Due March 2008-New trimester, new thread

[turtle23]

I'll start one!

The original Palmer's Cocoa Butter smells far too sickly for my poor nose.
Thankfully they have a fragrance-free version which I'm told is just as good.

the palmer's stretch cream doesn't smell over-sweet like the rest of their range does

This is nothing to do with this thread really but just wanted to share that I LOVE FREECYCLE!!!
We have been offered a king size bed frame, yippee, a computer desk and I'm getting an Avent bottle warmer tomorrow as well. I have also offloaded a bedside table and a picnic basket. I LOVE FREECYCLE!!!

On a slighly less hysterical note, just wondered how Modsaluk is doing?

Have a nice evening all.

Also, my1stbaby, protein in wee can sometimes be caused by sperm so if you had sex previous to the sample.............

Monopolise this thread, glammama, why don't you. I meant to say semen, not sperm. Wonder why I have sperm on the brain? Ugh, that looks wrong. Sorry, Think I'm overtired and overexcited,

That reminds me...if anyone would like an Avent bottle warmer let me know.

turtle, are they no good? I'm thinking I might need one for the expressed milk but never had a warmer with DD.

Yardette - your parenting methods sounds like what we did! When babies are very tiny there's little point in trying for a routine, but from a couple of months you can try to start one. But I think if you feel like to have to have certain things done by a certain time it's just asking for stress!! A bit of routine, a bit of flexibility and lots of cuddles sounds like the perfect way to raise a baby! You'll be a great mum.

No-one seems to mention the Baby Whisperer much any more. She made the most sense to me - just follow a loose routine of eat, activity, sleep, you-time (E.A.S.Y). Though the you-time is easier said than done!!

Right, off for an early night, all tired out after a long day at work and aqua-natal class this evening.

glam-they do the job, just not quickly enough for my liking. A lot of people swear by them!

oh good, some useful advice around how to be a parent to a small baby.

derah - that's what I was thinking, that I wouldn't try to establish any routines for a while and that by the time I tried to I would know the baby and myself as a mother (and DH as a father) well enough to make a good choice.

A friend (whose baby is a wonderful sleeper) has recommended GF's book to me, and is going to lend it to me, so I'm certainly approaching it with an open mind.

I'm treating all plans I make now as provisional as I just have no idea what it will be like to be a mother yet.

Right now the things that appeal to me are very different from the way my mother and aunts did things, so it's great to hear those perspectives as I won't in the normal run of things.

Hi all just wanted to let you know about my crap day!
Starts dd wakes up in foul mood. Mindee 4yrs like a shadow all morning from 7.15 while I try to get organised for the day.Got ready for all 3 toddlers and me to go swimming, went by car to school. En route had a phone call from another minder to say the lady who helps can't make it so we can't go (now what to do with the girls today?)Got to school, mindee 4yrs forgets lunch box, go home to collect said lunch box and reading bag. Just about driving back to school, then realise I still have my swimming costume on and have mw appt at 1130. Go back to get into undies (searching for clean decent ones a nightmare!) Go to my minder friends. Get a tx from DH's aunty saying we will be thinking off you today and am baffled. Then light dawns it is DH's nans funeral today (DH on a course for 3 wks and didn't tell me). I reply 'You too, love to you all.' Get a reply back saying they have put a pic of dd with her GGM in the coffin, which reduces me to a blithering wreck. Go to mw at 1130,got bloods done eventually after being stabbed 3 times and couldn't get FHB. All 3 toddlers with me, dd and 1 mindee wailing like banshees through most of appt. Got home and the children were a complete nightmare for lunch ( except dd funnily enough!)Picking at it and took 45 minutes to eat a sandwich!

I felt like the whole world conspired against me today Heres hoping tomorrow will be better.

Sorry just needed to get everything off my chest.

skidoodle I have to say DH and I were floundering about, not sure how much sleep dd should need and when. We also fell into the pattern of feeding her every time she cried if she wasn't dirty. We didn't realise that small babies cry from boredom, being overtired etc. We found GF very helpful because dd never got overtired, so was always easy to settle after we followed the routines. I think one good thing she says that we found to be true, is that most small babies can only be happily awake for about 1.5-2 hours at a time. BF obviously means you need to make sure your supply is good before trying to set a pattern for feeding. But it can be worked around BF. Swaddling was also a complete Godsend (recommended by the HV actually as well as GF), as it stops the Morro Reflex from waking them up.

Is swaddling where you wrap a baby up like baby Jesus? wow, I had no idea that was something people still did. soooo much to figure out.

thanks so much tori, especially for taking time to write that on such a frustrating-sounding day.

if you come back, what is the HV?

Just looked up Moro reflex on wikipedia

also, what does it mean to be overtired? my mother uses that word all the time, but to be honest, I've never been sure what it meant, just that it applied to me a lot as a kid

tori...you poor thing! Today will hopefully be better for you.
HV is a health visitor. Do you know that feeling when you're exhausted and pregnant and the slightest thing sets you into breakdown? Transfer that to a small child and you'll find the definition of overtired. Even cuddling and making eye contact wears out little ones! (I know how they feel...)
Oh my god...a 17 lb 1 ozbaby was just born! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

nails colours to mast and shows you all the secret shrine i have created for tracey hogg (baby whisperer). magic lady. based on child physiology and developmental science and her clear love of wee ones.

there's a few programs knocking around the discovery channel of hers which she made before she so sadly died.

morning all, journey to work on the bus - a big step in the whole pre-natal thing but feels good to have made the decision! Must tell you all about last night, left myself 21/2 mins to get ready to go out and low and behold in teh space of 12 hours I no longer fit normally into majority of wardrobe - suddenly - quite amazing and now in sister's maternity dress and embracing the lack of waist. It really did happen suddenly - anyone else found that?
In pile of maternity clothes also found baby whisperer book - sounds like a few people here rate it so might have a read...nearer the time!
Stayed out until after 12 last night - eye lids now propped open with matchsticks not helped by a snoring husband! mmmmmmmm.
Tori- I hope today is better and myfirstbaby hope you're getting some advice - I haven't a clue but glamma's reasons seems plausible....and Mods - fingers crossed we hear happy news today...?
Turtle - where the hell did you see that.....am now running away in fear

morning all! hope everyone is feeling a bit better!!

well i left work last night fairly upbeat about life- feeling comfy in maternity clothes and knowing that the kettle was on at home and the heating would keep me nice and warm............

UNTIL!! i walked the half a mile to my car (my current baby, pride and joy etc) got in feeling smug that i have heated leather seats, turned the key and NOTHING not a sausage, strange whirring noise and a few clicks but no actual engine noise, felt a bit of a prat and sort of stuck my belly out and asked a kind gentleman if he could try to jumpstart it, nope still nothing but the jump leads started smoking. So knowing that dh wouldn't be able to pick me up as the kids were already sitting having their tea i had to walk another mile or so to find a taxi rank (and a cash point ) and come home with my tail between my legs because my super dooper car had let me down
so this morning has been a bit of a merry go round- car swapping with dh, nanny etc to get the school run done and get me to work between making sure someone is home for the sky engineer (yes thats buggered as well!!) and now to top it all off my car has to be transported 60 odd miles away to the dealership because the chap who usually sorts anything out on it can't read the codes from the on-board computer!! at least they are bringing a courtesy car for me- but will still be without my pink mobile until at least Tuesday

Well thats the rant over! sorry but i needed to get that out- i was blubbering at the side of the road last night- usually i'm so level headed and relaxed about these things!

Is anyone else still throwing up? i have mornings when all of a sudden i chuck- like this morning over the mechanic

preggeragain, horrible horrible time - poor you. Cars can cause even the toughest of nuts to crack when they dont' start I think. It recently happened to me - not so dramatic as I don't have ds or dd at home but hope today is an improvement for you. any chance of you have a nice cup of tea and a biscuit? I'm currently inhaling a packet of oat cakes...I'm not suffering from sickness but just fancy eating!

still feeling a bit sick tbh, tempted to feign illness and spend the day in bed! it has really stressed me out, the worst bit is that i absolutely adore my car (it gets more of my attention than dh does ) and the thought of it baing taken away is giving me the heebie jeebies- i'm putting the hysterical stupidity down to hormones- they've just rung to say that they are lending me a grand voyager- bloody hell what do they think i am super bloody woman- i have difficulty parking as it is ah well- i'm going out for a cappucino with preggy mate (and lots of donuts )

Good morning!
Seems like shape is changing rapidly- no longer no-waisted chubb, but definitely bump coming out just under belly button. I had a sort of my wardrobe the other night and have sadly put most things away except a few skirts and low-waisted jeans. Love maternity dresses!
I googled the 17 lb baby- it was born in Brazil in 2005 and the doctors linked its weight to the mom's diabetes. (Unless there's a new one, turtle?)
DH and I were both 9lb babies (gasp!)... what are the chances of this one being nice and small?
Here's hoping today will be a good one!

preggers, tori - sounds like you had / are having seriously crappy days. am passing you some virtual chocolate and salt & vinegar crisps (depending on if you've got a sweet or salty craving today!) and hoping it helps slightly

I read chunks of GF in some fascination when friends all started using it. Found the overall principle good, although the "at 8.05 have a slice of toast and cup of coffee" a bit too rigid for me. She does seem to be less horrific than that woman on the tv programme the other night as well. SIL did GF religiously and would get v upset with herself if she was 2 mins late with anything and refused to vary it even for special family occasions etc.. Best friend did it in conjunction with baby whisperer - i.e. elements of both - GF for bedtime, baby whisperer more during day. Another friend has done it fairly strictly, but in quite a relaxed way (does that make sense? - she has only done GF rather than using other methods, but she doesn't beat herself up if she is late with anything or has a crap day). Nephew seems to be so welded to routine now that he isn't great without it, but friends' kids seem to sleep really well and actively like bedtime etc. without being too worried if routine varies for any special reason. So I think I'll be trying GF but without the religious fervour of my SIL. Hope to get my baby liking a routine as both DH and I like routine anyway so imagine baby could end up being like us! But I want him/her able to cope if routine is thrown on any given day. Having said that, I have no expectations of being able to achieve this in the first 2 months and am expecting it to be sleep-deprived and horrific

e14mum - I was 7lb at birth; DH was 10lb5

I am so hoping our baby takes after me!!!!

HQ - that was always my worry about a really strict routine, sometimes it just isn't practical to stick to it and if your baby can't cope without the routine you're screwed. So we've always gone for a flexible approach, but try to have a vague routine. It seems to work well for us. DD goes to bed happily at 7pm every night, but can take her afternoon nap anywhere between 1pm and 4pm, and has no trouble with an occasional late night if need be.

Imjin - I had a look at the bras you recommended and they look like just what I need! Some of my maternity tops are quite low-cut so I need a crop-top type bra to go under them but haven't been able to find anything supportive enough. So I've ordered two and hope they're as good as they look. I like the fact that they're nursing bras too so I should get lots and lots of use out of them.

I've spent a fortune on bras this time around. They don't seem to do the one I lived in last time anymore, and every one I buy seems to be wrong somehow - cuts into my chest, cups too big/small, not enough support etc. I have a whole drawer full of new bras!!

Just had a phone call from someone at my midwives office saying my blood test results have come back and I have a low blood count of 9.2 - however, she said almost nothing more except they start treatment if it gets as low as 10? Anyone know what she is on about? I'm guessing it means I am anaemic?

Had a shocker of a morning, passed out on the tube so was late into work and then had an arguement with two colleagues which ended with me in tears. I'm normally the hard faced bitch in the office, not loving these hormones!

Sorry, also needed to rant!

turtle - i've found the 17lb baby story here. She has 11 siblings all of whom weighed more than 11lbs