The Brookers are ready for a 2014 sneeze-birth fest. Come and join us if you think you're hard enough...

[SantaMaybe]

Here we go brookers. At least three of us will be sneezing on this one

Photo shoot sounds lovely Too! And great the scan went well. 2lb 7 already sounds great - I agree it's mad to think some babies are born so small

I've been awful keeping up with the thread, even with how quiet it's been recently. I just don't seem to have as much to say second time around.

Am I the next one due? It still seems like ages to go, but I can't think of anyone before me. I've not even got a hospital bag to pack yet, but I'm only 32+4, so I've got plenty of time right? :)

Got my physio app through, for 22nd May. Just a month before I'm due. Oh well, hopefully there will still be something useful to it, and I manage to get that far! My day to day pain is better than it was, but it feels like my hip keeps trying to escape from its socket. Leads to just a short burst of intense pain, then a lot of limping and cursing. It's just so hard to look after myself properly when DS wants me on the floor playing with him so much.

Glad to hear of good scans. I'm sure your photoshoot will be lovely too. I hope you enjoy your trip up north, though sorry about your great gran.

So quiet!

Sorry to hear about the hip pain stacks sounds awful. I haven't had anything like that but this pg Ive had a lot more aches and pains (shoulder and back mainly). Cant decide whether its because its number 3, a boy or because Im 4 years older than with dd1!

Photoshoot will be lovely too, you'll look lovely. They'll probably help you get in flattering poses (and for your poor offended dh, heehee).

We had the 20 week scan last week (at 21 weeks). All good, everything as should be and still a boy as he gave us a good flash of his bits (apparently, as tbh I think Ive had over 20 scans now and I still have no bloody idea what's what).

Did my last work trip to Italy last week as well. Sad not to see our Italian staff for a while and will miss my trips out there but nice to know I won't be away from the girls for anymore nights before the birth.

Speaking of the birth we're already embroiled in PIL misery around what happens over that time. They were here last week (quite a busy one) and were quite forceful around being here when I give birth (planned induction at 38-39 weeks again) but the last two times they have been and its been difficult and I'm not up for it again. DH is also cross at them but does make the point that easier for him to live with them for the 24 hours before Ill come home than my mum or the nanny...

Pah! Holiday in three weeks time though, yay!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Wow, it really is quiet in here. Quiet on Facebook too really. Is it because lots of us are second (+) timers? I certainly feel I don't have much to say these days. Very different being pg with a LO already.

I honestly don't have much to say though. Saw midwife last week and all is good, she had me measuring a couple if weeks behind, but isn't concerned. I measured bang in dates with DS and he was 8lb 8oz, so this one can afford to be a bit smaller if she likes.

Hope everyone is well. Great news on the good scan pomme. I hope you can sort something with the IL's, it seems it might be a bit tricky with the precedent having been set. Still, they should respect your wishes, and those of DH hopefully. Maybe the fact it's #3 could help? No room for them? No need as you're confident you'll be able to handle it this time?

There's a reason why I haven't been posting! I wrote a big post earlier and then M climbed over the arm of my chair and started pressing buttons on the laptop and managed to delete the whole post. This happens regularly.

Then I went and hung the washing out. Started in glorious sunshine but by the time I got to the end of the line, it had clouded over and was starting to rain. Today is clearly going to be a frustrating one. I've left the washing out - the weather forecast says it's going to be fine today so hopefully the rain is only temporary.

I shall post this to avoid toddler deletion and then write more.

Pomme, yay for a good scan! Agree that I so cannot see bits on the screen, though - I've had a 20, 24 and 28 week scan now and on none of them have I been able to see the proof that this is a boy. Sonographers sound very sure, though, so I'm taking their word for it.

Grr at your PIL! I'm having the same problem with my mum - she wants to be the one to stay when I go into hospital so she can look after M. Trouble is, PIL asked if we wanted help with that about 3 months ago, so we said yes, as they are retired and Mum isn't. Cue big drama from Mum - I should pick the person I'm most comfortable with; I should consider her feelings and consult her before making a decision; she's very hurt; she is naturally better suited to looking after M than PIL are because she's my mum ; PIL always hog the special occasions like Christmas and M's birthday...I think I've got it sorted now - have invited Mum to come for a few days the week after I get home from the hospital, and for a few more days when DH goes back to work, and I think she's accepted this. I also told her that just because PIL are staying with us, it doesn't mean that she can't come when Wolfie is born! She thought I meant she had to stay at home - all I meant was that she couldn't stay with us that day because the house would be full, but I assumed she would come and stay with DSis or in a B&B or something. Grr.

Hiya too!

Naughty toddlers! We've just had another no nappy attempt with a and she's now in a nappy...! Two messes to clean up in an hour and a half and I'm over the idea!

Saw consultant yesterday, have another scan at the end of May to redo the blood flow measurements as she wants to see them lower. We were hoping to go to 28 or 32 weeks before a rescan with this pregnancy but better to be safe than sorry!

Why are family so blooming complicated?!

I am grumpy about maternity clothes at the moment. Everywhere I look there are gorgeous patterned trousers and pencil skirts. Finally thought I'd found one of each on asos but all sold out except in size blooming six!

Looking forward to next summer already, wine, nice clothes and all being well a squidy 9 months old!

Argh! Today I'm in a bad mood, and today I lose my post :(

Basically, I'm going for a nap! DS has been annoying today and I'm struggling to keep my temper. Probably because he woke me at 5 crying, he went back to sleep quickly, but I didn't.

I can't post when he's awake just now, as he demands my phone/iPad/laptop. I just want to avoid the crying when I refuse, so all 'technology' is for nap time or after bed time. Except DH is a bloody addict and can't seem to help himself. Sigh, bad mood coming through again.

Will try and write a proper post soon. 35w now :)

Hello! We have been a quiet bunch, although things are a bit more chatty on FB!

I am almost 22w now and I am not vomiting as much. Scans are looking good but we've not found out the baby's sex. We're leaving it as a surprise.

Hope today gets better, Stacks! Not long to go now!

Hello!

Stacks, I hear you on the toddler-grabbing-technology thing. Drives me demented! DH is also a laptop hog and I hate posting on my tablet because it takes so much longer to write on it than on a proper keyboard.

Poor you with the tiredness. Am resorting to more and more episodes of Balamory to try to get a bit of peace, but then I feel bad for letting M watch so much TV. Can't win! She woke up at about 4.30 this morning, came into bed with me and just wouldn't go back to sleep. Happy wriggling and chatting for nearly an hour was followed by tired crying but she still would not go back to sleep. In the end DH got up with her at 6 and took her off for some breakfast. I was supposed to be having a lie-in but I could hear one tantrum after another with lots of screaming coming from the living room, so it wasn't very restful. In the end I got up and we took M to softplay (at the mining museum) and let her wear herself out while we sat slumped at a table with bacon rolls. She's asleep now and so is DH! I might go join them in a bit. Every night we get M to bed at 7.30 and I'm so knackered I just want to go straight to bed myself. I probably should - might be a bit more awake during the day if I do!

Did you decide whether to go for an ELCS or a VBAC in the end? If it's the former, when will it be?

Dino, lovely to hear from you! Yay for good scans and less vomiting.

Pomme, me too with clothes! I just want to wear nice bright clothes and I love the patterned trousers out there at the moment! I'm not looking forward to post-natal general wobbliness. I weighed myself (rashly) this week and I've put on 1 stone 10 pounds...now I know that the baby/placenta/fluid etc will account for about a stone of that, but that's at full term and I still have 6 and a half weeks to go, and I'm eating like a pig, so there's bound to be more to lose by then.

I've got my 32 week scan and consultant appt tomorrow afternoon, and I should get the date for my ELCS then, hurray! Everyone keeps asking me - PIL, Mum, Dad, work, friends, so I just want to be able to start organising things around it.

I'm 31+4 - is this when I'm supposed to get the whooping cough jab? And I must, must, must get my MATB1 form and hand it in to HR. I'm aiming to go on mat leave in 5 weeks - my last day will be Thursday 26th June. I may have been counting down at work rather obviously! I went out on a gully motor on Thursday to help the driver with his new tablet (a gully motor is a vehicle that cleans road drains) and I think he was a bit scared that I was going to go into labour on the side of the road or something.

Stacks, have you done your hospital bag and bought everything you need for the new baby yet? I was thinking about it the other day. We haven't bought a thing yet, mainly because we have most of the big stuff already. I think the only things we'll want will be some new non-pink clothes (but we do have some unisex stuff already), plus a new mattress for the Moses basket. I want a new electric breastpump because mine broke and I'm considering donating milk to the milk bank in Glasgow, all being well with my supply etc. I've heard good things about the Medela pump - any recommendations, anyone? Apart from that, I could do with a couple of new nursing bras because mine have seen 2 years of strenuous use, but that's not an immediate necessity.

Hope everyone else is doing well and no news = good news!

Hey. Got a bit of time just now, and happen to be on my phone, so I'll post a quick update :)

My day got worse the other day, DS had a really short nap instead of his usual 2 hours, woke up grumpy and clingy. It was the day I had lots to do for cooking too. Still, I got through it all and didn't let the temper out on anything more than the cat (I wouldn't let him in out the rain, because he's naughty and scavenges off the kitchen counter any chance he gets, and I couldn't be bothered tidying up specially to let him in!).

My dad came up today with what should be most of the things I need for baby. A swinging crib for the living room, crib and pram sheets, newborn and 0-3 baby clothes, my moby sling, birthing ball, car seat and isofix base... Maybe more, I forget. My niece was born in March and I'd lent lots of stuff to my sister, who'd lent it to me for DS.. so it's all come around again, if a little close in age this time!

My hospital bag isn't packed at all, but I have started thinking about it. I've got nappies, wipes and some baby clothes looked out, breast pads, maternity pads, tens machine and toiletries all in a pile. I've got a real mental block on what else I'll need though, and no sense of urgency at all. Will try and get everythingn ready this week while my dad is here and can help with DS maybe, or perhaps I'll nap.

I'd like a VBAC this time, though if baby isn't here by 10 days over then I might end up with a c section again. There's no induction options for me, so if they can't break my waters then and there, I'll be prepped for a section. I'm due on your last day at work too.

I wish DS would watch a bit of tv sometimes. He's just not really interested in it though. He's also still not great at playing on his own, he likes a lot of interaction with most games. His favourite thing to do is read books - we get through a good 25-50 a day. I think it's mostly because it's 1-1 attention. I don't want to discourage it though, so I happily read the same books over and over for him. At least it's a nice quiet activity. Playing cars and running round the house are reserved for when daddy is home :)

I saw the physio and got a big tubigrip and a bunch of advice. She has no real idea what the really intense pain I get in my hip is, and the spd isn't actually that bad. So just lots of general advice, mostly to use my pelvic floor constantly, when lifting, bending, turning in bed etc etc.

I know this has been very me me me, sorry.

too I hate the 'lay in' which just consists of laying there listening to crying. It's not at all restful and is occasionally provoking of that old pg temper. Sometimes I just can't understand why DH can't keep him quiet. Of course there's usually a good reason, like over tiredness.
I hope your appointment goes well, and you remember to get your matb1. I thought it had to be in earlier than week 32? Like week 28 or something? Maybe it's company specific. Your whooping cough jab is anywhere from 28-38 weeks I think, I had mine at about 33w, after my midwife appointment reminded me (she didn't mention it at all though).

Oops, is the MATB1 form meant to be in already? Both my MW and I are very scatty about things like that and the fact that she's been doing all my appts at home means that if I were to remember she probably wouldn't have one to hand. She's coming out on Friday, I think, so hopefully she'll remember to bring it with her.

M wasn't at all interested in telly until about a month ago, and it's still only videos of Balamory non stop . This is because they sing Balamory at nursery, so she was incredibly excited when we first showed her a video with it being sung properly. When I put an episode on now, she watches the first couple of songs and then wants to do something else, but as soon as a song starts she watches again. She's stopped reading as much - at one point she wanted non-stop stories, now it's endless Balamory. When I'm on mat leave I'm going to insist on less Balamory and more stories, but right now I'm taking the path of least resistance.

Oooh, if you go 10 days over again then your DD and my DS will be extremely close in age! I got the date for my section today - it will be Wednesday the 9th of July. It's all booked and everything. I had totally forgotten that I have to go in for steroid injections on the preceding 2 days, but that's okay. My consultant will be on holiday so I'm not sure who exactly is doing the CS, but seeing as I only saw her once before today I'm not especially fussed by this.

I'm full term next week. Where did the time go? This weekend I will get everything ready, sorted, packed etc. I went through the stuff my dad brought up, and I've got 25 newborn sized baby grows! So, one a day I think :) not got any 0-3m though, as I'm getting them second hand from my sister, and my niece is still wearing them. Stil, they're coming to visit no later than he 10th July, and if baby is born near due date she should be in newborn for a little while anyway. It'll all work out fine right?

I've discovered DS will watch a couple of episodes of Peppa Pig, if we watch them sitting at daddies computer in his chair. This means I can't leave him watch them, as I have to make sure he doesn't fall off the chair with his squirming. Still, it's an easy 5-10 minutes if I really need a break. Unfortunately it now also means I'm being nagged for "Peppa" constantly! It would be one of the few words he can say well. I have to be careful though, as he uses "peppa" for all sorts of things, like "pizza" and other indecipherable things, but if I say "Peppa" back then it instantly means Peppa pig .

Hopefully it's not too late for your matb1 form too. Even if it is I think it'd just, maybe, mean you didn't get your mat pay on time, though only if your hr are slow about it I would think.

DS is down for his nap, and I'm too tired and sore to do anything. Don't want to go for a nap, as the days I try are always the days he wakes up early. I find I feel so much worse for almost sleeping than just staying up. I need to do a bunch of cooking, but can't be bothered with it. Maybe tomorrow right?

Full term, stacks. How did that happen? Doesn't seem that long since we were at this stage with your DC1!

I can't stand Peppa Pig but I have become quite a fan of the Octonauts, Postman Pat (although every time he does a bodge job but the villagers think he is amazing), Bob the Builder (but I think he really needs to sort out what is happening with Wendy) and Thomas. Thankfully, DS only gets 30 minutes a day of Cbeebies!

You've just reminded me that I meant to pick up my MATB1 form today. I might ask DH to pick it up on his way home tonight so I can sort things with my boss.

Talk about growing up fast. Today we had a mini tantrum from DS because I wouldn't let him play with his willy longer! Instead I was mean and put a nappy on him so we could go to playgroup.

Argh, I forgot the MATB1 form! Bugger. MW was here this morning and I totally forgot to ask for it. She's going on holiday this week so I'll have to call the office number and ask for one. Must, must, must remember!

[Grin] at tantrum because he wanted to play with his willy! Yay for full-time, Stacks!

Dino, how far along are you now?

I think we have picked a name now. Hooray! We have been swithering for ages so it's a relief to have made a decision. Now we just have to stick for it for the next 6 weeks.

I got lucky with napping today - put M down and went to bed myself at 12.30 (was exhausted after being out last night until 10 ), and she didn't wake up until quarter to 4! It was blissful.

my name is trix and I am a bad brooker
had an awful night with N, first night in his own room, I slept on the floor.
I thought he would be fine as he has one nap a day in there already. any tips??

Hey Trix! How old is N now? We didn't end up putting T into his own room till about 7m, and one of us slept in there nearly every night till he was 9m when we finally did controlled crying... So not sure I can be too helpful with solutions really.

We tried loads of stuff from giving him extra food at bedtime to new routines (bath, books etc) none of it made much difference really. Some of it is routine, so N may get better after just persevering for a few nights. There's also lots of stuff about making the cot a friendly place (spend time in there playing during the day) and not putting them down asleep (so when they wake up they know where they are, rather than a sudden transportation without the concept that they've been asleep while the change happened). Also try introducing a teddy or other comforting thing for all nap/sleep times. As I say though, it didn't really work for us :(

What problems are you having? Constant waking, feeding, difficulty settling?

As for me, midwife tomorrow and full term on Thursday! I'm not sure baby is engaged at all though, as I've had basically no low down pressure. I know second babies can engage much later, but I'd hoped for a sign that things may get moving naturally before 42 weeks this time!!

hey stacks ooooo not long now, fingers crossed it happens naturally for you.
N is 5months (just) we hadn't wanted to move him ''early'' really but he hasn't got enough room in his Moses basket and we where all starting to disturb eachother in the night. so I thought he might prefer being in his own room. for a while now he's had one nap a day in his cot so thought he would be familiar enough with it.
he went down fine, but he does fall asleep with his bottle, but woke after half hour and took nearly 3hours to get him properly back off, couldn't settle him in the cot would fall asleep on one of us but would wake up wen we put him down or soon after, although there where still a couple of small crying episodes where he settled him self. in the end he slept till 7.15am so not bad at all.
last night was much better only really cried once and was fine once I got his dummy. through the night he's let out cries every now and then but not woken. perhaps the other night was a one off or he was too tired to care last night. let's see what tonight brings . haven't decided how long I will sleep on his floor!

Trix, how has N been since? Hoping he sleeps well now!

I love Rug Doctor. I especially love watching someone else use Rug Doctor while I sit on my 8 months pg behind and point out the missed bits! The pale beige carpet is now several shades lighter than it was an hour ago. I did Hoover, though, and have backache as a result, mind.

First A&E visit for M! I tried to hoick her back onto the bed just as she was sliding off, and I apparently gave her a pulled elbow, which is a partial dislocation. < bad mother emoticon> We weren't sure at first if she was really hurt or just tired and grumpy because she missed her nap today, but when she still wasn't using her arm after 20 mins and wouldn't take an ice lolly with the sore arm we decided it must be serious. A&E took one look at us and said they only treated people over 13 and we ought to be at the Sick Kids' hospital, but added that they would get a registrar to check M before they sent us there. Registrar came immediately, and said if it was a pulled elbow she could fix it, if not we'd have to go to Sick Kids' for an X ray. She manipulated M's elbow, which made M cry, and said she'd give it 10 mins and see if she would start using her arm again, and lo and behold, she did! I gave her my shiny mascara tube to test her and she not only reached for it, she tried to take the lid off, so we were most relieved. I was actually most impressed by the speed of it all - we were in and out within 15 mins with a totally healed child! She might do it again, and it's an A&E job to put it back, but at least now we know to be careful and which hospital to go to another time!

too poor M! glad it was easily fixed. N is loads better now, he is fairly adaptable to new things thank god so I only stayed with him a few nights. I have the monitor on quietly all night and am still worried I've slept through him cry. still abit worried about our long weekend in Devon in a couple of weeks, a strange place and a strange bed it will probably take the whole time we are there for him to get used to it!

Evening. You all dropped off my TIO just as people start posting again! T has started waking up early, so I'm spending my days tired and grumpy, and my evenings in a semi conscious state until it's a reasonable hour to go to bed. I should probably give up and just start going to bed when T does, but I feel I want my own evening however lame it is.
Today has been particularly trying, T has woken either with a cold or teething, or both, and has been super whiny all day. Really tried my patience :( I ended up going upstairs after dinner for a cry, was just overwhelmed with being tired, fed up and angry at him. He decided to end a nice meal with purposefully throwing food on the floor. I took his plate away but he first threw the bits off his high chair, then what was in his mouth. Had to fight the urge to smack him, which made me feel like an awful mum. :(

Still, not long left being pg now, hopefully. I know it's going to be really hard work with a newborn and all the stress and lack of sleep that comes with. I can't help feeling it'll be just a bit easier without the bump, back and hip pain, and extra weight and tiredness it brings. Also, I can hand DH the baby for a little while and spend time with DS or on my own. Even just 10 minutes. It's weird, I kind of like being pregnant and I'm super lucky to have quite easy pregnancies. So i feel like I shouldn't be complaining. I guess I'm just ready for the next phase, however hard it's going to be.

Hope M is ok too, I'm glad a&e sorted it for you quickly. We've been super lucky with T, worst he's had really is his current injury of nose meets concrete.. It's just a graze, but DH is feeling really guilty as it happened on his 'watch'.

Glad N seems to have settled trix. Really hope your holiday goes better than expected. I dread taking DS away now, after a particularly bad week visiting my sister. That said, he travelled well as a baby. Though we co slept till quite late, so I could always fall back on that on bad nights.

Putting myself back on the thread!

How scary too - glad all is ok.

Dd2 has impetigo (dd1 gets it a lot so we have the anti bac cream) and today (3 days in) I realized I'd been putting canestan on her instead of the anti bio cream. That's definitely a bad mum emoticon!

We had a weeks holiday last week which was amazing. Back at work I seem more knackered than ever at the end of the day though. Slight panic that we are going back to the no sleep phase just as the dds are getting so much easier.

Brooking for stacks!

Oh Stacks, it's hard! Yesterday I started to cry because M nipped me with her fingernails. She was having a huge tantrum because she wanted Daddy to pour her juice. DH was in the living room, I was in the kitchen with her, and she wanted to carry the juice and the cup to him and get him to pour it. It was cordial, so it needed water adding. I took it off her and poured the juice and added water, and then she stood in the kitchen and cried and cried. Eventually I went and picked her up, and carried her into the living room, and asked her if she wanted to go in the bath. She said 'no!', threw herself backwards and grabbed out with one hand, nipping the skin on my neck. It wasn't even that hard, but I just welled up and couldn't stop crying. DH took over, calmed M down and told her to apologise to me, and she came and hugged me and said sorry and that made me even worse.

Pomme, at putting canestan on DD2! Yy to being knackered at the end of the day, too.

Am working from home today and LO keeps kicking me in the bladder. I am sure I'm going to wee myself soon if he doesn't change his aim. Just as well I'm at home, really - the glamour!

How is everyone enjoying their weekend? I'm getting dinner cooked for me at the IL for Father's Day/MIL and my birthday. Been quite a good day so far, DH is just trying to get DS down for a sleep then it'll be perfect :)

I've been quite raw on the emotions recently, DS had me crying again Friday. He'd been being clingy and shouting while I was trying to cook dinner. When I finally gave up trying he came over to me with his book of rhymes, and did the actions to "I'm a little teapot". Unfortunately I couldn't get through singing the song as I was crying at just how cute he is! It's hard to look at life from their perspective sometimes. He doesn't know why I have to cook dinner, he just wants some time and attention from mummy. Just a shame it's constant attention that I just can't, and won't, be able to give. Poor wee man.

Someone was talking about sibling jealousy the other day, and had a great example I've been trying to keep in mind. What would you think if your DH/P sat you down one day and said "I love you so much, and think you're so amazing and special, that I've decided to get another wife"? Really does make you stop and think what you're asking of an only child when bringing a sibling in!

Hope the impetigo clears up soon pomme. My brother got it lots as a child, but they ended up putting him through lots of tests to see if he had cancer or another immune disorder. So it's a sort of scary sounding thing to me, even though it's relatively harmless right? I'm sure the canestan won't have done any harm :)

How are you doing too? One thing I defiantely won't miss about being pg is the constant need to go for the worlds tiniest pee! It's pretty good exercise for the old pelvic floor muscles though! I'm sure you're doing those all the time though unlike me.