haven't even thought about clothes yet. MiL has bought a couple of bits and DH won a baby grow from ebay, all of which are white so not looking forward to the washing. However as we aren't finding out the flavour (unless one of us cracks at the last minute) I guess we will be getting lots of white!

Lil I joined the sainsbury's baby club or whatever it's called, and got a voucher for £10 off their kidswear, or maybe it was in my bounty pack, can't remember... but they have some ok baby stuff, not as cheap as other places though. I tried to keep neutral with mine but that doesn't mean white!!!
Here are some of the ones I got in M&S:

www.marksandspencer.com/Pack-Pure-Cotton-Striped-Bodysuits/dp/B0038FRXZ4?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_7&nodeId=75582031&sr=1-7&qid=1341153677&pf_rd_r=18MT0RDMGZYE1RR4B09N&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=72343031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

and of course Asda have a decent range, including:

direct.asda.com/george/baby-bodysuits/3-pack-baby-bodysuits/GEM234608,default,pd.html

I have a restraining order preventing me from buying more babygrows, but don't forget you could get a secondhand bundle off eBay, that often works out quite cheap.

Bear in mind that though you may not want to know, it might be ahem, fairly obvious, especially if there's a little pair of balls waving around in there!
And don't do what my MiL did- spent her whole pregnancy thinking it was a girl, then got DH, and her first moments with him were about being miffed. I felt really strongly that Peanut was a girl, right from the beginning, and we wanted to know so we could prepare better, but also to avoid that happening.
Regards your DH liking cream- you could always say you'll go along with it provided he agrees it's his job to clean any muck off- and there'll be lots. You could tell him about the mud splashes on my old changing bag, which despite being washed with stain remover, will NOT budge... and that's on pink. Ask if he would buy a white car... then if he says no as they always look filthy, then why is a pushchair/ pram any different? I'm sure he'll soon see the practical side of things.

Festie sorry to hear about your pelvis. Over the last week I've had a kind of weird ache between my legs- sort of in a cone shape around my downstairs, feels like a cross between the ache from cystitis and the feeling you get after riding a bike for the first time in ages... it's especially bad when I've been sat on a hard surface, and generally hurts when I try to lift my legs or move in bed. Weird! Think it's just my pubic bone dicking about, or muscles relaxing, or Peanut pressing on something. Not much fun either way.

Earlier on today I had the most painful Peanut movement yet- it was just to the left of my bellybutton, and felt like she'd grabbed a length of my intestines and twisted in opposite directions. Ow! Don't know what the hell it was, but she's bobbing about quite merrily in there now, poking me in the ribs for fun, etc. so she's obviously fine. Little git... Becoming more and more convinced though that there's a mini me in there, oh christ, what am I going to do??!? Lol.

Managed to lose 4lb somehow this week so am ecstatic, hoping for a repeat performance next week so I can go to consultant weigh-in appt with head held high knowing I have a decent chance of convincing them to let me give birth where I want... Starting off with a bowl of midget gems probably wasn't my best idea though.

Ha ha rusulka - I was going to say the exact same thing: if your dh wants the cream lil, he has to agree to be responsible for cleaning it!!

I've got those stripey vests from m&s, rus! They are gorgeous. I also got some lovely unisex baby grows from next. Hang on, I'll find a link... here

My pram arrived yesterday!! It's ace. But now I've got to wait 10-14 weeks to use it! Frustrating!

Although I'd love this baby to come a bit early, I am actually also hoping she'll hang on till due date. My brother is getting married, and his wedding party is a week before my due date! It's a 4 hour round trip and a stay overnight. He's got lots of mates coming, but since our Dad died last year, and our Mum is too disabled/incontinent/doolally to come, I'm the only family member coming!!!!! Flipping mental innit? I've found an alrightish dress, but I'm still going to look like a giant heffer!

Pelvis much better thanks, and I've bought myself a fan to cope with the humid weather we're having here. Also had a good midwife appt. She was quite keen to go over delivering baby with dh, just in case we don't get to the hospital in time!!!!!! She was also trying to reassure me that when I get to hospital I won't have to go straight down to delivery; I can stay in ante-natal, where I should be able to walk about, go to the cafe etc. She then went onto say, "quite often there's no beds in delivery, so they end up delivering in ante-natal anyway! I suppose that's what comes of having one hospital for the whole county!

Wow, I've wittered. Hope you're doing ok. Counting down to hols now lil, I expect.

Oh, and after emptying the other eave, found more baby stuf I thought I'd lost, so feel like I owe ex's dw an apology!

Well well well well done on the weight loss rus - I don't know how you're doing it, but I'm sure you must be on track to deliver where the hell you want to, particularly with your normal GTT as well! :)

Festie I got some from Next too, the two pack where one is covered in red hippos!
Great that you found more stuff in the eaves, don't worry about slagging people off behind their back, I do it all the time, it makes you feel better. And great news on the behaving pelvis! I don't get my pram until after Peanut is born. In the meantime it's in Norwich, waiting for the big day, and it'll come down when my parents visit little P for the first time.
I have midwife jealousy! She hasn't even mentioned delivery since the booking in appointment, and that was only to say no way in hell to the midwife led unit...
really hope I lose some more weight this week, but we shall have to see.

Someone on my September thread had their baby yesterday- but her due date was 23/09! He only weighed about 2lb 6oz, went to NICU but is apparently fine... got the rest of us in a tizz about getting the bloody hospital bag sorted though, lol. Someone's been a bit pants and bought a ready prepared one from eBay as they 'weren't sure what to put in' (yes, because nightie, towel, knickers, pads, clothes, baby clothes, nappies and wet wipes is so hard to work out, grr) I'm going minimalist with mine, then I can just carry it everywhere in case...lol... have to take notes everywhere anyway, and half of what I usually carry in my bag is needed, so might as well add the odd few things to make it official.
Am seriously doubting whether going to stay with my parents for a week at 8 months is a good idea! But I'll be buggered if I'm staying at home when I've forked out for tickets.

First antenatal class tonight! Can't believe I only get 2, had some misguided idea that there'd be a whole string of them... even if I wanted NCT classes, there aren't any close enough for me to get to, so this will have to do (not that I intend to listen to what anyone else has to say, ha!)

Have fun with all that washing Festie

Thanks Rus I've joined a few baby clubs but don't think I did sainsburys, will have to add that one. Did join Boots but not heard anything from them yet although people have said you get a free change bag which will be handy.

I can't believe someone has had their baby already - scary - although my friend had hers a month early.

You can buy a ready made hospital bag from ebay!?!?!?!? Why?

Continually amazed by your weight loss and if the mw etc can't see what you've achieved it's a bloody bad job.So hoping you get the MLU.

Glad you are feeling better Festie, the fan is a good idea I might steal.

Also pleased you have found some more clothes, don't worry about blaming exp-w, she won't know and a bit of letting off steam sometimes is needed.

I'm sure you don't look huge and everyone will spend the day telling you how glowing you are! I'm trying to find a dress for weddings too - one in a few weeks and one in sept, hoping I can find one that will do for both but everything I try on makes my boobs look enormous and does nothing for my ever expanding arse! Going to look in Barnstaple at the weekend - my new thought is all the stretchy/empire line/maxi dresses around might do the trick if I just get a bigger size.

Had our scan yesterday - all the right bits in the right places and didn't ask the sex. Sonographer was lovely and explained what she was doing and looking for as she went along but did say even she doesn't know the sex as baby had it's legs crossed. Feeling relieved that all is ok and looking forward to having a surprise on the day.

Once all was fine we went and paid the balance on the nursery furniture and Dh was straight on the net ordering the pram (red) - it really is going to happen

I'm definately counting down - 2 weeks and 2 days to go

Hope you are both ok (and anyone else who is hanging around!)

Yay! Congratulations lil on a lovely scan! There's nothing like the 20 week scan to bring home the imminent arrival of a baby! :o Stretchy/empire type dresses are the way forward I think. The one I've got is basically that kind of cut, but it is maternity since, at 39 weeks I'm going to need all the help I can get! I got it on eBay, but they have a website - heavenly bump. here's the dress I got!

Bloody hell rus! I've been lurking on that board. She was only due a week before me!!!! Glad all is well for baby though. It just goes to show, doesn't it?! From what I've read, your babies all tend to be born at about the same time, so I'm assuming this one will be about on time: dd1 was plucked out at 38 weeks (Pre-eclampsia and she was breech), but ds1 arrived 40+3 and dd2 at 40+1, so I'm assuming I'll make my brother's wedding, but this baby could have other ideas!

Buying ready filled hospital bags though?! That's just the height of laziness isn't it?! Also, it takes all the fun out of it. I like making lists and organising stuff (possibly the teacher in me?!) even if the purchases are maternity pads and nipple cream!!! :o

I love the hippo baby grows! Next have some lovely stuff at the mo, but I can justify any more purchases now. We've got plenty! (I have a Next account though, so it's fatally tempting!)

Keep that countdown going lil - not long now! My internal countdown has a later date in mind: I'm on 12 weeks and 2 days today! :o

Lil Boots take bloody ages to get back to you, they're a pain in the arse... and you only get the free changing bag when you buy pampers nappies, which I'm not getting! Prefer huggies newborn as they have the umbilical cut out in size 1. But nothing wrong with getting a couple of different makes to experiment with and see what's right for your baby, I just already had a changing bag so it wasn't worth it for me.
Glad all was well with the scan, it's really nice to see the difference from that and the last one isn't it? And amazing how they can't fit all of them on the screen at once... my 36 week scan is going to be weird- the same focus level that saw Peanut when she was naught but a a little monkey nut with a heartbeat will probably only fit her nose on now, lol.

Festie that dress is gorgeous, sigh... but I swore not to buy any maternity clothes, so I guess that counts me out. Have plenty of wraparound dresses at home, but would love some more maxi dresses...
I saw the loveliest set in Next for Peanut- it was the babygrow with the pink tutu and tights- thought it was lovely, but after seeing the £20 price tag, and realising that the tutu was actually separate... well, I'd be murdered for buying more babygrows, and probably murdered again for effectively spending £20 on a pair of tights and a bit of net with elastic!
Going to look on eBay for a tutu, I think...

Got my cot sheets and some (soft) baby shoes from JL on Thursday, so we're nearing the end of prep now, just need to sort out the changing-come-hospital bag... which I've been trying to clean the ingrained mud/oil splats off from cycling in traffic with it, but to no avail. Stain remover, biological, vanish, stardrops, orange oil grease remover, lakeland grease remover... in the end I gave up! At least if nothing else, it's clean now...

Yesterday after I finished chatting to my dad on the phone, I heard a trap go off in the cupboard- fuck.
Then I started hearing squeaking- I was really hoping it was just another mouse going "Frank! Oh my god, Frank!" but unfortunately when I got there to look, 2 traps had gone off, 1 with a mouse caught in the usual way, and one mouse with it's arse trapped in the thing. In an emotionally detached way, it was quite hilarious, but on a human level- when I got the gloves on to move them, the one with it's bum trapped was still alive, struggling and squeaking. It's a horrible moment when you realise you're going to have to kill something to put it out of its misery, but I couldn't leave it to bleed internally, so I got the 3rd trap, put its head in it and managed to get it to go off properly after an unsuccessful attempt- probably because tears were streaming down my face while I apologised profusely to this poor little mouse. After leaving it long enough to make sure it had 'gone', I buried them both in the lime tree pot. I felt like such a monster, but I knew I'd done the right thing. Ruined my day though, and couldn't really do anything after that.

Wow, epic post from me today.

To end on a less grim note, Peanut has been amusing me by doing weird stuff to my insides- I had a hideous twisting pain a few days on the phone, then read in a mum & baby mag that at 32 weeks (which I am according to NHS) the baby can open their eyes, look around and start grabbing things... I think someone found the umbilical cord and wondered what would happen if she yanked it... also, I had a weird feeling inside my lower ribs- the nearest I can describe it is it felt like she was doing that mime thing- I'm in a box!- and feeling around the space, found my ribcage, wrapped her hands round it and was feeling to see what it was- cue the most ticklish and bizarre feeling for me ever!

Sorry all to hijack your thread but just have to post and say;

CONGRATULATIONS LILLIANA, SO PLEASED YOU'RE PREGNANT!!!

Just stalked searched for you as have thought of you often over the last year and was wondering how you're getting on, I'm so excited to see you are expecting.

Others- Lilliana and I were on the same ttc thread last year when I got my BFP. I now have baby Charlotte who is nearly 4 months. (So so so delighted to have a girl, as already have DS and DH was adamant that we are only having 2). I went on to an antenatal thread but never loved it as much as the ttc threads and kind of gave up.

Good luck all of you with your pregnancies- exciting times!

Darn... Thought I'd name changed back for posting... I used to be Reallea.

Rusulka, just read your post abou the mice... Poor you!

Wow my first stalker!! - I never thought I was memorable enough for anyone to remember me Thanks Reallea we're so thrilled to finally be pg and you've weirdly made my day by stalking me!

Congratulations on your little girl, I'm really pleased everything is ok with you. I loved the conception threads too but find the ante natal threads huge and can't keep up hence the random due dates on this one - we just wanted to keep in touch whatever month we were due in.

Rus how traumatising, so sorry for you and the mouse but it was the best thing to do rather than let it suffer. Hopefully it will help produce some lovely limes.

I had a weird twisting sensation the other day - felt like baby had grabbed hold of my stomach and squeezed. I can't wait until I can feel/see proper movements.

Am a little jealous you get another scan, was amazing to see how much it has grown already.

Feastie I love the dress you have. Went for an epic shop and tried on every stretchy dress in sight but just looked horrible in them all - think I am going to stick with a maxi dress I own, even though it is a little old- I like it and feel ok in it (apart from a couple of ominous snicks when I squeezed my boobs into it!)

How far away is your brothers weddiing? You may need to make sure DH doesn't drink in case an emergency trip is needed.

Reports finished so now just have to hope that our head doesn't decide to dump anything else on us last minute and we can have a chilled end of term.

Well ladies, it's not good news.
Despite weighing 2lb less than when I found out I was PG, as far as the consultants are concerned, I'm still medium risk because of my BMI, which means no water birth and no Midwife Led Unit.
When I pressed them for more information, it turns out your BMI has to be less than 30. Bearing in mind mine is about 39 at the moment, there's just no way in hell I could have achieved it.
I just wish someone had said that at the beginning. If I'd known in February or March that I wouldn't get a water birth unless I lost 4 stone, then I'd have known it was impossible, shed my tears and moved on.
To find out about 6 weeks before I'm likely to give birth is just so upsetting. I feel like the hospital staff have been really unprofessional in giving me false hope like that. I hate it when people tell you no, but don't give you the reason- I just wish I'd known...
On the plus side, I don't have a UTI, my SPD isn't severe enough to be referred to physio, they're not bothered about my reflux, I can sleep on whatever side I want, they think I'm doing so well with my weight that I should just be signed back over to midwife care, and BP, Peanut's heartbeat and measurements are all fine. They're really pleased with my progress, I'm just gutted about the whole birth thing...
And DH wasn't even with me to cry on- he's a bit ill and we've realised we really need to tighten the purse strings after my liberal spending, so it worked out better for me to just leave him at home and take his bus pass to avoid the £5 bus fare. Now I'm home, he's drawn up a menu ('DH's cafe') by looking in all the cupboards and promises to feed me whenever I like. And hugs are on the house! So lucky to have him.

Please / Reallea thanks for the note about the mice. As Lil says, hopefully we'll get some awesome limes.

Speaking of Lil, glad someone else feels like they've got twisty things going on!
Don't worry about being in old dresses. The main thing is that you're comfy, and everything I'm wearing is pretty old too.
I think the scan is to check Peanut isn't enormous. So something else for me to worry about! I guess we can see how much she weighs, which will give us a rough idea of expected birth weight, and see if there are any prospective problems, like the cord being somewhere in the way, and make sure she's head down... although in every appointment I've had, I think she's been head down. It would be true to her character though to turn round at the last minute just for shits and giggles!

Oh bloody hell rus! That's complete pants! At least be straight with you from the start! In my last 3 pregnancies I had no requests, just did what I was told like a good girl - all fine. With dd1, there was the shock at 36 weeks that I both had Pre-eclampsia and baby being breech and watching my lovely 'natural' birth disappearing over the horizon as a c-section was booked. I was gutted. It's a crappy feeling - I really empathise. And then this time, I make what I think is an informed, reasonable request, to be told categorically NO. It seems to me that this illusion of choice that the nhs tries to perpetuate is just a myth. They prefer us to roll up to hospital to be good little girls, lying on our backs in some sort of baby producing factory line.

Ooh, ranty rant rant!

Thank you for the kind words about my dress. I was just glad to find something that fitted and wasn't black! lil - I think going for something you're comfortable in is the way forward definitely! His wedding is exactly a week before my due date - 22nd September, so dh definitely won't be drinking just in case! Sorry dh!

Hey please/reallea - no probs! Think you made lil's day!

Oh rus - I really feel for you re the mouse. I think it would have done me in! Well done for dealing with it quickly and humanely!

Did you see on the ttc thread, both discolite and count have got BFPs?!!!! I think they're both waiting till they're a bit more relaxed and further along before they move across, but what lovely news!

So pleased Disco and count are soon to join us, will have to pop over and say congrats.

Rus I'm gutted for you, you have been so amazing at losing weight it just seems so unfair. I guess you could look at it that losing the weight will help you and baby in the long run and you are probably healthier but it doesn't make the birth any better :( They do seem reluctant to actually explain reasons for things and just expect people to do what they say unquestioningly. Grrrr

Glad your Dh is being so lovely and supportive. We're also tightening the purse strings and eating what is in the house (I feel some random meals coming on ) Thank goodness Dh is good at finding all the bargains on the net and ebay.

Oh def no drinking for DH then Festie!