March 2009: Beware of TMI . . . we're getting ready to give birth and there's nothing we won't share.

[MKG]

Ok so I'll start it off.

Has anyone else had a huge increase in discharge? It's gone from clear and not too much to thick and white, and copious amounts.

that should be from 10pm to 6.30am without a wee last night

Meep - I am usually very independent too - DH used to be in the marines and was in Afghanistan for 7 months at one point (and Norway for 3 before that, and he used to live in Scotland when I lived down here in London), so I was very used to my own company (or that of my girlfriend's!)... and then in March last year he changed jobs and now works in London too, and I am completely attached already, even though we had 5 years of doing the long distance thing. It was a shock to the system having him live with me in what I felt was MY space (obviously it's a shared mortgage so it's his space too, but it felt like mine, IYKWIM) and now that I am used to it, I am completely lost without him for a couple of days. Useless.

Does everyone's DH get 2 weeks paternity leave? Will anyone's being taking more than that by adding on annual leave on to the end of it?

Dog to vet in an hour. She seems less clingy this morning so hopefully she's on the mend (and her farts will stop - they have been KILLER).

xx

dh is taking his 2 weeks paternity leave - then a few thursdays off as dd will be at home with me and the baby so will be easier with two of us to keep them both amused.

Last time he took 2 weeks post birth off then 3 weeks off about a month later which worked well.

I was amazed at how much I relied on him when he was here but as soon as he went back to work I had to get on with it - and lo and behold I coped fine though I did get a tad bored/anxious/confused in those early days and was practically watching out the window for him coming home every night.

We're not sure what is happening with DP's maternity leave. He hasn't been working with them for long enough to get in on their usual deal (by two weeks!) but hopefully we can arrange the statutory government paperwork and he'll be able to get at least two weeks.

Meep: DP and I used to be long distance and are going to have to be again for nine months next year but after this year of uninterrupted us time I know I will find it really hard to let him go again!

Sorry to hear about all the dog troubles, hopefully they'll be all patched up and feeling better by the time the new arrivals turn up!

So... anybody else on a snowday again?? (I have no idea why we're on a snowday - but I'm a few towns over from the school so I can only assume the snow is much worse there!)

Currently DH only planning on taking the 2 weeks paternity leave, but we'll see how it goes.

I could also do with those fairies, my intention was that the buggy would be stored in the cupboard under the stairs but the cupboard is stuffed with rubbish which needs sorting or throwing away and the buggy and car seat have so far been living in the hall and babys room. And unsurprisingly I can't motivate myself to clean the cupboard so I was wondering if those fairies could do it.

I am very jealous of the managing to go the whole night without getting up to wee. I still need to go at least 3 times every night.

Also had a look at our finances last night - getting a little worried about we are going to afford to live once my salary stops. SMP just is not comparable, and currently I pay all the bills. Oh well, I hope this is just something we will get used to and survive through. Just praying when April comes round DHs job review involves a much needed pay rise (at least back to what he was on before the credit crisis hit in).

I could do with those fairies to, as every time i plan to do some jobs this week dd1 school is shut bloody snow.

meep that's ok about the name. we just need to think of one if we have another dd.

DD1 Elizabeth (Lizzie) and DD" Alexandra (Lexie). We sort of settled on Charlotte as it the only one we can agree on.

DH is taking one week paternity leave on full pay then maybe 2 weeks holiday, By which time i will be pulling my hair out and wishing he would go back to work .

Charlotte is on my list as well !

If this one comes out a girl I reckon dh will just cave in to one of my girls names in the end!

With dd we knew what he or she would be called so were able to tell the whole operating theatre .......... once they'd convinced me she was actually a girl! Even then, when she was 3 days old dh did say "I'm not sure if dd looks like an Emily"!

Sigh - she is most definitely an Emily now though!

Twocute Er...no, I haven't. But can I stress, my bag is packed, it's the baby's one I need to do (am I selfish?). It's because I still need to look out the baby clothes we've been given and give them a wash, but I can't seem to get any time on my own to do it. So I have demanded my DH take the kids and go out with them at the weekend so I can get it done.

I too am feeling a bit clingy to DH - he's out at work all day and then has been working on converting the garage every night (not for the baby to stay in obviously but for other reasons and it must be finished) so I spend a lot of time on my own (with kids).

Meep Katie was on our short list last year for DD2 and I also always liked Alex for a boy, but we have a different name in mind this time, so we shall have to see if he comes out suiting it!

Well I've got a MW appt in an hour with 'The Dynamo' so it'll be interesting to meet her and see if she's as dull in real life as she is on the phone. Thank God I've not had her all the way through and that I am nearly finished anyway!

Later Y'all!

Hello ladies,

Quick update from me - there seems to be some confusion as to whether I have gestational diabetes due to a high blood sugar level taken before Xmas (nice to see my hosp is on the ball ). It was 6.9mmol/l does that sound high to any of those who know about gd?

So I went for a fasting blood test yesterday and suppose I might hear back before the baby's born

But I guess it means I should watch my diet a bit. I've been given some very confusing info regarding GI foods and it seems that I can eat chocolate but not jellybeans, special K but not cornflakes and basmati rice but not white rice! It seems so random I'm having trouble getting my head around it.

Re names - I love Alexandra for a girl, but DH not keen. If we end up choosing one of his names I might try and save it for a middle name

Right, am supposed to be working but am going to scrub this house from top to bottom as the fairies obviously got snowed in at Fairyville.

Dog asleep, cat asleep, washing on and dishwasher humming away so now it's the kitchen floor's turn. Will be back in 4 hours for a cuppa.

xx

P.S, Marianne Lucy Reed or Zachary James Reed are the current faves.

Ooo really nice to hear people's names ideas. I'm worried we wont be able to choose. I want a Scandinavian one as my Mum is Swedish but DP thinks they all sound a bit weird which I can understand.

Spent all day in hospital yesterday as midwife thought I might be going into early labour!!

Turns out I wasnt butthe nurse felt my tummy and said "ooo that is GOOD sized baby - 34 wees? Are you sure of your dates?" and pulled a face like this but with a wry smile...

Arrgghh, my baby is huge! I can almost feel the tearing already

That aside, it was really good to go in and see the labour ward - you have to do a virtual tour at my hospital because they dont have enough staff to show you round.

There was a little plastic box next to my bed with nappies and rolled up towels in it - I cant get my head round the fact that I'll have a baby in one of them soon!

Also, labour wards are so hot arent they??? Why are they so hot?? I'm going to go in a vest, it was ridiculous.

Boobz - Zachary is a really gorgeous name.

labour wards are indeed so hot - and they still insist on putting an (admittedly) very cute wooly hat on your newborn and swaddle them in about 4 layers of blankets! Then you take your baby home and immediately get the MW and HV teeling you not to overheat them and never to let them wear a hat in bed!

I found it all very confusing!

Realise my message above should say 37 weeks and not...wees...

34 weeks.

Oh god, I'm really ready for maternity leave now.

Yeah, that is weird about them being wrapped up so much - I'm hot in this weather so goodness knows how I'll cope in there in labour!

Hi all, sorry some of you are having a hard time, not having the best day my self. Not much sign of snow up here hust really icy and on leaving this morning I skidded and reversed into a parked car opposite my house so left a note and now waiting on an irate person turning up at my door also got dd1 off as she was sick last night but seems ro be fine now and winding ds up nicely

kanga 5th baby wow! Thought I was the maddest person on here we are on number 4.
About the bf thing I only stopped feeding ds before christmas this year, don't think he was geting much milk was more a comfort thing.

Hi all,
well it is snowier than a snowy thing with snow on it around here - at least a foot of the stuff piled up, and it's still coming.

I can't get to work (for the second time this week), and have just got the phone call to say DS's nursery is closing at lunchtime and can I come and get him.

AAARGH, a 20 minute walk down a steep hill (can't take the car, obviously, and the buses stopped running at 8.30 this morning), and I have SPD and am just on 35 weeks with a heffalump baby inside my tummy. AAAARGH. It's at least 40 mins back up the hill with DS stopping to look at everything and pick up armfuls of snow!

I've just put a load of tiny baby clothes on to wash. I remember holding them up to my tummy last time and thinking 'no way is my baby that big!'. Now I can't tell the difference between 0-3, 3-6 and 6-9 month clothes without finding the lables because they all look so TINY!

It's lovely hearing all these name choices (so much more civilised than the baby name threads!), and much sympathy to all those feeling crappy, and to lollipopz for the car crunch - hope the person is decent, I bumped someones car once and they were lovely about it, so it can happen...

Thanks Captain! Its the sitting waiting for the knock on the door thats making me feel nervous will up date when they appear if the rain hasnt melted my note by then! x

Missmodular--6.9 sounds good. It's in the normal range for a post meal reading for a non-diabetic.

Kitchen done, on to lounge...

Pah, am sitting on the sofa with a hot wheatie bag across my hips as have nasty twingey periody pains. Am hoping at 35+2 this isn't going to develop into anything, but Danger is definitely dropping into position now if the pressure on my bladder is anything to go by! Bloody typical if he decides to arrive early now after I've just gone on eBay for homebirth stuff!

Millie how about Christiana? It's one of my favourite Scandinavian names.

We're going for either William or Gabriel Thomas with this one.

Oh laumiere-I hope he stays put.

Well, I put the cradle together. In the process I broke my foot. Not really but ds1 ran in and decided to play with the drill I was just opening the box as I saw him take the drill to my bed so I ran and grabbed it from him, went back and box fell on my foot. It's bruised, and it hurts, and I can't walk on it. Great. Good morning MKG!!

Ouch MKG, rest, elevate and put some ice on it!

I'm hoping he does too, I've had the crampy feeling before so fingers crossed he's just got himself in an awkward spot again.... Danger had hiccups for ages last night, Michael never got them so I was really bemused for about 10 min!

Goldmother2b we used my sisters name as a middle name so DD is Olivia Grace my lil sis was chuffed as anything!

for this one we are currently on Eleanor Ann or William Thomas (think its a girl but scan wasnt 100%!) I liked Alexander but DH work buddy is an Alex so he said no! Also like Zachary but again DH said no! Have no other real contenders girl wise!

DD's input to names has been Julie or Lisa (no idea where either came from!) and Henrietta for a boy, she does not believe me that its a girls name!

Sunshinesmith bought some raspberry leaf tea today! cant quite bring myself to replace one of beloved cuppas with it yet though! Just convinced its going to be horrid! might let it go cool and then knock it back like tequila!

DD has been so clingy and a nightmare when leaving her at playschool but it was sweet to have the teachers all sticking up for her when i was telling her offf! She has also been telling them i didnt give her breakfast yesterday and today she had chocolate nuts! its not exactly the turuth! yest i made toast she didnt eat and today she had chocolate rice crispy cakes!

lollipopz yes I/dh must be mad...in fact that was the general reaction when I announced it last year. My parents will barely speak about it which is a bit hurtful at times. All I can say is we are very excited about it and can't wait for another baby, although it will be chaos in the house!!!

re names: we are absolutely hopeless at naming ours...took 6 weeks to name ds2. And we knew he would be a boy. I didn't find out the sex with no4 as I thought what's the point, I can't give them a name until I have met them. I don't know the sex of this baby, in that I'd struggle to come up with another two boy's names. Maybe they should just announce it to me on arrival. I do get a shortlist then choose something completely different. I am embarrassed to say we even changed ds3's name after a few days as it just didn't fit. See I'm hopeless.

re labour/maternity wards are really hot I think because newborns can't regulate their temperature, and they're always being undressed to be examined.

I need some fairies to do my shoppping as Sainsbury's called yesterday to cancel my order as their vans were slipping on the icy side roads...so it's OK for me to drive then??

laumiere the last few weeks are agonising aren't they with baby bouncing on cervix, bladder and goodness knows what. I feel mine drop down very early as there must be a pretty well worn route by now...