Due in Sept '07 - new thread (ish) until we can think of a good thread name, because we didn't notice the message counter and oops we've run out of room for messages!!! Am lost, here alone, come and find me.. HELLLLOOOOO

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Oooh this bad Boxer has just farted and it STINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everyone, I'm sitting here on a lovely sunday afternoon (lovely ish anyway) listening to the delightful sound of the builder cutting tiles, imagine the sound of nails being dragged down a blackboard and then multiply it by a million! Nice! Actually I don't care now, just want it done!!!!! Everything's done apart from the heated towel rail, the valve to drain the radiator is knackered so I'll have to get a plumber in next week to fix it so we can put the towel rail up. It's a shame, but nothing compared to not having a bathroom for a fortnight!

I'm aching like crazy today as we spent the whole of yesterday reassembling our living room, moving books and putting up curtains after the decorator finished on Friday night. It's so nice to have the living room back, makes such a difference, I'm not cooped up in my bedroom like a sulky teenager any more! Yesterday I managed to create a bit of extra work for the decorator, I had a cable running along the hall skirting that was secured with some really ugly cable tidies, I hated it so yesterday armed with a hammer, screwdriver and pliers I managed to prise all the cable tidies out and bury the cable in the bottom of the skirting board, unfortunately I seem to have created a few extra holes. My dh was snoozing on the sofa at the time and when he went ballistic when he saw what I'd done, I told him "never leave a pregnant woman alone with a hammer!" Saw this article this morning in The Times and it made me chuckle so much, especially point number 7! I hope no one else is busy demolishing their house!

Fio - I'm glad the baby is ok, take care of yourself and nurse those bruises!

Kinki - LOL at the idea of a sign.... it would have to be huge cos the glass is frosted so you wouldn't see anything unless it was huge. Something to save for my last day.... ever.... if I never wanted to work again.... ever!

I hope the packing goes ok Filbrit!

I agree about the whole weather/clothing problems. Its such a pain that all the tops are sleeveless, I'm soooo cold! At least non pregnant people have a bit more choice, but when your clothing options are limited, and everything's sleeveless it's a 'mare! I too am doing the cardi thing, it does make my norks look hooooooge, but now my tummy is overtaking my boobs in the hugeness stakes, I think they're starting to look a bit more in proportion... Mind you, what do I know? I'm deranged and armed with a hammer!

Have a lovely sunday everyone, take care xx

Fio glad no serious damage - but sounds sore. hope you feel better soon!

FilBrit - good luck with the packing. you must be very excited (tho i find the prospect of packing now i have dd punctures the soapiest bubble...oh for the days of packing for just me. took minutes! now. days. so hope you're more across it than me!)

We had an amazing day yesterday as dd slept until just before nine o clock! this is unheard of. bliss! and then grandad babysat for day so me and dh could go our for lunch (dim sum!) and do some shopping and generally noodle around. it was lovely.

back to normal today, dh up with dd at 0715 and it's wet and yes, all my maternity clothes are summery so yes, between muddy dog and dd in wellies i'm filthy after a dog walk/trip to farmers market. but dd is so funny with her wellies and brolly, who cares?! (can you tell i didn't get up until 0945... think dh slightly more impatient with dog...feel bad that we went to bed so late and he got up so early. i'll make him a nice tea...honest )

fio - glad you are both ok, scary one!

tink - my boys start reception on 6/9 and I am due 15/9. Luckily I have been explaining to them for a long time about "big school" and they don't seem to associate it with the baby too much. Does your daughter have friends in her class?, because if she does then you could explain that they are all starting at the same time but she might be the only one lucky enough to have a new baby (or something like that ). You could also try meeting up with the other parents and children before the start so that she feels more comfortable? You have probably done this already, but just a suggestion!

Re: all these pathetic dh/dps, they really make me so angry , the idea that men need more rest than women because they "work" while women with children are expected to work 24/7. Totally agree with mrsmar that any men falling into this category need a serious "kinki" talk about what kind of job being a mother is. My DH has been heaven, letting me have a lie-in at weekends, getting up for nightmares, cooking meals and generally letting me put my feet up when I need to. I am grateful but at the same time, wouldn't we all do the same if the men were pregnant ????

re: prams, I am planning to get a mountain buggy with a carrycot attachment so the babe can sleep flat. Mountain buggies are 3 wheelers which are great if you do a lot of walking and can be used until los don't need a buggy anymore. I will put one of our old Mclaren technos in the boot for car journeys (we don't use our car much). Mountain buggies are expensive, but I reckon I can get a good price on Ebay when I am finished with it (she says hopefully....)

TINK, just a thought on your dd starting school at same time as baby born. my m-i-l is a primary teacher and when dd was born she talked about taking baby in for a 'show and tell' session with reception class. maybe you could talk to teacher a few weeks into term and see if this is something s/he would be interested in doing? might make the baby seem a bit special and interesting and give your daughter a chance to answer questions/be a bit of a star in class?

forgive me if this is a rubbish idea, i have no first hand experience of school age children but just occured to me reading posts.

Oh dear sounds like we are all miserable for one reason or another. Although Kinki I'm glad DH seems better. Just a thought though, is it manic depression he suffers from? Just to go from one extreme to the other? Enjoy it though. I am .

I've had to miss my friends wedding this weekend due to a nasty bout of diarrhea and vomiting. Completely wiped me out, started friday night and I only managed to get out of bed at lunchtime today. We were staying at my parents when I came down with it, cue the humilation of mum coming in to look after me while I was being sick and having to confess that I was weeing on her bathroom carpet. I also managed to burst a blood vessel in my eye, a huge one it appears so I look awful!!! Mum has now gone on to get it, Step father not feeling great. DP thought he had it but was just hungover (probably best not to ask) and so far no vomit from DS. Our lovely weekend away has been ruined, DP has been a bit of an arse TBH, I didn't see my friend get married, my train was delayed and I didn't actually need to get it anyway as dp was only ill because of the booze. And he was late to come and collect us from the station.

Rant over.

MM, hope you bathroom is now completed.

Everyone who is finding DP/Dh's awful and useless, do you think we could find somewhere to collectively leave them? Maybe to return when they can be of some use.

Fio, hope you are feeling ok still.

My maternity jeans are too tight now. They are just a narrow elastic waist and dig in a bit TBH.

I think the first reason for having a GTT is if your wee shows up positive to sugar.

We hit the sales last week and managed to get a couple of bargains. Still can't work out where the finance will come from for the buggy I want. But it kind of has to!

On a brighter note because of being unwell with the D and V I have to stay off work tomorrow, which will give me a bit more time to recoup and provided DS stays well a day of peace and quiet at home. Then just one 8.5 hr shift on Weds, the extra shift I put myself down for on Sat then back to normal on Monday, with only 4 weeks left to go. Which is actually a bit longer than I thought, I'll finish at 35 weeks. Hopefully that will be ok. Apart from this weekend I have been feeling quite well.

Much sympathy to those of you with useless DH/DPs. Hope they get real soon.
Have just driven half-way up and down the country to see my nephew, who was born at 33 wks a month ago. Very tiny and sweet. But oh dear, I'd forgotten what the newborn stage is like, esp the vomming, the going red for no apparent reason, and the mysterious night-time snorting stuff. DD a bit mixed in her reaction - she got bored with trying to play with him, so started trying to pull out his hair when we weren't looking. Great stuff, look forward to that too!

Floss - you poor thing I hope you feel better soon

X

What a rotten weekend for you floss, hope you get over the d&v soon. Hope dd doesn't get it. She sounds typical of most lo's around tiny babies, its probably why so many of them are born without hair! (As an aside, I've often thought dh may have manic or bi-polar disorder, we're going to have to both face up to it and deal with it soon).

Have to go, because Rod Stewart is on tv. Can't believe I'm admitting this publicly, but I've had a little crush on him for a few years.

EnormousChanges, what a lovely idea about the show and tell session!! I will definitely bear that in mind!

Hugs to all going through building woes - I empathise! We are having almost our entire house done and the "I promise it will be finished before Christmas 2006" is turning rapidly into "well you might have a kitchen by September 2007"

floss - sorry to hear you've been ill but i hope you'll all better soon and ds doesn't get it!

My weekend has been ok saw dp today for several hours and he even managed to accompany us to the village fete which was nice but then just spent the afternoon on the sofa! Luckily ds was happy playing with his toys and i got to put my feet up for a bit. The best thing about today was that we all slept until 10am !!! DS was restless in the night but not too much of a pain and as a result we got a lie in. Can't remember the last time that happened - if ever oh well maybe we'll make church next week

Hi all,

Well, I'm still not sleeping at night . We were meant to be doing the garden yesterday but the rain cancelled that. Ended up not getting dressed for most of the day both yesterday and today and even managed to get a nap this afternoon which has made all the difference!

Tomorrow was meant to be my first non-working day (allbeit holiday) but they've asked me to go in and train up my replacement for half a day. They only just recruited her on Friday morning which is a bit of a pain considering I left on Thursday!! Never mind, it's all extra hours and I've decided to go in casual clothes and no makeup to make a point!

Glad to hear from you Fio, hope you are recovering well. Must have been a bit scary at the time! Any sort of a fall as an adult is unpleasant enough as it is!!

Poor you Floss on missing the wedding and not being well. Hope you manage to recouperate tomorrow...

kinki - I've also looked up bi-polar for my DH as there's lots of stuff about it online and I'm convinced thats what he might have. His drs don't think he has it but there are many different variations of it. I'll let you know when/if DH starts his CBT and how it goes.

Tink - I do feel for you - DD1 was born one week before DS started school and because she was late, we hadn't prepared at all for it. It's so good that you're at least able to prepare and think ahead for her, I think it will make all the difference. Hope you manage to find something that works. My two got off to a rocky start and I still think its because of the timing etc and us not really preparing for it; but they do love each other now so there is always hope!

Glad you've managed to get some sleep/rest in ECATLM!

Hello to everybody else! ((hugs and waves!!))

I've been getting a stitch all the way around my bump and have had a few BH's. I've also been getting constipation again and noticed today that when I strain, my belly button pokes out lol! (sorry if tmi!)

I'd better go put another load of washing on so the kids have got their uniforms for tomorrow!

Take care all xxxxxx

PLP

chattyhan, I haven't been to church for ages and apparently they're all asking after me now... I must try and get there next week... xx

Floss - sorry to hear about your miserable time. Hope you feel better. I have also grown out of my maternity jeans I realised this weekend and it made me feel like a whale!

Mrs.M, I hope that your building is almost done now. It's such a nightmare that sort of work. LOL at the Times article!

Purple, I am getting that stitch thing too. It kind of freaked me out yesterday and I said a little prayer hoping that the baby would not be 3 months early... but I lay on the couch and all was fine
love to all. x

I hate the stitch part, makes me feel so unfit, I tend to start walking, forgetting I'm pregnant and walking too fast so within a couple of minutes I'm in agony, but I hate walking so slowly I'm just not used to it

Hope everyone else has a good week this week

Morning everyone,

Hope you are feeling better fio fio, glad your LO is ok.

Sounds like you've also been in the wars flossalump, at least you only peed in front of your mum, think about poor mrs fish's humiliation with her dh Hope your eye gets better soon.

enormouschanges, you have just given me the biggest craving for dimsum with absolutely no way of sating it!

Mrsmar, am pmsl laughing at you making holes in your floor...but don't you find recently that there seem to be so many more jobs needing sorting out in the house, I never noticed them before and dh seems to be so slow at sorting them out, sometimes you just have to take the hammer into your own two hands

Kinki, sounds like a dream dh to me, send him round to ours, I have a few jobs I need sorting

Purplelost, I don't have the stitch yet but then I don't do that much walking to test it I guess its just your body's way of telling you to pull up a sofa and get comfy!

Well I had good weekend in terms of retail therapy, have at last decided on cotbed and bought boring things like nappies, blankets etc. So feel a bit more organised. Oh and I also picked up my bargain on ebay of a dutailier rocking chair and stool which is in really good condition...only problem is that my cat has decided it belongs to her

Bad news is that I am still undecided on pushchairs. Here is my spec (which doesn't exist) I'd like a rear facing, newborn friendly, umbrella fold, lightweight, funky pushchair...anyone know of one??

Hope everyone is feeling good today.

xx

I've been getting a stitch too mostly when walking but sometimes if i've been crouching down for too long! I agree that it's natures way of telling you to slow down and put your feet up! Well after this week i'm only going to be doing two days a week and todays the last mon so i'm sure it will drag!

Am I in the right thread?! lol
My first time in ante-natal, due september 12th.
how are you guys coping?
I've been feeling dizzy the past couple of days (no worries though, phoned non-emergency line, they don't seem too worried LOL)

2nd baby, am at home with DD and having a time! LOL She's going through "terrible two's" and got a stinky cold too!
Anyone else going through this wonderful experience? LOL

feeling very hormonal and up and down and any other feeling you are capable of feeling right now LOL
Wishing for bluer skies and sunny weather again just to get out of the house!!

ooh this is getting long now, stopping it here for now
Ky
xxx

Hi Kyala- I'm due the 30th, have been feeling dizzy too.

Also have a 2 year old with a stinking cold, hoping I don't catch it

welcome kyala - i'm due 16th and have a 2.5 yr old son who is driving me up the wall although no colds here yet!

Morning all and welcome Kyala! We are a very big group now

Well I can see you've all had a busy weekend! Laksa - I hope you are feeling a bit more perky - totally understand the feelings re weight. I think they ebb and flow. Sometimes you don't care and think "well what do they expect dammit I'm cooking a baby in there?" and other times you just want to weep. Hope its a good day today! xx Re GTT's - I think they only do them if they think you might be at slightly higher risk. My area don't do them as standard although we all know how much variance there is from one health authority to another.

Fio - really glad to hear you and the baby are ok although you are still nursing a few more bruises than before. Hope you feel a bit less battered soon!

Kinki - FAB news about your man getting his act together. Not much else to say there other than

Floss - sorry to hear you had to miss this wedding. I hope nast bug thingummy clears up or has already done so xx

Filbrit - good luck with the move! Look forward to hearing all about it.

Well we had a fairly quiet weekend - now there's a surprise. Nursery is now painted and ready to furnish! So excited!!! Ordered LOTS of goodies online - this gorgeous rug, little peg shelf, funky pictures, bottles and breastpump kit, monitor, a little mini "blankie" and all sorts! Tried to order cot from Mothercare but its out of stock and they won't let you order - you have to wait until it comes in then order. I don't know about anyone else but every dealing we have with Mothercare (got car seat from them as welll) is just painful.

We are still waiting for pushchair to be delivered. I realise that this can be a contentious choice but we went for a Bugaboo Chameleon as I liked the rearward facing bit and they seem nice and light but stable. And pretty too!!

Re nappies - would welcome advice on this one. We wanted to get the biodegradable nappies but the more you look into it the more you realise that you can't get truly biodegradable nappies because they all seem to have plastic and gel in. This being the case is it worth getting more eco nappies at all? These Moltex ones seem quite good but you can't just nip out and buy them when you run low which worries me a bit. I ruled out cloth ones on the basis that I has visions of spending £200 plus on them and then cracking after a couple of days of 10 changes a day and just buying some Pampers.

DH and I said we might look at going cloth after the forst 3 months or so when things have settled down a bit.

Are any of you dedicated clothies? If so, which ones are the least leaky!! Any advice welcome.

Wishing you all a fab week xxxxx

Hi again
Glad I might be of some use here LOl
With DD I tried making my own (cos I do that sort of thing) and gave up after a couple of days due to leaking etc, but used the nature baby care nappies (70% biodegradable) and since she was about 9 months old we use those only for going out for the day, the rest of the time I got some cotton bottoms, which are great, you just have to keep a good eye on wetness (it's not too bad if you are aware of when they tend to "go" and how often) so now, at 2 years old, I only have to change her about three or four times before bed time.

I haven't tried using them overnight yet though, as she can have really restless nights and I don't want to change her half way throguh the night (so if anyone has opinions on booster pads I might invest LOL)

Anywho, hope that's of some help!
It's always a case of finding your own method I think, and I managed to get into the routine quite quickly, although I haven't gone back to work so that will be a cause for consideration too.

I agree the first 3 months or so can be a tricky time dealing with all the washing as it is!!

gd luck with finding a method that suits you, also I found that you don't necessarily need to spend £200 for the cloth nappies etc, you might have a nappy natwork of some sort in your area? I managed to get the bits I needed as I went along, and you only really need about 25 (ish) of the actual cloth parts (if your not too bad at keeping on top of the washing that is LOL)

Anyway, going on a bit now LOL
sorry!

welcome kyala!

Pennypops, I am having a positive day! Dh has made me feel very sexy about my curves so am temporarily not caring about looking and acting like a baby hippo

This is a really dumb question but what is the difference between a baby grow and a sleepsuit. I thought the baby slept in a babygrow but am now confused. Does the season make a difference? I am completely clueless and can't work out if I have enough clothes or not.

oh, also if your baby is in cloth nappies will that make her bum bigger thereby meaning buying clothes in a older age group?

imo babygros and sleepsuits are the same thing! There are long sleeved, full leg ones with feet that are used for sleeping and day to day in first couple of months. Then there are vests which have cap sleeves or no sleeves and poppers between the legs. Sometimes i've heard these called babygros!

I agree, babygro's and sleepsuits are the same thing, just diff people call them diff things! LOL

As for the big bum thing, it does make a slight difference to the size but not too much, most clothes have a 3 or 6 month allowance (i.e: 0-3 month, 12-18 month clothing)
DD is now coming into the 2 year age group range (for most clothes) and they all seem to fit with both types of nappies on.
As she gets a bit bigger for the cloth nappies I might have to start buying the next size up a couple of months early but it doesn't seem to make a difference really! If you have to buy new clothes every four months with normal nappies it'll be the same just the buying cycle will start a month or two early LOL