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March 2013 VII: Our little pumpkins are getting fatter

957 replies

Sheldonella · 16/10/2012 08:31

Old thread here

Stats thread here

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Rainbowbabyhope · 25/10/2012 12:08

sarah how exciting having your C section date! Must be so different working to a specific date rather than the 5-6 week window of uncertainty!

TheAngelsHaveTheOod · 25/10/2012 12:13

Envy sarah they only book ours a couple of weeks before. Though they only do one day a week so I've an approx date to work on anyway. 19 weeks today in fact!

jojo how many weeks are you? If your placenta is blocking movements you won't feel as much until later on. I know that here maternity/labour wards won't get involved until after 24 weeks anyway.

JoJoBella84 · 25/10/2012 12:37

23+ 4 I'm not too concerned as I'm getting some light flutters its just no where near as much as normal and not as strong!

zoeymlucas · 25/10/2012 12:43

My cervix is 42mm which is longer by standards esp considering I have an imcompetant cervix but with the last 2 its been abnormally long till about 23-23 weeks when it just shortens and dilates without any warning so its not totally unexpected!

I agreed to a trial with DS1 as I as in hospital for 6 weeks and they said it would be daily scans so thought it would give me something to do everyday - no one mentioned it was with dildo cam EVERY DAY so I learnt my lesson at asking questions before agreeing on things!

I am sure you wont be here on your own Gummi and we will all check in with you to here the news of your arrival, I def wont be pregnant in MArch and will be considered lucky to get to Feb but I will still check in to here about everyone elses news.

mandasand · 25/10/2012 14:40

Will check in later properly, but further to our long ago chats about cleaners could I please ask for some general advice how to go about employing one? We seriously have no family or friends with cleaners so starting from scratch here.

Reasonable to ask them to come over for informal interview?
Reasonable to ask for references for current/recent work done?
What on earth do you ask during interview?!
Any other tips in securing someone good and reliable?

I still feel a bit funny about it all but I expect I will get over this very soon!

Had a bit of a 'to do' with DH over The State of Things and the Imminent Arrival of the Babies and he's only gone and put an ad out for a cleaner and had some responses! (Secretly impressed.) I remember peeps before saying £7.50 is going rate for south-east. Happy to pay £10 per hour to assuage my guilt if the person is really good, but some people are already asking for £10 per hour: perhaps rates have gone up in these straightened times!

Em2010 · 25/10/2012 14:44

Hey manda I don't personally have a cleaner but I know the going rates in York seem to be between £8.50-£12 an hour so I would south-east might be fractionally more? Good luck with the hunt!

Rainbowbabyhope · 25/10/2012 15:13

Manda we have a cleaner and pay her £10 per hour in the north east. We didn't do a formal interview, just asked her to do a test clean and had a general chat at that point.

backwardpossom · 25/10/2012 15:18

A sister of a friend has said she would clean our house for a couple of hours a week if we want. I think I might take her up on it as my house is a tip... It's not dirty, just messy! I figure the incentive of having her coming once a week to clean it would make us keep the place a bit tidier! I was thinking about £10 an hour...

TheAngelsHaveTheOod · 25/10/2012 15:21

Going rate here is £9-10 in the north west so SE will be more I assume.

Wore my self out and getting lots of pain now :(

pinkpeony4 · 25/10/2012 15:30

Seriously shocked here! Just had scan and its a GIRL!!!! The two private scans I had at the fetal medicine centre guessed wrongly. DH and I made her check about 10 times and she even gave me a photo of the girl bits Smile after 3 boys I thought that the FMC were definitely right. Bloody hell!! Weirdly felt like crying about the baby boy I wouldn't be having but we are thrilled. All healthy too which is of course the most important thing.

Will catch up later, still in shock!

pinkpeony4 · 25/10/2012 15:34

Manda we pay £10 ph and I know my mother who lives in Oxford pays the same. I tend to not give them the keys until after about 4 weeks. It's easier to sack someone who doesn't have your house keys! I also use local websites (there is a fab one here called nappyvalleynet) where I have found cleaners and my amazing new au pair.

TheAngelsHaveTheOod · 25/10/2012 15:44

Shock pink I'll be the same if this one is a boy [grin[

mandasand · 25/10/2012 15:52

Pink my goodness, that's a bit of a head-spin!!! Wow, how do you feel after having gotten used to the idea of another boy?! Guess it will take a bit for it to sink in!

Aha, so it seems I remembered wrongly on the ££ front. £10 p.h. it is. A test clean + chat seems like a good idea. It's a bit tricky to start now because there's bloomin' ladders and paint points and dust sheets everywhere and we're in the middle of reorganising all the room, bah. Like you, possom, I was thinking having a cleaner might make us be a bit tidier, knowing someone was going to be coming in!

Has anyone gone through a cleaning company rather than online ads / personal recommendation?

Sheldonella · 25/10/2012 16:23

Blood pressure check done - 116/70 - very pleased with that. I have carpal tunnel and have to get wrist splints now. Even more appointments to attend, work are going to get fed up with me!
Wow pink that must have been a surprise. Still, welcome to team pink and congratulations on the lovely scan :) How many weeks were you with the private scans?
The cleaner talk is interesting. I am still considering this but like manda don't know anyone around that can recommend one. There are some companies around here but they want to do a minimum number of hours per week which I think is too many.

OP posts:
Sheldonella · 25/10/2012 16:26

Oh yes - the IO coat arrived. It is nice but I'm not sure how much room there will be when my bump gets bigger. It is also much thinner than I was expecting. The colour is nice though. Not sure if I will keep it yet, I need to try it on again.

OP posts:
TheAngelsHaveTheOod · 25/10/2012 17:00

Was it you that was passing out Sheldonella ?

OctoberCarrot · 25/10/2012 17:16

pink. A little girl how very exciting. I know boys are great but think of all the pinkness. Whenever I go into next I love looking at the pink tutus.

mand. It is a great idea to get a cleaner. I have a number of friends with twins and it is hard work but lots of fun. Double in fact [smiles] If you can having someone to do the stuff around the house will be great. Not sure what you are doing about clothes but Gina ford recommends all white for the first month and I think it works really well. You just chuck everything in together wash and dry. I bought lots in John Lewis and it washed and dried really well. You could always colour code with cardies etc.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

OC x

myjobismum · 25/10/2012 18:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mandasand · 25/10/2012 18:39

Sheldon didn't clock that companies want a minimum number of hours! I think 2 should be sufficient. I lived in a much bigger house-share a few years back and for a short spell someone organised a cleaner who seemed to manage two kitchens, two bathrooms, two reception rooms and hallways in that time! We have a bog standard 3-bed semi. I don't anticipate needing any help with washing, drying, bed-changing and making (having looked at the full range of services some provide on a couple of websites!) just basic floors, surfaces etc with a particular focus on the bathroom and kitchen, and windows once in a while if there is time. Do you think that sounds okay?

Awww sorry the coat hasn't lived totally up to expectations. It looks so stylish but I was wondering about the winter winds whipping around my poor legs :-)

October Before last weekend we had precisely five pairs of newborn socks, but then did a tiny bit of shopping, and was handed bags and bags of bought, knitted and secondhand clothes by members of our family! Bar a couple of pink items, everything is either white or yellow or brighter primary colours - perfect! Though personally we're not averse to confusing people and putting a boy baby in a pink babygro! We're quite anti gender stereotyping through clothes and toys (though accepting that kids may well fall into such roles themselves with peer pressure at school etc; we certainly won't force them to buck the trend or make them feel uncomfy!) Dungarees all round, whether boys or girls, methinks whilst toddling Smile

Just woke up from massive nap. I'm clearly nowhere near over this cold. I have managed to do one thing today: submit my Paris expenses. Have told boss I'm a wreck and he has just replied (from LA, lucky thing!) to say not to beat myself up about not being able to maintain relentless pace. So I think it's okay. I can't even bear to look at my to do list though!

theTramp · 25/10/2012 18:40

Shel - trut me my friends bump is HuGE and the IO coat fits fine. Can't comment on thickness though as that's a personal pref thing and I def fall into the thicker the better camp.

Manda - I've used cleaning agencies. Benefit is if someone is rubbish it's easier to get rid without the guilt. And you get holiday cover. You also get insurance. Downside is you pay a bit more.

Btw - if you give keys to a builder or cleaner let your insurance co k know or you could find your home insurance is null & void.

Once you have a cleaner you'll feel no guilt at all. You'll wonder why it took you so long, but no guilt!

Long day. Long week. But excited cause sofa FINALLY arrives tomorrow. Party prep, well I'm behind but it'll be fine. DJ is no longer on cards, which is total fag as means desperately pulling together playlists tomorrow but we'll sort it.

Pink - oh how lovely. So from blue to pink. Fab surprise! She's going to have some seriously protective brothers :)

theTramp · 25/10/2012 18:41

Gummi - I'm due end March so I'll be here too, demanding to know when it'll all be over and terrified of labour pain..

Vivee74 · 25/10/2012 18:48

Yeah for a girl pink. I'm sure that your boys will spoil her.

Re cleaners we had one if years who did the house next door. She was lovely but eventually got a full time job. After looking for a replacement I eventually went to an agency. We pay slightly more, approximately £10, including agency fees. They vet them and ring to see if you are happy with clean. When you get a new cleaner they've sent a supervisor to supervise the first clean. Ours comes at 8am, so someone is usually there to let her in. Therefore no need to hand the keys over. I rate it and the best money I spend each fortnight.

Vivee74 · 25/10/2012 18:49

Ps anyone going to the baby show at earls court on the weekend? It's that or my Tunisian crochet course!!!

GummiberryJuice · 25/10/2012 18:53

Tramp we'll keep each other company

Pink imagine if you hadn't asked again after the other 2 scans you would have had a big shock come MarchGrin

Vivee74 · 25/10/2012 18:54

Oh and as our cleaning co has minimum hours we do 4 hours per fortnight.