due in jan on the home stretch now!! on the 1st day of christmas my true love gave to me a baby up in a tree,2 babygros,3 teddy bears,4 waddling mummies and five smelly nappies

[tinkisallreadytositonthetree]

hi ladies thought i would be organised and start a new thread

Hi rrayray and thanks...we chose not to find out what we were having and I'm completely clueless - no strong inklings either way.

I knew about perineal 'massage' - as you say it's a bit of a euphemism for stretching. Absolutely everyone recommends it as helping prevent tearing and some people say it reduces the length of second stage labour and really helps with the transition stage. Seems to be either recommended from 32 weeks or 34 weeks, the more the better probably.

However v hard to do oneself so has to be partner or husband (with short fingernails i guess!). My dh has been fabulous so far but I've been putting off bringing the subject up - dunno why. Should get a move on really...

ha the old perenial massage! i remember being horrified the first time round but gave it a go as why wouldn't you do all you can to protect the old mary?! very weird sensation i found and unfortunately being cut front to back made no difference for me. maybe the midwife had an easier time sniping
hello and welcome to swiggie

have i written snipping or sniping? i meant the one with scissors.

Hello and welcome swiggie.

As you will have noticed I am currently the moaner of the list.

I'm currently 34+5 so just under 5 weeks to go and according to the scan am having my first girl after two boys (aged 6 and 4).

Well folks, the boys have come home from school and picked up right where they left off this morning. More moaning and bickering and DS1 has forgotten to hand in his homework yet again for the third day in a row! I wouldn't mind but I must've reminded him at least a hundred times, including just as he went out the front door every day and I spent ages sitting with him to get the darn stuff finished on time in the first place. Aaaargh 6 year old boys!

I've just spoken to DH and said I've really had enough now, he's offered to bring home chips so I don't have to cook - think he was at a bit of a loss as to how he could help really. I know I'm probably being oversensitive because of the cold etc but sometimes I think I must've been mad to want another child!

Its no wonder this baby has been quieter for the past couple of days. She must be keeping her head down till the shouting stops! (I hate being shouty, but seem to be doing a lot this week.)

i am in west london
yay to chips!

Thanks everyone - feel very welcomed!
I'm in Wandsworth which I should have said is south-west London.
Mmmn..chips..think that was a bit of a genius move by your DH, moosemama.

Welcome swiggie, I'm on the opposite side of London from you. And I had chips at lunchtime today.

gtdab, your DS sounds like my DS2, he is forevery falling over etc. We used to think it was because of his eye problems, but apparently not. Guess he just takes after his Dad! (Daddy knocked both his front teeth out at a similar age as well! His family had a great nickname for him because he was so accident prone, but if I tell you either I would have to kill you, or he would kill me!)

I'm not having any chips, this cold is making me feel too sick.

I know I'm lucky to have my DH, he is luvverly. Don't know how/why he puts up with me though, especially at the moment.

Boys have been banished to their room to watch a DVD and play with the threat of no chips if I hear any fighting. So far so good. (keeping everything crossed emoticon)

Parcel arrived btw, it wasn't the mattress after all, it was the second half of my nappy order which I'd forgotten had to be back ordered.

We are in the Midlands/Warwickshire area.

Ooops, forever not forevery

GDAB- Dont be we are all having all sorts of Weird things going on down there! My discharge seems to be at a normal pre preg level currently, but i know a few months ago it was stupid amounts, so much i decided a panty liner was necessary!

Oh & We're in a little Village outside Ipswich - So Suffolk/ East Anglia.

Feeling organised as have now BOUGHT christmas cards, although am way off tink (and maybe some of the rest of you) and haven't written them or anything.

Ordered a lovely Man bag for OH today. We have been looking at changing bags and not really liking any, so i've decided to buy from babies R Us (havent seen them anywhere else)changing bag accessories. its £10 and there is a bottle holder, changing mat, and 2 little bags, one calls itself a "messy bag" and the other i think is intended to use for dummies. This way, when OH ventures out solo with her, he can put these things in the nice man bag i've ordered him, and ta-da. For me, i'm not sure if i'm going to get a Cath Kidston changing bag, or just a regular bag and too use those accesory things. We'll see.

Was expecting my mammoth mothercare order today, as had email saying dispatched last night. So will prob try & deliver tomo while i'm down in Brighton. Boo! Once that arrives pretty much sorted, as picking up Pram, Car seat & bases from baby shop in Brighton tomorrow, have been sitting waiting for me to pick up! Mothercare order was fun things like breast pads, breast pump, bottles (OH wants to give at least one feed) sterilier, Etc, i think you get the Idea. I think all i have to get then is some Curtains for her room/Nursery & big knickers & Nightie for moi!

Chips by your OHs sounds Yummy! I shall be rustling up Chicken Fajitas shortly. Absolutely Love Mexican. Or should i say Tex-Mex.. as the mexican we eat in England is Mexican food adapted to the American Palate... REAL Mexican food is more like Refried Beans and isn't nearly as nice- in my opinion! Infact... we should call Beanie Mexico really, as we're pretty sure thats where she was Errr.. Concieved!

As well as NCT classes i'm currently attending, my local birthing centre offers Parentcraft Classes. I can't make the 2 sessions they are doing, so luckily they are running one mammoth one on sat 6th. OH has a match, so rather than go alone, my Mummy is coming with me... Aww!

I NEED chips now! Think I might have to wait until tomorrow though - 25 mins to chip shop and I'm in my pj's so would have to get dressed again - dammit, if only I caught up on the thread earlier...

We're in Lancs, am I the only northerner? Surely not

Hope everything ok GTDAB - I had a bout of contractions (properly painful ones) last week - that was the head engaging according to midwife, although its not engaged now, bobbed up again.

swiggie - my christmas presents from parents are quinny buzz,pink baba sling and mamas and papas changing table.
we had a 4d scan for our early christmas presents to each other

rray - not brave enough to fiddle down there
picking up bits tom sounds good!!

miss h - they must have had a teatowel epidemic then lol

mm-

feellike that with dd seems like i am constantly telling her to do something over and over
enjoy chips yummy think we will have something with chips too luv dipping them in ketchup,mayo and salad cream

gtdab - poor ds

We have a yummy mummy nappy bag too - DH takes it with him in his bag - is handy as I just transfer it from one handbag to another - don't bother with full size changing bag anymore. It doesn't fit in all my bags but fits in soft ones and obv in oversized ones.

Hi everyone,
Swiggie, I am due on 31st December (my due date was moved and I couldn't bear to leave these lovely ladies ), this will be my second DC. We don't know what we're having as my local health authority have a policy of not telling!
I stay in central Scotland - about 15 miles outside Glasgow.
I've not posted for a while, because I think all I would do is moan . Baby is still breech and is bloody killing my ribs - I've got a head wedged under them and it's not pleasant. Here was me thinking it was great that I had avoided SPD this time around - this feels just as bad .
Took a leaf out your book Tink and have written all my Christmas cards. The "special" cards arrived from Moonpig this morning, so I just need to write them then add them to the pile for posting on 1st December.
We go to pick up our pram from the pram centre in Glasgow on Sunday morning - can't wait .
Take care all x

hi all - welcome swiggie!
i'm in dublin and have a red baba bing nappy bag, which i think is pretty unisex for those of you who don't want to buy a second one to complement dp's masculinity...

can't believe all you folks are knocking back the gaviscon liquid, it's the most disgusting substance i've ever had the misfortune to put in my mouth. am chewing the nasty chalky tablets, which i find marginally more palatable. better than heartburn - with the liquid, i actually think it's a toss up.

gtdab - glad to hear small one isn't being too forward.

gtdab, DS1 is 6, DS2 is 4. You can actually predict half of DS2s bumps but usually too late to actually stop him. It doesn't help that his current hobbies involve a lot of rolling around and climbing. He drives me crackers climbing up the side of the sofa all the time, even though it has always been the rule that there is absolutely no climbing on the furniture.

Tink, I love chips n mayo, even better I get chips and garlic mayo when I'm at the family place in Ireland. May have to txt DH and ask him to bring me a portion now. Not sure I'll be able to eat them, but you know what its like when you smell someone elses chips and you haven't got any yourself.

Heathersmummy, go on have a good moan that's what we're all here for. Bet you can't outmoan me anyway.

I've been looking everywhere at change bags, but can't find anything I want. Had the basic black backpack type bag with the other two but want something more compact this time. Don't go in much for the prettier ones and am at the price some of them are these days. Have just ordered myself a larger size handbag with two front pockets in the hope that that will suffice until I can find one I like. Failing that it will probably be the mini messenger bag from Toys R Us.

I used to keep two change bags packed for the boys, one for whole days out with everything but the kitchen sink in and a really quite tiny little denim backpack with a rainbow on (which I love and have kept but is now well past its sell by date) with just the basics for quick trips out.

Quick tip for first timers is to always re-stock your bag either when you get home from being out, or in the evening. It makes it so much less of a faff getting out of the house and makes for a much easier life.

I used to have some great little Earth Friendly Baby mini gift sets the constituent parts of which were perfect for taking out in change bags. I think they must have stopped doing them now though as I can't seem to find them anywhere.

LOL moose, I could give it a right good try and probably outmoan anyone just now . Very of all you people eating chips. Because of my gestational diabetes I'm on a low sugar, low carb diet it sucks! Looking on the bright side I'm 35+1 today and I may get induced as early as 38 weeks, so not long to go.
That feels so much better.....

HeathersMummy, feel so sorry for you having to stick to the diet. Possibly only 3 weeks to go though - have you got your bag packed?

hey tink, those mat clothes sound lovely. know what you mean about everything getting small, and it all feels so WORN as well. I might get a new top or a dress for Christmas.. maybe one that will work afterwards too, so it's easier to justify.
mm, reminds me, anyone seen the lulasapphire webiste? I love it, tho it is a bit pricey - and it has a decent nursing dress on there - www.lulasapphire.com/Products/Boob/Nursing-Tie-Dress-Black.aspx
actually, rray if you're still looking, there's a good man-nappy bag on there too www.lulasapphire.com/Products/Stork-Sak/Jamie-Unisex-Bag-Black.aspx

doh, just read that you've ordered one already. ah well, if you need another...
and one top tip that my doula had for perineal stretching is that is won't work unless you stretch until you feel a burning sensation. Anything less isn't going to make a difference... so a gentle massage it is NOT

LG&T I love Wilbur. Our boy names list has Louie, Sam(uel) and Gilbert, with Cleary as a middle name (dh's mum's maiden name)

swiggie hello! I used to hang out in Putney in my youth, is it still as gorgeous now? we're in Brighton now and love it but dh has a hankering for deepest Somerset so might be there next...
and I'm sorry, gaviscon tastes like I would imagine the inside of toilets to taste (stripey I'm with you on this). I still swig it cos the tablets don't work so well, but need to have it with a chaser. YUK.

GTDAB glad to hear things seem to have settled down. not so glad to hear about your bumping boy... poor pea. hope he is not feeling too bruised

moosemama you sound like you've got lots to be feeling gripey about!! if anyone holds it against you they should be beaten with sticks. hope you feel better very soon and the boys stop being boylike too.

qumps i promise I DO eat healthily lots and lots but think dh will be going to get to pizza express for me, really fancy one of their fiorentinas...