BROOKING NO ARGUMENT for pain-free sneeze births and an abundance of empty birthing pools - pt 12!

[FluffyJawsOfDoom]

I think this is the first time I've ever started a brooking thread!

It's all right Far - I did your grumpiness for you yesterday eve as was absolutely shattered. DP gives me no slack for being 24wks pg. He seems to expect service as normal. He's simply no use until the baby comes and then he's fab. It could be worse - ie, the other way around - but he doesn't half wind me up, making me think he's selfish. (He's not really, just in a world of his own; and I'm hormonal therefore quite unreasonable.)

Happy birthday Cakes.

Hurray for Bartlett.

Good luck to 38 weekers. Good to hear that Fluff hasn't had an early baby as I know it runs in the family.

Have quite a bit of work at the moment - good news for the baby as I'll get to be on mat leave a bit longer (from my own biz). Also gives me a break from DS who is with his childminder/@ creche.

Olives - DS woke us up this morning asking to go to the loo (no. 2! TMI). Brilliant. Then wet himself on the sofa an hour later. So there you go. As I said, not out of the woods yet but still impressed that we haven't resorted to nappies for a week now.

Tock sounds like he's doing brilliantly well, bound to have an occasional accident but a week without nappies is fab! I am pleased to report that DS took himself off to the loo for a number 2 while I was getting ready for work today and there was not a hint of skiddy pants first! :-) Its the small things that make my day ;-)

I'm impressed by these tales of potty training success tock and olives. I think the way to go is definitely not to go back and just tough it out.

That said, it's a long process! I was just wondering whether to post on FB that sometimes, just sometimes, I would like to go a the lavatory in my house and find the seat down and that it had been flushed. I think my boys take water saving a bit far.

Well, my Ob was very nice. was horrified astonished by my home birth stories and reassured me that it was entirely possible to have a natural birth in hospital. Just a natural birth with continuous foetal monitoring, a canula and no solid food. Still, if #4 makes like #2, I could end up having a car park / car / home birth afterall. We'll see.

I'm horrified we're only 24 weeks tock. I don't think I'd be surprising anyone if I popped tomorrow I'm that huge. But I've only put on 16 pounds, which I think is pretty good going (for me) at this point.

Nearly the weekend now. Phew. I'm going into DC tomorrow to go to a gallery (although I missed the exhibition I wanted to see) and meet a new friend (met, natch, through MN) for lunch. Then mobile phone and car buying at the weekend. The horror. Anyone else got any plans?

Yes Whims - I know what you mean. I feel ready to have this baby right now. But of course s/he will be late, so not really 15 weeks to go, more like 17... gah. 16 pounds is excellent - well done you. Must be a sympathetic girl baby eh?! I've stopped weighing myself as am too terrified to look over huge bump at scales though I think 10-12pounds weight gain at 15 weeks would put me at about 20pounds now - slap on wrist. And totally overindulged on a rib-eye followed by cheesecake with mates last night. hahaha. Bring on the breastfeeding.

I can imagine the look on your Ob's face btw! Hope you have a quick baby - better buy appropriate car tomorrow eh? - and get fantastic aftercare.

Enjoy the gallery; how civilized.

Off to Somerset with DS on train tomorrow. Meeting grandparents for a 5-night break in a cottage. V nice, but will have to work. DS v excited.

Great about your DS Olives - am actually pretty proud of mine as he's still not 2y7mo though he was the grumpiest/moaniest he's ever been yesterday and I'm struggling to enjoy his company at the moment, even though I think he is totally scrumptious of course. I'm glad the grandparents will be around to distract him.

Happy weekend Brookers, one and all. xxx

Oh and Whims - stick up a bump pick. I'm about to...

Ooo yes please to bump pics!

I've gained 2lbs short of 2.5 stone at 38w (tomorrow) which I'm pretty pleased with really. Bump is mahoosive but I've not gained on my thighs/arms/face so I think it's mostly pregnancy weight as opposed to krispy kreme weight :o

I've just been to hobbycrap who are doing a 10 balls for the price of 8 - only really brings it in line with online shopping but does mean you can squidge before you buy :)!

You sound very organised far :)

Enjoy the gallery whims and I'm so jealous of your steak tock!

Hi Fluff - have stuck up the latest bump pic. I'm 25wks tomorrow...

2.5st is perfecty, nay? Well done you.

Steak was madness (v well done I add) and delicious. I'm on fruit and veg today...

What yarns did you buy? Just ordered up some yarn to crochet the baby sleeping bag. First Tock production for this baba. Feeling clucky and weepy. Perhaps it is a girl after all?! (Doubt it.)

Far - admiring your style. So you can relax (as much as poss) in your last weeks, I'm guessing?

Enjoying Samuel Pepys on Radio 4. In this morning's extract he complained that his latest lodgings had failed to leave him a chamber pot and so he had to 'shit ' (his word) twice in the chimney place during the night. Lol.

I spent waaaaay too much - but I figure I won't have the money to buy any naice yarns for a good while, as that was my last paycheque!! I bought 10 balls of Rowan Lima in a heathery purple and yarn to knit these bunny booties (which is what I actually went for )

Ooh, yarn chat. I have completely lost my knitting mojo which is a shame. But we don't have a nice wool shop to hand, so maybe no bad thing.

The gallery was lovely. And the staff were so polite as they suggested we might like to leave. I mean, why shouldn't we dance in a room thematically arranged to show lots of different dancers (Manet, Degas, Renoir...). It's not like we showed our bottoms in the room of nudes. No imagination some people.

Hoping to get smart phone at wkd, so will be back to photographing things. Obv first things will be bump and blanket I knitted a while back.

Happy weekend y'all. I'm still waiting for my husband to come home from work so no rest for the wicked (it's 5pm, not 10pm. Things aren't that bad). We're having watermelon daiquiris for tea. Except mine won't have rum in.boo.

Two questions if anyone can help. Firstly has anyone heard of a link between PCOS and difficulties in breastfeeding?

Second question have been having discomfort in my hips for ages, when I get up and start moving can be quite difficult like i've been working out and all stiff. Last night tho was slightly different as well as normal discomfort I had an even worse pain just above my right hip at the back. I've had what I think was BH but they have been tightenings at the front and I always thought labour pain and more painful BH would be across the entire body not just on one side, so any ideas? or had I just overdone it yesterday?

Hope your all having a good weekend!

cakes that sounds like typical SPD to me. I have stabbing pains in the top of my bum cheek sort of area, but deep inside if you see what I mean. I think that's a bit like sciatica. Then when I wake up in the morning, my hips and tops of my legs are stiff, indeed as you say, as if I'd been working out (fat chance), although that gets better through the day. Then, if I've walked a long way or carried lots of stuff, i feel like someone has kicked me between the legs. Nice.

What's particularly cheering is that it's only going to get worse for the next 3 months.

Ask your mw to refer you to a physio, and try to keep your legs together. Hope it doesn't get much worse.

Should perhaps have added with the really bad pain that i'm 38wks so no time really for physio it lasted 5-10min then went and has gone back to normal discomfort ever since.

Hope yours isn't too bad Whim

Blimey cakes, I hadn't appreciated that you're 38 weeks. Well, I imagine one of these days the pain will get worse and worse and worse and just when you think you can't bear it, you'll get a lovely baby and all the pain will go away!

Sorry to be completely no help whatsoever. You can take paracetamol though. Don't know if you're soldiering on without pain relief?

I'm on my way to my first baby event. A nearly new sale with a nappy and sling meet as part of it. Going solo as DH is home with FIL fixing the car. I'm actually a bit nervous!

Hope everyone is well, I've been getting hip pain recently, but I'm 'only' 29w. I just grin and bear it, as its not bad enough to complain about really, just disturbs my sleep and stops me doing the vacuuming. Got to take the good with the bad :)

Got all next week off though to do nursery sorting, its currently more like a junk room.

Hi all

What's a nappy and sling meet stacks? Enjoy it anyway!

Really sympathise with all the hip pain sufferers. I'm already noticing spd again at 18 weeks. Trying to wear the hip belt and do the exercises I remember from last time before I can get physio referral

whims don't know why this has popped in to my head, but where are you storing your marmalade now you're in the states? Do they have marmalade cupboards over there?

Turns out the sale is next week. Baby brain made me get it wrong :( Just a little embarrassing!

The sling and nappy meet is, I think, people showing you different slings and reusable nappies and sometimes letting you play with them with dolls. I'll let you know for sure next Sunday :)

I've done a bit too much today, we cleared the dining room and nursery to clean the carpets. Made a real mess of the rest of the house, but the carpets look great. Next week I'm going to buy chest of drawers for baby things, and maybe a cot... It still seems too soon though, but today I was wondering "am I just in denial"?? Is 10 weeks actually too far away to think about?

I meant to say, welcome Yank nice to meet you, and looking forward to getting to know you better.

little the marmalade situation in this country is a disaster. I don't even know whether they'll have seville oranges come january, so currently there is No Marmalade chez Whim.

stacks, bear in mind that it's almost impossible to wear a sling with a bump! I love slings but trying them without a baby is really tricky. Do you have any friends who could lend you one to try out? I had a ring sling (home made) which did early days, although my husband never liked it and prefered to use a Wilkinet. Then I graduated to an Ergo (soft, but worn front or back) although I still rate the ring sling. In fact, I used it years ago to carry my then 3 year old on a long walk. I also used a sari as a wraparound one for a while, which I really liked too.

Lovely bump tock. I think mine might just be a bit more 'insulated' than yours (and possibly you're taller than me too). There's a pic somewhere in the bowels of FB of me around my due date last time. I kind of forget just how big I get.

No marmalade Whims! And the US is supposed to be a developed country - its a disgrace!
Stacks It is most definitely not too early to be buying things. When I was expecting DS we were in the process of renovating our whole house and I found itso stressful not having everything ready until about 38 weeks - didn't even have carpets until then! This time I intend to have everything sorted nice and early so I can spend my mat leave relaxing!
I am after some advice ladies - I have had a nasty headache since yesterday morning, horrible pounding one. It goes off for a bit after a dose of paracetamol or co-codamol but then comes back with a bang. A cold flannel on my forehead helps but just wondered if you had any other remedies to share with me? I think what I really need is my migraine meds but no can do with bubba so I need alternatives desperately! TIA. Xxx

Olives this might not float your boat but a friend here (Germany) swears by Fennel tea. She used to have regular migraines and came across a tip to drink fennel tea and stuck to it (everyday) especially while pregnant and says she only now gets a migraine if she forgets to drink a cup of the stuff.
Can't recommend it myself, not a massive headache sufferer... although I don't mind a mug of fennel tea :)

Oh and Whims.... and everyone still in the UK, I'm sorry but I don't like marmalade someone bought me a jar for christmas, from an English supplies shop and it is sitting in my cupboard... no idea if you are allowed to post marmalade internationally :)

That's really interesting nutella - I have a friend who suffers migraines horribly, I'll tell her about the fennel tea. Olives aforementioned friend swears by those cold pads you can buy in the shops? Apparently they stay cold for a good while and they're sticky so you don't have to put up with a drippy flannel :o

There was a feature on jams and marmalades on BBC breakfast yesterday I've no idea why and someone mentioned a rather lovely-sounding turkish delight i.e. rose flavoured jam. I might have to google a recipe, once I've made my chutney that is.

Gorrrrrgeous neat little bump tock! I was massive at that point which reminds me, I'm due to pop any day now and need to get DH to take one last bump photo :o

stacks I went to a nappy meet last week and it was fab even though only I and one other turned up! very educational.

I'd like a sling for at least wearing around the house................ I worry about baby dropping out the bottom of a ring sling though is that ridiculous?

Ooh I'm a big sling fan - I had a Mai Tai (sp?) for DD and loved it and will be using it again this time round. It was great for carrying DD around the house so that she stayed asleep/quiet while I washed up etc and I also used it when out and about shopping and couldn't be bothered to faff about with getting the pram out of the boot

Tock you still look tiny to me! My colleagues keep asking me when I start mat leave, clearly expecting me to say in a few weeks' time (sadly not).

Nutella I am shocked by your dislike of marmalade!

Olives I hope your headaches get better soon. I have used 4Head a few times, but it doesn't really help with the pounding headaches. Might be nice to put some on and have a lie down though (work and DS permitting).

Whim glad you are settling in OK but very, very sorry to hear re marmalade. Lord knows what else they don't have out there.

Stacks I don't think it's too early at all and bear in mind some things will have to be ordered and may take a few weeks to arrive. I recently bought a new pram (well actually a travel system) and it felt too early and like I was tempting fate, but I bought it using Tesco vouchers when the exchange deal was on, so it was essentially free! I am sooo happy to have a new pram this time round rather than the cranky, second hand one we had last time that used to break all the time (couldn't collapse or 'erect' it).

Little so sorry you have sore hips. I don't seem to have that, but have been having more low back pain this time round. It doesn't help that DD still likes to be carried sometimes (although I am trying to be firm). I also have one leg a tiny bit shorter than the other, so that gives me gip anyway freaky.

Cakes and Fluffy not long for you two now! Squee!

Far always nice to see you, my dear. Not too long to wait til mat leave now I think.

I haven't been posting much (bad Generic) but I don't always feel I have much to say! I'm very glad to have got past 24 weeks though and enjoying feeling minigen wriggle every day.

Can't remember if I've said before, but I work full time and DH stays home with DD, trying to fit in some art work in his 'spare time'. The idea is that when I start mat leave he will take over the breadwinning by making money through his art, but to be honest this is a little bit risky/stressful. He doesn't exactly have a steady stream of comissions and is a bit reticent about doing his own business development. Anyway, we do have savings, which will see us through a few months but I was hoping for 9 months off this time. He has been working very hard this weekend trying to promote himself via his website and if all else fails, he will just go and get a job. Ideally he will make a success of his art and be able to carry on with this when I go back and we will probably get a childminder to help us out this time (rather than DH having to look after two little uns). Oh for a lottery win!

Hope all bumps are well, especially anyone I've missed.

generic where to start? Marigold vegetable bouillon, pataks curry paste, the Guardian, pavements, Shreddies, weetabix... I could go on (and on, I'm doing a shopping list for my mum who's visiting next week). Mint flavour children's toothpaste, atrixo...

However, they do have loads of good stuff. You can buy frozen whipped cream for example (surely defrosting it takes as long as whisking?) or pre-crumbled feta. I don't know how I lived without it.

fluff I think you're more likely to drop a baby without a sling! I quite often half held the baby in the sling whilst doing something else, as much because you don't want to not hold them iyswim. But if you trip over something you've got an extra line of defence.

Whims I seem to recall they do excellent parbaked and unbaked pastries too - I remember cinnamon swirls that came premade in a big tube and you just had to slice and bake them, nom. Usually found with the tubes of cookie dough iirc.

What kind of art does dh do gen? He must be very good to sell it, I'll keep my fingers crossed he can build up a client base over the next few months :)