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

meant to post my new mantra for getting through the end of pregnancy and the beginning of the new babyship...

'try not to get annoyed, try not to get annoyed, try etc'.

I get sooo frustrated at the slightest things. For frustrated read ranty, angry, difficult and unpleasant. Not good for anyone really. hence the knitting . and breathe. Have a stack of those hypnobirthing cd's to start on too.

Managed to put bump piccies on! Love to see everyone elses bumps.... it took me forever to arrive at having a bump, seems to double by the day now!! Not to mention hard to find warm but flattering clothing!

just set off Fire alarm in hall lighting a Smoking Wood fire... think wood might still be a bit damp & why poss smoking so much, oops!

Am refraining from switching on X factor until OH home, at least will be watching it sky plus-ed and without the Ad breaks, yay! x

Ray thats an incredibly neat bump. You look the size I was at 12 weeks !

Meant to ask if anyone else has had milk coming in sensations? It was one of the things that freaked me out during my stint of BH's that made me think it was something else. Did anyone get tingling breasts during labour/contractions?

The midwives will ask about your blood loss for the first week rrayrary and whichever pads you use you'll be able to tell if it is heavier or there are any large clots as they don't actually soak in (sorry everyone, lovely conversation I know - my own fault for starting it ) but with the always ones the top mesh just ends up all clogged up and nothing soaks into the pad so they leak all over your clothes. Sorry there wasn't a delicate way to explain that but I learnt the hard way last time and it wasn't a pleasant experience!

Night all!

no milk coming in sensations but two days ago it felt like someone was purple-nurple-ing to no end. perhaps that is the milk coming in sensation... and i think i may have had one incident of BH, that tightening of the abdomen. not to pleasant.

thanks everyone for your words of calm. i really needed it. my uncle took the furniture out of the flat yesterday followed by a declaration of how much it cost him... $40. whipped-de-do. he said he thought he was lucky having past tenants leave furniture in the flat for the next one until he had to get rid of it. i said, that's why they leave it. he has never rented before. DH and i are devising a strategy for me to come up to his work for christmas day too, in that he wants me close to him excuse so i don't have to be here. could work.

i went to a friends inn yesterday and hung out. he is right on the ocean and all you can see is mountains and waves and then it became very stormy and exciting. just to get away for a few hours did wonders. i'm usually a very busy person and i haven't been working in my studio, and won't be until turnip is born, so i think boredom is creeping in and making me a bit moody and slightly irrational. it seems like everyone around me is doing stuff and well, maybe it is a ting of jealousy too. poor DH came night before last (night of my rant) to a hysterical woman in the bath. i apologized because i'm sure that is the last thing he wants to come home to at the end of his day. he was very supportive and caring and just rocked me. i am very lucky to have him.

finally bought a stroller a Quinney. it's a jogging one too. we have stocked up on bio diapers as well, as they have been half price this past month. i've also decided the cost of purchasing fancy cloth diapers is a rip-off and i am going to make my own. it's not rocket science. just looked at the midwife's home birth kit and all i need to get. oh boy. so many little details. well, at least i'll be busy over the next month...

thanks again everyone.

LenniEd- I'm sure i speak for most if not all of us when i say don't be silly about going into Detail about the lovely BLOODY bits! These are the sorts of things i need people to tell me about/ warn me about as a first timer! I wish people had told me about all the lovely pregnancy things i had coming before they actually happened & i thought i was a total fruit loop!

So you Second, plus timers... feel free to enlighten me on the bits and bobs you think i might not know & think i should... i'm All ears!

Plus, i'm sure with the weeks to come there are going to be increasing amounts of too much information stories!

oohhh, i almost forgot....

a MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS to Miss Jackson on her wedding day TODAY.... Hope it all went well..... Can't wait to hear about it?!?!

Off to watch X factor Results & then to bed...Mmmm!! x

one thing that wasn't told to my friends wife was that giving birth would feel like having a poo... and because no one told her that, she tried to hold it in, meaning she was actually holding in the baby trying to get out. she said this time she's just going to let it fly. the midwife will look after anything that may prove embarrassing... although i'm thinking when you are in labour, embarrassing moments are, for the most part, the least from your mind. that said, has anyone had an enema around your birthing date? just wondered if it was feasible. or necessary.

Chefswife- from what i know enemas USED to be standard procedure once upon a time when women were first admitted to hosp. Sadly not anymore. Had been toying with the idea of requesting one... As although like you said, at the time it'll be the last thing from my mind, but the idea currently of having a poo at the same time is mortifying!!!!

Ladies, I haven't chance for a proper answer now but can assure you that if you poo it will be one of the most dignified things you do during labour . I really wouldn't worry about it, doesn't happen to everyone. Chances are your body will clear itself out in early labour and you might only do a small poo while pushing. You prob wouldn't even know it was happening. MW will take care of the evidence! If you are worried about dignity re: DP/DH then keep him on hand holding duties since there will be far worse going on than poo. TBH all the blood and guts and things is confined to the last few moments of labour when the baby is being born. The rest of the time you may well be vomiting and leaking fluid and having to wee in front of people - and you really will not care. Believe me I am the biggest prude going and I couldn't have cared less who I used the loo in front of etc.

that's great to know lennied

morning

it is dark,cold and wet here brrrrrr!!

on maternity pads i have bought one pack of boots own thick ones for now
have bodyform for after them

rray what a neat one i look twice that size and am 32.5 weeks today

birth definetly feels like having a poo especially last pushing stage

we used doppler last night baby still breech

morning people!

Hurrah for a Good nights sleep last night, i only woke ONCE... but my Goodness did i need a wee when i woke up this morning!

We are Snow covered here! :-) Woke up to a beautiful winter wonderland!

Tink, wouldn't worry about being breach, from what i've read it they are able to turn summersalts all the way up until 36 weeks. What did your DD do? Are you finding you don't need to wee as much b/c she is breach, or doesn't it work like that? my baby is trying to head butt her way out i think, via my bladder, i went for lunch with a friend yesterday & went to the toilet 5 times! Its a joke!

Off to drop OH at the seafront prommenade for a run while i do the food shopping. Had planned to have a walk waddle along behind, but with the snow & it being SO cold... think i'll just get on with the food shopping & pick him up once hes done!!!

Tomorrow its WAX time again having the whole caboodle done in preparation, as my hair now seems to have gone from thick man hair, to hardly Growing....

Full Leg
Underarms
Brazillian

Oh yes, this time tomorrow, i'll be all ready to deliver... shame the bag STILL isn't packed.

Morning all, well just morning anway.

Happy to report DS1 recovered very quickly and is back to his usual lively self today (and with only 5 back-to-back complete bedding washes as well - lucky me).

No snow here, just freezing cold and very wet. Kids disappointed we didn't get any snow, but currently distracted by playing scalextric, so all calm on the home front.

Ray, what a fantastically neat bump. I thought I was quite compact this time but I look huge by comparison! Very brave with the waxing btw, don't think I could stand any more pain or discomfort at the moment.

Spent yesterday scrubbing and sanding the quarry tile window ledge in our living room and painting the radiator and any of the woodwork I could reach. Had to quit at about 3 o'clock and collapse on the sofa, felt such a wimp. Still, got to watch 'Cats and Dogs' again which always makes me laugh.

DH swore he could count madam's fingers through my side last night! Gawd knows what that says about the state of my abdo muscles!

Tried several different brands of maternity pads in the past and personally found Natracare to be the most comfortable and best for the first couple of days. They sell them in mothercare if anyone's interested. Have bought a stock in ready and my lilypadz have also arrived (got them from ebay for 10 pounds a pair). Just need certain unnamed rellies to get on with ordering the car seat and carrycot now and we are finished buying. (Although having a baby's room to put all this stuff in would be nice!)

Had a massive delivery of parcels yesterday and have been able to tick everyone's Christmas presents (including the boys) off the list. Just waiting for wrapping paper and the place mats for the Christmas meal to arrive now.

Really tired and sore today so am going to order the christmas food shop and catch up on some emails. Have a tonne of paperwork to do to so should probably get on with that as well.

Poor DH is still DIYing as we agreed that no matter what, the living room would be finished by the end of today. He needs to put up a new light fitting, curtain pole and two shelves and replace all the fascias on the plug and light sockets. Hopefully we will be having the carpet and sofa cleaned this week and then at least we will have one decent room in the house.

Mum and Stepdad have decided they want a dry run of having the boys before the big delivery day (lord knows why they've stayed there several times before), so have offered to have them next weekend. That will really help us out actually, as we should be able to get most of our bedroom done having a child free weekend.

Hi all - haven't managed to catch up on new thread yet, or even the old one so off to do that now.

Did see ray's lovely little bump. Am - take a look at mine on my profile & you'll see why.

Morning all. While DD was at the pool with DP (top tip girls, book them in for Sunday swimming at your earliest convenience so you get a lie in every Sunday; we started at 8 months but you can start at 4 ...anyway I digress...

I made some [[http://homecooking.about.com/od/dessertrecipes/ht/crystalginger.htm crystalised ginger]. Its a bit of a faff and takes around 2 hours, but its made 16 little jars of perfect christmas presents! It lasts for 3 months so you can make it early. Feeling very pleased with myself as its also great for reducing nausea, AND you get ginger sugar as a by product which is good for ginger snaps and brandy snaps and mulled wine. Yum.

Chefswife, get some access to someones kitchen and get creative there instead. Actually, when I read your post I thought you were creating the home birthing kit and not just the nappies. Was impressed .

Moose, glad to hear you are getting back to normal.

rrray - not weeing too often abit more today as i am freezing
dd turned fairy early on
i am seeing midwife next @ 36 weeks
goodluck with wax

mm-

glad ds better sounds like you are very organised with xmas pressies and loundge

tall- u do have 2 in there
i look alot bigger than rray 2

flf-
xmas cooking for presents is a lovely idea

i ordered 3 velour sleepsuits off of vertbaudet

www.vertbaudet.co.uk/baby-nursery-maternity-clothes/Baby-Girls-Velour-sleepsuit.aspx?ProductId=V7001 33098&DocumentId=V604&CompanyId=V&Path=3542/3543/3557&source=

and

www.vertbaudet.co.uk/baby-nursery-maternity-clothes/baby-Girls-Pack-of-2-velour-sleepsuits.aspx?Prod uctId=V700133097&DocumentId=V604&CompanyId=V&Path=3542/3543/3557&source=

Moosemama- i really didn't have much of a bump at all until at least 6 months! has sprouted out of nowhere. I am 5 ft 9 so quite a long Torso & was a Gym Bunny pre-preg, so my i think my Tummy muscles held everything together for a while. Am growing by the day now, look bigger than that picture already - definately change size/ Shape as she moves. Anyone else noticing that?

Yes, i Too think i am Crackers for the Waxing business, but the girl is REALLY quick and good, and talks to me so i don't think about it TOO much. At least its not a lasting pain.

How are everyones Aches and pains today? My lower back is really starting to ache alot... and my feet have suddenly become marshmellows. Lovely!

Talluhlabelle- your right your bump is ALOT bigger, but HELLO your having TWO babies! I think Big Bumps are beautiful anyway, with a big coat on, people just think i'm a bit tubby now- like the stupid woman bashing me into the door frame the other day... not still or anything!

FLF - Brilliant idea about packing them off for Swimming! Def going to get onto that one!

Have Antenatal tomo night & midwife Wednesday. Tuesday night will go and watch OH's match, as didn't go on saturday (very unlike me) i trail all over the country after him like his little cheer leader, but decided its now got a little TOO cold for preggers!!

Nursery finished Bar the curtains and the letters for her name on the wall. but will not do letters until she is here & named obviously.

spoke to baby shop we ordered pram & car seats from & will be here on Tuesday! Hurrah. Almost Ready.... just need Nighties and Big Primark Knickers... oh and Tens machine!!!

Ooh Ray, Tens machine, thanks for the reminder - thought about it several times but forgotten again instantly.

My bump definitely changes shape regularly. Sometimes little madam seems to do star jumps and then I look like I've swallowed a giant toblerone whole!

Got very little done today, had a funny turn midday and had to go and lie down as was really dizzy with tingly hands and feet. Was worried I might be going down with DS1's bug, but it seems to have passed now, am just ridiculously tired - probably just my iron levels again.

Just realised I am not as organised as I had thought. Tens machine aside, I also forgot to buy teachers' gifts for Christmas - doh! Bought them lovely personalised chocolate bars last year, but can't find any designs I like this year. Have spent ages perusing ebay but come up with nothing. The problem is that if I go above a fiver each I end up spending 20 pounds just on teachers as each class has a teacher and a teaching assistant.

Laughing at mental image of a toblerone belly moosemama. Can all you ladies work out what lumps and bumps that stick out are what? I can work out her Bottom and thats about it... her head seems firmly Wedged down currently, which i think i should be pretty pleased about - Heading the right way, although not quite yet please Bubba!

moosemama - RE: Teachers gifts, my mother is a teacher, and they get SO many gifts its unreal. Definately go for Original rather than expensive. Seriously the home made things made by the child themselves mean miles more anyway!

Managed to put a whole galaxy bar away this afternoon without even realising and i don't mean those tiny ones with 4 squares, the big ones!!!!!!!!!!! .....YUM!!

fourlittlefeet i am going to try that recipe. a good one for oatmeal raisin cookies that i've been making once a week lately because i can't keep them in the house, is here

www.recipezaar.com/Ultimate-Oatmeal-Raisin-Cookies-77494

there's loads of other recipes too. i'm loving the baking. so is DH. i like them the way the recipe says but DH said they are a little brittle and i should add another 1/4 cup of butter. i also jammed them full of walnuts. excuse me a moment while i go get one...

mmmm.... with cookie crumbs

thanks to all second + timers for all their words of wisdom. i've always worn tampons and don't know a thing about pads. the explanation of why not to use Always is one i wouldn't have thought of, the plastic not letting you heal very well. and on the nursing pad front, there is so many i just didn't know where to begin.

my spirits are grand again. holy moody cow i've been the last few days. will be able to get into flat and start the clean and setting up tomorrow. DH has 3 days off this week and we are planning to get everything done, even the stuff for the home birth and packing of the hospital bag... (i still live by the girl guide mantra, BE PREPARED).

hope everyone's weekend was good and productive.

quick check in before strictly. sounds like everyone has been busy.
rrayray very jealous of your lovely neat bump and your nice looking shower! getting in and out of bath is becoming tricky and shower the one thing on our diy list we haven't got round to. still house pretty much finished. adding one room has made the whole thing feel huge. dh gone a way for a week but worked his socks off to do all the heavy moving before he went. got tues and thurs day to sort the massive piles of stuff everywhere. although will be a job can't wait to see it finished. sounds like we are not the only ones who had diy weekends. i haven't even opened the page of style magazine yet. ah my favourite sunday pleasure. can't complain though as did get a lie in despite ds waking at 530. dh and i grumbled but when we went down to him his little hands were like ice. that will be the snow then. had a lovely family cuddle in bed for an hour and then dh got up. by the time i rose at 930 they were wrestling on a mattress and mama didn't get a look in all day!
hospital bag still not packed but stuff all in a pile. random selection of things that fil looked at oddly!
tallulah in awe of twin bump. amazing to think of two little people in there. agree it looks fab and you are def all bump.
trying to think of something that happens during preggers that no one tells you. think i was most shocked by swelling of fanjo tbh. weird jelly belly after also quite strange. that and bleeding and leaking boobs. boobs still leaking now and am pushing my way out of 32g bras but don't want to admit it infact its all weird but also quite amazing and i have to say i find it all so awesome it makes up for the bad bits. and at least you know its all temporary (well except for harry potter stretch mark).
oops quick check in over run. thank goodness for sky +

oh ya... has anyone seen my belly-button. i seemed to have lost it last night.

swimming advice brill ut i went one better!
as ds had a bottle in scbu we decided to keep one in a day. expressed at first but then gave into formula (possibly a reason why i only managed to feed for 8 weeks....). anyway back then dh didn't start work until 10am. i am a night owl and he is a morning person so i bf the night feeds and he did bottle at 7am. he would then be up with ds every morning and hand him to me in bed at 9am just as ds ready for sleep. it was brilliant!!! and even when ds dropped night feeds dh loved their time in the morning so continued to get up.... god i was lucky. not usre how i am going to cope now that dh has a real joba nd i will have 2.....
[goes to watch strictly in a blind panic]

Thanks for the advice Ray. Have finally found the choc bars with the nice personalised wrappers. I happen to know these teachers are all chocoholics as was a volunteer at the school last year. So think they will be gratefully received.

Boys are also making sparkly hama bead star decorations for them. They did hearts for the teachers they were leaving at the end of last year and those teachers still come up to me and tell me how much they love them. Several of them have them hanging on their dressing tables apparently.

Mmmmm galaxy, (drooling emoticon) I put away one of those bars the evening after we had a complete 'mare with the boys last week - instant relaxation without the glass of red wine!

Am in awe of all you baker makers. Have just done a huge online order for all the bits I'll need to make up and freeze some meals for after 'the event'. Problem is, I have absolutely no inclination to spend hours in the kitchen cooking. (Which is odd because I usually enjoy cooking and find it relaxes me.)

Am (supposedly) going to make up lots of home made pasta sauce, a couple of giant lasagnes frozen into portions, some veggie cottage/shepherds pies, macaroni cheese and soups. Will have to take over Mum's freezer as well though as it won't all fit in ours.