March 2013 IX: Cruising to Christmas with burgeoning bumps

[Sheldonella]

Thanks sarahs999 for the lovely new thread name :)

Old thread here

No 9, can you believe it

We'll need to agree to disagree on that point Rainbow.

Queen v doc is on iPlayer, called Queen Victorias Children - go to Factual/All/History and you'll find it. May also be in favourites. I was genuinely surprised by how interesting it was as it sounded dreadfully dry.

Baby names: not sure if this assists but MrM and my approach was to go through the book together and write down any we liked, thus creating a short list. We then knocked a few off based on them being in top 100 baby names of last few years, but obviously that bits optional. Then we spent a week just reading out the names. By end of the week we both had our own favourites, which I colour coded, and at least one or two that we both liked but may not have been faves. And then we've just kept on using them and talking about them. It's funny how our opinions have changed as we have, how the list has shortened to a top for both genders and how we're mostly now agreeing. I think once you start using a name it either grows on you (so to speak) or doesn't and it can be surprising which names win through. Also interesting that our friends and family, who we've been trying names out on, have revised their initial gut "oh no's!" Etc and have genuinely, without prompting, started to say how some of the names that they didn't like that much have really grown on them as they thought about them.

Not sure if that helps you at all, but it's working for us. Short list of 3 for both genders now set and when Socs arrives I'm positive one will just seem to fit like a glove.

Sorry bump pain is causing lack of sleep. It's def getting harder to be comfortable isn't it.

Hi All,

I had my 28 weeks mw appt and she didn't measure me - is that mormal? Now I have no idea if his nibs is the right size

Thanks for that tramp I will search on I player.

ChildCare really is a mine field of choices isn't it? As log as we all get what works for us then that's all that matters isn't it? I think we are lucky as financially we can just about afford for me to have a full year off. Then nursery three days a week, I will drop to 30 hours over 4 days and DH will, be able to do all his over four. The plan is mon, tue and Thursday in nursery, I'll be at home on a Wednesday and DH on a Friday. We both get our own time with LO and family time at the weekend. I'm happier a nursery as I had various childminders when I was little with not always nice outcomes. I think I will be happier with the nursery environment anyway.

We seem to have been lucky with the whole naming thing, as I'm sure I've said before? Two family names for both gender that I love, suggested both to DH who loved them, go well with surname, job done! I do feel for those who are struggling though. It is a big decision isn't it? I have had moments of"have we chosen too quickly, should we give it more thought?" DH just gives me one of his looks which sorts me out!

I am in pain today, had to sleep sitting up all night because of coughing so consequently in agony with back today. Had lovely temperature of 37.8 too so in addition to the antibiotics I to some paracetamol which was worth it as temp is now only37.3 and I feel a bit better. Still really don't like taking meds but a crying, upset stress mother is worse than a couple of paracetamol I think!

Going to go for a little walk to mobilise the old joints then going to collect baby things from in laws, happy times!

Love to all xxx

Went to look at reusable nappies today - can't believe how easy to use they are these days and at such a cost saving compared to disposals (let alone the environmental benefits). They don't seem to be much hassle over disposals at all. There are lots of options so pretty difficult to chose the make/style etc - anyone have any experiences of using them?

Afternoon all,

Sorry to hear a few are suffering from cramps and bad sleeps due to bumps. I seem to be quite lucky, i can still sleep on my back with complete ease, even when i fall asleep on my side i end up in the morning on my back. However when i have had a bad back, my partner is amazing and gives great oily massages and runs me a bath. So i'm tempted to have a bad back more often! ;)

rainbow I never even thought about reusable nappies if i'm completely honest. Just went with disposables. But i will look into them now, all up for trying new things and especially anything that saves me money!

Just applied for NHS Antenatal classes as well as NCT ones. After hearing many mixed reviews. So shall see the best of both worlds.

Now its nap time.

Lanny - oh a mid afternoon nap for you then.

Yes childcare is a minefield and yes it needs to be what works for you. Rather fortuitously I bumped into a friend at lunch time who will no longer require his Nannys services from end March so we may find ourselves with someone who has a personal recommendation and his kid loves her to pieces. We shall see.

Rainbow - much chat on reusable v disposable on one of our previous threads. One or two of the March Mums are v much reusable fans.

Tramp that was exactly the way we did names, too! We've also added a few in recently and removed a few that are names of recently born children in our close social group. There's still one on the list DH thinks is a 'bit weird' and one he suggested that I think is a 'bit posh' but we have narrowed it down the three boys names and 5 girls names, at least!
Another one with multiple pillows - 2 for head, a curved one between knees/lower legs and one under ribs. Sigh. Can't wait to sleep on my front again!

Afternoon all. I'm having the laziest day yet, I think it is because I just could not sleep with two achy arms from jabs. I have my cushion pile but nothing seemed to work last night. The whooping cough arm is so heavy and sore today and I can barely lift it. Oh well, at least it is done now.

tramp That would be great if you could get a nanny on recommendation. So many childcare choices and so many different situations. I am happy with our nursery as our needs are quite straightforward but it sounds like a nanny is great with more complex working patterns.

We have 100% decided on a name and there is no going back now as our wooden letters for our nursery have been delivered :)

Rainbow The nappies board on here is great, I read loads of threads and came up with several types on nappy to try in the end. There was also some great discussion on here as tramp says.

lanny You poor thing. I had to sleep sitting up last night too. Hope you are feeling better today. I also had paracetamol last night.

Well, I really ought to do something productive. Maybe after another cup of coffee :)

The nappies board here has some really useful chat about reusable nappies, Rainbow. I did a mixture with DS. I found I couldn't really get to grips with them while he was tiny as they just seemed to leak (and poo like korma leaking out the sides is the last thing you want when you have a sicky baby who needs changing 4+ times a day anyway!). Once he started weaning though, I really got into them. I loved the Motherease wraps best of all and to be honest, anything underneath that was ok. If you have a boy, boosters are really useful as they tend to pee a lot! (More than girls, I'm led to believe!) I've got terry cloths, prefolds and all in ones that I've just accumulated over the last few years. I think it's a case of try and see - some local councils have real nappy initiatives and you can trial different kinds of nappies with them. Sometimes you can get financial incentives from your council to use washables, too - definitely worth investigating.

leniwhite i tend to just measure with hands as with experience you know if feels right & only use tape measure if need to confirm, this is standard practice for all in my current unit so don't be too concerned. If you'd rather have a cm measurement then just ask next time, they won't mind! In your notes there'll be a column for fundal height and the MW will have put what they thought (or just put =).

Very uncomfy today, think Bubba's had a growth spurt (& was already on lardy side) & that combined with 2hrs driving with something hard under right side of ribs is not so nice! On plus side I'm being treated to nice meal out tonight so can't complain!!

Hope you're all having a relaxing Saturday with feet up, tea & cake!

Has everyone managed to check out the Child Benefit changes as of next January. I think the general feel of it is anger and the Govt. being unreasonable, but i'm not going to lie, i'm so confused on how it will affect me and my OH :s

Hmmm. Saturday tv is such crap.
Wish i could hibernate until March.

Lauren, CITV channel has Old Skool stuff, check it out!

I've just noticed! Gutted i've spent most the day watching some right shit. Unfortunately OH is now watching Man United match :/ But thank you for the idea! So now i shall start dinner and work on my hibernation plan.

I think it's on tomorrow, too!

Lexi - glad that it is a tried and tested naming method. I confess I am really rather happy with all of our short list names, although I have my favourites (and if it is a girl I am not sure how compromising I will manage to be because there is one name I LOVE). It will be interesting to see when Socs arrives if we really do just go "Oh my he/she is so obviously a -!" Or if we realise that any name would fit just dandily.

Shel - a recommendation would be perfect world it is true. I'm still really quite in the air about the whole thing. Not that I won't get it all sorted out anyway. More because there is so much at present that we don't know and moving pins are much harder to plan around. It'll all come out grand in the end though I am sure.

My day has not gone to plan and I am now really hungry. I am trying to decide what I want for dinner and then will go to shops to purchase. Temptation to just say sod it and order a take-away is very very strong. And I wonder why I'm not skinny :)

Thanks SoYo - so you're a mw? They've never written anything in the fundal height so far... Might have a private 4D scan and get a better idea from that.

I've felt exhausted all day and mostly just slept, no food either - DP watching football all day too!

Sounds like we're all having the wrong pillow situation - strange how sleeping on the sofa in a onesie worked fine all day today when last night I couldn't get comfy. LO kicked more than I've ever seen this morning, DP resting his hand on him seems to make him kick like mad, he's got big feet

Am I the oldest first time mum here?

leni how old are you? I am not first time but almost 39 and am sometimes made to feel quite ancient!!

I baby names - we have done it same way as tramp but after 3 boys, each with 3 names we have been looking for new ones.
We have one we really like, particularly the shortened version, but we have a friend with a dog the same name! There are also some names I love that dh is not do keen on. I may have to ask your opinions on baby's potential name but I have never given a potential name away before birth before so it would feel wierd.

Ds1 and ds3 have gone down with chicken pox. Hoping ds2 gets it soon so cooped up itis can come to an end!!! Ds2 feels very left out not having spots! Ds2 is running around doing chicken impressions all day!
Went to see a friend today who has been battling cancer for 11 years and had a hip replacement on Thursday as it has destroyed her bone. Really made me count my blessings....

I'm 32 and no other babies. This one's an IVF feel very lucky. We've decided on a name more or less at random, and it's just sort of stuck now, despite him being a boy when I'd always thought I'd have a girl and name her after my mum. I really love the name so I hope it suits him!

leni I was 33 with ds1 and know loads of people who had first ones at similar age! Just enjoy it!

leni I'm 32, expecting number one, and younger than plenty of people I know who are expecting/ have just had first babies! You're a spring chicken!

Very impressed with name short listing techniques. DP suggested a knock-out tournament of names- every name in the book onto slips of paper and into a hat, pull two out at random and throw worst one away, continue until only the best remains. Time consuming, but we may yet resort to it...

leni I'm an obstetric registrar (outing myself a bit here) and finding it very difficult being on the other side of all this! Turns out I'm not good at taking my own advice!!! Also you're years younger than the average age at the unit I've worked in most! Not at all old for a first time mum!

I can't understand the sleeping thing earlier and completely agree that daytime sleeping on the sofa seems to be the best! Have tried relocating to sofa in the middle of the night but not quite as good....WTF!

Im 34 & on dc4. It's funny cos people assume its dc2 as they usually see me with dd3.

So who's the youngest of us? Only 27 here and suddenly feeling terribly young!

leni I would have tought 32 was average/ young?

I had DS1 aged 39+ in 2011 and will be nearly 41 having DS2. Guess I am eldest? Have to say never felt old only lucky. Only met DH when I was 36 so we can't believe how blessed we are esp as we have family and friends who suffer from infertility. I have a friend expecting her first child at 42. She met her beau just as she was ab

About to turn 40 and was uber depressed and now is sporting a lovely bump!

Life is funny!

Oc x