Due June 2005, Thread 4

[Scraggyaggy]

Happy New Year everyone!

Following Katzguk's suggestion I've started up the new thread - hope no-one minds.

Well, I did absolutely nothing for New Year. I have the cold from hell so I was in bed by 9pm. I was very disappointed as we were supposed to be going to a party but I decided not to go as I wouldn't have enjoyed myself and then I'd have made dp miserable too. So, I celebrated by having a lemsip topup at 12 o'clock! (One for the books!) Hope you all had a nice time.

Have been reading your threads about what to buy and what not to buy. I started buying after Christmas as I want to start really enjoying this pregnancy now. Dp is incredibly worried that something will go wrong and we are tempting fate but I don't want to be walking on egg shells for the next 5 months .... yup 5 months already!!! Scary stuff!

Anyway, we have bought a Graco travel system as I have spent hours in the shops clipping and unclipping and puttin them up and down and I found Graco to be lightweight and really simple to use. Then I trawled the internet on boxing day and found that Toys'r'Us was doing some good deals.

Cot is going to be an Ikea special. They are so cheap, I just don't think you can argue and we are big fans of Ikea. However, if anyone has any experiences of this then let me know. We aren't bothering with the moses basket.

I've got a 2-way baby carrier from e-bay, which is still new apparently, although I haven't received it yet so I'll hold bck on judgement.

And then the mumsnet wanted and for sale boards are fantastic. I've got a bottle warmer and a travel cot through mumsnet. I'd reommend that anyone here use them.

There are three things which I need help with though:

• steriliser; microwave or electric??? Any opinions?
• breast pump; is there one which is comfortable and easy to use? I don't want to spend a fortune and then not be able to use it.
• baby monitor; I definitely want one. Am planning on sitting in the garden over the summer, and baby might not want to be moved. Should I get a normal one? A digital one? Has anyone used an under mattress sensor type one? Need big help with this one.

Have bought myself some books on motherhood and new babies too. Am such a planner, I need to be having a good read now so I can put all the theory to practice in 5 months time!

Hope you are all well and not being sick any more! x

Ooh that's a good list sweet. There were a few I hadn't heard of. I think I am going to be a Top Shop and hennes girl, certainly for tops, trousers probably from JMB or BM, depends on the fit in the cheaper shops. The only other places I know to sell maternity gear are John Lewis and Dorothy Perkins.

I'm bored too if it's any consolation

Ohh crap - Dorethy Perkins - how could I miss that off!!!!!

Oh well - maybe I didn't do as well as I thought

Anyway - Check out this webiste

Go to Nursery, then Suites - any price (I think)

I have been looking at the Bebecar Fern range of furniture and on this site it is dirt cheap PLUS is comes with a free delux matress AND one of those glide rocker chairs!!!!!!

Oh it didn't work!!!

Well the website is

www.NurseryAndToys.com

Can you tell what I spend all day every day doing!!!!!!

By the way - I'm 14 weeks - do you think it's too early to be buying things like furniture and buggies???? It's just everywhere has January sales and stuff is so much cheaper!!!!!!

Duh - just relised it's the same webiste that your chair was on Katz - what an idiot!!!!

Sweetheart, this is the perfect time to save money on the very expensive large items that you need for a baby. If you decide to buy in the sale make sure you know what the refund policy is, if some part of it breaks, you'll be grateful to know where you stand.

This is the thing - there returns policy is 10 days after delivery. I'm sure it's different if the goods break later down the line but I'm a bit superstitious and I don't want to tempt fate by buying it now???!!!!

Although it would save us a good few hundred £'s!!!

Buy. Check the guarantee. Save £££££'s!!

thanks!!!!!

i would buy now!! have already bought a few bits and pieces. Might try to get DH to agree to some new furniture since we will need it!! plus we need a cot because DD is broken (was second hand)

I'm so glad you lot are here to help me

I wanted to put my maternity leave on my work calender the other day but a friend of mine said it might be tempting fate - I was really disapointed - stupid isn't it!!!!!

Hi Pink,
Your post made me so sad. It must be so hard to do this alone. I just wanted to tell you that I have a world of respect for single mums. I honestly don't know how they do it. I understand the concept of full time work and then childcarre when you get home because I live that life as a working mum. But, what must be horible is when you are sick, who gets kiddie to daycare, and who takes care of you. It must be extra important for single mums to have a close network of other mums who they can lean on in a time of need.

Also, I am as American as they come, and white picket fences aren't really all that common. In fact, I would say that life as a single mum is probably at least as hard in the states as it is in the UK, mostly because benefits like national healthcare and flexible working don't exist in the US. And maternity leave is much shorter there too.

Anyway, I think you are a very strong and you will make fantastic mother -- with or without a father for your baby. One good parent is always better than two crap parents.

I think that where the father is concerned, you should whatever makes you happiest because happy mum = happy babe.

Hi Pink, What a rant you had, rest assured, this is the place to come on and let it all out. I'm sure you know that there is a 'Lone Parent' (sounds a bit doom and gloom!!) topic area. I bet you would get lots of good, useful advice from women in a similar situation to you. Although I'm sure you could never need anything more than us supportive, encouraging and attentive 'mothers to be' on this thread Even if we do drivvle on about our husbands/dp's, most of the time we're moaning I think!

God, banging headache this afternoon on top of horrid cold feelings and blocked nose, poor dd is being so neglected, I feel terrible

Just popping in quickly whilst ds is asleep, at last - god it's awful when they're over tired - does the winging and whining go through everyone else too or is it just me!

Sweetheart, I've only ever dealt with SMP payments as our company isn't overly generous! When I was on my first mat leave I took the SMP deal for 2 months and then had my employer (or me as I did the payroll, he he he!) pay me for the next four months where I 'worked' from home and was paid 50% salary for that period, so you could arrange something like that if you still want the SMP at 90%. Otherwise if you're talking about contractual maternity pay then I believe that so long as the 'deal' is ultimately more than the SMP would be you get your employers deal and not SMP. Beware though you will be taxed if the amounts are high enough (if for example you earned £15,000 then the SMP you would get would be £1,100 for the 6 weeks then £102 for 20 weeks totalling around £3,200, but 50% of the net salary for 6 months would be @ £2,800). If it would be less, then you are entitled to SMP (so long as you've been employed the right amount of time, and given the proper notifications etc). If I remember right you also do accounts so if you are able to you could phone your inland revenue employers helpline and get clarification from them. If you are unable to do this you can contact the maternity alliance helpline on 020 7490 7638 (but they have funny hours if I remeber right). HTH

I am in a great mood today Well actually I am exhausted. But thats cos I spent the entire night talking to this really cute guy Hopefully he will take me out for Thai food and doesn't seem to care I'm pregnant. It will be nice to meet some people round here as I want to make some good friends. He's in the same boat - doesn't want a relationship as he broke up from a 5 year relationship - but wants to meet new people too. He said his father was crap - left his mum, ran off to Thailand with a bar maid so his mum was a single mum.

tribpot - this is the book I like the best it has good stories single mums companion

Oh and thanks for all the support. I just wanted a rant

Hello ladies and bumps! Bloody DH stole the laptop to use it for work (it is actually HIS laptop, but hey!) so I haven't been able to post. Will have to keep it brief because he's taking it again today.

Have just spent the last couple of hours catching up with the gossip - blimey, something very strange has been happening on Mumsnet in the last few days . Am so glad I keep out of the controversies on here.

Hope you are all feeling well. Got my 16 week midwife appointment tomorrow (I'm nearly 19 weeks by scan dates!) so am getting a bit nervous in case the midwife can't find the heartbeat. Not sure why because I am feeling quite a bit of movement (it better be the baby or something very strange is happening to my intestines).

Sorry for the me, me, me post! Will be back for a proper chat with everyone later in the week (can't even post properly at work at the minute because I'm too bloody busy - arrrgh).

Just a quick one to say "Hi" - should be back properly in a few days - hope all is well!!!!

good luck for tomorrow mrsw-im sure everything will be fine
i still havent felt anything yet but ive had the odd "rumble" in my tummy so maybe thats the beginning of things
hope everyones had a nice weekend.xx

Hi Everyone, Hope you and bumps are fine and well. ...

I was just at the end of a note on friday pm, when my cat decided it was the perfect time to wander across my laptop and somehow managed to delete everything i had typed with her big fat paws . Still, as she is still currently my surrogate child, I forgave her instantly.

Mrs W, good luck with the apt tomorrow. I get paranoid as well with every visit. I'm sure it will all be fine.

Charleypops, thanks for your message and suggestions. Sorry to be stupid here. What does "CAT" mean?

Pink, good luck with your Thai food guy. Food is always a very good basis for a friendship . It would be great for you to make some new friends where you are.

Not much else to report. I've got my 19 week scan on Wednesday and i'm very very nervous. I'm sure its just my utter paranoia, but due to my ever increasing girth i'm sure everything is okay. Oh, and the new love of my life is Ben & Jerry's. How did I ever live without it before? No wonder I'm turning into such a biffer....sigh....

good luck with your scan on weds,jonahb.i know what you mean about the ice-cream-im also eating loads of the stuff

Hi JonahB - CAT means "contact another talker" it's on the "Useful stuff" links at the top of this page. If you send me a little note through this then I'll have your email and I'll be able to email you and attach the SPD article.

Good luck tomorrow MrsW I've got the dentist for a replacement filling, haven't been for years and I'm SCARED!!
Is anyone else craving madly hot curries? I've had 2 or 3 phals in the past couple of months I've got to stop, they're so extreme and I felt really worried I'd hurt the baby after one a couple of nights ago. Consoled myself a bit remembering that our stomachs are full of digestive sulphuric acid. I had no idea how worrying being preggers could be!

Hope everyone had a good weekend - not much posting, so you probably did!

Hi there everyone and Happy New Year!
Sorry for just disappearing before Xmas - we left in a bit of a hurry and I didn't get a chance to post again. We've just got back this evening - tomorrow it's off to work again.
All is fine with me, despite a couple of scares just before and after Xmas. Am 20 weeks on Tuesday and have a scan tomorrow, yippee! I've got a lovely (although hairy!) bump now and - I think - I've felt him move!!! Weirdly enough I'm beginning to calm down a bit and even feel something approaching confident - I'm trying not to get carried away as I'm still terrified something'll go wrong, but this feeling of 'it is going to happen' is getting stronger.
Anyway, that's just a brief update on me - I'll read through the thread properly now - hope all is fine with you all.

Morning all - good luck to everyone approaching the 20 week scan, I've got mine next week.
I've got a particularly lively baby I think - more lively than dd was. Last night it kind of scurried across the top of my bump (such as it is) and did a somersault in the middle - quite wierd but sweet. What on earth is it going to be doing in 10 weeks I wonder? I think it's a boy - based on nothing whatsoever.
On another matter - anyone else getting to the stage where they're going to have to give in and get some mat gear? Don't think I can hold out much longer......

morning

19 weeks for me today, 20 week scan next week.

Welshie - i have bought a few bits of maternity stuff in the sales but today am wearing some clothes which are making me think 'Oh heck i was fat this summer'. I bought these trousers this summer and they were a little bit tight but today they are baggy round my middle dispite the bump!!

Well i get to graduate on thursday so big proncy robe for me and hat, have managed to buy a black maternity shift dress to wear because the robes are red so i will like a huge tent person!! not sure i want offical photos taking!!

hope everyone had a good weekend. We had a nice one an are now making headway with DD's potty training.

Congrats on the approaching graduation Katzguk - hope you really enjoy the day. I refused to attend mine - I was trying to annoy my mother at the time. Of course now I really, really regret it - what a foolish 21 year old I was - with a nasty and v manipulative boyfriend who encouraged me to do daft things.