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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry.. I was rudely interrupted. Had to do some work (pah!) I can see myself doing the typical last minute panicked dash around the shops to buy maternity pads etc while stopping for contractions!! hehehe!

I haven't thought about packing a bag yet, more of a last minute kinda gal, but I thought about buying myself a new bag. Not sure if its worth it though because last time the ward staff told dh to take it home as soon as I'd unpacked and not to bring it in till it was time to leave.

Mrs M, I've got a little tip about night wear in hospital if your interested, the sort that I'd wished someone would have told me. If you're planning having a go at bf, make sure its front opening, or stretchy enough to pull down comfortably. Sounds obvious really, but I didn't think of it. Remember hospitals are usually hot, so thin cotton is best. Having said that I've no idea how long a usual stay is after a normal delivery - both times for me have been for several after post section.

Do I remember right that you or ECATLM work for the bbc news channel? Just thought I'd let you know that I'm a secret watcher with a little bit of an addiction. Dh thinks I'm sad.

Ooooh its been busy on here today

Laksa - BUY IT
HIWBB - Can't believe you are having to put up with these canines along with everything else, hope you get a nice pressie for all your troubles

Well my day started fine, took ds to an indoor soft play area and he loved it, dh came with us which was nice and different and meant I didn't have to try and climb and go on slides with ds Then we went to our local village as they had a music festival on which was a bit too loud and we didn't stay too long as it looked like rain and we had walked there ( a mile each way) which really tired me out. I then started feeling really sicky late this afternoon and have since proceeded to throw up 3 times (the first this pregnancy) feel a little better stomach wise but now feel like I have a humdinger of a cold that seems to have appeared out of nowhere Am about to go to bed, hopefully I will get some sleep, dh is going to sleep in the spare room to give me total peace and the whole bed

Hope its not a cold and I feel ok tomorrow as DH is out all day, I hate feeling ill with a toddler running around, you get no peace and quiet, oh my and soon there will be two

Thank you for all the messages about the snoring. I am concerned it might be the apnea attacks but DP is adamament it isn't and that I am obsessing. He has been unwell with a sore throat since Monday (kind of a man flu thing), and insists it is down to this. I'm not so sure, increased volume of snoring maybe but not breath holding? Anyway, he's been in DS's room for the past two nights (thank goodness he sleeps through everything! ) and I've had two reasonably good nights sleep. Lovely! I've said we'll see how his breathing is this week, if no better I will start nagging on about going to GP again.

Other big news here is that SIL is pregnant! She got pregnant at exactly the same stage as this when I was pg with DS. Had joked about it several times at start of pg. You know when people just seem to have too many coincidences? TBH PIL couldn't be less bothered about DS so are unlikely to be any more bothered about new baby, nephew is the apple of their eye. But you know when you are holding out just a little bit of hope? Still DS and his cousin are close so hopefully these next two will be too.

Yesterday I mainly ate cakes. I had scones, gateaux chocolate muffin and then umm two doughnuts. My excuse is I'm working yesterday, today and tomorrow. 12 and a half hr day tomorrow. Yuck. Can't help feeling today though that I may have peaked too early and spread that cake eating out a bit. Today I don't really think I should have any!

HIWBB, PMSL at your dog stories! Poor naughty boxer dog. There is nothing funnier than seeing a little dog showing a big dog who is boss.

FB good luck with the diabetes test.

Laksa, I'm still not buying any girly things until after the birth as one of my friends was also told the wrong sex. I have had two scans now where it seems to be a girl and nearly caved in over some baby gap socks (the only ones I had last time which stayed on!!) but stayed strong!! An outfit like that though, you could buy and it it did turn out to be a page boy you should be able to sell on ebay for a fair amount of money.

I have found that I am incredibly boring sober. I am probably boring drunk too, but being drunk not realising. Dreading how drunk DP will get at the wedding this weekend! good news is that I still fit in the maternity dress I got for the last wedding at 16 weeks!

Sympathies to all those having stuff done to their house. Sometime between now and due date we need to get heating done. Not sure how long/disruptive that will be but not organised yet and suddenly (and incorrectly I am sure!) feeling time is going to fly by.

Sorry another long post! Hope some of you got to enjoy the afternoon of sun we had yesterday!

Hello everyone,

I hope you're having a better day than I am! Having worked until 10.30pm last night, and getting home at 11pm, I went to bed at midnight only to be woken up this morning at 7.30am by the sound of drills and a mechanical digger. Thames Water are digging their hole for a flood alleviation scheme, which I know needs to be done, but they promised me they wouldn't work on a sunday. I was hoping for at least one day a week when I wouldn't get woken up so early. This is going on until October! I'm not sure what I can do, I called Thames water and they said I had to send an email to their complaints department, and that someone will get back to me within ten working days. Thing is, I could be dead and mad with exhaustion by then. Anyone know of how I can get hold of a sound meter? All the workmen are wearing ear defenders, so exposure to those kind of sound levels must be bad for your hearing. They are drilling right outside my bedroom window, and I had a banging headache by 10am. DH isn't terribly sympathetic, he keeps saying "what can we do about it? The work has to be done" I'm sure there's some EU legislation about exposure to high sound levels.

Anyway.... a big bar of chocolate has been a temporary fix! And coming to work is a relief (never thought I'd say that!!) I've turned everything off and I'm sitting in silence, so peaceful!

Floss - sounds like your dp is in a bit of denial. If he's had a bit of a cold it might make a difference to his breathing, but a sore throat could be caused by excessive snoring. Is the air very dry in the bedroom? I know that whenever I stay in hotels with air conditioning I get a terrible sore throat and dh says I always snore. I'm sure the dryness in the air makes my palate do funny things and that makes me snore! Great news about your SIL, it's really nice to have someone close who's pregnant at the same time. I found out last week my best friend is pregnant too, she's four months behind me, but it'll be great to be off on maternity leave with someone!

MrsFish, I hope the tummy problems and cold get better soon. It'll be so nice when we can actually take something to help with our ailments won't it?

Kinki - thanks for the tip about nightdresses for the hospital. I must admit I've seen some really nice (probably far too expensive) ones in JJMMBB and Blooming Marvellous that are especially for breastfeeding, I might buy one now while the summery ones are in stock still.. I imagine closer to Sept they'll be stocking the winter ones which'll be far too hot! I think a cheapy one from Primark or something for the birth though. Something I can chuck away if I need to.

Oh and yes I do work for BBC News. Great to hear someone's watching, esp when I'm working on a Sunday and thinking "who on earth is watching this?" Keep watching, we're brilliant!!

Phew! Long rambling post fuelled by too much chocolate, many apologies! Have a lovely day everyone, it's pretty damp here in London, but I hope someone has some sunshine somewhere!
xx

Mrsmar - that drilling must be a nightmare. Maybe it will get quieter when they have moved a bit farther down or something? Surely they can't just keep drilling in the same place for days on end can they? Definitely mention that you are pregnant in your complaint email, that usually gets them moving a bit more quickly.

Re: nightdresses. I went to Primark on Oxford street last week. I thought I had entered Dante's inferno. Queues of about 30 people at each till, merchandise all over the floor, people pushing and shoving and all the nighties had cutesy pictures of kittens on and made me want to throw up! I got out of there as fast as I could! I ended up at M&S marble arch and bought some multi-packs of black knickers and dark pj bottoms for post birth. I got 2 button front nighties in mothercare as well, not as cheap as Primark but no kittens . Last time round I had a flannel nightie but even in November the post natal ward at the hospital was tropical. Definitely go for light cotton.

I haven't packed a hospital bag but have made a list and just started getting bits washed and stacked.

Would like to really recommend taking arnica post-birth (vag or c-section). It really helps with the healing process. Chuck some in your hospital bag and take it 3 times a day for the first few days after the birth.

ooh canadianmum - you're so right about primark on Oxford Street, hell on toast! Maybe I'll bypass the kitten nighties and get myself to mothercare!

Thanks for the arnica tip.. i took it after my knee ops a few years ago, and although I can't tell what difference it made as I had nothing to compare to, I recovered pretty quickly each time. Apparently they gave me a big arnica jab after surgery too. Did you use those funny pilules things in a green tube where you click two in to the lid and then pop them straight in to your mouth without touching them?

oh, and the drilling... (how could I forget) I asked one of the workmen how far down they have to go. He said 40m, and that would take about another two weeks. I'm just trying to work out if I just grit my teeth for the next two weeks or not. I'm not entirely sure I should have to really, esp on a a sunday.

Just a thought Mrs M, are the workman working for the utilities? If so could you contact the council about the noise pollution? They would have the right monitoring equipment. Obviously wouldn't work if the workmen are from the council themselves though. I also thought there were 'guidelines' about what times they could make the noise. For example around our way they don't start until 8.30, but I suppose that could just be out of courtesy. Maybe worth looking into.

Hi,

I mailed months ago when I 1st got my due date but stopped when we had pc problems. Are you accepting new members to this thread?? I am due 1st September.

Thanks,
Cath

Hope you all had good weekend, mine's been lovely (apart from no sugary food somehow a carrot stick doesn't excite me in the same way cadbury's does!). For the first time inages I don't have the Sunday blues at the end of the weekend, as I now only have 3 days left at work until I start my maternity leave (I'm going as soon as I can, due to the travelling). It's come round so quick i can't believe it!

MrsM - nightmare about the roadworks. BTW is your is your news shown on the BBC international channel that you pick up abroad? if so you will become my uk life line once we move, so rest assured I'll be watching all your stuff

Laksa - how cool you'll both be bridesmaids!

Canadianmum - thanks for the suggestion of the arnica I'll off to boots to get some

Floss - v cool your SIL is preggers at the same time

Filbrit XX

Cathbell - of course you are welcome - it will be lovely to have you join us again

Filbrit X

FilBrit, I finish after this week too, how lovely! I'm dreading this week but keep reminding myself it'll all be over soon and then I can concentrate on getting ready etc.

I have decided on what bags I'm going to use and what stuff I'm going to pack but haven't got any of it ready yet - one of the things on my list for when I'm not working any more!

My SIL had her baby 1st March so we were pg together, my cousin had her baby 2 weeks ago and my bf is due today!! She's been taking raspberry leaf tea etc for a while now and has had enough - hopefully baby will come soon as she is running around after a very lively (but gorgeous) 3yr old!!

Welcome Cathbell, hope all is well with you!?

MrsMar, I'm quite sure they have regulations about when workmen can start work etc - if they haven't then they should! I've even googled it but can't find anything - I'll ask around to see if anybody knows. It's just not right that you have to put up with that!!! Also, why on earth would they have to drill down 40m so close to a house!!??

Thanks canadianmum, I'll add arnica to my list - is it something you just pick up at boots then?

Hello HIWBB, hope you're coping with DH and the dog and everything!?

Hello to everybody else, have a good week!

PLP xx

HI cathbell, welcome! We're always open to new joiners!

Thanks for the concern about the freaking builders!! Kinki, the works are being done by the utilities, and they are subcontracting out, so I'm going to investigate this week.

Apparently they have to dig 40m down so they're clear of all water pipes, gas pipes house foundations etc, and then they start tunnelling the length of the road. They are extending the sewers as like much of London we have crumbling Victorian sewers and when there's heavy rain it causes problems, not so much in our road, but last time we had massive storms last year, the sewers overflowed in to the Thames. Hmmmm not nice, so I do understand the need to do the massive job of replacing all the sewers, but there has to be a middle line somewhere!

I do remember having a similar problem last year when a private property developer was building a house opposite me. Their builders started work very noisily at 7am every morning without fail, and the council did nothing, despite saying that their restrictions don't allow work to begin before 7.30am. My council (Wandsworth) may be the cheapest in the country for council tax but getting anyone to do something about complaint you have takes a miracle I'm beginning to think. They're not terribly understanding towards the people who pay their salaries and elect them to office!

Phew! (another) rant over! Can you tell this has wound me up?

Filbrit - you can indeed see BBC News abroad, I'm sure you've seen BBC World when you've been away. Although they're a seperate newsroom to us, we do share a lot of material, and quite a bit of what I do ends up on World, if it's a story the outside world will be interested in!

BTW I'm too jealous of those of you finishing work soon, I've got another month and a half! Enjoy your time at home!

Thank you! As time marches on I feel the need to talk to people with the same size bump!

When is everyone going on mat leave? I am getting so tired I'm thinking of bringing mine forward and going on leave at 35 weeks...

Cath x

I ordered my new glasses today, horray! I also bought an insurance for them that would have covered them for the recent accident in the vomit filled toilet. So if that happens again I'll be alright.

Horray again, because we won a prize at the school fair yesterday, family ticket to a nearby attraction. Embarrassing thing was ds's best friend pulled our ticket out of draw bucket (good boy). We already have an annual pass for the place, but we're going to take the best friend's family for a day out in the summer holidays, as a thank you for pulling our ticket! I was a little disappointed that I didn't win the alcohol and chocolate filled wheelbarrow though, I did try to bribe the headmaster, but he wasn't having any of it.

Welcome cath, the more the merrier, good to have you back!

kinki, yay new glasses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats on winning the prize, shame you couldn't do a swap though.........hmmmmmm chucklet! Great advice re the arnica, I didn't think of that.

MrsMar, I would be SO at being woken up early on a Sunday morning, especially as you worked the night before and you're pregnant... not funny huh!

Cathbell, welcome on board. I do remember you posting a while ago. Hope you're well.

Funny how all these pregnancies happen around the same time. My SIL is pregnant too, and she's due 10 days after me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well PIL's left on Saturday afternoon. FIL felt VERY bad about throwing the hot tea over the Boxer. The poor dog was very very anxious around him and kept on growling, don't blame him really!

Naughty DH went into work today , he's really not well enough yet, but there's no telling him. He spent most of the day in bed yesterday. I'm hoping he'll come home early this afternoon, he said he would if he felt unwell.

How high up are you girls feeling your baby kick now? I'm almost up to my ribs now!! I also keep getting kicks far round to the side, it's very odd!! Sometimes it feels like this LO is doing star jumps in there. Wouldn't it be great to have a 'window into the womb' to see what they're up to!!!

you can certainly get arnica at Boots, but good health shops can give you the best advice.

My yoga teacher is going to give us all a recipe for a drink containing arnica, aconite and rescue remedy which she recommends taking t/o labour and for a few days after. Arnica is for healing, aconite is for shock and fear (yes please!) and rescue remedy is for anxiety (oh yeah!). You basically mix the 3 into some water and sip whenever you remember. I will post the recipe when I get it. Any little helps .

I am planning to buy a homeopathic childbirth kit from helios.co.uk. Even if the remedies don't work, reading all of the instructions and taking them will hopefully act as a bit of a distraction for DH and me!! Rather like a TENS machine, one midwife told me that her patient was so distracted by getting her TENS machine to work that she didn't realise she was fully dilated and ready to push (oh if only that will happen to me.....).

HIWBB - I know what you mean about the star jumps, one minute I feel a little prod almost near my leg at the same time as the top of my bump "tents" up. I have to say I love all the movement, no painful kicks in the ribs here yet.....

mrsmar - only one thing for it, go on holiday for a fortnight . Seriously, what a nightmare, have you got any earplugs? I guess they don't really help with the vibrations. And Sunday morning is really not on. Will they be finished by the time your lo arrives?

cathbell - welcome back, although I am slightly envious that you are due 2 weeks before me

look forward to hearing the recipe canadianmum... I'm probably going to need it The only time I've ever had rescue remedy was when I fell over skiing and tore my cruciate ligament, I was a little distressed to say the least while waiting for the blood wagon to take me down the hill. A German woman skiied past and came up to me and said "I think you are a little hysterical, yah?" and then proceeded to squirt something in my mouth as I wailed! That shut me up (for a moment anyway!) Not sure it really worked on me but I was in full melt down so perhaps I was past the stage where they could help! But I'll try anything that helps!

HIWBB - I went to bed as soon as I got home from work yesterday at about 10.30pm and slept solidly until 9.30pm so I feel so much better, I didn't even hear the workmen this morning (well maybe I did but it didn't stop me sleeping!) Mind you I was late for the builders this morning and had to let them in while I was still in my dressing gown !

My kicks are really low, no where near my ribs. Sometimes he kicks something which really makes me jump, I think it's my kidneys, but most of the time they're really low, still around my bikini line area. I wonder if being tall has something to do with it, or maybe I've just got a really wide pelvis (!) and he's got enough room to get down in there. I do still feel he's going to stick his hand out at any moment and wave at me! I'm seeing the mw on wednesday so I'm going to ask if she can feel what position he's in.

I'm glad you've managed to sort out your glasses Kinki, no more squinting! Great news about the raffle, you are lucky!

Cathbell - I'm not on mat leave until 1st Sept, but I've got some annual leave to use up, so I'll be finishing around 17th August, which is around 36 weeks for me. I'd love to finish later, but we can't afford it. I don't work a 5 day week as I'm a shift worker, so it's not as bad as it sounds, and as soon as it gets too unbearable on the tube I'm going to start driving in, which'll make things better. The hardest thing is the commute at the moment.

sorry x post canadianmum! We were planning to take a week off in July to go to my mum and dads in the south of france, but my work are being arsey about letting me have the leave, they can't get leave for the weekend I need off! I'm not giving up hope yet, because they may be able to get a freelancer in, so fingers crossed. Due to various weddings, birthdays, and other shifts that can't be covered, it's the only week I can go, so I'm pestering the girl who does our rotas on a daily basis!

The frightening thing is I will have a one month old by the time the workmen finish digging their hole!!!!!!!!! They are tunnelling the length of Northcote Road!!!! EEK!!

Morning girlies,

God its horrible weather here, where is this heatwave they keep warning us about?

Flossalump, never thought that the scan could have got it wrong. I have resisted buying the christening robe but dh said that if it turns out to be a boy we should go along with the whole bridesmaid thing anyway as it would make a really good photo to embarrass ds on his 21st birthday party

On the nightdress front, can't decide whether I should get one or not.I don't normally wear anything to bed but use pjs to wander round the house if its cold. I am having homebirth so hopefully will be able climb into my own bed afterwards but it might be useful to labour in before getting into the birthpool?

Ooh which reminds me, do I need to pack a hospital bag just in case of emergency?

Canadianmum, at our yoga class a girl who came into to talk about her homebirth experience gave us the tip on arnica. She said that she took arnica as soon as she went into labour and took some every 2 hours throughout, not sure of the dose though.

Filbrit, you have my sympathy. I am getting through about 3 bars of choc a day at the mo and dread to think who I might murder if they tell me I can't have it anymore. Could too much sugar in my diet be making me more prone to gestational diabetes? Perhaps I should cut it back to 2 bars a day...

Welcome Cathbell!

Mrsmar, they must have a rule that you can't make noise by working early on a sunday...if shopping rights are curtailed on a sunday surely noise pollution must be also!

Kinki, something strange is going on. I broke my glasses last night by dropping and then stepping on them in the dark. They are now very wonky and I'm afraid I'm going to have to replace them. I hate getting new glasses as they are so expensive Glad you don't have to use the pukey ones anymore though!

Hwbb, I am getting kicks mainly on my right side just under my ribs but every now and then I get low one below my belly button. I am also getting that weird undulating belly thing like a wave of movement from one side to the other as if the LO is turning round in there, I find it fascinating to watch as it happens in the morning when I am lying in bed, am tempted to video it.

I am getting a really itchy patch of skin at the top of my bump where it meets my mammoth breasts, it is really annoying.

Hope everyones monday is going well,

xx

Laksa - I'm getting that undualating movement too, it feels weird and wonderful at the same time, I was lying on my back this morning and could see my belly jumping around all over the place. Of course as soon as I told dh when he got out the shower, the little blighter had stopped completely

I also felt just above my belly button and could move what ever part of lo was there by pushing down. I am 27 weeks on sunday am I into the last trimester then?