Dec 08: but that doesn't mean you can touch my bump!

[rosmerta]

New thread with bisou's title suggestion

PS Definitely cross your legs as long as you can! Very sensible!!!

Beans that is classic! Cheeky bloke! Haha at "good pain", though i have heard similar from various women who have given birth - I don't believe them or at least I think they are blocking it out....

Fortunately (or not) my DH is the opposite. He just says "thank god I don't have to give birth, I couldn't do it, it sounds awful", I don't know if this makes me feel better that he sympathises or worse cos I am scared!

I am worried about Christmas too, I originally said Christmas was cancelled but then FIL died earlier this year, and husband is only child, so don't know what to do about MIL. Thing is I could be in hospital on Christmas day, at home recovering from C Section (not planning to have one, but could happen), still pregnant, etc etc (baby due on 18th) so don't really know what to do! Have not invited her yet! Maybe we should ask her and book her a B&B and explain that she will have to go with the flow. She loves cooking so if she's that bothered on Christmas lunch she can make it The only trouble is that she is lovely but kind of "knows everything", and the last thing I want is her there telling me how to breastfeed and that I am doing everything wrong with a 3 day old baby!

ZJ your SIL sounds mean!

Oh wow, SL - that's quite a daunting prospect. I bet she'll turn out to be easier than you expect - sounds like if you're upfront and say please do come, but we can't guarantee anything, then she'll be happy to fend for herself. And then maybe ask your DH to have a quiet word with her re just being on hand to help with cooking/cleaning and generally helping, but leaving you to deal with the bambino, then I'm sure she'll be ok. She might even be helpful - you never know!!!

I really hope so, as will make your life easier.

Good idea, turnip - sure she'll understand - they are very nice like that!

Rosmerta sorry to hear about your Gran.

Happy birthday Chuttney

I'm due on 29th so am making no plans for Christmas. Sounds very miserably doesn't it? Might attempt to put the tree up but that is about it. Not to bothered this year. Just want to stay comfortable and make sure we have food in when I am too huge to go to far. With a due date smack bang in between Crimbo and New year it's hard to make plans. Thankfully no one has mentioned christmas yet. . . . .

SL might be good for Nan and Dad to look after baby and you for a while why you get some much needed rest and a nice dinner cooked for you.

turnip - you're so much better at phrasing these things than me! SL - that's what I was trying to say!

Beans pmsl at your exchange with the cab driver! Serves him right - what a judgemental, ignorant idiot!

SL exactly what Turnip said. I think its very hard to balance quiet family time with a new baby and having family around. From my experience, if you do end up with family there (we ended up with my mum staying the first few nights which we really hadn't wanted) there's still many magic family moments and times to come to enjoy the baby with just your little family and no relatives. I think we will have family around this time and DH is not keen, but I am trying to be pragmatic and to use the extra help to recharge and rest after the delivery.

And Turnip I am in tears at what a sweet thing your daughter said about Christmas Day! What a bundle of hormones I am! My DD's were so sweet yesterday I trapped my finger in the door frame and it was so painful I just screamed and couldn't speak for a minute with the pain. They both came running through looking so concerned and one stroked my hair and the other kissed it better. They were such lovely little doctors .

Beans I don't see how anyone can expect you to make plans when your due date is so close to that weekend! Most unfair! And zj your SIL is being a bit unfair too! You can't exactly have a word with the babe and ask it to time its arrival to make a toddler happy!

Oh hatty - that is gorgeous! Makes birth seem worthwhile when you hear sweet stories like that! Gorgeous!

hatty and turnip all your girls sound so lovely and caring, bless them all for thinking about you.

SL I agree with the B&B idea. And how about inviting your parents too? Sounds bonkers, but they could then entertain your MIL.

My parents have been really sweet and said they'd like to see me on Christmas Day, but appreciate I won't want to go anywhere - so have offered to come over for a few hours, cook dinner and if I'm in hospital they will freeze a plateful for me to eat at a later date. More thoughtful than darned SIL - I might print out your responses and show them to her (and hatty I've already had a word with babe and asked it specifically to be late, as the nephew is getting a bit spoilt IMO (easy to say when I don't have children yet) so it'll teach him he can't always have what he wants).

Yes ZJ having my parents around would be nice. Thing is my brother and SIL will be planning on going to my parents, and also my parents friend who goes every year. So would put a spanner in the works, but may ask them anyway. Their friend who comes every year lives quite near me, so was hoping that they could invite themselves to his for Christmas!!

Having parents around but not in house would be ideal, and my parents are great at being helpful but not too bossy.

ZJ if you print out our responses, might want to make sure you cut out the bit where you say your nephew is getting spoilt . she might not be too impressed with that. Surely she is only joking really about the baby being on time etc?

Forgot to say,happy birthday chutney

chutney - happy birthday!

Turnip - your DD sounds as sweet as she looks from the photos!

hatty - your girls also sound adorable.

Re Christmas plans, I think given our due dates it isn't really reasonable for anyone to expect us to plan anything! See how you're doing at the time has to be the only approach as you really have no idea what shape you will be in - whether madly overdue, in hospital, recovering from a section, mid baby blues etc etc.

Re wine etc - definitely still have the odd glass if a I fancy it, generally go off it during pregnancy. Even really nice wine just tastes completely wrong. Do have visions of myself on the labour ward on my 31 December due date with my NYE glass of champagne...maybe not?

I'm due right at the start of December but will be having the baby at the end of November and I've made it really clear from the off that we're not travelling anywhere for Christmas or doing any entertaining whatsoever. If people want to come and visit briefly, that's fine, but they have to make their own tea (and some for me) and get their own food.

Last time round everyone expected me to wait on them hand and foot (it wasn't Christmas, just visiting) even though I'd been back in hospital for a week with complications and was extremely fragile for months. I have been a little more - er - assertive this time round, shall we say!

People just don't think through Christmas arrangements do they?

After we insisted my family stay in a self-catering place if they wanted to come up over Christmas, my mum was a bit miffed. Her plan had been that she stay with us and my brothers in a B&B and come to us for meals.

But meals take planning and shopping especially around Christmas and the thought of lots of people sitting around and endless mugs and plates sat everywhere - especially with the shops shut if we run out of food - it's just not what you want when you're either heavily pregnant and knackered and looking for some peaceful time or dealing with a newborn - is it!

Aggghh! I think its perhaps easier to be assertive second time around as you've dealt with it before. First time around I felt more helpless and like I should just be getting on with it and making people tea etc.

Invisible you just have to have your baby on its due date - a NYE birth is just soooo romantic, like a film storyline! New year unfolding, new life arriving - it's just lovely. I think I will be very over-emotional this Christmas (more than I am already!).

Everyones so excited and focussed on it anyway so to be having a baby that time of year is just lovely. DD's nursery said I have to bring it if its born early in time for their Christmas carol concert and it can be little baby Jesus at their nativity!

Will be in tears enough seeing DD's solemn little faces being shepherds/wise men/angels etc without seeing my new babe play teeny-tiny baby Jesus.

hatty I want someone to ask my baby to be baby Jesus - that's so lovely. Now I'm having nativity envy!!

SL good point about the printing out and my own comments, and no the problem is she doesn't joke ...

Happy Birthday chutney

ZJ is your SIL a complete nutter ? how on earth can she expect you to 'deliver on demand' ?

Beans I hope you didn't tip the cheeky git ! I am insisting on staying at home for xmas which suits the family as we have the biggest table so can fit everyone - obviously am not lifting a finger other than to look after baby and maybe drink some champers... All plans for Dec are very much on a 'see what happens' basis, we can't be expected to make plans or commit to anything when we have no idea when or how these babies will arrive.

hatty aah bless your baby being in a nativity play so young !

Has anyone else found that their bump is suddenly properly "pregnant" if you know what I mean? I'm suddenly really aware of mine and how pronounced it is! I guess also because the baby is viable now (awful word) it's becoming much more of a reality.

Beans mine's definitely been a growth spurt the last few weeks.

Don't feel "waddly" sort of classic heavily pregnant yet though. And can still put my socks on (which I heard can become a problem). And see my feet!

Hello girls...I've got some serious reading to do but I hope you are all well! Minipop was hiccuping today! Lovely!

Ha ha! That's so true - people suddenly saying "wow you're pregnant" - must have thought I was just a porker before!!

I'm not waddly yet, although I have the odd moment. And can just about get my socks on. Getting out of bath is more of a problem and I can only see my fanny if I lift my tummy manually! Am having my bikini line done tomorrow. I wouldn't if it weren't for swimming - I can't see it so I don't really care! But think it's a bit mean on others having to look at my hairy bits.

constant kicking going on as well - feel like a punchbag internally!!