The March-ers 2019 - #7

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Thread 6

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3379197-The-March-ers-2019-6

@LittleKitty1985 I've all of a sudden become a snorer as well! DH isn't impressed at me waking him up every night. I've told him it's good practice for a crying baby.

Does anyone else get nose bleeds? It's started the last week or so. I notice it when I blow my nose (got a cold atm) but it's not a full on nose bleed as such. More of a constant blood smell. I meant to mention it at my 28 week appointment yesterday but forgot!

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever Yep mine has been bleeding in the mornings when I shower. Apparently it's common in pregnancy so I'm not worried

@WhatALearningCurve I've been with my husband since I was 19, but like @cardboard33 a lot of that was long distance to begin with, as he was the year above me at uni and then moved away for postgrad training, then I went back to do a Masters... We were all over the shop for years! We got married when I was 28 and decided to try for DS when I was 30. I definitely think it's more about your stage in life rather than how long you have been together. It's all good! In a way I think the length of our relationship made things harder, as we were very settled in our habits and more resistant to the change that came with being parents. Whereas maybe people in slightly newer relationships are still negotiating how to be with each other and therefore are more open to changes? I don't know, just thinking!

@melissa112 great news that you have an appointment. I am sure it will be a great support. And it just feels good to do something, doesn't it? I personally wouldn't worry about the salad. It will have been washed - I would venture that it is much safer than going round a friend's house to eat! (Lots of my mates never wash any of their veg at all which freaks me out even when not pregnant!) Unlike some of the others, I would actually be cautious about restricting yourself too much due to anxieties - it is very easy to start avoiding or cutting things out of your life but in my experience that can feed the anxiety and lead you to avoiding more and more things. I would weigh up how much it is bothering you. If it is likely to keep you up all night worrying you sick afterwards, then yeah, maybe avoid it for now. But if it's just going to be a mild worry that will linger for a few hours and then when you are clearly still well, disappear... well then it is worth eating the salad, because next time you will worry less about it. This is the kind of thing an experienced therapist will be able to really help you make decisions about for yourself. I have much more confidence now about when to give in to my anxieties and when to shout them down.

@Gronk27 I submitted my tax return yesterday. Next job is to fill out the maternity allowance application form I think? It's pages and pages long. I'm hoping to get it at least started this weekend...

@Gronk27 Just read back and found your post. You need to have paid enough NI for 2017-2018 to qualify for MA. I pay Class 2 voluntary NI so I needed to do my tax return so that the amount I needed to pay could be calculated. As I understand it, once it has showed up as paid then your MA application can be approved. Worth ringing HMRC with any questions though- but they will be very busy I expect with everyone trying to submit their returns before the 31st so I would try and pick a quiet time of day!

@badbadbeans Thanks so much. The form looks horrible and OH has suggested shared parental leave so I can do my most lucrative contract come October which will no doubt complicate things further. I will give them a call but yeah not great timing is it! I’m just waiting for my loan to come through to pay my tax. I pay all of the NIC so should be good.

The form is a little painful if your situation isn't straightforward! I did a tiny bit of supply teaching in December and January last year - literally just a few days - which is going to mean I have to fill in all the employee stuff too. Sigh. There are lots of sections that don't apply to me though, so I am hoping it won't take too long. Did you see the bit that says it takes 24 working days to get approval? We need to get our skates on!

Thanks all. I ate the salad at the same place a few weeks ago without a second thought and they've been really good at reassuring me everything is pasteurized, no raw egg in ice cream etc so I think I might go for it. I know to most people I must sound stupid..

I realised today I only have 25 work days left before baby comes. Has anyone sorted the nursery yet? I've seen all the really helpful posts about hospital bags so may get something ready in the next week or two just in case. OH is painting the nursery and putting the cot etc up this weekend. We're off to pick out paint tonight. Makes it all seem so real and close!

On the topic of nurseries, I know they're not in there for the first 6 months but does anyone else have a box room which is going to be used for it, and any idea on how to maximise space. Stepson has the other reasonably sized room so we can't use that.

*25 work days before annual leave not baby! I'm finishing at 35 weeks as I have loads of hols to use then starting maternity on my due date.

@melissa112 yay, go for it! It's great that you have already eaten salad there without thinking about it and were fine - that means if you do begin to worry a bit this time you can just remind yourself of that experience where nothing bad happened.

My son is in a smallish nursery. We have his cot bed at one end, a small bookshelf, a tall but narrow set of 6 drawers which contains all his current clothes, a shelf of toys which isn't really necessary, and a box of toys that I keep his blankets and sleeping bags folded on top of. My biggest tip is to store any clothes baby doesn't currently fit into elsewhere. And to keep toys elsewhere too! Books, cot, bedding and blankets are the things you will want at hand in there.

@melissa112 we’re using the box room. We’re having a Stokke cot which is a little circle to start with and then becomes oval and the changing table is very compact too. We’re getting it all second hand very reasonable! We’re using Ikea's Expedit/Kallax shelving units with baskets for storage. And for the very few bits that need hanging an upside down ikea spice rack which are also really good for books and pictures right side up. If you go on Pinterest there are so many ideas! And you don’t sound stupid you can’t help your brain working over time! Hopefully the fact that the staff are reassuring and you’ve had it before will help you.

@badbadbeans yikes! I need to get started on that ASAP then!!

You may find you want to change everything in the nursery once you find your feet. We ended up turning DS's cot 90 degrees because of the layout of his room to get him to sleep once he moved in there. We knew that doing this would make all the difference because obviously we'd had a time to get to know him rather than just placing things where they fit.

This time we won't be doing anything in her room until she is here, except maybe moving DS's bed in if we get his other one sorted!

Think about how you will use the space before they move into their rooms and plan for that, you can always move things around if needed later.

@badbadbeans we are so similar with our lives! Also married at (just) 28 and started to TTC at 30. Baby will be born when I've just turned 31. Good ages :)

Melissa I'm glad you're feeling more comfortable in yourself. The others have already offered good support.

Speaking of... I wonder what's happened/happening to @villagefete and her friend... Been thinking of them both (and her friend's child) recently. Such a difficult time.

I had another scheduled scan today due to being extra special (!!) and turns out baby has an even bigger head than last time putting it in the top percentiles. Excellent, really looking forward to that one...! But it was in the 64th percentile weight wise overall (2.14 lbs) and has little legs... Did anyone play on theme hospital on the pc in the late 90s/early 00s? I'm imaging it like one of those bloaty head men!! I was measuring about a week ahead date wise but she said they don't change the due date at this stage.

Ladies is a sore tummy normal, mid bump? Assuming it’s stretching or wind or something. It’s been on and off a couple of days.

@Gronk27 I keep getting a tender stomach. I think it's stretching because when it first started it was much lower, like the underneath of my stomach and not it's above my belly button so I think it's whichever bit of my is currently expanding!

@whatalearningcurve yeah exactly as you describe. Thank you.

Ladies... Mamas & Papas have just sent an email with even more reductions. Their pushchair bundles are even cheaper than they were in the post Christmas sales and Black Friday. So theyre now at the same price as what we got ours for in the clearance section in October. Not sure what else they have though.

Aldi baby event starts Thursday 10th January m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1474038772729189&id=1296226263843775

@Gronk27 I keep getting a very sore, tender stomach too. I also think it's stretching pain/additional weight. Usually happens in the evening and the only thing that really alleviates it is going to bed and lying down with a pillow under my bump. I'm usually fine again by the next morning. Sitting in the car for long periods can also make mine worse and I've been wondering if that's coincidence or because everything is more 'scrunched up' (technical term!!) when I'm driving.

@toastfiend thanks. Yes I have to keep propping bump up with pillow and it does feel almost like weight strain as well as bump must be due a growth spurt.

@cardboard33 Thanks for thinking of me. My best friend passed away in December, it’s been horrendous. Her poor son

Gosh, it’s been ages since I was on this thread with everything that’s gone on with my friend. We’ve not long had the funeral so i’ve been so pre occupied. I hope everyone is well? Is there anything i’ve missed?

I’m so sorry to hear that @VillageFete how old is her son?

Hospital bag is packed DH is going to sort dd’s old things out of the attic this week and get the car seat/isofix installed just in case. It’s beginning to feel very close now!

Have been thinking about you also @VillageFete hope you're ok. That's so sad to hear about your friends passing 💐

@melissa112 our little girl will be in the box room too though it's currently hubby's man cave. We're going to keep her in with us for at least 6 months so we won't touch it until probably September tbh.

@VillageFete I'm so sorry to hear about the outcome for your friend and her family. I hope you're ok.

Sorry to hear that @villagefete