January 2014 - knicker checking, cramps, sore boobs, sickness, hungry, sleepy neurotic mums to be.... Roll on 12 week scan!!

[LittlePeaPod]

And off we go again.......

So, if we can adjust ourselves to the horror of cold baby wipes, can we possibly live without
a bathing centre? In case, y'know, your 3 week old baby which CAN'T EVEN FOCUS ITS EYES, gets bored.

MrsAVB I'd recommend having off as much time as you can reasonably afford re mat leave. I had 13months off (mat leave + accrued hols) with DD and I'm glad I did. By that age i had no qualms about putting her in childcare (we went with a childminder)...I think i'd have felt differently if she'd been quite a bit younger. But each to there own and you can only do what money allows at the end of the day.
Also I went back to work pt (3 days a week) which I feel is a good balance for us.

Love the cold babywipes idea....mwahahaha....

Hello, please can I join you? Just POAS and looks like I'm due on 23rd Jan too!

Waiting impatiently for dh to arrive home from work so I can tell him he's going to be a Dad again

I have one of those Humpty!

Fwiw...the little hammock thing is really good as it leaves your hands free...

Congrats Slinky! I think we're going to need a splinter group for babies due on the 23rd soon!

Dawn sorry, I shouldn't mock... I actually think it's v cute and am a total sucker for cute things, so will inevitably accumulate all manner of ridiculous/not strictly necessary things! I can imagine the hands being free being useful (how else do you put soap/shampoo on? )
I'm just mocking now so that in 12 or so weeks time when I show you all a photo of the massive pile of carefully selected baby items we have got, you can all laugh like drains. And explain why I don't need 2/3rds of them...

... For example, I now want: A toy scoop for the bath.

No need to apologies Humpty. I'm laughing at myself more as I gleefully clicked on your link anticipating some shite I could mock then realising that I had in fact got one.....

Argh! I have one of those too! In my defence it was a present!

Hello and congratulations to all the new BFPs!!

I am also in London - Balham. I never thought I'd settle in London (from Hampshire) but married a Londoner and we are fortunate to have a nice house in a very family friendly area. Very happy here.

In other news my chicken pox immunity has come back positive! Hooray. And today I ate a whole bag of fizzy strawberry laces in about ten minutes

You may find the bath scoop is actually needed to scoop up more than just toys...!

Can't believe that man gave you dirty looks madrat - people are so odd

dawn i think the bath scoop is ace. I like the idea of early implanting of the tidying up gene. God knows, DH never had one of these (gene/scoop, take your pick). Also, if it is useful for poo scooping, as I believe yoni is saying, then: double the value!

yoni - hurrah for immunity, that's ace! Can your DH & DS (? or DD?) come home now?

humpty I'm glad it's not just me! DH is going crazy with me turning the heating on and off all the time!

I think there is only one hospital near us, so I don't get a choice. It seems pretty good though :)

MrsAVB I know what you mean about buying clothes your going to wear for such a short time! DH wants a big family though so they might end up being well used!

Madratlady I am in the same situation with seeming to be judged! I'm 22 and apparently look younger as well (my sister is 18 and I'm always mistaken for the younger one) and I've had a few little looks. Imagine how bad it will be when we have big bumps everyone can see!

Welcome slinky :)

I'm loving all the 'useless' gadgets! I'll probably buy at least half of them, and DH will want the other half! The wipes warmer does seem a bit exteme, but I saw a post somewhere from a woman who swears it's amazing as it means she can change he baby during the night without waking him up properly. I'm not convinced, but if it was on sale....

Also, I didn't think my taste buds had changed until I started cooking tea (lasagna, I can't wait until DH comes home so we can eat!) and tried some cheese and decided it was the best cheese I've ever tasted in my life. I opened a different pack and then decided that the second one was even more amazing.... their only cheap cheeses from asda and sainsburys so I think it might be hormone related!

Hahaha... Loving all the links humpty. The otherwise shit Emma's diary book has a list of must haves/ could do withs which seems quite lean and sensible. And I'm sure we will get given loads of shit lovely things too. DH and I already had an argument discussion around how if we have a girl it will not be having any princessy shit stuff, dinosaurs and tractors all the way. I love being a girl, and like doing girly stuff but I hate that it's the norm for baby girls to be pink and princessy.
Re. SAHM etc I am worried about finances either way. I was thinking along the same lines as you humpty, if we had 2 close together then it definitely wouldn't be worth me going back to work. But I've always been quite into my career so taking a break worries me too. I think we'll just see how I/ we feel later on.
yoni, woop woop for immunity and strawberry laces!
X

Sorry forgot to welcome and congratulate slinky x

welcome to all the newbies.

question- do some of u sit and take notes as u read the thread so when u get to the end u know who said what? haha I seriously cant keep up but i'll have a go.

ummm madratlady and gsr- I am only 24 and a little worried about the looks im gunna get when this ones born (no.3) and im gunna be doing the school run with one running along in uniform, one in a pram and one hanging off me in one of those sling things lmao oh god I can picture it now...cringe,everyones gunna be like, shes a bit young to have 3 kids lol.

whoever mentioned about going back to work.... I had my first at 19 and didn't work at the time, my second at 22 and I started a new job when she was 12 weeks old (I had post natal depression and embarrassingly and regrettably decided id rather be at work than at home) so this time I am planning on taking a year for maternity leave as I want to make the most of it :)

Hi all

I love looking at this thread and reading everyone's updates.
So I've filled out my midwife referral form and now just waiting for my appt. Feels a little more real. But is anyone else having af type cramping? It's quite distressing and everyone says its normal lol

Fuls - yes I am and did with DS too. Had a scan at 8 weeks yesterday and saw heartbeat and all good, so don't worry!

fuls- ye ive had this type of cramping to but mild.i think its fine as long as u r not bleeding with it.

forgot to mention earlier,ive had to put my midwife appointment back a week as my sons sports day clashed with my appointment...so now I have 3 weeks to wait instead of 2 weeks!!

Just thought I'd get people options on when's the best time to tell our employers? Mine are not going to be best pleased so I want to put it off as long as possible.. Although we have a staff day out in July, a days bloody wine tasting!? How am I going to get around that?! Ha ha... When are you planning on telling yours?

Hi all

Just wanted to post and say what an amazing supportive and warm group of women you all are. Reading all your posts has been so so helpful.

I am also 24 Sarahleanne but this is my first. I am usually such a happy go lucky person but I'm finding all of this so stressful and have no pregnant friends or friends with children so have no one to talk to about it, plus really don't want to tell anyone until it's all confirmed and all is well because no one knows we were even trying!

This has made me feel a lot less alone. Our gp was very matter of fact about everything and I didn't feel like I could ask any silly questions. I'm hoping the mw is nicer, have an appointment on the 4th of June.

Anyway, sorry about the essay, hope you don't mind a neurotic jan mum to be joining you ladies! Dd is 15 th of jan xxxxxxx

Thanks ladies it's nice to hear that others have it :)

Ginny we are all neurotic hence the name of the thread lol welcome and congrats x

awww ginny u will be fine!! the first is always the scariest but im sure u will be fine :) and welcome!! I am lucky all my friends have little ones butwhen your baby is born u can go to groups and stuff and u will form friendships with other mums.until then, we will be happy to keep u company haha.

Wow you all have been busy!

Welcome newbies :)

Re going back to work, I earn quite a bit more than DP so I have no choice :( will have to go back after a maximum of 8 months. Is that bad? I would LOVE to be a SAHM but we simply couldn't manage on DP's salary alone.

It's not bad at all Penny31. Fwiw i thought in an ideal world (ie where money wasn't an issue) I would want to be a SAHM but actually I really appreciated going back to work and get a lot more out of it now. You just don't know till you get to that point. There is no right way to do it anyway....my SIL went back after 6 months and that was absolutely the right decision for her and DNiece is the sweetest happiest baby....didn't do her any harm!