September 2013 - Definitely in the third trimester now!

[badguider]

New thread... will try to find the stats thread and link...

frog and runningbear I'm managing the reflux with copious amounts of gaviscon as needed, but especially before bed, and by sleeping with extra pillows. At the ante natal class today she suggested stretching out horizontally and then up to the sky to try and make more space for your stomach - that will help with it too apparently.

I was feeling a bit smug reading the comments yesterday as I hadn't had reflux for a while....but went out for dinner last night & woke up twice with sick in my mouth. I managed to solve it with a combo of gaviscon & sleeping upright in bed (I've taken to doing that quite a lot lately as it's been too hot to wrap myself around the body pillow). I find that if I fold my (cheapy Argos) mat pillow in half behind my back it's really supportive & I can sleep at a 90deg angle without getting back strain.

my family held a baby shower yesterday for our little man. I felt so special ... it was lovely. It looks like this kid is going to be one spoilt little biy though. Its quite overwhelming how much people give you. I was expecting some cards and a few babygrows .... I ended up with two brand new changing bags, one from yummy mummy and one from Oilily. only problem is ...... I bought changing bag that I love from Cath Kidston. Now im really stuck about what to do. Id specifically picked one which my DH approved of as "not too girly" coz its got little cowboys and indians on it. But the ones my friends and family bought are pink .... they are totally gorgeous too though.
Does anyone have any suggestions?? I know how expensive these bags are so I dont want to waste them. But I also hate taking gifts back to the shops. I dont want to hurt anyones feelings.

Hmmm three bags is a bit much, (as much as I love bags!) I bought my own bag too, a yummy mummy one. I think its quite a personal thing to be honest. Do they know uve got one u picked urself? Did they suggest you could return them? These bags aren't cheap and it seems a waste to have an extra two that may not get used. I'm sure they'd want their money to be spent on something useful for you?

cheers Frog. I told my auntie about our Cath Kidston bag after she gave me her Oilily bag. I explained it was one thag DH was happy to use etc..... at which point she revealed a brown leather Stork Sak which her husband had used for their babies. So basically now we have 4 changing bags. 1 for DH, 2 for me and the one I bought which is unisex .... what the bloody hell am I meant to do??? we need an extension just to house our collection of bloody changing bags!

Oh. They're multiplying! You'd think she'd have got the message by the way you told her about the one you bought! I'm not sure what id do.....

Also I've neer given a thought to how my DP might feel about the bag :-/... I suppose when the time comes and he has an issue, hell have to have the free boots parenting club one

I went through phases with my changing bags, started off with the boots one then switched to a little rucksack, now on an over the shoulder satchel thing. Handy as we used the spare ones one as an overnight bag for DD. Might be an idea? «clutches at straws» In fairness though ours were always cheap or freebies. For example the Boots one was only fit for the bin after about 9 months solid use. Yours sound like nice good quality ones so will last much better... Tricky.

Perhaps you and DH could each choose your favourites from the selection then return the other 2?

Oh dear kim that's a bit tricky! I guess you could have one each plus a couple of spares - they're bound to get dirty/damaged at some point aren't they? Or if you have parents nearby who will babysit you could pack up a bag of essentials to leave at each house so at least the bags are being used still?

Hello! waves Can I join in? Expecting my first child (DS) around 28 September, though he keeps threatening to make an early appearance. Last time I went in for monitoring I was informed I am contracting every 3-4 minutes... we got it down to every 10 minutes and my cervix is still long and closed so for now I've been told I can continue working.

Am feeling some mild panic at reading this thread and everyone else seeming to already have prepared the nurseries and hospital bags! I've only bought a few items so far (and can't rely on gifts/hand-me-downs as we are expats living far from family) To round it off, we are due to move to a house that would actually have space for a baby, but it is not certain that it will be available before the end of September; and DH will need to be back in the UK for work if DS ends up being delayed!

Hello Peregrin, welcome aboard! Gosh, contractions more than two months ahead of schedule sounds a bit scary, hope that it is nothing to worry about. Are you a military/government family btw? - just what you say about the house becoming 'available' and currently being expats rings a bell...

I have had a big hormonal wave today. Seriously solid night's sleep last night, but woke up feeling like there was double the gravity - I was so leaden, I could hardly make myself get out of bed for a pee. Then, got back from church and a quick B&Q trip (for paint tester pots for the spare/baby room) and just felt really wiped out, tired, pathetic and useless. Had a good old cry while DH stroked me and told me nice things about how I was doing the one most important job of building the baby, but I was still weepy and even now I am a bit down but I've worked out why it is - I am unsettled by there being so much to do, and having promised things at work. The paradox is that I want to make sure that my job is all wrapped up into packages of work that can be done by other people because I don't want to come back to a massive backlog, but I would feel undermined if 'just anybody' could replace me and I came back to everything ticking along perfectly nicely. There's a lot to do, and this coming week is my last full week in the office, so it's crunch time and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Another arm of the paradox is that I need loads of time to do all this work/house/life preparation, but I would quite like baby not to hang on too long. Ironically the only thing I'm completely ready for is the baby!!

Welcome peregrin I hope you don't get any more contractions for a while & you can relax.

Now I have buggy & changing bag envy!

Rake, I hope your last full week at work goes well. I didn't like the feeling of someone else tak

... (grrr!) taking over my job but now I've left I'm not bothered.

Just trying to do dusting today. The house will be DIY hell when the day comes and the HV descends so I at least want to make sure it is properly clean.

Hi peregrin hope the contractions stop and you are ok. Sounds scary.

Rake totally know how you feel. It is a weird thing to spend years essentially defining yourself by how well you do your job and then up and leave it. I think it's perfectly reasonable to get upset by it all. I doubt you (and me!) are the only one thinking like this. My enforced sick leave has however taught me that it doesn't actually matter a toot. I don't have the baby in my arms yet and I've already come to the conclusion that there are bigger things than my job. It was a bit of a hard lesson to learn not least because I never got a chance to leave the place in the state I wanted (wrinkly apples in my desk drawer I know for a fact!). I've felt much better since I let go of the guilt and sense of responsibility. It will all be there when you get back and even if your replacement does a fine enough job you are the one with the permanent contract! Your DH sounds like a very nice man and I'm glad that he is so sympathetic. Send him out for chocolate. It's not the only answer to this but it's not a bad one.

I'm still in denial about leaving work....tho that's prob because I still have another 7.5 weeks to go! I love my job, and have worked very hard to get where I am, will be gutted when the time comes to leave it all in the hands of someone else :-(

I may still have some time left before I get to fully appreciate sitting around all day, but TV just isn't enough anymore...yesterday we signed up to netflix...I'm now in chick flick heaven and intend to watch trash pretty much non-stop from now until I return to work :-) Got a feeling those mid-night feeds will be a heck of a lot easier if I'm accompanied by j-LO, Jennifer Anniston, Selma Hayek & Matthew Mconaughey! Well worth £6 a month if u ask me...

rakeabed I don't think you're meant to take high dose vitamins like Berocca in pregnancy, particularly because of vitamin A.

I'm in reflux hell too. I've realised the triggers are eating, being hungry, coffee, tea and lying down so I'm pretty much screwed!

Have discovered a meat trick for heartburn - chewing gum! Seems to prevent me getting full blown reflux if I have a piece as soon as I first get that uncomfortable feeling - might be worth a try for those of you suffering??

Welcome peregrin sounds like you've got a lot of plates spinning over there!

rake sorry you're feeling rubbish, sounds like everything got on top of you for a bit which is understandable. Sounds like your DH was lovely though I second joskar's prescription of chocolate!

3 more weeks left at work for me - that's only 15 more nasty, hot, sweaty, late running, bad tempered commutes. Hurrah!! Slightly worried that work haven't yet found a replacement for me but....oh well!

Officially registered at the mw led birthing centre today, very excited about that....fx for a textbook last few weeks!

In pushchair news, I've bought an oyster package from babybabyonline or something similar... but it hasn't turned up, and I move house on Friday so hope I can change the address!

My maternity unofficially starts on Wednesday as that's when term ends. I'll see off my current class then go back for the training days in September, otherwise my summer holiday pay will clash with my maternity pay and unfortunately you can't combine them!

Can anybody remind me about those links posted on one of our threads to folding changing mats with pockets for nappies and stuff?
I think that I really don't want a "changing bag" but do want one of them to put in my rucksack if Im using the sling or the tray bit of the pram if using that.
Thanks!

Welcome to Peregrin. I've been away from here for an age so hope it's ok to come back. Oddly for ages, after the initial excitement and awfulness of the early days, my attention was shifted away from the pregnancy by house-move related stuff and I didn't feel the need to talk about the pregnancy. Now it's getting so much closer it's kind of taken over my brain again. Not that the house stuff is done and dusted! Been staying with my parents for the past 4 weeks while DH has taken the house apart and is still in the process of putting it back together again. Haven't seen him for weeks and were supposed to move last week but postponed it. Now supposed to be moving on Tuesday but the house is far from finished. We should at least have floors in all rooms though. What more could I ask for?

Aw thanks all. Yes my DH is a treasure. No chocolate required as the day went on. I am in bed with the laptop trying to get ahead of the working week though... on MN is not a good start!

redandyellow I didn't mean I was going to take the Berocca! I am on preg multivits just now and the odd 200mg iron when I remember. I meant what's the difference/benefits between Berocca vs Spatone after baby is born.

Must put water bottle in freezer for tomorrow. LOVE my iced water on the train in.

Hello badguider .. I bought this in the sale at H&M online.

www.hm.com/gb/subdepartment/sale?Nr=4294928766

Also though it wasn't too girly for himself when out and about

There is room for a couple of nappies etc.

Also my maternity clothes are starting to get holes in them.. two tops and one pair of linen trousers.. think it is from all the wear/washing.. esp with the heat.