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....

Afternoon all

I must try the soft toothbrush suggestion - my gums bleed like billyo every time I brush now (and I prefer hard brushes). But ernest I have been flossing!

Today I told work I'm starting my leave on May 2 instead of May 16 as I'm wilting fast - after Easter off you'd think I'd be refreshed, but I only did a half day yesterday and was ready for bed by half 8! So I'll be finishing at 34 weeks, which is MUCH BETTER and am chuffed.

Good luck with the mattress Sophie. DH gets a lot of stuff delivered at home (internet shopping fan) and we have no end of strife with couriers etc.

Josie 57 - was told by my yoga teacher to look up birth light(www.birthlight.com/public/home/) to find ante/post natal classes. Hope this helps.

Am being put to shame by everyone prepping nursery rooms etc. My DH has just taken out the basin in DS1's 'new room' which he was supposed to move into in March (guess we're going to miss that deadline). At the moment, it's just a sea of dust - have got to make it habitable for him and don't know where to start. Also, have to find a good chest of drawers - any inspirational thoughts from anyone?

IKEA, mellymell? Or Argos...

I have ordered Natal as well - they have a special one for twins which I think is great. I have Mongan too but found the CD didn't go through all the techniques and how are you supposed to practice the techniques when you are forever opening your eyes and sitting up to read the book?!

I only have the birth one, not the relaxation one though - hope that's enough.

Hi all,

Finally made it to aquanatal class today, which was great, one hour in the pool then one hour relaxation/gentle excercise - felt fantastic! I also went to have my haircut, amazing how much I can fit in when grandparents have ds for a few hours. I will have to try ds in the creche for aquanatal next week.

Do any of your hospitals not run ante-natal refresher classes? I know the queen mums runs one every second thursday, unfortunately I'll be working so the only one I can go do will be on my due date, so I doubt I'll go unless they want a live demonstration! But they are free!

Neenz - looked at both, but neither offered anything that made me want to rush out and buy. perhaps I'm being too fussy.

ugh had a power cut this avo!!
Have sat and trawlled through loads of dds baby clothes and got all gooie have also found a pile of maternity clothes that DH swore I had chucked out, oh well it was he that bought the new ones so maybe it will teach him a lesson!!!
Loads of washing and ironing to do over the next couple of days now though.

TMI warning, when standing for any lenght of time starting to feel the hanging ache in the under gusset, Im dreading the after birth feeling of it. Also is anyone getting any funny kicks low down at the other side of the cervix? its such an odd feeling keep expecting a hand or something to appear

Neenz, looking forward to comparing hypnotherapy notes. Will let you know what the relaxation one is like. Katyjo, don't forget you're entitled to take time off work for antenatal classes - parentcraft, or exercise or whatever. I've got an exercise class sorted, and I'm going to go to parentcraft (probably just once, but thought I should check it out). Quite happy to have an afternoon off work!

Ooooh, Josey, my eyes are watering already. This is all news to us first timers (can we have a 'wince' face emoticon please?).

Josey, I get those 'low kicks in the cervix' all the time and I know what you mean! So glad someone else is getting them too... They feel so weird - such a strange sensation - I usually try and move (or tell baby to stop - not sure it understands English yet though!) as I really don't like it... I keep saying it feels like the baby is trying to fight it's way out! x

josey i've had a lot of sharp low down 'flicks' that make me jump! does make you wonder what's happening down there but i'm pretty sure i had them with ds too. it's amazing how tough it is to remember!

all thos that can go to aquanatal. i'm sure there are some in london somewhere but they'll probably cost a fortune and almost certainly won't have a creche.

Local leisure centres are good for aqua natal in London - my local one does a course of 6 for £42 - not cheap I suppose, but I won't be doing them for long as they are at lunchtime, so I can't actually get there for it until I'm on maternity leave... and ours has a creche too (but you have to pay extra for that!)

I'm also at those who can go to aquanatal. There is a class near me, and two ante-natal yoga classes, but I can't make it to any of them. I'll have another go at negotiating with DH as the class is with my doula and it would be great to do her classes.

nettie - I get very sore at the top of my bump if I'm wearing trousers that cover it up - even if they fit, they seem to drag on it.

bb - LOL at French for stretch marks. I know someone who lives in France and when she was expecting her 7th (!) she looked really petite and pretty.

Josey - hope your DD is better. The names thing sounds really upsetting.

LOL Whinegums. My birthplan now reads: 'Epidural at very first contraction, quick birth then hairdresser, make up artist and manicurist please'

Thanks for the info Claphamkitten, would love to try aquanatal - off to look at Clapham Leisure centre now...

I have those low down kicks too

must just be my local leisure centre that's not good then - no aquanatal and the creche is apparently next to impossible to get into. i am going to try though (have to get a membership of course) because i loved the swimming so much on the weekend.

Claphamkitten and PregnantPenguin - you should try Battersea Yoga too - really nice teacher who does both ante and post natal yoga. Also, any plans to do pram-a-cise on Clapham common afterwards?

PP - totally relate to your birth plan.

Feeling very unhealthy here reading all your posts while having a sneaky creme egg mini before tea . I hate water/swimming type things and yoga has never appealed to me. Because of the previous miscarriages I was petrified to do any exercise early on and not sure its wise to do anything strenuous at this stage (when I'm now so bloody unfit). I just keep telling myself it wont be too long before I can go marching round the park with the LO in the glorious sunshine .

Neenz - re drawers, what kind of thing are you looking at? You may remember way back I was seriously considering some very cute but very expensive drawers but I've since gone for some plain white ones from Ikea (the malm ones). In the end, when I looked at various expensive drawers (John Lewis etc) the drawers themselves didn't seem any sturdier than the ones in places like Ikea. I figured that if the furniture was plain and simple I could focus on making the room look fab with decor, accessories etc.

Think I might start thinking about birth next week. Maybe. But only if we get the nursery done this weekend.

Thought you guys might find this interesting:
this

Morning ladies

PP - an interesting article, in the past I've used tens, had gas and air and had a meptid injection, but I wouldn't rule out an epidural if it came to it.

On only the 2nd day back at school I have managed to switch my alarm clock off and go back to sleep for 20 minutes, still time for a quick post on here though!!Off to the airport the afternoon to pick up the family and go shopping, have spotted a big baby shop not too far from the airport, just over the border in Germany so I just need to persuade everyone else that we need to go there!!

Have a good day everyone

Oh you only just beat me Deb.

Well mattress number 2 should be delivered today so fingers creossed, DH is doing breakfast and waiting this morning as I have my Glucose Tolerance Test, the joy, but at least it can be done at the doctors and I don't have to trundle into hopsital.

PP - thanks so much for linking to that article. After my NCT classes I did feel like a failure for having an epidural and while I know it's silly, I wish I could be prouder of how I did at DS's birth.

This time I'm hoping not to have the epidural so I can go home quicker, but that's the only reason and I wont feel bad if I need it at the time (I think it'll depend on how long hard labour takes - mine was not quick last time).

And Michel Odent sounds ridiculous to me - I wanted and needed my DH at the birth. He got me through it, not slowed things down! Sheila Kitzinger bothers me a bit too - with her assumption that all midwife-led births give the mother a sense of control more than consultant ones. We loved the OB who helped birthed my son, she really made me feel like I could do it, while we saw midwives earlier on who were very dismissive of how I felt. People are people, regardless of their titles. Some will be very good and some will be mediocre (and hopefully none will be bad). All people are different, all births are different, and no one solution will work for all of us. (end rant).

I agree AH - I needed my DH at the birth, wouldn't have had it any other way and he was great( apart from the static electric shocks)

Oh and on a happier note - I went to yoga last night and it was fabulous and I love the instructor (who's also a midwife at our local hospital - my friend had her in labour and said she was great).

I'm going to skip the NCT classes too as I've met some nice women in the yoga already...

Wish me luck, I have the first of two interviews in 15 minutes time...aaaaagggggghhhhhhh! I'm nervous and little beanie is jumping around inside me too! Think I had better find a toilet before I go in as it would be to have to excuse myself half way through!

josie - I had to excuse myself to use the washroom during my PhD defense - it was three hours long but they did say it was the first time that'd ever happened. (And I didn't have pregnancy as an excuse).

good luck with the interviews!