due Dec 08-the one were we are so brain dead we can't think of a thread title.

[Veggiemummy]

hey there will this be the last one do you think

hi Penny the family saga continues with a text argument just now! I have in-laws here in London, but parents and brother in Australia with different ideas.... I hate how everyone just goes "it's the hormones" as i bet that's what they are thinking.... Where are you from over there? and where are you living now?
On the mouse story, I found my dog chasing a baby mouse (and caught it) the other day which came from under the fridge I think! I must get a mouse trap as I'm scared if it's mum is under there too!

maybe living in your knicker drawer now??!

haha, at the mouse! I would've jumped a mile. I'm sure it's long gone now though!

Is anyone else finding these smileys with hats on annoying?

Just having a quick skim before going to yoga

kmp whats the prob with family coming over. Mum has gotten a flight that arrives for 29th Dec. it will be 2 weeks after if veggie is on time or 1 week if he arrives on the original EDD. DH and i really wanted our little babymooning period of at least a week as it was so beneficial last time so mum and i negotiated and came up with that date. She can only stay 2 weeks cos she is a shire councellor and has to get back for that but will be nice to have her here even if she does miss the sunlight.

Hi everyone, struggling to keep up so have only skim read and just posting to get this on my list and will return later.

Only points I've spotted in my skim of the thread:

We've got the maxi cosi car seat, on it's safety record and the isofix base (for my car). You can also get a none isofix base, that is secured with the seat belts and the seat just clips on in the same way, and you can just strap the seatbelts round the seat as well. DH's car (despite being newer than mine) doesn't have isofix, but as we use his a lot less, we decided against getting the seatbelt base, for now, and see how we go with mine and the just the seat belts. Does this make any sense???

kayz pleased to see another N Yorkshire girl in the group, I hadn't realised we were close - I'm in Driffield. Bit worried about your comments about Scarborough - why was it so bad? (I'm going there) - please don't hold back, I'm a bit gruesome and want to know the worst so it will (hopefully) be better, or I can try to change if necessary.

Hope everyone is well this week, will be back soon

x

Rosemerta Sorry about the mouse in your cupboard. I guess since the weather is getting cooler they're starting to find warmer places to go. Our landlord gave us some of those devices you plug in that put out a high pitch sound to keep them away.

I also hate spiders... especially big jumping ones. We've a few large ones show up in our flat. DH was freaking out a few nights ago as he found one in our bedroom. The spider was jumping and running around all over the place while DH was trying to kill it! It was quite funny to watch but I made sure I kept my distance!

kmp feel your pain with the family coming over. My mom and DH's Mom and Dad are coming over for the baby arrival. The moms want to stay for a while (3-4 weeks). Should be interesting as they don't always get along. Hopefully they can act like adults while they're here and not fight over who gets to hold the baby.

indith eek at rats, think I prefer the mice!

We've got some mousetraps but they don't seem to be working. Anyway, I've put my foot down with dh & have called the council in to try & sort it out.

kimberley I would be freaking out with big spiders as well!

Those of you with family issues, I really recommend being firm with when they come & when they are here. The first week you're all just settling in as a family together and however hard it is, people inc family, need to know that you do want some time alone and also that the baby isn't going to be passed from person to person. Easier said than done I know, but we really regret not limiting visitors first time around and is something we will do with dc2.

ZJ can't the isofix base also be attached with seatbelts ? I'm sure this is what i was told - or is that what you were saying... sorry brain is very fuzzy today - am so not being very productive at work

Rosmerta Mice like sweet things so stick a little bit of choc in the trap. Should help to lure them. . . . .

thanks for the tip emma. I've now got a reason to buy chocolate

I just had a twix. Mmmmm.

I remember months ago we had a thing about bacon wheat crunchies on this thread. I'm such a savoury person usually, but I am now a firm chocolate addict. Wonder if that means something about the sex of my baby!

Mice/rats - yuck! Mice I can handle, can even be quite sweet. But rats are just vile and dirty. I also am terrified of blue bottles for some reason. They're just so DIRTY. Yuck!

Oh Lord
Am heading off to doctor shortly as I haven't felt the baby move since last night. Have been ignoring my slight fear, but am now going off to hear the heartbeat. Gulp. Sure all fine, but rang the midwife and she told me to go to the hospital to have the heartbeat monitored, and that seems a bit extreme. So am going to GP instead. Fingers crossed. Sure all ok, but just need to be certain for peace of mind.

good luck beans. sure the little beastie is fine!

It's actually just given me a bit of a boot, so am feeling a bit silly... Not going to go to the doctor. Weird how it's just done it as I'm starting to get scared. Wonder if they are a bit attuned to our thoughts!

well they do say you should get it checked out if they don't move very much. If you're still a bit worried I would still go.

right have caught up now. Best wishes Beans look forward to your next post saying that everything is ok.

Hi to Penny yet another Aussie on this thread. To first time mums who have parents coming from OS you do have to be realy strict with them. You have priority for baby holding and believe me you may not realise it now but you are not gonna want to let go of your little bundle. and it's priority is to be held by you not as Rosemerta rightly said to be passed from person to person. The babies can't see very far and are feeling a bit vulnerable so all they want is to cuddled by the person who smells like their mum. Your baby and your needs are more important than theirs and they just have to fit in with you. I would 2nd Rosemerta's recommendation of having a week to yourselves to enjoy being a new family and getting to know baby as well as recovering and establishing feeding. If people must visit limit them (we were very strict and said 30mins) and only one couple or small group a day. You may think this sounds a bit extreme now but you'll see how essential it is.

and on the spider mouse rat front eeeeeeekk!!!!

oh crossed posted with you Beans don't feel silly just go anyway, it won't hurt to check the heartbeat is at a good rate, and it's always lovely to hear it.

Good luck at the GP - I'm sure it will be fine, it's probably just moved into a funny position where you can't feel the limbs as much.

Just for future ref, don't be worried about going to the hospital to get it monitored btw - it's not extreme at all - I had it done a few times last pg and it's very nice and reassuring, they just hook you up to a monitor and it makes a trace of the baby's heartbeat, and you say if/when you feel the baby kicking and it matches it up with the increased heartbeats on the trace.

Honestly don't worry about going if they tell you to - they get people in all the time and won't think you are timewaster or anything.

Hope you're feeling reassured Beans - have to confess I've resorted to giving bump a bit of a prod to get a reaction when it all gets a bit quiet. Also antenatal unit at St Thomas' really nice - and understanding. Have seen quite a bit of them and they never mind just checking things out (and don't make you feel at all stupid for worrying).

Would totally agree about limiting visitors if you can. I'm still pissed off with my MIL for inviting herself and whole family round to our tiny flat the afternoon I came out of hospital with DS (also took me a long time not to be pissed off with DH about it too). You really do just want time for the three of you to get used to each other.

oh sorry - I didn't realise you'd decided not to go.

If it's still really sluggish then do pop in, much better to spend 20 minutes and get yoru mind put at rest than worry about it all night.

I expect you've tried everything, but just in case not, I always find a can of coke gets the baby going crazy (something to do with the sugar/cold/caffeine combo I think!) so you could always give that a try.

and I also agree about limiting visitors! Also for as long as you can get away with - I was quite strict about protecting the 2 weeks after the birth (and was very glad I did) but after that we had some people staying for the odd night/evening and I was surprised to find that I found it awful - I was trying to establish breastfeeding and DS was crying all the time, and all I wanted was to just lie on the sofa with my top off and cuddle him, and there were all these awful people there (friends actually but I hated them at the time!) trying to comfort him while I made them cups of tea and chatted - all the while desperate to snatch him back and scream "He's MY baby!! Go away!!".

I didn't really feel properly (emotionally) strong for about 2 months and before that I only wanted people around that I could be completely at ease with - just very close family and real best, best friends who wouldnt' have minded seeing me cry/ooze/breast-feed or whatever.

Also I would say in teh early days never, never invite anyoen to a meal, or agree to a visit without setting a time limit - you can always ask them to stay longer, but if you've issued a "come in the afternoon" type invitation, and then they stay to dinner it's really hard to get rid of people. Whereas if you've said from the outset "come from 3-4" then it's easy to say "why don't you stay for tea" if you're feeling up to it, but equally easy to say "well it was lovely to see you - as I mentioned on the phone I've got an appointment at 4" or something if you're shattered. Very convenient to blame post-natal checks I found!

Thanks so much everyone, I really appreciate it. I've got a GP appointment anyway on Thursday morning, so will head along then. If it goes quiet again before then, I won't hesitate to go along.

I also REALLY popped out over the weekend - noticeably so - people at work are commenting! So think the nipper probably has less room to move around in me as well. AND now it's really kicking off. Maybe due to Twix and cold water anc a coke! Such a healthy diet me!

Good luck beans. Let us know how you get on.

Wow, great pointers re the visitors - will keep a note of them. We were going to say that people can only stay for half an hour tops and actually get DH to be the gatemaster and tell them to go when their time is up!

sorry beans. I was a bit late with that post. Glad babybean is acive again.