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!

Grobags are briliant though we actualy called ours toasty bags. Used them from when ds was about 6 months old and was in his cot bed. You dont have to worry about them getting cold at about 4am when theyve kicked their covers off. My cousin gave me another one the other day which is slightly thinner than the ones I have. Think theyre gonna be realy handy cause when baby in our room it does get a bit cold in there. Gonna but a bed guard at the weekend. My ds has a cot bed and its getting a bit hard for me to laean over the bars to lay him down now.
Gemmitygem I have to say I like Jonathen best but then Im biast cause its my Dads name. Were stuck on Harvey at the moment which DH said as a joke but I realy like it. Anywya have a good weekend and hols to you all. Take Care xxxxx

Just read back through my thread. Have I realy made that many spelling mistakes. Sorry probably due to lack of sleep cause of someones bloody car alarm goign off from 2am till 8am......

I used a grobag from when dd was around 9 months to 16 months (when she grew out of the 6-18 months size) They were good and kept her toasty without the worry of her getting stuck under the covers. They can be used from birth (as long as your lo is 7lbs) and come in different togs e.g. 0.5tog for when its really hot, 1 tog for high summer and 2.5tog for year round use (except high summer).

The 'proper' grobags are available from www.bumpto3.com or www.kiddicare.com but you can get cheaper own make ones from places like Asda, etc.

Bumpto3 grobag range

Kiddicare grobag range

Re: how many months are we: we will be 6 months at 26 weeks (as that is half of 52 weeks). At the moment I say I am 5 1/2 months pregnant as I am just over 24 weeks.

Have just had my sick line extended for another 2 weeks but I feel like such a fraud as its not me thats sick, its my mum that cant look after dd. Will have to phone work later and give them the bad news and check they received my pregnancy notification letter and MATB1 that I posted at the end of last week as I havent heard from them yet.

Hello all,

I've been following this thread since I found out I was pregnant and kept putting off adding my message in the early stages just in case (pregnancy hormones making me feel very superstitious and irrational!) but as I was reading today (feeling very pregnant) I thought it was about time to pluck up the courage.

I'm due on 10th October and I'm expecting another boy. I have 1 DS who will be 2 a couple of weeks after my due date.

I'm a stay at home mum during the week although I have a weekend job in Waitrose which I stupidly started just before I discovered I was pregnant and is a bit hard going at the moment, however we have a huge mortgage so needs must!

This pregnancy seems to be flying by but I suppose that's because I'm so busy running around after a toddler who is currently into turning on taps when my back is turned or hiding things in the freezer/bin.

Will anyone else need a double buggy? not sure if the tandem or side by side ones are easiest?

Welcome nicand2, I know what you mean about hormones and superstition. I didn't tell anyone (apart from dp) until 15 wks and was even unsure about buying a pregnancy book, just in case. I think it was because I'm 39 and this is my first positive pregnancy test. Have now persuaded myself to enjoy it, make the most of it etc.

Have a lovely holiday, MrsBlobby. I'm knitting for my little'un in my mum's absence, but a friend of the family has just given me a handcrocheted shawl that my mum made for her 10 yrs ago. I blubbed. I'll be bringing my bub home in it. Tigerlion, I think you're right. Our friend said she felt my mum on her shoulder while she was digging it out and washing it, as if it was meant to be. I still miss my mum, but it is lovely to have this.

Oh and someone gave up their seat for me on the bus yesterday. Even though I've always given seats to people who look as though they need it, it felt strange being on the receiving end. I was grateful though. I also admire all you mums doing this with small children. It's easy with a dog, especially as the exercise is good for me too.

Welcome Nicand2 - hope your pg is going well so far.

Went to gp re foot, but as I suspected there's not a lot I can do other than rest it and hope it improves. Normally they'd give me anitimflammatories, but obv can't take them at the mo. Ah well. Staying in bed for most of yesterday did help . Also managed to tidy up and found pg book

26 weeks sounds right - thanks for doing the maths Seona!

Getting hotter again here, so having more problems sleeping. I hope July and August aren't too bad or I'll melt...

Hope everyone's having a good w/end.

Hello! I did say hello several months ago, but for many reasons, haven't had the chance to come back! But, like nicand2, also feeling very pregnant at the moment (and also pleased it's cooler!) - 22 weeks. Also fed up with range of comments from "you look more pregnant every day" to "you don't look pregnant" (!). Also hate the "oh, it's going to be a hot summer, aren't you going to suffer?!" (thanks, had already worked that one out!!!!!)

Was interested to read about sore hips at night, as I've been getting these, but almost like pressure pains from lying in one place for too long....ugh! Nice to know I'm not the only one though!

Am waiting to hear back from my employers to see if they will give me any more than the SMP 6 weeks at 90% or I'm going to be going back to work VERY soon afterwards and likely working right up until due date, all things being well. Have been asking them for 11 weeks to consider it and got told on Friday (after I'd asked, yet again) that things don't look terribly promising but the directors will discuss it on Monday or Tuesday. Really could do without all that (especially as they have given lots of other people discretionary time off in other circumstances and I'm one of the longest standing employees )......trying not to get stressed about it until I hear the answer, but that can be easier said than done at times.

Hi Squishy. Im also 22 weeks and all of a sudden I look realy pregnant! I thought I just looked fat before but I went for a pub dinner with my mil and dh today and a lady asked when I was due? Bought my ds a bed guard yesterday and my dh fitted it today. Hes had his nap and was very proud of himself when he got out of bed on his own and came to show us how he did it. Bless him
Is anyone else getting varicose veigns anywhere? Im a light skinned person anyway being a ginge and my viegns have always been quite prominent.I seem to have a cluster of veigns that come up behind my right knee when Im pregnant. But this time they are realy quite bad and can feel a bit sore too at times. I rotate my feet when I can which I was told to do with my last pregnancy and walk every day when I can. Does anyone have any advice? I was told to get a support bandage for it.

Just been catching up on the weekend! Thought I'd add my bit about growbags - they certainly didn't restrict my DS he could walk around the house in them - used them till he had just turned 2 and was promoted to a big boy bed! Will def use them again this time.

Is any one else feeling like a world cup widow? I keep getting left at home alone with DS and begining to hope England get knocked out (sorry to any footie fans but I want my husband back!)

welcome nicand2 and squishy!

gingeme, am also very pale and also getting spider veins on my legs, appeared since about week 6! Was horrified! But there's nothing you can do. I try to help it by showering my legs and feet with very cold water, then rubbing them vigorously with moisturiser, not sitting with my legs crossed, flexing legs a lot etc, but basically I don't think there's much you can do..

squishy, am getting the same 'pressure' feelings, like it would be nice to have a third or fourth side to lie on! re work, I thought maternity leave was now 12 weeks? but could be wrong. Hope you're able to negotiate with them. Unfortunately once you get preg you realise what a long way we have to go before we have equality between the sexes!

If anyone has any tips on stopping your mother in law from buying too much baby stuff (see the Pregnancy thread), I'd be grateful!

GG - I love Toby & Gabriel as names - far and away my favourites from your list - He'd have to spell Corin all the time to people, and Robin just makes me think of small ginger men with bad tempers. We'd have gone for Gideon for a boy but are still flummoxed over the pink name we now need. We've narrowed it down to 'L' names - Lucca, Lorna, Lauren, Lottie, Lucy. But now can't decide between these.

Welcome squishy and nicand2 - fancy joining the meet-up in London? I was also really superstitious with no 1 but less so with no 2 even though I had a few scares early days with bleeds and slow growth and stuff - Junior has now gone from being 2 weeks too small for dates to being 1 week too big. Nothing to do with me or my hula hoop fettish of course I have even started buying girly dresses on ebay and I remember with DS I was so suspicious of temtping fate I wouldn't even allow my friends/family to buy anything, let alone buy anything myself, just in case... actually, GG, that might be a tactic to try with your MIL?

Spent weekend camping which was a struggle but worth it to see DS having a riot. Also very enlightening to be so close to other family groups and observe their methods of parenting - normally I only have Wife Swap to use as my radar (although admittedly Wife Swap does have the advantageous effect of totally inflating my opinion of myslef relative to the saddos on the box). Came back with conclusion that DS is definately due for some naughty step action soon, but would rather he were that way than getting smacked and yelled at all the time like som eof the poor mites I saw there.

Highlight of the camping trip were the couple that hooked up next to us. They put their tent up, went back to the car, got a vacuum cleaner out, then went into tent and hoovered it. Honest. My mate Cindy & I fell about, then proceeded to spend whole weekend spying on them to see if they could top that. Priceless.

Back to work today and glad the weather is cooler (no doubt due to the daily raindances I have been performing). My boss announced the annual offsite venue today, which has really p'd me off. Normally we go to really boring places (Frankfurt last year) in dead of winter, where we have to do 'fun stuff' like play football; this year the team have done well and they've decided to whisk everyone off for some fun & sun in Majorca. In October. I am sooooo p'd off. I did offer to go out next week and source us a good hotel venue but am not holding out much hope....

Dogmum - glad to hear there are few oldies like me - I will be popping no2 out just after my 40th birthday. Have been waddling round between osteo's and physio's and GP's with aches everywhere and wondering if this is how it will feel when I get properly old (as opposed to far-too-ancient-to-have-a-baby old)...

Hi there Squishy and good look with your negotiations

Re veins, mine are quite prominent anyway and my Dad has bad varicose veins, so I'm not suprised. My feet are the worst, though I'm banned from sandals at the moment due to foot being strapped up, so at least noone can see them!

Body Shop peppermint leg and foot gel is great.

Whiffy: love Gideon and Lauren also nice. OH keen on Lucy but I'm not sure it would fit a grown woman as well as a child (same prob with names like Rosie and Molly, tho I think they're really pretty). Lottie: why not go for Charlotte and shorten it while she's little? Then she has the option of different versions of her name later on (also have a thing about giving kids contractions as full names, so Molly out on both cases!). Maybe I'm just jealous with my one-syllable name and no middle name

whiffy, your hoover story has just made my day

Whiffy! You made me laugh, I have an uncle called Robin who is small, ginger and has a bad temper!!!

Am entitled to 26 weeks paid leave, but after the first 6 weeks it is only £100 a week, which is not enough to pay our household bills!! Fingers crossed (a long with eyes and hopefully not tempers) until I hear back from them - what's the bet I have to chase before the end of the week!!

I'm about 4 hours away from London but also haven't seen about that yet!!

Gemmitygem, I agree that another 3-4 sides to lie on would be good!!! Very painful through much of the night! Don't spect it'll get better any time soon either!!!!!

Just out of curiosity did anyone watch The Baby Mind Reader on Channel5 at 9pm? What do you think?

I saw that baby mind reader thing. TBH I thought it a bit too much Derren Brown for my taste - I saw Derren Brown on TV once doing almost exactly the same with a TV presenter - within seconds he was telling the presenter loads of really freaky stuff he couldn't possibly know..... then he sat down with the presenter and explained exactly how he'd done it - using the presenters eye movements & body language to guide him. It Was kind of sad to see as I like to hope that there really are spirits and ghosts and mindreaders out there (in fact I have always had a crazy idea that my husbands' late father - who I never even knew - is standing guard over my DS every night and has been since he was born - at the foot of the bed, always in the same spot. All his life my DS has focused on the same spot, as if he can see someone there...) but this baby mind reader I thought was a but on the yucky side of the business - convincing a mother that her 2YO daughter knows all about her rape was a bit OTT for me... and I think the behavioural improvements came about simply because he taught the mother to change the dynamics of the relationship and stop shouting at the child and pay attention to her instead.... but then I'm a sad old cynic I guess, so by all means ignore everything I say. I will tune in though to next episode to see if I can be convinced.

Rmeinds me all of when I was at Uni. Never had enough cash, so I taught myself to read tarot cards then me & my mate Lyndsay would go on pup crawls: We'd buy a coke each in the first pub and then I'd get the cards out and do a reading for her: we could guarantee that within 5 minutes we'd have an audience and someone would ask for a reading. The price was two double G&T's.... we'd repeat it in three or four pubs a night every weekend - everyone would be amazed at the accuracy of my readings and it financed my drinking throughout uni, despite my not believing in the stuff one iota . I think it's called the ugly face of capitalism.....

The meet-up for anyone interested is on a separate 'meet-up' thread but is basically in central London early evening on 11th July... you can go to that thread if you're interested, or let me know on this one....

Me and DH are stuck on names at the moment. We both liked Toby but it's the name of my Mum and Dad's dog and I'm worried everyone will think it's a bit strange. I like Harry and DH likes George so we are mulling them over at the moment. I think it will be a last minute decision when the baby arrives.

Hi everyone!!
I'm a first time mum to be who lives in Croydon.
I would like to do some antenatal yoga or aquarobics classes in the area, but I can't find anything... Does anyone know where could I go?
Thank you!!! [smile}

Hi Xana - congratulations! I go to just a normal yoga class and the teacher just tells me if I shouldn't do a certain pose - which to be honest so far hasn't been alot!

Hi everyone!!
I'm a first time mum to be who lives in Croydon.
I would like to do some antenatal yoga or aquarobics classes in the area, but I can't find anything... Does anyone know where could I go?
Thank you!!! [smile}

Xana: can't offer you any advice but welcome! I've been swimming rather than doing aquanatal and it does seem to help. When are you due?

v. impressive way of getting drinks whiffy.
hello xana
does anyone know how many grobags you need of any one size?

I had 2 grobags of each size - one to wear and one in the wash - they dried quite quickly and could also be tumble dried. Although I also had 2 different togs (1tog and 2.5tog) as the size 6-18 months did both summer and winter months - so in total I had 4. I got 2 at full price from bumpto3 and 2 a bit cheaper from kiddicare.com.

Thats exactly what I said Whiffy. You dont need a mind reader to tell you the problem just look at the parent! Im a big believer in mediums and tarot cards though as I have my cards read once a year (a yearly reading) by the same person and have found them to be very truthful and helpful. I have also talked to my Nan through a medium as she died before I got married and realy wished shed been there and she told me she was.
Welcome Xana
Niceand2 I would have the same problem with George as it is my parents cats name he he.

Gingeme and Whiffy, agree completely about the mind reader programme (did like the way he shut the mother up and got her to support her daughter though!!). I've worked in adolescent childcare for 10 years now, and when I left Uni was quite convinced in no such thing as ghosts and spirits etc but have seen so much evidence to the contrary (in good and bad experiences) and also what you describe, Whiffy, about children talking to/looking at the same spot - they don't seem to be as phased by much of it as adults!!