Thread 13. TTC #1 Grads. Some of us still remember that thing called "a full nights sleep" for most, it's a mere memory.

[AudreyBradshaw]

Behold, the wonder of birth! Members from 6 weeks bfp to post-partum wonder Mamas! No question to grotty or minging.

We've come full circle from obsessing about cervical mucus to now obsessing if it's our vagina baby plug going! What larks!

Lots of talk about poo, ours and now babies too! Baby brain is REAL! From morning sickness in the first trimester to the third trimester struggle of getting out of bed ( "walrus-ing"in our house), to actual real babies who are growing so fast! Discussion on the merits of sleepyhead and Ewan the dream sheep.

Sooo many gorgeous babies now! And equally lovely Mummy's! We are amazing! What a year! Can you believe it's been a year since our first tentative TTC thread!? Look how far we've come!

Roll up, literally, in my case, cause I'm practically rotund! for TTC #1 Grads!

marmite - I would love to design my kitchen. I am also a massive IKEA fan - everything they make just works!

I've had a mixed day. Woke up with period-like pains under my bump which didn't go off by lunchtime so ended up calling the triage number (no other number for out of hours unfortunately). Midwife was great and calmed me down - made me realise that lugging furniture around to clear out what will be the baby's room and then spending a lot of yesterday on my hands and knees cleaning was probably the cause ( yes I'm an idiot for not realising ). DH convinced me to sit down for most of the afternoon so feeling much better now. Struggling with taking it easy - at work on my feet all day plus regular exercise plus usual household duties seems to be becoming too much, especially since I'm not getting much sleep at night. I need Arya's Wonder Woman skills, Potato!

Quick question. What is everyone doing to entertain their babies during the day? I worry about Arya being bored but equally I want things to distract her so I can do stuff.
She doesn't nap a huge amount any more and when she does half the time it's on me

Happy due date first! Hope something happens soon, being overdue must be so frustrating.

stardrey. I'm with you there. Despite really not wanting a vaginal birth I almost want something to happen so that I can stop being pregnant! Also bump has finally popped and I feel massive and uncomfortable. Glad you opened the pram box, agree with potato that you've got to cheer yourself up however you can!

Loving the pictures bunch and potato. So cute. We've just got a reindeer outfit for Christmas time, looking forward to playing baby dress up!

jan I used to get awful period cramps whilst I was still working, really spooked me. Glad you put your feet up!

Potato i worry the same thing! He barely sleeps in the day and also usually being cuddled. He has started playing with his toys that hang over his bouncy chair and he has started to stare at the TV when it is on. He seems to like Grand Designs haha. I haven't tried him infront of baby tv yet as I don't want to just dump him there if he likes it.

Hi girls.. hope everyone is well.

Have you guys heard of the app "mush"... a bit like a dating website for mums lol. Good to meet other mums in your area. (Thought of you soda) x

Thanks miley, soda! So glad we're in and that I've finished! Such a relief. Did very slightly more than just make coffee and floored now still but I can take it easy now and get baby's room ready today tho just a list of phonecall and feet up!

Eye infections are miserable hope they're feeling better!

Very impressed you're back to the excersising miley, bunch and pink!

I know potato I am totally in awe of those who continued to 37/38 weeks, even if it wasn't for the crutches my brain is definitely not functioning at the normal level! I hope things settle down with DSD soon, big changes for everyone! The log cabin sounds awesome!!

Rant away miley you need an outlet!!

Those panels are so clever bunch! Was just about to buy one and then remembered my coat doesn't have a zip brain is gone.

Glad your spd is feeling better canters hope mine will start to improve a bit now too! Congratulations on getting the pram together!!

Hope you are right with the 7th first!

Love the Halloween baby pictures

Nev my OH has started watching telly tubbies with Arya (to my disgust) she seems to like it for about 15 mins then gets bored. She also likes music videos, Enya in particular. I don't really want to sit her in front of the to all the time either but I have heard good things about baby Einstein.

I'm currently being held hostage by Arya. She fell asleep on me about an hour ago and I'm too afraid to move in case I wake her... The rooms getting dark and I want a cup of tea but I'm just sat here... She definitely rules the roost!

Thanks danni that looks great, I've signed up

Nev / potato am totally with you re entertaining baby. Alexa is much more alert and awake now and sleeps less if we're at home (she still sleeps a lot when we're out in the pram). I use her bouncy chair and her play mat. I also just put my iPod on and sing along to songs and do a few rhymes - at a baby class they did 'row your boat' using baby's legs plus 'Heads shoulders knees and toes' and I get lots of smiles doing those. She has a fairly short attention span though!

Soda sounds like you're doing the same stuff as me. I make Arya do sit-ups to row, row, row your boat and she finds head shoulders knees and toes really amusing when you get to eyes, ears and nose

Good to know we have similar repertoires potato I haven't watched any kids tv with her - she watches what I watch. There will be time enough for Cartoon Network!

Soda Arya hasn't been allowed to watch what I watch for a few days as I've been catching up on American horror story

Why is it that sodding smoke alarms only start giving off a low battery alarm in the dead of night, scaring the shit out if everyone!

So, I've been planning for ages to create a review blog (mostly because I like moaning about rubbish products and customer service ) but after writing a review of my dehumidifier on Amazon I was contacted by the manufacturer and offered a free dehumidifier . I never realised that reviews could have that power so I'm definitely going to do it now. I've come up with the name "Grumpy Mum Reviews it All" what do you think?
I told OH and he told me that while the name is funny (and probably accurate) he wasn't sure people would want their products reviewed by someone called Grumpy Mum, I can kind of see his point but I still think it's a good name and he couldn't come up with anything else.

Sorry I've missed loads. I find one-handed typing really hard - how do you all do it??

Bunch - I would love to meet up! Unfortunately we have a family event that day and i can't get out of it. So gutted. I hope you have a good time in London and I'll make sure to catch the next meet up. I adore the pumpkin photo of Atticus!

Ok bunch and potato your Halloween babies are the cutest ever!

potato I bought some sensory toys and put Harrison on his play mat and play with them. He's started to try and grab the toys now but it's exhausting for him and he usually only lasts half an hour before he wants fed and a nap. I really love it when he's awake and I do a bit of singing and reading to him but I will admit to putting him in his swing in front of the TV for 10 mins while I have my breakfast and a cuppa. Every day I put him in the sling/his pram and go for a walk as he absolutely loves being out and about and moving - he usually stays awake the whole way then naps when we get home I do sometimes worry about him being bored and I feel guilty if he's awake if I'm not giving him all of my attention even though sometimes he's probably quite happy doing his own thing. Also, definitely go with grumpy mum reviews.

lisa i don't update much anymore because I only get time when little man is asleep when I should be doing the housework but I do read every day. It's tough isn't it!

Morning all. Loving reading about everyone and their babies.
I am off to have a repeat growth scan (40+2 today) so they have something to compare my last one too.

Certainly feels like he has grown over the last 2 weeks! And since my once episode of reduced movements he has behaved. Just needs to hurry up and come out now! Loose bowels (sorry if TMI) the last 3 mornings now, so at least maybe my body is starting to get ready!

Hi ladies,
Had a really busy weekend as my grandparents were visiting, they're pretty hard work so didn't really have a moment to myself. Also my Nan decided to give me some parenting 'suggestions' in a bitchy condescending way and I nearly blew up at her on Sunday night. They've gone now and I'm loving having the house to myself for a few days until the next visitor arrives!

HV has just been and Autumn has gained 1lb 1oz in a week! She's now just under 9lbs, I can't believe some of you ladies have pushed that sized baby out! Seriously well done!!

Hope everyone is well, I'm just expressing as I type and Autumn is napping so will have a read through while I get a chance!
Hope you're all doing well x

I think Grumpy Mum works well Potato. Review blogs only work if people trust the writer so making it as honest as possible is the way to go.

You should have a bio area to help with that and to engage people/make them feel more connected to you. For example, the bio could say how you've called it Grumpy Mum because you felt overwhelmed by choice with a new baby and ended up buying a heap of crap which made you grumpy... that kind of thing. It needs personality whatever you choose and Grumpy Mum works for that.

Psychologically as well, people are probably more inclined to trust reviews from someone who doesn't sound like they just love everything that's put in front of them so grumpy works from that point of view as well.

Checked quickly and www.grumpymum.co.uk is available as well, which is half the battle! Definitely don't finalise anything (even in your head) without checking you can get the domain.

Ha! Apparently I went into work mode there...

Can I just ask if anyone else is getting pissy with their OH as much as I am?! He's off work because he's ill.0 I decided to go shopping with Harrison this morning for a few bits for Christmas. OH decided to come for some fresh air but walked round for an hour with a face like a smacked arse as if I'd asked him to go with me he moped, had no opinion on anything and it was absolutely pointless him being there as he insisted on pushing the pram but just kept getting in my way. I cut my morning out short because he was annoying me

Sorry you're still having a tough time with him Miley. What's he said when you've spoken to him about it?

What's he normally like when he's feeling under the weather btw? I know it doesn't excuse the other stuff you've been frustrated with, but I know I'm a bloody nightmare for moping when I have a cold or something. I genuinely coped better with childbirth!

Don't know what to suggest really other than continuing to talk to him about how he's making you feel. I'm incredibly lucky that dh has been great so far so I've not had the same experience. Do keep venting here as much as you need though xx

irregular he's never usually ill, and if I'm honest I don't 100% believe he is. He's refusing to take any medicine and seems to be absolutely fine all he is complaining of is a headache. He's not really said much other than he'll try harder but then when I ask him to do things a certain way he complains that I'm on his back so I just gave up. He obviously thinks holding Harrison counts as contributing a fair amount even though 99% of the time he's holding him he's trying to get him to go to sleep. Like no, that absolutely beautiful little boy in your arms that's staring at your face wants you to interact with him. It's really got me down, he seems like a total different man

Miley I'm sorry you're having a tough time with OH. Do you think he's just really overwhelmed by it all? And maybe feeling a bit left out or not getting enough attention? Obviously it's completely ridiculous if he is feeling a left out but I know a couple of my friend's OH felt the same when they first had a baby and I think my dad was the same with my mum (my dad was an utter twat though and did absolutely nothing).
My DH has been really good as a whole but I am getting more irritated with the things I would of ignored before Autumn, especially him sitting on his f*cking phone ALL THE TIME. He tends not to be on it when he is holding/feeding Autumn he knows he would feel my wrath but it still pisses me off. Also asking me stupid questions when I'm up to my eyes in wee/sick/poo. I don't know whether we just take over because we feel we are more capable?! Or we are getting more irritable than usual because we are busier and have a beautiful little human to look after?
Feel free to vent all you want on here. I really hope you get things sorted soon.

Potato grumpy mum sounds great! I always read people's reviews online before I buy anything, especially baby stuff, so a review blog would be helpful to a lot of mums I'm sure.

Hope the scan went well first I really hope baby makes an arrival very soon!!

Also bunch and potato those Halloween pics were too bloody adorable! I was very Scrooge-like and put a note on the door to stop people knocking due to sleeping newborn ( and hysterical/over protective small dogs). I can't wait for next Halloween to dress Autumn up though!

Scan went well thanks. Growing fine, estimated weight of around 3.4kg at the moment (though I know not to read too much into that).
Hoping my sweep tomorrow with midwife will get things going as I am ready to meet him now!

Do you think there's an element of him not knowing what to do with Harrison? As Mum, especially when you're breastfeeding, your role is pretty clear: feed baby and keep it alive. Is he perhaps struggling to see where he fits in?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to excuse him - it's shit behaviour - and I'm not trying to drag us back to 1950s gender roles, but I know dh gets a bit frustrated at times as Tam simply responds better to me as she's with me all day and ultimately I'm the one feeding her.

Could you do something as a family like swimming maybe where it's not something you've done more of so are better at it and is something where he can interact with Harrison in a different setting?

indi I do think it's an attention thing but I can't deal with having a baby and a man-child, too. He tries it on every night as well and right now I can barely be arsed to DTD once a week never mind every night because I'm constantly exhausted due to him being useless I was going to go for my hair cut but OH suggested he would go to bed while little man slept and I just can't trust him considering Harrison's cry doesn't wake him up

irregular I try so hard to get him involved - if I feed him, I often get OH to wind him and change him for example. I suggested swimming to him but he said "not yet I want to lose a bit of weight first" - yes, seriously! Like I say he's usually fine during the day, he will have cuddles but he usually tries to get him off to sleep and he will 'give me a hand' to change his nappy without me asking but I really would rather he did it or I did it because it's so much more effort when 2 people are trying to do it, but at least he's doing something, right? my OH gets the lip on when Harrison stops crying when he hands him to me and I'm kind of just like well what do you expect? He's even stopped getting in the bath with him which was something I got him to do to help bonding. Maybe I'm just too hormonal

first really glad scan went well!

I need to catch up but a couple of things -

I have the Bon Prix coat. It's good. The blue is a nice shade.

My DH is taking T swimming at the end of the month. Found Water Babies classes on a Saturday morning. Paul from the Sam Faiers programme also takes baby Paul swimming. I think it'll nice for the two of them to do something without me. DH is also firmly in charge of bathing T although I help with passing things and getting stuff ready. These are exclusively his domain, like BF is mine.