PART 3!! Sept-2012 Baby Bus!! Christmas-and-New-Year-Shaggers-all-aboard!

[TinkerMaloo]

Cant see another one anywhere on the board and part 2 is full up (finally) so here is part 3! (unless I'm just being a moron and missed it?)

Chat more please ladies, we are too fat and useless to do anything else! ;)

hope today goes ok smallgreenone whatever happens!

re crib mattresses, we bought one from mothercare for DS

www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-38-x-89cm-Crib-Square-End-SAFEseal-Foam-Mattress-with-Spacetec-and-COOLMAX-freshFX/266030,default,pd.html?cm_sp=ProductFeatures--Category%2520landing--Mothercare%252038%2520x%252089cm%2520Crib%2520Square%2520End%2520SAFEseal%2520Foam%2520Mattress%2520with%2520Spacetec%2520and%2520COOLMAX%2520freshFX

he used it for roughly 4 months as we'd initially put him in a moses basket. To look at it you would think it was brand new. I highly recommend it as the foam part is sealed inside a plastic casing, which is wipe-clean, and so any wee/poo/vomit cannot reach the foam center. This is then covered by a zippable cover, wipe clean on one side, breathable on the other. Machine wahable at 60 degrees and tumble dry safe, although it doesn't take long to dry naturally. It means there is no increased risk of SIDS by reusing it for another child, as there is no way bacteria can get into the foam mattress.

When he outgrew his glider crib, we moved him into his cot bed, and for the last 17 months he has slept on a silent night little cub mattress which we'd bought from kiddicare. Decent depth to it, very soft surface but very supportive and you'd think it was brand new to look at it despite the amount of bouncing and sleeping that DS has done on it. Easy to clean and DS sleeps very well on it. So happy with it we plan to buy another for new baby, as the plan is for DS and his mattress to move into a toddler bed (which takes the same size mattress) so will need a new mattress for when new baby moves into the cotbed.

I have ordered lots of things from mothercare in the past, especially pricy branded items as they did price matching and if the purchase price was over £20 they also sent us a £10 voucher whenever they price matched :)

i've also used kiddicare lots, they are only 30 mins from us, and cannot fault their service instore or online. I've also used precious little ones too without issue, slightly further north from us than kiddicare, so haven't been to their store, but never had any problems with delivery. Yesterday we ordered a baby swing from them, and have already had an email to confirm it will be delivered to us on Tuesday. Can't fault that in my eyes!

Thanks Loopy I'm gonna have a look I all the websites today.. Not sure if I have a kiddicare near me or a preciouslittleones, need to wait for it to arrive before I can measure anything. As I'm not sure of the size I need.

Good luck today smallgreen were all thinking about you and your little baby :) hope things go well and if you are induced today then everything goes smoothly for you.

Hi ladies, thanks for all the good wishes. We're booked in for tomorrow at 9.30 for induction. Consultant said it was ok to wait until then so DH could get back from the stag do! I'm quite nervous about it all but know its for the best. The fluid level has gone right down now so there's a chance that baby could get really distressed with the contractions but they'll start me off with the drip anyway but first sign of distress and I'll have to have a section. I'll be back hopefully in a few days with exciting news! X

Best of luck smallgreenone!!! Fingers crossed for a smooth and safe arrival for your little one :)

Wow... I fell off the thread again and so much has happened!
Congratulations to everyone who has delivered so far and very best of luck for tomorrow smallgreenone; I hope everything runs smoothly for you!

I have finished work thank goodness, however, looking after a toddler is actually way more difficult. I can't walk more than a few feet without feeling like my insides are going to fall out...

I went to physio for my SPD, came away with a fabulously attractive maternity belt which really hurts my bump so I'm giving up on it.

I'm also waiting on blood test results for obstetric cholestasis; I'm itching like mad... fingers crossed it's just my skin stretching and nothing more serious. I was extremely lucky with DS; just got one or two stretch marks a few days after he arrived. No such luck this time; my lower abdomen is covered in them

I'm the same Misscoffee; regular contractions, usually of an evening, but they soon die off. I distinctly remember the pains in my lower back when I had DS and so far that has not happened with this one. I still have lots to do, so I'm more than happy for this one to stay put a bit longer.
I had DS at 37+6, which is exactly what I am today.

Rachel congrats on becoming an auntie! I can second (or third) that Kiddicare is pretty great. As far as I know, they are located down Peterborough way, but have a wonderful internet service. I have always found delivery to be second to none.

My lovely mum and dad have taken DS out for a few hours, so I'm sitting on the sofa with the laptop and my extremely swollen feet up.
Anyone else got carpel tunnel syndrome? It's driving me mad; constant pins and needles, no feeling in my fingers and no grip at all...
This pregnancy has been rather uncomfortable!

Just popping in to wish smallgreenone the best of luck for tomorrow, have been reading thread every day but never get round to posting!!

39 weeks today, everything ready just need a baby now hope everyone has a good week and look forward to hearing stories of new arrivals...... X

Glad your DH is able to be there with you tomorrow smallgreen. Good luck!

hotcup I too have stretch marks covering the whole area under my belly button (and this is my first one!) I noticed tonight that they're creeping ever higher!!!

smallgreen hoping all goes well for you tomorrow, glad you get to wait until Oh is back from stag do.. Awk I'm jealous your getting to met your baby tomorrow (just a shame about the circumstances) if you get what I mean? :)

smallgreenone all the best tomorrow! Glad that there's time for your hubby to travel back so he can go through this important moment with you! Hope it will go smoothly!

I have quite a few purple stretch marks at the bottom part of my bump too despite me putting on bio oil / palmer cocoa butter twice a day. Will they go away after birth??

It's getting late so will get back to the other posts tomorrow.

Ooh another inpatient baby, thinking of you today smallgreenone!

Good luck smallgreenone lookin forward to hearing the good news!
Scary/ exciting now how close things are getting, I'm 37 weeks today. Saw consultant Friday and planning for vbac (so scared about it, didn't experience labour at all last time so its like first time for me! ). However if baby not out by 25th, 9 days late then booked in for a csection. Hope it will arrive before then though! Although I will definitely miss my bump, Love feeling baby wriggle around inside such a special time.
Today I WILL pack my hospital bag properly!

oooh good luck smallgreenone - that will be me on Wednesday as I am booked in for induction next week due to Cholestasis.

I am doing some batch cooking today - haven't been bothered before but suddenly having 3 days to go seems to focus the mind - have done washing every day too so there won't be much backlog.

DH and I keep looking at each other and thinking - this time next week we will have a little baby. DSS(8) summed it up beautifully yesterday when we asked him what he thought about the baby arriving 'weird but exciting'.

Wah good luck ladygagoo for Wednesday! It must be amazing to know your baby will be here in just a few days.

Just think, smallgreenone is hopefully snuggling her newborn just now :)

We have started on the batch cooking - spent this morning labelling stuff DH and I have made to freeze. Writing the dates on the labels has made me think about how different life will be when I get them out of the freezer to actually eat!

My hands have swollen up and I am trying not to worry about it - I know swelling is normal and my feet are already quite big. I had a midwife appt last Monday and blood pressure and urine passed with flying colours so I know it's not pre-eclampsia, it's just annoying! And yes I have a fair few stretch marks under my belly button. macaroons they don't disappear but they fade to being very pale so shouldn't be visible without really looking for them eventually (I know this from having them from teenage growth spurts).

I hope everything went well for you today smallgreenone .

moogs I'm the same as you, planning vbac and didn't experience labour at all last time. I'm kinda crapping myself about it - especially as I spent some time under observation on the labour ward last time and heard labouring women! Also the risk of scar rupture/coming apart is an added mental hurdle for me. In another way I'm kind of looking forward to seeing how I rise to the challenge. Sounds weird I know but I think if nothing else, it will be an experience??

No stretchmarks yet but as I'm only 37 weeks on Thursday, still have a few weeks I could get some. I didn't get any with ds so dp and I have a joke he's putting his hand in his wallet and paying for every stretchmark and stitch I end up with.

Have also began batch cooking. Totally cleared out the freezer to defrost it and have been cooking up a storm the last couple of days - soups, casseroles and stews so far. Once I have that done, I'm going to start replenishing up my cupboard so I have plenty of tinned goods to fall back on too.

That is a good point about tinned goods ballroomblitz. I will get in some beans, tuna etc and freeze some bread so I can always have toast. I also made a cake to take round for a friend with a newborn today, and the recipe said the cake was suitable for freezing, which makes me think of putting a couple of cakes in the fridge for me to stuff myself with quickly and easily while feeding the LO visitors who come to meet the newest member of our family.

I am thinking of what snacks to get to take into hospital during labour - anyone who has been there got any ideas? I realise everyone will be different but half the people I hear about say take in lots of snacks and half say they were really really sick during labour! Or am I misunderstanding and the snacks are for DH??!

I think your DSS summed up the situation very well lady it must be odd to think that you'll be definitely be bring home a baby next week! Will the itching/sumptoms of OC stop as soon as baby is born?

ballroom I LOVE the idea of DH paying up for every stretch mark and stitch, probably because I have at least a two dozen under bump and snaking their way ever higher...perhaps I should mention it to him

Joking aside, I can really summon up any real feeling about the stretch marks. Yes, I've got lots and they're unsightly but...I don't care. I'm growing my baby and there's nothing I could do about it Never had a 'bikini bod' before so perhaps that's why I don't mind.

i'm taking snacks for eating whilst in hospital, not whilst in labour (thats if by any miracle i go into labour before the ELCS) as when i was in labour with DS i vomited heavily when i would by my guess have been about 5-6cm dialated onwards (hard to be sure as the midwife refused to check me until i was about to start pushing....). After being sick, i could then not stomach anything at all, solid or liquid. Midwife kept banging on about how i must eat something to get some energy and i must drink something else i'd get dehydrated, but i threw up the entire pasta dish DP had cooked for me 2 hours after waters had broken (which happened before contractions started) also threw up fruit pastilles, squash, lemonade, couldn't even keep down water. I;ve since read its a normal thing to happen when in labour, as is getting the runs, as your body tries to clear everything out - thankfully i only had vomiting, as was enough mess being created the other end by non stop waters coming out! Your DH might appreciate some snacks, but i don't think DP ate or drank anything at all (and he got home from work at 7pm and we didn't get transferred to hospital till 5am - was meant to have been a home birth).

Batch cooking is very wise - particularly anything you can manage to eat one handed with a spoon! (my DS would scream if lay down so spent lots of time eating over him whilst he slept on me, or eating over him whilst he was feeding, as the alternative was going without meals! Flapjacks freeze well, and brownies, and i've heard rumours of a cookie recipe that you can freeze and then cook them from frozen as needed. We've sadly not done any batch cooking for meals as yet, but i'm not as worried as if the ELCS happens then will have either my mom, DP or DP's mom here at all times for 6 weeks as i won't be able to lift DS, so they will be doing the cooking :) but need to ensure by the end of the 6 weeks we've got meals ready in the freezer - thinking cottage pie, lasagne, corned beef hash, fish pie, portions of bangers/mash/peas/corn, spag bol mix, sorts of meals we do for DS in batches already, just adult portions instead!

I'm much too lazy for batch cooking, and most of what we eat us just plonked on a baking tray anyway.
But I remember my Granny bringing round a homemade broccoli quiche all cut up and in freezer bags for me to microwave when I needed a quick lunch. Easy to eat with one hand and full of lovely iron too!

I've got plenty of snacks packed in my bag. None of them particularly healthy but I was so starved after having DS I could have eaten a horse. And I'm vegetarian!
I've packed tracker bars, chewy rice crispy bars, big bag of starburst, isotonic drinks and cartons of juice.
That'll keep me going, and Tesco is only over the road so can send people on errands if needs must.
The thought of set meal times scares me, I need my grub!

It's DS's 2nd birthday tomorrow. Like I need any more excuses to get stupidly emotional over.
I stubbed my toe earlier and had a little cry over that!

So two years ago today, I was in hospital, eating starburst, waiting for a bed in the other ward to be induced. My feet were massive and I was cacking it!
How time flies!

I wish I had a freezer big enough to freeze some batch cooking: getting v bored now waiting for the 7th and the cooking would keep me busy. Take always and ready meals for a bit I'm afraid.
I am stupidly uncomfortable now as transverse baby feels like he's about to burst out of me side ways and as he is still completely unengaged, he is able to do some spectacular moves.

Shoes my DD is also 2 tomorrow! Cant believe it! Are you having a party? I can't face it so just having her Granny & 3 little cousins round for cake & balloons! Hope you all have a lovely day!

MakeTea no party here either. I can't be arsed and as he doesn't know what a birthday is, I guess this is the last year I can get away with it.
I've got his presents all wrapped up and somehow managed to blow up a few balloons with my limited lung capacity!
He'll enjoy running round playing with those with the dogs for a while!
Happy birthday to your DD for tomorrow too!

Just settling down for my usual sleepless night. Not loving the return of insomnia. At least I can still sneak a nap in the afternoon while DS sleeps.

Happy birthday to mini maketea and shoes hope they have lovely days with no unexpected arrivals!

5 days tomorrow until due date but read that first babies are averagely 8 days late..... So frustrating, no signs here at all so am assuming I'll be late.

Hope smallgreens baby has arrived safely and you are enjoying your first cuddles - good luck this week ladies, let's see how many sept babies are actually August....,

shoes and maketea happy birthday for your dd and ds tomorrow :)

Re: snacks I'm gonna pack a few things for after birth as my sister didn't get enough time to eat lunch or tea. However after she got the injection to deliver placenta she was very sick and vomited up everything she had taken throughout labour (which was only water) but still don't wanna risk it.

I'm not gonna bother with batch cooking, will prob have that many people visiting I'll get someone to cook. :) plus Oh is the best cook so will get him to do it..

Hello! He's here and he's amazing! Can't believe how much love you can feel for one tiny little being. Actually he's not at all tiny 7lb 6oz delivered by c section in the end, I was on the drip for 8 hours and cervix didn't dilate at all. He was getting tired toward the end so they thought best to go in and fetch him out rather than stress him further. It was a bit overwhelming and rushed but ok and over so quickly. We had skin to skin and tea and toast and he's slept all night- I haven't though as keep looking at him in disbelief!
Can't wait to hear all about your babies, it's really so amazing. Good luck on Wednesday ladygagoo xxxxx

Congrats smallgreen fantastic news! Any names yet? Hope you recover quickly and easily - enjoy your snuggles!