Due Nov 2008 - PMA - our tums & bums are growing but we get an excuse to wear big knickers - now that's a stroke of luck!!! x x x

[ChocOrange05]

Hope you like the thread - minds not working so well at the moment!

Thanks choc - they seem ideal.
Welcome Mrs.Rigby. I used to work for an IT company in the midlands owned by the Rigby family, and their son (who now runs things) is James. Their private wealth is estimated at £500 million! I hope if you have a boy, he inherits the same good fortune!
P.S. Think both you and Choc v.brave for doing home births the first time round.
P.P.S. I am also working until 39 weeks.

Hi everyone, apologies for the long absence. Was away for a week but have been following posts (lurking I suppose) for the last few days. So much chatting going on!

Chocorange thanks so much for your spreadsheet, I have put all my own info in and even done links to relevant websites - I think you would be impressed. Sent it to DH and his first comment was, "where are you going to get all that money from?" !! As for the blankets, I'm planning to swaddle for the first few weeks - I've got a kind of fleecy swaddle wrap and will geta couple more - then use grobags as soon as possible, so am thinking I won't need blankets?? Who knows.

I've seen these for the walls in the baby's room so may give them a try www.weegallery.co.uk/wallgraphics.html.

Welcome MrsRigby and any other newcomers!

Sorry to hear about everyone's DHs. I can totally empathise and am a bit worried about how it will be once the baby is here. My DH is planning to take 6wks off but he seems to be viewing it as an extended holiday for him... not sure how I convince him that actually it would be great if he could take over all the housework etc. Still, I doubt I will care at that stage!

Daisy thanks for mentioning the first time Home Birth thread - I just found it and its very interesting! Its here if anyone else wants it.

Thomasina love the wall stickers! I wanted wall stickers but I couldn't find ones I really liked so I made my own - and its much cheaper!! All you do is buy (or in my case get a free sample!) of wallpaper or wrapping paper or magazine pictures you like and then buy some laminating paper (like the stuff you cover books in). You then laminate the image you want as a wall sticker and then cut it out. I stuck mine to the wall with blue tac. I got my free wallpaper sample from Cath Kidston - they give you a long peice if you ask for "the whole pattern".

Daisy, your dh sounds like a keeper, lol! My hubby almost never buys me flowers, but my best friends brings me some on a fairly regular basis , should have married her instead right?! (just kidding!)

Welcome Mrs Rigby. I am jealous of your homebirth, I am hoping for one this time (3rd baby) but don't have one planned.

I am getting well narked with dh. I have tried calling his mobile twice (he's a slaes rep so his phone is always on.) I am getting no answer. Obviously not a problem right this second, I only wanted to know if he could take a DLA renewal for ds2 to the post office for me, but what if I were actually in LABOUR??? Any idea's as to how I can get his attention if he's at work? I thought about giving him my spare phone, but that's the one that gets sales and unsolicited calls, might be annoying while he's working. I can't find the pager we used to have. He wouldn't ignore me on purpose, he's obviously in with a customer, but with my last labour only being 1hr 29 minutes and the hospitals being 20-25 minutes away, it doesn't give him much time to get back from wherever he might be. I suppose my best bet is hoping for going into labour in the evening/early hours or a weekend.

Heartmum gosh I wish I have a 1hr 29min labour!! Although with me being at home would probs mean DH would deliver it!! How many weeks are you? Perhaps he doesn't know your concern right now as he probs thinks its not far enough along? I have told DH that from 36 weeks he will be taking his phone to every meeting and have it on the table - he'll just have to explain to his clients!

i would get him another pager.

PLEASE GOD LET ME HAVE A 1hr 29min labour like heartmum rather than my 17hrs+ like with DS!

pager - Might just lose it or not be able to look at it like the phone.

choco, that's a great idea about the laminating. i don't have a laminator though, can you get it done somewhere?

misdee, glad GTT was ok. hope result is ok too. i am now prick testing 4x per day - the weirdest things seem to make my bloos sugar shoot up! back on friday to see if they're gonna put me on insulin. glad you joined the stork!

vbab, hope things improve with dh. we tend to go in 'phases', not sure about you guys. January and Feb were pretty awful for us. Conceiving the twins was the first time we'd had sex for about 3 months! (and have to say we haven't since ).

Got my 15 orange muslin squares today. So cool!

Where is drswife? I thought she'd done all her house stuff! Hope all is well...

Merry I just did the laminating myself, you don't need a machine. All you need is to do it on a flat surface and use a ruler or something else with a dull smooth end to flatten out any air bubbles as you press it on, removing the laminating backing bit by bit - do it on both sides then they are moveable and stronger and it doesn't matter if you get air bubbles in the back.

30 weeks today Choc. I am not really worried about pre-term labour or anything as I tend to make my babies quite comfy, but you just never know. unfortunately I DO know people, some are good friends, who went into pre-term labour, 2 lost thier children, so it doesn't hurt for him to be aware that if I am calling, something MIGHT be wrong. I called over 2 hours ago and he hasn't even called back. I know he's not still with that customer (I know his schedule). Besides, it's kind of rude of him. What if one of the boys had an accident and we were heading to A&E, although in fairness I would have left a message rather than just hang up. I guess I need to have a chat with him when he gets in. Tried to have the same conversation a few weeks ago and it didn't go well, so wish me luck! He just doesn't get that it is important to me that the father of my children is available if we need him.

Oh, and wishing you all a nice, short and relatively pain free labour & delivery! I don't recommend tripping over onto your tummy as the way of getting one though

Oh, and wishing you all a nice, short and relatively pain free labour & delivery! I don't recommend tripping over onto your tummy as the way of getting one though

Heartmum I understand where you are coming from - but maybe he doesn't (as I've said before, men are rubbish! ) so you should try and explain to him and perhaps that will help - good luck!

Congrats on reaching the big 3-0!! I get there on sat and was thinking of having a mini celebration!

Hmmm, a mini celebration sounds fab but only if it doesn't involve using any of my very low in supply energy, lol!

Shockingly, dh just ran back 10 minutes ago, seemed very surprised when I said I rang more than 2 hours ago and that me & the kids were fine thank goodness! However, he has to pop home to pick something up for a local customer, so he agreed to take the damn DLA renewal to the post office. It has to be there by the 24th or they will close down his claim and it would be classed as a new claim....which takes much longer to process. I suppose it serves me right for leaving it till the very last minute, only we were hoping for an improvment in ds's condition which nhever materialised DLA & 3rd trimester pregnancy hormones do not mix well!

Heartmum how about a mini celebration with some mini eggs or a mini facial or something else mini related, a mini car!

Just seen that Boots have currently got 20% off lots of baby stuff online - didn't realise they sell things like slings and buggies!

Am thinking of going for a BabyBjorn sling - either the original or the "active" (more expensive!) version - does anyone have any experience of whether the active one is worth the price?

Oh dear, I thought I'd get that reaction... and I know you are the sling expert Hana . I have thought about the different sling options but what is swaying me towards the BabyBjorn is that my husband will then wear it too... I know it's rubbish but he'd be wary of other types.

BUT I would appreciate your advice - what I am looking for is a sling we can both wear, easy to get baby in and out, suitable for use in the first 9 months or so for both quick trips to the shops and longer walks... I'm not planning to wear it round the house really.

I have to second the Nooooooo, don't get a Bjorn!! I had one with my ds1 and he now has issues with his back and gait. It may not be related, but there was a study released that showed that Bjorn type slings don't support the baby very well, all their weight is focused on babys lower spine and can cause problems later on. I will see if I can find the link.

continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html

I would say that if you are thinking of getting a sling that your hubby would wear too, that an Ergo would be much better

Hana I want a sling for the same reasons as Thomasina so I'd be interested in your recommendation too, as our resident Sling-spert!

I have no idea how to choose one of those - they all look good in different ways! I think DH and I have decided to wait until bump is here and then go out and pick one we can actually try with baby in.