'Due July 2010 babies, now we're halfway there ladies!'

[stac14]

Thing the title says it all thanks to winter We can gab lol !!!

Hello Needle - welcome to the thread - it's lovely to have you onboard. I'm sure you'll find all of the future mums on here to be incredibly supportive, funny and friendly Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Sprirael & Jojobil- I googled Bugaboo buggies then just sat there, shocked at the price! I think we're going to visit the Glasgow Pram Centre at the weekend...maybe even pop into M&Ps to have a look at those iCandy ones too, MyLifeisChaotic - take it from there. Thanks for the advice too Whatshesaid & Wonder - I so, so appreciate it! You're all FAB!

I've also been looking at the cots in IKEA and there's a couple that get really good reviews online. Decisions, decisions...

I haven't been organised about the baby until now . Someone reminded me the other night that I'm almost 6 months now and I was like, whaaaaaat? Where has the time gone? So, I'm thinking that I'll need to dedicate a lot of time over the next few weeks to 'the big move' on the 9th April, therefore, should really get my finger out and start thinking about buggies etc. now. Also, as I'm a researcher I need to get as much empirical work done as possible before I finish up for maternity leave in June....I know that once LO comes all I'll want to do is go for walks in the park and meet other new mums for coffee and meringues.....

Deelite - wishing you a lovely sunny Sunday too! Hope everyone else is well! I'm off to have a croissant and jam....not for me, you understand, but for the baby xx

Morning all! Its lovely and sunny today and Im going to DP's nephews christening today, I washed my maternity jeans yesterday so really hoping they havent shrunk or Ill have to wear leggings which I dont really want to do.

Havent really got much to report, Ive still got a stuffy nose/throat its really annoying, no amount of Vicks vaporub/inhaler seems to be shifting it, do you think I should seek docs help or just let it clear out in its own good time?

Hello Girls

Welcome Needle

What a lovely sunny day! I'm off to my friends partner's birthday to an Indian restaurant (I can't stand Indian food) so I'll have a snack before hand.... I'm sure it will be fine My DH loves it so it will be a treat for him. Any suggestions on what you can order for a kid from Indian cuisine?

Violet they are pricey, but resale value is great and they are really really good

MyLifeIsChaotic, WhatSheSaid, DeeLite -Thank you! I laugh about it now, but I really was terrified of coming on here- there was an article in the Telegraph about the webchat with David Cameron that made you all sound like dragons! My husband has been an absolute darling, but there are times when you really need female support!

Chulita - I'm glad I'm not the only one! In my husband's wedding speach, he told everyone that his plan from the night we met was to "date me in the first month, get me pregnant in the second and marry me in the third", as it was we ended up getting married four months behind his schedule!

The pram minefield is terrifying- I'm so lucky: my mother has taken charge and is buying us a Silver Cross Kensington, so we just have to find a little pushchair for when I have to take the tube.

Hi, Jojobil

VioletBubbles- I had never thought of looking in IKEA for a cot, thank you!

Morning all, welcome needles glad you don't find us scary lol

violet think mlic is right bout going into the pram centre to get the feel of the prams you like. You can also tell them what your looking for and they can make suggestions. Thanks for tip on cots at ikea, forgot bout there. becky says the royals starting classes soon so i am going to phone tomorrow will let you know

Does anyone have a dog? I am just wondering if anyone knows the best way to introduce the baby to the family? X

Stac I have cats, but found googling it helpful Here is a couple of articles on dog and baby www.ivillage.co.uk/parenting/pracad/pets/articles/0,,690265_635655,00.html and www.petsandkids.co.uk/IntroducingDogsAndNewBabies.html

stac14- We've got two collies, but they're completely bonkers and so they're going to live outside when the baby comes. One of them in particular is totally insecure and doesn't even like it if you pat the other dog, so I don't think he'd accept the baby. Plus they're too big and mad for me to walk them together- I have to leave one and home and then come back and swap, so I don't know how I'd manage with a baby too! Sorry I can't give any advice that's actually useful!

Morning all! It's lovely weather here too today. It always makes me happier when there are blue skies outside, rather than depressing grey clouds. Even if it is a bit chilly when actually venturing out into it!

I've hung some washing outside for the first time this year, and it happens to be the little towels with ducks on them that I've bought for the LO. Seeing them flapping in the breeze is making me feel exceptionally happy and contented! Hormones can be good too, it seems.

Hi to Needle and welcome to the chaos! A wedding and a baby this year, 2010 is going to be one to remember, huh? Where abouts in the country/world are you based, if you don't mind be asking? I assume from your 'tube' comments that it's somewhere in the SE? Also, which part of July are you due in? There's a list somewhere that should probably be dug out and added to at some point.

Don't panic about not being organised yet, it seems that I'm a definite exception when it comes to meticulously planning. I might be just a teeny bit prone to being a control freak , and as an analyst by profession then gathering and processing data is strangely enjoyable for me. So yes, I'm just weird and best ignored - or at least kept at a safe distance!

I'm the only one of my friendship group having children, and I'm the first person in my family (including extended!) to be having children for a generation, so I don't have a whole lot of chance to speak with people in a similar situation. Mumsnet helps fill that void nicely, I can pop on whenever I have time and find many words of wisdom to help through whatever I'm currently trying to decipher. So useful!

Jojobil, I'd recommend a Korma (possibly Chicken?) for a LO at an Indian restaurant. It's usually very mild, a nice creamy sauce that is almond based. With that either rice, or a plain naan bread if rice is going to be a bit fiddly.

I adore curry, and being pregnant has apparently made my spice tolerance increase! I was expecting to go super sensitive, but no... Now I can chow down hot curries with the greatest of ease.

I've been a little nervous about how things will go with having two cats and the baby... I've bought a couple of Cat Nets, one for the cot and another elasticated one for the moses basket/pram as necessary. However, I get the feeling one of my cats will react with a 'Meh!' attitude to the whole thing, while the other will take one look at the screaming baby and evacuate the premises!

Anyway, for now... I'm going to go sulk for a little bit. I just got back from my local Tesco and they didn't have any of the free Pampers Hampers in stock! So now I'm going to have to go find a bigger Tesco... [grumble, grumble, grumble]

Spirael- Hello! It's a glorious day here too (Wood Green, North London) I've been warbling round the house like a demented Disney Princess all morning. I saw the list- it looks like I'm the only person due on 27th July.
I'm totally with you on the laundry. I had all DHs shirts on the line yesterday and I stood in the back doorway and looked at it with an expression of smug satisfaction. A little sad perhaps, but this time a year ago I was still living with my mother. Now I'm married with a house and a baby on the way who, by the feel of it, has really big feet. Isn't life funny?!

Spirael I have two cats and the first time round, the cat was always in the cot! Even though I had a net - I found it useless! I found that cats generally avoid babies and had my blood tested for toxoplasmosis which was negative. So no problem. Plus the whole cat stealing baby's breath is just nonsense.. I researched it on the internet and it's just old wifes tale's... I just have to be careful with my younger cat as he is very very friendly as most orientals So will not be doors opened at night etc.. Just in case.

Needle How funny I'm in Crouch End...

Jojobil haha! Do you mind me asking if you had your babies at the Whittington? I'm at the Royal Free at the moment (don't ask how I ended up there, my doctor is a cretin!) But I'm going to change I think as I've heard such good things about the Whittington, and it's so much closer to home. Let me know if you ever want to get a cup of tea!

We're not too far apart then for our dates, Needle. I'm due somewhere between 21st - 25th July, they keep changing the specific date each appointment! So mostly I'm figuring just late July sometime. DH and BF's birthdays are the 25th July though, so I somehow feel like I might be cursed to have everyone close to me born on the same day... Easy to remember, at least.

I'm in West Yorks now, Leeds area, but I grew up down near London within the High Wycombe postcode area. Lived there until I went to Uni at 19. Being close to London has both its postives and negatives, I found! My parents still live down there, so I get to use them like a hotel visit whenever I'm doing something in the capital.

I'm not too worried about the cats, Jojobil, as both of mine are relatively easy going and not prone to scratching or biting. I used to have a cat however that liked sleeping right across peoples faces! That would have been more of a problem with a tiny baby. I can't see my skittish cat causing too many problems, but my fat lazy cat will probably see the cot as being a big cozy bed just for him! I'm going to use the net mostly to stop him from getting fur/footprints everywhere. My bed is fine, LO's bed is a no no!

Hi ladies

Thanks for the article jojo I am going to investigate further.

Mlic I adore boxers fantastic dogs, we have cavalier king charles spaniel who thinks he is a baby, especiall with dp. My aunt got a border collie pup and when we were introducing them be tried to snap at her, I think it was more a putting her in her place kind of thing and he calmed down quite quickly but gave me a fright none the less. I was told its a good idea to bring a blanket to the hospital and wrap baby in it then the dog can get used to the smell before you get home.

needles I cant put ours outside, we live in a flat. Its a border collie my aunt just got, she is gorgeous lol

jojo and spireal I had a cat when I had ds, it wasnt interested in baby for milk, but was rather fond of his sleeping areas. It was a nightmare as the hair got everywhere. Also found that if cat felt cold he would go in with the baby which I didnt like, but really had no major dramas. When ds started toddling the cat did scratch a couple of times but it was ds's fault (grabbing tail etc)

Hows is everyone enjoying the lovely sunday sunshine? Lo is kicking me like mad so think they may like it lol. Who has a scan this week?

hi everyone! welcome to the mad house needle!
i know me and you and chulita have scans this week stac! yay!
haven't been on in a few days as have been hectic between one thing and another! very early start this morn and just home now and i'm sooooooooo tired! tiredness starting to get to me againa and im not happy with that!
beautiful day here but i thing i'll go for a nap so its wasted on me!
LO was kicking like mad last night and i think i could feel a hand dragging down the side of my belly and felt quite weird!reassuring though! xx

Stac we have a collie (but a small one - a sheltie) and he was just under 1 when we had dd so still a puppy really.

Dh brought a vest dd had worn home from the hospital to get the dog used to the smell and when we brought dd home we showed her to him while feeding him doggy treats - to make him think this baby thing was a good idea! He was absolutely fine and is now very protective of her and she LOVES him and thinks he's the funniest thing ever.

Advice I received also said to try to keep the dog's routine similar - though it's hard in the first few days and weeks - just try to make sure the dog gets walks and attention and minimise the disruption as much as possible. But really, ours was fine.

And dogs are FANTASTIC when the baby starts eating solids - they just eat up all the bits the baby throws on the floor - saved me a lot of cleaning up!

Spireal thanks for the advise. The chicken korma, rice and naan bread was perfect! And I actually enjoyed it too! Went for a chicken shashlik It was a good restaurant.

Needle yes I had my DD at the Whittingdon and was very pleased. I am having my DS there too ;) Although I recently had a retarded doctor though too... But I would def recommend it. Coffee wise let me know if you are around Crouch End and we might sort something out. I'm usually around in the mornings after having dropped munchkin to school or afternoons around 2pm are good too.

needle for the tube have you thought of getting a baby carrier or a sling - lots of the really light buggies aren't suitable from birth and a sling has got to be easier than getting up and downstairs with a buggy.

My cat and dd are petrified of each other - I suspect that the cat has tried to scratch dd while dd blocked her escape route once - when they meet - which is rarely - the cat tends to spend most of its time behind the washing machine or in my wardrobe - dd screams and the cat scarpers - I keep hoping they'll get used to each other

chulita sorry that dd isn't better - you must be exhausted.

Well I have had a bit of a day - got up to find the cat had weed on our sofa - bloody thing doesn't like the new enclosed litter tray and has decided she is scared of outside - she only went outside in our old house, but has now decided she is a house cat - and a fussy one at that. I ripped a hole in our still quite new sofa cover getting it off to put it in the machine - getting increasingly hungry and hormonal - I don't do hungry well - made the transition into screaming wailing banshee and was thourghly horrid to dh. I didn't sleep well last night worrying about my driving test on Friday - ended up getting myself into a right two and eight, scared dd (and dh I think) going between sobbing and screaming. Discovered I'd lost my driving licence photocard and can't get a new one in time so have cancelled driving test. All this before 9am.

Anyway I did calm down by about 10am, DH has been an absolute star all day, looking after dd, doing loads of housework, he even went shoe shopping with me. He tells me I turned into a mad woman much more often when pg with dd.. I've blocked out the memory I think.

Am glad I don't have to worry about the test for a little while, but am so frustrated at not being able to drive, it affects so much, where we buy a house, what things I can do with dd, meeting friends, what buggy I can get, where I work, which training I can do.. I really don't want to have to turn round to dd and say sorry you went to a second rate school and didn't go out to farms and couldn't visit friends to often, mummy couldn't work out how to pass her driving test. I'm 30, I don't know anyone else who can't drive, next test will be my 5th. It can't really be beyond me, I am generally quite a capable person.

So anyway, now dd is in bed, house is peaceful, we are all organised for the week.

Wonderstuf don't panic! I now lots of people who still don't have a license... I did mine half a year ago and it was the the 9th time [embarassed] Just persevere and you'll be fine. I could not imagine not driving no, with DD in reception class and all the after school activities!

Oops know not now And I'm just about to turn 34.. ;)

jojobil that makes me feel loads better - thanks.

kkfairybrains- thanks for the welcome!

Wonderstuff- I did a deal with my husband- he never has to cook, I never have to learn to drive. I took lessons for a year and hated it so much that I got to the stage where I was literally crying when I got behind the wheel. I'm sorry your day was so horrid though- mine started well and got steadily worse. As for the sling, that's what quite a few people have recommended, and it's probably the best idea.

Hi Everyone,
Oh wonder sounds like you have been through the mill today, what a shitty thing about ur cat AND ur test. I hope ur feeling chilled out now. The driving is difficult, i passed my test but built up a giant phobia for ages and I sturggled to drive anywhere, im ok now but only just, i have to travel a lot for work and I get the train mostly, its cheaper and more ecofriendly.