With our swamp fanjos and supermarket jobbies it's all going on in our knickers. It's a wonder our men agree to deliver the prostaglandin injections but then we are the 24th Just Shagging Grads!

[Pisghetti]

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the 24th grads thread... celebrating the success of Just Shagging in getting us viroids upduffed!

For those that don't know, a 'viroid' is from the original JSing thread 1, where someone was trying to type ladies (in reference to all the JSing ladies), but their phone decided to call us all viroids instead!

The name stuck and we've been the JSing viroids ever since.

The thread we have graduated from is herein its 41st outing. WARNING: they're all a bit kerazy not to mention randy!

There is also a Just Mumming thread in postnatal clubs herefor once your babies come along, or to keep up with the graduated graduates!

There is also a private facebook group (so it doesn't give the game away in your news feed!)... if you want to join to see photos of new babies etc, just ask in-thread!

The stats sheet is here

So, roll call below please, viroids!

We're going for silver cross pioneer in chilli red. It comes with a carry cot. Silver cross or Maxi cosi car seats clip on

I chose it because I didn't want 3 wheels and I wanted all the wheels to be the same size. I don't like the little front wheels as they look flimsy to me. This one also has big air filled tyres so a smoother ride and a huuuuge fuck off shopping basket. It's lovely to push and not too heavy

I can also get it from the outlet with £200 off

Thanks for the info on classes

gosh, I'm totally unprepared for birth - need to write a birth plan and think about pain relief etc. I guess I've only just defo decided to go for natural birth rather than ELCS so been in denial about the whole thing :-)

Just to be a bit devil's advocate re hypnobirthing, I have to say I listened to the CD a lot, read the books etc. and I did find it useful in early labour but I felt that overall it gave me a slightly false idea of what labour would be like - maybe it sounds dumb (since its called labour 'n' all) but I was shocked by how much sheer hard work it was - like doing a marathon or something. I had a playlist of calm, relaxing music prepared when actually I think it would've been more appropriate to have the Eye of the Tiger! I'm desperately hoping for a quicker labour this time - DS took forever to come out.

Just saw there's a thread discussing this recent research claiming breastfed babies end up with higher IQ. Sigh, can't help feeling this is just another stick to beat women with who don't want to or can't breastfeed for some reason. My brother was bottlefed and got a 2:1 from Oxford so he can't have been that thick :-)

Silver and petrol blue, Kato - very smart :)

Haven't seen the BF/IQ thread Splodge, but I've read the paper and it's a pretty decent study. Not sure it's meant as a stick to beat women with, more I suspect the researchers looking for evidence to use to encourage those who don't wish to BF, to try it. You know, for the good of the kids, etc. I think society and the media are those looking for sticks to beat formula feeders with. Always after a good headline, and who better than a woman trying her best to raise a kid? A lot of women are just never comfortable with the choices they made though, or still resent the lack of support they received - and we rarely give ourselves a pat on the back for the good we do.

kato any advice happily received! I don'trreally know anyone with babies in rl other than my sis (about to pop) who when asked said she just got the same as her bff lol.
We don't have a lot of storage space all taken up by bikes and climbing gear I have a fiesta but dh has a cmax. Don't want to spend more than £300 but happy to look on gumtree etc (factoring in new car seat). Live in the middle of nowhere but unlikely to be using on rough terrain as I'm hoping to use a sling as much as possible then a rucksack alpine training .... help!

Have weird af pain today which is making me scared. Think I need a hooyah! Just feel there's nothing in there at the moment :(

AF pain totally normal Mountain, don't worry.

I thought it sounded like a good study from what I heard. I think the research is important if only to try to stop some of the hideous companies making so much money from formula. Also it makes me feel like there's actually a reason I'm putting myself through all sorts of shit. I agree with Chat that it's the media and society who turn it into a war - it's utterly ridiculous. Noone is saying that formula fed babies can't be intelligent, I imagine the actual difference in real terms is marginal and of course IQ isn't always the best test of overall intelligence.

splodge my written out birth plan didn't make it out of the bag, but I'd written most of it in the back of my hand held notes and every midwife made a point of coming by and asking about something that I'd put in the plan apart from the poor midwife who delivered Evie as she didn't have a chance till after the birth any way

Am I a bad mother as I wasn't going to make a birth plan. How on earth do I plan for something as seemingly random as childbirth?!?

I guess everyone's plan would be straightforward natural birth and no stitches?

I think if I have a plan I will get too tied trying to stick to it and want the flexibility of "give me all of the drugs now, please"

Thanks for the advice re car seats and mattresses. It really is a whole new world!

Fleur first time round my plan was about two lines of uselessness - I found it impossible to conceptualise in any real sense, despite significant research, a decent NCT leader who did actually discuss all the options and was upfront that a third of our 9 would have sections, and lots of lovely MN advice! I still felt like I was staring at a black wall of unknowns, with nothing at all tangible to grab onto.

This time round I feel much more able to make a sensible plan, because - surprise surprise - I have a vague idea of what to expect, and with eagle-eyed hindsight can see where I will do things differently. Firstly, I will ensure I stay hydrated, and will be nibbling on jelly babies or the like to keep my blood sugar up. Last time I don't think I had had much breakfast when contractions started at 10am, so 14 hours later I literally hit the wall with exhaustion and lack of energy and asked for an epidural. I then spent the rest of my labour on my back - despite feeling more than able to move around I let the mw convince me I should stay that way. That meant my second stage dragged on much longer than it should have, and both DD and I were completely exhausted by the end of it, and we ended up with a rather gruesome forceps delivery. This time round I'll be staying active, hydrated, fed and upright. It can't guarantee me a better end result but it can certainly help me avoid some of the pitfalls of last time.

Above all else, if you can just try to keep in mind that the pain (and I'm not going to sugar coat it, it was f*ing painful) is finite, it will end, and your baby will be a particularly worthwhile result.

I've never made a birth plan Fleur other than to write 'no pethidine' which I had to backtrack on the first time anyway. I don't really get writing other stuff down as you can just say what you want to do at the time? I would have chosen birthing pool and to be active - first time neither was possible, second time, no time for pool and when it came to it I felt the pain too unbearable to be in any position other than lying down. I'm a go with the flow type of person instead of a planner anyway but even if I'd tried to plan it, my body had other ideas.

I think my plan is going to be something like 'please give me all the drugs, please don't call me a 'good girl' and please try and preserve my foof'

We went for the giggle in pitter patter kato - it was on offer at the baby show, and I wanted at least one weather themed item given that everything else is space themed courtesy of Mr tee.. I liked that it comes with the pram bassinet, pushchair and car seat, plus all the rain overs, and a changing bag in one package, so no hidden extras. I can steer it one handed, it's not too heavy which was important to me. It's also LOUD colour wise (bright green frame!) and I like that a lot. It just about fits in the corsa.

I loved the silver cross surf 2 in turquoise, but it was basically twice the price, and I wanted to try and keep to a budget...

I think I'm going to treat myself to a facial in Thursday. I've gone all lizardy again. And Mr tee is away.

I have the uppababy vista in green and I love it! It's pretty, easy to move and has a large basket. Not cheap but you can get them at pramcentre discounted a bit.

My birth plan is mainly going to be wanting to be upright and mobile. I don't want to be on my back. I don't care about forceps, suction whatnot things if needed to get baby out safely. I'd rather not have epidural but I've never had baby before so no idea if I'll be screaming for one on the day. I'd love a water birth if possible.

Has anyone requested delayed cord cutting? Apparently they do it as standard in some of the local hospitals but I don't know if mine is one of them.

Class wise I'm doing fit mummy for exercise, nct to meet people, hospital antenatal for the muffin and I've already done daisy. I think hypnobirthing might be a class too far, my head is spinning with info!!!

Been in training all day and now got to write a presentation for tomorrow. I'm knackered. Roll on June 30th!

Love my uppababy vista too! Got it in amethyst :)

I am actually quite pleased I didn't have to go pram shopping, I don't think I could make a decision!!! All the ones you have look great.

Indeed la roll on 19th June for me it's actually scarily soon. My boss is avoiding all talk about my maternity cover but is happily arranging a baby shower for me

Roll on 21st of April!

You city folk and your posh prams . I'm just going to buy a new pillow for the wheelbarrow.

Birth plans...i had written a few lines that didn't get looked at anyway. It doesn't matter I just went with the flow.

certainly not a city person here gaggia!

We're in the sticks too gaggia

Probably being unreasonable; I have a delicious Malbec I bought for tonight (Mr tee's actual birthday) and we have steaks. he took the day off and disappeared to see another musician about 2pm and said he'd be back in an hour. I napped, and he's still not home. Called him, and he's been running errands for his bloody mother all afternoon because she's decorating. I'm annoyed. Esp since the rather frank discussion we had after his party ('your mother is an interfering arse and might be the most self absorbed person I've ever met')

Not. Fucking. Amused. And i bet anything he'll want a shag later as well. .

I'm opening the Malbec. I can make a whole glass last four hours, right?

Roll on beginning 5h June! (Although I know I'm off work already, I'm just getting a bit preg-weary) I can't believe how fast it's gone since Christmas really, 30 weeks see,ed forever away and it's next fucking week! Eeeek!
la you're makng me feel like a proper slacker. I miss exercising properly, but it's just SO uncomfortable. We had a nice muddy walk earlier and I've felt fucked all afternoon.

Anyone seen lemon?

Like how your mil is still managing to indirectly be a total fucktard tee

leeeemon where are you?

Re birth plans I did one last time and it was looked at as soon as I turned up in hospital - also mw who did my birth afterthoughts session recently said it was a really sensible one. Birth did not go to plan but at least I had stuff written down as DH in no fit state to advocate for me and things I said no to like pethidine, they still asked if I wanted but said "your birth plan says you don't want this but you can change your mind if you want and it will help with XYZ". Being a bit f a control freak it was helpful for me to think through scenarios in advance and what was/was not important to me. Not sure I will bother with a plan for the elcs though!

I use the Pregnancy+ app and it has a section on birth plans with questions like do you want pethidine, do you want the cord to stop pulsing before its cut, do you want to be mobile and you just put yes or no to each so I've already had some thoughts on this but I don't know enough about quite a few of them yet

Sorry all, am lurking but really bad at keeping up to speed and posting!

Tee can you punch them both in the face and blame it on the hormones?
Ga I am now in a city but I am with you! Do I even really need a pram?

I know fuck all about prams travel systems, and I'm sure will need the help of my wise Grads when I've had my 12w scan and allow myself to shop like a fiend

I know shitloads, however, about wine. Used to run a wine merchants, and this is one of the features of my kitchen...

I know quite a lot about birth (theory side only, alas) and am a properly crazy lentil-weaver. Currently flogging the no pain relief, home birth, evidence-based practice, perineal massage, doula-present, active labour, physiological third stage, placenta-printing birth plan. No prophylactic intramuscular vitK, no downs testing, no alcohol until 24wks preg, no removal of vernix, EBF, sling-wearing etc etc watch me eat my words and have an induction and epidural and formula feed (because breastfeeding is hard as fuck) and hire a nanny straight from the 1950s

I will be doing a birth plan because I don't trust DH to remember all of my wishes and can't honestly say I'll be able to advocate for myself when the time comes, particularly if something goes wrong.

DISCLAIMER: Please don't let any of my strong opinions lead you to believe I am a twat! It is very much each to their own and I certainly don't think any less of anyone for not making the same choices I have made so far. I am also prepared to have my mind changed

Am feeling queasier and queasier as the days pass, fuck. Also cannot control cravings / aversions for various flavours at the moment - I had scampi for breakfast this morning, and chocolate fingers for lunch. This evening I am craving radishes and capers????

Sorry for the epic post!

lemon given that I've been dissed and shunned by the other viroids who think it's fucking gross, wanna join me in a spot of Epi-no joviality? Separately of course. Need to know more? Just google Epi no. It's our one way ticket to an intact perineum

lemon missed you!
mountain/tee once your babies have outgrown prams will you wheelbarrow them?
I'm beyond convinced I can feel movements. The feel just like they did with DD and I felt her wriggling from 16 or 17 weeks. Maybe I'm an early feeler? I am 12 weeks now but my bump looks 18 weeks. Maybe I really am further along and not just fat and delusional!

Interesting Indigo! I've heard of it, but haven't yet done much research. I think I've mentioned before my sister is a midwife, and when she was training she witnessed a birth where the woman used perineal massage, but the man was also rubbing her clit as they had read this would minimise grazing and tearing, and she delivered with a perfectly intact perineum and barely any soreness afterwards...I'm not sure I'm brave enough to ask DH to get me off during labour!

Oh, and btw, do anyone else's gums bleed when preg?