Due June - 'I can't remember my own name, let alone where I put the creme eggs...'

[PregnantPenguin]

For those of us with 3 months to go or less....

Woke up to a very white outlook...its all melted now though and its all soggy and yuk still with sleeting showers....this time last year we had a heatwave

Parofleur glad things have worked out with the pluming and you didnt need to move...lol at the condoms though...at least they would have known it wasnt you

Looney hope your party goes well and everyone still turns up.

Took DH to the airport this avo...was very sad as I know Im 95% like to have to phone and break bad news to him while he is away.

I had a really upset tummy last night put me in a bit of a panic as it was similar to a pre labour clear out However I did manage a heartburn free sleep which was great...I have to say Im looking forward to getting the bed to myself and my pillows for a week or so.

Keep meaning to ask....anyone have any good ideas for freezer meals....thinking of things I can start making in a few weeks to stock up for when bub arrives.

Hi all-

been lazing around in my pjs all day playing Wii as its snowing. Have to get back to London tonight though, so that'll be a fun drive. Absolutely knackered!!

Off to catch up...DQ- will happily email you the list, but need your email address as can't attachh things to a CAT...you can CAT email natch!!

cheers makecakes. Just tried to CAT you but realised there's a £5 charge as I'm not signed up to CAT - will do that later and let you know.

Josey - I dont do the cooking in my house but you could start a thread on the 'recipe' topic for freezer meals and I'm sure you'd get some good recipes on there. Obviously, am planning on becoming a domestic goddess during my mat leave and finally learning to cook .

Hi everyone

Paro - glad that your water is sorted and DP is back

Looney - enjoy the party! Our snow has melted now - how about yours?

Sophie - LOL. outstaring sheep! Do you ever count them?

Lots of baby lists - how terrifying! I thought I had a lot done, but here goes:

cot - done
car seat - done
doula - done
maternity pads - done
breast pump - done
nappies - done
wipes - done
pram - done but needs assembling

TO FIND
baby bath
playgym

TO WASH
steriliser
clothes
Gro-bags
sheets
towels
moses basket smells a bit funny
Babybjorn
baby bath
play gym

TO BUY
new cot mattress
new Moses mattress
some pink things
dummies
presents for DS
new muslins
nursing bras

Oh dear! I also need to pack my hospital bag ... I'm planning for 42 weeks (three months tomorrow) but I guess she could come earlier ... I'd better get off my backside this week and sort some of it!

NCT - we still meet once a week or so. It was invaluable for meeting local mums. I also did the NHS postnatal classes and am friends with two mums from that as well.

The NCT teacher was madder than a box of frogs, and went on about active, natural, pain-free birth. She didn't mention induction once. In the event, 5 out of the 6 of us were induced so we were all completely unprepared. Frankly, I would attend the classes, and take them with a pinch of salt. I would also ask to hear about interventions just so you know what could happen.

Afternoon all. Snowing here - lovely! It'll never settle tho.

Have been baking bread and using our new ecoballs for washing today - feeling very housewifeish.

Re lists. I LOVE making lists. Basically, I've got almost everything. Am trying to find some decent washable maternity pads - greenbaby currently sold out, so if you have any recommendations... Apart from that I need to order the moses basket and cot mattresses, but will wait til we're moved in three weeks as they can go straight into the nursery then.

What I haven't done is wash a single thing yet or pack my hospital bag. Looney am also planning a homebirth, but I think it's good to pack one just in case. Have got a birth pool and a ball too, and even got a futon mattress off freecycle I can cover with old sheets in case I decide I don't want to give birth in the pool.

Would love to wash our baby clothes but there's just no room to dry everything pre move and it'll only get covered in dust in the process!

Baby currently sitting in an awkward position and making me feel rubbish. Think I'll pop off for a nap. Bfn.

Looney great to see you again.

We've had snow flurries here all day but nothing has settled. Plenty of sunshine though with a bitterley cold wind.

When is DS's birthday? My DS is 4 on Tuesday. He can't wait. It's the first time he's really understood what is going on and has been counting down the days since he turned his calendar over at the beginning of the month.

You are brave have a birthday party when pregnant. I've copped out this year. We're having a day out at Paulton's Park instead and I'm doing a picnic for everyone. Everyone else can take him on rides whilst I sit and watch.

Hope your party has gone well.

Hi to everyone else. Para sorry for your water problems. At least DP is back home now. How is he?

Josey have I missed something? Why are you 95% certain you will have to break bad news? Sorry if I am being insensitive.

Well I've finally got my V pillow. Asked MIL and FIL for one in October just after I found out I was pregnant - my birthday was back in October and they didn;t know what to get me. I finally got it today!

They've been having senile moments - bless them. Don't know what is worse, that or pregnancy brain.

Hey everyone, we've had the snow too, not alot but enough to make a snowdog aka Charlie and Lola. It has all gone now though.

Have been inspired by the lists this weekend and have got loads of stuff I still needed, including some lovely blue muslims from Mothercare and a new monitor as the old one is trashed. I even bought lanisoh and maternity pads but am refusing to accept will need them anytime soon!

Sybil - lovely blue "muslims" sound interesting!

Edinburgh weather update - snow this morning, bright and sunny afternoon, now p-ing it down.

Have finally written down huge long list (wont replicate here as I think everything already covered) but feel better that most of the big expensive things bought/soon to be bought and everything else is the bits and pieces I can pick up as I go along. Feel so much happier to have a list all in one place.

Hope everyone has had a good Sunday, mine been quite productive but still got the ironing to do .

there was snow in balerno

Greenfairy respect at the washable maternity pads!!! I seriously couldnt cope with having to wash those.........how was the restaurant by the way?

Libra we were told 2 weeks ago now that DH gran was breathing her last...unfortunately she is still fighting on she hasnt woken or eaten properly in over a week and her heart is droping each day..as it cant go on anylonger I know it will happen now DH is out of the country. (I say unfortunately as she is 94 and just suffering now)

Glad you have finally got your pillow.

Sybil chuckle

Im so glad the schools are back tomorrow DS has me round the twist.

By the time I woke up from my (first) nap all the snow had gone! Just a few melting snowmen around. Agree with you Josey, time for that heatwave now - and the ease of wearing flip flops!

Have just woken up from my second nap of the day. Hope I can keep up this hectic nap schedule this week back at work.

Anyone else having very vivid wierd dreams. Woke up very unhappy with DH this morning because of dreams, they're feeling so real they actually change my mood. Poor DH.

Josey - freezer meals, I only do the usual: Spag bol, Chilli con carne, soup, curry... found the recipes on here a bit too yummy, made two cakes yesterday, most of which have now gone.

Greenfairy - Let me know how the ecoballs go. Been meaning to try them for ages and if they're the one you don't use liquids/powder with, should be great for sensitive newborn skin.

josey

Sorry to hear about Dh's Nan.

Everytime I get a late night phone call or early morning I always suspect it's about my Nan. She's in a care home and will be 100 in August. Physically she's fine apart from arthritis but mentally she's shot to pieces, bless her, but at her age anything could happen iyswim.

I was looking forward to DS going back to nursery tomorrow after the school hols but got a phone call earlier from one of the Aunties saying that the boiler is broken so nursey os cancelled tomorrow. They hope to be open on Tuesday (which is DS's 4th birthday) and have advised for them to go in dressed warmly just in case.

On the freezer meal front, I always make batches of spag bol, lasagne, mince& gravy ready for cottage pies etc, however, by June/July I hoping the weather will have improved enough to be living on salads and cold meats.

Greenfairy, did you mean breastpads or santitary pads? You bleed alot after having a baby and you may need to change even super absorbant ones every hour or two for the first few days! I bought boots disposable maternity ones and then read on here that Mothercare ones are much better.

Libralady I thought about cooking some freezer food but don't imagine at that time of year I will want stews etc - salads and cold meats will be perfect!

greenfairy would also be interested to hear how you get on with the ecoballs. I've just recently given up on eco washing powder/liquid as I was regularly having to wash clothes twice . It was either wash at higher temperature or stick to 30 degrees and use a different product. If I hear some good reports on ecoballs I'd be willing to give it a shot!

goingfor3 the weather will be lovely in June (I've decided) and I'll be living on cheese and pate, mmmmmmm. Washed down with cold glass of prosecco. Bliss.

PP - I had a weird dream last night too, woke up cross with dh for driving too fast and crashing the car with us all in it, I could feel myself curling up into a foetal position to protect the baby!! Ridiculous dream as I drive mostly - dh hates driving , I drive faster than he does as well

Frozen meals - spag bol. mince, home-made quiche, pizza bases,and burgers, fish pie, think that's about it.I also freeze soup(but not for July) and biscuits/cookies - to stop myself eating them all in one go when they come out of the oven!!

Is anyone else suffering from horrendous cramps in their legs and feet?

For a couple of weeks now I've been woken at least 4-5 times a night with these cramps and I'm getting pretty p**d off now!

Can't believe I've beated Deb this morning!

Wow LL - an early start for you, sorry to hear about your cramps - I get cramp in the night too but only in my right calf for some reason - still annoying though.

Morning to everyone else, winter has returned to us too this morning. Any of you still got snow or did it melt as quickly as it came?

Another Monday to tick off before maternity leave starts for lots of you.

I'm off to the Dr this morning for a check up and scan so will try to have another peek at this baby's bits and see if we're getting a pink or a blue one. I don't really expect to find out now though but I'd still like to.I'll also be baring my shoulders to him - I've got itchy raised red patches on both shoulders - looks like an allergic reaction to something but I don't know what. Calamine lotion is OK to use in pregnancy isn't it?

Will fill you in later

Morning all, quick post before I cook brakfast.

Libralady - try a glass of tonic water or bitter lemon as suggested by my MW, before you go to bed, I have been doing it and seems to work.

Random thought for today - do not spoil or favour your youngest child over any other siblings, it will come back to bite you in a big way later on (sorry ranting about selfish younger sister again)

Oh and teach them the value of money from a very eraly age.

Good morning everyone

Josey, sorry about DH's nan. How long is he away for? So hard.

Still cold today, but not actually snowing. I'm washing baby clothes this morning - very proud of myself.

Still not sure what to do about Moses basket. A friend bought it off ebay for me - it smells a bit chemical. I've aired it for quite a while, and every time I put it back in new baby's bedroom, it stinks the place out. Any thoughts?

Also have a huge list of other stuff to do - like organise travel to France for holiday (Hooray!) (decided not to go to the USA as too dodgy with new baby's passport)

Re maternity pads, from ectopic and first pregnancy, I went through several pads a morning. I have about 60 this time as have leftover packets from ectopic and a friend has given me her leftovers as well! Interested to hear about eco ones - presumably one would worry about infection with a Mooncup?

I think if you have any doubts at all about the moses basket then don't use it, lovely thought from your friend though.

Morning all,

I had some horrible dreams last night. In one DP got married to a really awful girl and we were sitting in a living room for the reception and someone offered us some sticks so we could take the balloons home but me and dp's firneds used them as pea shooters to pop the balloons. I also dreant that my mum cut dd2 a fringe and I was really upset as I could tie her hair up for ballet. I really did feel upset when I woke up this morning!

Debs, good luck with the scan and appointment. I was told as they get bigger it's harder to tell the sex of the baby.

Sophie you really do sound like the voice of experience!