Due in October 2012 - Part 5

[Kyyria]

Just starting us off on a new thread

Livvy - congratulations - that is fabulous and really impressive that you've finished it off even whilst pregnant and tired.
Hope you can celebrate this weekend!

Congratulations london a great achievement considering our current condition very . Always fancied it myself. you deserve a good glass of wine whilst doing a shoulder stand.

Hello lovelies. What a strange sun-storms-sun-storms day. Had my haircut and feeling prettier. Went to the market and bought lots of lovely vegetables that always makes me feel good. Chilling with the boy, watched an awesome film The Skin I Live In and made & ate fish noodles, yum. About to go out to a ska night in a moment, where I will no doubt look like the most frumpy and inappropriate person there, sigh.

LoopyLa love your bump!! I remember when mine was so cute and little! I am very much beginning third trimester now...

midgetm thanks for the slap! I am not complaining at all about minor aches, just SPD is top of my worry-list! I know I am being ridiculous.

londonlivv that's amazing. I have only really started yoga since getting pregnant and really enjoying it (not massively good at it yet!) Any random tips?! I try to do little and often rather than anything spectacular.

smileyhappymummy Your posts aren't boring at all, I always enjoy them, and you have a lovely manner bet you're a wonderful GP. Um... you can add bump pictures to your profile, or you can put a link to them if they're online somewhere. Come on, bump bump bump! (Mine aches all the time too... sometimes just feels really tight.)

bella I think I agree with you about Gina Ford, not that I've read it, but I'm not much of a routine person, I'm more of a spontaneous person naturally and I must admit I roll my eyes when I meet people who are SO rigid about what their little ones need. I could end up eating my words... I also enjoy your posts, yomping has opened the door for us all to confess our paranoia... I got a random slating from a poster on here originally and it made me assume everyone finds me spoiled and/or posh (I don't particularly feel like either!) ...uh oh now I'm airing my paranoia!
I hope all is ok after the flooding. We've had crazy rain here and I live on the river but they've redone all its flood defences in recent years and we seem to have survived so far.

lisbeths I find all your advice very sensible and strong, though sometimes I don't feel sensible or strong enough to live up to it

hufflepuffle and others - you have my extreme sympathies about going to weddings, I am not a fan at the best of times and have somehow managed to not have one this year. Very happy about that. I have one in March, but that's more bearable.

yomping apples and pears? how about very plain biscuits? or ... grapes. Hmm having trouble thinking of anything that's not fruit. Nuts would be nice but how would they stay on a fork.

squid, 27+4, and here is my bump -caught between sun and storms
(Another thing I feel paranoid you all hate me about, but am so obsessed with the strangeness of bumps so keep doing it anyway) I feel enormous! I think I feel it more than look it though. closeup!

Squid I think my bump is significantly bigger and I am only 23 weeks. Can't be arsed to post pictures but believe me, it's big. I blame my height and my slack old uterus....

livvy huge congratulations! What a fantastic achievement! And that will be a lovely job to do part time as you can run your classes at times that suit your family-brilliant.

dame thanks for your comment. Our bedtime is so long now- after his bath he has milk and 3 stories in our bed. If he is naughty he loses one which has worked well for us as he is gutted to lose one and always tries hard to be good the next day.
Then teeth cleaned and a sneaky extra story in his bed. Them cuddles which takes hours then a song, then anything else he can wangle... So the whole thing is ridiculously long! And i am exhausted by the time he is in bed.

Speaking of tiredness, is anyone else feeling like a broken record about tiredness? I am fed up of always feeling drained and tired. The knowledge that I am only going to get bigger and more uncomfortable isn't helping either! My moods are so weird- I can go from feeling really low or irrationally irritated to feeling quite content and optimistic even thoug the circumstances haven't changed much at all. Very strange. Am I alone with this?

I have been at work today so am feeling very unmotivated tonight. Got a massive pile of ironing as my companion this evening-oh the joys!

Sorry for being a whingy nobber!

Bella age 29 dc2 24+2 days, edd 18th october

cross posts with you squid- love the bump! Cooking along nicely! Your day sounds lush x

oh and I'm trying REALLY hard not to get involved on the home birth discussion on another thread - there is another doctor there (pointing out she is a doctor every post) spouting off the usual emotional cliches about "why would you ever take the risk?!" with zero evidence and I always want to say, er you don't speak for all doctors. But arguing on the internet is so pointless!

Just popping on for a rant, otherwise I may just pop in rl.

I was really looking forward to a long weekend of relaxing and not doing much. But dh invited his folks out for a bbq. So that meant grocerie shopping (which dh offered to do, but when I called on my way home he had inly got hamburgers and buns... Not any of tne other thongs OTHER people like mustard lettuce relish or anything to go with the burgers like salad or desert.. Then it meant spending the rest of the night and all day today cleaning. Niw I had cleaned up my stuff leaving little piles here and there of his things tnat need putting away... Well they sat there all day while he olayed with the dogs... So I have now thrown.it all on his side if the bed. He is now watching a movie.... And there are still things driving me bonkers....but I am.also sitting doing nothing. Hey they are HIS parents...

Oh.and did I mention I tried to lay down for a nap..well he was in and iut of the house with big loud clunky shoes...and he went hooting n our front pasture.... So loud shoes... Loud gun which equals loud howling dogs by.my bedroim window...... Equals one grumoy sleepy, not so well rested or relaxed beeble!

Though he did vacum (some rooms) and clean the kitchen (half of) last night so I think he deserves a wee bit of credit though not much

Beeble massively sympathising on the DH/in-law front. My FIL pissed me off royally yesterday, it's all about a chuffing mattress topper of all things, nothing important!! They offered to buy us one - I said very kind, really appreciate the offer, etc but I need to feel/see these things for myself - cue FIL being all bolshy and "you just can't help some people" bla bla bla. GRRRR!

This was after I'd already said to DH the exact same thing so why phone me to ask the same bloody question??? Anyway, I'm not answering phone to him anymore so he can jog on & shove the topper where the sun doesn't shine.

I'm 23 weeks today and a huge minor freak out yesterday, suddenly feel like time is running away from me and all that we've bought for the baby is a bloody soft toy !!

After retreating to my happy place for a bit (the garden) and then looking at my trusty spreadsheet, DH put in an order for a cotbed & changing unit. I then looked at my finances and decided I could probably start to buy little bits & bobs and this will make me feel in control of things...firstly because it's in preparation for the baby and secondly, because it involves shopping

I've still got excrutiating hip pain at night Anyone know of any exercises that I can do to relieve this at all? I've sleeping on 2 blankets and got a pillow between my legs but it's so painful and just not getting any better...(oh & I will be investing in a topper, just on my own terms, ok?!? )

PS get those bump pics up ladies!! Be BUMPALICIOUS & proud of it!

Goodness, what a lot to reply to . Our chocolate fondue was epic, and the peanut butter balls were a hit - like Reece's peanut butter cups when they are dipped in chocolate, yum. I made hundreds so am going to dip the rest in spare melted chocolate today and freeze them for when I need a treat.

In chronological order:

londonlivvy, massive congratulations, can't imagine how hard that has been, you can feel extra smug that you passed the exam whilst pregnant! Well done!

squid, we did go with macadamia nuts, which are a bit softer than other nuts, so just about stayed on fondue forks. They were yum! Loving your bump, for a while yours was quite small compared to mine and made me feel like a gigantic nobber, but now yours seems to have caught up (which is a good thing - don't get worried) - and I feel confident to post mine, will take a photo when I have finished today's list of work. Interested in homebirth argument discussion, can you post a link as I'm too lazy busy to try to find the thread at the moment but would like to read it.

Bella, I'm not yet an actual mother so could be speaking out of turn/out of my arse, but that does sound like a pretty long bedtime routine. Can you reduce it slowly with lots of praise about how your DS is getting more grownup, and grownup boys don't need so many stories/songs before they go to bed? Yes, with the tiredness - can't believe there are still 14+ weeks to go . Can't grasp the concept of the tiredness, bump and inability to bend down easily all continuing to increase for 3 more months! And my moods fluctuate just as wildly, I think it's completely natural - even if you forget about the hormones, we are being massively inconvenienced whilst still being expected to continue as normal - that's enough of a pisser as it is - add some raging hormones into the mix and you have an emotional volcano

Beeble, give him a kick from me - or get the baby to do it! I'm not normally houseproud at all and DH is quite tidy compared to lots of people, but when we have folks coming to visit, I get a bit stressed about his stuff jut lying around. I have to remind myself that this is a lived-in house, not a showhome, and having "stuff" around is normal. Also, I think that blokes don't often think beyond the obvious and literal - my DH would also buy burgers and buns for a BBQ and think "job done" and then I would have to go and buy all the extras like salad and condiments. I'm always wishing he could think ahead but it's just not how his brain is geared up.

Loopy, we have bought a babygro and a T-shirt. That's it! I'm scared to start buying things. Have grabbed a few items from freecycle and been given a carseat and stairgate but we're both sort of avoiding talking about buying anything else, I think we feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. There's still plenty of time. I too take solace in lists, and on my mental "to do" list is "write bloody huge list of baby stuff" - stuff to buy, stuff to research, stuff to decide, stuff to do. I'm putting it all off till the summer holiday though. It's hard as DH works 2 weekends out of 4 so we don't have masses of time to do things like go shopping for baby stuff anyway. Re you hip pain, my chiropractor who sorts my back out every couple of months said it was a good idea to strengthen my hips as weak hips can affect posture and lead to back pain. She recommended this exercise: Stand up, sideways on to a wall so you can put your hand on it for support. Take weight on inside foot (closest to wall) and turn toes of outside foot towards wall (so you are twisting your foot in at the ankle). Then move outside leg away from the wall, hols for a few secs, move it back, repeat 10 times, then switch and do the other side. (It's so hard to describe but easy to do!). You should feel it in your hip and it strengthens the hip muscles. I don't know if it will help you but it's worth a go. It's a bit like the top left picture on this webpage, but with the foot of the raised leg turned inwards.

Right, work time for me. Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

Yomping, 37, 26 + 2.

Slept from 10 until 9am, best sleep ever with just one toilet break and one annoying leg cramp - those can stay away from now on, thanks. Thanks London for blind fold idea - b/f and i each have one, if only we were getting up to something naughty inspired by 50 shades of grey - but unfortunately we just have no blinds. Sometimes they work great but i think i was just stressing about work yesterday am and too many thoughts + too much light = unable to sleep. Congrats on your exams, such a relief now they are done and yoga teachers always seem to enjoy their work.

Yes, bella I am also an emotional torrnedo, swingiming from one feeling to another for no particular reason, but generally feeling quite teary, even when happy. Wriggled my way out of doing a goodbye speech at work on friday on the basis i'm pregant and would probably cry. What a lovely bump, squid. I do feel quite big for 24 weeks when i'm at antenatal yoga and see all the other bumps. I am hoping i have just had a bit of a growth spurt and will stabilse for a bit...secretly a stressed about gestational diabetes as I was overweight before pregnancy, but am keeping fingers crossed everything is ok.

Ah, your bumps all look gorgeous ladies, I'm quite jealous. I still just look like I ate all the pies.
Baby started kicking really aggressively whilst hubby was singing to my belly this morning. He was thrilled, but it felt to me like she was pleading with him to shut the hell up.

To be honest, we've done most of our shopping, but it's mainly because I'm a bit of an obsessive spreadsheet maker, so I worked out everything we needed and how much it would cost so we could divide it between several pay-days. I know it sounds super organised, but I can barely remember my own name without some kind of list, so it's just how I approach things. Took advantage of the 20% Mothercare offer this week too.

Only thing left to get is a tumble dryer- I don't know if I'll be able to survive without one with a baby. Don't even have a garden to hang things, so we always end up with 2 full clothes airers in every room... and we never empty it and put the cllothes away until we have to because we've put another wash on.

I'm rambling.
Congratulations livvy on your qualification! You should start a mum and baby yoga class- I'd love to do one of those once November / December comes around.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone xx

Hello ladies, been stalking but now posting. My bump is way bigger than any ive seen on here :-( Fed up that people, including very fat people seem to think its ok to say, 'your huge, it must be twins'. Feeling sorry for myself this week already with fat cankles and piles. The things they never tell you about.

Had been slightly concerned at the beginning of the week with reduced movement, came home and DF had bought a doppler. Wasnt keen on it but was sweet to see him with head phones on looking for the heartbeat.

Have bought things but still doesnt seem real and is actually gonna happen, so feel a bit weird about it.

43 27+4 # 1

Hi first bubba, those insensitive idiots can cock off- I don't know why pregnancy is such a shining beacon for everyone to come along with their criticism and horror stories. Someone said on this forum a while back that it was probably jealously- they live in fear that you'll have a better pregnancy than them, and they do their best to make sure you're as miserable as them. I reckon that's true. And I bet you look lovely really.
Very sweet of your fellow to get the doppler- has that put your mind at ease?

Afternoon all,

Have now finished my course and am a newly qualified teacher so will hopefully have a bit more time to post on here!

Congrats Livvy on your qualification, sounds like a fantastic way of combining work and motherhood.

Yomping your fondue sounds amazing, particularly the peanut butter balls, I am obsessed with Peanut Butter Kit Kats at the mo so sounds like my idea of heaven.

LondonMrs Very jealous of your organisation skills, we have a babygro and my Mum has bought a few bits but I need to start making lists ASAP.

Squid your bump looks fab, very yummy mummy. Mine is definitely there but people are telling me I look very small, cue me worrying. All the scans show the baby is growing fine though so just need to keep the panic to a minimum.

We're having a 4D scan next wkend, anyone had one? Really looking forward to it.

Another one where movements are a but erratic, I think they were strongest and most often when I first felt them, I'm hoping that now life is not as hectic I might feel them more.

Shell, 33, 24 weeks.

Thanks everyone re yoga congrats. Am delighted and relieved. I?m aiming to do pre and post natal yoga qualification too before pepe comes so I can offer full preg classes and mother and baby stuff too. Fortunately that's not nearly as time consuming or exhausting as the course I've just done.

Squid I?ve just completed vinyasa flow yoga training (a dynamic form of yoga) and haven?t done my specific preg yoga training yet though obviously I have some knowledge of the subject as have been doing LOTS of yoga whilst pregnant! Anyway, my main advice would be to be kind to your body and don?t push the stretches too far ? aim for strength and then relaxation rather than flexibility as the relaxin can allow you to overdo things. If you managed a regular home practice 3 or 4 days a week, that?d be great. You could do a gentle warm up (cat / cow), some sun salutations (say 5 or so) and maybe some tiger, followed by a relaxation session. For the relaxation side I would advise buying a yoga nidra CD ? bliss.

On the bump front, here are my bump pics
? morning and afternoon (today). I think I must have been sticking it out more in the afternoon in addition to lunch bulge!

Loopy we have bought absolutely nothing. And can?t really either as have nowhere to put anything til we finally (fingers crossed) get the house in August sometime. Occasionally I panic but mostly try not to?

firstbubba how RUDE people are! Honestly. Odd. No-one seems to notice I?m pregnant, they just think I?m at the pies.

Right ? gotta go and be nice to DF as it?s his birthday. sorry to anyone I've missed. in a bit of a rush!

Hi ladies I'm baaaaack!!!

Home now after a fantastic week away, was so relaxing to get away from work/moving stress, and I'm sure the baby has been kicking away happily as a result of me being so relaxed. :)

Not looking forward to the s*e I will have to go back to at work tomorrow, I'm sure the place will have fallen apart since I am the only do everything member of staff that can do everything required and the lady who was covering me is a overall manager and has very little experience in my department. I've already had a member of staff texting me BEFORE I EVEN ARRIVE HOME asking me her hours for this week, even though I gave everyone a rota for this week on my last day at work. I haven't replied, I'm still on hols in my eyes, and if she doesn't know her hrs that's her responsibility, it can frigging wait til office hours tomorrow! Rant over LOL

House wise, a survey was carried out in the house we want whilst we were away and it looks bad. Really bad. All the new kitchen/bathroom/double glazing has obviously been put in in a rush as its all bodged, the upstairs electrics need rewiring, the chimney breasts upstairs and down are structually unstable, the kitchen has a leak somewhere as apparently the floor is covered in water, the front of the house is covered in ivy..... The list just goes on. Hubby us going to have one final look tomorrow, but it looks like we will be pulling out and moving in with my parents until we find somewhere. Oh well, with a 4 yr old and a newborn its better to be safe than sorry.

And finally.........IT'S MY SCAN TOMORROW!!! Pink or blue time!!!! Can't wait, but even if we can't tell now, I've already been told I will be having growth scans at 28, 30, 32 weeks and so on, so we should have a few chances!

Will keep u updated tomorrow hope everyone is well x

29, 22 wks, Dc2

Hello!! I?m here! I?m OK! Gosh ? had so little chance to even read you guys in the past few days then just before bed on a big ole late night last night watching DVDs (around 3am) I annoyed DP by insisting that I at least check MN before bed and then I see everyone worrying where I am! We bargained that I?d go to bed and write to you all today! So touched to be missed and want you all to know that I am OK :).

My absence is largely due to DP?s 40th celebrations last weekend and general sleepy-crapness. His brother held a small party for him at his place with all his closest, oldest friends that he hasn?t seen for ages and things have been so hard for us recently (jobs/money etc) that I just wanted him to have a great night. I ended up not getting him out of there until around 4.45am and all week I have been half asleep all through the daytimes like a total zombie, and in my lucid moments, trying to meet 2 article deadlines and carting DP and me between various doc appts, job interviews and general unexpected busy-ness.

So in the spirit of general post paranoia, I?d like to apologise in advance for the next (probably) 3 long posts as I bore you with my news and try to comment on everyone else?s.

On the upside, other than a couple of worrying days of low movement (and LondonMrsS, that was a very encouraging and comforting analogy your midwife gave you! :)), my LO is moving, wriggling, kicking a lot of the day now with visible movements in the late evening when I?m lying down propped up on my back! This makes me feel very happy and very connected to her as she?ll also respond to a rub or tap with a kick or punch and will respond to her father?s voice! :)

Was supposed to be doing one of my epic drives back to London, starting this last Thursday but was feeling so tired and hadn?t been to docs to get checked re pre-eclampsia etc so didn?t feel too brave about doing it. Now we?ve run into the fact that we can?t really afford for me to do it until my flat is sold (massive financial crisis but I won?t bore everyone with that here). So if my bump will still accommodate, I may be doing it in August, taking the long ferry from Denmark to Harwich (just 6 hours driving this side, and 2 hours UK side).

Saw the doc for ?pregnancy control? on Monday. Seems my blood pressure?s ok, despite my weight, age, cankles and occasionally ball-shaped feet. Baby?s heartbeat is good and she feels I?m in OK health. No phone call after urine was analysed so I?m hoping that means no protein. Will see my lovely midwife tomorrow.

I?m 25 weeks today. These are my most prevalent symptoms:

1. Fatigue ? not drowsy like 1st trimester, but wiped out & needing to sit down after very little activity
2. Hip & ?undercarriage? pain and discomfort that comes and goes ? have put this down to the ligament thing but a few nights has been excruciating and felt very like SPD sounds.
3. Aforementioned super-puffy feet and ankles ? much better when weather/flat isn?t too warm and if I spend most of day with feet elevated?ahem (have found a great laptop tablely thing that may enable me to work on computer while sitting feet up without balancing anything on the bump?).
4. Often inverted and occasionally very lumpy nipples ? comes and goes. Sad to say I still haven?t found a bra in my size without wires and out-growing my current crop. Money also a massive issue here as they start around £40 and that?s before Norwegian tax on top and delivery charges?
5. Incredibly painful & weak left wrist from Carpal Tunnel.

Mostly I?m ok and getting used to my ever increasing size and slowness. Trying to bump-proof the flat at the moment as my spatial awareness re size of bump is not going so well just yet?keep opening drawers into it, bumping it into things?

Anyway, good to be back & I?ll try to be better at shorter, more regular posting! . Now?your news?

Fjordmor, 41 & feeling it, 25 weeks, 1st wee one :)

Hey

Did a mini-hike today, about 9 miles or so, it started beautiful and then mostly rained, isn't this the worst summer ever? I don't really mind as heat and pregnancy sounds crap.I know I should accept I am 28 weeks pregnant and won't be able to exercise like I used to, but wow it sucks being so slow and huge and lumbering! And getting out of breath walking up hills, I never used to even notice hills! Is this partly due to getting unfit as well as pregnancy, is it going to persist for ages after having baby too, am I never going to be fit again? I had plans to run around doing things with babs... Anyway I managed it ok and there were lovely views and some sun at the end and I came home and made meatballs for tea. Now I am on the sofa nearly horizontal and planning to pass out as there is football on imminently.

let me catch up on everyone xx

Right - posting and trying to make Cassoulet in tandem (why? Why am I doing that - the Cassoulet I mean???).

Londonlivvy - Congratulations on your qualification! I'm starting to wish I had been doing yoga all this time as right now, bending as far as the floor is becoming very difficult! Step-kids have been fine...as in, we only have them for 2 weeks of the summer :(. DP's ex has broken the routine and we only have them for a 2 week holiday in which we're having to have a 'stay-cation' as we're so broke. Luckily they've had a week in Crete with her so we don't feel too bad. Don't want them thinking they're going without things because of the new baby. Trying to make everyone feel equally important...

Also Congratulations to ShellWeDance on your qualification :) .

Yomping - hope you're feeling less paranoid. Sometimes I don't have any comments on your posts 'cos you're discussing things I hadn't even thought about yet! :) Turns out today I have lots of comments... Incidentally, other than 5 days this last week where I haven't even managed to get on and read, normally I read everything that everyone writes - even the stuff tagged to others and even when I don't comment it's all digested, appreciated and thought about. If I articulated every thought I had about your posts here my posts would be so epic no-one would ever read them!! I have also been having those 'excited to meet the baby' feelings - especially since we feel so much more connected to her now as she responds to noise, our laughter, our voices and strokes and pats. The 'Thrive' book sounds really interesting - thanks to you & Orange for the insights on it.

Btw - fantastic bumps Yomping, LoopyLA, LondonLivvy & Squid (let me know if there any others for me to look at!)! I'm getting nagged by the folk back in UK for a bump pic (complete with weirdly mishapen 'outy' that pops when I sneeze ) so maybe I'll post one soon. Trust me, it'll make most of you feel very glamorous and compact. Yomping, I hope you're not getting comments about being too big - yours looks very neat and compact compared to mine. Lucky for me, everyone in Norway seems very polite - I get no comments at all although to be fair, I usually bring up how I know I'm very mahoosive for my stage before they can... Squid - you're bump's looking very proper now - you look lovely! :) Midget :). I don't have the 'slack old uterus' excuse - just the 'sad lack of tummy muscles & fibroids' excuse for an excuse! I'll definitely be needing a bump support soon as when LO is sleepy and floppy, if I get up quickly from the sofa, I feel like a massively heavy weight is about to fall through the bottom of my bump !

Dame - thanks for thinking of me! :) I'm also having the hayfever nightmare. I was given an 'old school' antihistamine called 'Phenergan' by my doc that he said I could take, but it's also used as a pre-med in operations and I became an inert 'non-person' for the day like I'd had a lobotomy - so I won't be taking it again. Staying indoors and using hepa filter in the car at the mo. Not much else - other than moaning about it! Empathy coming your way!

Bella - Also thanks for thinking of me! :). Sorry to hear about the floods - sounds grim! I'm starting to almost feel guilty about the fine sunny weather we've been having up here in the land of the 'not quite darkness' of late!

Midget - Your DD sounds absolutely lovely! :) I still often think of her, with a little squee, going to bed cuddling the scan photo! Agree with you about Wimbledon without alcohol - I used to live just round the corner - tennis side of Southfields and that's where my for sale flat is. I kind of miss & don't miss the championships. They rather take over the area but are best fun when you have good tickets and liberally apply wine/champagne to the day . Oh and like you and lisbeth, my LO seems to sleep heavily on my bladder too. She's ok when she's awake and kickly but seems to be heavily right on it when asleep and still. Also, rather strangely (and a little embarrassingly - TMI alert) she seems to wake up when I have a bowel movement and kicks along with it...which feels...very weird .

That'll have to be all for now as my high maintenance Cassoulet calls (have already woefully over-cooked the beans ) and a ever-hungry DP (who has been a very good boy today and cleared out our storeroom as I demanded asked him nicely to). Anyone who gets through all of my epic posts gets the MN gold medal for patience!

Update - have re-named supper - "Assorted meat/sausages cooked in bean mush" to lower expectations...

Fjordmor I can so relate to the 'feeling it' part. I am 45yo, 26wks and 2 days and I feel like an old woman. I have 2 relatives that died in their 80s of cancer. Both said they did not feel old until they were 80, but I really feel now it was illness, not age, that made then feel old. Any way, I feel old. A flight of stairs is an effort, I sit down at every chance.
Anyway I'll quit moaning now cos I don't have 2,3 and 4 there. Also DH is being just great and healthy DS is in bed and will sleep through the night.
If I had a friend like me in RL I think I would avoid her - glass half empty moaner.

Reminds me of a joke - whether a glass is half empty or half full, there's room for more wine .

Loopyla where is your hip pain - your buttock/groin/pubic symphesis? What aggravated it and what eases it? (A physio asking)
As for the FiL with the big mouth - I'd put money on that he is sorry he said that. There is an old saying 'it takes a village to rear a child'. We (DH & I) don't have much support from our extended family, mainly due to elderly parents and being far away from most of our family. I often see grandparents minding children in the park when we are there. It gives parents a chance to sleep/play/get the dinner ready. No matter how rudely expressed an offer of help has some good in it.

I read a post here one time on Mumsnet about a lady describing her MIL, who was prone to clangers like 'when are you going to shift that baby weight?'. Anyway same MIL looked after children when poster had to be hospitalised and was generally a rock of support.
I've sat at the hairdresser with baby in a pram and now the cost of babysitting has to be added to the cost of a haircut.
Do not alienate any potential help.
Practice deafness - unfortunately if you get very good at that, you can get caught and need to bluff.

CWest I think I saw a movie about that house, 'The Money Pit'. You might have had a lucky escape.

It's suddenly occurred to me that while I'm not worried about labour, I am a bit worried about breastfeeding. I really really want to breastfeed, but am worried I won't be able to because my nipples are kind of flat-ish (my right one is totally flat, possibly inverted- always has been).
I know all the advice says it shouldn't be a problem, and anyway, what's the point in worrying about it now? But for some reason it's on my mind a lot. Any other first timers having similar concerns? Any second timers got any words of wisdom? I would post on a breastfeeding forum, but I like talking to you guys. Feel like I know you all!
Squid, you put me to shame. I love that 9 miles is a 'mini hike'- I used to be like that, but during pregnancy, a 'major hike' to me is to the corner shop next to my flat. Usually to buy snacks.

Squidkid 9 MILES!!! It takes me 40 mins to do my lunchtime walk, that used to take 30mins, is all flat and I think 2 miles. They'd be sending out mountain rescue for me if I joined you

I think I read somewhere that 25% of your breath goes to baby. This makes sense to me, so you'd want to develop Ethiopian lungs to be at the same level of fitness as pre pregnancy.

I had a nap this afternoon, and then later dinner from the chippie . Lovely chips, made from fresh spuds, crap burgers. So anyone that spent a lot of the day upright has me impressed

Hi ladies had a manic few days so just checking in quickly :)

Feel like shit today have no energy to do anything & the thought of work tomorrow is not filling me with joy on the plus side 6 days & counting til we go on holiday

Tired Girl 32 DC1 25wks