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....

Thanks all! Have recovered from cake drama, but will try again. 2nd ernest request for dead simple recipe!

Hope you all well, sophie sorry you're a bit stiff and sore. Hope you feel better as the day progresses.

Deese and Sophie - sorry you're both in pain. Don't know anything about fibroids, I'm afraid.

I had BH contractions last night, bad enough to wake me up - quite exciting really.

I have a good chocolate cake recipe that my children love. It's a Mary Berry recipe:

50g cocoa powder
200ml boiling water
175g SR flour
1 rounded tsp baking powder
100g butter, softened.
275g caster sugar
2 eggs

Icing
100g butter
225g icing sugar
2 dsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp rum or brandy

In a large bowl whisk the cocoa powder with the boiling water, adding it slowly at first, until a smooth consistency. Add the reamining ingredients and blend together using an electric whisk.

Bake for about 30-35 mins 180 gas 4.

I don't do the butter icing. I make a chocolate ganache (melted choc mixed with cream).

Deese20 so sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I hope someone can give you some advice on what to expect.

I just booked our car in for an MOT. We have had it for just under a year and it's the first car I have ever had, can't drive which is very frustrating! I have no idea how long it takes a garage to do an MOT, or even how much it costs but didn't want to seem totally clueless when I called the garage!

Morning all-

big day with obstetrician appointment...good because I think baby cakes has wedged herself in my pelvis. It literally hurts to breathe. Tempted to make DH stay home.

Hope the cakes go well ladies- I can't think of an easier recipe than the one that's been given, unless you make fridge cake which requires no baking at all

No experience of fibroids either, though my almost-SIL has had them since before she conceived and has been very carefully monitored throughout her pregnancy. All is well and she is due three weeks after me. Will ask her for advice if it would help...

Hope the sun stays out today. Off to book taxi to take me to hospital!

Deese20 - sorry to hear you're suffering so badly. You poor thing. Can't advise really, but have you tried posting in the pregnancy thread? Maybe someone has experience of this.

Re cake recipes, there is a writer I love who does great, dead simple cakes. You can read about her ideas on her blog here and there are various recipes, along with writing about knitting, quilting and crochet (I am so domesticated) in her book, which is a real treat.

Deese poor you, I'm sure if you can't go to the birthing centre they could refund your money, it must happen alot.

Debs - I actually slept better without dh, usually I wake up every 2 hours but last night I only woke up once . I do miss him though. My cold is still there although hopefully will go soon, just feel knackered.

G43 - doesn't usually take long for an MOT if its not an old car you shouldn't need to do anything to get it through, I think my last MOT was under £80 not sure exactly as I get a service as well.

Morning everyone.

Katyjo - I'm suffering with a cold as well, felt awful last night, bad headache, aching all over, stuffed up and felt like I had a temperature, woke up with the headache and feeling stuffed up so decided to take the day off, had another hours sleep and don't feel too bad now so feeling like a bit of a skiver!

G43 - our van had it's MOT this morning took less than 45 mins. I think it was about £40 for the basic MOT with no work.

Maybe I should spend the day baking cakes!

Our car is old!!!! About 12 years I think! It was under warrenty when we bought it and had to take it to a garage a few weeks ago and it had some work donethen (which we didn't pay for because of the warrenty) so hopefully there isn't a massive amount of work that needs to be done but I'll be amazed if it doesn't need any at all!

Hi everyone, feeling better this morning, sorry to be a misery last night. The bump seems to have softened and isn't as painful, which is good.

Deese, after reading your post I feel guilty for moaning about being uncomfortable - poor you. I haven't any advice but fingers crossed that it will get better soon.

Makescakes - let us know how you get on with your appointment. I sympathise with the pelvic pain. My lo seems to get in a really difficult position when I am walking and really pushes against the top of my stomach, it feels like he is trying to escape and really makes me catch my breath. Still, they will be even more trouble after the birth...

How are you feeling now Deese?

Looking forward to trying out the cakes,

Been shopping and dropped off friends/guests at the train station - got a parking fine of 15? because it was a free short stay car park but I didn't display one of those parking discs with the clock on - bugger!!!

Cheered up when I got home as I had a parcel from a "Forumsville" friend that I haven't met irl yet, she lives in Vienna and today sent me a baby vest and a box full of chocolate goodies that she can get there but I can't buy here - Dairy milk, choc hob nobs, choc digestives, choc angel delight, and aero - how kind is that!!!Going to try and keep some for my hospital bag - obviously not the angel delight.

Preheat Oven to 150° C
(This is not a typo! This is a slow bake chocolate cake recipe.)

2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
¾ Cup Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Eggs (I use large eggs)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Cup Mazola Oil (I used peanut oil - no taste)
1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Boiling Water

Use Crisco Shortening to Lightly Grease and Flour 9 in. x 13 in. Baking Dish. (It's a one layer chocolate cake!) - I lined a LARGE loaf tin with baking paper, didn't oil it.

Place all the ingredients on the left into a mixing bowl.
Mix at medium or medium high speed until all ingredients are blended and smooth.
Pour into Greased and Floured Baking Dish
Bake for 1 Hour
Test by sticking with knife. If it comes out clean, it's done!
Allow to cool.

I made this cake this morning (before saw your recipe thanks Rolf. It took about 5 minutes to place all ingredients in bowl and whick together, then an hour to make. Honestly, it was easier than buying! And I think it was nice, but had to give it (still warm) to the playgroup hope there's a slice left over.

Really easy and only 1 bowl and a couple of measuring cups to wash up

Thanks all for cake recipes!

goingfor3 - my car was MOT'd recently - I think the MOT cost was about £50. It shouldn't take long to do and they should let you know about any other expensive work before they do it. Have you used the garage before? If not watch out for any dodgy tactics. My mum put her car in a while ago and was told £100s of work needed - she took it to another garage and paid about £75 including work. If you do get quoted for a lot of work check what is essential for your mot. E.g our gearbox could do with a bit of a service but it wasn't necessary to pass the mot. Regular services can keep MOT costs down, my DH says a service every 10,000 miles is good as a rule of thumb. Catches minor problems before they become major (expensive!) ones. We're due a service in around a 1,000 miles so the gearbox will get looked at then.

deese sorry to hear about your pain - I would also recommend starting a thread about it in the pregnancy topic. I bet loads of MNetters have been through it and may be able to share some tips on coping with the pain. Are you having to work or have you been able to take time off?

bitofadramaqueen one of my friends and her family use the garage so I have it on good recommendation that they are good, they have been using them for years so hopefully we won't get ripped off.!

Hi ladies

Haven't you been busy chatting over the weekend!

Deese sorry to hear about the pain. Is there anyway they can do anything to shrink/remove the fibroid. I have no advice really but I have heard of them. My mum had some. I think hers shrunk back afterwards because the blood flow to the womb was restricted after the birth or something.

Ernest That chocolate cake sounds heavenly although I have never heard of Mazola oil

I am having another mini crisis here. After having been in hosp last week, I had my labour ward tour yesterday and was horrified with what I saw (dirty grotty rooms, if you are lucky you share the toilets/shower, if you aren't you don't have any facility adjacent to the room. Hardly any equipment for active birth etc etc). My stomach was litterally hurting at the thought of giving birth there. And although I am hoping for a home birth, with the NHS you can never really be guaranteed to have one. So now I am reconsidering my options such as trying to change hospital, trying to change hospital and hire independent midwifes for homebirth even going to a private hospital in London. Gosh if I had known this pregnancy would be so complicated...I am sure I will find an alternative, but I am just a bit stressed because it is all so unexpected and so late in my pregnancy. I even made enquiries at the same birth centre as Deese but I think it is a bit too far!

I didn't realise I was so spoilt the first time round by having a clean and bright room with basic privacy! The difference a couple of years make!

Oh and I reckon makescake will be first to pop

\\\\\\\\god, hearing all your stories about your hosiptals make me appreciate ours, large rooms which you start off in, one side lino floor and birthing bed, other sdie carpeted and after birth bed, all with own bathrooms. You get to stay in these after the birth as long as they can and only get put into a small ward if they have run out of room (if first time tend to let you stay in), if c section smaller but private room with own bathroom.

Lucky you sohpie where do you live. Perhaps I have enough time to move there before my due date !

needahand,

come and give birth in Switzerland - honestly you won't know you're born, never mind your baby

Seriously tho, sorry you got such an unpleasant surprise.

Btw, the cake was FAB (if I say so myself) I think Mazola oil is just corn oil? dunno for sure, I just used a veg oil that I knew didn't have strong taste. It was very very nice (lukcily a bit left over from playgroup), now I only have the problem of stopping myself from eating the 3 pieces I've saved for my boys It's looking at me. It wants me to eat it.

Another btw - ha ha ha ha ha all you who said I don't look pg - it was a teeny picture (unless you know a way of making it bigger that I'm too thick to fathom out?) and I was miles away. I am as big as a bus in real life honest.

BTW, if anyone does make that cake (highly recommended), the mixture is very runny, that's supposed to be.

Cake sounds delicious but how do I justify making it as only Stefan and I like chocolate cake, Dh isn't bothered about sweet things and Tristan doesn't like chocolate, I think he was swapped at birth, couldn't possible be related to me!!

We don't believe you're the size of a bus, we need photographic evidence, get one of the boys to take one of your bump in side profile please, then I will put a new one on my profile. I am the size of a bus!!

ernest go on send Debs and I a virtual piece of cake sounds delicious.

Debs funny enough my DD doesn't like chocolate either. I couldn't believe there were actually any children who don't like chocolate. Glad to know she is not the only one.

Debs I had never been to see your picture before (bit useless with technology me) but wow where you live looks so beautiful i just want to jump in the picture!

who was it that got the wii? Am brain dead, I know you've got one Deb, check this out, we should all get one after the birth I reckon.

www.amazon.co.uk/Nintendo-Wii-Fit/dp/B000VJ8UXO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qi d=1208185158&sr=8-1

Oh, will try to get a pic late, but got the ugliest trousers ever on today, so no way will I let you see those!

If anyone is looking for an IM in south London, the midwife who is teaching us hypnosis techniques is moving to London in a few weeks. I think she's going to the birthing centre that's by St George's hospital. She is wonderful - if she wasn't moving I'd be sooo tempted to ask her to deliver my baby.

Well, I've actually done something to prepare for the birth. I went to Primark and bought some huge pants, flip flops and nighties. I'm working on the assumption that DH won't get his fat ass to storage this side of the baby's arrival so I have an excuse for buying new stuff .

I also looked at moses baskets (can't remember what sort of crib(s) we have in storage, if any - I have a feeling they are something we've always borrowed). I'm very proud of myself. And I've stopped obsessing about names although I am thinking of ways of "selling" my favourites to DH.

I have my scan tomorrow to check the placenta has moved. I'm going to get the consultant to endorse my notes saying that she's happy for me to use the MLU and birthing pool.

Have officially got pregnancy brain. Keep forgetting simple procedures at work (luckily I'm a cycling journalist and not a surgeon!) and this morning I bought myself a gorgeous smoothie and left it in the shop.

May 1 (last day at work) can't come soon enough, esp as keep getting BH contractions and bubba currently got her foot wedged in my ribs and her hand karate chopping my cervix. Bloody OW!