Due in June and entering the home stretch - keep the creme eggs rolling!

[makecakesnotwar]

And the Revels, the Greek Yogurt and the curly fries....

LL-afraid our insurers would only cover me until 28 weeks, but keeping everything crossed for you.

Happy Birthday G43-feeling decidedly old by comparison to be on number one at 31!Hope you have a lovely day.

Good advice Puddock, though sympathies with lack of sleep. Do you end up lying awake after turning at night-my pelvis hurts so much when I do I sometimes feel like crying. Saw MW today and she said they would get me an appt with OB at 34 weeks to discuss possible early delivery- either C-section or induction- if I continued to deteriorate!

Happy painting DM. So glad ours was already the colour we wanted as am no longer allowed to do ladders and DH SUCKS at painting!

Have a day of house viewings...joy.

Cheers makecakes - DH also sucks at painting so I will be ignoring advice and doing most of the painting myself and going up ladders. Planning to use 'odour free' type paint and DH will be on hand to supervise ladder use. Our house is new so no high ceilings or anything so only have to go up a few steps.

Am quite jealous of your day of house viewings -I love looking at houses!!!

Although, the weather here is truly foul today so if I even get dressed that will be an achievement .

Happy Birthday Going4three, enjoy your day, especially the soft play!!

Makecakes , I had my 1st at 31 too - it's not old at all.

Happy Birthday Goingfor3!

Makecakes - I had DD at 36 you are positively teenagerish

Hi everyone

Found the new thread Haven't been in this section for about 3/4 weeks but just find it all so hard to keep up with everyone!!!

So.....what we talking about now then??? What have I missed?

I'm sorry I didn't come back and let people know how the Oestopath was going but I was waiting to see if it helped first. Well, turns out I didn't have standard SPD as my pelvis was totally out (very wonky, turns out probably from the fall I had at 12 weeks pg!) so she had to do some pulling and crunching (didn't hurt, just felt weird) to get it straight again. Since then I've been dealing with the inflammation as a result of all the changes etc. but this week I felt better I'm not 100% sure whether it's the Oestopath sessions which helped (had 3) or whether it's because this week I've had dh doing the morning school run with ds to help out (plus odd pick up to save me walking with 5 under 5's etc). Well, i'm back to normal next week with all the school runs so I'll know by the end of next week whether I'm worse again or still better than I was!

Had some good news a couple of weeks ago......dh got a new job!!! He starts on Monday and it's a better job and better pay so it will be great to have his income coming in again!! (been struggling).

Oh.....I have the most gorgeous tiny little baby I'm looking after now Baby done 3 weeks with me now, started at 8 weeks and she's just yummy My little man inside keeps kicking her when I lay her across me for a bottle, it's like he's jealous already!! lol

I wasn't pleased to weigh myself the other day I've put on SOOOO much weight already!! AND....can you believe swollen ankles already kicked in and I'm only 24 weeks! Had this with ds but much later on. At least it's low blood pressure I usually suffer from so they shouldn't be worried about it, just hate the throbbing at the end of the day!

I've finally put my scans on my profile now but still thinking of names for him. Dh likes Max and I did too but think I prefer Reece or Dillon??? Not sure? Anyone else got names in mind?

Oh, and anyone ever used a Quinny pram before? A mum (of mindee I look after) is giving me hers (still like new) nearer the time and it looks great but never really used one. She's so kind, giving me her birthing pool too (she just bathed in it, never did the birth at home). Just would like some feedback on it. I desperately want an ambinest too so need to start saving as they're not cheap!!

Anyway, gone on as usual. Just wanted to catch up as feel like it's been forever! It's not often I have the house to myself

Hope you're all well

Looney - that is suhc good news about your DH must be a huge weight of your mind, and how lovely to get some practice with a baby, what happens when you go on Mat leave out of interest

Yes, massive weight off mind!

And yes, lovely to have a baby again. Had one baby just over a year ago from 5 weeks old til 13 months. The other 8 week old is now 12 months old so nice to have another tiny baby again

I'm taking 12 weeks off for maternity leave (decided 4 weeks wasn't enough) and everyone is planning on coming back I'm aware they can change their mind but anyone can leave at any time anyway. I'm reassured by the fact I have 2 NEW babies who decided to use me even though they know I'll be off for 12 weeks I'm just hoping Ofsted will agree to the new tiny baby being able to come back in September when I start back. She'll be 8 months old by then but Ofsted have to agree to me having 2 children under age 1 before I can accept them back - fingers crossed!

HI looney, I was wondering where you had got to, great news about your dh's job. Hope all goes Ok with the back next week when you're back to your normal routine. Is the Mum of the 8 week old back to work full time? I couldn't imagine having to leave a baby that young. I went back to work when ds2 was only 5 months and that felt too early!!

Hello everyone! Just had a lovely 30mins or so catching up with you all.

You've prompted me into thinking about the birth - not something I was intending to do until the 1st contraction - I also like the head in sand option... Although I have now ordered some hypnobirthing CDs. Anyway, can I ask the more experienced Mums here some questions to help me decide:

• I'm having a hospital birth. If you have an epidural, how long do you have to stay in hospital afterwards? Actually how long do they keep you in hospital afterwards normally anyway?
• Does a TENS machine really help?

Libralady: Perhaps your midwife might be able to suggest an insurance company? Will your current provider not even offer something at a higher cost or with an excess? If you have private medical insurance, they might cover you (my cover at work is with Axa PPP and it covers emergencies only). Good luck!

Hope you've had a great birthday G43!

Morning all-

not very often you get in before Debs!!! Baby woke me at 6 again, so am killing time until DH gets back from the coast...have told him I want him back before the storm starts!

Probably sounds like a silly question, but does anyone else have quite an old-fashioned DH/DP? Dh really doesn't seem that bothered by the baby...you read all these stories about men who talk to the bump, love to feel the baby kick and really want to talk about how it feels, and plan the birth and so on. This is not my husband...

Makecakes, baby woke me at 7.00 and I went back to sleep until 9.00 , all is quiet as boys have gone skiing , off to meet them for the usual Sunday lunch in an hour or so.

PP, I didn't find that the tens machine did much to dull the pain but it was a distraction - something else to focus on. Well it was until one of the electrodes came off and it started giving me electric shocks in my bottom in the midst of contractions. Needless to say I didn't use one 2nd time round.

Had to tell you about this offer, we have a Lidls here but of course no creme eggs

Morning all - we're painting the baby's room today so very excited about that! Although, still struggling to find any pale lemon curtains that wont break the bank so do let me know if you come accross any.

Makecakes - my DH does talk to my bump etc but he did need a bit of encouraging to start off with. Maybe he just feels a bit silly/unsure of it all, with it being your first.

Looney tunes - good to see you back.. Max, Reece and Dillon all nice names (I prefer the spellings Rhys and Dylan though, but its a personal choice!).

Morning all - My DH doesn't do the talking to baby bit but then neither do I, he didn't with the last bump but has just taken her off to do some plumbing for my sister. Have done breakfast for 10 and just about to start doing rooms and then collapse in bed with book for rest of day waiting for the storm. Mum has just gone to get Dad from hospital which is good news.

PP - AN epidural won't make your dtay any longer as they only give mobile ones now. It will wear off quite quickley. I think they have to make sure you can wee before they let you go but thats probably the same for anyone who's given birth.

Makescakes - My DP isn't and never has been overly interested in my bump. The first time I was pregnant I was really worried that he wouldn't be interested in the baby but I coundn't have been more wrong! I do make him feel my belly but he really doesn't like feeling it move, feels to alien like for him. Men do often find it hard to connect the bump to a baby and it doesn't feel real untiol the baby has arrived.

makes cakes my dh has flat out refused any bump talk. he did try with ds a little but said he just felt to silly. i was really worried with ds but once the baby came he was incredibly devoted so i wouldn't worry too much.

DQ have you tried ebay? i got ds' blackout curtains in pale blue (new) from there and they were quite reasonable. i just had a quick look and there seem to be loads.

okay - RANT ALERT - i went to bed at midnight last night (obsessed with current knitting project so up late anyway) and i then woke up at 2 am and couldn't go back to sleep. at all!! at 4am i finally got up and knit for an hour and then tried to go to bed again at 5am. then ds woke up at 5.15 just as i was actually drifting - and i couldn't get dh to get up so i went in to sort him out (he sometimes has milk if he wakes really early). so after that i went in and raged at dh as it's his one night/morning to get up with ds and he actually got up to get his milk ready handed it to me and went back to bed. i could have killed him. so i went back to sleep about 5.45 and slept until 9.30 and now we have company coming over all day and i have so far washed the floor, done all the glass and i still need to clean the bathroom and get the dinner and pudding ready.

i am not a happy bunny.

oh and also, i had day to myself tomorrow and was feeling great so walked everywhere and now my crotch hurts so much i can hardly move.

meant i had day to myself yesterday.

actually that's pretty funny. ah i wonder if my brain will ever be the same.

Than's dylansmum - I did have a look last week and nothing in the right shade of lemon, but I'll keep looking this week.

Sorry to hear about your disturbed night - I'd get the DH to clean the bathroom at the very least...

G43 - I think the epidural depends on your hospital; everything I've read so far (obviously, quite a limited amount )says to check if mobile epidurals are available because not everywhere does them.

DH gone off to get some painting supplies so desperately waiting for him to get started. Have a good day everyone!

Poor you Dylansmum. I'd be cross too, although I'm afraid my DH doesn't "do" night or morning duty with our children so sadly I know exactly how you feel. Hope you get a chance to rest when your visitors have gone.

Makecakes - DH doesn't talk to my bump, or touch it - it reminds him too much of Alien . The children like it though so we have lovely cuddles where they look at my belly and talk to it.

I think you can go home pretty soon after an epidural. In fact, my shortest hospital stay was for the one delivery in which I had an epidural. I have GBS so that means a longer stay.

Hi all, hope you are well. Dylansmum, hope you enjoy your time with your visitors once you get everything out of the way. I watched the NCT Happy Birth Day dvd last night (dp was out), and I now wish I hadn't, I've only succeeded in scaring the bejesus out of myself again!

Is anyone else knitting for a boy? What colours - I am bored of blue and cream/white (did do a lovely wrap top in natural colour organic cotton though which I'm very pleased with) - I don't like lemon, and not sure about dark colours? I've got some green for my next project which is ok, but give me some suggestions.

Tried playing some music to rat baby (we are all having Chinese rats this year! Apparently they are sweet and loving, but don't sleep much, lucky us eh?) this morning - the classical stuff didn't seem to do much for him, but Elvis got him jiggling!

I've also discovered Cadbury's caramel eggs, yum yum...

Dramaqueen - have you tried dunelms

Thanks deb - had v quick look at their website and they have a store v near me so I can go in and have a look and see what they have. Fab. Painting going well - having a break for lunch but pleased with the results so far!

Whinegums - what about green & cream/beige for a boy?

Just caught up a bit, apologies if this gets long ...

Happy birthday for yesterday G43 - you are so young!! (I'm 35 and still comparatively young amongst my mum friends in RL.)

Mumnesia - I believe it happens but not caused by 'becoming a mother', rather by physical fatigue and having to think of too many things at the same time - if men did what we do, they'd have it too!

Makecakes - my dp refuses to feel bump at all, although he worries intensely about its wellbeing, it's just a bit weird for him, even 2nd time round. He is v. devoted father to ds though so don't worry.

DLM - that's how what I think is SPD started too (have physio booked for end of month for official diagnosis), progressing to increasingly severe pain (like having been kicked in the crotch), really really tight sore muscles right at top, and lovely dramatic cracking and crunching noises. Read up online for things to do and not do. I am finding that by being v. v. careful I can stop it flaring up - then get a false sense of security, spend 10 mins on floor with ds and it starts up again - but nowhere near as bad as long as I stay v. careful. Haven't walked anywhere for the past couple of weeks and that has helped.

Looney, nice to hear, had been wondering how you were - great news all round - your dp's job, progress from the osteopath and your mindees planning to come back - fabulous!

My latest: had GTT on Friday at delivery suite, all normal yay! despite having fallen down on the no sugar front after a v. grumpy week. It was lovely waiting in del. suite for 2 hours, I heard at least 1 baby being born (one loud scream from mum followed 20 secs later by newborn cry), and saw another going up to the ward. Got v. nostalgic being there and reading all the breastfeeding and skin-to-skin posters and it really cheered me up, I was getting fed up with being pg again but it's all worth it!!

I feel lucky to trust my local hospital. OK the postnatal ward is very busy and you can get neglected a bit there, but they seem to have the right ideas for the birth, promoting active birth, birth balls lying around etc. I felt last time I was being well looked after but also given the freedom to make my own decisions (once it all started that is - dealing with consultants beforehand was a bit of a different story!)

Had TENS machine, it helped - in fact had every pain relief possible, they all helped me at some point! Though TENS was turned up to the max by the time I was finished with it - gave dp a shock (literally!)