Due Sept 08: The one where we pack our bags and write our birth plan.

[mamamufin]

I thought I would be brave

that is genius ponymum!!!

Mel - 40 hours a week for £100 - £2.50 an hour? Assuming you'd have some travel expenses to get to work and probably extra loads of work-clothes laundry and stuff, I'd say really not worth it. But I'm probably biased because I'm going to have to give up work earlier than planned, and haven't been going in for the last month and it's saved me a fortune (especially recently as in order to cope with working I was having to buy food in the canteen, get extra coffees, not cook so much food from scratch, etc).

kiskidee - I know Abu Dhabi a bit - my dad lived there for years. Nicer and quieter than Dubai.

becaroo, hopefully - will phone JL and complain about the pillow as it's blatantly 40cm shorter than advertised. Had a wee cry on MrNC and felt a lot better - he tried to convince me I'm not decrepit, I'm just stretchy at the seams... slept quite well as I moved into the spare room at 5am. Ironic that I can sleep through the builders but not a sodding pigeon! Builder said he'd try to make them move, but pigeons love scaffolding.

eandz - I can do any date for a London meetup that isn't Aug 2nd! Well, with luck, and the venue being next to a bus stop, etc.

deb - the baby has a head and backside plus four limbs... mine is really testing how many of them he can poke me with at once! Bloody engineer genes (before we even get into the horror stories of MrNC's babyhood, plugging things in at 18 months, etc!)

ponymum - good for you making sure the NCT class doesn't get too prissy! My group are all very nice but from the reaction when the tutor mentioned dealing with stuck shoulders by flipping you onto your back with your legs over your shoulders, I was left wondering how they got pregnant in the first place...

Thanks eandz that is what i have heard. Can we talk a bit about it? Dh is likely to get a job offer to go out there. It may mean picking up sticks and going, leaving my job too. I would like to get an opinion of the place from outside the expat circles. Though we will have to live inside it.

Do you mind if i emailed you later to ask questions?

I can't do Aug 2nd either, but then I can't do anything before august either, so maybe you should make plans and I'll see if I can fit in with them...

Notcitrus my DP was apparently found aged about 2 having spent the entire day hammering a real nail into a very expensive polished wood floor with a plastic hammer - he stole it from his dad who was doing DIY while babysitting him. Unsurprisingly he grew up to a career in engineering/manufactur.

Thanks all. You are right, by the time I have travelled and bought lunch I will prob be out of pocket.

However, just txt DP and said I am in pain and feeling like I cant manage it but if you want me to I will (in the hope he would be sympathetic) and he said 'every little bit helps'. feel like punching him.

Maybe when he thinks about it he will realise he is being a git.

Ponymum that is something I would say. Automatic response without thinking. Priceless

I've just spilled my lunch all down my bump!!

Waiting for Ikea delivery...they texted on monday to say it will be between 1 and 5 today, and the driver phoned at 1:20 to say he'd be here within the hour...

And talking of excellent service, having told my midwife on monday that it feels like my legs are falling off, I got a letter in the post today from the hospital inviting me to the ante-natal physio next thursday! Shame I'll miss it coz of holiday...

Had a friend round this morning who is 8 wks pg after 3 years of trying, but all her symptoms have suddenly vanished. She's in a complete state and has an appointment at epads for tomorrow morning but her dh is away on business so I'm on taxi service standby.

Mel the only thing that sprang to mind about your situation is that every week you are paid MA while pg, is a week you don't have off with the baby afterwards. But taking into account any travel costs etc, and the state of your health, I'd prob still choose the maltesers option.

Ponymum, love your response! All men should be made to think about that!

I will get 39 wks MA and was only going to have 6 mths off afterwards (mum is already booked for childminding) so will work out just right anyway.

If it helps, I had no symptoms at all until the heartburn kicked in at about 24 weeks.

Hey, if all you London mum's are off to Pizza Express use this voucher

YEY. I've just had my post and my MA allowance stuff has arrived. they are paying it from 29 June.

Now, just got to tell DP

notcitrus you are right about the prissy discussion at NCT classes! Last week she was talking about perinial massage but treated it like it was totally icky, and said "It's not something you would like to do as a couple." I thought, um, we have all had sex you know. We have actually touched each other each other there before! But I kept my mouth shut thank fully that time! Perhaps everyone else got pregnant through a hole in the bedsheet...

Ha ha ponymum that did make me laugh! At my NHS ante-natal class we were actively encouraged to do the perinial massage together! She even demonstrated how to do by making her fingers into lady bits!

Thanks for the voucher Mel have had a rubbish day at work, feel knackered and so will prob use it tonight!

ponymum - our tutor is trying hard to lower the tone, and actually the other women individually seem fine, it's just when there's all 6 of us some sort of 'must look feminine' vibe takes over all their brains!

Tutor mentioned perineal massage and using lube, pointed out that we wouldn't be able to reach easily and that partners should help as it makes them feel useful apart from anything else. The classes with the men there are a bit more down-to-earth - I think the men are relieved to be able to talk about their fears, and have no hangups about admitting they've had sex - let's face it, they've probably been wanting proof of their virility since they were 14, and now they've got it! Can you tell I normally get on better with men than women?

Hello everyone, hope you are all well. Haven't managed to get on here for a while so am catching up slowly...

Well, DP & I have a made a big decision - we've decided to go for a homebirth! We had our reservations about the hospital ever since the first ante-natal appointment and the attitude of the midwife put us off. Then they found rhesusantibodies in my blood and it seemed unlikely I could have an hb but I've now had some blood results and the antibodies have disappeared!

SO, the Community midwife team have been contacted and we just need to wait for them to get in touch. I'm excited and nervous at the same time as it is my first baby, but I just know that I (we) would feel much happier at home. It does help that the hosiptal is literally 5 minutes away too, just in case.

Have been reading the Ina May book and it was a real inspiration and made me think about being in my own space and not feeling rushed or pressurised, so I hope that I can manage it without screaming for an epidural...

My only worry at the moment is that they come and do an assessment and rule our flat out as a potential risk! There is DIY crap all over the place and we still have loads of work to do... Ah well, it would be a good kick up the bum to get it done!

Any hb tips from you experienced ladies would be appreciated!

ps. Pidge - glad you are still cycling. I am too though it is getting much harder and I've felt like giving up once or twice. Still, good for the circulation etc.

pps. eandz - I never got back to you about a date for the london meet! I can't do the 2nd August weekend but think I am free on 19th and 26th July. Would be great to meet all of you guys.

jennylindinha how exciting that you're going for a home birth! I think that knowing the hospital is so close will probably keep you really relaxed as well (and therefore, less likely to need to transfer) - I would have been tempted if I was that close to a hospital. Good lucky clearing up the flat!

Good lucky? Good luck

Hi there
Just catching up with all of your posts. I am still visiting my folks but going home on friday.
lol at your story ponymum
Biglips Dont feel left out, all my family live on the wirral and in liverpool. Maybe we can arrange a get together next time I am down? . I have no plans as yet but pop down every few weeks or so.
I have a ds called cameron too!
It sounds like you have made a good decision with hb Jenny.
I plan to spend next week with my dvds and malteaserss too. oops got to go xx

jennylindinha - very exciting news - I wish I'd known enough to go for a homebirth first time round. Second time I knew what I wanted, and third time round I'm even more sure, having tried both options!! Even if you end up being transferred I don't think you'll regret it, you should get brilliant care, and if all goes well you get to have your baby at home. Keep reading Ina May - she is a marvel and an inspiration. And ask away with any questions.

I'm rhesus negative too - so all fingers crossed for no antibodies here either. I've just turned down the prophylactic anti-D at 28 weeks, so they're doing a double check for me that all is well.

I've failed on the bike front so far this week - too tired yesterday, and today I'm going to a concert straight after work. Maybe tomorrow.

To be honest I'm struggling hugely with exhaustion this week. I've never felt this way in my other two pregnancies - previously I've always waltzed through the third trimester with lots of energy. Whereas at the moment I sort of have this sensation maybe my blood pressure is massively low as I feel dizzy and like I just want to lie down all the time. I've had to go twice to the shower room at work to lie on the tiled floor to sleep for about 20 minutes. Good job no-one noticed me missing .

I'm not taking any multivits at the moment and think I might start taking some again to see if that will give me some energy.

But more than anything I think I need a holiday ... 10 days and counting, then I'm off for a fortnight!

Thanks for all your support guys - this thread is SO positive and I love it! Not sure that I "know enough" to do an hb tho, it's more of a case of blind faith and naievity...

Pidge, you couldn't be a bit anaemic by any chance could you? I know that lack of iron is meant to make you really tired but not sure about the bp thing. Lol at you sleeping on the floor of the shower room - I truly hope it is in a better state than the one at my work. I barely want to ever have a shower in there it is so disgustingly filthy and will only consider it if I have my flipflops to wear.

I had the anti-D last week (after having the anti-E and anti-C antibodies I didn't want to risk the anti-Ds as well) and it was bloody painful! Mind you, it didn't help that the midwife kept saying how big the needle was and how it would be really sore afterwards. That is exactly the kind of negativity you don't need to hear and one of the reasons I'm not keen on going to the hospital to give birth. Can you imagine what they'd be saying whilst I was in labour??? Not very encouraging.