December 2013 - creeping closer but no more hospital stays please god!

[LadyMedea]

We are a chatty lot!

Added straws to my hospital snack bag this weekend! Along with jelly babies

Ahhh, that makes sense! It did occur to me after posting that the same logic might not apply if you're having a c-section...! Definitely worth remembering though.

Lady, Jelly Babies are a brilliant idea! Putting those on my list straight away!
I've got most toiletries and a few clothes sorted for me, but hardly anything for baby and no drinks or snacks at all yet!
Maybe we should all start comparing hospital bag lists soon so that we don't end up forgetting anything important?!

I haven't started mine yet :( waiting for mr postie to bring it.
Love jelly babies

When I do mine I shall be comparing it to all yours!

I thought I was almost finished mine just needed breast feeding bras and was gonna get measured at 37 weeks for those but I've realised I don't have snacks of any kind and the hospital has pop/water in vending machines everywhere so I'm not going to pack any of that.

What snacks do I take? I never took any with last 2 and I don't like jelly babies lol well apart from the one in my belly I've realised too I have no shoes in my bag incase my waters break all over the ones I'm wearing but all the shoes I own are too tight thanks to my huge pregnancy feet

Just had 'the chat' with DH about when he wants his dad to come to see the new baby. I was so shell-shocked when DS was born I was more concerned about keeping everyone else happy, and ended up with MIL sitting on my sofa for 13 hours a day when we brought him home, so it's unsurprising I never got bf going properly with that on top of all of the other issues we had! PIL moved a 5 hour drive away while I was pregnant with DS (think the conversation went 'PIL, we have news, you're going to be grandparents!' Response - 'oh, that's unexpected, well we have news too, we've sold our house and we're moving to the other end of the country'), MIL subsequently died when DS was 9mo and FIL has stayed where they moved to.

Anyway, as expected, DH said he'd just let his dad know the date of the section and leave it up to him when to come visit, but said he'd probably come up on the day. He looked all surprised when I said no! And I've also vetoed him staying at ours - I've said he can come stay at SIL's but the same visitation rules will apply to him as will apply to my family, short visits of no more than an hour, with leaving time prearranged and a promise not to be offended if he's asked to leave sooner. Am I being unfair? I just want to be able to settle into my new family with the new baby, recover from major surgery in peace and try to get bf established. I don't feel I can do this if I have people in the house!

feather I think that's very reasonable. I would do the same in your position. You want to settle into your new family not worry about who had enough tea or not

And I'd hate to see family straight away.
Luckily my dp has been very reasonable and doesn't want anyone to see baby at least for the first day.

hello all and welcome newcomers.
I feel pretty bad on dp but really dont fancy dtd at the moment. We have been reasonably active (once every week or two) during the pregnancy but now I just feel like a whale and so unsexy and the thought of leaking breast milk really doesn;t do it for me.
Feather I dont think you are being unreasonable. It's a really special time and what you think and need are what matter. Saying that I come from a big and close family and had 13 people in the waiting room when DS1 was born (although thankfully I didn;t know it at the time). Personally I didn't mind having people around as I felt like I could just leave them to it and go to our bedroom with DS1 if I needed to and wouldn't offend anyone but it's such a personal choice and also really depends what you are used to culturally.

Having a bit of a wobble now things are getting more real - just been looking at sleepy DS cuddling up to his bunny and thinking, how on earth do I find enough love for another one? Surely I can't possibly love a second one as much as DS? And what if DS thinks I love him less? Will I love him less? Ladies with 2 or more already - I'm being silly, right?!

Feather it's not the love side I'm worrying about, it's coping with 2. DD is nearly 3 and a half and like any child her age can be a total pain in the arse on the odd occasion, I'm just finding it really hard to cope with at the moment. How am I going to manage with a newborn too?
DP is already leaving everything to me as I'm not working anymore, think I will start telling him I need more help. I don't think he realises just how tired and achy I am all the time, goodness knows how those of you with SPD etc are coping.

On the bright side my pram liner and mattress came yesterday so think that's just about everything bought for now. Do want to get a breast pump and bottles but not planning to start expressing for the first few weeks at least so no rush, time to start on the christmas shopping I suppose

feather that's a perfectly normal response to another baby and one i also had.
You will love this baby just as much as soon as its little face is staring up at you, I'm not gonna lie.....ds1 will always be my baby, he was my first born and I waited so long for him but I don't love him more than ds2, it's hard to explain, it's just there's this special bond with him being my first.

clare you will cope fine Hun I promise, it takes s little getting used to but once you find your routine you'll be fine.

Must get off to work now......5 shifts left before I start mat leave

clare i got a tommytippe breast pump with 10 bottles off of Amazon brand new £30.

My first thought on waking after extracting DS's toes from my nose was '3 weeks and 2 days'. Oh my god!

Thanks for the tip chelsea

While nosing about on amazon noticed they had a medela swing pump (which I had last time and got on well with) for £86 rather than the RRP of £130 so ordered that, a couple of bottles and some replacement valves just in case. That's one more thing off the list!

Finally have a day with DD at nursery, no appointments and no deliveries to wait in for, think I might have a day in town mooching (slowly) round the shops

Just been musing on baby names. My aunt has looked up my 2 favourites and called to tell me she votes for Isaac (means 'he will laugh') over Luke ('light bringer'). But Benedict, which I vetoed early on, is actually starting to creep back in as a possibility! Poor DH keeps suggesting perfectly decent names which I instantly dismiss as 'nice, but it isn't his name'.

That's a bargain Clare ! Enjoy your mooch!

Anyone used a nursing pillow before? Do I need one? Slightly panicking about only having 1 payday left between now and birth!

Once a week! I'm impressed. Feeling increasingly sorry for my DH...

Featherbag I love my maternity pillow. Have a dreamgeniie and it's great for sleeping now and for feeding baby later. Cases are a nightmare to get on though- DH ripped one last week so have had to buy another.

Featherbag this is such a difficult and emotionally fraught area but you are right to stick to your guns and make your wants and expectations clear right from the get go. It is totally your decision. And it seems reasonable if there is somewhere else he can stay. Good luck with it. I have very over enthusiastic ILs and had to be quite firm when DD arrived. One rule was no unexpected visits - they had to be invited or at least get in touch to check it was convenient.

This time round I've got a widgey breastfeeding pillow (only as I got one for £4 from a baby sale) but last time I just used pillows off the bed to prop baby up for feeds

MildredH can I ask why you are so keen to avoid an ECV? I had one with DD after midwife failed to be able to tell position and I was a bit annoyed with her as she left it quite late and then finally said "would you mind going for another scan?" Me: "Of course not!" Baby was successfully turned by a fabulous MW and I was so relieved that I was able to have a VB. LadyMedea good on you for having a pregnancy massage; they are great aren't they? Must get mine booked... Had two last time and enjoyed them so much mumoftwo my DD will be 2yr11months when no2 is born. She's very maternal so think she will be quite sweet and caring BUT she is also having a lot of full on tantrums at the mo which I am finding v stressful and emotionally tiring And to the people moving house- gosh that does make me feel pathetic that I can't even keep up with the housework! Best of luck with your moves!

Feather that's so exciting! I don't get my section date for two more weeks- so jealous! I was really worried when I had dd that I wouldn't be able to love her as much as ds, but I really do. It's a different kind of love but its overwhelming. Now that we're expecting dd2 I have the same doubts though!
Clare how old is your dc? Im thinking of starting dd in nursery for a day or two a week- really struggling to be a fun mummy at the moment. Plus we have riduculous amounts to do before baby comes, and achieving anything with dd1 around is a forlorn hope! Enjoy your mooch.

DD is three and a half, as both DP and I were working full time she has been in full time nursery for ages. We will have to cut the hours down as can't justify paying £500 per month when I'm bit at work, though we both get Childcare vouchers which saves. Going to email the nursery later for some prices, she does love going there though!

That's one of the things I love about livimg in Sweden. Lola just turned 3 and her fulltime nursery is about £90 a month. Once I am on maternity leave she can only go 15 hours a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 5 hours a day) but it will be free. She's just changing now feom a big nursery that was wonderful but 20 minutes from home to family daycare 5 minutes walk from home (sometimes I will drop her off at the child minders house across the road).

Yeterday I felt wonderful, I felt lkke I could almost jog home from the local shops. Today I am close to tears my pelvis hurts so much.

Afternoon all.

You have been busy chatting lol. Been following but not had much to say really.

Just popped in to let you know primark have some nice and cheap nightware at the min. There are a couple of button up nightshirts, proper sleep shirt style for £7 I think. A few vest and short sets which looked nice and some normal night shirts that go up to size 22 and fit over huge knockers and a reasonable sized bump! Got 2 of the normal nighties for my bag. I am planning on using my cropped maternity leggings for pj bottoms so won't be flashing tummy lifting nightie up to feed in hospital.

They also have slippers at £3 I think.

Feel a bit more organised now lol.

Going to wash all baby clothes next week and get those away and just start buying a few bits each week.

Ache from top to toe today. Bought new carpet cleaner at weekend and instead of doing a room ay a time did it all yesterday. Carpets look lovely and bright. I can scarecly fecking move lol. J.x

That's frouby I was thinking of popping into Portsmouth primary next week so glad it won't be a wastes trip.
Going to start getting bits for my bag
And I only have one pair of comfy bottoms which are fithly so had to reluctantly put then in the wash lol (I only wear them round the house)
Really need to get a comfy pair of black trousers. None of mine fit

Feeling abit lonely today - no one from work has called or texted to see how I am neither have any of my 'friends' dp is pretty much my only friend I always look forward to him coming home but sometimes he's so tired he just sleeps.

My brother popped in with a bar of chocolate on his lunch break bless him.
Had a tidy up and a Hoover and then had a bath and baby went crazy :)
Now just sat til I start dinner at half 6.
I'm actually looking forward to being busy when baby is hear. Can't complain I'm bored then lol