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

[Jennster]

Thought I'd better start this soon.

Awwwww

One of my work colleagues just gave me a baby cardigan that his wife has knitted for my LO over the past few weeks. A little cream one with beautiful buttons and a little ribbed pattern.

Awwwww I had tears in my eyes, that's just so lovely (and I love hand-knitted baby stuff - no-one in our families can knit).

That has totally made my day.

Just thinking about DD2 again, she solemnly told me the other day that Frances at school had 'talked moody and toilet talked' to one of the teachers. Her face was the epitome of , she had on her very serious voice and was so very disapproving (like she's never 'talked moody' to me)

Oh what a morning! So much for me having a day off and DH telling me to rest! I spent an hour in a carpet shop and then 2 hours waddling round Tescos. Home, put away the shopping then made myself toast with peanut butter, raspberry jam and sliced banana on top,when DH phoned me to ask what side are his brakes on his BMX in the garage. So out I went to find out... meanwhile the 2 dogs ran off with one slice of my toast. I was MAD! DH (on phone) told me to stay calm and make another one - I did one better!! I used it as a rightful excuse/reason to have a slice of Lemon Meringue! Oh and I finally found HOT CROSS BUNS in Tescos - apple and cinnamon ones too! Anyway I am here now resting, before I have to go outside and pick up what the dogs have left all over my garden, DH never seems to see the sh*t, but is able to avoid walking on it all. If I could I would rehome the 2 dogs we have, but he won't let me!!

Anyway - SpangleMaker - I was gonna advise you to get rid of the M&P Pliko - I had one and I hated it for a few reasons, although it always seems to come top of the reveiws. But I can understand where your DH is coming from, so until you know how you are financially, I'd make do with it.

FiKelly - MIL!!! Next time you visit her in her 1 bed apt maybe you should ask her if you can all sleep in her bed to save on the accommodation costs!!! !!

Looby - sorry to hear about your cat. We had to get one of our dogs put down about8 years ago - she bit me, but had a brain tumour and behavioural problems etc. She was cremated and buried in the back garden where I bought a tree to plant over her. Every time the tree's leaves etc come through each spring it remeinds me of her. Also - your boss is the last thing you need right now. I agree totally with others re the letter and the advice agencies. Do you have a Union Rep??

Dandy thinking about you and your artery prob -xx

8rek218 - Oh please pass on your friends advice regarding the nappies. I am considering them, but am totally swamped with the choices and terminology used to be honest. Also wouldnot know how many to buy of each size. Nor would I wantto be caught out not having them washed and ready etc - so disposables are handy for me - less hassle etc.... unless you lot can persuade me otherwise!!

HtheH - sorry to hear you and your DH are both redundant at the same time. But amazed at your fantastic attitude to the situation! You should maybe consider becoming self employed- if you are talented at curtain making could it become a PT job?? Can you do clothes repairs/adjustments etc?? Have a go at making soft furnishings and sell them at car boot sales or craft fairs etc?? Regarding the name Fox, I too thought of Fox Mulder from the X Files - and I think he (the actor David Duchovany) also presented some dodgy late night sex program thing!

You may recall I have been looking for a change bag and someone here recommended the OiOi to me. Well I think I have struck bargain of the day - I contacted a seller on ebay who had just listed hers and asked her if she'd consider a 'buy it now'? She offered it to me for £20+p&p. Deal! I'm happy! Though I cannot beleive how much some of the second hand ones actually go for on ebay - nearly as much as a new one!

I am VERY SORE getting. IS anyone experiencing a pressure type pain above the pubic bone? Also I really do now think the SPD has returned. Walking is agony, as is getting up from a seat and turning over in bed. Thankfully though it is not that bad that I waken with pain every time I go to move - either that or I don't budge once I'm asleep!! If I complain to DH his supportive reply is 'Well you did want to get pregnant again'!! All I want is a hug!

DS compained of a sore throat on Sunday night and DH suggested I keep him off school. So Itook him tothe GP cos I thought his tonsils looked 'up'. The Gp informed me there was nothing wrong with him! - Throat, chest, ears & glands all OK! God I felt daft! But he did have a bit of a temp and his asthma cough was bugging him so I kept him off yesterday too!! We did Lego together!

OMG!!! That WAS a long one! Nearly a page to myself! SOrry!

DandyLioness could you have a look at this thread and maybe give some of your wonderful advice? Anyone else with employment law/HR experience??

been quiet today, eh? hope everyone is well. I'm finished with work for the day (i think) so am going to bundle up against the cold to walk the dog. is so much easier without the two heavy toddlers in P&T.

must get that buggy board on ebay tonight... would be so much easier.

I just trawled through the nappy thread. Bloody hell. Its so full on. I'm thinking, would it really be that much harder to fold a flat nappy? It seems less complex in a way. IS it that much hard work to use flat cloth nappies? Am I going off the deep end? Could you just fold a lot of nappies in the morning and then use liners/ boosters or whatever? Otherwise I am thinking Sandy's and some muslin for newborn.

I'm not sure why I'm so obsessed with this right now. As with all things baby, its all new to me, first time pregnancy, and if I have a little look at something it opens this gaping chasm of information and everything turns out to be so much more complex than I imagined. I was completely mental over Christmas/ New Years after reading a lot about giving birth. Which I'd always thought was pretty straight forward. Pfff.

Polony - apologies for repeating myself, but tbh I really would suggest trying a few different nappies to begin with rather than deciding on one kind in advance and then going out an getting a whole set only to discover that they just don't suit your LO. Talk to any of the nappy sellers about your priorities, they will suggest a few to try, get one or two of each, use them for a while and then decide. Before DD was born we thought Fluffles would be perfect, but it turned out they were rubbish on DD! It's a good idea to try squares first, but if you don't get on with them don't let them put you off cloth completely!

I'm shattered this afternoon, had to go to the chiropractor but it was such hard work pushing the pushchair over the ice, I had to walk really carefully and slowly and it was hard going. Didn't get round to making cake today either, met a friend for lunch instead which was more fun!

Must have missed your post flippineck - thanks - given that all the feedback and reviews I've looked through are all totally subjective, that seems to make sense. I was hoping to be able to get it right first time because I don't want to spend more than we need to but it does seem sensible to do it that way.

Hope you're feeling better after your appointment.

Siiiigh...

I just don't 'get' all the different nappies that are about. I wish there was a book about them! I don't get it when people say things about liners and disposable pants, etc etc. Its a whole new language. I'm just getting to grips with the whole pram lingo!

Just a little update - re: seeing my midwife yesterday who couldn't hear the baby's heartbeat. Well, I work in the hospital where I'm giving birth, so I marched up to the assessment unit, gave them the story, got seen within 20 minutes and heard a lovely strong heartbeat woomfing away. Got bollocked for not having my notes with me (oops), but I didn't care, was so happy to hear the woomfing that I shed a few little tears. What a wuss.

HtheH - know what you mean about midwives seeming so disinterested - I get the same feeling too, and I haven't met the same personnel yet. Fortunately, some colleagues are putting me in touch with the Consultant Midwife here at my hospital and I'm going to have a little bleat at her - just generally ask stuff that I'm not sure about etc. Eg, I've got arthritis in one of my hips from an old childhood hip illness, and I have no idea if this will have an impact on me in labour. Asked midwife yesterday and she said "oh I'm sure it will be fine"....??!! (she of not being able to hear baby's hearbeat....) Blah blah blaaaaah... maybe I'm just a big worrier!!

Anyway, off to my yoga class in a bit.... and breeeeeathe....

Hiya folks, blimey, loads of posts since this morning!

Looby am still not impressed with your boss. It just in't acceptable to vaguely promise to get you paid up until December.

I went for a scan and and an appointment with the consultant today. I get more scans because of the risk of a big baby with gestational diabetes. The scan was amazing! Baby looks just like DS1 looked like on the scan and he has a very cute little button nose. The good news (I think) is that baby is not small and is on the 10th centile, so I've got another scan in 2 weeks. The bad news is that yet again there is more protein in my urine and due to an itchy rash on my hands and wrists I have been sent for a liver function test.

My hospital has a policy of admitting all babies born to diabetic mothers into special care, whether they need it or not. I went in to see the consultant all prepared to argue the case for keeping baby with me. She was very supportive and said she would support me if I chose to fight it with the hospital management. She suggested that I write to the Head of Midwifery and the Chief Executive, which I did today. So I feel very upbeat about the delivery and up for challenging the hospital's policy, which contravenes the national guidelines.

sausagemash really pleased to hear you got yourself monitored and it is good news!

Hi there,

Loobey - hope you get your wages sorted soon. I'd be by myself by now. How does your boss expect you to live?!

On the nappy front Polony and sausageanmash - see if your local council holds a nappy coffee morning. I went to one when I was pregnant with ds and it made things a lot clearer!

When I got back from work today, ds was asleep so I sat on the sofa with the laptop and a jar of nutella and a spoon. Before I knew it I'd eaten about 1/2 of it!! Haven't felt too great since, must remember not to buy it again. Well I must dash and ds is about to attack me!

sausagemash - I completely know where you are coming from regarding the mappy choice! I get all confuddled when I read 'pre-fold', 'liners', 'covers', 'booster' etc. I do remember my mum using terry toweling nappies that she folded 'for a boy' or 'for a girl' added a nappy liner, pinned it on and plonked a 'rubber pant' on top! I also recall the bucket sluicing them out in nappy san, and gillions of nappies blowing in the breeze! It seems like a lot of hard work and upfront expense to maybe end up throwing the towel in (good pun eh!!?) I would like to be more environmentally friendly and am aware of the impact disposables have, but I put myself under a lot of pressure with No1 that I ended up with PND, and although I'd seriously love to try them I am worried it may be too much for me. Also I think if I told DH I was going to try/buy reusables and gave him a figure of say £100 for what it appears you need 'to get started', he would flip! OK you'd spend more on disposables over the 3 or so years you'd need them. And he had enough trouble fixing a disposable onto our son that I have a giggle to myself when I envisage the scene of him trying to figure out reusables and what you're meant to do with all the bits!!! I might have a read on Which? to see what they say too.

Polony i did what flippineck suggested... that's why I have a few different types. It soon became clear which one worked best for DS (shape/leg size etc) & I when we got into using them. I then purchased a supply of those... the others didn't go to waste as we use them if we have to but they're not my first choice.

sausagemash glad you got to hear your thumper... I was at my midwife appointment this morning (DS with me as usual) and was great feeling to hear it again

llareggub glad you have the consultant on your side. I'd want my baby with me after & would be fighting it too...

I just found this auction site dedicated to used reusables. I had a look on Which? and it came up! Interesting!! Might persuade me to try them!

CREME EGG CARAMEL EGG CREME EGG CARAMEL EGG CREME EGG CARAMEL EGG CREME EGG CARAMEL EGG ! ! ! ! ! !

chocolatebunnies are you in the mood for caramel creme eggs by any chance?!

I have been very naughty- had a left over tin of toblerone minis from christmas, which we have now opened and me and DH have scoffed loads! no wonder i am constipated

I've the munchies and had already scoffed the last mini roll earlier so just made myself a huge bowl of popcorn. lo very active this evening.. my belly looks like something out of alien!

Hello again,

Just wanted to check in to say Polony I had my conversation with nappy woman today - she was great. As my main criteria are ease of use, speed of drying and absorbancy she recommended the bumgenius - which seems to be a popular one on MN too. If you don't mind changing more regularly she recommended Lollipop Rainbows - but I haven't been able to find many reviews of that one. She said the main reason for using two-peice ones are that they come in natural fabrics and you can spread the cost a bit buying a few of each size. I'm also going to buy a few prefolds for emergencies and if I don't get round to doing the washing as often as I kid myself I will

Sorry you had a bad day yesterday Dandy hope today was better.

Looby I'm horrified by your boss, I hope you get paid soon.

HtheH - really sorry about your redundancy - its happening all over, not that that's any consolation. Best of luck for finding something new soon.

And everyone - enough already with the cake! DH won't thank you when I pack him off to Tescos in the middle of the night

PS We tried folding terries with DD1 - it seems like it shouldn't be too difficult but actually when we were knackered and befuddled and sleep-deprived we just couldn't be bothered and we stopped using them after a month or so. But maybe we're just a bit useless!

well i've just demolished the huge bowl of popcorn i made there was a bit left in the pan that wouldn't fit in the bowl... thinking of just finishing that too.

Do prefold nappies have the water proof wrapper and booster bit already on them?? Ive been looking at teh nappy site I mentioned and the ones I'm interested in come in parts that you seem to have to assemble...??? What's the difference?

Re nappies again (sorry, it's one of the only subjects I know quite a lot about ). You don't need to soak nappies when you store them - look for tips on dry pailing, you basically scarpe the worst of the poo off (rinse in flush of toilet if necessary) then just dump in the bucket. If you have a bucket with a well fitting lid they won't smell, or if you prefer you can dd lavender/teatree/other essential oil on a liner or muslin to the bucket. One other thing - I'd really hesitate to recommend prefolds to anyone! I know there are people out there who use them and get on with them, but I haven't come across many! We tried a couple and they were a disaster.

When we were looking at nappies, we thought speed of drying was a priority, but actually after we tried a few different things we realised that as long as we had enough and washed often enough then the drying speed was less crucial than we thought. We've got about 20 size 1s and 15 size 2s, and then there's a few extras (different brands) that I've bought just because I fancied trying. There's a pretty good second hand market for nappies so you can buy and sell fairly easily and not lose too much (sometimes any!) money.

Right. I'll shut up about nappies now. Sorry.

I do feel better after seeing the chiropracter today, my hips and pelvis are much more comfortable, but I must have pulled a muscle in my shoulder when I fell yesterday (put my hand out to stop the fall) and am now struggling to lift anything and can't raise my arm above shoulder height.