Due May 2009 - Bring on the Creme Eggs, mooing and choo chooing

[Jennster]

Thought I'd better start this soon.

Morning everyone. I seem to keep missing the big convos, but after 9 is my bath time and I soak in there for ever

Raspberry leaf tea worked too well for me with ds. I only took 2 or 3 capsules (+had sex) and went into labour, about 5 days before my due date. My mw at the time told me to lay of them in my 2nd pregnancy and I went into labour a little later (2days past my date, which I was hoping for, because my dd was due on Xmas day). Still had the sex though, which again seemed to do the trick .

Measuring of your bump shouldn't start until 28 weeks. Even though the charts start from 24 weeks, the recommendations are from 28 weeks, so plenty of time for most of us. It'll probably be at the next A/N visit, together with your 28 week bloods.

I'm lucky enough to have had my student community placements in the team where I'm delivering, so even though I wont have met most of the mw from the community midwives team in my area, I've met them as a student. One of the perks of my job I suppose

Gosh something's really wedged itself under my ribs and I have to sit straight and slightly stretched to the left side. I really think this one will be a big one. My 2 others were 8 pounders, but still, I'm sure neither of them had a bum/head wedged under my ribs at 26 weeks [slightly worried emoticon]

Hi Belgian why does a bum/head wedged in ribs indicate a "big un"? I have exactly the same thing going on (26+3), my MW said it was a head and baby was transverse with little bottm by my right lower ribs. Thankfully he/she has wriggled off somewhere else for now but does seem to like getting "stuck" right in there - usually in the evenings!

And sex, whats that again?

DP and DD gone to Wilkos as I keep moaning about the state of the office so think i may have a little snooze whilst I have the chance

See you later ladies

Aw Dandy I want to go on your course - looks brill but seems to be only for Londoners?

Have mailed to see if they have teachers elsewhere - sounds fab, right up my north west street...

we've had a pottering day so far today which has been v relaxing. LO didn't kick me too much last night so i feel more refreshed too. My job for today apart from washing one of ds comfort blankets is to start hemming the curtains I made for his room ages ago... They're full length and we have high ceilings so I plan to just park myself on his bedroom floor with a big cushion to sit on and work my way along by hand. Really can't be bothered to take them down and don't want to machine or heat fuse the hems so I can take them apart when(hopefully) we move. I recon I can get 2 sets of full length black out curtains from these ones as are windows are so big here in comparison to the new build.

Hi all,

I am having a very relaxing weekend too. Took DD (4yo) to stay with her grandparents yesterday and don't collect her until after lunch tomorrow. So we have just had DS to manage and he has been brilliant. Went out to tea with him yesterday (which was so much easier than with 2 toddlers) and just done a bit of shopping this morning, and he's now napping. SO i have my feet up infront of the mens tennis final and Federer was just changing his shirt and hope Nadal needs to do his soon .

Raspberry leaf capsules didnt seem to do anything for me (DD was 1 week overdue) and neither did sex . With DS I avoided them, and made DH wear condoms for sex as I didn't want DS coming before my elective cs.

I have started searching for a new changing bag, as my bag from DD is not much use (mesh pockets ripped etc) and is pretty grotty.

I have been looking on ebay and like the company ju ju be.

I have started to think i need a big bag as i will have newborn, DS age 2 and maybe stuff for DD age 4 on trips out. They do a "be prepared" bag which i can find on the web for £84 incl. P+P and there's a used one on ebay for £48. DH thinks i should just go the new one, but not sure its worth it, and whether i will be bothered carting a big bag around, or will end up filling it with things i never need, or whether i would be better getting a small one. Any views from those with multiple kiddies?

detsy I was just comparing my last 2 pregnancies with this one. And so was thinking that my other 2's bum/head didn't reach my ribs till a bit later, so this one must be bigger. I'm quite tall, so I presume it takes longer to reach my ribs . I measured myself, because I couldn't wait for my mw appointment and I plotted myself well above the 90th centile, so definitely a big one. It's very hard to palpate yourself, so I can't work out whether it's a head or a bum up there . Plenty of time for that to change though, so no worries.

It's snowing down here, the garden is slowly becoming white. I wish it would become a nice thick blanket, because we've got an unused sled in the shed and I'd love the dc's to be able to have a go on it.
I wonder why I volunteered for a night shift tonight, it's no weather to go out in and tomorrow's return journey will be a nightmare I think.

pulapula I think you'll end up having 2 bags: a smaller every day one and a bigger going out with all 3 one. A 4yo generally only needs a drink and a snack, no nappies, bottles etc...

Thanks Belgianchocs, Thats what i thought, but at £84 for a big one, not sure i can justify that if its only used on day trips out with all 3, so i still need a new small one too!

It was snowing here, but its stopped

I had a look at the ju ju be bags and they were gorgeous too. It's so tempting isn't it? Until I received my Blooming Marvelous catalogue this autumn I didn't realise there are so many nice changing bags out there and this thread has made it even worse. It really has made me dislike the one I've already got, but at the same time spending £40+ on a changing bag seems soo much. I wish I was rich...

I know what you mean- I spent £40 on my first samsonite changing bag and thought that was a lot but then seeing what else is out there has got me craving something with more pockets, more features etc, as i can never find what i need. I think i will keep looking on ebay for used or slightly used ones- no rush to get one now...

Ebay. That's where I'm at the mo. Looking at bags and nappies. I just bought some bamboozles reusables. I used reusable nappies with my other 2 and so I'm going to do it again, but I want to try the bamboo kind for a change. So another reason to have a decent size bag, because reusable nappies are quite big compared to disposable ones. So I've worked out I need a big bag, with a separate mummy section on the outside, a key cord, travel changing mat, somewhere to keep drinks for my other 2 when we go out, somewhere to keep spare baby clothes AWAY from the nappies and drinks in case of leaks, maybe space for a sling... hmmm, maybe I should just get myself a big bagpack with lots of pockets, because I think that's how much space I'll need

Well somehow I just purchased a small everyday changing bag on ebay for £6 incl. postage (mamas and papas) which will hopefully justify me spending more on a big "day tripper" designer one too in the near future...my DH despairs of my ebay purchases!

I despair at my own eBay purchases!

I despair of both of you - i now NEED a juju be bag.....

Detsy

My DH feels the same about living with me - 'old lady'!!

I'm bemused by all this pushchair and changing bag talk, not something I've been bothered by before but now I'm starting to think 'hmm, yes I can see that a funky, attractive changing bag is really rather important, £80 is do-able (if I tell DH it was £20)'.

Just got back from a party with DD2, she ate her bodyweight in cakes and biscuits (but was a good girl and ate 1 cheese sandwich for me ).

I have promised DH and DDs that I will stop whingeing so much - I have turned into a moaning, complaining old bag and I hate myself for it. I can't remember the last time I thought 'I'm pregnant, brilliant! I'm going to have a baby and I am thrilled!' which is how I should be feeling!!
I don't think I realised that a 3rd pregnancy at nearly 36 would be tough on my old bones creak creak

Evening!

I've just had a nice relaxing bath, and I noticed that my bump has changed shape. I think baby must have changed position, because the movements are a lot higher up and there is more of a bump on the left. I wonder if it is his bottom?

I am feeling very old this evening. I bumped into a woman who I met when she asked me to babysit her 2 and 4 year olds when I was an A Level student. Her gorgeous little boys are now great hulking 20 somethings. I don't know why I'm so shocked, but I now feel so old!

We've been out test-driving cars today to replace my dinky little car. I must say, having driven some huge cars today I must admit life will be a lot easier than driving my little car. At the moment, my bump is mm away from the steering wheel in my little car. It is sad, and we'll lose money, but I think we are going to need to get rid of it!

How is everyone feeling today?

I'm beginning to feel like a hippo! Spent a (small) fortune out today buying baby stuff - picking up (2nd hand) new car tomorrow, as have also got rid of my little ka and dp's golf - boooo. Bit worried that I have to go and pick it up now in the snow!!!

Am also now a 36E! Good grief, I'm turning into Katie Price....

llareggub I've changed shape too! When I lie down, above my belly button (or what was, dp now calls it a jelly tot!) its all long and squidgy! Most odd!

Got next midwife appointment on Tuesday morning... all ok, I'm thinking, so can't wait to hear the heartbeat again

Grumpyoldcaaaa - am nearly 37 with first pregnancy - feel a right old bag!

What's a juju bag? Is it a nice and pretty thing that I have to have? - am off to google it....

oooooooooooh they're NIIIIICE

Hi All,

glad i am not the only one who is grumpy - and feeling tired and like a washed out dishrag.wish i could be feeling more positive and bouncy, especially for DS (3) but work is really busy and stressful, which overlaps into home life too i think - not good.

We've been thinking of a new (2nd hand) car also - but as i will be on maternity leave in May, don't know how we could do it financially. our skoda is kind of wee in the back and the boot is small - okay day to day but even with a roof box for a weekend away or something it is stacked to the gunnels, never mind with new baby stuff!
haven't bought anything for the new one yet! but we don't know what we're getting - and quite looking forward to the surprise again, but means not very inspired to shop - however the changing bag may be another matter!

Evening gals, how are we all? Im sooo tired today, cleaning all morning party with DS all afternoon. Is this it now? ~Is the tiredness here to stay coz if so dont think im going cope for the rest of the time, I had no tiredness upto now so hi me like a bus.

sausagenmash ikwym about boob size... i've been wearing the nursing bras from having ds for a while now as my maternity ones from ds are not big enough in the cup. Currently a 34K in some brands and 34L in others. I'm hoping that i'll not need a bigger cup size after LO arrives as there are no bigger cup sizes available than these

I love all the changing bags and have now also started trawling ebay for one too. I had the huggies free one with ds and it was a real pain... time to treat myself to something nice looking and with all the right handy pockets

Both DH & I are feeling really upset tonight... He phoned his mum (8hrs away by car in scotland) for a how r u doing chat and it turned into a frustrating nightmare for him and not v pleasant for me to hear on this side either.... this is going to be a bit long winded... sorry

It all started when we told MIL I was pregnant with #2 when i was about 6wks. We asked if she would be able to come down and stay for the whole of may so we'd have someone here for DS when I went into labour with #2. She said she'd be delighted... we thought great sorted. My parents (who live here) would love to be able to help with DS when the time comes but both are disabled and not physically capable much to their disappointment. In november we asked if she wanted us to book her train/plain tickets for her for may and she said "i'm not sure if i'm able to come... it's too early to make that kind of decision" . We don't have a lot of family in the area so this caused us a lot of concern about what to do with DS when I go into labour. We eventually sorted out possible short term child care options for DS between various friends on call depending on when I go into labour to give our really good friend who lives/works in belgium time to get here ASAP when we call.

On the phone tonight DH was telling MIL about our hopefully moving into a 3 bed semi and out of our apartment... As of yesterday we've reserved a new 3 bed semi-det persimmon home and they're going to do all they can to sell our place in the next 6wks. So 1 bedroom for dh & I, 1 for DS & 1 for LO. She then announced we need a room for her as she's coming down when #2 arrives previously she's said don't go buying a house bearing a possible visit from me in mind so we've taken her at her word. She then announced she'd have our bed & DH & I could sleep on the lounge floor when she comes down. DH was not impressed and said there was no way he was making his wife sleep on the floor after giving birth to #2 a few days previously or even before the birth when 9months pregnant. She took the huff and said we didn't need anyone to look after DS anyway as DH could do it as I could have #2 in hospital on my own

Now I know both DH & I have come a long way getting over the post traumatic stress of DS's birth but not to the extent where I feel able to go through it again without DH being with me. I'm dodgy with anaesthesia & had a bad post partum haemorrhage after my emergency cs with DS and was in and out of consciousness for 5 or 6 hours afterwards. Do not remember the 1st two breast feeds due to not being concious and DH thought at one stage he was going home with DS and not me. Just the thought of not having DH with me frightens the life out of me... with irrational thoughts of if I'm going to die I want to spend my last moments with DH before I go. DH told his mum I was too scared to do #2 on my own & her answer was she did hers on her own and i'd be fine.

Are we being unreasonable to not... give up our bed for her when she visits post birth to coo at #2 (not to pitch in & help) and to be upset at her attitude towards DH wanting to be at the birth of his second child. I've been in tears for most of the last few hours... could be pregnancy hormones but her attitude really upset us.

Sorry for the long winded rant. That wasn't the whole conversation... there were other bits that made me too but those 2 were the worst...

Fikelly how sad for you guys. What a silly lady, im not sure how you can move from here but certainly doesnt seem an option her helping as she seems so thoughtless and its a stress already!!

Dh has decided to not include her in our plans... I said we could make it work somehow but he's sure she'll change her mind again anyway so to stick to the plans we've made that we feel comfortable with.... and has said there's no way he'll be leaving me to have #2 on my own so not to get upset. I think he's just amazed at her selfishness (his words)

FiKelly you are not being unreasonable in the slightest. I cannot believe your MIL would expect you and DH to give up your bed before or after you giving birth. How is that going to help and support you? Grrr. As far being on your own through the birth - why should you? She sounds dreadful! I can totally understand why that make you angry. What is wrong with people??! I am feeling very on your behalf now...

Some people.... my poor DP was recently informed by his own parents and brother and SIL that they are all going away for a holiday together in mid-late May. His parents live very near and I assumed they would want to be nearby for the birth/after the birth. Clearly not! Luckily my sister and her DP, and my own parents are all round the corner so we will get support from my side of the family at least.