Due in September 2006..... into the third trimester.....on the home run

[compo]

Hope no-one minds [smile

Well done lysettes!!! You can go easier on the leg crossing now!!!

I am so cross that it is soooo hot again but without the sun. It's so sticky here.

Also our backgarden is now sort of out of bounds as we have a mummy fox and a baby fox there who has been snarling at me when I go outside. Hopefully she will go soon as don't want to upset her as she has a baby but would like to use my backgarden!!! Also don't feel comfortable with DD out there if ther is a chance of her being there or fox poo either.

No pains today but we will see how we go. Quiet glad really as he isn't cooked enough. And i'm not ready yet!!! A few more weeks lying on the sofa please and more time with DD!

Hi all,
Pc has been busted and DH has got the old pc out for me to browse and shop the tinternet

Oh must say i'm really happy for lysettes getting to the 32 wk mark-hope all goes well

I have tried to catch up with the messages, but alas there are sooooo many!
At first i was worried that i was having a completely different experience of pregnancy but finally found some posts that spoke to me

I feel so unprepared i've only just bought the cot which the nursury is soooo not ready for, and the moses basket. I'm like well the baby can have a bath (as i've got a baby bath) get dressed and has some where to sleep but as for anything else

I was talking to someone who is due in January and they've already got a cot,have chosen the pram, a highchair (was a present) etc.

I feel really unprepared and i think i'm in denial as to how soon the baby will be here!

I'm also in denial as to how big i am!

I'm just in DENIAL!

This little 'un was planned but jees i need to sort myself out.

Oh i painted the fence today, and my mum helped me clear the shed out so i can store some things in it.
Anyway i'll shut up now

Luv to all and stay well

Oh i've got back ache and i'm sneezing at the moment -what's that all about?

Morning

Norms and Homemama hope you are feeling better soon.

No linea nigra here either just the stretch marks, looking quite like a zebra now , has anybody used that bio oil that advertised for scars and stretchmarks?

Great news lysettes on getting to 32weeks! Hope you get alot further

Ezridax how any weeks are you? I'm sure you will get things ready soon , although we have all the things we need we are still unprepared as lots and lors need doing on the house

ezridax welcome - sorry not to say before! agree so many posts - we are a sociable lot aren't we

pol itt sounds horrid but you may have to do something about your fox as once they settle somewhere they don't often leave... some friends of mine had a huge extension built and had a really tough time sealing off the back as there was a whole family of foxes living underneath it! mum dad and three or four cubs....

anyway, the big news today is.......the little lad has put on 350g in the past two weeks so has decided to grow again! we are so proud of him, and he now weighs 3lb7 and a little bit, so if we can hold on for another week or two he'll be a lot bigger when he comes out

the decision now is whether to try being induced or go for c-section as different consultants are putting a different spin on things.... lots of thinking to be done! at least i have all the time to do it i guess.

anyway, off to do another rain dance as it's sunny here and my feet are swelling again!

Lysettes- rain dancing for you here too!!! It is just too hot and although don't quiet sound as swollen as you I can sympathise. DP calling me shrek as no shape to my ankle or leg or wrists... Just one big puff lump.
Well done about your lil' one too!!! He seems to be clinging on in there and sapping all your food if he's growing well. A good excuse to keep eating

Here Mrs. Fox is still here and although she is more scared her cub is a bold as brass... trotting around on the grass etc. Thisn weekend DP is going to see how we can keep her out but between our and next house is where her den is as she has managed to dig a hole under our fence! She seems to go in by lunch time- but still feel wary out there especially with DD, I don't want my daughter savaged by a fox!!!

Feeling all hot again and had to nip into town this morning which has about killed me off!!!

As you know i'm mad on scrapbooking and still umming and ahhing on whether to become a tlc consultant... It is £120 for your kit- although I would prob use it all... not sure who i'd sell to tho. Ummmmm really want to do it but there is a little doubt that I am having another baby and will I really have time? inclination- yes but time- no! Please help me nbe more descisive!!!

Lysettes - good to hear you're hanging in there.

I saw my mw today and all is well. My haemoglobin levels have improved which she said is down to taking Sanatogen vitamins throughout my pg. Before I got pg I had a blood test which showed that I had no iron at all so I'm really pleased that it's now at a good level. My mw told me that if I choose to bf I'm best off doing it exclusively for the first month and that I shouldn't use soothers until I start to mix bottles with bfs. I'm getting confused with all the different opinions/advice. I think I'll just see how it goes when we get there!

My bumps been itching too and LO keeps curling up at one side of my tummy which looks really weird when I lie down!

Does anyone happen to know how long it takes for the SureStart grant to come through once you've applied for it?

am eating for england at the moment!

pol - what's tlc? i know what you mean i have all these great ideas about what to do work wise etc but will i really have the inclination etc????

mandaz - i have taken sanatagen vits all the way through and too have had really good iron levels - well done!

as someone else said - OJ is great for iron absorption so keep drinking that

lol

hi all,

Hello Eridax - don't worry, the person you know who's expecting in January is crazy buying so much already!! It'll just hang about now for 6 months gathering dust. We just went out this morning for some new sheets etc. so the baby has some - I'm nearly 33 weeks now and beginning to feel I ought to do SOMETHING to get ready!!

Pol, the fox sounds like a pain! We found a badger hole in our garden the other week, and have had to apply for a licence from DEFRA to close it down as they're a protected species. I didn't want a mangled toddler, baby or cat either! I don't know what you can do about foxes, but the defra website might help.

Lysettes, glad to hear you're still hanging on in there. You can probably feel the vibrations from all us heavy people raindancing!!! Re. c-sections etc. I had one last time (breech), and it didn't hurt at all - just like someone washing up in my belly, all over v. quickly, and within a month I felt (almost!) normal again! The main thing is not to try and do too much too quickly afterwards, as your tummy will be sore! Like you, I am shitting myself about natural birth (wish I felt like whoever it was who said they loved childbirth - sorry, I can't find the post now), and having long internal debates about pros and cons of c-sections...

As we rent going to call letting agents re fox I think if she is still here next week...

TLC is a scrapbooking company which you run in your spare time.... What time once this new bubba is here! Thinking- well have just signed up to do it and see how we go. Possibly have a craft fair stall booked in October- provisional at mo but bubba will only be a month old and not sure DP would cope with DD and new baby!!! Still as DP is v. webwise he teaches ICT he is going to do more work on my website and i'm going to not only sell cards/invites/anouncements etc but stuff to make them with too and scrapbooking supplies. Along with going back to childminding at some point! Feel very mad taking all this on!!!

Hi All, glad we've had no major excitements, just keep plodding along and ticking days off on the calendar.DH keeps trying to explain that it doesn't matter how I count the days I've still got the same amount of time to go. Seriously thinking of finishing work a couple of weeks earlier-mid Aug but that still seems a long way off.
Had consultant appt today, still haven't met her as I seem to get a stand in every time but I only have 1 more appt so I don't hold out much hope now.All seems well, BP normal, no swelling, all my aches and pains are normal for this stage of pregnancy,LO's heartbeat is good and measurements are fine. Big sigh of relief again.
No Linea Negra, but only got a faint one last time, and no stretch marks.DH did point some out to me the other day and got the sharp reply that they were from last time. Don't like having them noticed because they weren't there before my c-section,and there they were when I came round - I dread to think how much they mauled me to do that!

Cori-sorry I didn't reply,DD is 23 months and sooo proud. She tells everyone "Look, no nappies".Today is her 1st nappyfree day at nursery, so I'm feeling nervous but hopeful. And good luck with yours sounds like she's ready to try.

Puppy - i'm 30 wks. Is it bad that i just had to work that out rather than it slip off my tongue?

Had my first experience of swollen ankles last night, worried me a bit cause i had a trace of protein and glucose at last mw app.

Oh and Linea nigra ain't the word! I read recently that there is a posssiblity that it will stay- anyone had that experience?

Appyday - we also had our first nappy free day today at nursery! DS is 25 months. He didn't have any accidents!!! I think they thought this morning that we were mad and he was too young, but they are v. impressed this afternoon!! i hope your DD's day was as successful!

Hey everyone, hope you're all coping ok in this heat. I walked to the chemist today and felt like sitting on the floor half way there. DS kept on saying 'keep going mummy' bless him.

Mabel, I've not got a linea nigra this time round either, and I'm another fan of spatone

Puppy, I used bio oil after my last pg on my cs scar and it is still taking ages to heal properly. Midwife even commented on it cause it's still red and thick, she says it should be a thin white line by now.

Lysettes, congrats on making 32 weeks, keep on cooking that little one.

Ezridax, I'm moving house before lo arrives and we're going to have to decorate at least 3 rooms as soon as we get there, so don't worry about not being organised

Well, I'm off to eat more ice. take care and look after your bumps x

Hello everyone! Been so busy no time to post at all but have been trying to keep up. Very glad to read no-one has had any babies yet - keep 'em crossed! (worried last night though after almos an hour more painful than usual contractions - but, as usual they settled down!) My LO is still breech (plenty of time for turning) and seems to have his feet where I can feel them down below - anyone else had that? it's weird....

Mandaz - did you get that gina ford book? there's a good bit of balanced advice in there about dummies and hungry/sucky babies, and also some about when to introduce a bottle. I think Clairemow breast fed - did you have a bottle as well? Has anyone actually experienced nipple confusion or is it a myth? I want to try and breast feed too this time but still want the flexibility of the occaisional bottle.

Ezridax - I bought a pram for DS before I was pregnant (bargain on ebay!) but then bought NOTHING else until I was 38 weeks (probably a bit too late) but it was wonderful because I did it all together with my mum and I'd been feeling such a whale I needed to cheer up - and it did the trick!

Hope everyone's keeping those feet up - we're off to see the 'choo-choos' in the Lakes tomorrow with DS - can't wait to see his face

hi Liquid,

Yes, I breastfed DS for 6 months - I used to express as well, once in the morning after I'd fed him and once in the evening, while DH did the last feed (until DS dropped that feed, then I stopped that expressing). I used to keep the morning expressed milk for the evening, and then shove the evening one in the freezer - ended up with a whole tray of frozen packages!! I can't remember exactly when I started expressing, but it was def before 6 weeks, I think at about 3 or 4 weeks. It really helped with supply, as I was expressing twice a day I was always producing more milk than DS was actually drinking, so we managed well over growth spurts. DS never had nipple confusion, although at about 4 months he did have a period of trying to refuse the bottle. It coincided with his dropping the late evening feed and sleeping through from 7-7, so he wasn't getting a bottle every day when that first happened. I think it's really important to try and give a bottle every day if you're going to do it at all. And it does mean that someone else can feed the baby apart from you - I remember going shopping with a friend leaving DH to do it for the first time - so liberating!! We persevered and after a few days he would take the bottle again, and then I just made sure he had a bottle for one of his day time feeds each day - used to feed him then express so that the boobs didn't forget to produce milk at that feed! Mind you, couldn't miss a feed and not express, or the boobs would have exploded!!!

I don't know about soothers/dummies though, as DS never had one - he used to suck his thumb, and then chew on his teddy, so we never needed one.

Sorry that was a bit long. It's all coming back to me now.... All that sterilising the expressing machine - we had a hand held one and it was fine - we've got a cold water steriliser, and there was always one bloody small bit that floated to the bottom and needed fishing out... That was DH's job first thing every morning....

Hi all - Somewhere between nausea and exhaustion ever since Disney Land. Did have a relaxing time there!! Great for the whole family, though I'll admit was a doubter on the plane up. Just a wonderful environment, and 2.5-yr-old DS got so much out of it. On the bus to LAX to flight home, was sick; again sick on the plane; then fought off 30-hour stomach virus at home, & feeling low-grade nausea ever since.

Switching (much needed) to brand-new Mac very soon, so may be offline again for a while during PC-to-Mac learning curve/software loading.

Lysettes, hope all continues to go well. I'm not ready AT ALL either. I'll need this last 2 months.

No linea negra for me this time, either, which I did think was strange, and no stretch marks - which isn't so strange, as they're mostly hereditary (Mom had none, 3 DDs).

Dr. says DS2 is now "locked and loaded" which in male-US-Arkansas-Dr.-speak means baby's head is down & he's ready. Glad for that, but as mentioned feeling super-lethargic and wish this nausea away soon so I can get more done.

Also looking forward to being in a position where I can concentrate on losing this weight; now weighing in as much as DH at 145 lbs (though at least, he could still bench-press me).

Thanks Homemama for 4th wishes! Nearly dressed DS in his cute British World Cup gear for the parade & fireworks . It was blue and white, anyway. Sorry GB didn't go even further - was rooting for them.

Congrats to all that have nappy free lo's.

Do you think the biooil has helped calvemjoe, I would not be bothered by my stretch Marks but these ones I have got this time are really quite high up, with DS I only got them below my belly button but this time I think I am going to end up with a upper abdo full.

Liquidclocks my lo is breech also, Its a funny feeling when they kick you right down there, don't really like it but hopefully he/she will move to head down in the next few weeks

Marls glad you had a good time in disney, besides the sickness.

Well could have slapped DH last night , he has said once the lo is born and I have recovered I can have a tummy tuck if I want. What is he trying to say!!!!!!!!, I asked him if my figure was really bothering him but he says not and that he thinks I will be unhapy with it afterwards. didn't bother me before lol. Really don't know what to think tbh

Bit worried about the amount of weight I have put on, I have put on 12lb is that normal last time i had put on alot more than that!, suppose I could have lost weight with the sickness that I have in the am.

HI all
Just waiting for the midwife to turn up - I am sure bubba has 'dropped' a bit as I feel a bit more empty underneath my ribs - so may be 'locked and loaded' as Marls put it!

Well things round here could be better, DH has got shingles, fortunately it is not contagious, but he is suffering a bit with it. Also had a call from the accupuncturist about my sciatica - she will not treat me as I am not having the baby at the hospital she works from (even though the midwife I'm under works from there), which begs the question why I was ever referred to her in the 1st place - I am sure it all comes down to politics and figures as usual.
Also don't know if you remember that some very close friends of ours split up about a month ago, well it has started to get nasty now with him sending her abusve and threatening texts and emails, driving past her friends flat where she's staying to check her cars there - we are finding it very difficult to stay neutral when he is behaving this way and feel as if we never knew him properly at all
Mandaz - re: the advise from your midwife, they all say that about dummies / bf exclusively. As liquid says I personally have never met anyone who experienced nipple confusion, and if your baby needs soothing and isn't hungry and won't suck their thum, dummies are a god send. Also I expressed straight away as DS wasn't latching on and was starving, it didn't affect the fact that I managed to BF til he was nearly 6 months.
Lysettes - great that you are hanging on in there!
Sorry this is a long one

Thanks for the reassurance about expressing and nipple confusion ladies. I'd had a feeling I'd read somewhere it was one of those things midwives say because the NHS told them to! I actually had a midwife (off the record) tell me last time that there are times she wishes she could recommend bottle feeding but she wasn't able to because of the rules!

Mabel - sorry to hear your friend is behaving like that. Breakups make people do strange things, my ex behaved like that for about 6 months after we split up, it's really upsetting and got a bit scary. I eventually rang his parents and asked them to speak to him after he'd threatened to harm himself and they were able to help him - I think he just needed some spport from people who loved him unconditionally and could help without judging him. It was him that broke it off btw and originally I'd wanted to stay together. I wouldn't judge your friend on his current behaviour too much, unless you find something else out, but make it clear you think he should let go and what he's doing isn't acceptable.

Puppy - I think I WOULD have slapped DH! - outrageous thing to say, even for a bloke! Perhaps you could suggest he gets pec implants... Do you think a breech position is more comfy for you - apart from the kicks down below I am finding I have a lot less rib pain this time!

Liquid - Dh met our friend in the pub last night and had a quiet word with him about what he was doing - I know he's very emotional and isn't thinking straight, but he is scaring his ex. He has also threatened to 'end it all' , I think if it doesn't imrprove over the next few days DH is going to have a word with his dad and hopefully he can talk to him straight but give him support as well.

Liquidclocks mine is breech too and i feel it poking around down there. Very wired indeed.

Embarrassing confession now. I used immac hair remover before we went to Spain a few weeks ago and i put it at the top (just under my bump ) but couldn't really see what i was doing. I now have stubble like for about the top inch and half and am REAAAAAAAAAALLLLLYYYYYYYYY embarrassed about midwives seeing now!

Blast!! I'll have to make some joke early on incase they all snigger!!

Iiquid I think i will tell him he needs liposuction, face lift etc... He doesn't normally say such things in fact he complements me alot.

I definately feel the breech position is alot more comfortable comparing to my pregnancy with ds head down. No rib pain whatsever.

Angeliz I am sure they have seen alot lot lot worse things than abit of stuble

Hi all, sorry not to post so much this week but I've been really sick.
Well done to those whose little ones are staying dry. DS asks for his 'bowl' (potty) when he's upstairs without a nappy just before bath but we haven't gone further yet.

Glad to hear those who have been away had good holidays. I'd love to go away this summer but DH just can't take time off when he has two weeks booked for after the baby comes. Maybe we could have a long w/e.

Liquid, re nipple confusion, I may have said this before but I think it's a myth to push b/f. I took DS into work when he was 1wk old and I expressed the previous night without any problems. He took to the bottle no problem and had no problems returning to the nipple later. TBH, I think the earlier you introduce a bottle (whatever's in it) the better. Leave it too long and they'll refuse it. He also had a dummy when he was very little and that caused no problems either. If I hadn't had a dummy to soothe his sucking addiction, I'd have given up b/f within 2wks. He even wanted the boob in his mouth whilst he slept. He'd wake as soon as I moved him off.
I remember one day when he was about 2wks, just before we gave him the dummy, Neighbours came on tv in the evening and I realised he'd been on the breast since it had started at lunchtime! (for Marls' benefit, that's about 4hours) I hadn't moved, it made me cry. It can be a struggle to get rid of the dummy but it only took us one day when he was 1yr old.

Puppy, your DH!?!

Puppy...your DH should be ashamed of himself!!!!!!

Angeliz...PMSL!! Last time round I tried shaving with DH hair clippers..not all the hair but just to trim it up before we went into hospital...suffice to say I didn't see what I was doing & ended up with a very wonky design & in the process nearly circumcised myself!!!!! .

Liquidclocks....I personally think it's a myth! DD had a teat at 3 weeks once I'd started expressing & it was never an issue at all. Swapped between breast & bottle without problem. I did use Avent teats & as they are made to closely resemble the mother's nipple this could have helped. I think the MWs try to scare monger & have to reach govt set targets for breastfeeding so don't let it stress you!

Re potty training...am having a relatively good day! DD has done 3 wees in potty, no poo yet & only one wee in the cat seat on the way back form the pool!!! DH was less than 100% supportive about us trying but having witnessed her start to wee on the floor & then come running in & saying wee, potty & then finishing a huge wee on the potty seems to think that maybe we could, we hope, be onto something!!!!!!!! She's back at nursery on Monday so am ready & armed with two packs of knickers & hey, let's see how it goes

Coriander - snap !!
I have just achieved the very same with DH's clippers. Have managed to massacre myself and get a few cuts in the process. Suffice to say I now look worse down below than I did before hand with my seventies bush!

Mabel - your poor friend, I really feel for him as when you split up with someone sometimes you act in a completely over the top way and lose perspective, he obviously still has very strong feelings for her!
Sorry to hear your DH has got shingles, they are very painful so hope he is ok, bless.

I have just started using the bio oil last week, no stretvh marks at the moment but feel like my skin is getting to the point where its getting stretched too far. I have read that there is bugger all you can do to prevent them but am a sucker for products so just had to give it a try to see!

Well not a lot else to report, finding work motivation very low at the moment. Only 4 more weeks to go and definately counting - should be enjoying these last weeks but just can't seem to be bothere, lazyitus seems to have kicked in!!