Due in Jan 2009 - the everexpanding bum(p) & ladygarden planning society

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hello!!!!
I've done it....

MsSparkle - Groups can be a bit hit and miss - we've tried quite a few and I have 3 now that I go to pretty much every week. 2 on the same day though so not ideal, but they are the best 2. Other things I do are take DD for walks, (doesn't really matter if you don't walk very far, seems like a long way to her) and take her to see friends with similar age kids for a cuppa and a moan! The groups I find best are the ones where there is an activity the whole time so you don't really need to talk to other mums if you don't want to. I take DD to a music/dance group and she just runs around and bangs on drums and things for an hour and then sleeps for an hour and a half afterwards - heaven! Fresh air really does help, and wears her out too. I know just how hard it is to cope with AND, but that was without a toddler to look after too so make sure you give yourself lots of credit for getting this far through pregnancy and there really isn't too long to go now. I'm sure the aquanatal will help too.

Tink - I'll pretend I didn't hear you saying they don't get easier at 3!

Moose - there are loads of lovely things about toddlers too! I'm sure you'll be a master at dealing with them this time round, and I bet organising your two is harder work than packing a nappy bag. Plus I think you get more flexible as time goes on and better at working round naps and things, I couldn't get out of the door before lunchtime when DD was a baby and cleaning and cooking whilst looking after her was beyond me. I look back now and laugh at how hard I found it all but everyone is the same. When I went back to work DD was waking at about 5am for a feed and I used to get showered and dressed for work after feeding her and then go back to bed in my clothes just in case she woke up again

rrayray - stocking the freezer definately a good idea - don't forget to do a few things like scones and cakes too, you need a lot of energy for breastfeeding and it always used to impress my MIL that I'd baked! (Little did she know!) Also you can get good homecooked frozen lasagnes and things which are far better than ready meals as no preservatives etc. - there is a lady near us who makes them and our local butchers sells them. She does all sorts of things like casseroles and fish pie and things. They are great for the days when you just can't be bothered. It's worth freezing some bread, milk and juice too for emergencies - although we live in the sticks so you might not need to do that!

LenniEd, have been looking at some pics of my 2 when they were toddlers this evening. Ahhh, they were lovely really!

Think you might be right about organising the older 2 being harder work. It probably much easier to do something yourself for a toddler than it is to repeat, "please can you put your shoes on" one million times on a loop until you completely lose the plot! The other morning I went into the boys room after hearing DH ask them to get into their uniforms for the hundreth time, only to find them both absolutely starkers chasing each other round the room and jumping on and off the beds in front of their window (which faces the main road) whilst laughing hysterically and generally yelling their heads off - I swear it was like a scene from a comedy version of lord of the flies!

morning

good luck with furniture rray

getting in ready meals is what we did a few weeks before dd arrived into the world we had them for a few weeks.
i take dd swimming which she loves have been taken her since she was 4 months old.
now she goes in on her own and i watch from the gallery
also meet up with mums in the aft met them @ a drs surgery group and we take it in turns @ each others houses
she is @ nursery now also used to go to sing and sign with her and tumble club which had soft equipment.
found i felt better getting out as opposed to sitting around

Just marking you lot for later so i can catch up.

Hope you are all well.

LenniEd- We too are in the sticks...although i don't have a v.big freezer, as on a day to day basis i don't really have anything in it apart from the odd emergency Pizza! But that said, we have a village shop which i could get bread and milk from - thats about all they do- so i think i'll just stock the freezer to the brim with Ready to cook meals!

Scones and Cakes Sound good too.

just a thought, is there anything i SHOULDN'T Eat whilst breastfeeding? Or just the things i have been avoiding in pregnancy??? Help for the First timer!

the only thing I think is worth heeding is fresh orange juice, it did give mine nappy rash.

Oh, and Fruili beer . Produced projectile vomiting almost instantly. Red wine and guinness fine though .

Aaaagh! We've got the roofers/builders in today and they are like a pair of old women! They haven't stopped bickering since they arrived at 8.55 this morning. It was quite amusing at first, but is starting to wear quite thin now, especially as one of them keeps peering in the window at me every time he goes up and down his ladders.

I was supposed to go into town this morning, but after waiting 4 weeks for them to come, they rang at 8.00 last night to say they were coming today. Now I have to stay in to stop the dogs barking at them all day. (Actually the dogs didn't even bark when they arrived and have been sleeping peacefully in their baskets all morning, so probably could have gone out after all.)

On a more positive note, managed a slightly better night sleep last night and even managed to get the boys to school myself this morning.

My tip for freezing stuff is to make up huge batches of tomato based sauce which can then be used for, lasagne, bolognaise, pasta bake, topping baked potatoes or even (with a bit of doctoring) cottage pie. It helps that we are veggie, but I'm sure meat eaters could do the same. I add everything I can into my sauces, 3 different coloured peppers, aubergine, courgette, mushrooms and anything else I have available to get as much nutrition into it as possible. I also like to freeze soups/stews made with lots of root veggies then we just add dumplings and any quicker cooking fresh/green veg before we cook them. Btw, cheddar freezes well too.

rrrayray, I was told that strong onion and garlic can put some babies of breastfeeding and give them an upset tum, never bothered either of mine though and I think you're still supposed to avoid peanuts if there is a history of sensitivities, allergies or asthma in the family.

Good luck with GP today MsSparkle.

Thanks ladies for the tips!

Nursery furniture is beautiful, and when i went to inspect after them leaving, there was a medium size box in the Cot, with a big Bow on... so i opened it and its Beautiful little bear, which was holding a car (hand written) saying thanks for giving me a home. When i opened the card it said Thanks for choosing mamas and papas deliver and build service. I was tickled pink with such a sweet touch, Which i think was spot on Considering the Arm & a Leg we spent on the furniture! Very happy- considering i've heard mixed reviews on mamas and papas customers service to date. Plus, the two blokes who put it all together, and took the rubbish away were Really nice chaps, who seems VERY pleased with the Tea and Choccie biccies i gave them!

mm - poor you with builders they are a pain

rray - ye for furniture and the bear sounds gorgeous what a lovely idea.

i cant wait to buy more things now. think i will get a gym and mobile

rrrayray thanks for the suggestion. My diet is alot better with this pregnancy than with dd's pregnancy. I think maybe because this time round i have to cook a decent meal for dd at regular times so that means i eat well too.

Glad to hear you furniture came, it's sounds lovely

I went to the doctor today but don't feel like i have achieved much. I had to answer a few questions on one of those "how are you feeling" sheets and i feel that because i didn't tick that i was suicidal or anything, i wasn't taken that seriously.

I said i would feel better talking to someone so she is refering me but said it may not be straight away. I see the midwife tomorrow so i am going to say to her that i don't feel like anything is being resolved.

Keep on at them MsSparkle - I know you probably don't feel like it but eventually you will come across someone who listens and helps. If you get nowhere with the midwife then can you book another appointment with a different GP at your surgery? It might just be a case of finding someone who understands. Do you have anyone who can help out with DD at all? If you do, it might be worth having a few days out to try and get a break and do something for yourself. A massage or trip to see friends or something. Another thing that might help if you can manage the cost is a 3D scan - I never had one with DD when I had AND, but a friend who was also feeling low did and she said it really helped her to feel more positive about being pregnant.

rrayray - furniture sounds lovely. We invested in a chest freezer recently so I'm planning on filling it before the new baby arrives! Sauces and soups are definately a good thing to freeze - thanks Moosemama for those suggestions, will have to start testing out some recipes.

LG&T good to hear from you - hope you've enjoyed having DH home and all is well with baby.

morning

sorry to hear that dr didnt go so well ms sparkle @ least you are being referred
3-d scans are amazing seeing our little girl on the screen blew us away.
dd was up in the night again and has been sick so keeping her off nursery today

Ah the singing B already knows round and round the garden, row row row your boat and several other rhymes. It does work. Of course the older children look at me like i am barking when i pipe up with a verse of wind the bobbin up when they are bickering and ignoring me

Hope the builders shut up for you and the dogs stay quiet!

The furniture sounds lovely, what a lovely touch of Mamas and Papas

MsSparkle, keep on at them. Someone will listen soon.

Lenni ta for asking, the baby is fine. I am vast and feeling very pregnant. Have been bouncing on my birthing ball most evenings already. The Braxton Hicks are quite something already Am hoping she doesnt attempt an escape at 32 weeks like the last 2. I will be slowing down in half term, well as much as i can anyway.

Tink hope your dd is ok, i hate sick bleurgh.

Moos i am with you on the sleeping front, restless nights glaore in the gin household. I wake up shattered most mornings. Surely not another 13 weeks of this!!!!

gr8 tips booksgalore

definetly agree with getting outside when i was really bad i hated sitting around just made me all anxious & agitated sitting around made me think about things to much.

hi lg&bm - she seems ok thanks managed food shopping and she has been eating chocolate etc

Wow booksgalore, great tips

Tink sorry to hear your dd is unwell. Mine has been very quiet and clingy today, she hasn't been eating properly for 2 weeks and today didn't any lunch and only had half a weetabix for breakfast. I hope your dd gets beeter soon.

Saw the midwife this morning. Was a bit annoyed that i had to wait 45 minutes to see her, it's hard entertaining a toddler when you have to be quiet in waiting rooms. Anyway all is well with the baby, just me that's the problem.

hi ms sparkle -

glad that your bean is healthy

Hi all, how did the midwife go MsSparkle? Apart from the baby being fine (good news ) was she supportive?

Saw my own midwife couple of days ago and have been stewing since. Have got a type of arthritis similar to rhematoid and couldn't b/f DD because of meds. Really want to have a go with this one but my consultant not overly keen since might need to go back on meds quickly if have any problems and can't b/f on them. He says that it would be wise to have baby used to bottles early on if I can just in case - midwife reckons this is nonsense since plenty of women just go cold turkey early on and give up for one reason or another. Now all confused. I guess it would depend on how long I could feed for - really don't know enough about it all having never done it. Arrgghhhh! Have posted on brest/bottle feeding, hoping for some helpful responses but am pretty scared of that topic!

Hi all, how did the midwife go MsSparkle? Apart from the baby being fine (good news ) was she supportive?

Saw my own midwife couple of days ago and have been stewing since. Have got a type of arthritis similar to rhematoid and couldn't b/f DD because of meds. Really want to have a go with this one but my consultant not overly keen since might need to go back on meds quickly if have any problems and can't b/f on them. He says that it would be wise to have baby used to bottles early on if I can just in case - midwife reckons this is nonsense since plenty of women just go cold turkey early on and give up for one reason or another. Now all confused. I guess it would depend on how long I could feed for - really don't know enough about it all having never done it. Arrgghhhh! Have posted on brest/bottle feeding, hoping for some helpful responses but am pretty scared of that topic!

Ooops - only pressed it once honest!!

morning

i am 27 weeks today going into 3rd trimester
we now have our new shower

great for you to have a shower now tink.

had midwife appointment yesterday... lovely as always. i'm so happy with my choice to give birth at Hariwch. Although a little scared at the prospect of me coping without anything but gas and air. i just felt like at colchester i was just a number on a piece of paper, at harwich i feel like i'm actually a person, having a baby. They are alway so nice and welcoming.

Anyway, the appt went well- her words were " a very happy baby" which is music to our ears of course.

Ms Sparkle- Sorry to hear that you don't feel like you got far.... i second what the ladies have said, keep on at them to ensure they Do refer you. its important.

Off to have legs waxed and eye lashes tinted today, got friends birthday party at the weekend, so thought would help me feel a bit more lovely. Personally i find it hard to feel lovely with ever increasing bump. As much as people and OH tell me its a lovely neat little bump, from my angle looking down i can't help but see a mass of expanding blob!!

Much as i adore my Beanie inside, i'm looking forwards to meeting her & getting my Body back!

hi rray - great news about midwife
i am hoping to give birth in our birthing centre a water birth hopefully, they can only give gas and air there.
i am awful with pain but with dd i only had gas and air and managed just!!
know what you mean about ever increasing size

Am having a hormonal day. Poor old DH got the brunt of it when he phoned mid-morning to tell me the builders were going to pop back this afternoon. Got full force hormonal tears and ranting over the phone, at which point he decided to come home for lunch despite the fact he only gets 10 minutes when he gets here.

Now I feel really bad because he has been so good, helping out, cooking, washing, school run etc and is snowed under at work as well but I made him feel like he hasn't been supportive enough. I had worked myself up into thinking that he must be resenting me and the kids for being such a drain, and all this based on a conversation he had with one of his uni mates at the weekend about another friend living the life of riley doing dangerous sports and living the single life etc etc and the fact that (understandably) he has been bad tempered and grumpy recently (understandable as he is so tired with me disturbing his sleep every night).

In all fairness, it's not him. Everything's just been getting on top of me this morning, money, builders, decorating, spd, thrush, exhaustion and on top of all that I couldn't stand the mess in the house this morning, so ended up doing way too much and really hurt my pelvis.

I know its just my hormones and I am being a real moaning minnie but one minute we seem to have so little time between now and Christmas and the next I feel like I'm going to be pregnant forever!

OK rant over, sorry just needed to vent.