Due in September 2009: we are now officially blooming!

[StealthPolarBear]

Even if it doesn't seem like it most of the time

Awww. I have a teddy wearing one of the babygrows I bought and the bright orange nappy - got to get practicing!

I will also make do without a tumble dryer, I just don't see the point in spending energy and money on something that nature does perfectly well on its own. We will have to try and re-organise our bathroom a little though, as we have a clothes dryer in the living room almost all the time even now.

Green Baby is another source of good organic stuff, they have a discount shop in Richmond, and they also sell quite a few varieties of those washable nappies.

And for charity shop addicts like me, there are several specialist Fara Charity Shops with children's and baby stuff in and around London. They also have toys and books and cots and baby baths and stuff.

hi we don't have a dryer and survive okay (though with 2 children, i'm not sure it's going to be as easy). we have one of those ceiling mounted hangers though which is a life saver, it's at hte top of the stairs and things tend to dry reasonably quickly on that. we also have an airer thing and the hook things on the radiators. it drives me nuts in winter having a house full of washing, but it is really okay. i just try to wash often so i'm not trying to find space for an overly massive load.

ps. i always wash kids clothes before wearing ...

I have a tumble dryer for emergencies-(oh crap the school uniform is wet and it's 7.30 am) and an airer in the garden. Sometimes I hang it out and then if it is still a bit damp- fling it in the tumble dryer for a quick blast for 5 mins. In the winter when the boiler is on i hang the washing in the laundry room- it's quite tiny but I can get one whole wash hung up in there and it dries quite quickly (DP doesn't like washing on the radiators- likens it to a gypsy camp- I've always fancied being a gypsy though .

Blue - glad you are feeling much better Can tell you're really excited about your scan I'm excited but scared as well. It's another milestone for me. Would love to be able to buy something for the baby after the scan.

Re tumbledryer - we had a counter top one in a walk in cupboard (before we moved). Didn't use it that much as ds was born early summer plus baby grows can shrink in a dryer. It's now in our garage and rarely used - useful for towels and denim though.

neddie your gp should give you iron on prescription - you don't have to pay then Can't stress enough how different I feel now - much more alert. The only thing I can put that down to is the iron.

Ooh yeah dead excited about scan. 3 weeks to go and baby will be viable anyway. At one of my visits to EPU, I got talking to a woman who had 2 dd's. They were both born at 25 and 26 weeks and were fine. I know that's rare but it's always good to hear nice stories!

busy on here!
I hadn't even thought about the size of the baby effecting the size of clothes I'd need - just assumed newborn stuff would be ok. Oh dear! Very worried about my lack of though. Baby Brain

Really like the ceiling airer idea, thanks - and we've got just the place for it at the top of the stairs, where all the warm air will end up. Normally we do just use the radiators but we've got huge ceilings so we end up freezing - not ideal for a wee one. I also found this heated airer which might help.

I'm excited and scared about the scan too ladylush. Once it's done then I think we can start to prepare properly, but until then I don't really dare.

Thanks for the info on shops Thusnelda

I've got a fab airer that I [I think] bought from Wilkos. It fits to on side of the wall and you pull it out when you need it and attach it to an opposite wall. It's like a mini indoor washing line. But I'd be lost with out my tumble drier...especially as there is already 4 of us and it seems to rain frequently here.

I've been looking at sites each week, reading up on fetal development. I've just read one site which tells you why you should sleep on your left side...sleeping on you back means your uterus presses on major blood vessels, which may make you feel faint and nauseous - sleeping on you left side encourages the baby into the best position for birth. The site is British and seems quite good www.ukfamily.co.uk

Need some advice - I'm not married to dp. My children have their dad's surname [ex husband's] and I went back to my maiden name 2 years ago. Dp wants baby to have his surname. The thought of my having 3 children, none of whom have my surname, upsets me. I suggested double-barrelled for baby, but dp hates the idea. Does anyone have any suggestions?

That's a tricky one blue. Even if you got married or changed your name by deed poll your other dc would still have a different surname. I think your suggestion is probably the best one.

Yesterday I was in some discomfort and pretty sure SPD had reared it's ugly head. Today though there is nothing. Most strange. If it returns I think I will try and see an Osteopath asap.

Ds has gone to football so I've got a blissful hour to myself

Difficult one blue. We are married but I kept my name. We decided to give the kid the best surname (and unanimously agree that's mine) and use his as a second middle name so that it's on the birth cert.

Thanks ladies. We've discussed it [again] today and it looks like I'll be changing my name by deed poll. I prefer his anyway and we will get married eventually. I'd feel mean as the girls have their dad's surname, so it's only fair that I do the same with this little one.

Hi girls, glad you've agreed on the surname blue, I'm not married to dp (yet) but dd and this dc have his surname - I do find it weird when I call her nursery or the doctors or something and we've got a different surname - I guess it's really common tho!

Had my scan yesterday and was relieved to have a healthy but all be it uncooperative little bean in there. The scan took ages, which was great, as we had a trainee and it took her ages to measure stuff! We were almost agreed we weren't going to find out the sex but when we got in there the sonographer said even if we did they wouldn't be able to tell cos bean had its legs and feet tooked right in, it was all cwtched up fast alseep and wouldn't move for anything - no matter how much poking and moving I did. So it'll be a surprise for us - which I'm happy with. Went to the new Cardiff Mamas & Papas store afterwards, had to restrain myself buying half the shop!! I'm quite hoping for another girl now cos some of the nursery stuff for a girl is just beautiful!!

Hope you're all having a nice weekend (I've got FIL here trying to cook a bolognese in the kitchen - I'm staying out of the way!! Bless him trying to help! )

Glad scan went well fairysparkles it's nice to have a surprise at the end. I have done absolutely nothing today except go out to lunch with a friend- I feel guilty but it was really nice.

Blue - glad you came up with a suitable compromise. Actually I was going to suggest you change your name by deed poll but thought you might be offended by the suggestion - esp. if you like your surname. Plus if you're getting married anyway it makes perfect sense

Thanks ladylush, I hope your scan goes well too, not long now! And congrats on your good scan fairysparkles we have had an uncooperative baby both times, it is lovely really, I felt like we are getting to know baby's personality more.

Blue76 - that is a tough one, I'm really pleased you reached a decision.

To add to what other ladies have said - with 1 DD we manage to keep up with washing-drying using 1 indoor airer by the radiator and using the tops of doors for big things. This includes part-time cloth nappies (creche doen't use them) and no ironing - I am a bit of an ironophobe! Although, that said, I did wash and iron all DD's clothes and sheets before she was born completely mad nesting instinct!

Hi all,
Glad to hear you are all doing ok.
Have felt flutters in belly for 5 weeks now and on Friday saw movements when I stared at my belly. So cool! Love it! Only problem is that I am now constantly staring at my belly or rubbing it so that baby will move. Poor thing!
Hope you are all having a gd weekend?

Hi all
Had another 4 legged baby this morning- another bay colt phew 2 down three to go.... off to see Star Trek tonight with another friend as DP still in Germany.

LOL nitnat! saw my belly move today for the first time,it is pretty cool,DH though it was really funny! Bubs wont move for anyone though,not even if I poke him (not that I do...much !)The kicks are nothing like I thought they would be though,sometimes it feels like he's just spinning around in there! Not sure he's going to know which way is up soon!

Awww for foals Neddie there are lots of foals,calves and lambs on the common when I'm driving to work and they are so cute its very distracting! DH ''eyes on the road!!!!''
Hope you enjoyed the film

Have had a busy weekend,went to Ikea (actually DHs idea ) and bought a nice table and baskets for the hall, had my first pub lunch in 5 months (had JP with coleslaw,and spent the whole time worrying how the coleslaw was made!),weeded my borders,visited ILs and did shed loads of washing cos it was so sunny!! phew! rewarding myself with mint choc chip icecream now! Hope everyones had a good weekend with lots of sun

Ooh 5 weeks left til the end of the Uni term and the 3 month summer hols! Yay!

hi ladies hope you have all had nice weekends. I am shattered, had friends over all weekend and I don't feel like I've stopped I think I could sleep for 3 days.

I woke up at 2am the other morning with horrific heartburn and it felt like I had a washing machine in my tummy.Our bubble was moving so much and definitely doesn't move that much in the day. Got me worried now that he/she is going to be nocturnal.

i think it's really normal for bubs to move around at night - that's when we are mostly still and they come alive! during the day we are moving around and they get lulled to sleep, but it's all too boring at night, so they wake up. some are like that when born unfortunately, but sort themselves out ....eventually...

Yeah after 3 years if anything like ds
Good news re scan fairy
Congrats on foal Neddie

hopefully bubs will be like dd and sleep through 12 hours from 6 weeks, I can only pray i guess (im really not good without sleep)

Hi just popping in to get the thread on my 'threads I'm on'.

I wrote a longish post yesterday and lost it.. doh

Morning.