Due in June 2009: The final quarter - packing our bags and remembering to squuueeeeeeezzeeeee!..

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

Here it is!

[Tee2072]

I am getting an Amby Hammock, rather than a moses basket, and I understand they can be in that until they outgrow it, about 1 year.

I am planning on having baby in with me for at least 2 months, maybe more, depending on how well it sleeps and what my husband's work schedule is like after that time. He's a teacher, so he has a pretty flexible schedule from end of May to beginning of September!

I am, however, hoping to have the baby nap in a cot, so that it is used to sleeping in different environments.

Yes, I have thought about this a lot!!!

[lauraloo09]

june I am also planning the same but I have a crib passed onto me from my brother and SIL. I was planning to keep baby in me and DH's room until aroun 4 months then put them into the cotbed in her own room.

Littlesarah I agree with insy the right house is out there for you, as my wee granny says what's for you wont go by you x

tee thanks for your post re sickness/mat leave. I hope your feeling better after your fall x

Thanks everyone for your responses re my mat leave dilema june my work policy states the same about mat leave automatically starting 4 weeks before I am due but someone in my payroll team stated that as far as they are concerned my mat leave may start anytime after the 11 week before I am due if I am on sick due to a pregnancy related illness.
I spoke to DH and he just told me to start early because, as he put it knowing me I will feel guilty about being off work sick where as if I just start my annual leave and mat leave early I can chill and relax (I can see his point) After I take some annual leave I will accrue next year I will only be going back 1 week before originally planned. So here's hoping I stop worrying about this

[chocciedooby]

Hi June.

Many people have different views on when to move baby from their room so its really an individual thing. We had our 1st born in with us until he was 5 months and ds2 was moved into his own room at 11 weeks!

Babies don't stay in moses baskets for very long at all! Only a couple of months if I can remember so you have to decide if you would be prepared to move baby out of your room that early.
I would say maybe not. I preferred to keep baby NO1 close to me so I could keep checking he was still breathing! DS2 was moved earlier as he slept thorugh the night from 9 weeks and was a very easy baby.

[chocciedooby]

After saying all of that I am now mulling it all over again in my mind. We are planning on moses basket in our room and when baby outgrows it, into their own room right next door with baby monitor. Cot is already assembled in there and is a bugger to take down and reassemble. I just hope this baby settles ok and that I am content enough to move them so early.

[chocciedooby]

Littlesarah - sorry to hear the house didn't work out. Same thing happened to us a few years back and we ended up with a much better house in the end. There will be the perfect house out there so try to keep chin up

Lauraloo - sounds like you can relax a bit more about the whole work thing now. Good for you

Hi everyone else. Sorry not replying to everyone. Struggling to keep up with htese flying June threads .

Had physio again today.Been given exercises to do. Belt is really helping.

Feeling a bit more energised this week. Hope it continues this way.Mrsmc - sorry forgot you asked me where my parents are in Spain. They are on the Costa Del Sol about 3 miles outside of Fuengirola. They have a really nice quiet spot where the beaches are empty

[ermintrude13]

June yes, the average sized baby will outgrow a moses basket or crib by around 4 months. I'd rather not have a cot in our room but depends on the baby - my DD slept with us in bed for 8 months and then moved straight to a cot in her room with some difficulty (milk madness!), whereas DS liked to go into his crib next to the bed after feeding and had a fairly painless transition to cot in his own room around 3-4 months. As Tee suggests, doing naps in the cot when they're not so tiny that they look lost is a good way of getting them used to it.

[Naat]

Hi Juners,

Laura Glad you're feeling more reassured re. early mat leave. You need to be a guilt-free mum to be . Oh! loved your gran's saying by the way

Hi ermin and choccie!

I've just had the chat with my dad and I feel blue He was really sweet about it, bless him. He's always been like that, calm and sweet, which is why it broke my heart in a way and now I feel guilty Laura us and our preggers guilt!

Anyway, I think he got some news from the new research project that would have made it really hard for them to come in June anyway, but I couldn't help but see sadness in his face... He really wanted to see his GD. I know my mum won't mind that much but I feel for my dad . Uhhhhhh pg hormones!

[lauraloo09]

Hiya all

naat sorry to hear your feeling a bit blue - this pregnancy guilt isn't good is it? Glad your dad understands and with his research it might be easier on him now. When will you parents be able to visit?

How's everyone else been feeling today? I have been having slight tightenings around bump and had some cramping when I went for groceries but everything is fine now baby kicking away as normal. Just wondering has anyone tried raspberry leaf tea in the later stages and if so did this help with second stage labour? I was contemplating taking it from the 32nd week is this too early?

[chocciedooby]

AAAArrrrhhh naat sorry to hear you are feeling a little down about your dad. Try not to worry though. These things always work out well in the end and everyone will be so happy to meet new baby when they can

lauraloo - I took RL tea with both Dc's. Used cheap stuff the 1st time and really didn't make any difference at all. In fact I took ages to start dilating

2nd time around a pal of mine got me some real RL tea. The thick leafy type that doesn't taste as good but I do believe it helped a lot. Can't remember when I started drinking it but I think it was about 38/ weeks.

[ermintrude13]

Naat sorry you had a difficult conversation with your dad, but at least things are clearer now. And they'll be able to see the LO very soon after it's born, won't they? Try not to feel guilty!

laura there's been a bit of discussion about raspberry leaf tea and the general idea seemed to be that you shouldn't take it more than 8 wks before due date - going down to 6 in some peoples' opinions - and that it had to be the foul-tasting real deal rather than the pleasant tea bags! Also you have to take it after the birth to help the uterus contract. And finally, there's no conclusive research about it and some woman have found it made no difference to their labours, but there is a suggestion it can reduce the time of the second stage by helping the womb limber up!

DS was sick in the car earlier - I had my own sick bag at the ready, fortunately - so I'd better go and check he's OK . night all.

[June2009]

Oh Naat, it's not always easy when family is far away, is it. I think when the baby's here you won't have much time to think about them not being there, your dad will be busy with his project and it'll be brill when they eventually come over and youre all settled and in a routine.

My dad and bro - who already cancelled coming over for xmas because of having a contagious stomach bug - were planning to come over for Easter but now they're not coming anymore becasue the airline who was doing the cheap and easy direct route has stopped doing it making the trip longer, more expensive and just not right for these dates, after that they either can't make it or we can't. (We're looking at weekends only)

Now they're even talking about just waiting for us to go over in September (which I have already said I can't promise.)
I don't know wether to be sad or angry about it, it's not entirely their fault but I can't help thinking I am putting more effort into it than they are.

I think I'll just eat some cheese now, that'll fix it ;)

[Tee2072]

naat sorry to hear you are feeling blue. It is so hard when family is far away. My best friend (who also happens to be married to my brother) lives in California and this has got to be the most I've missed her since I moved here to Belfast. I was at the birth of her first daughter and I so wish she could be at the birth of mine.

I hope everyone has a nice day. I'm off today so going to buy some new shoes that don't make me trip over curbs!

[bunnymother]

Morning ladies!!

Spooky that you were talking about sleeping arrangements last night! DH and I were talking about it over dinner, I look at MN and there was the conversation!

After last night's chat, am now thinking about copying Tee and having a moses basket or crib in our room, transitioning her into her own bed by taking naps in her cot bed.

I have a question - if I got a crib instead, how long can she use that for? Wouldn't want to move her out at 2 months if she has outgrown the moses basket.

Naat - oh, I feel for you, v tough w family so far away and v hard to manage the guilt, isn't it? Perhaps you can just promise your Dad lots of webcam chats w your LO and that when he does come over, it will be to a fatter, more interactive grandchild? That's my sell!!

Had a crappetty crap night's sleep last night - am getting pretty uncomfortable and the nightly smack down sessions from my LO are a bit much! Will be having a nap today for sure!!

[bunnymother]

Actually, I do have another question... Does anyone know where can I get this foul, but powerful raspberry leaf tea from? I will be gulping sipping regularly from 36 weeks me thinks!

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

Hello all!

WRT moses baskets, DS was a very long baby, and also quite fidgety. I think he moved out of the moses basket into his cot by the time he was 6-8 weeks. I also had him in his own room from about 3 weeks as neither DH could sleep with him in the room. We were both so exhausted that we decided to do it for a night and that was it! He was such a snuffly, restless sleeper (he still is at 2.4, even though he sleeps deeply and has been 'through the night' since about 12 weeks), it was impossible! I wasn't breastfeeding though (long story) so it was just as much a faff to have him in his own room as I was heating bottles at night anyway. I know that they recommend that you are in the same room for the first 6 months, but we tried everything, including earplugs etc, and it was a last resort.

I also highly recommend 'Grobags'. They helped DS in his transition from moses basket to cot as they still feel secure. As DS is a fidget, I didn't have to worry about him coming out of his covers. As it'll be summer, we'll have to invest in some 1 and 0.5 tog ones for 0-6 months (DS's are all 2.5 as he was a winter baby). They are pricey, but you can pick up some bargains on Ebay (they make nice presents for people to get you). The ones from John Lewis are a tad cheaper and just as good.

As I'm fully intending to be able to BF this time round, we're hoping for a slightly less restless sleeper and have this new one in with us for a bit longer.... or invest in some heavy duty ear plugs!

FIL has taken a turn for the worse in hospital. He's running temperatures and has 'the runs' (sorry for TMI!). He has had two tests yesterday, a dye injection with scans, and an endoscopy. We should get the results today. It looks like there might be a leak (boak!) and they may have to go back in to repair it. Not looking good for him coming out on Monday as he's nil by mouth again. . He's in the best place though, so we're all crossing our fingers for the results of the tests this morning.

Sorry to hear about your family probs Naat and June. It's so horrible when your family are so far away.

30 weeks today. This feels like a real milestone. My DS was born at 37 weeks so it feels very close now!

Off to see a friend this afternoon and her new little boy. Going to have to pop in somewhere to pick up a present on the way...

Wow, what a 'me' post ! Enjoy your Friday girls xx

[MrsMcJnr]

Hey ladies how are you all?

Feeling a bit stressed here, it looks like there may be Strep B cultures in my urine which means that in order to protect the baby from GBS I will need to have IV antibiotics from the outset of labour. This is further complicated by the fact that I am allergic to penicillin which is what they normally give you and the 2nd choice drug has some side effects which I am concerned about. I am still looking into it all but it seems like my hopes of turning up less than an hour before the birth again are fading fast. I had a terrible night's sleep last night worrying about all of this

I'll try to catch up now....

[Tee2072]

mrsmcJ I am so sorry to hear that. Just want you didn't, stress wise. I'm everything will be fine.

Ineed sorry to hear about FIL. I hope everything turns out okay.

I am impatiently sitting here waiting for a delivery so I can get the heck out of dodge and go buy some shoes!!

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

Oh no MrsMcJnr - that's horrible for you. Is there anyone you can phone to get some more info? My SIL and sister are both pharmacists, if you want I can ask them for info if you want to put the name of the drug down...

[bunnymother]

Oh MMrsMcJnr - poor you! Awful to have this stress to deal with!

[bunnymother]

Ineed - am v sorry to hear about your FIL, poor thing. Hope it all works out OK.

[ermintrude13]

Morning all

bunny, cribs usually last as long as moses basket. I think you can get larger sizes but then getting bedding would be trickier - although I know a lot of people who swear by grobags so it's less of an issue.

You can get raspberry leaf tea from healthfood shops or online and there's loads of info about how best to use it if you Google it.

Ineed so sorry to hear about your FIL; hope they find out what the problem is and sort it today.

MrsMcJr what a pain! I'm allergic to penicillin too, and some other antibiotics give me gastritis, but they will have one which you'll be ok with. If the baby needs it then it's best that they've discovered that and can make plans. I really hope it will clear up before the birth, but if not there's nothing you can do except take the medical advice and hope for a quick labour, which you've had before - the IV will be a bind but might not be as intrusive as it sounds. x

[MrsMcJnr]

Bunnymother ? hi there, I can empathise on the packing. I am having problems getting a removal van which is annoying me I am hoping for 9 April but it is a public holiday here so that is causing issues. As its only 2 weeks away I?ll be 32 weeks. How about you?? At least the health system here does check everyone for Strep B. I probably had it when I was pg with DS but wasn?t checked in the UK and he could have been very ill. I fully support testing for all for Strep B. My DH has never known how much baby stuff I have ever bought they don?t need to!! Don?t think cribs last much longer than Moses baskets I?m afraid. I thought about that too with DS. Sorry to hear you got a bad night?s sleep. I was having nightmares about being strapped down full of needles in labour . You can get RLT at Neal?s Yard.

Tee ? when I went to see the Dr for my GTT results yesterday she didn?t have them, only the ones from the O?Sullivan test which sent me for the GTT! She did say though that at my stage in pregnancy it is very unlikely that I have GD so that?s good but it would be good to know for sure. Maybe the haematologist can tell me next week sorry to hear that you are having issues at work too but glad to hear that you are feeling a bit better. Gorgeous bump, what a glam Mum to be you are! DS didn?t last as long in the Amby as we?d hoped because he got too hot in the summer here and likes to sleep on his front. It is a great thing though but watch your back in the early days as it can be tricky to get them into it when they are really tiny (and virtually weightless)

Naat ? for once, the early info on the Strep B is welcome as I would have been freaking out if I?d found out in 6-7 weeks time, better to have lots of research time I guess. Sounds like you are nesting to me big hug to you over the parents? dilemma

Hey Appletiser ? lovely to hear from you you sound like a very busy lady don?t worry, it will all come together. You can get all you need for the baby in one evening online if you wanted to and you can go to one day intensive courses for AN purposes (or luxury weekend away ones at lovely hotels, I fancied that last time!) you?ll get there hon. Those feelings could be BH or the baby moving ? both fine

Laura ? worth a try with the sick leave. Deep breaths you

Hello June I doubt that your baby will be able to sleep in a Moses basket for 6 months I am afraid. I think 3 ½ was our limit, he just got too big. We only used it for daytime naps anyway as he had an Amby in our room. DS moved to his own room at 5 months because his Amby wouldn?t fit in our room at this current flat. At that point we moved him into his cot. To be honest it was better for us all when DS moved to his own room although it made me very nervous at first. Hope the cheese made you feel better

Hi Insy

Choccie ? hello! Sounds like your folks are VERY close to me we are in La Cala de Mijas

Ermintrude ? hope DS is ok poor mite

Ineedmore ? I love Grobags too I got lots of bargains on eBay poor, poor FIL, hope the tests have good results. Thanks for the offer of help. I think I?ll call my private Dr to discuss it with him as the GB GBSS site (which is fab by the way) suggests that I need AB now until I get a clear sample as well as in labour. I think the alternative drug given is Clindamycin (900 mg intravenously every 8 hours until delivery). Any info you can get for me would be fabulous thank you as it will help me to plan ahead. I am considering trying to get the IV ABs privately (think they take about 20 mins to administer) and then going to the hospital later on in the labour otherwise I?ll be stuck there from the outset which sounds very long and boring (and probably stressful!) to me.

For anyone who doesn?t know about GBS, please do have a look on this website. It is really important that we are all aware. In the UK they do not routinely test but I know that they have a series of risk factors which if they occur, they will test you (like waters breaking before 37 weeks) but I think we should all be armed with the information just in case www.gbss.org.uk/index.php

[Naat]

Morning Juners, (29 wks today!)

Thank you all for your kind and sweet words. June to hear you're having similar trouble. I don't know if they'll be able to make it before December, which doesn't help my guilt... but well...

MrsMc so sorry to hear about that, but I guess ermin is right, as long as you and baby are ok and healthy then it'll be ok. Hope they find an AB that can work fine with you without causing any problem. Maybe you could take Ineed's offer and find out?

Tee yay! shoe shopping! Lucky Juner HOpe the delivery shows up soon.

Ineed so to hear about your FIL. I hope that they find out what's happening and can fix it quickly. Prayers going that way I learnt about grobags here in the UK as they don't exist as such in Arg and I think they are a great idea!

Bunny yep, I'll be offering loads of skyping . I'm with you on the crappy night. I had a sleepless spell from 3.30 to 5.30 last night I'm still a big groggy now... Hope, like you, to be able to get a nap

HI ermin choccie and lauraloo!

Hope you all have a lovely morning, Juners.

[Naat]

Oh, I forgot to ask ermin, how's your LO feeling today?

[ermintrude13]

Naat and MrsMc DS is absolutely fine thank you! I asked how he felt and he said 'empty' but a weetabix sorted that out and then he tried to sit around looking peaky but then started playing with his magnetix and when offered the choice of going back to bed (no TV! or nintendo!) or seeing how he went at school, he opted for the latter straight away.

He used to get carsick when he was much younger, and although it was only a short journey to and from his sister's piano lesson there were roadworks, roundabouts, traffic bumps and all sorts, so that set him off. Still got an ear cocked for a phonecall from school but nothing so far and he was a good healthy colour and very chirpy when I left him.

Good job, because we're trying out a new babysitter tonight - the nearly 16 yr old son of a friend who seems like a lovely young man - and I wouldn't leave him in charge of a vomiting 6 yr old! We wanted to go to the cinema or theatre but there's nothing on we fancy so will probably eat out locally. And I'll probably throw it up, but don't care as long as I enjoy it on the way down (this sickness is going to stay until the bitter end, I'm resigned to it ).