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

gtdab yay to present for yourself. must have been so sad to leave your other cat. love my 2 but they are terrorised by ds. after 17 months he is still so excited to see them every morning and screeches cats miaow as he chases them out of the cat flap. just bought them some new beds today which i am going to try to place strategically to give them some peace. when the cats were kittens we made them a little cave out of a cardboard box with a blanket over the top and a door cut out so they could go and hide if they felt the need.
my dh was also completed traumatised by my birth. to be fair he saw ds blue and not breathing, and i didn't as i had my eyes closed, so no wonder. he cried and went into shock. funnily enough he is far more keen on the c section than i am. he is one of those sickos though that chose to be awake during a shoulder op so he could watch it on the big screen

busy ladies

mm - sounds like you are busy
gtdab - luv cats and especially kittens we have a ginger and white one called james he is 8 years old

gtdab, congratulations on getting your kitten. Kittens are always so much fun and so cute. I've always loved cats but DH is really allergic to them.

I had a kitten for my third birthday that grew up to be the neighbourhood thug tomcat. He was so soppy with me though and once he went for my Mum when she smacked me! He also used to walk half a mile to meet from school every day.

When DS1 was about 2 years old and we had not long been in this house (which is the house I grew up in btw) he used to tell us a cat came to visit him in his cot at night and played with him. We looked at some cat pictures and he pointed out one that looked just like my old cat! I found it really spooky at first but after a while found it strangely reassuring that he'd come to look after my little boy like he looked after me.

Interestingly, DS1s cot was positioned exactly where my bed used to be when I was little and the cat usually slept on my bed. He continued to see him until he was about 3 and a half and moved into a different bedroom. His old room is now going to be the baby's room so it will be interesting to see if she also gets a nocturnal visitor.

mm - lovely about your cat
sorry for mum storming out

my dh was traumatised by birth 2 i can imagine how helpless they must feel

awaiting dominos pepporroni passion and garlic bread mmmmmm cant wait

moosemama sounds like an improvement with the eyes, is he happier with the drops now? your boys sound so lovely, I lol-ed at the "why is grandma being rude"... my mum too is full of good intentions but just doesn't seem to be aware of what is helpful and what isn't. She also was pretty "me,me" at ds's birth, and then when we were delayed being discharged from hospital and she was waiting for us at home, went into a strop because she'd decided the reason we were late was that obviously we we'd gone for fish and chips on the way home and weren't thinking of her all alone waiting for us
Hope the slack treatment by the hospital means they are thinking it is nothing serious and that your sis is feeling much better soon. My brother lives abroad and is having a rough time in his marriage at the moment - it is so hard not being round the corner to offer support to the people you love isn't it.

gtdab yum to kitten, tho sad you are missing your cat.. we have a 16 yr old, she is deaf and mostly blind which actually stands her in really good stead with ds as she is oblivious to his loud miaowing and instruction-shouting at her (qumps glad to see we are not alone) Now he has stopped patting her far too hard and has learned to stroke, she is fairly safe and likes to sit in the middle of his toys being used as a track for Thomas the tank engine.

rray it can feel so lonely if your partner isn't as involved in preparing for the birth as you - easier for them to be disconnected cos they won't be the ones in labour I guess. But I agree that how he's being now is no indication of how he'll be on the day and certainly not afterwards. And actually you might find that on the day you don't want him anywhere near you! either way, good on you for being open with him about how you feel. now is not the time to be bottling that stuff up!!

evening everyone else. I am having kids tea tonight - chips beans and egg! and maybe a side helping of broccoli
so I don't become completely lardy. What's on your menus??

moosemama I just read your post about your old cat visiting your little boy.
DH is convinced that babies can see people and things the rest of us can't, that they are more open to that sort of thing. Whenever we went to Dorset, to dh's parent's place, when ds was under a year or so old, ds would seem to be looking at something in the room we couldn't see, and smiling. DH's mum died 3 years ago and he liked to think ds was seeing her and getting to know his grandma in his own way.

Spink, he's much better with the drops, but still finds it distressing.

Mum drove me up the wall today insisting she change her plans to take us to the hospital despite my telling her twice that I didn't want or need her to. I actually wanted to pop into town, but when I said I would be fine on the bus, she said she would not have me walking in my condition. I said again I'd be fine, she burst into tears and I ended up agreeing to go with her! So not only did I not get to go into town for the things I need, she then proceeded to spend the whole day saying how busy she is and how she didn't feel well enough to be out!

What I don't understand is why she is insisting on constantly getting over involved in my life when my sister's need is far greater at the moment.

About the cat thing. I think kids are probably more spiritually aware than adults in general. Problem is its difficult to tell how much is imagination or an inability to communicate what they really mean. DS1 still remembers 'the cat' though so I guess there must be something in it.

aagh - bump is too heavy! the bruise I was telling you about yesterday has got worse - it is actually a muscle strain I'm sure (right in the centre of my breastbone sort of underneath) currently have a dressing gown belt under my bump and tied round my neck to support it - early to bed with some paracetamol me thinks!

MM - we live in the house DH grew up in! DD's room is DH's old room. It doesn't seem so common nowadays for people to keep houses in the family - people are always surprised when I tell them. Is lovely for my DH, he has lots of happy memories. As do I though, he still lived here when we first met Amazing about your DS and the cat.

Mothers eh - could go on at length on that subject but will save it for now.

Spink - we had a veggie quesadilla (sp?) from a recipe in the Sainsburys magazine - loads of veg but nicely stodgy and dead easy to make. I like their recipes.

Qumps - sounds very distressing with your DS - I'm sure you've told us before so sorry for not remembering but is he ok now? I hope you are ok too.

evening all. I'm loving the cat stories, I absolutely adore cats and often used to say had I been allowed a cat in my current flat I wouldn't need a baby . Kittens are completely adorable too.

I'm really shattered. Had quite a negative meet up with the consultant midwife re my vbac. Basically as soon as she started talking about cannula's and CFM, I burst into tears and they didn't really stop until an hour later. Not sure what to do as it seems I have a complete horror of going back to my old hospital, and they won't compromise on the monitoring and won't support a home or water birth. It means I now have to either get over my fear, find an independent midwife, or change hospitals. Too tired to process it all tonight; thought I was over all this, but evidently the old demons are surfacing. oh pants.

I'm a bit cross with one of our cats at the moment, we have two from the same litter and the one we've always thought to be generally the naughtier one has had to be treated for a nasty looking injury and is actually being pretty good considering. We're quite certain it's her sister who isn't going outside to use her litter tray, grrrr.

FLF, I'm sorry you're having such a bad time with the birth plan. Think it's time you looked into the other hospital options - what's near enough to you to consider? Homerton? UCLH? Why are they so adamant about the CFM now? I'm sorry, I know your previous experience went pretty horrible but not the ins and outs of how and why, but your MW's attitude seems a bit strange and negative.

I have a MW appt in the morning - so far I've seen the woman who delivered DS each time but I'm wondering if it will be her, one of the other two I've met or a different team member tomorrow.

Discovery Home and Health is showing programmes about a midwife led birthing unit at the moment, I'm getting so envious - nearest ones to me are Chase Farm (not even sure where it is) and UCLH (all sorts of practical problems about central London). I wish the Whittington had one.

morning

Thanks for the support. Elkie, my friend just had a lovely waterbirth at the MLU that is connected to chase farm. Your DH can stay in with you there if you want, too. She transferred to them at 36 weeks! Definitely check it out as it sounds amazing. .

Morning all,

DH has taken boys to school this morning as have caught another cold, feel sick, have upset tum and generally feel lousy. Probably not a surprise after all the stress I've had recently.

Didn't get up straight away this morning as baby didn't seem to be moving as much as usual and I started to get really worried. Sat up in bed for a while, drank some really cold water and got more movements but nowhere near as many, or as violent, as usual.

Actually, I think she has turned anterior and that's why I'm not feeling the kicks as much. There's definitely movement going on, it just feels less strong.

Think I will put my feet up and write the Christmas cards this morning. If no improvement by mid-morning will call someone, although am not sure who as my mw is on holiday for two weeks. Also, if they do want me to go in for monitoring it will be a real problem as DH can't get off work and Mum is still not speaking to me. I think I would have to go to the main hospital in the city for monitoring and can't get there without transport.

fym, sounds painful, you poor thing. Hope the paracetamol helped.

flf, sorry you are not getting the support you should be from your mw. Agree it would be worth looking into other possible hospitals, hopefully you should at least be able to find somewhere to support a vbac in hospital even if you can't get a home birth.

elkie, pets are like kids aren't they. They can be such a pleasure but also such a nightmare. My dogs seem to have got over their lovely d&v virusy thing now and are slowly being weaned off chicken and rice and back onto dog food. Two of them are still really stinky though and they are the two I can't lift into the bath. We usually bath them in the garden in a giant tub, but I think that might be a bit mean bearing in mind the weather report said it would be 0 degrees but feel like -4 today! DH says he will try and fit in a bath for them at the weekend and in the meantime will have a go at stripping their coats out tonight as they have been shedding really badly since the central heating was put on.

That reminds me, really must call the kennels as we are going to ask them to have a kennel on standby for when I go into labour so the two biggest and liveliest dogs are out of the way. Don't think I would like them involved in the birth, lol. The oldest and smallest one probably won't even bother getting out of her bed to see what's happening. Hope the kennels can do it with it being the Christmas/New Year season. They are usually pretty good and put our dogs in with their own breeding stock when there wasn't a kennel free once before.

Sorry rambling on again, I seem to be very wordy on here at the moment but generally quiet in rl.

btw, am watching Portland Babies on Home & Health this morning. They had a delivery where the scan had got the sex of the baby wrong. Got me thinking about whether or not they've got mine right It will seem very strange if bubs turns out to be a boy after being called she since 20 weeks!

Crikey ladies - it is a bit tough trying to keep up with all the posts, I will try to catch up properly later today - going into town to do the rest of my Christmas shopping!

Rrayray - thanks for asking - the midwife appointment went well. Baby is head down - just praying it does not decide to move and stays put! Baby is well and everything is going along as it should - a relief for a first timer.

Rushing off again .... hope everyone is well!

Lots and lots of post ladies!!!!!

moosemama I too have that niggling fear in the back of my mind. not that i'd mind a boy at all, its just i have bought quite a few pink clothes and been calling her she! until shes out and is declared a SHE i wont be totally convinced!!

Am very glad that OH's team won their match last night after the fuss that him skipping the antenatal class to "prepare" for it caused. It was bitterly cold last night. How funny is this, i was wearing a lovely camel coloured Coat that my mother has passed ontn to me, its SO warm as it has a % of camel hair in it... but this coat (although it doesnt look it) is more than 25 yrs old, at least, as my mum bought and wore it when pregnant with me, and then wore it with me in a sling when i was little! It was really nice me and bump snuggling in it last night, thinking of when/where it'd be worn before.

Just ordered OH new golf clubs for Christmas. Am also going to order him a "daddy changing bag" ... we don't seem to like the same changing bags, so i've decided to have a girly one for me, and he can have a MAN bag :-) Blooming marvellous have a few.. including one that Brad Pitt was seen wearing... i mean come on, surely if Brad Pitt can wear it, its OK?!!

Off into town later to get on with the Xmas shopping... hoping it isn't TOO busy... not one for Christmas shopping crowds.

Got midwife appointment later - hopefully she's still head down... pretty sure she is, if anything feels like shes dropped even lower. Bump practically on Thighs when sitting down!!!!

Hi Ray,

Our boys have named our 'girl' and it will be really odd if 'she' is then a 'he' as we have been using the name at home for weeks now.

I've only bought a few pink things, newborn stuff is mainly white, but was toying with the idea of a shabby chic nursery with pale pink and palest green accessories. Having second thoughts now though, may have to go neutral and add a bit of colour afterwards.

You'll have to look after that coat, its a family heirloom now and if little one is a girl she'll be wanting it when she becomes a Mum!

Think bubs is ok, has been quiet but consistently moving around all morning and currently has strong hiccoughs! On the other hand I have a killer sore throat, headache and streaming nose - feeling very sorry for myself today and am still in PJs on sofa! Off to make some hot blackcurrant now and will get DH to come home for lunch so he can bring me something comforting to eat, along with some orange juice and of course ... chocolate!

Good luck at mw and hope shops aren't too busy for you.

moosemama really promise have been sending you good vibes but they just don't seem to be getting through! agree no wonder you are ill though after all the stresses. if you are calm on the outside prob all gone inside. you need to have a big rant and let it all out!
lennied ds absolutely fine now. other than the damage down below i am fine too .
flf its funny how the trauma comes back to bite you. i lose my breath everytime i go to the hospital.i am so scared of c section but had in my mind at least it was the right thing to do. but now with being told yesterday that baby smaller and could labour naturally if go before 39 weeks its all a bit up in the air. i think they are worried how i will cope mentally in labour and to be honest i am a bit worried too. but if i have c section then any more babies will also have to be c section. i am just hoping fate will decide for me what is for the best. don't know the ins and outs of your first labour but sounds like a rough time. i hope you can come to some sort of plan that helps to put your mind at ease.
booksgalore some days they just don't want to play ball. hope ds on better form today. my ds thinks kicking the bump is hillarious while changing his nappy and shouts kick kick kick! i blame his father.
my sis coming over tonight and because of your post spink we are having pizza. seriously off anything healthy and hoping vitamins are enough. will be blaming you post birth when i can't shift the extra weight