Due in July Part FOUR - gather here!

[Cyee]

Can't believe we need more space... again...

Ooh you're a better person than me Myfairone, I'd have bitten my DP's head off if he said anything lie that to me... probably why he does

pookey - lots of sympathy. I've found a nice bath eases the period like pains. I was a bit peeved this morning though when after a good nights sleep my belly still hurt, they've got better during the day though.
Sorry but it does make me feel a bit better knowing I'm not alone though. I haven't been worrying about mine I'm sure with all the extra weight it's normal, but I spent today with my parents and my Mum doesn't half worry!

I should get all LO's clothes washed too, I've been putting it off because I'm not sure what wash powder to use. Blokey and I are allergic to everything so I'm dreading what this poor kid could be like.

I've noticed today that sitting on hard surfaces is a little uncomfortable... sort of like I'm sitting on a melon. I'm guessing that means the LO's head might be engaged. It's a very peculiar sensation

Pookey. Have to disagree with you. It has to pralines and cream.

Oh I'm tired... That first sentence should have said

Ooh you're a better person than me Myfairone, I'd have bitten my DP's head off if he'd said anything like that to me... probably why he doesn't.

That makes more sense

What a gorgeous day though! Did loads of gardening while dh looked after dd. Now all my veg beds are full and am looking forward to fresh veggies for the rest of the season. Only problem is I smoothered myself in suncream, only to forget that the top I was wearing wasn't a maternity vest and so rode right up my back. I have a very red stripe where the bottom of my top and my shorts didn't meet. Am glowing all over though from all the fresh air, and hopefully all the kneeling will be good for lo's position.

Sorry to hear people still having hormone/family/work/pregnancy bothers. Hugs to you all.

I have no idea how my DH got so brave tonight! Normally I would take his head off for a comment like that but the damn hormones just made me cry.....really trying to think of a good reason not to break his xbox...

And to make matters worse (Im on a roll now!) His Mum just called to tell us his sister has had her baby and he hasnt given me any details...has just gone back to bed!!!!! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Night night folks. No wonder I'm tired. Just seen the time. No nap, fresh air, lots of sun and more of the same tomorrow.

Nite Jennster - Sleep well!

Myfairone congrats maybe she was too excited to get all the details?

Ooh pralines and cream, my tescos dont sell that so it had slipped my mind, and obv it is far more nutritious what with the nut content - essential fatty acids are very important ...

I dont feel like I need to take any pain relief but its just a bit freaky - i'm not ready!! Bilblio I think surcare and ecover liquid are meant to be good for sensitive skin. Apparently the most important thing is to use liquid and not powder so that rules out filleti - you probably know all this already but I like dispensing advice

off to bed too now, night all

At risk of sounding totally stupid, when people are talking about washing clothes ready for LOs' arrivals, is this washing clothes that have been in storage from older DCs, or is it necessary to wash new stuff before use?

For what it's worth we use Persil non-bio as neither of us get a reaction to it. Tried Fairy when it was on offer once and DH came out in red rash, so now we just stick with what we know works. Hoping it'll be OK for LO too.

Jamantha..I wasj everything, before lo wears it new and old. I just need to wash all the cot bedding, now but will leave that until he is ready to go into ittwo were 8-10 weeks when they went into the cot.

I use Tesco non bio powder and tesco pure fabric softner.. (Tbh mainly to do withth eprice.. out here persil non bio is 19euros a box and the same size tesco non bio box is 3.99 euros.. (on offer at mo.. normally 5.99 euros)

Cleaned bathroom this morning, but it killed my scrubbing the bath so have told dd and dh that they will have to start scrubbibng the bath until I have had lo.

Myfairone.. i would have ripped dh a new a*hole if he told me to go and vent of at someone else.. I nearly tore him one the ohter night when he went out at 4pm for a drink and came home at 3am.. (tried telling me it was 11.30) he then took the dog for a walk..!!!! I was not happy as if she had decided to try and go for a cat or something.. ( she hates cats) I dont know if he would have been able to control her properly.) And that he wouldnt give you any details re your new neice/nephew... Men!!!!!!.

5weeks to go for me.. which means some of us July ladies can now be classed as terma s you will be 37weeks!!! How exciting I wonder who is going to be first..

I need to get in the loft and look for our shadeababe for the pushchair.. DH says its not there.. but it has to be I think he has put it in a box with his war stuff by accident.. but it is better if i look for it myself.. DH will have to get the steps down for me first though..
Also missing my pram bag!!!
Hope eveyone else is ok..
xx

Jamantha - It's the new clothes I'll be washing any older things I've got are from my sister-in-law and my Mum wouldn't dream of passing them onto me without making sure they passed her super high standards.

I haven't found a big brand soap powder that I'm not allergic to yet. I use soap nuts on mine and DP's clothes, but if they have marks then they need something tougher. I have been using Tesco's Naturally wash liquid which seems to be okay but, their cleaning products are causing me problems so I'm switching to Ecover as things run out.

Being extra cautious with LO's things is probably the worst thing to do, I should try to let the kid build up a tolerance, but with 2 cats, and parents who are lax at cleaning this kid is going to be exposed to a lot more allergens than blokie and I ever were.

jamantha - I'm washing the new stuff and things people have given me. Not sure if I'm just being a keen first timer but I've read that new clothes are treated to make them look attractive but that this can irritate skin. In any case it's been worth it even if this it isn't necessary - nothing quite like the sight of a line full of tiny vests and socks to make you suddenly realise that there is going to be a baby at the end of this and packing that hospital bag probably is a good idea!

Things are suddenly going mad here! PIL has just arrived, and suddenly the house is full of all sorts of stuff, and we haven't cleared up after weekend and weekend visitors still here and I feel overwhelmed!! Shouldn't grumble as PIL is here to do some carpentry, which is lovely of him, but within 10 mins there's piles of stuff everywhere and I'm being bombarded with questions and I'm too hot and tired to take it all in! God I sound like a whingey cow! Will feel better in a while when things have calmed down I'm sure. Hope so at least.

I am not washing any of LOs new babygrows and vests..... but almost feel shamed into it.

Jennster - the sunburn stripe sounds like the sort of thing I usually do!!

I've just started washing some new baby stuff - someone mentioned earlier you should use liquid rather than powder .... Is this a general "rule"? Also, in our NCT class they said not to use fabric conditioner - I thought this would make clothes softer??

Have just dyed my hair - I couldn't stand the grey any longer and thought it would make me feel better, but now am feeling guilty about poisoning LO! Am sure everything will be okay . However, I do not recommend bending over a bath for so long!

A quick question about C-sections. As my LO is still breech, I realise I may have to have a C-section. I've been told they usually do these at 39 weeks, but am not sure why? Is it so that you don't go into labour - is it harder to do a C-section if you are having contractions? What if you go into labour early (as Twplusone mentions, 37 weeks is classed as term) - is this bad? So many things to ask!!

Hope you all enjoyed the sunshine this weekend. I'm never good in the heat and am already worrying about keeping LO cool.....

Catstar- my c-section is booked for 39 weeks- I think it is that it is better to have it all planned out (I have pre-op things to go to the day before and will be advised of when to stop eating) rather than have to rush it if contractions start. At 39 weeks, baby should be well developed as its considered term from 37 weeks.

Regarding washing powders vs liquids. We stick to fairy non-bio powder for DD - persil non-bio irritated her ezcema (sp?) and we found fabric softeners were also irritants. Guess it depends on the child...

Jamantha - hope your day has calmed down. They're great these little workmen who appear aren't they. They're even better when they've finished though, especially if they clean up after themselves

I think liquids are less likely to leave a residue on clothes which is why they say use them instead of powders.
Fabric softeners are one of the worst things for irritating skin possibly because they're added at the end of a wash so they must certainly leave a residue. The soap nuts that I use are natural softeners, but a quick blast in the tumble dryer when I take them off the line softens everything up anyway.

I've had a really lazy day today. I couldn't sleep last night it was so hot, and my hips were aching, so I've pottered around the house thinking of all the things I should do instead. Then typical for me, 8pm arrives, I wake up, and I start hanging pictures, and doing odd jobs in the LO's room.

I forgot to say, thanks again for the TENS machine pulapula, I think my Mum has been in contact with you.
You're a star!

catstar, I stopped dying my hair ages ago, mainly because I couldn't afford to keep it up (I like the redder shades that don't last as well, and I was doing a LOT of swimming at the time which made any colour fade fast). But thinking of adding something again, as I'm feeling really old with the VAST amount of grey I have, and not fancying all the "mother and new baby" pics making me look even more ancient than I'll probably feel. Don't want to get mistaken for the granny too soon, though I accept that having LO at 36 it's bound to happen some day...

Think powders and tablets are not advised as they tell you to use loads more than you actually need. If you put a rinse wash on an empty machine and it froths up, then there is a residue in your machine. Ecover non-bio powder provides a scoop with about 10 different levels, for different water hardness and dirtiness. They do a conditioner too. Surcare conditioner contains formaldehyde!

The new persil ultra concentrated stuff is ace! You only need about half what it says on the bottle so it lasts forever

Agnes

Catz, I'm astounded at your mw's comments! I am sure working has nothing to do with the size of your baby, and the fundel hight is so inaccurate anyway. The bleeding at 27 wks shouldn't stop you having a water birth or at least using the pool during labour. I have been bleeding on and off between 12 and 32 wks and even after having the offending polyp removed have had the ok from the consultant to have a home water birth. There is no reason why you should have to be stationary on the bed throughout labour either. If you do have to be monitored, you can still move around (and argue with the mw at the hospital if they tell you that you can't). The monitors have really long leads for that reason.

Stigloid - having had cervical surgery previously shouldn't stop you having a home birth, depending on how far you are from the hospital I guess. I found some good info on this before I had to see consultant about mine. Try this link . Hope DH starts his job soon.

Jam - I'm feeling very tired, but no where near the exhaustion I felt in 1st trimester. Your friend will start to feel better soon.

Good luck typhoonsmum.

I'll catch up with the rest of the posts soon. DH grumpy as he has to get up early for a flight in the morning so he's nagging me to come to bed!

Guess I was the last one up last night and the first out of bed this morning - no wonder I am so tired! DH has now gone off on his business trip, so I am left entertaining my parents on my own. The idea was that they came on Friday when I finished work, to clean the house for me and tidy the garden up. Dad isn't in the best of health generally, but he has been working really hard. Doing just a small amount at a time and then having a rest, he has managed to do all the back garden (with a little help from dh) and is ready to start on the front today. Mum has just pottered doing things that don't really need doing! I made a list of the jobs I need doing, which I can' really do due to stretching, bending, climbing etc, and she just didn't listen. I only managed to get some help doing the bathroom, after doing most of it myself! What I really need doing is the oven and the windows, but she was insisting last night on doing the ironing today. Even after DH tried suggesting doing the grotty stuff at the start of the week, so that the not so bad jobs could be done whenever (and I can do the ironing anyway - just not all at once).
I seem to have done more running around making tea and sandwiches & clearing up after them that normal. I would have been more relaxed without them here I think! I don't mean to be ungrateful but mum really didn't do anything yesterday and what little she did on saturday I could have done myself. I've done a list of what needs doing room-by-roo. I'm thinking of leaving it on the table, so when I go back to bed and she gets up for breakfast, she sees it.
I so wish I hadn't been up at 5am with dh, must get some sleep!

Sorry to carry on ranting, but just remembered something that really p'd dh & I off. We've spent ours sorting out the spare room, buying & building new furniture, to make it nice and welcoming for guests (mainly my parents). We've then also spent lots of time sorting the nursery out. My mums comment was that it isn't welcoming for the baby (huh?) and that we should take everything out and start again!!!
Ok, so we have the pram, moses basket and car seat in there are the moment, but where else are we going to put them when we're not using them at the moment. Like the baby can see them??
DH thinks she wanted to come down and spend a week or so (and I only thought they were coming until Tuesday! ) doing the nursery and ironing baby clothes. We were going to buy some nice pictures for the nursery but after her comments we're certainly not doing it this week while she's still here as she'll think it's because of her comments!

Sorry for the rambling rant, but I do feel better.

Hope everyone has a good day, and those that are still working don't work too hard.

Did I mention, I'VE FINISHED WORK - YIPPEE!

Ahhh - sorry to hear you're having a mare MelissaM. Hope you feel better getting it off your chest.

For what it's worth I am also storing all my baby stuff in the room. Where else is there for it to go at the moment!

Take deep breaths and keep the blood pressure down! Thinking of you...