The PESH are waddling their way to Christmas & trying not to freak out!

[FrankelInFoal]

The ante-natal fred for BESH graduates.

Recent Grads (aka CRESH)

blonderthanred, boy, born 26th October 2012
FriendofDorothy, boy, born 14th December 2012
QueenRollo, boy, born 21st January 2013
LazyMachine (38) boy EDD 9/2/13 - need an actual arrival date!
CamelKnees (34) EDD 22/04/2013 - need actual arrival date!
HaveALittleFaith (31), Faithlet arrived 14th April 2013
fertilityFTW (34) arrival date needed!
pinkr, (33), girl born 25th August 2013
Jethro (36) boy born 23rd September 2013

Waiting to lay:
Noks - EDD 28/12/2013
Frankel - EDD 4/3/2014
Sinky - EDD 18/3/2014
Ginfox - EDD end April 2014
Kat - EDD needed
Drizz - EDD 7/6/2014
Draf - EDD 19/6/2014
Winks - EDD 29/6/2014

Apologies for any misinformation or omissions!

The race is on....

Frank is due first, but seems to be breezing through!

I'm 2 weeks after, with a big head down baby and a mum who layed at 36 and 37 weeks

Ginge is a couple of days after me and I'm guessing willing the baby out (based on a miserable pregnancy)...

Place your bets ladies....

Hmm, exciting! Didn't frank's mum lay early too, or am I getting mixed up? Isn't it merk in the running rather than ginge, or has my brain failed me again?

Then come June we have an almost-race between driz, draf and I, though driz has a head start my sister was 10 days early with her first and my mum laid my sister 3 weeks early...

I shall probably be last of the Junes, then - I was a fortnight late I'm hoping to be reaonably on time though, I would love to be in a fit state to see Le Tour in Cambridge... Quite up for getting a "youngest Tour fan" yellow babygro

Apparently my mum reckoned I was due on the 24th, the doctors said the 26th, so I compromised and came on the 25th - always been a people pleaser

I very much want this baby to come on time or a little early, I have my best friend's wedding in Northern Ireland on July 31st. I've read a few 'going to a wedding far away with a teeny baybee' freds and I'm suddenly getting the horrors that I'm being too optimistic about the whole thing.

I am watching Sherlock and I think I might be about to be excommunicated from the BESH because I just can't see his attractiveness!

I don't fancy the Snatch. I luff luff luff Sherlock but I don't fancy him!

I don't think it necessarily follows about how your Mum was - my sister was 2 weeks late, I was 2 days but Faithlet came at 38+5. I do go with the theory that a head down sitting low baybees want to pop out sooner rather than later because Faithlet was like that from about 31 weeks!

We're just settling down to watch Sherlock now. Crappy evening - FIL phoned in a tizz, apparently MIL was in a horrific state post-chemo. We went round, yes she felt sick from the chemo, but she's barely eaten and hasn't drank more than a cup of tea in two days!! Which would account for the dizziness that her doctor says isn't a typical reaction to the meds. She also hasn't reminded FIL to eat anything, so he hasn't eaten in days either - FFS!

Oh Winks that's not good. Do they not have a home help or similar coming in while your MIL has treatment?

Yes I was born a few weeks early, but my brother was overdue. Touch wood I seem to be having a pretty easy pregnancy so far, the worst thing has been the dizzy spells - I had another one this morning which necessitated a lay down.

Eeek re the ILs, winks. Hope they're doing better now?

Sherlock was, as usual, wonderful. I got all wobbly at the hug, and am still giggling at "Hudders"

I'm still @ Mycroft in his leggings!

Oh yes, that was wonderful! I also want to go to a bar with a measuring cylinder

No, no help. I suppose we'll have to sort that, like every other fucking thing. The ILs won't take care of themselves, and one of my relatives is a complete and utter cunt who can go to hell. Fuck sake.

Sounds bad Winks. Is it all going to be down to you two to support them?

I enjoyed Sherlock, but ghj thinks the wedding "crap" has ruined it for him....

And apologies, of course I mean merk, not ginge...

Morning PESH-Hags, hope everyone managed a decent nights sleep without too many toilet breaks! The lady covering my maternity leave starts today so I'm showing her the ropes, it's going to be very strange!

Sinks/Merkin when are you guys finishing? I've only got 15 days left in the office as I'm on a course all of next week

My mat leave starts on the 3rd march -ill be 38 weeks! , but I am half time research/half clinical so can take it easy... In fact I need to take it less easy and do some bloody writing!

I've agreed to give some lectures to students in feb. A 2 hour lecture at 37+3 seemed an ok idea in November... (At least that'll be the last one!)

Coo, sinks, you will be wanting a rest by then I bet!

In completely unrelated news, I'm delighted to see that cross-country day is back to Saturday for Badminton this year I've just had a look at the photos so far and it seems there will be some big course changes to go with the new course designer, so I'm really excited :)

sinks do they have a back up in case LittleSinks comes early?

draf I just had a look at the website for Badminton - laughing at the necessity for aircraft parking charges! Some people really do live in a different world. What would be the best day to go? Is it usually easy enough to get tickets?

Yep, we only go on cross-country day, and usually get tickets at the gate (unless my dad has been super-organised and bought them ahead of time). The main things about XC day are (1) get there early - gates open at 7am and queues are building by 9.30am - take cash to pay on the gate. We generally aim to arrive around 8am. (2) wear comfy clothes and good shoes for all weathers. (3) seriously, get there early. It's one of the biggest sporting events in the world, with XC day getting around 100,000 spectators, if I remember correctly.

Also getting there early means you can have a bacon sandwich for breakfast and do any shopping (trade stands are very varied - inc clothes, shoes, books, jewellery, art, food, crafts, saddlery, horseboxes, furniture) before the crowds arrive and before the horses get going. Once the first horse sets off we usually walk the course (about four miles, toilets and food stands present at intervals around the course) and don't go back to the main trade stands.

There aren't that many people arriving in helicopters, but I agree it is crackers!

If it's that big can you actually see anything? It looks fun. I might go if any of my friends are interested.

No, winks, I doubt anyone has thought as far as contingency plans! In fact, I'm not totally sure this uni dept will know I'm pregnant.. Maybe I should give them a warning!

Badminton sounds like a good day out. I'm a fan of wandering round the highland show, so suspect is enjoy myself even if I do know less than nothing about horses!

Would any CRESH types (or super organized PESH - I'm looking at you frank!) have an opinion on nurseries? I've put mini sink down for the work one which will be perfect while I'm here, up until may 2016. I then might have to move jobs again. Is it a massive problem to move a ?2 year old to a different nursery? Am I over thinking this? (Likely)

Yep, you can absolutely see everything because the crowd is always moving. So say you walk alongside the course, and get to fence 5. There will be a crowd by the fence 3-4 people deep, but as soon as a horse arrives and jumps, they move on and you can stand right next to the fence. It also depends on the individual fence - difficult ones and combinations attract bigger crowds than simple ones. At some points you can pick a good vantage point and see several fences too - though some will be further from you than others. If you have a look at HOTB's photo website you will get an idea of the view you can get (he has never had a press pass).

We missed Badminton last year, I was really sad :( Burghley was good though - that's the other big British four-star (top level) event, and is in Lincolnshire so very conveniently local to us here in Cambs!

Um, 'ello hags. I'm not really here, but have a question. How early did you start chubbing up? I thought that my belly looked a bit bloated recently, but having put on work clothes today for the first time in 2 weeks, I have just realised how much! I am straining at the waistband. I've only put on 2lbs in weight (mince pies) but it feels like much more. Is this normal (at only 6 and a half weeks!) or is it just fat from Xmas overindulgence/a month away from the gym/IVF drucks?

I was properly bloated at the start Euro. To the extent I couldn't wear my normal work trousers and had to rock the loose dress look (Whistles, drapey dresses were excellent). It was bad 8 weeks ish for me and eased off at maybe 10 weeks.

And I was very constipated, which didn't help.

Oh, and hello! Lovely to see you over here, even if you're not really here...

Hmmm, this is not good. All my work clothes are quite closely fitted. Well, very closely fitted right now! And I have to speak at a conference at the end of Jan. My suits were getting a bit snug anyway. Bugger.

(BTW, I've decided that if I get through the next scan at 7+5 next week, I will accept that I am actually diffed and join you.)