Christmas Puddings 2012 - one bun has left the oven, who's next?

[PurplePidjInAPointyHat]

New thread!

JoJo Yay to mat leave starting! I've got three weeks to go before mine starts.
elliebelle I was 34 weeks yesterday and I echo what you said. Also know someone who was due a couple of days after me and the baby made an appearance (safely!) on friday which made me panic slightly .
My bf came round on saturday and I was showing her all my stuff for LO she said she doesn't think I have enough stuff - aaaaghhhh!
I've currently got (0-3 or newborn)
10 s/sleeve bodysuits
6 sleepsuits
3 bundlers (getting one more from John Lewis www.johnlewis.com/230591844/Product.aspx as I think they're fab!)
2 rompersuits
3 pairs of unisex trousers
3 cardis
1 snowsuit
loads of socks/hats etc
I was planning on getting a couple of cute girl/boy things once LO arrives as we're in team yellow but surely the above is enough to strart with????

blessed that sounds enough, I have similar to you and an also team yellow. The shops will be open for us to get pink/blue items once we know what we having. I don't want mini eggs to be into much neutral stuff.

On another note my blood test for GD came back negative so I guess I'm just having a large baby < looks worried>

emily glad your GD test came back clear.

Cookies I think they need to be over 9lb don't they for sleeping bags? I might be wrong

Great news emily

Clarella I love the pootractions definitely what it feels like especially if baby is not quite in the right position ie back to back.

I've just been to an antenatal breast feeding class didn't really learn anything new but was nice to meet the lady who'll be helping if I need it

Not to scare people- but I thought I was having pootractions just before I found out I was 4cm and having actual contractions...!

spotty I'm glad your antenatal breastfeeding class went well. I'm really lucky as 3 very close friends are bf counsellors. So I should have plenty of people to call (although one is having a hip replacement next week so if have to get to her house for help!)

My sister wants to be a bf specialist type person but she really is one of those bf mafia ppl talk about so she's the last person I would want advice from (I know that sounds mean!) she told me I shouldn't even have a bottle in the house for the first six months

Also everyone at this class looked less pregnant than me even though they were all further gone. The lady who was breech was tiny think five month bump, must be position of baby?

Good news on gd test emily - nct lady kept repeating the story of the woman in the ne last year who popped out an 11lb er naturally and with ease - itll be fine!

Health visitor was lovely - got to ask loads of questions which was fab.

Cookies - i asked about the sleep bag thing - pils gave us 2 from boots miniclub 0-6 mo and they have extra poppers under arms - she said sleepbags from a few years ago were probably not advisable but now they all have to the same tests etc - as long as baby cant disappear into it, which is what these stipulate, so i guess its how big your baby is. It used to be about 7.5 lb. She felt in many ways they are safer from a SIDS pov but its totally down to the size of baby, their head etc. (So prob not for an early baby) So im going to see how he pops out. Must admit cellular blanket seems more right somehow!

Was surprised to hear current SIDS guidelines are to stay in parents room for first year?? So pretty glad we were given this ginormous cot!

I get weetractions and the nov lot nodded wisely about these. Basically enormous bh when i need a wee. And when in the car! (Not weeing in car, the bh!) Many ladies on the nov thread have been cursing their pootractions for some weeks now - apparently one of the ways the body taunts you in the run up. Thing is i'm getting occasional very mild cramps in lower back a bit like needing the loo. But apparently normal for some.

Batteries in tens machine. Wondering whether to get extra pads so i can use it a bit if back is bad but save fresh ones for real thing? How reusable are they?

2 blessed, what do you like about tue baby bundler?

Clarella I was advised to get dressing tape (first aid aisle) and you can restick the pads on.

I'm going to go with the swaddle pod and cellular blanket for the first 2-3 months and then onto the sleeping bag. Although the ones we've been given are sleeveless so not sure how warm baby would be.

clarella my mum used to foster newborns and she always found that the bundlers were really easy for nighttime changing - less poppers to faff around with. This is my pfb so soaking up all the tips that I can...

and LO staying in my room for first year? Gonna have to rethink my furniture decisions in my room then.

Baby brain makes it hard to remember who said what..

re: TENS pads - they're failrly sticky and can be re-used, but their effectiveness is influenced by how well stuck on they are. So I'd recommend a new set for the actual labour, and re-using another set for general back ache and pain relief - So said my NCT teacher.

re: swaddling - our NHS midwife running the antenatal classes said swaddling is no longer recommended. Apparently it's something to do with the inability for air to flow around the baby, so they can't cool down if they get hot. She did say that she swaddled her kids and would do so again, but NHS say officially swaddling is not recommended.

I'm 36+1 today, and hoping baby stays put for a little longer. We finally got around to ordering new crib and pram mattress at the weekend, once they arrive I should have most things I need. Just need to wash all the baby clothes, do a count and add anything extra (bought eBay bundles for 99p each, plus shipping costs).

Does everyone have muslins? The NHS midwife was talking about how amazing they are for the whole 'taking baby home' class. I've got a few passed on by my sister, but am planning on buying a few more. I was wondering though, does muslin = muslin, even if one says 'food grade' and one says 'baby'?? They're all 100% cotton, so how different could they be?

I have been soo tired this week, I feel like I need to take a nap 10 minutes after I get up in the morning. Got to get through to the end of the week, then I'm done with work and can start the final push to making home ready for the new arrival. There's so much stuff I want to organise/throw out.

Oh, for anyone that has cats - make sure they're wormed. Vet advised me of this when I took my cat in the other day. The worm eggs are tiny/invisible, and can be picked up off the cats fur. Though we have pretty good protection against catching them, the baby will have none. They have to be treated every 5 weeks.

Ooo I get weetractions really bad too, especially uncomfortable in the middle of the night!

stacks Muslins are Muslins afaik lol I got given all mine second hand. Also been given terry towels which should make good burping cloths if baby is particularly sicky as they are more absorbent.

As for swaddling I was told its to do with overheating but the blanket/swaddlepod I have are so thin I'm happy to swaddle (if baby is happy to be swaddled that is)

2blessed how scary about the early baby i am definatley jot ready just yet i should be in 3 weeks though :) also i think you prob have more clothes than i do. We are team yellow too and im not a huge fan of neutral like someone else mentioned the shops/internet will still be there once baby arrives and gifts will probably be nice clothes :)

Is anyone else really struggling with names? We still dont have one picked out or even a short list.

I definately get weetractions

I've had no signs that anything is progressing, don't even think I've had any Braxton hicks yet and am 36 weeks on thurs desperately want baby to be early feeling totally fed up at the moment and done with being pregnant. Awful atmosphere between me and DP because of sex issues, he just doesn't want it and hasn't laid a finger on me for months it's really getting me down now as I feel so unattractive and although its cause he says he doesn't want to hurt the baby I can't help but feeling its because I've got a huge belly. I keep catching him watching porn and its just making me feel rubbish about myself sorry for the rant having a bad day!

blessed we have much the same clothing list as you and not planning to buy more till he's born and we know how big to buy for..

ellie we have names sorted including for a girl in case of surprises, but not telling anyone till the birth. Mil keeps asking, but we're keeping schtum!

I am knackered today! 35 + 3 and this is the last week of really serious painting and tiling, and I'm so glad.. Came home for lunch and sat down 50 mins ago and now struggling to get up again. Also dying for a wedge of cake but 2lbs over average weight for week 35..

Oh utopian have a slice if cake! That 2lb is probably just because you need a big poo

brooke cross posted and only just saw yours, sorry to hear about dh issues, can you talk to him about how you feel/ suggest doing other things than full sex if he's genuinely worried about the baby?

spotty!

Had a great weekend at some very dear friends anniversary party, but I didn't get to bed until 3 in the morning so I'm totally exhausted today.

However, I didn't get much chance to rest as I had a GTT today. It wasn't too bad for me except for giving the second blood sample. I was dehydrated which made my veins even harder to hit than usual, so I had to have a canula in my hand which is now very bruised as it had to go in so far, I did better than some of the other ladies, one threw up the drink and 2 others fainted, there was only me and one other lady still standing.

The midwife who was running the clinic, was very interested in my previous babies and is going to keep an eye out for me on the ward. Results on Wednesday, to find out if I have GD or if I'm just a really good incubator

Have been having weetractions and pootractions since about 28 weeks, they get a little tiresome. I already know I need the toilet, I don't need any extra clues

I don't have many clothes either, I want to see what my little man looks like before I get too much. I found that ds2 didn't look quite right in some of ds1's clothes, so I want to see him first and work out what's 'him'. Could be quite tricky in the run up to Christmas though. I really should wash what I do have too, still lacking in some motivation

Oh brooke sorry to hear that - the porn thing is especially crap. Does he get that its actually good to try sex etc? What about finding some info about it in books/ internet? evil side of me would set up a scenario where he catches you looking at porn to prove a point - plus you could get some self relief ;) weve not been very sucessful so gave up but i must admit i feel like it would help loosen things down there now - not quite got round to the perinneal massage yet ....

Thanks utopian, I've tried 3 times to talk to him about it, all have ended in me crying a lot because its so difficult to talk about, I feel like when I bring it up its then a big issue and if we do have sex it's just because I've gotten so upset over it not because he actually wants to if that makes sense? It's making me so jealous as well any attractive lady on the TV or in the street and I'm really paranoid and jealous! I think ill have to have another go at talking tonight, damn hormones!!!

utopian eat the cake!! I'm sure you very much deserve it.

blessed sounds enough to me. I'll be honest I have got more but then I know I'm team pink/am a shopaholic/had more than I thought left from DD. you can order some lovely things from the comfort of home once you're snuggling your gorgeous LO.

stacks you can never have enough Muslins!! Lying down on cold changing mat, mopping up sick/milk, I used to lay one down over sheet to avoid washing sheets every day when dd would sick on them. You can get them really cheap if you shop around and always good to have one to hand.
I know they say no swaddling now but it's been done for years and as long as cellular and not in a hot room I intend to ! Dd could always break free so may not like it but we'll see.
I think I'm going to wait and see how big and leave her in blankets for a bit, I didn't use a grobag/sleep bag as was too hot with dd (until it was winter and she was 3 months then. With a long sleeve vest and a baby grow I think arms should be warm enough.

Yeh honey that's how my labour started last time- was very panicked when I had them for the first time this time. But had them on and off for a week or two so I'm breathing a sigh of relief.

Whoever said keeping your LO in your room for a year?! I may be judged for this but I will admit this will be one of the things I avoid. My room isn't physically big enough for a cot and have a crib which should last for 6 months. Dd didn't stay in with me for the whole 6 months either actually.

Oh brooke well if it makes you feel better DP is watching porn (etc!) despite us still having sex! Men are a strange specie. I'm sure he's just worried about 'hurting baby' (I think men all think they are soooo huge that they are going to do damage when we all know its rubbish crap. ) Do tell him how you feel. Pregnancy is a time where we can't help but feel very self conscious and I don't think men ever get that. If you're feeling rubbish maybe have a little pamper evening to make yourself feel better? sometimes just a bit of gradual tan makes me feel less whale-like. Maybe suggest something 'else' with him or if you're feeling frustrated and that fsils maybe take things into your 'own hands'