Due in June - Creme eggs are long gone and our own eggs have started to hatch. Who will be next?

[Upsidedowncake]

We are two down and have another 30-40 to go. Makecakes and Gemma have probably popped by now, then G43! It's all happening!!!!!

Well, I'm back from the skin doctor and disticntly .

Basically, it's pregnancy related, tough shit, not much can do about itching, tough shit, out up with it, tough shit, is it itching a lot? tough shit. should clear up 1 or 2 weeks after birth, now piss off. Was the general gist.

My one solace is it's not dangerous for the baby, but honestly, the itching is so bad I've had no sleep the last couple of nights. I'm going to be good for nothing and totally wrecked if it carries on like this for 3 weeks. Affects about 1% of pg women (never had this any of the other times). Am a bit depressed I've got this for up to 5 more weeks. It's really murder. But at least baby should be OK.

And talking of dh's ... we haven't had a row YET but if I ever speak to mine again, it will be for a row and nothing else. Tosser. I went to a supermarket in a near by town this pm and when I came out, my sat nav wasn't wrking. I tried to retrace the route, but went wrong, & got completely lost. I didn't have a detailed enough map in car and had NO IDEA where I was, I didn't even know if I needed to head north, south, E or W, really no idea, I'd never been out that way. After 45 minutes of driving round and round with no clue at all, and no sign of a ploce station, I called dh and told him I was lost and asked if he could even just look up the name of the town I was in. His reasponse? He's in a meeting. I burst into tears cos I was so stressed out, as I was getting closer & closer to my doctors appt & basically he wouldn't help me. SO I hate him. Really seriously f*ing hate him. If roles were reversed and I had a 35/36 weeks pg wife, lost (and not just for a minutes, but best part of an hour) and about to miss a docs appt that was imp , I'd bloody well find a way to help.

AM PISSED OFF WITH HIM.

Sophie, not fair that you have nice dh who looks after you. Can't imagine in a month of Sundays my tosser shit bag twat faced dh even hinting I should take it easy

And, deep breath, big smile,

Make cakes, huge congratulations. Pics are really lovely, you must be so so so so delighted. Hope your birth was OK - I'll look out for gory details

Deb, sorry your sonogropher was a twat. but glad you're happy with hospital otherwise.

needahand - we had similar. ds1 was in with us for 5 weeks. Swore he'd be in for 1st year. By end of 5 weeks I thought I'd go insane with his screaming 1 night, so put him in his cot ... and he promptly fell asleep. Never looked back since.

gotta get boys off bus more later

Oh, Ernest, your day sounds awful. Have a hug {{}}(if it doesn't make you itch!).

The skin doctor thing sounds very weird. Really really strange. It can't just be one of those things, surely - and how are you supposed to function with the itching? (I bet it if it was a man itching like that, they'd have you in hospital covered in creams to stop it.) Not being a doctor (or even very medical...actually I am a doctor but of medieval history) I don't know what to suggest. Get a second opinion - maybe from a female doctor if poss? Go to hospital and demand some attention? I mean, this is really getting you down.
Go to the hospital and cry, be hysterical, say it's making you depressed? Because you can't really function on no sleep either, and you'll scar yourself with scratching etc etc.

Sorry, I'm not trying to bring you down but it all sounds like the skin doctor didn't know what he was talking about.

Paro - fingers crossed that the baby's head stays in the right place.

Ernest so sorry about your doc and your DH! Sending virtual hamper with creme eggs and gin and tonic. Did the doctor tell you the name of this mystery condition (so much for my theory that it probably wouldn't be pg related so you can do some of your own research. Maybe some alternative therapies if you're into that kind of thing?

Essie I also reckon you go with what works for you. We've got a (gorgeous) moses basket to have our LO in room to begin with but I dont think we'll stick with the recommended 6 months. We've decided to play it by ear though.

DH and I had chat about 'bedtime' recently and while we were naturally drawn to 7pm we were thinking of aiming for 8pm. When we're both at work next year 7pm would be really difficult to manage (as we dont normally get into 6.30) so we figured we should start as we mean to go on instead of changing bed time further down the line? Any thoughts anyone? It's all a bit academic to begin with I know...

Ernest - sorry about your DH and your itching, large alcoholic drink of your choice whinging it sway to you.

Sleeping - DD slept with us for first year, didn't mean it to be so long but just happened, she was with is until we went to bed for about 3 weeks and then we started the bed time routine which worked really well, and was in bed by 7 most nights. She was also in a moses basket for the first few weeks. This one will start off in moses basket only because we are moving around a bit in the first few weeks and will be easier, then when we are back in house will move to cot.

Great - thanks for the sleeping tips. Like I say, we'll see how things go, obviously. We don't have an actual moses basket, but we do have one that comes with the pram, so that's the backup. Like Sophie, it's the moving around thing: I need to be in London a month after the due date (Rolf, I wonder why?!) and we don't have the space to put a moses basket in the bedroom there.

Not entirely sure why DH wants the baby in a cot. DH wants to get up in the night with him (bonding...DH told me on the weekend that he's jealous - not in a serious way! - that he can't feel a baby moving inside him. Oh, now DH sounds like a toddler. Oops!) and maybe he's thinking of the private times he and his son can have in the middle of the night! I personally am thinking of... sleeeeeeeep!

Might go and look at the names board now, because I have possibles!

Ooh, that names board is scary!

these are some pics of what my belly looks line (minus the yucky hairs in 1st pic). doesn't say what to do about it tho

www.dermatlas.org/derm/result.cfm?Diagnosis=1011926485

wow - there are nice people out there after all. hospital just phoned to see how I was and I explained I'd been to the skin doc but that he'd been crap & she was v. sympathetic & said I could go in if it doesn't improve and they'd get a consultant to look at me and try to help. I def can't go for several weeks with this level if itching.

I'll keep you informed if I murder my twat of a dh.

that's horrible poor you.

Essie - try some names here will be less vitriolic

Had a bit of a trial run last night (at 35 weeks, eek!) - maybe it was the full moon? Basically had quite strong periody pains from about 2pm at work, by hometime they were too strong to ignore so I called mw and was told to pop into delivery suite on the way home. CTG showed baby fine and not much going on in the way of contractions, but still felt very sore (esp when i got an internal to check my cervix - yaroo) so just wanted to curl up. They gave me paracetamol (which never works for period pains for me so I didn't have much hope for it) and, to my dismay, kept me in overnight . Felt all weepy and powerless as soon as they left me in the cubicle - not keen on hospitals (and still aiming for a BC birth if I can hang on another fortnight), but still surprised I crumbled like that.
I was in a 4 bed antenatal ward - everybody roundly ignoring the visitors piss off after 10 and don't use your mobiles rules - one woman was on the phone at gone midnight! Fortunately DP had been able to come in at about 9 with my half-packed hossy bag, including pyjamas, eye mask and earplugs, and I cadged an extra pillow on the strength of my SPD-related sleep problems, so I had at least some sleep.
Seriously, everyone, if there are no earplugs or eyemask in your hospital bag, pack them now!
Had another reassuring CTG this morning - when the single mw on duty could spare a moment to hook it up - and desperately wanted to come home, so when the SHO came round I declared that the pain had completely gone (which isn't quite true, though it's eased off a fair bit - to the level that I think I'd be ignoring if it came on like this at home) and got in a cab. Cancelled plans to visit family today, and my sis is coming round to babysit me while DP is out working this evening. I'm pretty sure there's nowt going on, but it was all a bit alarming nevertheless.
I was interested that both the doctors I saw (last night and this morning) told me that at 35 weeks they'd do nothing to retard early labour if it got underway, and that the baby would be "small but fine".

Ernest that's good that the hospital rang you. I'd def take up their offer of seeing a consultant, if anything just to get a second opinion.

Essie do you need a stiff drink after being on the baby names board? I dont understand why people have to be so vicious; why cant someone just say if they like it or not? However, have to say not sure why the posters subject themselves to it either. I've seen/read people get really upset on there before now. If you want some honest feedback why not ask people who you trust to give you constructive feedback in a nice way? (Like the people on our lovely ante-natal thread .

The two topics that I don't post on are baby names and breast/bottle feeding, (except if questions about FF) it just turns into a slanging match which isn't helpful and upsetting.

Yeah, the names board was too scary - I didn't post my options! I did post really positive vibes on the names I liked though - but otherwise I was just lurking! Ok, guys, be nice now: here's what we're considering.

Oh, should mention. It's going to be Welsh, so be prepared for strangeness. I can supply phonetics if needed.

We're more or less agreed on a middle name, which is a local saint (who didn't die a horrible death and lived a happy life) and it's Seiriol. We don't want it as a first name because it gets confused with Cyril!

So first names:

Trystan (DH's favourite - is it too...dare I say it, gay?)
Gwion (I like it but it's quite childish somehow and a friend has a little boy called Gwion Deiniol)
Ifan
Ioan
Meilir

Ernest glad the hospital is being better - this morning sounded so wrong! BTW, like the pictures - all those bumps look like moons! The rash, though - needs to be taken seriously.

Oh, in case it's not apparent, I'm having a boy!

Like them all, only problem I would have with Trystan is if couldn't pronounce R's, having said that heres hoping our boy doesn't have a lisp

How do you prononuce the last one.

oooh, Ioan is lovely!

Ernest, I have pregnancy related ezcema (sp?), but I can make it go away within about 5 days with the application of calamine lotion and wearing things that don't rub it, (which is why I have been in yoga trousers for 6 weeks now).

When I was at my stressiest with work, my rash was agony, and the doctor prescribed me hypocortisone cream (sp?) which has a minimal chance of getting in to your blood stream if you put it on after moisturising.

Puddock, what a difficult time. I'm sorry that you had to stay in hospital.

DS feeling a lot better and is less limpet-like. Earlier (when the desire for backrubs wore off), he was insisting I stand up and hold him for hours as it was the only way he could get comfortable. I just couldn't stay standing up for more than about 2 minutes with an 11 kilo lump in my arms.

OOH, very good point indeed sophiewd! Must mention that to DH, because being unable to pronounce r's is fairly common amongst Welsh speakers (probably because it's quite a hard sound and very strong). Did I see your baby name on the board or just a comment from you?

BTW, on the subject of the scary board, have you seen the latest post? If it's meant to be funny I don't get it.

We are still going with Sebastian.

I like Ifan and Ioan. Love welsh names, but DH wouldn't have it. (Well, we have no connection with Wales). I'm not too keen on Trystan because of a Tristan that I once knew. Am more used to seeing it spelt with an i than a y though - but not sure if both 'correct' or if the y is a Welsh version?

Ioan is lovely, and so is...Ioan Gruffydd the actor!!

Meilir: pronounced May-lear. DH thinks it's too way out, but then DH isn't Welsh. It's not hugely uncommon.

Yes, I think I knew about Sebastian. It's a lovely name and if I wasn't after a Welsh name I'd be considering it!
Trystan with a y is the Welsh form, and the original name is actually Celtic (not many people know that!). It is a problem with associating names and people, though, isn't it? DH has no negative associations with any Welsh names, but I have plenty. And he also suggests names that I would consider to be 'old people' names. There's a famous film star (American) with a name I would associate with older people.

Hello All,

Congratulations Makecakes lovely pictures and a great name.

Puddock sorry to hear you were miserable in the hospital last night. I am sure I would be too. Trying to remember where I have some ear plugs stored - probably with a load of backpacking stuff that I haven't had too much use for recently.

Ernest lots of hugs and virtual stiff drinks for you. The pictures look horrible. Quite understand why DH is in doghouse. Would leave him there for some time if I were you.

Essie Quite like Meilir, although never heard it before. My only caution would be about using a name where non Welsh people don't automatically know the gender. I used to work with a man called Cathal (who is Irish) don't know how many times I had to explain to people on the phone that Cathal was not a woman and that you pronounced it "Car-hal". He didn't seem too traumatised by it though, sure your LO would be fine too.

Hello to everyone else - hugs to those of you with aches and pains.

All quiet here. Cleaner has still not materialised despite messages left on her phone. Will call agency tomorrow.

Puddock I missed your post earlier (think we were posting around the same time) sorry to hear you had a rubbish night. Good tip on the ear plugs and eyemask though!

I'm feeling very sore between bump and boobs. I got bra extenders so bra def not too tight and it eases if I hold my boobs up but heading off to NCT class soon so cant sit there holding my boobs up. I think its just friction between boob, bump and bra fabric and I would kill for a decent underwire bra to lift them up and away! Nothing compared to other people's aches and pains - just wanted to have my own wee moan. Cant wait till I get home tonight and can whip off bra and get some air about my boobs!

alipalli - sorry your cleaner hasn't showed!

Essie it is tough with names and associations. TBH that's one of the reasons DH and I haven't discussed names with anyone. We've been put off a few names ourselves because of association and the one name I floated public was met with a 'oh you dont want to... because of....'.

Suddenly occurred to me that someone else on here's son is called Tristan?!?!? . Hope haven't caused offence by saying I wasn't too keen.

just wanted to say quickly that once the baby's born you'd have to be very brave to use earplugs... you'll have the baby right beside you but even so you'll want to hear every little whimper, even if it means listening to the rest of the crazies on the ward.

ernest big, big virtual hug! really hope you can find some relief for the itching you poor thing.

Hi all

Just catching up with this thread, not been around for ages. I have now finished work hurrah, thank god no more evil commuting to London.

I am 35.5 weeks and am a bit antenateled out! Going for a tour of our local maternity ward tonight which will be interesting and the last one!

Just want him to turn up now ( yes it's a boy), although keep having vivid dreams about birthing a 9 year old girl ouch! bizarre!

Oh well, I will enjoy maternity leave and keep eating doughnuts...