Due November 2008....Mmmmmmmmmmmm....minty Gaviscon, swallowed not stirred

[LackaDAISYcal]

Thanks to Pinkali for the title

Vbab hope you have managed to get things sorted i've agonised over it this time, I had 6 weeks before due with DS and he was 2 weeks late and I was very bored. The money made my decision in the end too, I officially start mat leave on Nov 3rd - due on 6th but I finish work on Oct 8th for 3 weeks hols. I can't believe its only 10 weeks until then - Scary.
Sorry I can't remeber whos Dcs are having excema problems DS gets it on and off and thats bad enough. I realy feel for you.

I think mat leave is a difficult one as everyone feels differently, would you prefer some time before or most of your time after baby is born?

With dd I finished work 5 weeks before my due date, but the first 2 weeks of it was holiday as I thought as it was my first I didnt need too much time at home on my own (there is only so much house work and sitting with your feet up that you can do before feeling bored!!)

This time my situation is very different as I am a childminder, but as we moved house at beginning of June I had to loose the children I was minding so I'm not going to start up again until after the baby is a few months old, so in effect have been on mat leave since then!!! Although dont get maternity allowance until mid august

Although its made money tight I am enjoying having so much time with dd, and am planning on using some of it to potty train her and move her into a bed (as she loves her cot it wont be easy!) am starting to decorate her new room to make it more appealling to her so hope she will willingly make the move

I am planning to start Maternity Leave on 17 October which is 2 weeks before EDD. As I am coming back to work after for at least 4 days a week I want to take as long as possible off and I don't want to waste my mat leave at home being pregnant. I plan on going back to work on 1 Sept next year.

Vbab I would say your choice to leave should be a purely money one if you're not planning on going back - do you need the pay for longer or not?

DH and I have been manically planning finances as I only get SMP (I work for a German bank and in Germany they only pay statutory but the stat there is 67% of salary!!) - my boss asked me about it and seemed shocked at how much I was going to be getting (also its a big loss for us as I earn more than DH) and said he would look into it. Yesterday my bosses said that when I was on mat leave they would pay me to do as little or much work from home as I wanted - and it wouldn't affect my SMP!! How great is that, I feel very lucky about it! (My boss probably knows about the costs of parenting having 7 kids himself!)

I was asking about a Christmas outfit. Dozy came up with a good suggestion for Verbaudet. Thanks Dozy.
Is this suitable to wear to a family christmas party:outfit

Is it sweet ?
Any other suggestions?
Or am I too early. I think I might have to wait until autumn.

Obs the outfit is v cute!!! Just buy it now and call yourself a planner!

OBS - LOVE THE CUTE OUTFIT.

Obs, that is so cute. You must be very organised to be thinking about that already!!

Not really. It is just that I have most things.
I think.
House still in turmoil from decorating. Still haven't got into loft to sort out 0-3 mths, 3-6 mths bin liners full, etc etc.
God, I hope they don't need washing again.

But was talking to dh about ds2 being born. And on this thread the other day, we were talking about brothers and sisters, sil's and bil's. Got me thinking. And realised that it won't be long before it is our family christmas party. God, I LOVE dh's family christmas party.
And I was just thinking, seeing as I have little else to buy, I will keep an eye out for a nice party outfit.

Me too, we are having lunch at my mums this year and my sister is coming up too, so there will be 2 babies under 3 months old (the things i have to do to get out of cooking ). My mum has however, said that my sister can stay at my house (very cheeky!!).

I'm sorry to repeat this because I know that someone else mentioned it but.. my bowels are definitely sluggish and by this time in the day i get nasty pains on my right hand side. I have tried helping it with diet but to no avail, what can i buy which is safe in pregnancy to take?? I have some senokat sachets in the cupboard but not sure i can take them. Also don't want to develop the opposite effect. HELP...

Pinkali is the the Senakot Fibrogel drink thingy? I know ths is safe as my doctor prescribed me some with Ds and MW recommended it this time round! My Nanna swears by drinking a cup of hot water every morning to keep you regular don't know if it works or not but I guess it is worth a try!
Oblomov the outfit is gorgeous!

Yikes, very chat you lot have been!

No worries about mat leave here thank goodness, couldn't be doing with all that palavar.

Ohhh, we will all have our babies by Xmas, how exciting. Dh tells me I am being mean for not wanting to buy gifts for the baby this xmas. I am pretty sure he will get stuff from the family and I would rather save the money and buy stuff as he needs it. Still looking around for a cute outfit for the holidays though.

Been pottering in my garden today. Thank goodness I had the boys to help a little, but bending over to harvest potatoes and garlic is getting sooooo hard! Still, dinner should taste good! I think we will have fresh Salmon with homegrown/homemade potato wedges and salad from the garden. I really hope that we have an allotment by this time next year, I think we could be pretty self sufficient.

hi all
Oblomov I would get the (Very cute) ooutfit now. Vertabudet is notorious for selling out of things. I'm already marking things in the La Redoute catalogue as they tend to go too.

I second the things Hana suggested for the sluggish system problems. I seem to be veering from one extreme to the other at the moment, but it could just be that I've been eating too much liquorice...so that's another posibile solution for people..

DS is covered in spots but very chipper, bless him. DD is still just hot.

Obs - that outfit is so so cute! My mum gets a lot of stuff for the boys from vertbaudet - very good for smart occasions and parties, I personally think this outfit is perfect! Going to look me up a little girl one now!!

Heartmum - we are on the waiting list for an allotment - I cannont wait as our garden is not big enough to grow what we want, but I agree we an be so self sufficient.....

hana went to Health shop just to get one of those 9 bars - they hadn't heard of them where do you buy yours from?? Am craving big time!!

Off out again tonight, this time to see Kylie at the O2 as guests of one of DH's business associates....am very excited!!

have a lovely evening!

DM x

Hello!

Gosh! What a lot of chatting! Have really enjoyed reading your discussion on baby routines etc. Have no idea what I'm going to do. I think I want a routine but also think I would prob just end up going with the flow. Think I'm going to be in for a shock either way!! Very interested in the concept of keeping baby with you all the time. GAH!! Is there a book I can read???

Just read a book by Sheila Kitzinger about natural chilbirth and how relaxed and sensual it can be. I want to believe this but have a feeling I will end up taking the drugs.

thanks for posting the link to the maternity allowance info (sorry - i've forgotten who put it up) really helpful!!

Cute outfit oblomov

OOH!

have lovely evening dozymare and hanaflower

Not sure I would describe giving birth as sensual, but fairly relaxed compared to how it is portrayed on TV, in my vast experience of once!
As for keeping baby with you all the time I like the look of this carrier, and the site has some nice info on the continuum theory too.

Evening all

It is so weird thinking we will all have our babies by Christmas Me and DH were discussing how on earth we are going to have the energy to put up the Christmas decorations!! Also, am already traumatised at trying to make plans for Christmas - ideally I would just love me, DH, DS and the baby to stay at home and hibernate but that would upset MIL so we can't do that. I usually cook and she (and sometimes others) comes round for Christmas lunch but there is no way I am going to do that with a 2-4 week old baby - can't go to hers because her cooker is crap - so all in all, have no idea and it is so difficult.

Pinkali - here is a thread I started this morning about constipation which may have some useful suggestions on it. The main one seems to be prunes but I don't think I have ever eaten a prune in my life Went to Boots and got some Lactulose at lunchtime which the pharmacist said was safe - I took 3 spoonfuls tonight and we will see (although apparently it takes a couple of days to work).

Hi to everyone else

Hi all. DS is thoroughly coated in calamine lotion and asleep.

Ceebe- re christmas, how about if you book a meal out somewhere or get it delivered. If you book early you can get it all delivered to you; our local food delivery service also does catering delivery.

I'd arrange something. DD's first christmas was a bit miserable- my family was in OZ, we were meant to be having DH's parents over but DH's mum was rushed to hosp.with cancer.

It was grim and we were really on our own. Even if it is a bit of a hassle you may regret not having anything social planned for Christmas.It's a bit like when people come round after the baby is born- it's a PITA but you'd be gutted if no-one turned up!

ceebee - we are having exactly the same issues over Christmas. For the last couple of years DH and I have had the evening meal at his Aunt's on Christmas day (which is their family get together and means MIL is diluted!) then driven to my parents in time for bed and my brothers have joined us there for a 2nd Christmas on boxing day which has worked really well.
Problems this year - don't know where we will be living, probably moving early December but won't find out where to until October.
DB and SIL now have baby too and may not want to drive far. We have enough stuff (travel cot, double buggy, spare high chair) for them just to turn up without a car full of kit and should still have the biggest house, although not sure where we'd sleep DB2
My parents are going to NZ for Christmas to stay with my Godmum (very ) we went for our first anniversary and really waqnt to go back. I have no worries flying with 1month old, think that would be sooo much easier than flying with 22month old! Also we'd have to sell both DCs to finance the trip!
Enjoy your prunes everyone. I struggled earlier but baby seems to have moved out of the way atm. Got used to warning DH that I would be a while and took a book and sat with my feet up on the nappy bucket - the position seemed to help!

lovely dh has just gone to all night tesco for me as i am out of gaviscon and zantac.

ah whoever said romance was dead? DH turned up last night with calamine lotion and liquorice allsorts.

My sil is 8 weeks pregnant. Very pleased for her. She spent years trying and just as she gave up..... now this will be her third.

But this means we won't get all the things she promised us. She voluntered our cotbed to dh's nephew, just becasue we mentioned getting ds bunkbeds. I was very very cross at the time. I can't have it back , because they are still using it. She said we could have hers, but now has retracted that. Not happy.

Bad news. I think I have strecthmarks. Not sure because never had them before. I have 5 straight lines, bright red, looks like I have scratched myself. Below boobs. 2 to 3 inches long. About 1 or 2 inches above tummy button. They are 2 inches apart.
IS THIS STRETCHMARKS ????

obs - we are going through the stress of replastering and decorating 3 bedrooms! Now on the 2nd which will be DS room and the 3rd will be the nursery.

I do a lot of decorating helping DH even though I think I shouldn't but trying to get DH motivated is a nightmare. His view of DIY is Dont involve yourself. But to be fair he does work hard and does overtime so the last thing after work and DS he wants to do is decorate. But he does understand the urgency but I feel awful telling him but he is the type of person that needs pushing.

Then finally once all this decorating is done I can sort out all DS baby clothes, toys and so on and see what I need and do some SHOPPING. Just seems ages away. Baby had not come early or it might have to come home in just a blanket!