Due sept 08 come on babies!

[barnpot]

space was getting a bit short

yes def fresh pineapple or otherwise the tins ones will kill your mouth. i tried to look for some fresh pineapple but none avail so will have to pop down to Asda when my Dp is home 2nite. We had sex last night and it was so funny..i couldnt stop laughing due to my big belly being in the way!!

Eandz I like your suggestion, might just tell her we came up with possible names a long time ago and are really set on them. Also like the 'perhaps next time' approach. Ponymum I'm not entirely averse to 2 middle names, I just really wanted our child to have 'equal' weighting for both sides of the family, if you know what I mean, and middle name from my side and surname from DP's side seems fairer than 2 names from his side and one from mine, particularly given that I won't have the same surname as my child (not something I'm sad about, but I liked having the middle name link to my family). It's actually not an awful name, just not one I'm desperately fond of or had considered.

i cover my belly with pillows and the duvet and pretend it's not there, even though i can feel it being there. argh!

ninja and oscarmum - thanks for letting me know I'm not totally alone and wierd!
We moved furniture around last night so my large chest of drawers in my room can be a changing area and there's space for the Moses basket where it used to be. My study is increasingly full with my other chest and the cot (which has been a changing area but is too low for me atm). Also printed off copies of my birth plan updated with midwife's comments, and threw more stuff into the hospital bag.

So I'm calmer now, and then read the Mongan HypnoBirthing book, which, like the Gaskin one, was very reassuring, in between a few wacky bits.

I think the builder is now more worried about my birth than I am - a crew are currently doing stuff again. I'm still not going to do anything to try to bring labour on, though!

don't worry lollypopmother i'm sure how things have settled down i wont be overtaking anyone at the mo!!! Picked up a pineapple but put it back....i really don't like them so the thought was horrible.

I've done my shopping and washing so all prepared now.
i'm off for a nap as i only got a couple hrs sleep last night dh is taking over with ds.

lol at your builder being more worried about you giving birth imminently than you are Notcitrus! DP is the paranoid one in this house - I don't think I'm going to go into labour for at least a week, probably more (not sure why I have decided this), whereas he is terrified to drive to work in case my waters break the minute he leaves.

IPANEMAGIRL am not stalking you, but just wondered how you were getting on !!

Thanks for the BF tips Foxy/Kiskidee and Starlight - the most-natal midwives were so overworked that they could only spend about ten minutes showing me how to position him and making me feel like a rubbish mum at the same time, yet wanted me to stay in hospital till I learnt how to breastfeed - like it was going to happen in that environment. Feel so much better being home. My mum's been here with me encouraging me to put Alfredo on the boob as often as possible. Am calling my bf counseller from NCT today as I want to make sure I've got the latch sorted. Once I'm confident about that I'll definitely be cutting down the top ups.

munkimom you WILL find the strength. I started reading Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - got about halfway through the birth stories before actually going into labour myself. But I remember thinking about some of the other women's experiences in between contractions. It does help to know that you're not the first to go through it!

Right, off to try a bit more boob action!

Catch up later!

Eandz no I can see down there either! I can just about manage to shave my legs and roughly up to the bikini line by going round the bump and contorting myself. As for the bits themselves (tmi alert) I just use scissors to keep them trimmed - and I do that very carefully by feel as I can't see!

jearund, eandz - sorting out the jungle "down there" is on my list of things to do, but I fear it is going to involve a mirror and some strange contortions. I am usually so fussy about this but priorities have been different since it slipped from view some time ago. I have purchased some removal cream - not sure if this is going to be ok as I haven't tried it there before so will test a little bit first. Figured it would be easier than blindly attacking myself with a sharp razor, and waxing is definitely off the menu! It is hard enough using toilet paper with any degree of efficiency these days, let alone anything more complicated!

Ponymum I have some degree of success with a mirror, although I wax. My top tip is to be less ambitious than normal - settle for tidying things up rather than a brazilian - and you'll probably be ok. Make sure you test skin properly with hair removal cream though - have heard lots of people say their skin is more sensitive when pregnant (although mine isn't...)

Spoke to DP about mad granny's name suggestion and he is completely on my side, thank heavens, so we will be sticking with original name shortlist!

I have a BF question (getting ready in advance!): before the milk comes in ie at the colostrum stage, how long should I put him on each breast for? I read somewhere that it should just be 5 mins per breast at first then gradually building up, so as to get the nipples used to it slowly. But I read in a book that feeds should be "no longer than half an hour". I don't have a particularly fast flow - DD's feeds when she was small often took 40 mins - but is that even relevant at the colostrum stage? I did get bruised and painful nipples last time so keen to do anything to help this time!

eandz my DH came to join me in bed for the first night in ages last night and I also discovered you are right about the orgasms! I slept well after that......well until the first loo stop!

For the first time this pg I leaked a drop of colostrum this morning! I was cuddling DD in bed and not wearing a bra so I wonder if she somehow set my hormones off? Come on Dougie, I'm ready for you......

Digitalgirl congrats on the wonderful birth story! What made you pick Alfredo as a name? Do you have a Spanish connection? I like it by the way.

ponymum be VERY careful with the hair removal cream. I tried some many years ago on a weekend away with friends (sharing a dormitory) and had a bad allergic reaction - the whole area was very red and itchy and it was awful! Especially trying to sleep. I've steered clear of chemicals anywhere on my legs or above ever since!

Starlight thank you! It all seems so long ago with DD - actually only 19 months but by the time I stopped BF (at a year) she was an expert who did it sitting up and didn't take very long! I'll still be in hospital when my milk comes in because of the CS so sadly it won't be as relaxing as your description but I will certainly remember what you said and try to get as much colostrum into him as I can.

DD has just woken up from her nap so will have to go and get her. DH says once DS is here I won't have time to Mumsnet . I do hope he's wrong! As I said, other people are managing it!

Afternoon all!

Thank you to all the people updating the 'countdown' list - I love seeing that I am slowly making progress towards my due date, but I'm never the first on here in the morning.

I had the most wonderful surprise last night when my friends threw me a baby shower! They very sensibly didn't get us presents (house soooo full of baby clutter) but we had a great evening of silly games and far too much chocolate. I'm notoriously difficult to surprise so it was extra special. And I'm extra chuffed coz the friend I lent my nursing bras to, instead of returning them, has given me money to go and buy new ones

I'm feeling so ill and shattered these days. I'm finding it hard to sleep at night, and although I've been on iron tablets since last friday I've had no 'burst of energy' that people talk about. I have morning sickness again, I cry when dh leaves for work, and I can hardly do anything without collapsing in a heap. I'm just exhausted. I'm doing really low-key things with dd - mostly play dates so I can just sit in a chair while she plays with someone else's toys! I think I've been sleeping too much during the day (2 hours while dd has her nap) which means I'm perhaps not tired enough at night, so I'm only gonna sleep for an hour today and hope that has some effect. Gosh I feel bleugh. Just want this baby now, although I'm not 37 weeks til the weekend so I guess its better that I'm considered full term before it comes.

Here I go moaning again, sorry!!

Loving the birth stories by the way, and tales of you with your newborns, can't wait to join you

Mustsleep - Yes, fresh pineapple only apparently. I've bought some (not from concentrate) juice but I can't bring myself to drink it, I'm not sure it'll work anyway.

Starlight - It would be bloody brilliant if all that sleep last night meant labour today/tomorrow! I even had an hours kip in the afternoon yesterday, which makes me super-surprised that I managed to sleep at night.

Carrieon - I've heard quite a few people saying that they got their morning sickness back in the last couple of weeks. I think it must be down to a new surge of hormones because I've had real trouble sleeping just like in my first trimester.

I have been doing a 'kick diary' for the last week or so and today she has been super-quiet, although I missed some of the morning by being still asleep. I wonder if maybe this is a sign and she's also resting before coming out! Fingers crossed!!

I'll take it as a good sign then that I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy!

Carrieon - That's the spirit!

Ladies who already have LO's - could you look at the pictures of the toys in this thread and tell me what sort of money you think they're worth? I really want to get the Noah's ark, the three fabric books and the Zebra thingy, but I know she's going to ask me to make an offer and I have no idea - they're all second hand obviously.

Mmm, just made pear and ginger muffins. Yummy yummy yummy! Forgot the topping on the first batch, may just have to make more...

Carrieon that's v sweet of your friends - most of mine are miles away, so no such fun, but everyone's been v generous donating things to us.

Hello ladies....

Still here...

Still pregnant....

Still thoroughly p**d off....

Hope everyone is OK x

(Well done DG! - its all worth it in the end isnt it?)

oh dear becaroo . Hope the baby appears sooner rather than later.

splish your P doesn't seem to be sorting himself out does he? I could yell at him too . Hope you have got some decent help if you do decide to chuck him out.

I've just brought my hospital bags downstairs and need to double check I have everything. Got change for the car park too . DP will be home from work by 3 then we can spend the afternoon getting organised and fretting about tomorrow.

Meglet - Are you having a C-sec tomorrow or is it just your EDD?