Due October 2006, PART THREE!

[Gemmitygem]

Thought I'd start a new one..

But will make sure no-one's left on the old one.

Hope everyone is blooming and not too hot!

hi all
congrats to twinkle and piffle
nowanearlynicemum-hope dd gets a bit less clingy soon.
swizzler-hope the mouse problem is resolved soon

Found out this morning that baby is transverse (lying across). thought all the movement had been at the sides!!! Have scan on 8th Sept which will check if placenta still low and I assume if baby still lying across. Oh I don't want a c-section. Want to stick to the same method as last time. Will have to get DH to blow up that birthing ball to turn the baby (though obviously that will be useless if placenta still low in a few weeks.)

Majormoo - think my baby is lying across as well but I'm hoping there's plenty of time for it to move! Birthing ball was delivered today, so plenty of exercises. Crawling supposed to be good too (and I find it helps with back pain as well).

Putting off going home as I'll have to deal with a) fuming OH b) tired and demanding mother and c) long-suffering dad. I'm sure a baby would be much easier

Hi ladies,
Isn't it great not to feel hot and bothered for a change....although I'm also perversely hoping its not the end of summer!

Whiffy - I'm so pleased to hear of someone else having potty training troubles. Been trying to get dd to use her potty for a few weeks now and she just seems to hold on forever until either having an accident or being put in pull-up pants to go out/go to bed. Think I might have to be brave and do a whole day in knickers even when out and see how that goes. I think we maybe made too much of an issue of it - hope we haven't put her off for good! Do any of you have any good tips?

I'm also getting real pain in my hip from any rotation - have any of you heard of this being yet another pregnancy symptom?

Hope you all have lovely, cooler weeks

mamado-how old is your DD? we waited til our DD was 2 and a half, and she asked to wear her knickers. We had a few accidents but the whole business was over and done with within a week, so I think it is worth waiting til they are ready rather than trying to hurry them. We just went straight for wearing knickers all day and that seemed to work.

thanks for the reply majormoo - dd is 2.8 so she should be more than ready. In all other ways she is quite advanced, but this potty business seems to be a bit of a hurdle! She will quite happily tell us after she has done a pee-pee etc but has yet to mention it first. The problem is she is due to start nursery in Sept and obviously summer is an easier time to try. Do you think its worth cooling off and leaving it for a few days/a week and then go straight to full-time knickers in the day? I'm just worried that she is holding on because the whole thing is stressing her out and I don't want to give her extra stress what with dd2 arriving in Oct...

I've also been poty training dd (2.8years) and we have been quite successful. I first of all had dd in pull ups and would get her to go on the potty a few times a day - this started months ago. She was good for a while and then got complacent and refused to sit on the potty at all and preferred to do it in the nappy. At that point I bit the bullet and decided to put her in pants instead. She only had accidents a couple of times in the first couple of days and hasnt wet or pooed her pants for weeks. If she hasnt gone to the toilet for a couple of hours I encourage her to go with me. (she can go a few hours between peeing sometimes). I have been really lucky in that she hasnt pooed her pants at all and is very good at telling me if she needs one although her body language will usually tell me if she is needing one!!

p.s. I only put a pull up nappy on for her nap and night time. She has pants on when we go out and I take a change of clothes/wipes/nappy bags with me but (touch wood) havent had to use them yet. I have a piddle pad thing in the car seat just in case as well.

Had my ante-natal appointment today - am now 30 weeks. Baby was cephalic so hope it doesnt decide to turn back round now. Seems to be lying on my bladder though and I need to pee all the time. Had to go to the GP this week as well due to an unbearable itching in my nether regions so had to get a canesten pessary as well - dh will be wondering if he will ever get laid again

Hi all,

Oh gawd I'm sure mine is lying across more or less (30 weeks today), but I thought it didn't go head down until about 34 weeks for the first baby, and even later for subsequent ones? surely they wait till the very last minute before trying anything drastic like a caesarian?

mamado, have exactly the same hip problem; I found hardly walking at all and just doing squats/gentle striding on the machine really helps (any exercise where your hips don't have a chance to sway)

I'm flying back next week and glad to hear it's much cooler!

hi all!!

well, 28+2 today...i really cant believe how quickly these past months have gone by!
please tell me that im not the only one thats wanting chocolate/ice cream all the time...im having to seriously cnntroll myself from not hunting for the ice cream now lol.

hope that everyone is doing well, and good luck to the ladies that are potty training their LOs

Hi all!

Swizzler - I am wondering if my baby is lying across... sometimes the movements dow feel diagonal, but when I am lying down they are on one side and another. Maybe it's still moving about..? I am thirty weeks tomorrow and have my midwife appointment on Monday so will ask then...

We've been addressing the demands of needy gradparents to be! My mother-in-law thought she was going to move in as soon as the baby is born. Thank God DH pointed out that wasn't a good idea and told her in no uncertain terms that noby was going to be allowed to stay. She seems to have got the message, although if it's something she doesn't want to hear, it's normally water off a ducks back! The last thing I want is her poking her nose in to my breast-feeding technique/nappy changing/bathing etc etc.

Another thing - my boobs have been uncontrollably itchy this week, but can't see any rash. Has anyone else had this?

morning all,
...and what a cool, sweet morning it is here!! The steaminess finally seems to have lifted (it got up to 40 earlier this week ) and whilst the sun's still out it's incredibly windy and just feels soooo much easier to deal with. Am even considering putting trousers on for the first time in weeks to go out this afternoon
Look at all of you doing your potty training!!! I shall be asking you all for advice in spring next year as I don't think dd or I will be ready for it before then!
Can anyone give me a link to a birthing ball? I don't know whether they have them over here and can't quite visualise what one looks like and why they're so great - I'm intrigued.
luboo, I'm assuming that the itchy boobs thing is due to the skin stretching as they get bigger - same as some women get a really itchy bump. The heat probably won't have been helping much.
Very envious that some of you will be meeting up again soon - wish I could join you....

Wuzzle, I've just finished another choc ice. I find the Waitrose dark chocolate ones do it for me. I can't see this craving subsiding ever.

Nowanearly, the cheapest birth ball I've found that looks OK quality is here
But maybe someone has found a better one. They're supposed to be good for getting the baby into the right position - not just head down, but facing the right way and for bouncing on in early labour. My problem will be to convince the dog it's not for him.

I put trousers on yesterday for the first time in weeks and found that I needed to fully extend the elastic even though they're under bump. I hope I don't have to buy more maternity stuff just to get through the next couple of months.

We had a look round the hospital the other night and were shown the SCBU. DP had a fright when he realised that some of the babies weren't even as far along as ours is now. If I'd realised it would put a rocket up his arse wrt to getting the decorating finished, I'd have tried to organise it a few weeks ago. He's now nagging me to pack my hospital bag.

wuzzle and dogmum: maybe it's the calcium you're craving! I can't get enough ice cream and dairy products and normally don't like them. Birth ball looks good.

Know what you mean about the maternity trousers: I bought 4 pairs and have bulged out of three now already, have to buy more just for the last 10 weeks; what a pain! It puts you in such a bad mood when they're too tight!

I don't know whether Piffle has popped in to let you know that she is on the March - April 07 thread but just thought that I would let you know....

Take care all ..... not long to go now

cheers twinkle, piffle is on the "graduates of positive" thread too (which im on aswell) so glad that shes got her bfp!!!

pheeew, good to know that im not the only one thats eating loads of stuff like that...come to think of it, Gemmity, you could well be right about the calcium craving...i used to hate drinking glasses of milk pre preg, but now im drinking it loads. it seems to be the only drink i find refreshing

thanks Dogmum, will have to see what I can find over here - or get my mum to bring one over when she comes to visit later this month. hope the dog doesn't get his teeth into yours

all this talk of choc ices means I'm now off to raid the freezer - maybe it is a calcium thing. Gemmity, please tell me yours aren't made with horsemilk

hi - gosh very brave of those potty training whilst pg - not sure I would have the energy!

Keep meaning to get a ball, but similar to you, Dogmum, would have trouble persuading someone else (ie ds) it wasn't for him! Glad you dp is now getting on with sorting out the baby room!

Swizzler - shall we touch base re meeting up early oct nearer the time? I don't finish work until 29 Sept! I forgot that I am due end October - makes all the difference! Hope your parents have now left you in peace!

Am off now for two weeks, so may take me a while to catch up when I am back. Happy August!

Just had 30 wk appt and baby is now head down (tho not guaranteed to stay that way) . Did sit on ball yesterday instead of sofa so may have helped. I got the Reebok one from Boots online, along with tons of maternity pads and other essentials.

Parents leaving this afternoon, so am lookng forward to peaceful weekend.

Isn't the rain/wind/grotty weather great?

Oh, and def up for meeting in Oct Catgirl

Gemmitygem and DogMum

I found some ace trousers in maternity range at next they are linen so lovely and cool and have a jersey style band that you can roll/fold up or down under your top, they go from early pg to when your really big they are so comfy I bought 3 pairs white, black and mink they were 29.99 eaach but have seen me all the way through so far and there is still room to grow, best thing is the sizes come up really big usally im a size 16/18 in next but I had to buy a 14 in these trousers I havent done that for years !! people keep asking me where I got them and all my non pg friends want some.

Have decided to go on maternity leave 4 weeks before due date not 2 as orig planed, so not long to go now, 28 wks 5 days today. go on holiday for 2 weeks in the lakes then when I get back only 4 weeks left at work! I feel so tired already dread to think how i'm going to be in a few weeks.

take care all. anyone got any advice on how many growbags I will need to get for new baby?

Have good hols catgirl, see you (as it were) when you get back.

Congrats on getting rid of the parents, Swizzler. Living easy travelling distance from parents is definitely an advantage. You may see them more often, but at least they go home.

Thanks for the tips on trousers emmy, I'll definitely have to go for something humungous and soon - also like the idea of going for a smaller size.

hi all, have kept reading messages but been too tired to post. thank you for offers of help with knitting. bit of a cop out still im afraid as every time i mess up i go back to the shop and they undo the mistake, not something the m.i.l. has to know though .
obviously know nothing re potty training except that my cousin swears by letting them wander round with no trousers/knickers etc at home all summer.
re the pain in the hips gemitygem and mamado get yourselves to a good osteopath-obviously location issues at the mo for gemity.
v sorry seona that haven't found you an osteopath as promised, couldn't find one v. close. someone i asked knew of a good one in carlisle?
swizzler, my cat has killed 4 mice in the last month if you want to borrow him for a day. if it makes you feel any better, it's meant to be a big mouse year this year because of the weather.
luboo-i've had the itching too-think it's just because they're getting ginormous and skin can't keep up!
whiffy, lovely to see you today, hope the treatment was ok. sorry not uber communicative as completely zonked today.
i really want to come to the next meet up but am not sure will be able to make it in time as will be at a cricket match at the oval all day.
does anyone know how many of those mammoth maternity pads you have to buy? have 2 packets but don't know...
wish i'd taken all your advice re babygros and vests, just washed them all and even at low temp they have all come out looking like they're meant for a premature baby! no more newborn clothes buying for me.-lucky they were cheapo ones.

9 weeks to go, 9 weeks to go.

Only 9 weeks until I can..........

1. Have a proper, long pee.
2. Not feel I have a lead balloon on my tummy.
3. Chuck the Gaviscon tablets
4. Wave bye-bye to the cellulite

nowanearlynicemum: oh my God, that's it! Horse milk choc ices! It could be the next marketing breakthrough (or present a real dilemma to those of you craving choc ices: would it still be nice if it was made of horse milk). Hmm.

Last day at work today before I fly back to Belgium for scan and another look round the hospital, and then UK, it's a bit sad cos I won't be back for 6 months: I was given a 'surprise' lunch yesterday by colleagues and everyone dressed in pink or blue to indicate what they thought the baby was going to be, and they also gave me lots of wise parenting advice, Kazakh style! Still, I realise how lucky I am to be going on leave so early.

emmy,thanks for trousers tips, will have a look next week when I get back..

highlander, I laughed at the pee one.

DH has now started interrogating me as to the content of the pee because I'm going so much, e.g.

'Did anything come out? Why did you have to go AGAIN'

'Cos littly's got its bloody foot on my bladder, darling. It feels like THIS'

'Ow! Get off!' etc etc...

I got some of those trousers from Next as well - they're great and really comfy. Highly recommended.

Operation remove mouse this weekend - attempting to block all holes and set killer traps. A cat would be much easier, but we're in a 1st floor flat so not really practical . Glad to hear we're not the only ones with infestations, though and that it might be down to something other than slovenly ways.

Peace and quiet in the Swizzler household at last . Good to think they won't be coming to stay again until we have a spare room to put them in.

Marthahm: I got 5 boxes of the maternity pads cos they were a quid each at Boots! Not sure how many I'll need.

Emmy: Got 2 grobags from Bumpto3, as they were on sale. Again, not sure if more are needed but I didn't want to get too many in the first size. Also need more vests/sleepsuits etc. I did buy a baby shawl in Greenwich yesterday from a nice baby clothes stall. I can manage knitting small cardies etc. but shawls are too big for my current attention span!

Have a great weekend all