Graduated Elerberries - 30+ and expecting DC1 (thread no 4)

[HazleNutt]

Welcome old and new graduates and everybody else who wants to join us, elderly primigravidas aka Elderberries.

The sports car is up for sale I know there's no way I could get a pram in the boot and a 2 seater isn't hugely practical so once the baby arrives I'll have to stop driving it. Until then, it's actually the only car I'm managing to drive comfortably, everything else aggravates my back pain. It's probably not an elegant sight watching me get in and out of it but I don't care. Can't drive the CRV anymore as it hurts my back and my bump hits the steering wheel (damn those short legs!) I think the fact that you drive a sports car practically lying down actually helps.

I'm with you on the head boiling/people carrier Cavort I'm struggling enough with the idea of driving a knackered old civic (not that I've had several any pregnancy hormone tearful breakdowns over something as stupid as a car of course...)

Sound those bells and whistles cavort!!! Bet that feels amazing!

Looks like we are getting a 2010 ford focus to replace my aygo....far too boring and sensible for my liking to be honest.

No offense taken purple, I was just a bit taken back when she said she thought so, most of the time we have a fence or hedge between us.

I don't want to sell my car!
Have been contemplating a Nissan Juke but think it is a bit stereotypical mummy SUV. I do live kind of in the country & not in a town

We just sold DH's car this week and will probably get a nice sensible mumsy Mercedes B-class.

Juke over here seems to be a gay hairdresser car . As for SUVs, I have a Toyota RAV4 - can recommend, no complaints.

hazle I'll take gay crimper over yummy mummy any day!

I am wondering if we will still be able to get away without a car - DP and I have never had one, but I am thinking that it might become a bit of a necessity once we have loads of baby gear...

Purple couldn't you just swap cars with your OH so you can still drive your sports car sometimes?

Frog I know someone with a Juke and on the inside it's not any bigger than a standard hatchback, it's just a bit higher up.

Mother yes it is a great feeling but it does make the reality of imminent childbirth and motherhood all that bit more real. While I was still at work it was still aaaages away in my head but now it's only a few weeks away and my nerves are building!

We would love a nissan quashqui (if that is even close to how you spell it)
but there is no way we can afford to buy one outright and dont want to be paying finance on one wage.

Yeah I bet starting maternity makes it all a bit real....eeeek.

Cavort - he tried that one on me and my response was very similar to 'I'd rather walk everywhere barefoot on broken glass than drive your car'.

His CRV is a giant filthy shit heap on wheels that has been half eaten by dogs and is generally knee deep in rubbish. I can barely get in and out of because its so high and given the ridiculous country roads where I live would be without wing mirrors in less than a week. I'd also have to abandon it in the middle of the road as that's as close as I'd get to parking the bloody thing and I'm not even a bad driver but it's like a friggin monster truck! (And I live somewhere with ridiculous roads and parking, the tourists think it's 'quaint' I think it's a pita)

I'm not a car snob (realise i sound like a petulant child about it all!) as all of the cars I've ever had have been 10-12 years old but even I have my limits!

Ah, right, maybe not such a good idea then Purple if OH's car is like a skip with wheels.

Day one of mat leave and the eagerly anticipated lie-in is not going so well. Damn active baby!

I asked my doc if I should stay home at some point as well, secretly hoping to hear that yes, absolutely, here's your sick note - so I could pretend in front of boss that I'm a real hero when I keep working.
But no such luck, doc just says that no, if I'm feeling fine then carry on as normal. And I am still feeling totally fine. Knowing myself, I'd just spend any days off on the sofa eating ice cream, so it is acually good for me to get out.

hazle - am SO impressed by you. And jealous!

I am exhausted, and it turns out that my journey to work is now proving a problem in that I can only just last that long without needing the loo! I waddled at speed from the tube into the office this morning for fear of an accident (how horrendous would have have been?!). Think the baby must have moved as I was up four times in the night too, vs the usual two trips...

Last Monday in work for a while!

Bloody hell Hazle, they've got a relaxed attitude there haven't they! My office are already making worried noises about my waters breaking on their carpets and me going into labour at my desk and I'm only working up to nearly 38 weeks!

I'm on maternity leave try out today as I've got the day off, now do I finally pack that hospital bag or do I lie I the sofa with a book?

Hazle you really are Superwoman and good for you! I wish I was feeling fit as a fiddle! I feel pretty much ok but my SPD in the last few weeks at work was getting pretty uncomfortable so i'm glad i've finished and have got my feet up watching crap daytime TV while a Decorator wallpapers my hallway.

4 times Janey?!! I've only suffered a maximum of twice a night and generally once so far.

Hazle you really are Superwoman and good for you! I wish I was feeling fit as a fiddle! I feel pretty much ok but my SPD in the last few weeks at work was getting pretty uncomfortable so i'm glad i've finished and have got my feet up watching crap daytime TV while a Decorator wallpapers my hallway.

4 times Janey?!! I've only suffered a maximum of twice a night and generally once so far.

Hazle you really are Superwoman and good for you! I wish I was feeling fit as a fiddle! I feel pretty much ok but my SPD in the last few weeks at work was getting pretty uncomfortable so i'm glad i've finished and have got my feet up watching crap daytime TV while a Decorator wallpapers my hallway.

4 times Janey?!! I've only suffered a maximum of twice a night and generally once so far.

WTF happened there???

Purple what about lying on the sofa writing your hospital bag list and ordering required stuff online followed by reading a book?

Like your thinking Cavort, oh and do send the decoratermy way when you're done with him won't you. I could keep him busy for weeks here!

Well thanks cavort
I'm just lucky, SPD can strike anyone, not much you can do there. I think my body is just weird, I actually get something similar to SPD pain but only if I have been sitting with my feet up for a while - when i get up, then I do waddle a bit. If I'm running around then I'm fine, no pain. So guess it makes sense for each of us to do what we are doing.

Have managed to convince the PILs that having them visiting at the hospital is actually way better idea than coming to stay afterwards. They can see the baby as soon as possible, isn't it great! The real reason of course is that hospitals have visiting hours..

MIL is already advising DH. Feeding? No problem, babies should be fed every 3 hours, on schedule. Dh changed the subject. I'm expecting a lot of similar ideas - 'Poor 3-week old is just hungry, give him some toast!'

Purple now that you mention it, I think I should bring a change of clothes if the waters do indeed break at my desk..

Ooo good thinking Cavort - all the fun of not doing much while having guilt alleviation at the same time!

Glad everyone's well this morning despite numerous trips to the loo

I've been very lucky on that front thus far (touch wood) but I do actually know when baby's flirting with head down as I need the toilet a lot more... and in the morning there's no longer a lazy 'I'll wait and go in a minute' if I have to go I have to go dammit!

Had a fab weekend, at a wedding on Saturday with lots of former workmates I'd not seen in ages - there were lots of 'do you know what it is?' which I think I answered differently each time despite the growing irritation.

The next day me and DP spent the whole day at the zoo which was awesome. Saw some very cute baby meerkats, a toddler bonobo monkey and a bunch of otters trying to rip up a small child's coat after the idiot mum had left it on the wall and it blew into their enclosure.

Was also, amazingly, not the most pregnant woman there -there were loads of big waddlers, I felt quite at home! Must be 'going to the zoo' is a known 'late pregnancy' to-do!!

Well, Hazle funny you should mention that! After my friend gave birth at 36 weeks last week, my boss has nominated my colleague to 'deal with the situation' if my waters do break in the office. I think she was kidding...

Think I'm safe for now though, baby presumably needs to be head down and engaged for waters to break - that ain't happening any time soon!

What exactly is your friend supposed to do, clean up? Your boss does understand that waters breaking does not mean that you'll be giving birth in the next 5 minutes, like in the movies?

'do you know what it is?' - well, we are expecting a baby. But could be a velociraptor..

Ha I like velociraptor Hazle, I have made a few snarky comments about hoping it's a kitten a few times but you've inspired me to be more inventive!

I'm washing baby clothes, it's rather nerve wracking, my machine has never seen anything pure white before...

Quite fancy going for a wander around the zoo with an ice cream now though, that sounds like much more fun than cleaning.

Purple our washing machine has a baby cycle which I washed all the baby stuff on. I have absolutely no idea why the baby stuff needs a special cycle or how this differs to the others but I thought I would use it for novelty value. I am not exactly a domestic goddess and have only ever used cottons and colours before. I suspect I am my washing machine is in for a shock soon when it has to start boiling stain-covered baby stuff.

Brave did you try the reply, "We obviously can't be 100% until it's born but we think it's a baby."

Now that i'm nearly 37 weeks how far do you think is too far to go on my own? I wouldn't usually bat an eyelid at going to shopping centres, IKEA, etc. 45 minutes away on my own but DH thinks I should stay within 10 minutes of home unless i'm with someone else. This throws a bit of a spanner in the works as I want to go loads of places before the baby comes but I can sort of see where he's coming from, especially as I gave him a big bollocking last week for going off the radar for 3.5 hours when his phone battery died.