Rat smackers extraordinaire enjoying a festive mince pies and brooking no argument that there will be the occasional sneeze birth before the end of 2013

[SweetieTime]

Ladies I think we need a new festive thread to take us through to the end of the year. And as it will be me to sneeze next –how did it get around to my turn so quickly???-- I thought I would do the honours.

trix I'd bring them anyway and if they say anything then you can tell them there more than welcome to try and scrub first poo off babies butt with them.

Trix wipes will be useful for you even if you cannot use on Treat. For wiping your hands, face and just to freshen up a bit. I have lipsyl too and a couple of carrier bags. Our hospital has told us to bring hats so it might be worth asking.

Trix they can't stop you using them if that's what you want to do! Just go with what you feel comfortable with. I was also told by someone to use cotton wool pads, like face ones. That way they don't get stuck!!

Thanks Pen. How you doing?

maybe thanks for asking. I'm doing good. Am completely exhausted as ds is up 3-4 times a night. I can't get to sleep until about 1am then I'm up loads with him.

This morning I feel I'm really at my end with him. I need more sleep and I really don't know what to do. He had 3 bottles last night. He is nearly 15 months.

How are you feeling maybe?

I am really considering booking a private scan to find out sex. Think I'll give them a ring on Monday and find out what exactly happens at scan. Been thinking I might book it and get them to write it down to open on Christmas morning, although I haven't discussed it with Dp yet.

sweetie how are you feeling?

Oh Pen you poor thing. No sleep is no fun at all. Can you have a lazy day today? Hope you get your scan booked, we need to know what pingu is!!!!

Oh poor pen x

They gave us a hat and whacked it on as soon as kip was born. Luckily, as our one was too big...

maybe a lazy day with a 15 month old. Not a chance. Between trying to keep him out of freezer (which he can now open) all cupboards, away from Christmas tree I don't feel like I sit down. Although Dp now home and ds in bed so it's not too bad. Just need to get Dp to make tea.

Yea every hospital is different. After I had ds the Mw dressed him and swaddled him. However, when the girl next to me came up her Mw shouted at her for swaddling baby as it was too hot. I didn't have a blanket on ds much as it was so warm. I walked around in a strap top and pj bottoms the whole time.

I hated packing my hospital bag as you just don't know what you need or how much. Ds peed on everything and I had to get Dp to go buy more. Was a fun few days.

Every time I think I've read back, I refresh the page and there's loads more posts to read! I'll keep trying to catch up, but am going to post a bit about what I did manage to read.

The bag list looks good, nighties are a good idea - I had 3 with me, and they were necessary due to the CS and catheter. I hope no one needs a section, but it's so nice to have a proper nightie to wear if you do have one. So maybe pack one just incase.

Also, I love reusable wet wipes. We bought 'cheeky wipes' but there's loads of choice out there, and I think the cheeky wipes are one of the more expensive brands. We've literally used one pack of wet wipes in a year! They're amazing at wiping mec and poo off baby's bum, and need nothing more than water to work (we're still just using water, though they come with some essential oils to make them smell nice if you like). You could also make your own, tesco sell microfibre cleaning cloths, I think 5 for something like £2. As it's microfibre it doesn't need hemming or anything, so cut each cloth into 4 and you've got wet wipes! Get 2 Tupperware boxes, one for damp clean clothes, and one for dirty. They come clean in a 30 min wash too.

We have cheeky wipes too Stacks, but we have the terry cotton ones, not microfibre as they said the microfibre are better for hands and faces, but no so good for poo. Hope you're feeling a little less tired. When is your scan?

That sounds tough Pen. Hope MrP can help out this afternoon.

Hope you're ok Keep!

Eeek I'm all excited. Dp is happy to book scan. So I'll be ringing Monday to book. So excited.

Re hats, the hospital MW put a hat on M straight away too. And swaddled her. Then when we got home community MW told us no hats and no swaddling.

Pen, yay for scan! Love the Christmas morning scan idea, too!

Hang on, why am I typing on my phone when DH has relinquished the laptop? Back in a sec!

Right, I'm back.

Cheeky wipes sound great, Stacks - we have gone through shedloads of baby wipes in the last 21 months. It is terrible for the environment. I shall look into reusables.

I had nighties too - partly in case of CS/catheter (which was lucky, in hindsight, as with my VB I had an epidural and catheter) and partly because I tend to overheat very easily and I thought pyjamas might be a bit hot. Definitely put in at least one nursing bra, although it will depend on when your milk comes in. I was ok in hospital as milk didn't come in until day 5, but when it did I soaked both my nursing bras in short order and had to fall back on an old sports bra. Maybe, tell me you plan on wearing pyjamas and not wandering around the ward nekkid!

Right, so the last time I posted I was waiting smugly for a taxi to take me to my MW appt. Bloody taxi didn't show up, despite 3 irate phone calls from me where the dispatcher assured me the taxi was on its way. Eventually it showed up at 9.25, having promised to arrive by 8.50 at the latest, for a 9 am appt. By that time I'd had to phone the MW and explain, and she couldn't fit me in due to a list of appts after me. She rescheduled for Friday morning, though, so it wasn't too bad. And it meant I got to take M with me so I could show her off. This turned out to be a mixed blessing as she trashed the place (pulled tray of forms off the table; opened drawers and helped herself to things; got the roll of paper for the bed-thingie and started pulling bits off and shredding them everywhere, etc etc) . However, lovely MW was totally blase about it and let M play with her gloves, comb, stethoscope and blood pressure thingie, and then got her some paper and a pencil to draw with, and kept saying how beautiful and clever she was. M also tried to pull the blood pressure cuff off my arm so we had to wait til she wandered off to play with the scales and do it again. She stood and watched me getting the blood taken with a fascinated expression, though - not fazed at all!

Lovely MW is going to do most of my appts here at home on her way to work, which is what she did last time, and she'll try to schedule them for Fridays when I'm off, or Mondays when DH is off so he can hear the heartbeat too. honestly, I love my MW so much that I'd have a home birth despite everything if only I could guarantee that she'd be the one on call and looking after me, just because the community MWs must not see that many births any more and I think she'd love it and I want to do something to repay her for everything she's done. It's not practical due to having had one stillbirth and one CS and being half an hour from the nearest hospital which is also the scary one (I must stop slagging that hospital because it's where Stacks had her DS and will presumably be going back to - sorry Stacks!), but part of me keeps fantasising about having a true Brooking sneeze birth just as the MW arrives for a routine check-up. I'm to text her after my scan with the definite due date and we'll book a 16 week appt then and she'll refer me to the consultant then too.

I opted for the nuchal test on the basis that if I don't have it I'll spend the whole pregnancy wondering if the baby has Down's Syndrome, but if it comes back with a score of 1:10 again I will seriously regret it!

Lovely MW said that this time I should feel the baby kicking much earlier as I've lost a lot of weight - she said that weirdly, women who have can sometimes feel the baby very very early. Last time I felt M at 15/16 weeks and so this time it might be even earlier. I was delighted but honestly I haven't lost a lot of weight, even if it does feel like a stealth boast!

Sorry for the monologue!

too I hope you feel the baby early, they say you do anyway with later pregnancies as you know what you're feeling. Glad you have such a lovely mw. Our community mws do shifts at the hospital too, which I think must be nicer for them to have a mixture of work. I'd never have a homebirth either though may I suppose end up with one next time if its going to be even faster. So when's your scan? Any symptoms?

bumpie are you still here?

I think I'd pack as if you'll be in godparents under 24hrs, unless you know you're having cs. But have extras of things in another bag.

[grin[ at maybe going naked on the ward.

So dh giving the midnight bottle meant I slept 10-
2.30! :)

Pen well done on getting the go ahead for another scan. If you are paying you will be able to have it as soon as you like. I hope it is really soon & what a lovely idea of including it in the Christmas cards.

Too I am so pleased lovely MW could squeeze you in after the taxi nightmare. Sounds like she is definitely worth waiting for. I didn't feel any movement from the twins until early 20 weeks but I didn't really know what I was feeling for. When I did feel it I was surprised how strong it was and DH could feel it on the outside from the same sort of time. Are you high risk for Downs? Was it M who was 1:10?

Maybe I am not normally a nighty wearer so got a couple of cheapo ones from M&S outlet. I am so glad I did now as I now longer fit into my pjs and they are all ruined from the Bio oil and other potions & lotions I have been applying at bedtime anyway. Most of our bed sheets are ruined by all the oil too even though I have worn a nighty. I am not going to worry too much about replacing bed sheets as I can only imagine what else they may get on them in the coming months & years.

Keep did kip get on ok with a bottle? so pleased you got a lump of sleep, do you feel better for it? Any tips for surviving the early days?

I felt a few twinges yesterday but have had to take a couple of Fibregel sachets to keep things moving so it might have been those kicking in and my wishful thinking. Nothing to report today. Counting down -8 days to go.

Hello all,

Just a quicky as off out to get the Christmas Tree.

I just had to share this website with you!!

www.cafepress.co.uk/+funny+womens-maternity?page=4

Hope all are well. xxxx

Omg Sweetie T -8 days! So exciting!!! I can't wait! In between online shopping and sorting baby stuff, will hopefully be back later with a proper post! Ciao for now

sweetie T-7 eek! :)

Wow sweetie, is it really all happening next week? You must be a bundle of excitement/happiness/nerves!!

If nothing happens naturally then a week today we will be there now. arrrgggggggggg. I am super excited but also really scared. I cannot wait to meet them but the responsibility of it is an overwhelming prospect too.

keep chin up love, seen your other post, I would say competitive parenting. At 3 weeks old - omg you are in for fun times with friends like that.

I've booked a scan for tomorrow. Is costing me £70 which is very dear but I really want to know

sweetie how exciting. Not long to go.

Ooh yay pen!

sweetie my tips? Hmm, well I'm finding it quite tough. I think get more help, for longer than you think you need it. I think recovery from a cs can be hard. Get support with bf if you're trying it, are you? Take it easy, I am just trying to do one thing a day, at 4 weeks. And though I'm finding it hard, don't keep looking to the next step. Yes its hard, but its magical too. She's flat out on my legs right now :)

Hush now cobwebs, dust go to sleep,

I am rocking my baby and babies don’t keep...

Looking forward to hearing about your scan Pen.

Sweetie you will be fine. With 2 you will be so knackered that you will run on auto pilot and won't be aware if you balls anything up Seriously though, you will be fine. You will cope because you have to. I am the least maternal person you are likely to come across. I spent 29 year adamant that I didn't want children, avoided other people's like the plague and yet here I am with DD and wanting another. Something just clicks inside you and you instinctively seem to know what to do. I'm not saying it is easy but you will get through it.

DD has done a wee in her potty

Keep, do not think for a second that because you are finding it hard, you are not doing a great job. It is hard, very hard, so I think it would be unusual to not feel like that four weeks in. Just carry on enjoying her and muddling through and soon you will be looking back wondering where those newborn days disappeared to

What times your scan Pen? Can't wait to hear all about it.

How you feeling Keep? You really are doing so well.

Sweetie I can't believe how close you are now. I bet the days seem like they're going on forever. Have you much planned these next few days?