July 2014 - Thread 5: Blooming!

[lemonpoppyseed]

Thread 5 already! Sorry about the un-witty title. Am awake because baby is having a party in my belly...

zing thanks :) I'm going to get a couple of flat sheets too as I think it was you that said you used them instead of blankets in the summer?

I'm obsessed with the flanelette at the mo... we have our xmas bedding on the bed cos its so warm and cosy

oh, yes, I did, they are lovely.
never used them as cotsheets though, no patientce with loose ends!

I feel like crap today. kids are at grandma's so sod housework and millions of things to do - I'm going to bed.

So frustrated with Docs and midwife! I call up to get my 25 week appt a few weeks ago and they tell me I cant book that far in advance. I call up yesterday to book for next week and they tell me she is full - she only does a monday and the one after next is a bank holida (plus Im not here for 2 weeks after easter weekend as its school holidays!) this wouldn't be a problem to wait only I need my MATB1 form before next Friday so I can go on MAT leave on the 9th May! Its all a mess and they said I can't see another midwife! GRRRRR RANT!!

auntie glad to hear it - my pubic bone has been ok yesterday and today so think I mustve maybe overdone it before. Going to have to make a big effort not to get sucked into doing too much tidying/diy things over hols

patch I feel rubbish today though I think its the heartburn/indigestion mainly. Sitting here with a glass of milk in the hope it may help a bit Working at home is the way to go - have the dog sleeping on my feet under the desk at the moment - its like wearing fluffy slippers but better

howly can you ask for them to just sign it and leave it out for you at reception? I was told by our personnel that you can start mat leave without having it in (we fill out another form to say when we start/end leave) - it is just that payroll will not pay you until they receive it so there may be a bit of leeway depending on when your payroll cut off is?

Hello from the US! I'm not on holiday though, and flying home tonight. Unfortunately I had absolutely no time to go shopping - only here 48 hours and will have done 5 flights in 4 days when I get home. I'm looking forward to seeing DS. It's strange for me to think that this is my last trip before the birth.

Maggie, in my last pregnancy my ankles swelled up horribly. This time I've been wearing compression stockings if I expect to be stood up a lot. I've now got 5 pairs and I'm going to start wearing them everyday now until it gets too hot or I can't bend over to do the battle to pull them on.

I've got child care sorted out - this one will take up DS's place with the childminder that frees up when he starts school in September when I go back to work in November. I had a nightmare with care for DS in the beginning so hope it all works out this time with no unforeseen surprises.

I 'passed' my GTT easily last week, which is not really a surprise since the only reason for having it was my age (and I'm only just on their threshold for age). Anyway, the midwife was just following the rules so I won't grumble too much.

The midwife needs to speak to the consultant to decide when I have to transfer to consultant care before the birth and ask about ELCS. She said it's not routine but based on what happened with DS and EMCS it could be ok.

Hope those of you going shopping have fun unpacking and assembling / sorting out all your purchases!

I've made a mistake of going to the airport with DH to pick up my brother. Didn't get to bed till nearly 2am so absolutely knackered. At least I know why I'm feeling rubbish.

25 week appointment next week - did the midwife check heartbeat when you went? It's the only exciting thing now with no more scans...

I can already tell I'm going to have to try and pace myself. Now that we're back I'm raring to go sort out house, cross things off lists and because it's feeling decidedly spring-like out there I want to do all the gardening. This will lead to a tired Ismarah, I suspect..

DH has now caught my lovely and awesome cold but at least he's not vomming with it like I was. He's feeling very sorry for himself though, bless.

Off to pick up our dog this afternoon - yay! my first baby

Zing I highly recommend puppies as a way to assuage broodiness. Although DH won't let me have another one. The big meanie. pouts and flounces off

Oh, and is it weird that I'm vaguely upset that my death stare has worked brilliantly and I'm yet to be accosted by strangers / old dears who are excited by bumps?

kitkat yes we got to hear heart beat made dh come with as neither of us had heard it before only seen at scan. Was really nice- but faster than I realised!

Am I alone in being completely unmoved by hearing the heartbeat then?

I feel like a get a bit of a stare from HCPs every time they've used a Doppler and I'm not at all excited.

plate - I also feel pretty unmoved by it to be honest, especially as lying on the table is so uncomfortable!
I haven't actually got emotional about anything yet...I found 20 wk scan amazing but more from a "wow you can see the chambers of the heart!" kind of way than a "wow thats my baby..."
I am far too pragmatic in general, think I've only cried once in whole pregnancy and I think it was for a perfectly legitimate reason...starting to think I may have the emotional range of a teaspoon!

plate and patchwork I'm the same... other women keep squealing about how exciting it all is and I'm like "yeah I guess so..." I am really looking forward to the baby though.

The one thing I have got emotional about is worrying about something happening to DP... got myself in a tizz about that a while ago and feel really close to him and more vunerable about needing him if that makes any sense...

I need a crib mattress and am getting frustrated with the choice... why are there so many choices of these things?!

Lol Maggie even when I thought about my lovely hubby and what would happen without him, my immediate reaction was to phone legal and general to arrange life insurance...just too practical!
But seriously I am really looking forward to baby's arrival

On a related note to the subject of not getting over emotional - how many of you lovely ladies go all 'cooey' over other people's babies?

I have had some snide comments lately from a few people about me 'being scared of babies' or having no maternal instinct just because I don't go all gooey over every baby I see. It's like just because I am pregnant I'm expected to?

To be honest it made me quite cross. One comment came from a friend who is exceptionally broody atm but her oh is not keen on ttc yet. I was broody before ttc so I get that she is maybe feeling a little resentful etc but there's still no need.

She has been hanging out with her friend and friend's baby a lot lately and because I said I didn't want to hold the baby (she was sleeping and I didn't agree with waking a 3 month old just for a cuddle) she went round telling everyone I was afraid to hold her, and that I lack a mothering instinct She was kind of half joking but it still hurt a bit. I don't dislike babies - and I am very excited about my own baby arriving - but I do prefer them once they start 'doing' stuff iykwim? I told her this and said I was having a baby not to have a 'baby' per se but to have a family which just resulted in more strange looks.

I dunno maybe I am weird or maybe it'll change once I have my own but I told my mum and she said she wouldn't describe herself as maternal in the way that other people think gooey over babies. She always did loads of stuff with us though and I always knew she loved us and would rip anyone that hurt us in half so I guess there are different 'kinds' of maternal lol

Whoops really long post! Just wanted to add - I also think there may be an element of some of my friends thinking that just because I have put a lot of effort into my career that I would not make as good a mum as them I have had a lot of negative remarks regarding me going back to work after 6 months when actually I thought that that was quite a long time to take off. Its just annoying as I don't judge their life choices

Zing, I understand how you feel - this is most likely our last, so pregnancy slightly tinged with loss. But also looking forward to next stages of family life - and eventually being able to have more time just me and OH!

Totally knackered too, especially due to weird vivid dreams and leg cramps. One day in office, then off for 10 days, yay!

Ipsum It's not like we've had a lobotomy simultaneous to conception...as I may have mentioned to some people who are gaga about babies and expect me to join in.

Like other posters I'm quite pragmatic and that hasn't changed, really. No emotional outbursts, no hormones run amok, no cooing over babies. I'm more excited by bumps than children as they are in the same place as me.

I do wonder if it's my age. At 36, I've lived a little and having a baby is scary because I know what I'm giving up but not entirely what the tradeoff will be. I hope, but I don't know
and I wonder if it's easier to trust it will all be awesome if you're younger? I'm quite set in my ways - maybe a 22yr old isn't?

And broody, bitchy friends can just mind their own business... Can you tell I don't have many friends to tell off?

Ipsum

I don't get cooey either. love my nieces and nephews and will look at babies and think "so sweet" but I don't have the urge to cuddle them.

when I was pg with DS1and a niece of mine had brought up a little sick after being bf I thought "bleugh, that's disgusting, if mine does it I'll puke"

also I actually don't like holding other babies for longer than 5 mins - I get bored.
it's like looking at photos.. yes, cute, but erm, next!

it is no reflection of how you will feel and act when it comes to your own child/ren, so if anyone bugs you about it just say you don't get excited about other babies because they don't belong to you.
just like you don't get excited about other men, but your DH/DP.

OBEM on. Made me wonder, who will be your birth partner/s?

DH will be my birth partner and we'll have a doula. Hopefully the same one we had for dd1. Can't imagine having anyone else there.

Sorry to hear your friend felt the need to be so unkind Ipsum everyone is different and that's fine. I love babies but the thought of coping with my own still terrifies me! Try not to let the comments get you down. As for 6months off work compared to US that is really long. Not everyone can afford/wants to take longer off and that's ok.

As for birth partner will just be me and dh no one else needs to be put through that!

I'll be having an independent midwife and a doula. I know the NHS system too well and don't want to get caught up in stupid policies and protocols!

ickle - I'm the same, I love babies but the thought of being completely responsible for one myself is rather terrifying. There's something nice about being able to give other people's babies back when they start crying/being sick/your arms getting too achy.

My birth partner will just be DH. Part of me wonders if I should have someone else there though as DH gets rather queasy and faint around needles, so who knows how he's going to cope!

I previously missed out on the whole boob-growing phenomenon relating to pregnancy. This week finally had to admit bras just too tight and am enjoying my (relatively for me) enormous 36Cs.

Never knew that the posh bra section at M and S only went up to 34s and after that you have to graduate to the mega-bras with ruler straps!

Ah see patchwork DP already has life insurance I haven't though and must get it sorted but I have some complex medical issues which has been putting me off.

I find babies cute when they start doing stuff and interacting with you... newborns are boring

ipsum sorry your friend is being so unkind :(

ickle also being 36 I agree with you completely... and have had moments of "wtf am I doing???"

Hi everyone, I've been trying to check in from time to time but haven't posted for weeks so sorry and I'm back!

Things have been hectic but all is good. We had a lovely week holiday in the Caribbean about three weeks ago (did miss the rum punches though!), normally I'm really sporty so it was odd but nice just relaxing at the beach, snorkelling etc.

And this week we've exchanged on our house sale and purchase - we move in two weeks. It's been pretty full on with lots of last minute issues up to exchange, so a massive relief to be at this stage - I'd been having a fair few sleepless nights. Zing how is your move going?

Once we move then we can finally start buying all the baby bits and setting up a nursery - I didn't want to buy them now and then have to move them all too. I think we're going to go for the Phil and Teds Navigator v2 pushchair, though I do change my mind daily.

Anyway, enough about me. It sounds like we're all doing well, and suddenly not that long for us to go. 28+2 for me today, where is the time going!