Due in June 15 - The competition for first baby is on!!

[katzguk]

Crisp and clean new thread....can't you just smell that new baby aroma!!

Lippy what a scare that must have been...so glad bubs is still tucked up all safe and well for now!

Coop hope all goes well for your friends leaving party...hopefully you can meet up with her again when you're over in a month or so...your game sounds like just the thing for an Ann Summers party - just my kind of thing!

Thank You for you warm welcome ladies!

Welshmum - I am very Welsh! LOL!

To answer some of your questions, this is sort of my first baby. I lost another ds in June 2004 at 24weeks due to a severe fetal abnormality . I am blessed to have this new hope though, and have finally started to relax about this pregnancy. Getting excited now, and I am glad that I can at last share my pregnancy positively.

Take care all x

Pink - whatever you decide to do pleasae stay around - we'll do our best to help you through it all. A very close friend of mine gave her baby up for adoption so I did go through it with her. I'm sure us lot can manage not to be judgemental despite getting used to our own. I shouldn't joke but adoption will seem like a good option for everyone at some point in the early weeks!
Lippy - that must have been shocking. It's so instinctive that movement to save them and then you end up putting yourself in all sorts of daft positions - hope you're feeling better now - should you be riding a bike???
Gweny - are you really Welsh - hard to pick up irony sometimes on the net. I'm glad this pg is going well and you've got through those first awful months when you're just waiting for something to go wrong. I hope you enjoy the rest of it - when's your due date?
Uwila - glad work's over - haven't exactly left yourself much time for pampering though - you'll have to cram in those manicure and hairdresser appointments

Oh oh oh... I forgot to share my other good news that happened on Friday. All together now.... "Bye bye Nannythug."

DH is now panic stricen as he come to terms with the fact that HE will be looking after her whilst I am in the hospital. I hope I still have a DD and a DH when I get home.

Berolina, sorry that you?re feeling unappreciated at work. You don?t mind going the extra mile, as long as its recognised, and it sounds as if you?re not.

Lippy, how on earth did you manage to get onto a bike, let alone have the energy to cycle AND keep your balence??? I can barely work upstairs without being out of breath and lurching. Glad you and bump are okay though

Uwila, congrats on finishing work and nanny news!!!

Pink, my heart is going out to you at the moment. You are having such a tough time of it at the moment. I can?t get over how unsupportive your college are being. Just to repeat everyone else?s comments (who are better at expressing themselves than I am ) do please keep in touch on the thread, even if its just to let off a little steam now and then, we will all support whatever decision you decide to make in due course

Gwenynbee, sorry to hear about your DS. There are a few of us on this site who, for whatever reason, have lost 1 or more. For myself, although I was not as far along as you, I agree with your sentiments entirely. It took DH and myself a long time to actually believe it was true when I got pgt again and even longer to relax and enjoy it.

Pink, all I can do is echo what everyone else has said really. You have been amazingly strong throughout this pregnancy, coping with everything that life has thrown at you recently, it's not surprising you are feeling worn down by everything. We are all thinking about you and hope you don't stay away too long.x

Gwenynbee, so sorry to hear about your DS. This pregnancy must have been very stressful for you.

Lippy, glad you and the baby are ok. Am very impressed you are still cycling!!! Isn't balance a problem?

Uwila, congratulations on being nanny-free and work-free. Hope you have a nice relaxing few days before your DS arrives....can't believe the first baby Junie will soon be here.

I'm sat on my new birthing ball - got it from Argos as per your recommendation Katz. Very comfortable it is too. Will send off my sweepstake quid tomorrow.

Hope everyone else is ok. I for one am glad I've stopped work - I'm really feeling tired at the moment, so am looking forward to a rest over the next few weeks. Jonah, enjoy your first day of freedom tomorrow .

Well ok it was all a bit dramatic yesterday I just got off the phone with the estate agent and they were giving me the run around even more. Stuff just seemed awful. Living in a hovel takes its toll.

Well I got a childminder sorted out in the afternoon and suddenly having someone else to give Bubba to made stuff seem that much better Even if the college won't take me I'll have a childminder take him so I can have time to myself. It was just that without college I just had this fear of never getting a moment to myself because I don't have family who I can trust to baby sit and if I get into asking people from my antenatal group to sit him I'll have to do the same in return. Not that I wouldn't help someone out in a crisis but when you realise you are going to be parenting alone the though of looking after someone elses baby too isn't very appealing even if it is only for an evening. Oh the antenatal group want to sort out a babysitting circle that just fills me with dread.

You can't give them up for 6 weeks anyway with adoption. Its just strange I dunno, I just I've never been the clucking broody type to lay my feathers over anything. I just felt really bleak yesterday because I had this image of being here stuck and never getting a moment to myself. I am going to meet the childminder and work stuff out. I also found out there is a nursery on my road with pretty good fees and they'll take them from birth I went to a different place for information as the stuff I had before was pretty limited places and the cost. But I rang a different service and this one is much more geared to helping people personally so I am going to a chilminding gig on Wednesday morning to learn all about it.

Thanks for all the stuff people said I feel like a bit of an idiot really. I hope your baby is well Lippy gosh it did sound a bit frightening. Incidentally what the Bloody hell are you doing riding a bike??? Even I haven't tried that in my pregnancy denail!!

Yeah I've been going to councelling its been useful. Doesn't help any with the fact that sporadically Bubba has been sticking his bum so far out into my tummy I can feel his butt cheeks - cheeky bastard no respect honestly. Mooning me already, I thought that was supposed to come with teenage drinking, joy riding and antisocial behavior.

I hope everyone is ok. I'm sorry to be such a pain I don't really think I'll give him up to be honest - I'd rather chop off my own legs but I just get these moments where I am enraged.I won't rule out giving him up but I know getting over that would probably mess me up so much I'm not sure I could recover from that. I have never been able to handle guilt very well. I just wanted to know I can give him to someone else really. it feels so powerless this motherhood lark. I know its supposed to be a woman power face this and you can face anything rubbish but it really is as though you are invisable half the time. People think you are a hormone fuelled idiot and you are a target for bad treatment. Also the assumption that its what has always happened; shut up and stop making a fuss mentality. Like popping out babies is all in a days work. I wonder at the Catholics honestly, this is enough to make me get my tubes tied.

I have talked with alot of people and I know it is very unlikely I'll bond with him for a while. I just feel so ambivalent. I know I am in some ways attached to him but I think that is partly hormone induced. I just want to feel like I actively want him not just that it is a hormone reaction to being knocked up. I feel this huge embarressment to be honest. I hope this clears up when he isn't stuck inside my tummy anymore. I also think its the most ridiculous thing I have ever done in my life. You should have a licence for kids and I am not even sure I could get my hands on a provisional.

evening all,
lippy-i also cant believe your still riding a bike-im out of breath just walking and thats when im awake.all i seem to want to do lately is sleep.glad you and the baby are ok though-thats the main thing.
uwila-great news on nannythug
its been such a lovely day here today.we went to the farm this morning to buy lots of plants and spent the afternoon gardening.it looks really nice now-ideal for sitting out there when the baby arrives.hope you enjoyed your bbq,kvg-we havent had a barbie for a while,but now that the weather has turned nice im sure it wont be long!!!
am i the only person who hasnt been on a hospital tour? just wondered as everyone seems to be visiting their hospitals.does anyone know if you can just phone them up and ask if you can go on a tour or is it only done through antenatal classes? will it matter if i don't go on a tour? i know this sounds really stupid but i just wondered but then again i'm so scared about going in when the time comes that im probably better not going on one anyway!!

hi there just thought I'd pop in....

oh Pink, sounds like you've hit a low. I can only hope you don't go away entirely....maye having a sound off here is helpful?

Universities/colleges often have either welfare type service or student services, some connected to the union. They could advocate for you about your course and help you navigate yr way around the system.

I wonder if there's anyone who can give you practical help sorting this stuff out? your counsellor? tutor? this is probably unhelpful, as I'm sure you've tried everything.

hope you just get a chance to get yr head around everything your going through. And be easy on yourself, you're having a hard time.

On the kidney front: paedatrician called on Sat and got an appt on Tuesday to talk about the implications for the baby. Fingers x

later

sorry pink-x posts.
glad to hear your feeling a bit better today
good luck for tuesday rhm-everything is crossed

Just trying to catch up on a Sunday evening!

Uwila - congratulations on the nannythug's departure, and laughing heartily at dh's growing realisation that he's going to be in charge, I would see if you can extend your hospital stay for a few weeks just to see what state he's in when you get back

Gwenny - welcome and so sorry to hear about the loss of your ds.

Lippy - glad all is well after your scare, what a nightmare!

I got a birthing ball from Argos today too, but so far dh has commandeered it for himself, he says it's very good for his back too. I'm sure if Argos knew they could market it as a birthing ball the price would at least treble.

Pink - glad you're still around, the childminder must be a huge relief to have sorted. I know exactly what you mean about not even getting a provisional licence, I feel the same and I'm fortunate to have my mum (and even, dare one say it, MIL) around to help out. Adoption is a subject close to my heart as my brother has adopted two children now - both of whom, I might add, would have been highly delighted to have had a birth mother as responsible and sorted as you have been through your pregnancy (theirs was an utter disaster). But I think you'll need to take it one day at a time and see what's best for you - I'm sure we'll all support you as much as we can through cyber-space.

Redhead - fingers crossed for Tuesday.

Morning all,

Pink - LOL '...mooning me already...' this one's doing that to me at the moment too!. Glad you had a better day today, sometimes you just need to let it all out and get it off your chest and that's an enormous help in itself. I couldn't agree more with you about the license thing - God dh and I were absolutely shit with ds for the first week or 8!!! Just remember that when people say they took instantly to the motherhood thing, some people > lie!!!

Uwila - yeah for the departure of Nannythug! Enjoy your last few days as a family of three...and hope you have both a dd and dh to come home to at the weekend

RHM - fingers, toes, legs all crossed for tuesday

Katz - I'm sending my money today...

...have been having lots of strong twinges since 2am this morning and ds has decided that my side of the bed is now his, so have been up since 4!! Will have to sort this out before dd arrives . The twinges are dying down now and I had this with ds 2 weeks before he came so I think it's just a rehearsal...but it made me think seriously help I'm not sure I'm ready for another one yet - suppose I'm abit late with those kind of thoughts now!!!

KVG/Uwila/Jonah/Mrs W enjoy the first full week of your leave Hope everyone else has a good day too...

Will catch up later. x

Pink- glad you're back. You seem a bit better. Are you going to get some time off / maternity leave with your boy? If not, I can sympathise. When DD was born, I was working contract and really couldn't afford to forfeit any income. So I took 2 weeks off (required by law) and then worked two weeks part time from home, and then was back in the office 4 weeks after birth full time. I remember the midwives telling me I couldn't drive for 6 weeks, and thought right then how shall I get her to the childmeinder at 2 weeks old so I can do some work from home?` BTW, I then called my insurance company who said there was no such clause in my insurance and I could drive as soon as I liked.

Oh well, glad your feeling a bit better. Really, is there anything else you need for baby? I bet there some other's on here who don't need some of the things they have stored away from baby number 1.

And speaking of bonding, DH and I were talking about this last night and he said DD was about six months old before he bonded with her. Then he said, "but now she's my princess".

Morning all, you sound a bit better Pink - it's a rollercoaster even with plenty of support and no college/flat problems so you have all my sympathy. By the way you're such a good looking girl yourself your little one will be far too delicious to give up to anyone else.
Ladies on your first week of mat leave hope you have a lovely time - our house has been plagued by illness so I've done MORE childcare than normal and MORE husbandcare than normal. I could have throttled him on Sunday morning when he said he had tonsillitis and needed to stay in bed Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
We were both thoroughly evil with each other yesterday I'm hoping for a better day today.
Can't remember if I said but GP reckons the baby is still breech and it's 'too tight' in there for it to turn now, certainly feels like it.
Have good days all x

Hello
Just popping in briefly to let you know I am still here.
Welcome to Gweny. Sorry to hear about your DS and the stresses you must have had with this pregnancy. Hope you can enjoy the last stretch.
Hi Pink. Glad you are feeling a little better. As I have said all along I don't know how you are doing it. I feel I am struggling some days and I have stacks of support really. I agree with Uwila that if there is anything you need I bet one of us has got something spare for you. TBH though you have seemed to be the most organised of us all and so I think you have it all covered. (apart from a new flat, neighbours, college and landlord where I think we will struggle to help . We will be here though so don't forget that and good luck with your childcare options. It sounds promising to me.
Welshie - Sorry to hear that baby is still breech. What will this mean for you?
Trib - Glad you (and DH)like the birthing ball. I love mine. I like leaning on it best and just rocking esp if I have back ache etc.
Uwila - Wow countdown is beginning. Still but v excited for you too.
I really should pack my bags I think, but still don't know where I will be having the baby so all a bit annoying really.
Had a lovely day at a hotel yesterday with my friend who is leaving and two others. We just chatted all day and it was lovely. Makes me feel today though knowing that we won't be doing it again. DD asks for my friends dd every morning too. They are best buddies and I feel very for her too. Then I am going to abandon her to go to the hospital and then inflict a newborn on her just to really turn her world upsidedown. Bad timing, poor little mite.
Anyway, have a bit more ironing to do and a busy week. Hope to catch up soon.
P.S. Lua - How are you? Did you get a cheque from me. Hope all OK, you have been quiet.
Kat - Have you had my £1. It is on the way...

Hi everyone

Well done, to all you ladies who are now enjoying maternity leave!!

Uwila, enjoy the next 3 days before the big C Nice that it coincided with the demise of NannyThug!!

Pink, you sound better. No need to be , that's why we're here - amongst other things! Glad the childminder is sorted. I was wondering whether you would be entitled to some other session of free childcare courtesy of social services, as a single parent?? I would also feel entirely justified in opting out of the NCT babysitting circle. The couples are in entirely different circumstances to you and in the first few months you will want time off from your son without knowing you have to give back. It may sound selfish to them, but who cares?

I agree with what RHM said about getting help with your college course. There must be other faculties within the college who can fight your corner, a union, the counselling service...? It just seems so silly, what case have they got for not offering you a place during the day??

About the bike I wasn't cycling very far and we do live in one of the country's ultimate biking cities. Tbh, I'd rather cycle 10 minutes or less than walk for half an hour! There's no problem with balance, since I'm leaning forward, plus with dd on the back it's all equal!!

Going to chat with my painter and watch him do the work I don't have to!!!

Hi there everyone.

Pink - good to see you back. Will catch up properly later.
Uwila - enjoy your last few days before the big day!
Will catch up on everyone elses posts later - I hope - as at the moment I'm sitting here with irregular but coming-and-going pains and am beginning to wonder what's going on! They started after I helped dh put our new chest of drawers for the baby together and bent/squatted down a couple of times too many, I think. They seem to be concentrated on the left side which means they cant be contractions - can they??? - and I also think they subside too quickly for contractions - they're only really intensive for a few seconds - but of course any activity in that department gets me worried at the moment! Can any of you reassure me that it's not contractions? Am expecting to be before my date but was hoping for baby to hang in there another week or so...

Update - I've now got the runs as well
Does this mean this is it???

OMG bero-you might even beat uwila!!!
have you phoned your midwife/hospital to see what they suggest? i personally wouldn't have a clue as this is all new to me.
good luck and keep us updated thoughxx

ohh bero - sounds promising!!

was about to post that Uwilas first place is safe from me at the moment no signs of anything! its quite strange i've not been this PG before, just waiting now but hopefully baby will come in a week or two.

coop - your £1 arrived!

I'm just biding my time at the moment to see if things get any more dramatic. One thing that occurred to me was that what's going on feels rather like IBS, which I get VERY occasional attacks of (the last one was years ago), so I'm wondering whether it might be that. I can hardly believe it's a stomach bug, because I'm so paranoidly careful about food. Do you think I should call MW/doc?