Due in December 07 - look at that bump!

[buzzybee]

OK hopefully no-one else has started a new thread!

Hi all - trying but failing to keep up with all the messages.
I am starting to panic that I don't have very long to go now (will be 32 weeks on Saturday) and not at ALL ready for this baby. Have just made a list for my labour and hospital bag, has anyone else done this yet or am I getting a bit ahead of myself? I feel better having made a list but that doesn't mean I will actually get round to packing it for a while yet....

Oh - I can't remember who was talking about names beginning with O yesterday but apart from Oliver and Oscar how about Orson and Otis?

I have written said list and bought bits for the bag and flung them in. But I am anal about these things (and am only 27 weekes).

MM - can you come and pack my bag for me too please? I just can't get that organised! However I am off to Matalan this afternoon to see if I can buy some big, comfy post-baby knickers!
BTW I think there was some discussion about Bringing Up Baby last night - if you look on the telly threads there are lots and lots of comments about....Claire Verity! What a suprise. I think the thing that gets to me most is that she did not have children of her own so presumably can have absolutely no understanding of how it feels for a new mother to leave her baby to cry at such a young age. Surely the fact that it is so difficult is natures way of telling us we should go to them?
And to add my tuppence worth on the bf'ing in public discussion - I don't think there is anything wrong with doing it but agree it might turn people more against it if people don't at least try to be as discreet as possible. However I am sure I might have accidentally flashed a bit of flesh in the early days (and I am someone who has never even been topless on a beach) but when your baby is screaming for a feed there isn't usually much time to think to be too stressed by these things!

oh my gosh so many slings to pick from...

still looks pretty unergonomic to me TBH. The continuum woman seemed just as barmy to me as claire verity. I think it must be much more difficult with any approach when you have twins, particularly as they were in hospital for a week, so they were not comparing like with like. I don't agree with verity's methods, however. The no eye contact when feeding, even during the day! And only one cuddle! No WAY

We have gone for the babybjorn with the pelvic strap rather than a sling.

Suey2 - I think it is important to be happy with whatever you chose to do and go with your instinct. I wouldn't want to wear my baby all day either, but I would rather do that than leave them alone to cry in the garden! I cried my eyes out the first time I had to leave DD alone upstairs (asleep!) while we ate our dinner. I just thought after she had been inside my tummy for 9.5 months she would be lonely....

Hi guys! It makes me mad when people go on about being offended by seeing a little bit of boob when a mother BFs in public - there are so many magazines on the shelves with naked ladies on and newspapers where the girls bare all - surely that is less natural and more offensive than a mother feeding her baby? Grr...
I am not going to use a sling as my boys were heavy and I don't think I would be strong enough! Also I love my pushchair, so handy for putting stuff on/under too. Mind you I don't have a toddler this time to worry about! A friend of mine used a sling which was just like a length of cloth with a ring on, you wrapped it round you and put the end through the ring - it was great and really easy to use, she is still using it now and her LO is 9 months old.
Had my MW appt this morning and was a bit disappointed really. Other than blood pressure, urine and measuring the bump (with a tape measure! It was done with hands when I was having the DSs, it wasn't that long ago!) that was basically it! She asked me if I was okay, I said uncomfy - she wrote "feels fine" on my notes. I am measuring 29 cm which is a bit big for my dates (27+6) but I expected that TBH and blood pressure is a little up on last time but mine is so low anyway its probably better. I asked if we could hear the HB (said DS2 wanted to hear it - bad when you feel you need an excuse to hear your baby) but baby wasn't playing along! Took ages although MW could see random limbs poking out as baby tried to get away! Eventually she found it when she saw baby's back poke up but then LO tried to kick the doppler off (much to DS2s amusement!). Thankfully the MW was a nice one but I feel quite disappointed and a little concerned by how much services have been cut in the last 4 years.

Skidaddle - have finally found time to read that VBAC thread and am now even more confused than before! I just wish I could see into the future and know what kind of birth I am going to get then I could make a decision...(as I am sure you all do)....

Sorry everyone for posting so many times, can you tell DD is asleep and I am too knackered to do any housework or chores??????????

claraq - I haven't even thought about a hospital bag so don't worry!

Am completely confused about slings now - like the look of the ergo one but don't know how good this would be for a tiny newborn

Have been here since 9am and have done no work at all - probably because dd wet her bed at 2am and then was in our bed singing, dancing and jumping until 5am so I am exhausted - oh I can't wait until we have a newborn to add to the equation...

bless you claraq for crying at leaving your 2 week old dd asleep upstairs!!

There seem to be loads of VBAC threads - there is a support one I noticed today in the childbirth section. It must be such a difficult decision and everyone has a different story. Hopefully as it gets nearer to the time you will feel more strongly one way or the other what you want to do.

beckle - sounds like you are just like me - low bp and measuring big for dates and at your mw writing 'feels fine' after you'd said you were uncomfy! that would make me very annoyed!

Can't believe some of you guys have packed hospital bags already! Mind you some of you are 4 weeks closer than I am to your EDD. I have not even bought anything for baby yet except for a carrycot for the pram!
On that note Housemum, where did you order the matress for your Silver Cross from? Do they do made to measure?? Am toying with the idea of getting a new one for the carrycot as I bought it second hand, DH said not to bother as it will only be used on the pushchair, not for sleeping. It is a plastic coated one and you can see the carrycot has barely been used so I wonder if a good airing and wash with antibac would be okay? Any thoughts anyone? I have to say that although I bought a new cot mattress for each DS I used the same carrycot one for both (from my old pram).

Just had my MW appointment at 28 weeks....was fine I guess bit surprised they took blood again for blood count and rhesus antibodies (can't see why as I am and always have been pos they are not going to suddenly go away)...and I HATE having needles stuck in my arm
She measured measuring just over 28 so spot on really, listened with doppler all fine and wee'd ona stick ...and thank you mam thats it till 34 weeks yikes
Asked if I could just see the unit where I would be delivering as had DD at local one now different but can't really be arsed to do antenatal classes again...she said just ring and pop in to look around...really really will have to I suppose don't fancy being in full blown labour not knowing where to go ...

Becklespookle - I totally agree about all the titty magazines - much more offensive than breastfeeding.

Claraq - I'm due the day after you (shall we have a race and see who can pop first ). I'm just beginning to assemble stuff for birth now. Have bought some maternity pads and breast pads. Have sent off for a couple of maternity, breastfeeding nighties in case I go to hospital. I think I'll buy some big pants too but a friend has given me some disposable ones. That's about as far as I've got. Oh and I've got sleepsuits for baby ready. I'm hoping to have a home birth but I'll pack a bag just in case. Can't leave it to DH, he'll not know what to do.

I am a bit annoyed Skidaddle, TBH it doesn't fill me with confidence about the birth if they can't tell the difference between feels fine and feels uncomfy! She didn't even check positioning of the baby, she said there was no point as it doesn't matter until around 37 weeks! It matters to me! I want to know if I am right about positioning for starters (I think baby is mostly transverse or breech although does turn head down in the evenings) but mostly I want to know as much as possible about the little life I am growing.

Glad your MW appt went well Macdoodle! Sorry for the needles though, I hate them too. I think it is routine for them to do bloods at 28 weeks, I have got to have mine done too but am going to go next week to make sure I am well into the 28th week, can't be doing with going again if they decide I've had them done 1 day early like they did with my triple test bloods! My next appt is at 31 weeks - amazing that they didn't see me for 3 months and now we go straight to every 3 weeks!

I would be annoyed as well beckle... at the end of the day your baby, your body. When i told my MW i was uncomfy she said yeah it gets more like that doesnt it and that was it. i told her what my pains were and i told her that i had carpal tunnel syndrome and she just nodded and didnt write any of it down. I am seeing her on Wednesday and I suppose will bebin for much of the same, she only listens for heartbeat and goes there you heard it as if she isnt actually checking that everything is ok...

beckle - just goes to show how different mw's are - mine checked position at 28wk appt and baby was breech and she said something along the lines of - don't need to start worrying quite yet but if he's not head down at next appt (32 wks) then we have a problem

I'm sure your mw is wrong about 37 weeks - surely they are too big to do a complete turnabout then?

About slings: we're definitely NOT getting the baby bjorn after DH had a go with one last night at the NCT classes using a 7lb doll. Sore back/shoulders after 5 mins!

There's a national 'organisation' of folk who use slings which has a website Sling meet. Our closest one is, surprise, in Edinburgh, but I'm hoping to go along and have a try out of various kinds with people who know what they're doing.

We like the look of the http://www.brightsparkslings.co.uk/slings.htm Coorie for DH and a wraparound for me. I'm thinking a slightly stretchy one for the early days, as it's easier to adjust the sproglet's position from e.g. feeding to upright without having to untie everything. Later on, I shall revert to the method of my own childhood and get a few sari lengths and a length of muslin so I can change the colour if I feel like it, or wear a lighter weight one when it's hot.

Sorry about your MW mine was pretty thorough but I do know her professionally...she pointed out placenta head feet (yes I know where THEY are) and a bum she thought

Ooh, I'm 31 weeks and I've not had bloods done since my 12 week scan. Not getting them done until my next appointment which is 19th October. I wonder why.

Am going agaisnt the masses her but am nOT having a sling this time...tried a few with DD and didn't get on with any of them at all...maybe my big boobs just got in the way dunno but hated every one I tried so not gonna bother this time

Hmm. must be more switched off than I thought - too much sitting down yesterday has left me feeling crocked!

Coorie sling link I hope....

beckle - my hospital do tours every sunday at a specified time and you just turn up, perhaps your hospital does something similar, altho I suspect your MW would have mentioned (at least I hope she would have done, esp since you have asked).

And talking of big boobs - a Bravissimo is opening in Cardiff next week - yipppeeee can go ad get measured properly byt the big boob experts Am now up to 38H (from a 36DD) and even that is feeling to small oh god HOW big can they go