Due Jue 2005, Thread 5

[LipstickMum]

Katz, thanks for your email. I have replied but also said I would post on here my suggestion for luch tomorrow. Basically all I suggested was that at lunch we give our doatios to someone, and they send off 1 cheque to Katz, makes it a bit simpler. I'm happy to send a cheque.

Uwila, I also work for a big oil company and as I say, ours our actually quite good about these things. I'm not going to ask which one you're with - its bound to be one which we use their sign as a dartboard....ha ha. However, I suspect the reason our company are so understanding is that somewhere along the way, some female has probably sued them for millions for unfair dismissal or treatment or something. You're right though, its a v. male dominated world, where all their wives stay at home and dont work.

Trib, before you get too jealous, I believe the system in Holland is that the nurse who spends 8 days with you at the beginning is paid for by your private health insurance, not by the state. I also seem to recall (I worked there for a while) that their mat leave isn't v. good at all. On the upside for them, the Dutch seems to be really supportive of women going PT. Not like here at all.

Sorry, crossing e-mails again. The only reference I have for the state/private insurance issue is the girl I covered her mat leave. I know she was covered by her insurance, but maybe the state offer the same service as well. I'm probably talking out of my as usual.

Evening girls hope everyone is well today.

Have been thinking so much about Sweetheart and hoping that she is doing ok. Have read all the lovely things you have done for her!

Well I am 22 weeks now and baby has been kicking a lot today. Still off food and really have to force myself to eat normal things. I do have a craving for custard - Ambrosia of course and am having pasta tonight followed by some jam roly poly with custard.

DS2 is 3 on Monday and its his birthday weekend, so lots of party food on offer, just wondering if I will be up for it.

Also getting a few pains down below and am wondering if its stretching pains. They seem familiar from my last pregnancies, just having to remember all these aches and pains.

Been looking at pushchairs over the past few days. We have been through all the senarios with pushchairs, double buggies and strollers and there s a fab Graco 2-1 pushchair with the car seat that seems brilliant, all for the bargain price of £119. Going to have a look at it at the weekend.

Well off now to eat. Hope to be back later. If not (due to sleepyitis,) I will hopefully be on tomorrow.

Love Cobweb xxx

Trib / Jonah - I would be very happy to pay more tax if I felt it was going towards the things which I would want to pay for. If I could opt-out of various schemes I would gladly do so, which is why I have opted out of SERPS for my pension. I'll have the money in my own pension thank you very much where I know exactly what is going on with it.

By the same token, I would love to opt out of the NHS all together. I disgaree with a lot of their "policies" and the stories DP has told me make me really angry that I am funding this ogre of a health system. If I could have private health care then I would, but the amount of tax and NI I pay every month negates this option for me.

BTW - Lovely MN buddy has just told me "Baby bjorn baby carrier is reduced to £15 at www.bumpto3.com"

Yey! back on my laptop with brand new os

Whew - glad I don't have to start scrubbing floors! And I'm now armed with very legitimate reasons why I shouldn't, should the issue ever arise

I want a Kraamzorg!!! (sounds like some kind of robot!)

right - I'm off out for the old Friday night curryfest.

Have a lovely evening everyone x

hello all

I have ordered the midwife thingy and paid all your lovely hceques into the bank. I got a postal order from someone but they haven't let me know who they are!! are grand total stands at £117. (46 midwife + 28 flowers leaves £43 for a pampering for sweetheart) once the midwife present arrive si will psot them both off to april.

Thanks Katz! x

thanks from me too!xx

Katz - the postal order was from me!!!! I did put my name and a little note at the top flap of the envelope - you must have missed it - sorry!

I have just seen a thread saying there is a programme on at 6pm on CH4 tonight "the truth about childbirth" if anyone is interested!
Cobweb - i have been getting those stretching pains too!!!! Annoying arnt they!! I hope you enjoy your DS2's birthday weekend. We had DS2's party etc just before xmas and i felt really sick and tired throughout!
Does anyone else still get really tired in the evening / in the day? I find that if i have a rest in the day i am not too bad in the evening - but if i dont stop all day, by the evening i feel quite ill with tiredness - moan over!

Awwwwwww Tessiebear its go good to see you again on line xxx

The birthday boy had a good day today. We went bowling and to McDonalds with the other millions of people eating int here !

Back to Mum's as she did him a family birthday tea with cake and everything, it was dead cute.

I am totally shattered now and could go to bed right now LOL

Tessie have you found out the sex of your 3rd yet? Another boy for me - I have got used to it over the past two days and realise that what's meant to be is meant to be.

The stretching pains don't seem so bad today but I did feel a bit pain in my tummy as baby must have been kicking out.

Off to put boys to bed now so see you all later xxx

Tessiebear - I still feel tired a lot of the time, and I don't do very much during the day! (As mentioned below in this thread, I 'stay at home' in the real meaning of the word just now).

I've had another little multi-cultural birthing experience today; two Muslim friends of mine both had children this month (well, as per, I believe their wives did most of the work). One lives in Glasgow, one in India. The Indian one told me that his wife isn't allowed out for 40 days, obviously a traditional thing but one that I know I would personally hate. Inquired of the Glaswegian friend if his wife was having to stay in for 40 days, but no, she's allowed out as long as she 'keeps a low profile'. I haven't quite established what this means, I guess no film premieres or appearing in Hello magazine

Any-hoo, not a tradition I've ever come across before (although lengthy 'lying ins' were the norm for women in mediaeval times in this country I think?) but I would guess like a lot of the dietary laws and so on it's based on sound principles for life many years ago when infection was common. Very interesting.

I'm sure that over Christmas Dp's mum, who is Irish and Catholic told me that when she had her babies women were expected to "lie in" hospital for, I think 20 days. She said a lot of women became ill as a result of this.

hmm... a 20 day lie in appeals to me. Although here in the real world, I think 20 hours will be more like it. ALthough I did joke to DH the other night that I was going to spend as long as I can in hospital, and reminded him that he would have DD for the wohle time. That's probaboy why they did it. Just to give dads alittle reality check on how much work we do.

Ok ok, truth is three days in the hospital with no intenet access and no mobile phone will drive me positively crackers. So, I'll be pushing to go home after two.

Perhaps while I'm there I should practice my typing skills!

Cobweb - we (hopefully) find out the sex of baby on Valentines day on my 20 wk scan!!! I am totally preparing myself for the possibility of another boy - i am sure it is tbh. I am glad you have come to terms with it ... i feel the same - what is meant to be is meant to be. I heard something recently that there is some scientific proof that some women can only conceive the same sex child each time. Dont know how right it is??
When my nan gave birth to my mum they had to stay in nursing homes for a fortnight to rest after the birth of their babies! I think i could manage a few days but after that i would definately miss my kids too much. I am planning on staying in 3 nights.

Can you choose to stay in for a few days then? I hope so! I thought they kicked you out the same day or next morning?

eck can't imagine anything worse than 3 days in hospital!! i will be psuhing to be discharged from the delivery room not going near the ward if i can manage it. With DD she fed for about 1h after the birth and was then wide awake taking everything in for 1h then fell asleep and sleep solidly for about 12 hr, i was in a 4 bed bay where all the other babies were crying and awake all night so i gto no sleep whilst my little angle slept next to me, so this time i'm not stopping if i can aviod it.

Evening All,

Katz - thanks for sorting the money out.

Tessie, I'm another one who needs my afternoon nap. I can lead a fairly normal life as long as I get my hour's extra doze at some point.

From the people I have spoken to where I live, they are all made to go home the day after the baby is born. Isn't that normal for everywhere, or is that a specific M'cr thing? However, I'm like you, Uwila, I know however much the idea of caring for my little bundle of joy terrifies me, I will be desparate to get into my own jimjams in my own bed, with my own fridge and my own toilet roll.

Well, I am now the proud owner of a stupidly expensive travel system. I bought the M&P Plico on Sat am. I am really hoping that all the levers, pullys, buttons, gadgets & attachments are clearly marked in the instruction manual, otherwise I can foresee a lot of tears in Sainsbury's carpark....

When dd was born, we went home about 4 hours later. She was born at 6am, so the thought of hanging around in the hospital when we live 15 minutes away seemed too boring for words! Hopefully we'll be able to scarper asap with this one too

They keep you for three days if you have a caesarean or complications of a vaginal birth, like a nasty tear (ouch!). I have a friend who had caesarean the first time, and just had a VBAC for her second. She had the VBAC so could be up and around to take care of toddler. But, she tore really bad, and they kept her in the hospital for a week. Apparently they wouldn't let her go home until she could go to the bathroom on her own.

But, yes, I have definitely heard stories of vaginal birth where mum and baby go home that day. I suppose it's worth checcking with each of our hospitals to find out their policy.

Don't talk about ~whispers~ tearing !!!!

Lipstick, you must be as hard as nails

Stupid question time, sorry, what's a VBAC?

Vbac is vaginal birth after caesarean

A 'VBAC' as I was reliably informed on this thread is a 'vaginal birth after caesarian'.

I don't know about hard as nails lol, can I take that as a compliment ? I just knew I didn't want to sit around in the hospital all day being bored. Dd had latched on and we just wanted to be at home. Tbh, I think both dp and were worried about 'leaving the hospital', being without full medical staff on tap. We kind of thought " let's get it over with!!". this time it wil be so much different! Plus dp is a GP.