Due in Dec 2007. Enough already, bring on the babies!

[suey2]

hellloooooo?

Sounds like your LO has turned Bouncing! My stomach muscles must be quite slack after 2 babies as I can't feel mine turning, know it does though - seems to be feet up today! Bump is definitely lower when baby is head down too.
Dundee, hopefully your LO will turn soon, I think I read somewhere that sleeping with a pillow between your legs and being sort of rolled forwards with your top knee on the bed creates a kind of hammock for LO and encourages it to move into optimal birth position. Left hand side is better to lie on too.
Clairey, sorry doesn't sound like you'll get a chilled out birth this time but at least you will get to see LO again before the birth!

Can't remember who it was who was saying about thigh high support stockings always ending up bunched beneath the knee but I got some of of ebay which are (so far) staying up! They are Scholl Ultima and they have a lace top with that plasticy stuff, more comfy than the other ones although they still feel odd under jeans! The seller has some more for sale. Only £3.50 a pair and if you ask you can buy more than one pair and they will combine the postage too.

My car seat arrived today! Have had it out and played with it - hardly seems possible that in 10 weeks I could have a LO filling it!

Check this out for anal listing... and I have to check it every few weeks... very para about things getting on top of me as you can see... how long will this last (er about 30 mins!!)

This is long....

POST-NATAL PLAN

GOALS
· To keep on top of the housework
· To cook fresh meals at least 4 times per week
· To keep on top of bills
· To start to lose weight
· To start to be more healthy to keep up with the demands of two young children
· To make an effort with my appearance
· To take up a hobby
· To do different things with the kids/family

HOW ? to keep on top of the housework
· Wash up as things are used, or definitely before going to bed
· Designate 3 days out of the week for clothes washing
· Hoover 3 times per week
· Bathroom cleaned every other day to include: toilet, sink and floor
· Polishing once a week
· Curtains washed every 8 weeks
· Bed covers washed and changed every week

HOW ? to cook 4 fresh meals a week
· Get baba to show me some of the meals that Shaz likes
· Take a cookery class as part of new hobby
· Get Shaz to open his mind to new things

HOW ? to keep on top of bills
· Invest in laptop and internet
· Daily monitoring of accounts
· Create schedule of payments
· Make all relevant payments each Friday
· File immediately
· Keep spreadsheet of all payments made and when

HOW ? to lose weight and improve energy levels
Exercise
· 30 minutes two days a week in the gym (Bike/Treadmill)
· Walk as much as possible, try to achieve 1 mile per day (Walthamstow market)
· Bellydance dvd one day per week
· Lilia dvd 3 times per week (just one workout)
· Use Semiha?s bike on the days I do Lilia DVD to one half hour programme.
Diet/Eating
· Healthy snacks, fruit, carrot sticks etc
· Small portions
· Substitutes e.g. lasagne/chips = lasagne/salad
· 2 treats per week: small treat, chocolate bar: medium treat, cake/real coffee
· 1 large treat per fortnight: Take Away / Eat Out
· Keep diet diary with pictures again ? worked well last time
· Drink more water

HOW ? to make an effort with my appearance
· Brush hair/blow dry hair etc
· Wear make up
· Lose the weight / wear nice things
· Get eyebrows done regularly
· Shave / wax regularly
· Haircut every 8 weeks

HOW ? to take up a hobby
· Cheap / free evening class
· Cookery
· Join a book club

HOW ? to do things with the kids or as a family
· Try to go swimming once a week
· Baby / toddler group once or twice a week
· Try to go to the park / have outdoor time (actually playing not just walking) 3 times per week
· Try to set aside special time with just Sami (messy play, reading a book)
· Once a month go to play centre at the weekend as a family
· Once a month special lunch / dinner out as a family
· Once every 8 weeks night / day without kids for me and Shaz

TARGETS
· Breastfeed for one month at a time
· Get Sami into a good bedtime routine with story
· Feel in control by Sami?s birthday
· Be a size 12 by August (1 / 2 dress sizes)
· Be a size 10 by Christmas 2008

LONG TERM GOALS
· Back to work plan
· Learn to drive
· Own our own home by the time Sami is 5

BACK TO WORK PLAN
· Look for jobs locally
· Ideally within school, hospital or doctors
· Aim to start with part time hours unless 100% happy with all aspects of childcare
· Look for something with some progress as will go full time eventually
· Start looking from September 2008
· Try to secure at least £750 per month
· Begin to draft CV from now before leaving DTZ

I've sort of started my hospital bag. Have just shoved a nighty, some flip flops, some maternity pads and knickers, a few sleep suits and some breast pads in so far. Am hoping I won't have to go to hospital. Am very impressed with all you ladies who are organised. Having said that I have washed and sorted my baby clothes into separate drawers for newborn and 0-3 months. Am going to let christmas stuff slide. The rellies will have to put up with being ignored. I might just send pics of the boy when he's born as christmas cards.

that sounds like a good idea wizzka

Mixedmama - can I come and live at your house? Its sounds much cleaner than mine!

Wizzkka - that is all in theory if it was that clean i wouldnt need the plan

Oh my gosh - you are so organised. Not even thought about half the things you have mentioned.

Anyone had similar problems with BUMPS 4D scan clinics?

We booked for a 4D scan with BUMPS at their Surrey "clinic" several weeks ago and arrived on Sunday to find that the "clinic" is actually a hired conference room in a hotel, with the "reception" in the corner of the hotel bar. They couldn't do the scan as their machine had broken, they had no technical staff on duty so were unable to investigate the problem and had been unable to contact us to let us know as they hadn't taken proper contact details (we had driven for 2 hours to get there!). They were also unhelpful, bordering on rude in dealing with the problem afterwards - not calling back when they said they would and it took 3 phone calls to get my deposit back. All in all, I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who is thinking of paying for a 4D scan - they were very unprofessional. Anyone had similar problems and do you know who is the correct medical body to complain to about services like this?

Yes, but all complete theory on my part.

I havent even thought about hospital bag yet! Really need to especially as I'll need to pack stuff for dd too. When I had her i didnt use most of the stuff as had same day discharge, but that might not be possible now so I'll have to think about it properly! Here is my list off the top of my head, please add to it cos I know i'll have forgotten tons!

-Nighty/Tshirt to wear during labour/birth
-Nighty to wear after birth
-Comfy clothes for on ward/coming home
-Lots and lots and lots of maternity pads
-Big pants
-Toiletries
-Arnica tablets
-Drinks and snacks for during labour/afterwards (didnt eat any of the snacks last time but drank loads!)
-Nappies for baby (find out if they'll allow cloth or if i have to buy disposables)
-Couple of outfits for baby

Erm...surely thats not it??

I was thinking the same thing as you wizzka mm you house sounds mega clean, I manage hoovering once a week, bathroom once a week and I've never cleaned the curtains.... only way I managed that last year was having a diff cleaning job on each day of the week - everyone laughed at my rota but house was pretty clean, I even paid for a cleaner when I came back to work but she didn't do as good a job as me - complete waste of money

wizzka - I think I should do the same as you and throw a few things in a bag and just take some clothes and nappies to my mum and dads for ds, they have everything else I think

claireybee - sounds about as far as I've got with my list!

Ok, can anyone give me any advice.
Ive been backwards and forwards to the hosiptal and midwife coz ive got a really low iron count, which i always have had for about the past 10 years.
I had another appointment booked for 30th oct and ive had a letter today saying i have to go in on the 22nd to be reviewed.
When i was there on the 8th they took more blood and mentioned that i might have to go in and get iron via a transfusion or something like that.
Has anyone had this done? How long will it take and will it involve staying in overnight?
Im terrified.

in reality i manage about the same as you insy sometimes actually less

when i had my weeks hols i turned into a mad housewife and was cleaning and cooking all the time loved it.... but that was a week with one child.

fifi, I'm afraid I've no experience of this. Poor you!

Moonface - that's shocking! My friend went to Harley St for her 4d scan and said it was really good.

Wow MM! That is more than I achieve now with just one child! Think you would be disgusted if you came to my house! However you have inspired me so here is my version

Aim to:
Put away all toys/baby paraphanalia each evening
Wash up at least once a day
Hoover twice a week
Do a load of washing every day to avoid backlog
Cook dinner most days
Keep going to toddler group 3 times a week

Freak out at DH if I don't manage to keep up so that he does it!

Talking about cleaning I always clean my bathroom, kitchen and dining room everyday - is that obessive or normal? My mum had a touch of OCD so think I've picked up some of her habits.

Fifi - sorry I don't know anything about that. There was a girl at work who had very low iron levels and had to go to the hospital regularly for transfusions, which she said was good, as after each session she felt so full of energy.

Amani- did she just go in and get it done and come home or did it involve staying in, do you know?

It was a straight forward transfusion and I far as I recall it was just a few hours off work.

If you gusy don't mind, can you please take a couple of minutes to sign this petition for the testing of every pregnant woman for Group B Streps:

I had it in my last pregnancy and I have not been checked for it during this pregnancy - so feel quite strongly about it.

Thanks
Its the thought of a overnight stay that worries me, it was bad enough staying in the 1 night when i had ds, but at least i had him with me.
I really dont want to stay in on my own, i know, i sound like a right wimp dont i

petitions.pm.gov.uk/groupbstrep/
hopefully it should be a hyperlink

fifi- there i was thinking i would be no help

Not at all fifi, it's always scary when you don't know what to expect!

My post natal Goals list looks a little like this:

• Do some housework, sometime.
• Try and ensure dd is getting good meals, even if DH and I have to live off takeaways.
• Remember that Christmas day is 25 Dec and people expect things like presents and cards.
• Get out of pyjamas and slippers when I take dd to childminder.

Do people really clean their bathrooms more than once a week? I feel like such a slob now....

Claireybee - your bag lists sounds fine to me. I suspect I will pack mine while in labour.