And in other news... (boring catchup warning)
Sorry most of this is so overdue, as per norm with me
Indith, the pattern I used for the nappy in my pics came from a lady who ran the nappy making class here in Oz. Unfortunately she didn't give me a copy, but I will either get it from her via email, or from unpicking the nappy apart or I'll just find one similar online. I'll let you know if I get my hands on it.
veggie thanks for the tip about the meconium poo & cloth nappies - I didn't think of that. The hospital here told me I could use a couple of their cloth nappies at first (so they'd have to wash them, hehe) and I'm inheriting some eenies so that might be an option for dealing with them too. Or a disposable liner to minimise the damage. Or at worst, an eco disposable. Did you know that there was a nappy produced here in Oz that was marketed to be 100% biodegradable but the company was taken to court by the ACCC for false/misleading marketing conduct? Link
rosmerta if you ever want cheap tix to the opera, you can always get them on the day (but you have to be prepared to queue in the morning of the performance). I saw my very first opera at Covent Garden (Madama Butterfly) by getting a £7 standing ticket, but then whipped into an empty seat in the balcony once the lights were going down. I think the person next to me paid quite a bit more for their ticket than I did! Opera is much better live of course. I fall asleep if I try and watch one on TV or listen to it (what a bad opera singer I am!)
veggie my best shag ever (apart from DH of course!) was a ballet dancer. He had the best legs & bum EVER! Not that you want to think of your brother in that way of course...
LadyT can't wait to see your bub in the reindeer suit! I have now bought a total of 3 Christmas outfits... they are so cute, I just can't say no
Twiga if you're reading this, hope you have your new rental house/accommodation sorted out by now. What a nightmare!
poisondwarf I have a urine check for protein & glucose every appt - they have these little indicator stick things in the bathroom and you just pee on them and compare them to the colours on the bottle. I'm surprised they don't do this for you as it's one way to keep an eye out for conditions like gestational diabetes & pre-eclampsia. I'm now on weekly appointments too, can't believe that some of you won't get checked regularly leading up to the birth! and at the NHS! PD I'm also really sorry about your brother & dad. It must be a really difficult time for you
mibbes I've got that Cosatto nursing pillow! Had to order it from the UK, and I've been using it as a back support on the couch now for months now too. It's great for breastfeeding - I tried it out in the UK with my niece (just resting her on it though, not breastfeeding her obviously!)
veggie mmmm M&S fish goujons. I miss those. And good country sausages - as good as the food is here, you can't beat good British sausages. For the goujons I used to make a homemade tartare with organic mayo, squeeze of lime, chopped up capers and fresh chives. Wish I had some now.
kayz - you managed a shag? Hats off to you! I must confess DH & I have pretty much abstained for 9 months Tried it a few times but it was a bit uncomfortable for some reason, and now I think neither of us are really that interested. Luckily we've always been pretty well matched in the libido department though - we either both want it, or we both don't! Hope you're feeling cheerier soon too, it must be hard feeling so rubbish all the time. On a related noted you should get assessed for PND (post natal depression) if you haven't already, as that's really important. Everyone should have that done (it's standard here in Oz).
mibbes I remember someone talking about lavender oil for rubbing on the temple/pressure points? I bought a soft squeezy bottle recently too as someone said it's good for filling with water + tea tree oil to squirt on stitches if you have to have them.
I somehow managed to trim my 'lady garden' last week, using a mirror and a lot of patience! It's been much nicer down there as a result, and less irritation from the horrendously large amount of CM I seem to be producing. I have to change underwear at least once a day, or wear a liner. Blugh. (sorry for TMI!)
trace I was told today that I'm positive for strep B too. It's good to know, as it's pretty simple to deal with as effie said, they just give you antibiotics at least 4 hrs before you give birth. My midwife today said they could do it 1hr before but 4hrs was preferable. It only takes a few mins supposedly so shouldn't intefere too much with an active birth. I'm glad I know though, as my mum (midwife) said she once saw a baby die from it. It's not common, but it does happen so at least this way I feel more secure in knowing I am at the least over protecting the baby rather than under protecting him from a particularly nasty virus.
Amy123 and hotmama my mum also said placentas have a 'shelf life' of about 40wks which is why they monitor you more closely after that, but she didn't say it was an age related thing. I got the impression that all placentas deteriorate after that time.
hiccy at the HV and leaving you worried about cot death being hereditary! I read recently that in NZ they recommend 'wrapping' cot mattresses as they can let off all sorts of nasty things when the materials that make up the mattress mix with bacteria/mould. Don't want to scare anyone unnecessarily of course (as it does seem 'convenient' that the same people sell/ market the wrap you can buy). Any one else heard of this? I'll try to find a link.