November 2012 - the ten week countdown

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1547119-November-2012-a-couple-of-early-arrivals-please-will-the-rest-stay-put

Stats list: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1485512-November-2012-Stats-List

Tits hope everything better today.

DH21 Christmas is going to be a very small affair in this house too. DH and I bave agreed not to buy for each other, we'll probably spend a tenner max on each of our two nieces (I'm not competing with the 'rich' auntie and uncle who bought them an ipad each last year - they're 4 and 6 ffs!!) and just buy a small 'family gift' (wine and chocolate) for close friends. Neither of our parents are expecting us to buy for them but we've decided something like a photoframe with a pic of junior would be a small enough token they would appreciate. We'd planned to go over to ireland over christmas as well but if we wait till january/february ferry and plane tickets cost half the price. Who decided november was a good time to have a baby?!

DH once the children in our family started to get to ridiculous levels (there are 10 already and 2 more to come before Christmas) we started to put a couple of quid into a pot for each of them. This meant the parents could get them one big present from everybody rather than them getting lots of small things for a fiver that they'll probably never play with! Costs about £20-25 for all of them. Could you get your family/friends on board with something like that? You'll probably find you're not the only one that wants/needs to cut back. We are also doing a secret Santa for the wider family this year, rather than a present for everybody.

We're feeling a whole lot better today, glad it's finally done! Plus I slept a good 7 hrs.

We're having a few months of living of whatever is in the freezer/cupboard after giving in and paying to have the garden cleared out, we never got round to it ourselves.
Christmas is an expensive time here, I have 2 sisters and their respective families (10 in total) then my Dad and grab etc. DP's parents and his 3 siblings and DN. with our 3 to buy for and each other its 20+ to buy for! I love Christmas though, I get festive enough for everyone, and that's without the Baileys although I'm cooking for 11 this year after having had a baby... That will be fun!

Glad you are all feeling better this morning tits.

As a family we have never done birthdays apart from a card as we are all November and December. Christmas, however is always a massive deal. My mum used to save all year and each of us got a massive pile pf presents. They were really pretty poor and this was the one time they could treat us. It is very hard for them now to accept wr are all adults and they should cut back! Last year DH and I set a budget of £15 for presents which could be books only. It was quite good fun actually. I went for one book at £15 and DH got me about 5 wee things.

As my sister is having a baby at the same time as me and the babies will be the first grandchild on any side I am not quite sure what to expect! We did cut down a lot last year because we had a wedding to pay for.

Glad things are better this morning for you tits it must have been awful for you and your family

I love Christmas I get so festive and desperate to put our tree up as soon as we can, we only buy for very close immediate family otherwise there's just too many of them and I've already started buying bits now so less to worry about when it actually comes around

I was astounded at the cost of Christmas last year, I think it came in at a thousand pounds. We spent about £100 on DS1 and DS2 and each other then around £20 each on 13 other family members. Add in the cost of the tree, decorations and the Christmas dinner and it's staggering. My DH got organised a few years back and set up a monthly saving plan to pay for Christmas which has worked brilliantly in that the money is available but I do think we need to cut down on the cost. I'd be happy with a book and a CD or DVD but DH always wants to go to town. Sometimes I think he's trying to make up for a deprived childhood because he always spends so much but I don't think his childhood was particularly deprived. Honestly my kids have enough toys, where are they going to put even more?

DH and I will do the voucher thing plus a token gift.

Already got most stuff for kids as I buy through the year, and at car boots etc. younger kids get older kids stuff no longer used. My kids that is, and I include junior in this he will have clothes and a toy or two. I am compiling a list of ideas for family to get them.

We will give a school photo of DD1 to all relatives who would like one.

I have lost touch with two nieces following my brothers divorce, and my other nieces and nephews I never see as they live so far away. My elder brother is an arse anyway. I remember his kids called my mum Aunty, and did not have a clue who I was, despite me visiting and sending gifts. They clearly never took the time to explain. I have photos of relatives we do not see often and frequently talk of them. It is not hard. I begrudgingly stick a tenner each in an envelope, although never get a thank you, and my kids get nothing. May not bother this year. They are 13 and 16 now, so plenty big enough to contact me. I am closer to my husbands nieces and nephews so send to them.

I always do a pretty frugal Christmas. I make flavoured vodka for my cool brother, treat my single SIL as it is her birthday the week before Christmas, and she spends so much on the kids, get something meaningful for MIL and my parents, home made, photos of the kids kinda thing.

My mum is cooking this year thank goodness.

We (my sister and I) were always very spoilt at Xmas. Mum loves it and just went to town!! Last year she did cut back more which was better but she's still so generous!! The baby unborn has been spoilt rotten bless him so god knows what will happen at Xmas!!

What a beautiful day today Has everyone else got full sunshine as well? DP is doing overtime today but finishes work at 12 and then we'll probably head to the beach with the dog. I'm waiting for the post to arrive because I bought a lovely maternity dress which would be perfect for today and I'm hoping it arrives so I can wear it. Because we've had a pretty crap summer so far I've got hardly any summer maternity clothes. I've mainly bought work clothes and lounge around in PJs at the weekend so don't know what else I could wear that isn't going to make me sweat loads.

Those with cats have a quick peek at the 'went to pick up 6wo DS from his cot and found him snuggled up to ' thread in chat. Sorry cannot link. Interesting reading, and interesting links too.

VQ ewww. That would freak me out. Fortunately my cat is either a rubbish hunter or keeps her kills for herself. I suspect the former.

vq the hamper idea sounds fab, thanks!

kirrin it's crazy how many kids are in one family! What makes it worse is I know the toys etc either don't get played with after a month or they get lost/ broken.

Off to see SIL and her new baby today, can't wait for cuddles!

My cats stay downstairs!!!!! Fat cat rarely goes out, she occasionally sneaks upstairs but doors are closed. Shes an amazing hunter!! other cat goes out but again doesn't go upstairs!! Dogs don't go upstairs unless they need a bath, but more often than not they're shoved under a hosepipe!!

Hampers will be the way forward this year thanks!! Will start building those now :)

Xmas is cheap in this house. We do for our parents and grandparents those photobooks with pictures of DD and this year of the 2 of them, theyr cheap and it means i dont have to think about it each year. Me and my siblings do secret santa (5 of us). No nieces or nephews yet
Friends last year got home made cookies in cheap jars painted by DD.

Just checked my post and finally the letter from maternity allowence arrived, i'm entitled to it, YUPIII. And bcause it backdates i get 600£ in one go. SO excited, its like early xmas or late bday (got nothing this year).
Now should i be sensible and use it for the extra bits and pieces for baby and the rest to make a dent on our loan or..
Book flights to go and spend xmas with my family for the 1st time in 8 years?

blue that's great news :) and yes, you should be sensible and make a dent in your loan but that's not what I'd do

I know I am being totally paranoid, but I haven't felt junior move as much the last few days. I haven't exactly been busy so it's not like I'm missing it because I'm distracted. Could it just be they've moved and anterior placenta is blocking big kicks? I've been here before with days of nothing and then lots of movement. I have a midwife appointment on tuesday - should I wait till then or give them a paranoid phonecall just now?

missmummy I would make the phone call just to set your mind at rest.

VQ that cat thread makes interesting reading. My two get shut in the (fairly large) kitchen at night when we have a newborn, to avoid such issues (checked with Cats Protection first and they said it was fine).

Re Christmas I am another one who limits presents for children to 5 pounds. For the adults I make a couple of large, square Christmas cakes (well, actually I use the Annabel Karmel fruitcake recipe), cut each one into 4, ice and decorate them then give each family a mini Christmas cake with one or two left over for the school fair.

MissMummy you could try lying down and seeing how long it takes to feel 10 movements. Some ice cream or a cold drink usually gets baby moving around. I noticed decreased movements around 29 weeks that I think are due to less space. I don't get many kicks any more but I do get pushes outwards on my tummy as he wriggles about. Between the two stages there was a worrying couple of weeks of not much apparent movement. You can always go into A&E if you're still worried.

Thanks. I'm 28 weeks so hoping they're just going through a growth spurt. I've got myself into a complete state about this before and it's been nothing. Using my dopplers relieved some of my worries, and as suspected juniors shifted position. Will give them a phone if no movements by this evening. I'm such a worrier

Can I just say reduced movements due to less space are a myth...
Please do contact your midwife or maternity ward when you notice any change in movements, either increase or decrease! The 10 movements you're supposed to feel are series of movements not single kicks!
Please do get checked out Missmummy they rather you come in and all is fine, then not get checked at all!
count the kicks website

Blue several of the pregnancy e-mails I have had recently have mentioned decreased movements due to less space. I think in my case he isn't moving less but the movements are different, less kicking and more stretching. They can be pretty sore though so that's reassuring. I think anyone noticing decreased movements should phone their midwife or go to A&E if it's the weekend. I had an ante-partum haemorrhage with my DS1 which would be indicated by decreased movements and is potentially life-threatening. So don't take any chances.

MM1 call your midwife if you are worried hon. Being worried isn't daft or paranoid - it's normal. Are you keeping a count of the kicks you're feeling? If not it might really reassure you. I thought Junior was a bit quiet a week or so ago and whilst I was sort of mentally monitoring it - it wasn't until I wrote it down that I felt better. So I started just monitoring them whilst I was at work and had a notepad handy (draw a circle and divide into into four quadrants to represent your belly as if it were quartered and then make a k for a kick, a w for a wiggle, a r for a roll / swoosh, and a b for a bulge - either bum or head, I never know) and mark where you felt it on your belly diagram. The baby spinning website probably explains this better than me. But I found that before I knew it I was getting a dozen movements - it's been so reassuring. Also once you chart where on your bump you are getting movements it can give you a clue as to how they are lying which is sooo cool. Today for the first time we saw a hand print! The little bugger is poking and actually pinching me - I'm getting sharp grabby movements. Little sod - clear takes after his / her Father in terms of manners...

Good luck and call your MW if you are worried. Cheers for the advice BlueTink - I didn't realise that it was a series of movements you should be counting not an individual kick per se. That's really helpful.

It wouldn't hurt to give the midwife a call missmummy. I still feel baby quite a lot but it's more movement rather than actual kicks now.

Had a lovely day today. We decided against going to the beach because we knew it would be packed so took the dog to Rendlesham Forest instead and did
lots of walking. He loved it but is absolutely knackered now and laying down next to me asleep. DP is outside cleaning the car and I'm about to make a spaghetti bolognese for dinner.

Stunt like you said movements are indeed different now, due to lack of space, but the pattern of active and sleepy time should still be similar.
I've got a Count the Kicks wristband to keep track of movements. :)
You're welcome YW if I count individual kicks, it is quite a lot more than 10 ;)

How can I send baby to sleep? He's been punching me in the tummy for hours and it's sore! I know I should go out for a walk to send him off to sleep but my hips are too sore. Maybe I'll just go a little way down the road in my flip flops!