sleeplessness, toothache, hip pain - the joys of being due August 2007 !!

[tokentotty]

Now that's all out of the way in the thread title we've all got to head down the "things can and will only get better now" ok?? All ailments stop and nothing but good things will befall us all.

Right.

Why were they covering perineal massage in your hippobirthing class?

Yes, I am very fond of TT's nickname - I use it at home now Hope it is not a self fulfilling prophecy though...

Hi All

Jem - Sorry to hear your sad news & glad you're concentrating on other things.

Feel for everyone in pain and am sooo with those not getting any sleep.

Feel a bit sh*tty myself today. My maternity cover started yesterday and i'm sure she's a very nice girl and it's probably me being over sensitive due to hormones and lack of sleep but i can't help feeling that i'm being pushed out already. I asked her to phone / email my contacts and introduce herself. She proceeded to tell them that she had taken over the role formally held by me. Is that me being over sensitive? I find it very hard to tell when i'm over re-acting these days. I did nearly burst into tears though and had to have a stern word with myself in the loo.

Ok not gonna be a misiguts now, we have a shiny new thread so not gonna spoil it! Just needed to get that out of my system.

MrsS - does she realise that maternity "cover" is just that and that is the way she should present it to clients? Have a word - it is more important that the clients think you have been straight about your intention to return to work than that this girl's ego is massaged.

She's writing a media release about herself at the moment so think i'm gonna get the red pen out and amend it slightly so people don't get the wrong idea. She might understand then too. I don't want to not say anything cos i will end up having a big pregnancy fit and balling that it's MY job and she can't have it!

Not sure quite why it's covered Kite but boy was it covered last night....
Ah well, my other gripe yesterday was about buying stuff. Steriliser & baby monitor - how have you all made your choices ? Was going to go to Boots, buy everything all in one job lot and then forget about it for a while. Ended up buying....one packet of nappies and ran away home in panic . Have reverted back to normal TT behaviour in shops after the leap forward that was my pram/furniture moment.

sorry - MrsS, I think some significant amendments to her media release is an excellent idea by the way. Just remind her that you do need to see it BEFORE it goes out though so there's no 'misunderstandings'....

My neighbour offered me her steriliser because "never used it". This made me think that I would never use it either.
No idea on the baby monitor. Am skipping that as well - not really necessary in a small flat like ours. Already regret the cute room thermometer that someone else says does not work in RL.
Pump - our guru recommended go for electric and quiet, so we are buying a Medela. But we have bought nothing at all for feeding yet, so am right there with you TT. Just feel uninformed about that side of things beyond watching my boobs grow strange new features.
I can't face the baby products at the moment. I almost need to set up the mini-nursery just so I know where everything needs to go and what is missing.

TT are you planning to B/f? If so, i would give the sterilizer a miss - unless of course you are planning to be ultra good, and express and get DP to feed LO?

If B/F doesn't work out, you have time to buy a steriliser - but we never used one. I boiled bottles if I needed to, and then used the dishwasher (after 6 months).

You can always get the microwavable things as a compromise - but i t hink sterilisers are overated.

Sorry if I've pee'd anyone off saying that.

I agree Mrs S - she hasn't taken over from you she is merely standing in for you whilst you are away on ML.

My boss basically forced me to pick from only two candidates to cover my ML - neither of which I thought was suitable. The one I ended up picking I have an irrational hatred of already - is it me or is it really sad for the first thing on your cv to be that you were head boy at St Pauls Catheral choir school??

oh no - that is really sad Hersetta.... do these people not understand the words "temporary " and " maternity leave cover" in the job advert?

TT - i got my monitor on amazon - much easier than trailing round the shops (Kiddicare are great too). Must admit I left mothercare empty handed on my first two visits in a cold sweat. Was completely overwhelmed by the whole thing. I broke myself in gently by shopping online and in Tesco's (our one sells things like sterilizers) - you're not completely surrounded by baby things so feel much less panicky IYKWIM.

Did you have any luck car shopping last week?

I also can't really face shopping for products at the moment but am going to get a Medela Pump I think. Was talking to a man I had just met the other day and he said he had one bit of advice- buy a pump. He then went on for another 20 mins with all his other advice. I smiled sweetly and said thanks. I was going to get a microwave sterilizer to start with as our kitchen is small and it can live in the microwave (use as a bread bin at the mo)and then he started going on about how they didn't take enough bottles etc etc etc and weren't quick enough but if I'm going to try breastfeeding I hopefully won't need many bottles anyway. Figured it can always be used as a visiting grandparents spare anyway.
I don't know why it is so tough to make decisions about all this. We bought our house with less thought than i've put into thinking about bloody nipple shields!
MrsShuvel- you sound very high powerered if you have media releases .
Did anyone see that programme on Sunday with Sarah Parrish sueing an Investment Bank when she had a baby?

Yes, it was the first time I think my DP understood that there is literally no recourse if someone is bullying you at work. . Before then he just did not get that HR is not some higher power.

I thought it was quite well done. Did kind of recognise hints of the merryl lynch case though

Am with you on the confusion with monitors, pumps and sterilisers. Getting DP to come shopping with me on sunday and will attempt again to purchase at least one of them. Haven't a clue what i'm looking for in any of them. Have looked at all of them several times and like you TT run away scared.

Has anyone seen any nice button up nighties for hospital anywhere? I bought a really horrible green stripey thing in Primark on sat. It looks awful and feels awful and has long sleeves which i know will not be apropriate in the August heat. Thought i better get it though, incase i couldn't find anything else. Normally just wear DP's pants to bed so a bit of a novice when it comes to shopping for night wear.

sorry took too long to post, need to catch up, hold on.

MrsS - know exactly how you feel. I was told last week my 'replacement' would be starting in two weeks. Was told categorically at my appraisal (about a month ago) that I would be going back to exactly the same job as I'm leaving - but replacement to me sounds like I'm permanently being replaced. DH says I'm over-reacting so maybe it's just the pregnancy hormones. Any one any tips on getting comfortable at a desk at work? Still have another eight weeks to work, but finding it so difficult already considering asking if I can start ML earlier.

I had earmarked one of DH's painting shirts to labour in but found a fairly nasty button-up nightshirt reduced to £3.50 in Peacocks - lovely soft light cotton but horrid print so will probably bin it fairly sharpish.
Have a decent-looking dark purple nightie and cardigan from Next with nursing clips that I'm keeping for visitors .

Haven't thought about pumps, monitors or sterilisers at all - still exhausted from the Great Pram Shop (although my mum has sent me a very lovely red SkipHop Pronto - she wanted to get a proper 'pram bag' but I managed to fend her off).

And my gauze wrap sling has arrived - very comfy when trialled with spuds, even with bump, so I am hopeful.

Jem - media releases only for the boring the trade mags, did sound quite impressive though hahaha. Thanks for all your support guys, feel alot better now.

Am thinking of getting a microwave steriliser but need to get a microwave first. Gonna BF anyway but DP wants to get involved so will probably express so he can
feed too. Hence the confusion with pumps.

MrsBadger- I want one of these! So expensive though
Mum tried to get one in the States where they are the same price in $'s but couldn't find one.
happybags.co.uk/inc/sdetail/19257

aha, but the Pronto is good value because it means you don't need a nappy bag - you just take a normal bag you have already with the Pronto in it...

(NB if your work colleagues are having a whip-round for you, do suggest the Dash to them )

i have a slightly different problem in that my bosses have decided not to take anyone else on while i am away, and try to just re-distribute the work. thats fine - its their decision but it will put a big strain on some already overworked people, and makes me trying to clear up very difficult.

have just been given a couple of new files to deal with - i did say that although 20th july is my date just now, that would be me 38 1/2 weeks pregnant so could potentially have gone into labour by then (fingers crossed) but that doenst seem to sink in. they dont seem to realise i cant work at full steam ahead right up to 20th with no time to clear up outstanding matters, but i am determined to avoid coming in at a weekend to get it done - dont really feel i should have to just cause they decide not to take someone on.

sorry bit of a rant when you all have more to moan about than me.

Doooo like those bags! I got mine in the states in a shop called Carter's. They don't show bags on their website but its brown and duck egg and will go fab with my bugaboo (never mind the baby it's all about the accessories dahling!)

I want one of those bags!

Sorry conker - don't like the sound of your handover task one little bit. Be strong - not for you to take the blame for others' management decisions.

sorry took so long to post that the thread had moved on - my baby monitor just arrived.

got the tomy classic walkabout purely becuase friends have it and it seems to do the job just fine - not the cheapest one but by far not the most expensive either.

also arrived with my birthing ball - cant wait to get bouncing.