Name change cos people know I'm on here!
Brilliant news about the scans! misty everyone jumps on the bandwagon about being excited for the arrival of your baby and share it, they forget that you might be worried or frightened. It's a shift change in life though... Dc becomes number 1 to everybody as soon as they arrive and since you have that date it has already started! And when they are here you will find people rally and will look after you if they see you are feeling crap/sad/knackered/in need of a hug. 
And actually, my mum still put me before dd and I remember her saying "yes she's gorgeous and I've loved the cuddles but how are you"... Still her little girl just like dd will always be mine, I will be so worried about her if she ever has a baby!!!
I totally agree you need time to yourself in week 1 particularly but genuinely a) actively shutting family out completely isn't always best, they have some importance in your life and purely want to share in the joy and excitement even if only for an hour then sending them on their way b) you might be grateful for an hour where someone else can entertain dh/excitedly change a nappy/bring you a cuppa (because most families do do that...) c) you will quite likely find you want to show everyone in the world your beautiful new dc ASAP!!!
You just need heavily implicated rules about when visits are welcome and how long they can be and that you won't be making tea for people though they are welcome to make their own. My mum and dad came round for 2 hrs when dd was tidy and obviously cuddled a bit but mainly made me a bacon and egg sandwich and tidied the kitchen! Which was perfect. You feel very possessive now (and you will) but it's the hormones doing a lot of talking... And remember that these drop very suddenly at birth, you turn into a crying, absolutely exhausted wreck (no-one warns you of this!) and often a helping hand from a visitor and a different face about can actually be just what you need. So don't shut people out completely if you don't have to, would be my opinion - but keep most of the time to yourself as a little family.
I might be able to resurrect the leaving lunch on my annual leave and go back in next week but I think they are probably absolutely swamped with work and don't feel they have time or something. I imagine they thought it was in my best interests not working today or tomorrow and felt they were doing me a favour... But it's just a shame they didn't realise I'd actually quite like to be in. Also since my mentor is away maybe they thought arranging an alternative day when he's back would be better to pop in but I didn't need to be actually working for that. Hope so. Didn't get a card or present last time (though again I fell into maternity leave from sick leave so no chance to say bye and I suppose it's fair enough. Nothing when she arrived either). I sound very unreasonable, no-one should expect anything and I didn't last time, it was fine. A colleague then had a dd 10 months later and got presents and an evening leaving do but she's a bit more popular than me - naturally more of a social creature you know? A picture of her daughter is still stuck up in our staff room! I never sent anything like that in!
We will see if anything appears this time. I do like working there and they have been brilliant trainers and employers but I often feel second fiddle to my colleague. I think she is very lovely, but I always feel she is better than me, you know? Still, it doesn't matter. At least I won't feel too tied when I leave 2 months after my return if I carry on feeling as irritated as I do! Time for pastures new obviously! And different blooming hormones!
Now where's my get up and go? Only got to empty/load dishwasher and put a wash in, and shower/dress (have clothes on but not nice shiny clean ones!) and then nip into work for an hour. No motivation. Not even the idea of McDonalds is doing it?!
Wow just realised I've missed a whole page, will read back... And I'll change name back soon!
35+2