Still blooming and getting bigger

[littleoldme]

Decided we were getting to full. Hope this works.

I completely understand - I'm glad it's not just me. I sometimes feel very guilty for blaming my job because really it's a combination of things which make it hard to handle.

What I mean is I add 2.5 hours to my day by living too far away from the office. That's not works fault its mine, and I can't hold them accountable for people being downright inhumane on public transport. Also, its my fault that financially I have to work till I'm 35 weeks because I didn't plan my finances properly before getting preggers because I dodn;t think working would be in issue.

So I guess its all work related but I'm trying not to be too mean.

On antenatal classes. I'm doing a NCT weekend course and that starts in two weeks. The ones offered at my hospital are at really awkward times. Have I made a mistake going to the NCT?

I've just been to my first antenatal class this evening. Really wasn't keen on going but it was actually OK. On the informatin front I don't think I learnt anything I hadn't already read in a book or (more likely) on MN. MN really is a fab source of knowledge! But it was quite good to have someone to ask questions of, especially about how the maternity system works here in NZ, as obviously I'm not completely familiar with it, having lived in the UK till I was 30!

We'll definitely go back next week. If it was on the same night as the Sopranos it might be a different matter but Wednesdahy night TV is pretty rubbish over here

Ara - Dont worry about ranting - rant away about your willy hours!!

Anna - I did think about doing antenatal classes, more for my DP than me (his first baby, but my second) but he's not particularly bothered about going really. I never went to any with DS either. I personally dont think i'm missing out on much. I'm sure there's nothing they could tell me that i dont know (or cant find out) already. At least i hope that's the case!!

Anna, my antenatal classes don't start for almost a month (always thought this was a bit late, but hopefully it'll be ok!). I'm going to NHS ones - I've heard a few people on MNet say that they're a waste of time, but I think it varies from place to place and mine sound reasonably well put together. Plus I'm mainly looking forward to finding out practical stuff like where to park for the maternity hospital, whether they have an anaesthetist (sp?) available 24 hours, what the visiting hours are, whether i need to bring my own towels, etc etc. Anything more than that is a bonus

Nicola, I'm sure you'll be fine with NCT ones though - I've heard lots of people say they can be better in terms of information and support.

ara, we've all said it before, but your work sounds RUBBISH! I hope you're intending to give them the boot after they've paid you for a year of maternity leave

mornin all !

i'm liking the sound of 'willy hours' not really getting enough of my own willy hours at the moment, or even willy minutes or willy seconds,

i too have a commute into work, live in sticks...kind of....but work up in the big smoke, altho' i can park at work and drivings not as bad as having to negotiate public transport, travel probably adds 2 to 3 hours to my working day. I've decided to start ML at 8 October (4.5 weeks before EDD), all being well

Easywriter what can you do, you can't cry so you have to laugh, omg the amount of untold damage 3 x 3year old girls can get into in 5 minutes, you wait until they hit their teens aagghghh

My DS has had similar episodes with a tub of my face cream, and with a whole tub of talcum powder......has anyone seen that pic doing the round on the internet where two little boys have spead a tub of white paint all over their living room and themselves

I have!
And I laughed at the time!

Don't feel so clever now.

Actually, I've just remembered that I can hardly blame my daughters as they've inherited bad gene's in this area (and from me!!).

There was an incident (I was about seven, I can see now that I really should have known better). I was trying to recreate a grassy meadow for a play I was putting on with friends in our enormous attic playroom, I covered the entire floor (a white, white carpet) of the room with powdered green poster paint!

I suspect I'm here to tell the tale only because I opted not to mix the powder with water prior to application.

Lord! I wish I'd recalled what a minxy little, precocious so-and-so I was BEFORE I decided to create little minx's of my own.

I NEED willy hours too!

LOL at working willy hours especially as in my experience , prior to marriage of course, willy's don't always 'work' really long hours.

Easy - hope you have recovered from the assault on your bathroom.

Re antenatal classes - I'm going to NCT ones which are two full Saturdays - the last one finsiheing two and half weeks before before my due date. Guess I'll have to keep my legs crossed.

Am now considering using good old fashioned terry nappies with wraps - they were good enough for me!

Easywriter - I cant believe what your girls got up to in your bathroom!! What little tykes!!!!

Hope you (and your bathroom) have recovered now tho!

Wow! that's a brave decision Littleoldme.

I'm wondering why (but then I find all the stuff that's available just too confusing to get my head around)

Did you say you were in Yorkshire (west)? I'm in south yorkshire but know of a lady who has used about 40 different types of nappy as a mummy and came to our pregnancy yoga group to tell eveyone about it all. Wondered if you'd like her number if you've anything further you'd like to discuss(I can get it the next time I go to yoga).

Igore this if you need to (I think I'm being helpful, the last 14 or so hours merely indicate that I've got verbal diaorrehea...)

I think terry nappies is really brave. I thought about it and then decided that I'll do it for my second child when I've learnt the ropes. That way I'm slightly less likely to end up with carpets covered in pooh, while I'm still learning to multi-task everything else.

On disposables I've been doing a little survey and I was really shocked to see how much the price of exactly the same pack of nappies varies in different shops. I think I'm going to be a bit of nappy shopping extremist when baby is born, refusing to pay a penny more than I have to. Does anyone have any top tips for where to get the cheapest nappies?

I think the cheapest I've found is Costco but they don't do the newborn size. The cheapest newborn seems to be Morrisons at the mo because they've got on offer on.

Afternoon all,

Littleoldme - I needed breastpump from day one because DS was in special care so I couldn't breastfeed him. But generally you don't need it straight away. Will come in useful once you decide to express so that DH/DP can do his share of night feeds or so that you can have an evening off and leave milk for baby with babysitter.

It was a life saver for when breasts become engorged about 3 days after giving birth. Mine were so huge I couldn't rest my arms by my sides. Very painful and the only solution seems to be to either get baby to feed or to express some milk.

Easy - what a nightmare with the 3 year olds! I think I would have burst into tears!

My NCT antenatal classes have been rescheduled due to teacher cancelling. Instead of being weeks 29 to 37, they will be weeks 33 to 37 (but longer sessions). Will be good in one way because lower petrol costs of running DS to mum's for babysitting for every session. But no good if I have another premmie!

My sympathies to all of you who are decorating - I don't know how you are coping!

And when I think I was working fulltime this time last pregnancy, it makes me want to get into bed and pull the duvet over my head.

I don't know how you ladies with such long commutes and working hours are doing it!

Thanks for pumpimg advice Choudru . I suppose if need one pronto someone can go and get one for me. glad you have sorted out the NCT classes.

Re the whole nappies thing. I'll def use disposables initally but am going to give terrys a good go. I've got a freind who swears by using them with a Motherease wrap. Maybe I'll chicken out but they are soooooo much cheaper.

Loopy here's one for you. I don't want to induced or pushed into it if I go over 40 weeks unless of course there's a risk to the baby or myself. Do you have any info on how to play it should the situation arise?

Afternoon Ladies! I trust that you are well, blooming and feeling positeively ready for the little intrusion that's about to happen! Can someone please remind me why I've done this again!!

Apologies for not reading the last 1000 plus since I have been away! You have been busy!

Anyone fancy giving me the lowdown instead?

28 weeks today - quite frankly could have the littel one tomorrow - Anti D due sometime this week - desperately trying to find someone to give it to me - maybe not such a bad thing if I can't - it really hurts!

Sparkly and Pixie - how are you???

xxx

Hi Mrs Jetson

Theres no keeping up with this board i'm afraid peeps like a blether too much.
I'm 28 weeks today too, i have my anti-D on Friday with my MW, why hasn't your MW arranged yours, you should have had a letter from your health authority, following your first set of bloods ?

I'm the strange one on this thread - we live abroad so everything is done privately from the UK and here!! Basically if I don;t do it - noone else will!

I see, we are lucky to have out National Health Service really, although its not always up to scratch

Right!

What the devil is anti-D?

Sounds like an ageing rap outfit? Mais non?

Anti- D is an injection you have to have if you're rhesus neg to stop your body from attacking the baby.

I had to have my first injection early because a transit van went into the back of me when i was parked up at a red light. It's quite a painful injection but it isn't as bad as adrenaline or anything like that. I just didn't look at the needle until after it has gone in.

I figure it'll be nothing compared to giving birth.

boo hoo, anti-d is when you have a different blod type from your baby, and ensures your blood doesn't produce antibodies which might fight with your baby. I have to have it too, sob, and i'm SCARED OF NEEDLES!

LizzieO and Easy - me too - only thing i like about going to bed at the moment as i sure ain't able to get a decent night's sleep due to LO deciding to boot me in the ribs at stupid o'clock in the morning!

Littleoldme - I am planning the same with nappies but am surreptitiously watching from afar as my friend attempts it with her LO first - he is 1 week old today and they are using disposables at the moment before moving on to re-usables.

My car needed some attention today and the garage i took it to insisted on giving me a lift home and have only charged me what it cost them to fix it - what a nice surprise, and a total first round here!! I am used to being completely shafted by them! Think it was because of my bump. Bonus.

Ara - what a touch re the car!! You dont normally get that, do you?!!

Sympathies to all you Anti-D peeps. How horrible!! Still, i'm sure labour will be much, MUCH worse. Mowahahaha!

Nappies - I thought about using the new washables that are out now but have decided sod it. I'm using disposable. I dont want to have buckets of poo hanging round the kitchen when i'm knackered and tearful with heavy boobs! I know it's not very environmentally friendly etc etc but i do recycle everything at home so i reckon i'm allowed this recompense.

I'm starting to count down the weeks til i give up work now. Only 9 weeks to go!! Yay!! I'll be giving up 6 weeks before the baby's due but i'm taking 2 weeks holiday so i officially start my ML on 1st November, which is about 4 weeks before baby is due.

Is anyone feeling really confident about labour and looking forward to it? I dont know why i am, but i'm just wanting the whole baby baking process to hurry up now. I cant wait til she makes an appearance and becomes "Daddy's Little Princess" or such other sickeningly sweet name.

littleoldme thats a great question re induction i want to know that too! i have been reading ina may gaskin's guide to childbirth which whilst edging towards the hippy has tons of great empowering stuff. theres extensive stuff on induction and its downsides, but its american so its a little lacking on how you foist all your newfound hippiness to the NHS model.

so i went to the doctor and she thinks i have mumps. which is a bit strange as i am not feverish. i do feel a bit grotty but i think thats just the same thing as y'all have been experiencing- end of 2nd trimester thing. blood tests tomorrow- a weeks wait to confirm! Of course i coudlnt keep off the google RG! however nothing too scary. looks like mumps at this fairly late stage is unlikely to harm the baby. doctor didnt want to go into what the repercussions of the baby catching mumps in utero would be, of course, as its so low risk, and i am torn between knowing i shouldnt scare myself and wanting to know straight away to be prepared..

Revel - sorry to hear you have got mumps!

STEP AWAY FROM GOOGLE!!!!!!

Just a quick comment re nappies. not doing a hard sell at all but have just picked up ona couple of comments.

You won't have pooey nappies hanging round. Once you take it off the baby you empty any poo down the toilet and then put it ina bucket with a lid. If you fancy you can put a drop of lavender oil or tea tree oil in with them BUT I PROMISE YOU THERE IS NO SMELL.
When you need to wash them you can literally throw the bucket at the hole in the machine and they'll go in OR you can get like a little sack that goes int he bucket and holds the nappies and then you put the whole lot in the wash.
RG- you're worried about cloth nappies when you're just starting off and have leaky boobs - nowt wrong with using disposables for a few weeks and getting everything else going and then thinking about cloth. Even if you left it for a few months you'll still benefit and so will the environment.
I fully intend to have disposables in hospital and then onto cloth when i get home.
All I'm asking is that you don't discount it totally out of hand.

Right- lecture over

MW today, had a chat about a cs and need to talk to haematologist. MW thinks it will be the safer more controlled option to have a cs but we'll see what haematologist says this coming Wednesday.