February 2014 - all our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

[sunflowered]

Well... we're getting there at least, and definitely ready to meet the first thread baby!

Nothing at all going on with my boobs here. No growth no soreness no leakage. But I do now n own breast pads so bring it on.

May have a pedicure and a hair cut next month but I'm not a massive pamperer either. Quite fancy some luxurious baths tho - how have people got around the lying on the back issue?

It'll be date cake, I don't think I could stomach them on their own!

I've been using non-bio and a sensitive fabric conditioner. We use non bio anyway, so I'm guessing that's fine.

fizzling I am a reluctant GD preggo. The risks to baby as explained to me by the consultant (if you don't try to keep your GD under control) are: higher risk of still birth, shoulders growing too big and chunky and getting stick behind your pubic bone during delivery leading to massive amounts of intervention, higher risk of jaundice, higher risk of breathing difficulties and a sugar come down for baby after birth. All of these were worst case scenarios but if you are so far along anyway all it means if you're diagnosed with it is you have to have additional monitoring before during and after labour, as well as checking your sugar levels daily. I thought it was the end of the world but really it's just a bit of a faff. Can't hurt to have the test.

After a blissful 1st and 2nd trimester I'm hating the 3rd! To add to the GD, piles, constipation and inexplicable tiredness I've now developed huge nose bleeds. A quick google suggests these are normal at this stage due to increase in blood flow to bean but they are so annoying!

Have ordered cute baby stuff from H&M to make myself feel better.

Jazz I've just read juicing as a recommendation for constipation.

No bigger boobs or leakage for me either Littleen!

Eeyoreish I think we all face those risks, previous mc or not! Remember, a 'higher risk' could mean something as little as less than 1%. Even if something says double the risk, say, double the risk of a a very slim risk is still... well, very slim!

fizzling another GD preggo here, and to add to jazzcat's list of possible problems I'd add the greater risk of pre-eclampsia for you. But how's your blood pressure? Are you getting it regularly monitored?

It does sound strange that despite other factors not being an issue she's still after a GTT for you, but agree above, it may not seem worthwhile at this stage but it can't do any harm can it? It might get her off your back! I've heard that sugars in your wee is just a natural pregnancy thing, so if that's what she's going from (plus your history?) it is likely to be a clear result. But she can't make you do anything you don't want to! Regardless of how stern she may be...

loves to your baking sounds amazing - mincemeat and pear! Can you post me some in March please? I've just completed 24 black velvet cupcakes with chocolate ganache and white chocolate stars/buttons for my FIL's birthday party tomorrow, to which I shall not be going. Too far to travel at this stage in the game, really don't want to be delivering miles away in Brighton! I've snuck half of one cupcake for taste-test purposes, and the flat smells amazing - no more non-GD baking for me, it's too hard!

jazzcat are you drinking lots of water? Juicing is good, but you lose a lot of the fibre from fruits through juicing alone, although a smoothie would be good as you'd get all the fruit in that. H&M is a great panacea though.

I have upped my water intake but probably not dr

Drinking enough. Will try harder tomorrow! Had good readings after lean beef chilli and wholegrain rice for dinner this evening so will add that to list of safe meals.

Those cupcakes sound like heaven right now...

Questions for those who already have kids;

Does your other half do more around the house etc. since your children arrived? I'm worried!

Time for hobbies - is there usually some time for hobbies etc, even with a baby in the house?

I know these things vary greatly from family to family, but just in a general sense :P Freak-out incoming

Fizzling, another GD sufferer here. I agree with jazz and gnitting, it's no harm to get the test, a bit of a faff, but I have found, since being diagnosed, what a delicate balance my blood sugar is in. I have to be really careful to keep it in check, so not just low sugar diet, but low carb, reduced portions, eating every two hours, etc. Apparently it can really ramp up in the latter stages of pregnancy as well, so even though I'm keeping it at bay at the minute, it could all change next week.

Littleen, DP and I have become more of a team since DD was born, I would say. I do more house stuff, as I'm the one at home, but he really pulls his weight at weekends. He loves spending time with her, and I've always encouraged that right from the start; heading off on Saturdays or Sundays to the shops or get my hair cut and leaving them to it. Pre pregnancy, I was off to the gym a few times a week, and out at weekends to the cinema and stuff like that. He also still has time for his hobbies as well. I'm lucky though, his hobbies involve sitting around with his friends playing a card game (think Big Bang Theory), which he can do here in the evenings. What exactly are you stressing about?

Littleen - yes dh really stepped up when I was first pregnant with DS, and then again after he was born. He works full time and I part time (together in our own business) and we probably share the housework equally with him doing all the hoovering and heavier stuff and me doing most cooking and kitchen stuff, and laundry.

When we are home together we share childcare 50/50 but obviously I'm at work less so I do more.

Hobbies etc took a back seat during 1st year which was v tough as DS barely slept and I had pnd. DH had time in the evenings but was often knackered, I just gave myself over to DS to be honest. After 1st year we both got more free time and now he's 3 we have plenty (although that's obviously about to all change!)

After DD was born via emcs DH did everything except feed her as i was in too decrepit a state to do anything.....he was fab and they've got a really great bond now ie total daddy's girl

Housework wise I think we both do more than we used to because otherwise it's really hard to operate with a lo. Before we were both a bit slack but with a baby it's really important to keep on top of stuff like the washing up, clothes washing, hoovering, etc.

Hobbies wise things did take a bit of a back seat for the first year or so but we still made time to get out both individually and as a couple.

My situation is a little different as my DP joined our family a few years ago. In my previous marriage I ended up doing pretty much everything baby related and didn't focus on the relationship or my own interests. This time I'm planning on letting go of some of the control, if I can bear it, to let DP really come into his own as a parent. He's already a fantastic father figure to my two and since my eldest is a teen with ASD he's been thrown right in the deep end so a baby should be easy in comparison.
I'm also going to ask that we do stuff together as a couple once a month and make sure I get to do my hobbies so I don't become a baby bore like last time.
Are you worried about anything in particular littleen? I started to get the 'oh crap, what have I done?' feeling a week ago and this baby took a year to conceive. Last minute nerves are very common.

It took me and dh a good 6-9 months to get the balance right after ds was born, and I probably still do more now, but then I work 2 days a week and he does 5.

DH missed the birth and didn't have paternity leave so he never really had the chance to get stuck in with ds in the early days. He started a new job 2 days before ds was born. My brother came to live/stay with us for the summer and he and dh would bugger off and play golf most evenings after work so I would be on my own with ds morning through to evening. My LITTLE brother was more considerate than dh tbh - did more housework, cooking, taking ds off my hands for a bit. TBH I think I made it all look a bit too easy for dh and for him life didn't really change (he just saw me going out for coffee with friends nearly every day!). Things got better when ds started waking at 5am each day! After a couple of months of that I broke down a bit and we instigated some new rules - we take it in turns each morning to get up with ds and take it in turns to put him to bed at night. The other person is then responsible for tidying up/washing up. I then started a new part time job when ds was 1 years old and dh looked after him for a couple of months and he got a much bigger appreciation of how much work was involved. Dh still needs a kick up the bum every now and again but he has been much better during this pg and looking after us all better.

I had loads of time for crafting in the first year after ds was born and when he was 18 months I joined a gym with a creche (could have sent him much younger). By the time he was 4 months old I had my evenings back (he went to bed 7-7 with one wake up between 12-2am) so I could have done anything in the evenings.

Trying to get anything done with a toddler is an entirely different matter....

Dawn you sound v similar to us. Prior to DS we didn't really keep on top of the house much, but once you have a baby you find yourself in total chaos if you don't keep on top of basic things like laundry and a clean kitchen!!

Yeah, I just had a 'Stop the ride, I want to get off!' moment last night.

Thanks for your replies about the GTT, I've decided to go along with what she says, I've googled GDD risks etc. and now worried myself silly :( I must admit I don't really have a clue about a diabetic diet, I've just been keeping sugar to a minimum and hoping for the best

I'm another Uppababy lady. DH was obsessed with the silver with black body so we have ordered to collect today. We got our car seat on Thursday and learnt how to attach it. It seems to be happening!

Ps no leaking here either. I assume that my body will figure this out in due course.

About to get ready to go to NHS antenatal class, on birth and labour. The last one I did was useless - all about shaken babies, domestic violence and SIDS - it was supposed to be about looking after a baby...

Will have to see what this one is like, although I'm glad that I have done private classes!

We were set on the Uppababy, but couldn't justify the cost, so have gone for the Graco Evo as it fits in the boot of my little Yaris! It's also really lightweight and folds down like a dream. Just waiting for delivery so we can have a play...

Hope the NHS class is good cubano. Our's was brill, led by a fab midwife. Think we got more out of that day than from NCT so far.

Yuk! This weather is really depressing me - so much for long walks every day while on mat leave
Off to choose carpet for the nursery, which lifts the depression slightly

Cubano Hope your class is more appropriate this time!

Thanks for all the responses! I do have quite a "what have I done" sort of mind at the moment, and worry loads about how my other half will be once baby arrives. He really wants to be a dad though, so I'm hoping it will be fine. I think I worry that he doesn't worry enough, if that makes sense? Also he is not very good at doing his share of housework, and I can't keep on top of it on my own (even without a baby) so I feel the house is in a constant state of mess!

Reassuring to hear that most of your OH's have upped their efforts though, and that sparetime is still an option :)

petty Sounds frustrating for you when you had your first child! Good that you managed to find a solution :)

I hope your nhs classes go well today cubano. I never got round to booking mine as could never get hold of the right person so thank god I did nct or I wouldn't have a clue! The second lady from our class had her baby yesterday morning eeeeek!

Gosh what a busy morning I've had. Got stuff from primark for birth and afterwards (so much nice "loungewear" that looks good for ready feeding too) and more giant pants, then got arnica, evening primrose oil, nipple cream and free changing bag from boots I also strayed into the m&s sale and got some cute bargains for when baby is older, then picked up our car seat (in bright pink ) and base and finally returned my library books (to a giant fine ooops). So all in all very productive but I am now not allowed to go to shops again as I have gone a bit spend crazy! At least I got bargains I guess.

Hoping to start dyeing some of the white muslins and baby grows today yaaaaay! Baby is really really wriggly! I hope she's been listening and is getting herself in the "optimum birth position". I hope you're all having good weekends x

Having a slightly shit day mood-wise, have got out of the house to my mum's to get away from DH for a bit and have just bought a juicer online in the hopes that it will encourage regular pooing and good health.

DH loves to be in the house at the weekend but I need to get out and do something - anything - or I get all depressed as otherwise we spend the whole day sitting on the sofa as the house isn't very big.

I'm now questioning the Uppababy as the reviews I read on Which seem to say it's not great for offroading which is pretty much all the routes I walk, and I'd want to walk them with baby. Exept - unless the buggy has exceptional suspension, won't the bumps be too much for his floppy neck at first anyway? I don't know.