October 2013 - Countdown to D-Day!

[roxvox]

Baby due dates/sexes/name choices here

Poor you Flyer - end of September does seem like a long way away My actual maternity leave doesn't start until mid-Sep, but have loads of holiday I'm using up to finish earlier. I've been working two jobs since my assistant left in June, so I'm pretty exhausted to be honest and totally ready to finish. Next week will be handing over to maternity cover and new assistant. It will be very hard letting go though, as I'm another idiot who checks email all the time, including weekends and holidays! DP has made me promise to switch off work email from my phone when baby comes...

Good luck for the scan today Jelly - we are all thinking of you x

Thinking of you, jelly x

1sttimer - I've been/am going through all the worries/anxieties/panics you describe . I'm a teacher, so since the summer holidays started, I've been going through all those same thought processes. Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining, I know just how fortunate I am to have this time - but it has been odd, to say the least.
I've also found it impossible to focus on sorting out the things I have to do for work (back for 2-3 weeks in September) so I'm forcing myself to go into school today.
I feel like having a toddler tantrum about it, because I really, really don't want to go!

Ana your dream made me

1stTimer I've been having a few panics, worries and a sense of reality is setting in as to how soon this is all going to happen, don't get me wrong this baby is very much wanted however I'm worrying how my life will never be the same again and is going to change in ways I cannot comprehend, I guess I'm panicking about losing my carefree do what you wish lifestyle.

shirehobbit I can totally relate on not being able to focus on things! We have been catching up with friends over the weekend as things are going to be action packed until after Christmas here and I kept zoning out and missing whole parts of the conversation etc! My finger nails are now non existent too! DP keeps telling me off for biting them but I don't even know I'm doing it! It's odd I feel as if I'm being miserable about having our baby but I'm not! I just don't really know what to expect so I don't know how to feel about it! Hormones probably aren't helping us either! I hope your day at school goes ok, but I probably would have a tantrum about it too!

1stTimer- Don't Panic! Are you doing any antenatal classes? Yoga/nct etc? They are really good ways to make you feel like you're preparing yourself for the birth and beyond.
With regards to the pain of labour, well, it's one of those things no-one really wants to talk about. I've been there once, swore I couldn't do it, but I did. You will. And when you get that baby in your arms you realise why you went through it all. If pain scares you, then there are a multitude of drugs to avoid it. Personally my mantra is that pain is only temporary- breathe, shout, grumble,count your way through it, but it goes away.
One recommendation in prepping for the birth is to look into the various 'natural' positions you'll feel comfortable in as opposed to the lie back with your legs in stirrups method that old fashioned mw's like. These can really help speed things up.
Enjoy these last few weeks- indulge yourself in good books, films, gentle walks whilst you can!

I'm with you all on the panic front too...I go through phases of being massively excited and can't wait to meet Lo to thinking, oh please don't come out. The thought of being up half the night and then amusing a toddler all day are making me want to cry....I feel like I need to sleep for a week before I even think about that! Think it's normal though. And better not to think too much about the birth...there's nothing you can do about it, baby has to come out so just wait and see what happens

wow, loads to catch up on!

Good luck today jelly!

char1eston - how about something like galaxy caramel? It'd kind of melt so would be easy to eat but has loads of sugar for energy? I'm planning on taking lots of chocolate (mostly for afterwards) and those non-fizzy lucozade fruit flavoured drinks.

haylebop this could be the one opportunity you have to move house without lifting anything! It's easy for me to say since I wouldn't be the one doing it, but it sounds too good to pass up!

DH got massively busy over the weekend and moved the furniture around for my room plans. We've only got to take apart the wardrobes in the baby's room and move them into ours and move two bookshelves around now. It's fantastic, we're at the front of the house now and can't hear a thing from the annoying students who've moved into a house at the back so I've had the best nights sleep for ages on Sat and Sun.

I've been having really vivid dreams that the baby has arrived too, though not as vivid as yours ana . Now we're in the room with the moses basket, I got really confused on Sun when I was half awake because there was no baby in it.

Oh, 1stTimer - I got an ebook I found really useful, it's "The Good Birth Companion - A Practical Guide to Having the Best Labour and Birth" by Nicole Croft. I know that people can have wildly different views on the same book but I thought it was written quite sensibly if you know what I mean?

If anyone wants a copy, PM me... Amazon has a 'lend' function but there are other ways too.

In case you haven't seen 2012 ONS baby names tables were released today

Ooo interesting! ! I want to avoid top 100 names, just cos I want to be difficult! and my 2nd choice name, Sebastian is now in there!! We're pretty set on Hunter though and that's still weird enough to not register! !

Our girl name hasn't made it into the top 100, quite chuffed however our boy names are in the top 5 back to the drawing board as dp and I aren't sure on the boys names.......decisions decisions

I dont mean this insensitively ladies but im glad im not the only one feeling like this!

pinkforboysand warlin thank you :) i am doing ante-natal classes however they havent been very insightful, they havent covered anything about the stages of labour, positions, pain relief etc... dp and i would love to do some nct but we cant afford to pay for them. I too am of the mindset that pain is only temporary and the end result will be worth it but i have no idea of my pain tolerance so dont want to rule out pain relief... gas and air would be my ideal but i will keep an open mind. I am also very up for the experience of childbirth, some people think i am mad when i say that but i really want to experience it and gain new found respect for myself and my body with how i cope... being pregnant has already given me a new found respect for my body! We are pretty damn talented ladies!!! but again i feel like this and then ten minutes later i panic and go the complete opposite way! haha! i am the kind of person that deals with situations when im in them and i can either take things in my stride or i will look for an easier way to get through it, so i guess i will just keep an open positive mind and when the time comes take each pain and emotion as it comes!

thanks sparkeleigh i will look into it!

oooo our girls name isnt in the top 100! boys name however is in the top 50 ... but hey im chuffed :)

Just a quick house update, whilst me and dd are having our lunch in asda cafe!

We have a viewing on Wednesday evening. So far so good, available immediately and because it has already been rented for 6/7 years I think all being well we could stay there long term and not be kicked out after 6 months!

However, it isn't First come first serve. They give ll applicants time to get their application in and make a decision. I think we would look pretty good as we are ready to move in 1 month so no loss of rent particularly for them. Dh will definitely not fail any credit checks! Also dd starts the school that is in the catchment area for the property. We have been waiting for this opportunity to cone up just didn't realise it would be so soon.

Hope everyone is feeling ok today.

Oh god, I'm so confused about names. Can I have opinions please ladies as am not brave enough for the baby names boards.

We have kind of ended up with Emilia - it's a name we both went, yeah that's ok, told a few people who agreed, DS now calls his baby sister Emilia, DP and i can't agree on anything else, so it's just kind of stuck.

However - do you think of Emilia as it's own name, or just a less popular spelling of the INCREDIBLY popular Ameila? To me, it's a different name - but have always been a bit judgey about people who spell names incorrectly differently, and don't want to spend her entire childhood correcting people, 'oh actually its EMilia, not AMelia'.

also hayley make sure they know that you are looking for a long term let. thats what tipped us into the lead when we got our current home. the landlady picked us cos we want to stay for a good few years and its easier for her to know it will be rented out for a while and not have to worry about finding new tennants again! hope it all goes well for you!

Between DS being a 2 year old and DP being a big child today I'm ready to go ballistic. DS and i have been up since 5.15 and I swear to god he's been whinging and crying neary the whole time. DP is annoyed as he's back to work tomorrow so I'm just leaving him alone.

Damn it! Our favourite boys name is in the top 10... It's a family name though so we will probably stick with it.

Random addition to your hospital bags - change for the car park (if required!) ... Our hospital is on the outskirts of a city and parking is ridiculously expensive, so I have about £20 worth of change in the front pocket of my hospital bag so DH won't have to panic over finding change for a ticket etc.

Hayle I hope you get the house, fx for you.

I like the name Emilia I think it sounds very chic and suits a baby, little girl, teenager, adult. If you like it don't worry what others think.

Neither of my favourite girls names have made it to the top 100 either! Our cats name has though....

Mind you, I haven't even admitted to DH my favourite names yet... I'm terrified he won't like them so I'm saving it to the last few weeks. Anyone else feel like that? It's such a responsibility and soooo personal!

Ok so quick dilemma....we are now considering Matthew (another name we both QUITE like). So it's in at number 47 but has dropped 10 places in 10 years. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?! Does this mean it is now outdated? Or is it good that there porb won't be 5 Matthew's in his class? I like the shortened form Matty for a child. What do you ladies thinK

I like Emilia bowlful but I also like Amelia. They are similar names IMO but I think they are both lovely.

Names are so hard! I just can't really make up my mind. I didn't realise Thomas was so popular when we picked it but thankfully so far there are no others in his nursery group or amongst friends or baby class members.

Hayley good luck on the house front. Landlords don't normally like to commit to long term rents, mainly in case interest rates go up and rental values increase, but it's def a positive if they know that you would be keen to stay on indefinitely.

Our names aren't in the list-yay!
Weirdly not really scared about birth, DH is terrified but I'm feeling quite calm. I think I'm just quite happy to be allowed to give it a go as my cs last time was so cold and clinical and just felt all wrong. Don't get me wrong I'm sure in some ways it was easier but there was no drama no excitement just a clinical operating theatre and a few scalpels, took the 'magic' away.

Thanks Flyer and Warlin - I think picking names is my least favourite part of having children! Also Warlin I think Matthew will always be popular - at my workplace we have 5 Matt's in an office of 80, age range from twenties to forties.

fingers crossed for you hayle!

bowlfull I think of Emilia as a totally different name, not a version of Amelia. Go for it if you really like it - and these fashions change so quickly. It may not be top for 2013. These lists are a great indication of popularity but not worth giving up a name you really love. Conrad didn't make it into top 100 but I didn't expect to see it there. Seems we are also stuck with it now as we've started calling the bump Conrad. So hard to undo it now.

Those of you with toddlers... it must be so hard to be pregnant and run after them right now... I really feel your pain. I find it difficult with a 5 year old! It must be so much tougher for you... However, if it's any consolation, we met a couple with two lovely kids on holidays - one was 8 and another one was 9, boy and girl, they grew up together and were as close as twins. It was so lovely to see. I think it will be so nice and much easier a few years down the line. Like some others here, I also worry about the bigger age gap I will have and how hard it will be in the future as they won't be able to do the same activities, have the same friends etc. Although these 8 and 9 year old kids played so nicely with DS that I felt more hopeful! They practically adopted him for two weeks

First day back in the office... blah... all I can say... back to counting days and hours.

And a major argument with DP this morning - I was stressed about going back to work and he was even more annoyed about having to fly to the US today. I understand his pain but he can be such an ass when he is stressed... he is not the only one right? So not sure I want to speak to him until Thursday night right now! Not the best start to this busy week

Thinking of you today jelly x

Shooting weirdly I'm not scared of the birth either, it has to come out so just one of those things I have to get on with I guess. I'm worried about afterwards and all it entails, I'm sure I will be fine and dandy though.

Warlin I love Thomas it was my choice of name however dp's best mate had a baby in January and called him Thomas so kinda rules it out, although I'm still happy to go with it dp says it's not the done thing!!