April 2013.....we're halfway there! (Part 5)

[bunnygirl80]

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Merry Christmas everyone!

Hello

I'm due April 1st (26 weeks 2 days) and I have finally got around to joining up! This is my first, so I will no doubt be asking silly questions! G x

Merry Christmas (belated!) to all!
Welcome George - there are lots of us first timers on here, you're not alone!

Ok here goes TMI - but did anyone else get the gift of milky nipples this festive season?! It's quite disconcerting!
(I remember once my Mum told me it 'used to pour out of her' when she was breast feeding - so I may have inherited a copious supply!)
Just feels pretty early?!

Hope everyone's having a lazy Boxing Day? Anyone braved the sales?!

26w!

Hi all

Lazy Boxing Day for me, can't be bothered to do much else. Has anyone else noticed the kicks and thumps getting stronger now, sometimes they proper make me ooof?

Hi George my first too, so have no idea what's going on half the time. :)

26+3

welcome George Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

In a moment of weakness I bought the most girly little going home from hospital outfit for baby. Its a pink bunny sleep suit with pink tutu from the Next sale.

24+4

Welcome George!

I'm working today and the customers really are a different breed!!! They are being so rude to all staff

I just can't get my head round the fact they'd rather be out all day shopping than spending time with loved ones! Crazy! If I don't have a complaint about me by the end of the day I will be surprised! I'm here til 8.15 tonight!

Just got to focus on the fact that next year I will be home with family and our baby!

End of rant (sorry ladies!)

24+1

Morning all. Hope you had fun yesterday. I think I'm actually enjoying today more! Yesterday was lovely but I had to work the night shift so spent all day gearing up to it. Trish that's rubbish for you! I refuse to go to the shops on Boxing Day, if we all boycotted they wouldn't make you work!

My patients were hard work last night but then they didn't chose to be in hospital! Today I can relax knowing I've got no work today or tomorrow!

Welcome George, you'll find us a friendly bunch! Mine is my first too, I don't know what I'm doing! Do you know what flavour you're having?!

Yes ratbag I'm currently being booted! Definitely oof!

23+1

Many festivities! Welcome George! It's my second and I still ask the odd silly question

We have had a lazy jammy day playing with DD's toys and clearing out some for the charity shops or for the attic.

We had a lovely time at the IL's, my family were behaving badly and just being a horribly whingey and rude.

We aren't known as drinkers, they all know I am pregnant, when we do drink we prefer cider, I was given 3 bottles of southern comfort, 1 bells whiskey, 1 jack daniels and DH 3 crates of carlsberg and 2 bottles of sherry. They made a fuss about not giving us cash or gift vouchers, but it's a waste as we don't drink it. I think its a sneaky plan for us to bring it to NYD lunch so they can all drink it and laugh at us. I can't sell it or return to store and don't have the space to store it.

I technically went shopping but only for 5 mins, DP bought me the angelcare baby monitor from mothercare for £99.99 last week, now in sales it's £67.50 plus if you download iPhone app, you get an extra £10 off-bargain, so I saved £42.50 and popped in to return the original, so now have a £100 gift card to spend as and when. Other than that, had my first EsseXmas with the ILs, really enjoyed, fully relaxed and can't wait to spend two full days chilling with DP then back to Wales with my family, great holiday

hope everyone has had a relaxing christmas.
Popped to see my sister this morning and nipped into a mamas and papas on the way - got an ex-display cot bedding/nursery set for £40 saving £80. We had seen it before Christmas but would never have paid full price.
Thanks also to whoever posted about the Jo Jo maman bebe sale - picked up some bargains .
kellestar not really sure why anyone would buy a pregnant person that much alcohol?

Happy Christmas all, I hope everyone had a great time.

I'm 24+1 and couldn't be happier. This time last year I was dealing with a recent mc and getting pg again seemed like an impossibility, a year on and our dream is coming true.

Had such a lovely family christmas now looking forward to a few days lazing with DH, that is after we have cleaned the house. We hosted Boxing Day and once I get out of bed I know there is a whole kitchen to be cleaned.

Welcome george! kellestar what odd gifts to buy anyone who is preggars, families hey.

ratbag im 100% agreeing with you... i seem to oof at least 6 times a day! in fact im getting very uncomfortable now with two lots of legs oofing my bladder and pelvis.. sometimes if feels like i have to walk with my legs clamped shut as its so low i feel like ones trying to escape!
im back in work today but im going to spend the day online researching baby gear- anyone still not bought anything?xx

24+2

Merry Christmas everyone. Hope you all had a wonderful time. We've had a fantastic Christmas and luckily DH isn't back at work until 2nd Jan so that makes it even more special. Just have to find room for all of DD's new toys!

MW is popping in tomorrow to see if my BP is still high. I'm thinking of not returning to work if it is (don't want to take risks after PE last time) but I'm hoping all is well. My class are lovely this year so I'd like to see more of them before maternity leave (finishing after six weeks anyway).

Morning everyone!

Belated Merry Christmas to you all.

I am still on holiday in the most beautiful luxury house and have had an amazing time. Home tomorrow though.

I have swum every day but have had to stop now as I have had some really painful pulling low down and don't want to cause any damage.

I got some lovely presents and my Mum wrapped up a present to baby JaquelineHyde It was a beautiful blue sleep suit with Hug Needed written on it! I cried obviously!!

Before we went away I have got a mamas and papas cot with change unit on top from a second hand shop in Eastbourne for £20 delivered!!

I have also managed to buy a few items of clothing in the online sales and have a second hand electric steriliser I picked up a while ago for £10.

Has anyone got a pram yet?

Experience has taught me that spending a fortune on a pram that they will only be in for a few months is an utter waste. So I have decided to go for this...

www.johnlewis.com/231443985/Product.aspxMaclaren

with this carrycot in black as well.

It is suitable from birth, is the easiest thing ever to fold, lies flat and can be used up to 4 years. I don't know about everyone else but the Maclaren is by far the most superior pushchair.

Off for lunch now, hope you are having a lovely, relaxing Christmas.

24 weeks

Sorry pushchair link didn't work...

here

Glad you had a nice holiday Jaqueline

Am not going buggy/pram shopping for a while I think. But I have my criteria that it needs to be so I can manage it on stairs with baby in. Foldable by me (with one hand preferably) adjustable handles so OH can be comfortable with it, space to put shopping underneath and should be able to handle cracked pavements. (after seeing Peaches Geldolf's buggy overturn on a London street, I got concerned!).

Also needs to be reasonably priced!

Our pram arrived on Christmas Eve! We got the Oyster (minus the carry cot and car seat which my sister is lending me) for £225. We were given £100 towards it by DH's aunt so we've saved a lot.

The maclaren pram looks great Jaqueline, hope you have a lovely last day of your holiday.

I'm a bit confused about making maternity leave arrangements. I read online that you need to inform your employer of maternity plans by the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth. By my calculations that's next week as my EDD is 17th April. I popped into the doctor's surgery today to ask for a MatB1 form as I won't be seeing my MW next week and they told me I won't be given a MatB1 form until I'm 26 weeks, which would be later than I need to inform work

Does anyone know if you need the MatB1 to inform your employer officially? If so the dates don't seem to add up - next week is the 15th week before baby is due (unless I am stupidly) counting dates wrong but I won't have the MatB until the 13th week before the baby is due?

jaqueline, just noticed that you mentioned you'd got a second hand sterliser. I spotted a second hand one today that looked pretty good but wondered how to sterlise it. Is a good clean out sufficient?

Ahh balls you just reminded me! I knew I was meant to ask for something else! Just got back from my 25 wk appt and wanted to ask for matb1 and the exemption form thing as I have dentist in a few weeks! I thought you got matb1 at 20 weeks but I may be wrong I need to let my employers know by Sunday what I plan to do as my 15 weeks will be then eeek!
Otherwise all seemed ok bit of protein in my wee so got to do another sample to send off and a physio referral for my pelvic pain, little man gave her a run for her money though when she was trying to listen to him no matter where she poked he poked her back and then ran for the hills! Was quite comical!

Hope everyone is well!
24+4

teapig just give it a good clean out and then stick it on an empty cycle and it will sterilise itself.

MatB1's can be given any time from 20 weeks so I would be pushing to get it sooner if I was you.

Teapig the matb1 is to get your pay/SMP sorted by work? I think informing them in writing of your leave is fine. The form itself is so the employer can sort your pay. In my work maternity handbook it says my work only actually needs 28 days notice to sort pay. If you get your matb1 by 26 weeks you should be fine! Xx

teapig I assume it's a steam steriliser... wipe out with warm soapy water, maybe a bit of vinegar left over night to remove the scale [or buy the descale tablets from boots] and it's fit for use. Just give it a steam through before use and it'll do you good! Mine is second hand and has been around my friends as well, it's an avent one, but it fits all sorts of bottles in.

I agree about the Maclaren XLR jaq I have the Techno XT with DD and it's been a fab pushchair, it is completely knackered now, it was second hand. I'm contemplating buying a new one, but not sure as DD is still quite useless at walking and a double would be good... if a little bit heavy and awkward to get in the boot of my car. You do know you can buy car seat adapters to have the carry type car seat with it as well. Kiddicare have a great sale on Maclaren's with the Blue/Yellow combo of the XLR down to £199.99 link here

This little one is so active, kept me awake most of the night. I am exhausted as DD has decided to get up as early as she can and I can't seem to nap during the day without developing a large headache.

NHS Exemption this should have been sent off when you first booked in and should have been back with you in 4-6 weeks.

Off to get 4D scan today - so excited!! Can't wait to see our wee cowboy again!

26+2

jaq Also Mothercare have it in their sale too!

Thanks for the advice on the matb/work notification. I'll inform work in writing and explain that I'll have the matb when I next visit the MW.

Thanks for the advice on the sterliser jaqueline and kelle. A local charity shop has two in there for £3 each so I'm off to check them out tomorrow, bargain.