October 2013- Constantly hungry and counting down to maternity leave.

[GTbaby]

Right off to finish the last thread

It might be worth looking for breastfeeding cafes in your local children's centre- you can pop in before you have baby and see what others say. I think mine are run by community midwives and also have 'peer mentors' who can advise you. I'm planning to visit a few weeks before due date.

The breastfeeding cafe sounds like a lovely idea. I doubt there are any near me though as people here think Irn Bru in a babies bottle is acceptable.

If you are planning to breast feed, I too would say express rather than using formula. Like clapham, I too had loads of milk and found expressing (and freezing) very straightforward. You shouldn't microwave breast milk to thaw or heat it though as it destroys some of the antibodies in it.

It heats up quickly in a jug of hot water. The only electric bottle warmer that I like is this one

Some hospitals have a breast feeding specialist to help you with any early breast feeding problems.

flyer about to blow your old wives tale out. I've noticed less hair on my eh hem... chin as normally I have to pluck a few out every couple weeks. I've not plucked for weeks now and can't find ought! I'm having a boy :-)

Glad you feel better textbook!

It was awful here flyer until about 2pm. Better now but still so grey and sad... would be a lovely October day though!

roxvox you need to sterilise for 6 months. Some people do it for longer but there is no need. Many doctors now say that prolonged sterilising may not be good as babies need some germs to build their immune system. If I needed to use a bottle in the first six months (very rarely), I would just boil it for 5min to sterilise it. (I have a weird phobia of microwaves that drives DP totally mad :-)

And as wicked says, a lot of hospitals will help. The night after I gave birth I called the midwife about 4 times to help me breastfeed as it wasn't as easy as I expected, DS wouldn't latch on properly and one of my nipples was totally flat. She wasn't very pleased but I insisted and she helped me. You have to insist and make sure your feeding is OK before you leave the hospital. It's not always straightforward... also, if you do NCT classes, you can make use of their BF counsellors and helpline for free.

flyer how funny about hair... same with me! I was wondering about it a few days ago as I practically stopped shaving or waxing! I thought hair was going to grow extra fast and extra strong not the other way round?

I had a "lovely" afternoon... first a heated argument with aggressive builders who blocked me in a road for 20min from both sides so I had nowhere to go (and they had a chance to witness a real and proper pregnancy rage), then 20min wait for a space in Sainsbury's, then having finally managed to park, I realised that I can't get out of the car as the space is too narrow and my bump too big to squeeze through, so left Sainsbury's for Tesco where spaces are wider and more available... now back home getting high on my alcohol free Bavaria beer watching Deal or No Deal. I might as well embrace my age... The day of living dangerously continues!!

oh flyer sod old wives' tales, I'm also having a boy and no growing hair!

To the man who let our development gate shut in my face, despite the fact I'm clearly pregs (tight t-shirt) and have both hands full of heavy shopping: YOU sir are a dick of the highest order!

Sorry, had to let that pregnancy rage out...

How stressful clapham - hope you gave those builders a good dose of pregnancy rage. So far I've got away with muttering at people. I've heard that there's a good non-alcoholic pear cider out there and I've been looking out for it.

Legally - glad that after the stresses you haven't been suffering too much!

I don't mind having a small whine about my current back pain/sleeplessness, but I don't want to exaggerate it - as nothing I'm going through now compares to the misery of months 2-4!

what a dick indeed hotsoup - bad karma for him!

yes, the builders got proper pregnancy rage - loud and clear. I'm way past just muttering

and yes, there is a nice alcohol free pear cider - definitely try it: www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=262589306
I almost bought it today, it was right next to my beer

What's the alcohol beer like? I tried that alcohol free red wine it was like turps nearly stripped my palate.

Some people are such twats hotsoup. I had some white van man pinch my parking spot in the supermarket today, felt like getting out and shoving my bump right in his face.

Hayle my 3 black hairs that sprout through on my chin (so ladylike, and I'm fair don't know where they come from) have also stopped growing, can't say I miss them tbh...

Oh and DP thinks it's a boy he saw 4 magpies on the lawn and is now convinced we are having a boy....I'm thinking its a girl don't know why. So excited to find out.

we bought a load of bottles and electric steraliser as mil insisted it was a must have, despite me bf!! I couldn't be bothered to argue!! Haha. am hoping to express though!

have had a lovely day, me and dp both off so went the cinema, a nice independent one with sofas in to watch the film so very comfy (flyer the fact!!) and then for dinner at one of my favourite restaurants!! (flyer again, tokyou on berry street, ever been?! best noodles in Liverpool!!) was nice to spend some proper time together. shattered now though!!

Roofio how funny I was supposed to be going to the fact last night to watch a film about the stone roses, but had to cancel as had to work late. I was there 2 weeks ago with my old neighbour at their 10 yr anniversary. What did you watch?

Never tried the noodle place but will def now you have recommended it. Off onto town shortly to have our groupon meal deal, haha!

we saw world war z. dps choice, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Brad Pitt aspect of it and actually film was pretty good. yeah if u ever fancy Chinese noodle type food in town I'd defo recommend tokyou, foods lovely and cheap and you the portions are huge!! where are you headed for tea?!

Think I may refrain from bounty this time. I still have unused towels from ds1s baby shower. Lol

Had my first proper full blown leg cramp this morning usually I catch them before they hit but today it just came from no where.

Bottle warmers are a bit of a waste IMO. Quicker to stick kettle on. Although my sil had bottle warmer in her bedroom and kept a thermos of boiled water to use which speeds up the warmer process. (I didn't know this till I got mine but , bottle warmer is like a jug, you pour water into it and the warmer heats the water up. The bottle of milk is heated by the warm water not by the warmer itself )

Right bath time for lo and then me

Somewhere called cafe sekender roofio it's indian, I shouldn't sound ungrateful though as DP bought me the deal and pretended that it was a present from my little dog, sweet really! :-) can't beat a bit of brad Pitt on a rainy Friday afternoon hey.

Ooh Roofio and Flyer are you Liverpool way? DH are having our last hol before Sprog arrives and we're having 10 day away in this country, doing Oxford, Liverpool and York.

We've both always wanted to go to Liverpool but never got round to it. We were doing to do the Duckboat tour, but seeing the news about the sinkings, I think we'll give that a miss!!

Haha comtesse yeah maybe.best not too. I think the company has gone bust now too!! yeah Liverpool is a great city, plenty to do and see. the museum of Liverpool is interesting for a free trip out. and Its right but the Albert dock so a lovely part of town!! I love York too, my parents live that way and I love wandering round the oldey worldy shops!!

Just got a letter booking a physio appointment at the hospital for 9th July. Impressed with speedy service, I thought it might take ages for them to fax a request for a referral to my consultant, them to approve, send to the physio department, book it and send a letter to me. Especially as it is not really that bad yet. Well done NHS.

Got a BBQ with DHs hockey team tomorrow (fingers crossed for sun) then on Sunday we are hopefully going to choose a pushchair as after that no free weekend days for ages. I am not sure I am going to wait to investigate the Bugaboo buffalo in September after all, I will probably go with one of the Icandys based on what I have seen online but want to see what they feel like to push - need something good for a 5ft 2 and a 6 ft person!

I felt like a milking cow too when expressing and also became very proud of and fiercely protective of my freezer stash! Mil always wanted to give ds a bottle and I was very mean with letting her as didnt want my stash being used unnecessarily!
I don't really have a linea nigra this time and it was so dark with ds. Does everyone have one or is it time early- 24 weeks?

I also got some free nappies from naty. If you sign up as an ambassador and recommend them to some friends they send you two free nappies. Yay my baby collection has now grown to one baby grow, a towel, some sudocrem and some nappies.

Like Clapham I've been drinking Bavaria alcohol free Beer. Not sure it tastes much like Beer but its fruity and pleasant and a change from drinking sweet drinks. I tried Becks Blue and it had a funny after taste to me. On holiday in the US back at 12 weeks I tried O'Douls which was my favourite but I can't find it in the UK. It wasn't strictly alcohol free but less than 0.5% which maybe helped with the taste.

Interesting to read how everyone is getting on. Is anyone else feeling super tight across their tummy. Mine feels so tight I fear it may split (like when you put a tomato in boiling water). It makes it harder to breath and walk. I'm sure its pretty normal and hardly surprising but its not comfortable. I'm also starting to get a bit stiff where my leg meets my body which is more worrying as I think it might impact my exercise - I'm still enjoying my climbing with my maternity harness.

Comtess Sad times about the yellow duck marine, I have been saying for ages I was going to go on it this summer and now the thing has sunk...poor duck marine.

As roofio says the museum is a good place to visit. It's a lovely city and has some beautiful buildings. I'm sure you'll enjoy the scouse hospitality, they are a friendly bunch. If you need any restaurant recommendations just ask. :-)

Shooting no line here, but my belly button is clearly feeling the pressure I don't think it will be long before it pops out.

Bronze mouth, yes my tummy is really tight. It has gone quite smooth and shiny, like it is stretched out to the maximum already... My belly button is always poking out a bit but depending on the angle I am sitting or breathing it pops in and out. I don't have a dark line, but a hairy line. Nice.