Due December 2012 - feeling those kicks now

[gilsbubbles]

Here's a new link for us all to chatter on

Laura That sounds terrible, poor you Use the crutches in the house too if you think it will help and try and avoid the stairs too. When mine was really bad last time, I would get everything ds1 and I needed for the day and go downstairs once for the day and then come back to bed at night. Difficult if you don't have a downstairs toilet though.

Pidj Apart from being uncomfortable, was the camping fun? It sounds like it was.

Stacey Sounds like you had a great time

Friend I've got a dream genii, it's been great for getting comfy on, but still doesn't stop me really back onto my right side. Old habits die hard it seems.

Feeling quite well today, I've cleaned the kitchen, even all the doors and drawers while the ds's played lego. We've also managed to finish holiday homework. We also started trying to get up earlier today, ready for Wednesday, we are all feeling it but we have got lots done already. I'm worried we might not make it on Wednesday morning.

I'm sorry to hear about all the SPD, I know it's not the same but I have hip dysplasia and know how much effort it takes to walk somewhere when you're in pain/not working properly.

Excited to see a friend later who is ready to pop! Although pretty poorly too I think, hopefully she will get to meet her baby soon :)

I'm finally at a place where I don't feel the absolute need for an afternoon nap! Means I can get things done whilst dd is asleep, not sure how long it will last though!

Kate, it really was - we were at a car show surrounded by friends :)

Sorry to hear of all those people suffering with SPD, sounds awful.
Pidj glad you had fun camping, was hoping to get a weekend away in but don't think we'll manage it now.
I've won a cot top changer and a massive bundle of clothes on ebay so am slowly checking things off my list, and we're going to a second hand baby sale at the weekend to see what we can get there. SIL visited yesterday and came with a huge bag of 3-6m baby clothes too so sorted for a little while now.

Hi ladies, sorry to hear about all the spd pain, sounds rubbish.

I've bought a pram!! Well, a travel system. Mothercare's own cheapo one which will do!!

We're in the new house but not at all organised. We still have no phone/internet but I'm at my mum's for tea and piggybacking off hers on my phone. Mums rock!

My parents have done me a baby care package so I've got a load of nappies, wipes, cotton wool etc in ready. I feel very spoiled

ok, those with DCs already - do i really need a nasal aspirator? And what are saline drops?

Saline drops clear their nose when they have a cold. You don't need a nasal aspirator. We never had one for dd, had she been so bad she couldn't breathe we would have gone and got one, or sucked it out if it was an emergency

eggsmichelle Our cats are they same - feet out of the covers are fair game and liable for attack!

Lovely to hear of everyone's purchases/gifts - we're getting there!

On a different note, how long is everyone planning to take off? We definitely can't afford for me to not work once smp stops, but it'll be tight even with it. On the other hand, when I go back we'll not be much better off with childcare costs deducted, so totally confused what to do!

Just saving my place been away since thursday dont think ill ever catch up with all your chatter

I'm not going back utopian, not to current job anyway. Will look for something part time summer next year but I won't be in a rush! I think for most people it really is a case of working to pay nursery fees just to keep on the career ladder. It can be cheaper to use a childminder who minds a few children at a time, if you're lucky enough to find one (I think round here they're £3.50 an hour which is pretty good I think). It's a hard decision for anyone, mine is pretty easy since my boss has demoted me for going part time wanker

utopian I'd like to take 9 months ideally but I'm the main earner so it depends on whether we'll have enough savings because we're unlikely to manage well on my husband's salary alone without a struggle. I get 26 weeks full pay then 13 weeks statutory and then anything else is unpaid. I'll tack some annual leave onto the other end which will give me a bit more time on full pay. One thing about being the main earner is that it's definitely worth me going back even if we have to pay for full-time childcare (which hopefully we won't as my husband is freelance and works from home so has some flexibility around when he works).

On another note, I asked the midwife about my pelvic pain today and explained how sitting at my desk, and walking, seemed to aggravate itc and was a bit disappointed that she said it was because of sitting with my legs apart at my desk, and said that I had to sit and move like a mermaid. But I don't sit with my legs apart! Far from it! I sit with them together, and with my feet on a footrest to elevate my legs a little. To be honest I felt a bit patronised - she didn't mention SPD or PGP, and used a "baby talk" tone throughout. I know they have to deal with all sorts of patients, some of whom will want more information than others, and that a medical explanation is not going to be what some women want, but I was asking very specific, clear, focused, detailed questions so thought I would have seemed pretty switched-on.

Thanks spotty.

I'm taking all the time I can off on smp (can't remember exactly how long that is) and then see what happens. I really want to start ml early bit pushing through to the end to get as much time with ds as possible. Once we have to look at child care costs I don't know what I'll do really

I've just found a nursery for dd to go to. It's £18.80 for a 9-1 morning session she needs to go though, she'll be two and a half by Christmas I think she will enjoy it.

utopian I had to quit my job to avoid a disciplinary on my employment history, but we're hoping I won't have to go back, but I'm thinking if I can take a year without having to think about working and just focussing on baby that'll be great, longer would be even better. The kind of jobs available round here mean it's pretty much pointless me working since we'd pretty much be in the same financial situation anyway. DP is happy to go with whatever I want as long as we can afford it, but we've both said we want to be comfortable with me being at home, as soon as it becomes a stretch we'll change things.
seconds can you get a Drs appointment to talk about the pain, or do you have the community midwives number? If your midwife isn't taking you seriously just go get a second opinion. Especially if she's saying it's caused by something you don't do.

mydaydream - thanks, I'll do that; I've got an appointment with the doctors coming up so will ask them about the pain.

Hi everyone

I have been on holiday for a few weeks so have had loads to catch up on you all talk so much.

Sorry to hear some of you are suffering with spd.

I am going to go and sit on the sobbing sofa and have a feeling I will be there for a few days. We have had are lovely little dog pts this evening and I am writing this through tears. Am a little bit worried about what all my crying will be doing to bump but I can not help it.

friend that sounds so cute, id love a nursing chair but there is barely room for the baby in the babys room!

kate going to do some reading on the pelvic thingy, and deff make sure i tell my mw next time i go- this doesnt sound pleasent and i need to be at work for as long as poss!
erm, were meant to be sleeping on our lefts?! i havent heard anything about this.. and i sleep where i can get comfi!?

laura sounds like your having a horrific time! have lots of rest and retreat to the sobbing sofa... i have made chocoalte coconut brownies which im donating!

utopian at the moment, we are going to try and survive on my DP's wage, but its entirely dependant on if he gets a much deserved promotion between now and the end of my maternity!! if not, i have no idea what we are going to do, as my wages wont cover childcare..

spotty is your boss allowed to demote you for going part time?! sounds harsh..

second if i were you i would sneak book an appt to see a doc in a weeks time and see if you get anywhere further... your mw sounds as much of an idiot as mine

upstairs (we live in a flat!) have offered us a baby changing unit (mamas and papas!) and one of those weird nappy bins for £30, which is amazzzzing at the unit itsself is like 300 new! very excited!!
got most things for baby now, now just got to start getting stuff for the hospital bag!

im going back to work tomorrow after 4 months off for hyperemesis and then the school holidays dreading going back cant wait!
so im going to bed! good luck alllll :)

acj did u get the Trenton? That's what we got, it ticked all the boxes for us and was a darn sight cheaper than most other prams! (I love the carrycot insert too so no faffing trying to lug a heavy carry cot off the thing every time I put it in the car!

As you can see from the time tadpole is being a pickle! I just can't get comfy! Although been asleep since about 10 do had a few hours at least

Cherry, so sorry to hear about your little dog. It hits you really hard when you lose a pet, hope you have a gentle day today.

Stacey and acj, we've got the Trenton from Mothercare! It got delivered yesterday (we were told it would be around 25th so a bit early). It is currently still in the box, laying on its side in the middle of the lounge as we're not sure where to keep it, and I expect it will be covered in lego before long!

Bubbless, the changing unit sounds amazing!

Sorry to hear about all those of you with SPD - my niece had it throughout her pregnancy and it was awful for her, so you have my sympathy.

Ordered a baby monitor yesterday - found a BT one that is £50 in Mothercare, and £38 on Amazon, in an Ebay shop for £25 including delivery. Ebay has also provided a steriliser for a tenner, a bottle warmer for £7 and a Baby Bjorn carrier for £27.

MW appt at 3pm today, hopefully she'll measure my bump as I'm paranoid that I'm huge! Hope everyone has a good day x

cherry sorry about your dogs, I hope you're feeling better soon. Don't worry crying won't harm your bump.

No Bubbless it's not. I was getting a share of the profits and that stopped but it was never written in my contract. He then started paying new people the same as me when I'd been there five years and actually said part time people get paid less than full time. And basically I should be grateful to have a job at all especially as I wouldn't change my previously agreed days just to suit him (due to childcare)

Cherry I'm sorry to hear about your dog, you spend as long as you like on the sofa, I would be devastated if something happened to my dog.

Iv put my intention to take 12m leave with work, but as the only wage earner at the moment (DH finishes uni in December) I may go back after 6m, all depends on how the job market is.

Had the best sleep in ages last night, gutted my alarm has to wake me up! Iv cracked on with the knitting, rapidly running out of time to make all the jumpers and blankets I need plus all the nieces/nephews I have on the way to knit for, I must knuckle down!

Must book my antenatal classes, oh dear iv left it very late, I'm so disorganised!

It looks like we are going to buy a house today :)

Congratulations Friend how exciting for you! Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly!

Saw the Dr yesterday for regular check up. it was nice to see my regular Dr again. She did the re-scan that was needed to check heart function and all good news. Baby is often head down too (can feel the bean using my bladder as a cushion) and so far I've gained 7 kilos :) I'm happy with that!

Cherry so sorry to hear about your dog! We practically had a zoo when we were kids and at the moment I don't have pets...

Eggs we're supposed to already have courses booked??? Argh!!

cherry sorry to hear about your dog. We had a scare with one of ours last year and I was in bits than, I'd be devastated if I lost either of them.

Friend How exciting, fingers crossed and good luck.

Spotty That's terrible!! I can't believe how some people are with part time workers.

Second Ask for a referral to the maternity/obstetric physio. Tell the midwife you need advice from an expert. See how she takes that

It's the last day of the school holidays today I've had a brilliant time with my boys, our best summer, I'm going to really miss them tomorrow

Hi All

I've tried to catch up but it tahrs a long long time on my phone & everyone such chatter boxes

I'm so so sorry to hear about your dog Cherry. It took me a long time to get over my last dog and I cannot imagine how sad I will be one day when my current dog goes. I wish they lived as long as us.

to the SPD it sounds so painful! I think bully yr midwife about it, particularly afterwards if physio helps.

I feel it's easy to get fobbed off about pregnancy cos 'it's natural innit?!' . This will sound like me scare mongering, sorry, but they do need to be reminded that until recently having a baby was one of most dangerous things a person could do. Humans aren't all that well designed for giving birth, (one great big brainy-headed baby & narrow birth canal, plus being on two legs puts all the weight during pregnancy on pelvic floor!) hence I guess why we're fertile all year round.
Only by taking it seriously have things changed & the side effects should be treated seriously too.

Someone asked for suggestion for hospital bag? A friend recommended one of those aerosol facial water sprays as you can get a little hot under the collar apparently .

I am moving onto sobbing sofa, with puppy but no DH . Or is there a separate grumpy sofa for crossing arms & Ignoring someone?!