Due in September 2006- part three...count down to summer!

[Coriander73]

New thread Bella...as promised!!!

Picture this, am on my way back from Barcelona (fab airport with great shops) & am trying to to buy some shoes for a black tie dinner we've got on Saturday. I was looking at the strappy sandals etc & asked to try on a few pairs (stroppy sales assistant annoyed me from the off!) but sat there in despair because I couldn't do any of them up!!!! I just couldn't get the bump out of the way to even get close to putting the strap through the bloody buckle!!! I felt so silly, almost tearful & just felt like asking someone to help...which I didn't so promptly turned on my heels (no pun intended!!!!) & went......still have no shoes & am running out of time!!!!

PS: It's my birthday tomorrow...DH keeps ringing me up & asking what I want..truth is I don't want anything & I'm devoid of inspiration!!!!! He's getting annoyed as wants to get something from DD...I said flowers would be lovely, he said that was predictable....watch this space!!!!

Yours, forever increasing in size......

aah ... shoes that need doing up ... another fond memory of pre-bump days!!

LOL Lysettes re your handbag & being banned ... I am considering a Coach one; is this what pg does to us - that we can't buy clothes; we must buy something??

Cori - Tell him you'll take a rain check! And just want a nice dinner out or something for that day. I do that sometimes ... am just now getting prepared to buy a Mac which was a Christmas/anniversary gift rolled into one ...

re: Shoes, might consider some that velcro attach; I've some black patent strappy Aerosole sandals like that - wore them through swollen months of last pg.

I'm exactly 6.5 months today, so in 2 weeks, the fetus will be viable! Good to know just in case.

Have decided to give up sweets temporarily (day to day ...)& feeling less bloated and better in general. I was really starting to get out of hand with the cookie dough.

Hi everyone. Happy Birthday to Cori for tomorrow We are finally getting round to organising the bedroom situation so in about a month hopefully I'll be able to get all ds' clothes out and see what will be suitable for a girl!!
Marls - I thought the fetus was viable from 24 weeks onwards. How many weeks are you? I thought that was about 6 months!! Can't believe we're into June already... just 3 more months to go and then we'll be into September - eek

Oh My god, how funny,

I bought a new handbag 2 weeks ago. I only went into the shop for a pair of sensible work shoes that could also have their first outing at a family gathering before being put to work properly day in day out. Then I saw a medium sized bag on display and absolutely had to have it. It was shockingly expensive (although lovely leather) but as I only buy a new bag every 5 years or so I'm trying not to feel too guilty until the credit card bill comes in.

It was an impulse buy but I do love it and I can't shop for much else at the moment.

To tell the whole truth, I also bought a second more frivolous pair of shoes with too high a heel to be comfortable over the coming months but they are something to look forward to after ds2 arrives.

We do seem to have shopping urges at the moment don;t we !

Hi, hope everyone is well.

I have a question for those who have already been through having kids...what do you actually need to put in your hospital bag? I know you're supposed to put in clothes and nappies etc for baby but what about yourself? The reason I ask is that I was looking on the Mothercare website the other day and they have all sorts of stuff in their hospital bag section but I'm in danger of getting paranoid and buying everything which seems a tad expensive to say the least! Do you really need the pads that you put in the fridge for sore boobs and stitches? And, what about stuff like nipple cream for breastfeeding? What are the essentials?

I feel like I'm starting to get more organised. I can't believe how little time there is left. LO is moving around quite a lot at the moment, especially when I lie down. I really can't believe that it's only a matter of a few more months before I get to meet LO. I'm really getting excited now!

There was a thread on this subject recently but can't find it.

However, I copied down the relevant info (altho I am sure there are lots more suggestions possible!) and it went something like this:

3 bags by type

1. DELIVERY ROOM
   Snacks & drinks (enough for 24 hrs), bathtowel for you, Flash wipes to clean hospital bath, pillow, nightie to give birth in (should be able to b'feed from this and it shouldn't be too long), nightie for after (b'feeding one too but should be longer for modesty eg lots of trips to the loo etc), BIG cheap cotton knickers or disposables, ST's (lots and lots), b'feeding bra, toothbrush & toothpaste, shampoo, body wash (MILD in case of stiches), gel things to go over wounds / stitches, hairbands, magazines, dressing-gown

2. BABY STUFF
   3 sleepsuits & 3 vests, (cotton & white so can go in wash at high temp), hat, cotton wool, nappies, muslins (to lay under head / over hospital sheets / mop up sick etc), small towel, cellular blanket, change mat (same reason as Flash wipes ... hospitals not always vv hygienic)
   NB make sure DH doesn't forget the car seat!

3. POST-NATAL
   Same toiletries, clothes etc as above; add make-up, hairbrush, more food; also Fybogel for constipation & scary first loo visit, pen & paper for midwife's name (for thankyou card) & any advice you get from her that is worth remembering, change of clothes (this should be v unambitious eg BIG around the waist & chest, able to be washed as soon as get home), breast pads for leaks,

Things like nipple cream & nipple protectors (if you get a v strong feeder) you prob won't need til day 3 or so when you have done a lot of breastfeeding - you might be lucky and not get sore!

Take things in unopened & keep receipts so that anything not used can be swapped.

Of course this is all dependent on what sort of labour you have / whether you have a C-Section, if you are there for a long time etc. But this should see you thru a stay of 1 night + 1 day.

I am sure that lots of other posters will be on soon to give you more advice!!

oooh I do love to hear about the shoe and handbag shopping.
I do have memories of ankle straps not doing up on shoes, from last time - to be honest I am in flats all the time now, although I bought a nice pair of topshop sandals with a slight wedge heel.

Mandaz - if you go in to the archives there's loads of threads telling you what to take. My advice is - think of the number of maternity pads you think you'll need and treble it! Same goes for paper knickers. Also bottled water with a sports cap is good for during labour.

No more news on the baby front - my SIL's water broke this morning, but apparantly they have had to break them again this afternoon as they hadn't broken properly.

also a good one i heard was a pair of flip flops to wear around hospital - and having been in a couple of times now, it's defnintely worth it!

cori - happy birthday for tomorrow! Will keep fingers crossed it's a lovely sunny day. I would ask for a slap up meal at my favourite restaurant for afterwards when I can eat and drink what i want

added to the guilty bag secret are a pair of LK Bennett wedges, actually make that 2 pairs, bought last week. Surprisingly enough they are really solid and comfy, and when i had to go into hospital i was wearing one of them - everyone commenting on my lovely shoes really helped me! how shallow am i?

Compo - i too thought viability was 24 weeks - our abortion deadline over here, although technically lo's can survive at 23 weeks, but not on their own.

Hiya all.
Cori- Happy birthday for tomorrow

Big hiya's & hellos for everyone! I'm hardly ever on here now, lol, have no time to myself. I feel very big & cumbersome (25wks today) so when I do have 5 mins all I want to do is curl up (ideally with choc ) with a mag & chuckmy feet up. Ohhh dunno if I could get used to this or not lol. Takes me twice (even three) times as long now to tidy up after ds2. Good thing is though, now that I look really pg, I love peoples' reactions to my bump. (Forgot how nice that is).

Have a great evening girls xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cori - Happy birthday for tommrow.
If I were you i'd get your DH to take you for a lovely meal, then go on a mega shop and treat yourself once the lo is born.
DH keeps asking me if I need anything, but I am at the point now where I can't bear to buy any more maternity / a size up clothes. I just want to wear something nice!!!

Hi everyone, havent been on for a while due to work and tiredness but happy bday for tomorrow Cori!
Bump seems huge, will be 24 weeks tomorrow and HK I agree with loving the nice reactions from people to my bump. As a first timer found the posts about what to buy/take to hospital really helpful.
Am starting to assemble the kit for LO and nursery and have found ebay v useful..

Happy bumps

Compo thought it was 7 mos but will ask Dr., see what he says, just out of curiosity (maybe they've gotten better at preemies since I had DS? Or else I'm just confused )

Thanks muminaquandary - good refresher course for me

Happy Bday Cori!

thank goodness i'm not the only one with a huge bump now! was getting rather paranoid that it was enormous, but guess i'm just normal.

have a bit of an advice question - don't answer if you don't feel comfortable though! the hospital are trying t oget me to take a drug for my b pressure that they say in practise doesn't have any side effects, but on all the literature that comes with the drug says don't use in pregnancy, if you could be pg or are trying, or even b feeding. have done some research on my own (www based of course!), and found some studies saying it's safe, but others detailing side effects in testing that occured.

does anyone think i'm being particularly paranoid, or sensible - I have to second guess myself so much nowdays that i now wonder if i'm being a bit OTT about it

and cori - if you've managed to read this far HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! [lots of balloons and candles emoticon]

Hey everyone!! Thanks so much for all your messages!!!! :o I'm home alone doing the house work (!!!) as in-laws are coming this pm & well, the place needs boosting before they make an entrance....you all know how it is!!!

DH got me some proper headphones for my ipod!! plus some flowers & chocs from DD. He did say he wanted to get me the digital camera I've had my eye on but not this month (two sets of MOTS, car tax & service!!)...it'll have to wait which is cool. Everything was wrapped in brown paper with DD's artwork all over it plus a card she'd done with the words written inside by DH that said "Mummy, Happy Birthday we love you, Minky (nickname for DD) & Beanie"....hormones hormones!!!! (just the thought that next year there will be two of them in bed with me opening cards is quite overwhelming!) At this point all well until DH said "oh, your stretchmarks have come back".......grrrr!!!!

I'm now listening to MOJO through the tv & they are playing loads of 80's stuff which is rather apt wouldn't you say?!! INXS are on right now & I went to to see them at Wembley late 80's...gosh, how old I'm? Maybe some of the younger Mum's on here will say who the hell are INXS!!!!!!

Well onto the washing....:o

xxx

Humf...midwife rang to say anti-D has been ordered & is in the fridge at the surgery which they will give to me at 28 weeks!! What joy...I only had one after the birth last time but now their policy is 28 weeks & after the birth....yuk...I hate needles that big!!! Happy Birthday to me!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORI!!!

also happy birthday to my new niece Amelie Rose who was born early hours of this morning!

Don't worry Cori - you are not the only one who went to see INXS in the late 80's - hee hee!

Rang midwife to cancel my appointment for next Tuesday as have an urgent arranged at the last minute type meeting to attend.

I feel fine and can feel lots of movements from baby but she can't see me for 2 weeks now so will have to rely on staying healthy and feeling movements.

I don't think she was too impressed particularly after the article in the Telegraph at the weekend saying that pg women shouldn't work full time to avoid stress because of the effect on unborn child. I think I'd be more stressed trying to rearrange everything but I was looking forward to hearing the baby's heartbeat.

Lysettes, have you asked them what the consequences of not taking the drugs are, maybe you can just rest up more instead. I like to know the "what if" alternatives. You could print out the details of the side effects and discuss the matter with them.

Happy Birthday to Cori

Homemama, I haven't bid on any baby whisperer books yet as some on eBay seem beige in colopur but seem to be about toddlers instead of babies.
If you have the time could you look and maybe quote the title of the one you recommend. Thanks.

Hello and welcome to all the new people who've joined the thread recently. There seem to be lots of us due in September.

I need to start getting the spare bedroom ready for the baby as I think we'll leave ds in the room he's had since we moved to this house, even though it's painted a nice sunny yellow nursery colour. I still need to finish getting the loft properly cleaned and sorted to store loads of stuff currently cluttering up the spare room. I'd better get a move on while I can still fit through the loft hatch as bump is getting bigger but I'm also getting a fat back !

Norm - impressed with you going thru the hatch!!

Anyone else getting SPD yet? Ugh, this is the 3rd time I have suffered from it (once in pg, once as a bizarre side effect of allergy / viral infection had all at the same time). Really not sleeping well already because of it. Anyone got some top tips?

Oh, and to add to the what to take into hospital list: bag no 4 - for DH, should include:
lots of coins for car park, mobile, camera, small bottle of champagne and cigar

cori - bet you were blubbing for england????

mable - that's great news - congratulations on a new neice!

homemama - the consequences are that they increase the medication i'm on, and offer me a different drug without the massive great warnings all over it, but they don't follow their usual protocol!!!!!!

Got let out of day assessment after only a couple of hours today as bp seems to be starting to control itself so happy happy joy joy at that one! although they did try to put a trace on lo to make sure he's all happy, wouldn't listen when i said he was being contrary and I'd bet them good money they wouldn't get a heartbeat trace, just lots of kicking, and of coujrse - that's exactly what he did!!!

muminaquandry - lol at the DH bag idea

have a great rest of the day everyone

xxxx

I had a moment...yes!!!! BIL has sent me some flowers too which was such an unexpected surprise (he's useless at remembering birthdays etc)

Well that's the housework done so I'm off to buy some shoes & err...maternity knickers...what joy on one's birthday..:o :o

Congrats on your niece Mabel...:)

muminaquandry - thanks very much for all the advice on what to take to hospital. It's all a bit mind boggling at the moment but your list was really useful.

Mabel - do yo happen to know if they do the paper knickers in large sizes anywhere? The ones I've seen in mothercare are medium size which I don't think would fit at the moment

It seems ages until next midwife appointment - 3 weeks. The days are going quite slowly at the moment. At least it's nice and sunny though.

Mandaz - Paper knickers usually come in sml / md / lge . which I believe equates to 10 - 12, 14 - 16 and 18 - 20 They certainly do in Boots (embarassingly enough I actually worked on them in a previous life) alway best to buy a size up as they are not v. generous.

I am a bit p*d off at the moment. I had to go round and complain to my neighbours last night about their music - we live in a semi and we couldn't hear our TV over it and it was about 10.15pm It's never happened before and we always got on well with them, but they are moving and just don't seem to give a toss now. I hate anything like this and don't like to fall out with people, but I have seen them today and they haven't even apologised - maybe I am blowing it out of proportion, but bearing in mind it was loud enough to wake DS, I thnk I was right to complain?

Poor you Mabel - I'm the same, hate any kind of confrontation and lie awake at night worrying about these things!!
Got the dreaded acid indigestion now Am using Gaviscon and I'm going to ask the midwife on Thursday for a prescription for it = does anyone know if midwives give prescriptions or will they just send me to the gp. I know all the things I'm meant to do - eat little and often, drink water, avoid caffeine, alcohol, spicy food etc but I can't help but still have a couple of coffees a day and I'm having a wee glass of cider tonight!!
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine

Mandaz, get the biggest you can. I was in size10 maternity clothes all the way through with DS yet I still struggled to fit in size 14-16 disposable knickers! Mine were from Boots though.

With hindsight, I would probably advise any first time mum to buy really cheap huge cotton granny knickers instead. I don't know how high the mothercare ones come up but if I'd have needed a c-section, there is no way that my paper ones would have been comfortable as they sat right under my jelly belly. For the first few days it's like having a water bed strapped to your tummy so you really want someup and overs!

Congratulations on your neice, Mabel!

Happy birthday for yesterday, Cori!

Normsnockers, The book is called; The Baby Whisperer Solves all your problems (subtitled) By teaching you how to ask the right questions. It's beige and slightly bigger than the blue one. It has a picture of a baby @8mths old on cover sitting in dungarees and a cap! The blue one is more detailed but this one covers all the stuff from birth too just in a more succinct way. I was a 'York Notes' kinda girl even at Uni so this suited me fine!
The blue book has lots of stuff about why babies cry etc and how we need to learn to spot tiredness and hunger. Probably good for a new mum but not sure you need all that second time around.

Re bag for hospital. I have to say I took one small holdall that held everything I needed for both me and baby until we got home. I didn't need to take a towel as that was supplied. In my bag was, socks, slippers, wipes (for bath&baby)) 2 nightshirts, underwear, thin dressing gown and a book. Also snacks for DH & me inc. 2bottles of water. Then I took 4 vests & 4 sleepysuits for baby plus small hat and a blanket. You wont need cardis & stuff for baby as the wards are always very warm. I also took 8 nappies but they only just did me for my overnight stay. DH brought the snowsuit when he came to pick us up.
Don't forget if you need to stay longer your DH/DP/Birth partner can always bring more.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather. We visited a nature reserve today and DS who is only 18mths walked for a whole hour, refusing to get back in the buggy prefering instead to point out every tree and bird and to pick up as many sticks as his little arms could carry! Needless to say he was fast asleep within one minute of getting back in the car. Bless! It made me so excitedabout having two.