March 2013 VIII: feeling kicks, comparing knits and halfway there

[theTramp]

Old thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1588951-March-2013-VII-Our-little-pumpkins-are-getting-fatter?msgid=35174657#thread

lexi babies don't need much, you've ages to buy yet!

Kiddicare is my favourite website at the moment. I ordered a buggy last night... (and managed to spend another £100 on top of that, oops). I went for a Britax B-Smart pushchair in Chili Pepper. Can't wait to have a wee shot. It might even arrive tomorrow! :)

Hey everyone!
Just a quickie!

1. Carpet in bathroom - no!!!
2. I used my monitor until my little boy went in his own bed and them came and got me when he needed me!!! We put him in a 'big boy bed' on his 2nd birthday!
3. I have bought nothing yet! Eeek!
4. When is everyone taking mat leave? Especially interested in teachers... I'm thinking feb half term (11th) should be booked in for my section around march 4th - does this sound reasonable?!

Take care everyone!!! X

Count they weren't on offer just a standard price so hopefully will be the same when you start shopping

Em I haven't used one since dd1 ours picked up everyone else in the street except our baby, we heard some interesting conversations though although now we live in the middle of nowhere

Kirsty any teachers I know time mat leave so that they are back a few days before summer holidays and back on full pay, but then summer hols is 2 months here

It doesn't really matter when I take mine as I work for dh so will be unofficially still working

Just seen this Pram on another thread

11feb sounds ok if you are well kirsty

I plan to start mine officially 18 Feb with the rest off sick

em I still use monitors for my eldest. We live in a 4 floor house with kids on the top floor and my bedroom below.

Eldest 2 age (just) 5 and 3 share and I still put a monitor on. It makes me more relaxed! I can hear immediately if they have a nightmare or are sick. If they need something they call quietly instead of shouting and waking up ds3 in the room next to them. If they wake up before bunny clock and start making too much noise I can talk to them over the monitor and tell them to go back to sleep (it sometimes works!)

Also, when they want to play upstairs I can let them go up and listen over the monitor.

Monitors are brill.

Not posted much as was struck by the norovirus on Saturday after getting back from funeral. Kids had it last week, me this weekend, nanny today, now dh got it too.... Not much fun!!! House a disaster zone after dh very sweetly looked after the boys all weekend.

Got so much to catch up on.

Hate to break it to you ladies that no amount of cream/oil, however expensive will make any difference to stretch marks. You will either get them or not. It's down to genetics or so I have read. This is my 4th and I've never used anything and never got stretch marks. Probsbly jinxed that one now and will get loads as bad karma! I do however have some small spider veins on upper legs, but not too bad!!

Kirsty I'm finishing at Feb half term, will be 37 weeks and it'll be 2 weeks before my c-section. Makes sense to stop then, assuming all is well. Not sure about returning though... I took 9 months off with DS, but this time around it will all depend on whether I get this job or not.

Yuck to norovirus.

Had a lovely evening. DH got home early and I headed out for a lovely long walk. Going to do it more often as really put a spring in my step. No iPod or music just listening to life. Since we have been together we have lived in this area so I passed the spot where we got engaged and place we went on our first date. Very nostalgic.

Brought DS for his first walk today. All he wanted was to walk on the road. He loved it though.

Hope everyone is having a lovely evening.

Oc x

In my house before this it had carpet in bathroom and kitchen- it nearly put my off buying it, needless to say was ripped out before any of my stuff went in!! Plus they had clearly dropped oil right outside oven space- was rank!!!!! Was a shock as first house was brand new to go one decorated badly by people was hard and lucky DH has vision for these things as i just see yuk and say no thank you, lol!!! Glad to be back in a brand new house though :)

Hey!

Ughh bathroom carpets, freaks me out! My granny had one, ill never forget that musty smell.

Am totally in yaris club rainbow and others. My one diplomatic success this year was talking dh out of the idea we'd need a bigger car with baby two. This car is so reliable and the idea of a monster that costs 80-100 £ for a tank leaves me pale. I would rather be a little cramped and pack lighter for our (rare) long journeys than worry about the cost of going out with two babies in a guzzler. I don't think I'd like having a 3 door though. Dh is used to luxury (one of two kids) but in my family my parent whacked an extra seatbelt into the back of an escort and took 3 kids and baby in carseat on regular long journeys! We finally got people carrier when littlest Bro was born - I was 11 by then, so 2 kids in the back of a small 5 seater seems like luxury to me!

Hello everyone, feel like haven't posted in days again but have been doing my usual catching up with reading and then running out of time to post. Right now eyes are very dropout but soldiering on. Loving work atm, boss off on pat leave but lots to do to try and get my project done and dusted by Christmas (know how prone to pg relate illness I am so don't want to risk having anything too important on in the new year).

So I'm making us try cold turkey on attending to dd in the night tonight. Dh still thinks its cruel to leave a toddler to cry and 'against her human rights'! I just can't bear being woken up anymore by a nearly two year old who was once the most beat behaved newborn sleeper in the world. I completely blame dh now for perpetuating this situation and her bad habits, which while i try not to show its hard not to snarl these things at 4 in the morning when he's fetching her a third bottle of milk since midnight! Have bought dh some earplugs so we'll see how it goes.

Right, will be off, peaceful night's everyone!

Morning All

three hope you got a good night's sleep, always makes everything easier I think!

Carpet in the kitchen?! That is disgusting (although I would probably break less china than I do on our ceramic floor....)

Thanks for all your thought on baby monitors, think I might stick with the one and just rely on hearing ds through the house as it's only small.

Short post as need to take ds to nursery! Hope everyone has good days!

Three hope last night went ok, I found you just have to bite the bullet and as you say go cold turkey. A 2 year old definitely doesn't need milk through the night, although it might get worse before it gets better I would allow a couple of weeks before she realises its no good screaming.
Fraid I have a big diesel guzzler and wouldn't be parted with it, but that said I get very attached to cars I broke my heart when dh changed our cavalier. I didn't mind getting rid of Audi it give us more trouble than Cavalier, I would have happily swapped them back at one stage. Then dh changed it to my guzzler I have had it since ds was 5 days old (he's 9 now)so I'm very attached, although dh is starting to get itchy feet!

Anyway have rescan today, can't remember do they measure everything again or do they just go for the one bit they couldn't get the last time?

Stealth and no stretch marks

Morning. Quick post as I clearly missed loads last two days. I've been suffering sinus headaches again so accupuncture visit now booked. Hopefully that'll put paid to them.

Carpets in bathrooms and/or kitchens - crazy town!

Baby monitors - also on my to be researched list, recommendations welcomed.

Buying stuff - pirate mobile aside I've not bought a thing. I see now as research, post christmas as purchase time.

Norovirus and other sickness sufferers - you have my sympathies ladies. I think you're coping brilliantly.

Zoey - you're the lousiest "take it easy" adapter on here. You crazy woman. Just reading what you get up to is exhausting! :)

Cars - my mother has a yaris. It's ugly but loads of space, super reliable (no probs in 12 years) and has great boot room. We are talking cars too but a nice to have rather than a necessity, so we'll see where we are cash wise in NY.

Enjoy your days and apologies to anyone ive missed

I know Tramp I am very good at shouting at others to relax and take it easy but really struggle myself - I tend to keep going until I phsically cant which when pregnant is prob not the best way to be, I think the fact that I like to be busy and cant just stay at home all day dont really help matters either

Should get my results back today (fx) so then can get on the right tablets to get sorted

I have an Astra on contract hire and am due a new car in April/May next year and I cant wait am thinking maybe a Nissan Quasque or Kia Sportage or something along those lines - I really cant wait as am bored of mine now have had it nearly 3 years!

Sending hugs to all those poorly and suffering at the moment - I am filled in an office of 'poorly' men and they have no idea what real illness is they have a cold and are dying right now!

Three sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind and at 2 there is no reason for waking up - hope it all worked out for you last night! Think I am going to have a HUGE shock when baby arrives as DS2 has slept through since 6 months and actually asks to go to bed, sleeps 12 hours straight and has another 2-3 hour nap in the day.

Made an error last night, I went to lay down and really fancied Lucazde so had a nice huge cold glass about 10.00pm - regardless to say baby though he was at a rave and went mental for the next few hours so I just laid there making a mental note not my best plan by any means and not to due it again!!!

tramp I bought the angelcare 401 movement and sound monitor, not because I'm going to be "one of those mothers" (a girl on my course helpfully quoted - said girl also later revealed her DS slept in her bed until two and now won't sleep through at four), but because baby will be in his own room from birth due to my partners shift patterns. They're expensive new (£90) but I bought mine 2nd hand for £20 and it looks great!!

Three hope it went OK with your little one. Think it is really hard to do but you need to be firm - human rights seems a little strong from your DH!

Urgh, sorry, pressed post too soon!
Glad to know I'm not the only one who hasn't bought much yet. I have a magic spreadsheet budget so I know what we need - but we don't have a lot of room so I don't want to buy till I need to!
Anyone else finding their boobs expanding again? Mine were awful in early pregnancy - grew loads and sore - then the past few days they are itchy and sore and even bigger. I hate it, I feel like I have comedy Jordan- style implants and working in quite a male environment I try to keep cleavage covered but clothes all fit differently. Will they just keep growing till the baby arrives? (mind boggles!)
Also not a fan of carpet in kitchen or loo. We have wood throughout except for stairs, it's a bit noisy but as we have cats that moult a lot it's more low maintenance!
Still no laptop decision. Have revived mine but it is super flaky!

Lexi yeap I need to go get some more bras, I was hoping I wouldn't need anymore until closer to the time and just buy feeding ones, as I am naughty and still wear under wires

Oh and my laptop(dell) is dead dh mentioned getting me an ipad for christmas but I'm not quite sure what they are cracked up to be and can't be bothered doing any research (I also am not a big fan of apple)

Jojo hmm you should have responded to your coursemate by saying 'yes, i'm going to be one of those mothers who cares if their baby is breathing or not'! I had an angelcare sound and movement monitor, it was very reassuring (except when we picked ds up and forgot to turn it off!) I don't think I am a particularly over-protective mum though. We've never even owned a stairgate!

Gummi I was a sceptic but bought an iPad for dh for his birthday last year and it has been a godsend! I loved it so much I went and bought myself an iPhone so we stopped fighting over it! It has taken a lot of pressure off our (ageing HP) laptop, but it isn't a replacement for it.

Meant to have a really profitable morning and get loads done but feeling knackered so spent the morning lying on the sofa with a big cuppa tea and organising ds baby photos. Seems like yesterday he was just a newborn! Off to the midwife in a bit. Getting really nervous for some reason that my bp will be high probably giving myself high bp

Em I had to laugh I do the same panic about my bp, ans then think I'm doing the same
I have been catching up on some housework, avoiding paperwork, going to have lunch then off for scan, then dd has blood test this evening so I have pot of stew made also

Aghhh, so crazy one last night for the first night of dd's sleep regime. She went to bed at around half 7 as usual, no peep from her when we went to bed. Then at around 12.45 I guess she started to peep, but wasn't too loud. I warned dh to put his earplugs in. At about 1.05 she was crying for us, so i went in, changed wet nappy from cot and gave her water in bottle. When I leave she starts to wail, but as she's safe I leave her in cot and go back to bed to sit it out. She peters out a little but then starts up again and we hear her wailing!

By half 1 dh is up and really not coping (now feels like I have two babies to placate) also little georgie is kicking me on the inside in time, or so it seems with his big sisters wails! Dh steams that this is really cruel yadiya, I ignore him. He says 'is she out of the cot?' Me: 'of course not!' Him: 'hmph, doesnt sound like she's in cot'

So I open her door and the little monkey is standing there having climbed out somehow and jumped down from four foot off the ground!!! dh being as useful as a wet tissue, mumbling that he feels like leaving the house. I basically tell him to push off so he goes out to sort of camp in car!

I put dd back in cot with dummy and water and basically have to sit on chair in there and guard her from climbing out again. She screams for another half hour with me every so often having to take her off of cot rail and try and get her to lay down. Finally just after 2am she falls asleep pretty much standing up and screaming stops!

I go down for a cup of rooibis at this point and dh also skulls in from car looking sorry for himself. I wait till dd is def asleep, pad the floor next to the cot with cushions and her giant teddy bear and finally go to bed myself, feeling pretty wired to be honest. Dd then slept till dh went in to get her dressed at seven. I feel like I really deserved my Starbucks this morning when I finally crawled into work!

Have no idea what tonight will bring! Think I should make her a bed on the floor from now on?

I also never put any cream or oil on and haven't had a stretch mark in 3.5 prenancies. It is genetic, my mother didn't get one until the end of her fourth pregnancy so I will look forward to that if I am the same!

We have had about 3 baby monitors and the best one by far is the BT one. I think there is a newer model out now because ours is 2 years old but it cost about £80 and is crystal clear. I never bother with the lullaby options it has on it but the thermometer is very useful when they are tiny and you are worried about what to dress them in. I still use it for ds3 when he naps but have never bothered having one in our bedroom. Our house is 3 stories but all of my boys are so loud you can hear them very clearly if when they wake in the night.

Three I feel for you with sleep issues. I had to give ds3 a large bottle of milk in the middle of the night last night because he woke up and screamed for ages. I am very loathed to do this and thankfully it is very rare because he definitely doesn't need it. He eats well & has a big bottle of milk before bed. The book The Three Day Nanny by Kathryn Mews is fab for sleep problems and it is broken up by age. Good luck!

We have a large tank of a Volvo XC90 with 7 seats so I can't help with small cars. We had an Audi A4 before having ds3 though which I loved and it was a lot nicer to drive than the Volvo.Sadly, there was no way 3 car seats would fit across the back.

Hope everyone else is well. Builders still here, fingers crossed they are finished by the end of this week, overrun by 1 week now... getting very bored of the mess. Even ds3 walked in and said "Uh oh, big mess" this morning!

That sounds like a Looong night for you three I am sure it will get better its more a battle of the wills for the first few days and when they realise you actually mean it then tend to respond so its a case of being firm. However if she knows how to climb out I would consider strongly a toddler bed with bed guard as at least she cant hurt herself getting out if bed and know she knows she can do it thats about it she will do it everytime