September 2014 - we're over half way there!

[HippyJess]

Shiny noo thread with only 4 full months to go! Where did the time go??

Forgot to say that sainsburys have 25% off clothes until Monday, their baby gros have been highly recommended to me as they wash really well.

If you buy Grazia magazine this week there is a 30% discount code for gap which you can use on maternity wear or baby clothes.

Missb thinking of you... I know it is easier said than done but I hope you could focus on positives and stay positive... Afterall there is a possibility that there is nothing wrong with your baby and you could find that is the case after birth ...? Too much stress won't do you or your baby good; although I totally understand how hard it could be ...

Misscaff I think commute to London is prob taking your energy more than you think... I used to commute to central London until a couple of years ago when I changed my job, completely by chance, to a more local company; but still many of my clients meetings are in London and I can tell you, days I commute to London my energy level is totally different from days I work in the office... And that wasn't the case before pregnancy... I specially hate peak hours commute and get offered a seat rarely if ever!! !

Ilove well done ! Good job! 3k is really very high though! I never paid that much for car insurance, have you tried price comparison sites? Perhaps once with you as lead drive and your oh is the additional driver and once the other way around? If you haven't I would give it a go, it may just save you a lot of money...

Congrats ilove! Regarding the car insurance. It might help to put other ppl as named drivers on the insurance like parents for example, who have been driving a while.. It's always best to try lots of Different options on price comparison sites. 3k for 10months is a ridiculous amount to pay. I think the most I paid when I passed my test was 1k, and it went down every year.

Anyone else got to the point where the pregnancy is dragging now. Feels like the weeks r slowing down atm.. Just want my baby here now!

Oh yes, ilove my insurance went down when I added DH (we'd not been together long but I realised he would have his uses, even though he had less No Claims than me!), went down quite a lot. Good luck!

I got my original insurance through price comparison website compare the market. Ive checked confused. Com and lots of others. The highest its gone upto is 18k! Wtf whos going to pay that? Ive tried to go for the telematics one but cant because of the car. Its a civic type s. Not a sports car or anything fancy. I don't want to sell the car as we won't get what we paid for so its another loss. Id rather just pay the extra 500 but dh is adamant we're not paying it. Will try it with parents name and see if its cheaper thanks for that. I cant have dh as the maim driver as hes not from uk and the insurance goes even higher even though hes been driving for years abroad.

Got appointment today at the hosp. First appointment for a long time as I've had to cancel 2 due to being ill.

Tops is there anything you recommend to help get insurance quotes down? Car isnt modified in any way and ita used mainly for food shopping and hospital appointments so its actually cheaper for us to get the bus or even a taxi for the 3k insurance for 10months! And they say diamond is a girls best friend!

It's always worth trying comparison sites again as insurance rates are continuing to fall every month. Does DH have any no claims discount he can use as although he has a foreign licence the discount may make up for that? It's always worth playing around with the excess as that can make a big difference as can your occupation. You need to put in what your actual occupation is but there can be different ways to describe it that can make it cheaper, if I put in insurance manager for an insurance broker it's cheaper than manager at insurance broker. If the car isn't worth a lot it may be worth reducing the cover to third party, fire & theft rather than comprehensive or sometimes it can be cheaper to do comp rather than tpft again depending on the value of the car. Also check your use, if you are just using it for shopping etc you only need private use, not commuting & you probably don't need many miles either. I'll definitely be changing my use & mileage once I'm on mat leave. Hope that helps.

Hey sorry just catching up on some posts and wanted to send hugs to missB. Sorry to hear you're under so much extra stress at the mo.

As for car insurance, when I first passed I got some extortionate quotes but got around it by listing my Dad (I was living at home at the time) as the primary driver and me just as a named driver. I know that's not strictly legal but as I was a student and couldn't afford nearly two grand for car insurance at the time! Is there someone else you could add to your policy?

I'm doing okay, but been freaking out a bit recently. I know nothing about babies! What am I doing? I don't know how to feed a baby or how long they are supposed sleep for or anything! Ekk!

I've only just stopped adding my mum as a named driver (I'm 29) as for some reason that used to bring the quote down. We lived in different counties for some of that, and she has never actually driven my car but just having her on there made it significantly cheaper when I first passed, not idea why but it worked for me. Means you start to build up no claims bonus too which makes a difference in following years.

I also only had 3rd party fire and theft as my cars weren't worth much.

Thinking of you missb, hope they get you some answers soon x

I feel like I don't have a clue either kitkat! I did buy a book but don't feel any the wiser now, all babies are different anyway I suppose so I think it's just muddling through and working it out as you go along? I'm hoping so anyway

The quotes and what we have paid for is only third party and theft/fire! Ive tried lots of ways this morning including having parents as main driver etc and its exactly the same
no matter what we do we will lose out. Dh was in a mood and said right we will sell the car then and get a banger. I dont agree with selling to buy and then insure again and there's no guarantee that we will get what we paid for and if we cancel with our insurers now we will get around 1k back after paying 2.5k 5months ago so to me the only way round is if we can speak to the manager and ask for a discount or something as no one mentioned it going up so much? If we cancel now half way in we won't get our no claims and we did a booster so just 10months insurance. Surely it should go down after that. Our car isn't fancy or flashy but its our car and its been such a godsend for us.

Ps kitkat no amount if books can help as misog said each child is different! My 2 are like chalk and cheese! 1 didnt sleep very well for a long time and still doesn't (eldest) plus he has bad health sn etc and the other is very placid, relaxed and sleeps well

Selling the car and getting a banger won't solve your problem! Bangers are often still in higher insurance groups quite ironically (precisely because younger drivers tend to be only able to afford them).

When you add in running costs, its worth looking at something like a brand new dacia sandero on finance as it actually works out very favourable because its in such a low insurance group. And young drivers don't tend to want to drive one as they are a naff brand name (they are decent reliability etc). There are a few other brands that offer free insurance for the first year two, which might be worth looking at.

In short, its your insurance group thats your key problem, not the age of the car.

I've had a look at group 1 insurance groups and getting quotes for 2k for just me buuut 3k excess will look into what you've said thank you x

I'm sorry missb that your not able to get the answers you need or want! I hope that your next appts can offer some more reassurance soon.
ilove have you asked your insurance company if there is a way to bring down the cost? When I passed albeit 18years ago now you used to be able to do pass plus or an advanced test thing which could bring down the cost. £3k does seem excessive although costs have massively gone up over the years, but I'm surprised anyone can afford to drive if the insurance alone is that. Also does your DH have a Uk license? If not he probably should do, and that might make it cheaper.
Anyone looking for wall stickers jojobebe maman have fairys, butterfly's and digger sets reduced to £5 each on their website, and it's free delivery.

I think I've asked before but does anyone else have gestational diabetes? I'm really struggling with my diet at the moment- always hungry and I need someone else to help keep me in line, with that and the youngest not sleeping again, and a few 15hr shifts thrown in for good measure I'm feeling a bit zombie-ified!

He does have a uk full driving licence hes just not born in the UK. Ive got 2 weeks to decide but seems the only way is to pay the extra 500. I will probably ask to speak to management and see what they can do for us. Its a hell of a lot of money for 5months.

Boo I dont have gd myself but mum had it and im going for gtt on Friday which im dreading! Was horrible watching mum go through that. Are you being induced at 38weeks?

I'm having a section, as I've had 2 previously (emerg & elec) they haven't booked me in yet, but have indicated that it will be around 38 weeks at the latest, but maybe before depending on other risk factors.
I guess if you didn't have it in your last 2 pregnancies ilove your chances of not getting again are good.

Yeh they are low but they still like to check.

Another question here. Member of family has been diagnosed with scarlet fever do I need to be concerned? I have a sore throat and have had a few days

Feeling really rubbish today. Keep on having major faint/dizzy episodes, upset tummy, and feet swelling from how hot it is. off work today as tummy was so bad.

Got a phone call earlier today to say that there is a break in the chain in the house we are buying - the seller our sellers wanted to buy from has pulled out at the last minute, we were hoping to complete next week, and move in a couple weeks time. Half our stuff is already in boxes, and now it looks like there could be a two month delay, and I just can't cope. We are first time buyers, but the house we are renting is up for sale and has had an offer which fell through, so I'm worried we could get evicted! Just desperate to have a place to call our own and to decorate and get ready for baby.

Just don't know what to do. Feel so teary and blue about it all :(

ilove that's not good! I have to disagree with red for me, classic cars have always been cheaper. You don't have to invest in some sparkling done up one, anything pre 199 something is classic as classic and you can get classic car insurance for it. DP has an oldish fiesta, early 90,s reliable as anything but because of it's age, we get super cheap insurance. Old mini's are always cheap, old escorts even old nissan micras to you can insure under classic car insurance (try lancaster insurance) I'm only 26 but even just passing my driving test with the fiesta my insurance was only 270 a year! You want to avoid any of the classic cars with mahoosive engines, the one classic car that we've had that was pricey to insurane was an old escort cosworth because it was so fast. Stick to small engine sizes (good for lower tax costs as well) It is because of your age I suppose though but that does seem high, I don't remember a huge jump down when i turned 25 but it did seem a bit lower.

velvet glad your bubba boy is ok!

ella hope your private scan goes well! And the pram shopping. This will be our second boy so we have painted the walls yellow and put posters and some shelves up for toys, plus bunk beds for when the littleun is older.

topmammy The dream thing, not yet, but with my first pregnancy, ALL the time!! I'd even, ahem, yknow, wake myself up with a finish when I was pregnant and be confused and a bit wtf just happened?! Apparentely it is really normal though! In first trimester I had awful dreams about teeth falling out!

kitkat it will honestly come natural. I know everybody says it, they said it to me enough with ds, but it really did! I just felt an overwhelming rush of wanting to protect him and instinct just kicked in.

I'm off for physiotherapy tomorrow re the pelvic pain! really hoping they can help.

MissB thinking of you. It must be so worrying.

topmammy yes re the dreams. The one I had the other night was about someone from work though I don't even like the bloke!

Boo I have the GT test on Tuesday. I am hoping I don't have it but I wouldn't be surprised as I feel I am mainlining chocolate!!

Awww Coolcat Im so sorry, theres nothing more frustrating than houses is there.

We have a viewer for our house in half an hours time. Please please wish us luck - this is the first flucker of interest that we have had.

Cumbrian all I want is chocolate and cake too!

Boo I had GTT test at around 16 weeks but the results came back fine - being tested again at 28 weeks and having growth scans at 28 weeks & 36 weeks because of high BMI and risk of GD. Because of the risk I have tried to be better with sugary foods, I was a lot better at the beginning (helped that I craved savoury/bland things because of morning sickness) but I am flagging now, particularly have a weakness when it comes to fizzy drinks. I've had quite noticeable fatigue after lunch now and i'm worried that's got something to do with it and the next test won't be such good results. It is hard!

ilove re the scarlet fever I believe it is only an issue when you are under 12 weeks, but I think you should call your Dr's or midwife just to check, how long were you exposed to them?

coolcat we had our vendor pull out on us, we had the contract in our hands and she decided she wanted more money, it was a real nightmare as we had already given notice on our flat. But hey ho life goes on.

I have a real sweet tooth too :)

ilove def check with GP/midwife re scarlet fever, I have a feeling it's one you should avoid, but I can't remember at which stage, it's not good to get it.

Ilove : I would definitely get checked out. All they have to do is a quick throat swab and send it to the lab. It usually takes a few days for results tho. It can be quite nasty and the gp may put you on antibiotics just to make sure