Spring is sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where my toenails is - Due June 2010

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Ok, here it is ladies. Nice new thread for us all to enjoy

Finally got to a co-operative computer so I can satisfy my OCD about noting down the new joiners:

No date - ac1974, #1
27th-3rd - ScaredofEverything, 33, #2
30/05 GoodName, 31, #1 BOY
31/05 RnB, 31, #3
31/05 dinosaurinmybelly (DIMB), 37, #3 GIRL
31/05 - mampam, 30 #3
31/05 - minimoonumbertwo, 33, #2, BOY
1st - Appu, #1 Girl
1st - Washersaurus , 33, #3
1st - ELM, 29, #2
1st - whenwillisleepagain, 42 #2
1st - PogueMahone, 36, #3 SURPRISE
2nd - scrappydappydoo, #3
2nd - MrsGravy, 33, #3
2nd - meggymegmegs, 31, #1 SURPRISE
2nd - Justbeme , 41 #3
2nd - AlwaysHopeful, 35, #2 SURPRISE
2nd - roundabout1, no 2,
3rd - nickytwotimes, 35, #2
3rd - Jenba, ?, #3
3rd - Flossysmum, #4
3rd - marmiteaddict, 31, #1 SURPRISE
4th - madamefreckle, 34,#2 GIRL
4th - sunshiney, 34, #2
5th - Dizzymac, 35 No.3
6th - zumm, 37, #1
7th - MrsC09, 29 #1 SURPRISE
7th - mumandlovingit, 28 #3
7th - perkster, no 1, SURPRISE
7th/11th - PorridgeBrain, 34, no. 2
7th - Zeel, #1
8th - LittleRobbo, 35, #3 GIRL
8th - Tobermory, #2
8th - Saucepanman, 31, #4
8th - MrsAlwaysRight 31, #2
9th - greensnail, 28, #2 SURPRISE
9th - Boobz, 30, #2 SURPRISE
10th - upsydaisysexstylist #3
11th - woofie, 33, # 2 BOY
11th - amandajo, 34, #3 SURPRISE
12th - UnrequitedSkink, 33, no. 2
12th - Rangemaster 29, #3
12th - Georgee, 38, #1 GIRL
12th - Fabi76, 33 #1
12th - Elena67, 43 #1
13th - ChairmumMiaow, 29, #2
13th - sobloodystupid, 34, #3
14th - Fillybuster, 36, #3 - NOT TELLING!
15th - Ponymum, 41, # 2
15th - Millymollymoo, ?, #4 BOY
16th - NizzyNoodles, 35, #3 BOY
16th - Flossie69, 40,#2
17th - Bluesnowfalcon 28 #1 BOY
17th - Summerhols, 31, #1
17th - Barbeasty, 30, #1 GIRL
17th - chestnut100,30 #1 GIRL
17th - MomBanks, #2 BOY
17th - LateforWork,#1, SURPRISE
17th - Plum100, #3, SURPRISE
18th - Virgo1979, SURPRISE
18th - theperfectbaguette 34 #1
19th - Ladyemmalou83, 26 #1
20th - addictedtofrazzles, 33, #2
21st - Gizmo, 39, #3 GIRL
21st - Sunworshipper, 36, #1
22nd - gaelicsheep, 33, #2 - NOT TELLING
23rd - Sunshineday 39 #5
23rd - Earlyonemorning, 35, #4,
23rd - IckleJess, #4 BOY
23rd - Bobolana, 29 #1 Girl
24th - GibberingGinger 34 #2+3 BOYS
25th - Ilovemyterrier, 38 #1 BOY
25th - readysetgo, #1
25th - Esme,#3, GIRL
26th - herewegrow 31 #2 GIRL
26th - imkeepingmum, #1, SURPRISE
27th - muchchocolate, #2
27th - nikkisbump #1
28th - Wheredidmyfeetgo 32 #3
29th - CantSleepWontSleep, 36, no3, SURPRISE
29th - MrsDmamee #3
29th - MumfieMagic, 37 #1,
29th - playftseforme, 35, #2+3 BOYS
30th - Monthlymayhem, 34, no. 2 BOY
30th - MonkeyMargot, 35, #2+3
30th - LaTrucha, 36, #2 BOY
30th - NotGrownUpEnough, 29, no 1, SURPRISE
30th - EssieM, 37, #1, SURPRISE

Mampam very nice to see you back, but I'm going to nag you, I'm afraid...go to your GP. Even if it's only to make him/her aware of what has been happening for the past 18 months so that he'll be a more prepared safety net. You know that once the baby arrives the pressure will be on, and if your GP is aware that life is tough he might be quicker to help.

Perkster re baby monitors: my honest recommendation is don't bother. In a small to medium sized terraced house your baby will be quite capable of making herself heard if she has a real problem and in my experience all baby monitors do is amplify every tiny snuffle, bringing you out in a constant cold postnatal sweat of dread about nothing important. Of course, you might be one of those hardy souls that rapidly get desensitised to the snuffles but I ended up with the baby monitor in the garden shed (being the only place where I wasn't sure I could hear the baby) after about 6 weeks. And whatever you do, don't put it next to the bed if you ever want to sleep again Anyway, that's where the baby should go

PlayFTSE...have I lost the plot? I thought your DH had avoided this trip to India? Weren't lawyers mentioned?

Well done gizmo! My word, there are a lot of us now... so many babies! So very exciting, I've forgotten about the discomfort for a few moments

alwayshopeful im doing my best to take all comments with a pinch of salt as i know most people feel they need to say something but never know what to say.

re:Baby moniters, DH insisted we needed one last time for ds#2 as mil wanted to have it on the rare nights she babysat when ds was under 1.
we ended up just getting a fisher price lights and sound one.(you can turn down the sound and the lights flash when baby makes noise...snuffle etc...)
but i gave in for the sake of a night out even though MIL looked like she had been listening to it all night even though ds was a great sleeper from 5 weeks
and i left it in MIL's and its still there nearly 4 years later.

MrsDmamee thanks for the tip, I'll definitely be using that!

Gizmo lawyers were mentioned if he planned to go back after the babies arrive..... However, we did have a v tense Good Friday when dh came back for Easter and he said that he'd be away until 23rd April, when on last count it was supposed to be 17th and we'd even exchanged terse texts about that. Kicked him into spare room that night, but there was a late night rapprochement when the neighbours alarm went off in the early hours and we were both woken up, and he said he would try to come back on 17th after all. Now we don't even have a date cos it transpires that the person that was being lined up to replace him is no longer available , so dh has finally thrown his dollies out of the proverbial pram, but still no date.... Am bizarrely quite chilled about it at the moment though... not sure why

Just a quickie.

Had 28 week scan today and all still looking good for VBAC . Baby and amniotic fluid both on the 50th centile. I'm measuring 30cm on the fundal height at 28 weeks but the consultant just said to his trainee 'Do you thikn that's in the normal range?' and she guessed 'yes' which is not quite what the midwives say but may reassure any of you ladies who are measuring a bit big.

Has anyone bought any good maternity pyjamas? I've bought a couple of pairs of ebay, but both are very uncomfortable, I find. I was thinking about these from Blooming Marvellous, but only if you can bf in them. It doesn't say if they open or not. I don't suppose anyone's got them, have they?

LaTrucha I only have maternity nighties, which are really comfy (in fact i never stopped wearing them since I had DD - not sure how i managed to conceive again with that level of sexy nightwear ). I zoomed in on the pic you linked to and it does look like the buttons open so you should be ok.

perkster I have the tomy walkabout baby advance monitor. I love it for the following reasons

1. If you have it on the lowest volume setting, you can't hear every snuffle and fart, but you do hear perfectly well if the baby cries and if you put your ear right up to it you can hear the baby breathing, which was perfect for my middle of the night panics.
2. It has only one tiny light on it, so it doesn't keep you awake that way.
3. It works at the end of my 130ft garden with DD upstairs at the other side of the house, so I could sit outside with a glass of wine in the summer evenings without worrying.
4. It cost me about £3 second hand off ebay!

playftse sympathies for your fainting episode. I'm a fainter too and have been known to faint lying in my own bed at home when not pregnant!

AlwaysHopeful My bump always measured bang on average last pregnancy, and DD was 7lb9oz when born at 36 weeks, so looks like she was destined to be a biggie if she'd made it to full term!

LaT I got cheap pj's from primark in a couple of sizes bigger. They aren't very glamarous but they are draw string bottoms so I'm hoping that these will see me through until I (hopefully) shrink back down to my normal size. The tops are vest top type tops so planning on just popping my boob over the top or pulling the top up.

Had another bout of infection in the herewegrow household. DD has ear and throat infections and I have a throat infection too. Doesn't stop me eating or talking mind We are on the mend now though thankfully.

I've got tomorrow and Monday off work so we are planning on going to the zoo tomorrow. We were thinking of the London aquarium but now we want to take advantage of the good weather and avoid the tube

I'm another one who hasn't used a baby monitor much. We bought one for DD but barely used it as she had a fine set of lungs and could be heard anywhere in the house. Handy for anxious mother in law babysitting though. Can't remeber what I bought but I think it cost about 40 quid.

Our sex life is also completely no existent. Last pregancy was at it like rabbits (DH not fazed by baby at all), but this time a combination of sore pelvis and (TMI warning!) very swollen fango (possible varicous veins) has put me off even trying. So that'll be us for at least 6 months. In my experience sex after baby is even less practical than sex when preggers.

Sorry to hear of your fainting PlayFTSE, hope its nothing serious. I have a presentation tommorrow and and wondering if I can keep it really short on the threat of fainting. Will certainly start gasping and clutching my bump if there is too many questions

Have ordered a buggy (Out and About nipper 360) and since we bought the bus a few weeks ago we are pretty much sorted with major purchases. This weekend my parents are coming to help rearrange all the upstairs bedrooms so we can fit in the cots. Mum is going to be at the dust under the beds

LaTrucha my sister gave me a bag of maternity wear which was 2nd possibly up to 5th hand and there was a pair of Blooming Marvellous mat PJ's in there. I love them, really comfy cotton ones, they don't sell the ones I have anymore having looked at the website but the ones you chose look like the closest match. Mine have no ties at the front of the bottoms and I loved that they are designed for the bump. Don't know if that is helpful!

Thanks all for the top baby monitor tips!

Hi everyone,

mampam welcome back! Sounds like some progress with the cat, which is at least a step forward and hopefully stopped DH from wanting to rehome her? Do tell me if you want me to send that Vicky Hall book in the post, I meant it when I offered.

Had my 32 week MW appointment today. All generally good except the baby's still breech despite much scrubbing of the kitchen floor . Urine test had no glucose (glucose was there last time after disgraceful consumption of syrup sandwich) so am let off the dreaded diabetes tests, yay!

greensnail I am so at your 130ft garden!! We have a pathetic yard. I am so desperate to move to a lovely family house.

playftse You're a stronger woman than me, hope DH sorts things out sharpish.

Hi all you lovely June ladies, hope you've been enjoying the sunshine today?

I've missed it (been in meetings all day) but after 12 days of sunshine on holiday I guess I can't really complain!

Have spent the last 30 mins speed-reading to catch up (ok, I spent some time lurking on holiday too, as our rental flat had broadband) but am now far too tired to post properly...sorry....

So, of the things that have stuck:

at 130ft garden!!!!!!!

Baby monitors - I sort of agree with Gizmo but did find ours useful for sitting outside in our (not 130ft!) garden, as the baby's room is at the front of the house. And our nanny/babysitters definitely used it when we left dcs who were below 2yo (no longer!). We do generally keep it turned right down and definitely do not use it when sleeping! The BT model we got for dd has been good; we had the Tomy with ds but it was utterly crap.

Sex life.......not at all. Not since 2nd January A bad combination of January illnesses, dh being very miserable at work and me doing something horrible to my back meant we suddenly got to March without any nookie. We've had good intentions but I no longer feel remotely attractive and its just been a bit too long...I don't really want to leave it until after the birth, as I've been really badly torn during both deliveries and it took me over a year to get back to 'normal' each time.... Not too sure what to do about this, tbh...

All good here. I also feel the size of a small house, but guess there's only 10 weeks to go (pah!). Work is insane, and I've got about 7 weeks left, but hopefully it will be so busy I won't have time to grumble too much. For whoever asked, I'll be spending my last 2 weeks filling the freezer with industrial quantities of soup, pasta sauce, meatballs, biscuits and cakes

Sorry for a lousy catch up!

On the subject of monitors - I think it depends on what you're like. We still use one with DD (2.3) and we're going to get a second one for DC2. We're even thinking of getting a video one. It just suits is and we use it every day.

DH did make the point that if we had a video one I'd feel it was easier to do things with DD in different rooms while DC2 is napping. Might be useful with a toddler.

Belated Happy Easter everyone and hello to all the newcomers. I've been crap at keeping up lately - only bit of functioning brain has had to be conserved for work!

Sounds like you had a lovely holiday Filly and how nice to be able to top up your tan back here in the sunshine.

Playtseforme your DH's company have got a nerve but know what you mean about being chilled for some reason. My DH has just been told he is coming off his project in London in June and currently has a choice between projects in Antarctica or Afghanistan! Really hope you both get some firm dates and answers soon.

Greensnail glad you are feeling brighter and your blood test results were more encouraging. It's so wearing being at appointments all the time, all the waiting around and constant worrying.

Dinosaur congrats on moving into your new home. Your old landlady sounds like a piece of work - whatever happened to 'reasonable wear and tear'.

Mampam so glad to hear that the awful weight of that elec bill has been lifted and is more manageable now. It sounds as if your DH has been a real trouper.

Somebody else asked about DHs being a bit slow on the uptake that babies are about to arrive. I'm finding the only way to get my DH to do anything is to start climbing ladders myself or trying to heave piles of rubbish out of the way and guilt-tripping mine into doing anything. There is no sense of urgency at all.

We've given up on sex too. We're just both too nervous of something happening but even though we haven't had this sort of intimacy I don't think we've ever felt closer or more tender towards each other (unless I'm freaking out about all the jobs.)

Woofie your maternity unit sounds amazing - what a lovely way to have your baby come into the world if it can't be at home.

Just a quick update on progress - feeling v relieved because we saw our consultant today at 29 weeks and we are definitely having a Caesarean so at least we know what we are doing now. Our baby was also measuring on the large side for dates at 28 week scan but I'm still not showing that much and everyone keeps saying ooh you're very small aren't you. We can't win can we?

Oh, La Trucha, I saw some nice maternity pjs and nighties which are suitable for breastfeeding on the NCT website today. I think the brand is Melba maternity wear. Also in a nice dark colour!

To everyone of my garden - yes it is pretty amazing - especially seeing as I live in a first floor maisonette! People are always astonished when I show them and can't believe its all ours. The only downside is I think we're going to really struggle to replace it when we move. Ate our tea out there in the sunshine this evening - very pleasant

Welcome back Filly glad you had a good holiday!

ANd also to Mampam you sound much happier and good on your DH for sorting out the elec. situation. Enjoy your break from the DCs too.

Greensnail am also at your garden. Want to know how big ours is? About 12 foot!!

Hospital rang today and GTT results absolutely fine - however my iron levels are very low so I need to get some iron supplements. Will also get spatone as suggested by one of our ladies here. Am really hoping this will help with my extreme exhaustion as it's doing my head in.

playftse you poor thing fainting after your GTT! It is awful - I felt dreadful after necking the Lucozade and was beyond hunger.

gibbering am also going for the out n about nipper double for the twins. My only concern is that a buggy board will fit ok as I've read some posts from other MN'ers saying it's not great...

perkster I can't recommend the BT 150 Baby monitor highly enough. Different sensitivity levels to avoid hearing all snuffles, shows temperature in the nursery, plays nursery rhymes (really handy for helping them to settle back to sleep in the night) and great reception and range. We still use it now and DD is 16 months. Its not cheap new (£69.95) but am sure you can find them on eBay.

And as for sex ......ha ha ha. I applaud all those giving it a go, and last pregnancy we continued throughout. This time however, haven't been there for at least 3 months. I am too knackered, v.low libido and I think DH has actually given up on it altogether for now!

sunworshipper that's nice to have a definite end date and to be able to make some concrete plans. All you have to do now is hurry up and wait, eh .

Hi Filly, great to see you back; I'm rather liking Ginger's thoughts on how to deal with awkward questions/work overload, only problem being explaining to HR why you aren't taking your wooziness to the GP! Sorry to hear about the lack of sex chez filly: if it seriously bothers you maybe some alternative intimacy (massage, giving each other a bath etc) might fill some of the gaps: I always feel that it goes some way to meeting physical needs without the complications of sex. But then I'm not a bloke, so I could be way off as far as your DH is concerned (or mine, now I come to think of it).

And oh dear FTSE your DH's work is a bit mental isn't it? You've touched a guilty nerve with me actually as I have just proposed a colleague go to a trade show for three days that will see him back at home at 10.45 pm on the evening before his wife goes into hospital for several days. They have three kids, youngest not quite a year. That's too much, isn't it? Maybe I should bring him back a day earlier...

Anyway, if it's any consolation I heard my DH on the phone to a particularly demanding Japanese client of ours discussing a delivery meeting in Tokyo on 24th June. It was a severe test of my professionalism not to take the phone from his hand and inform the client that he needed to consider some alternatives, but DH assures me that he is not expected to be at this meeting: I am, apparently, his 'get out of jail free card'. . Anyone care to take a little bet on DH's whereabouts come June 23rd?

gizmo and ftse commiserations on DH's with job responsibilities abroad. Can't think of anything worse than being potentially abandoned when you're about to pop....

And forgot to say thanks for updating the stats list gizmo. You are indeed the spreadsheet queen!

DH has to make a trip to France (not quite as far as India/Japan!) in May - just hoping the babies don't decide to pop out really early.

reet - off to bed now - bye all!

Morning ladies yay welcome back Filly sounds like you had a fab hol

Well clearly its not just DH and i who are struggling to maintain sex life,it helps to know the majority of us are not indulging! But i'm interested to know if any of us have become a rampant sex goddess?

Hope everyone gets some sunshine this weekend,its going to be lovely apparently

Mampam is standing to attention and saluting to Sergeant Major gizmo

Honestly I'm ok. I did a lot of thinking over the last week or so and realised that what was making me unhappy (aside from the money thing) was that at this stage in my last pregnancy I had to stomp around to some womans house and drag exH home in the middle of the night with DD in tow (I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions as to what he was doing) which then followed with a huge row where he told me the worst thing he'd ever done was get me pregnant with that baby . That, I now know, was the beginning of the slippery slope towards the end of our marriage. 18 months later our marriage ended when I found out that he had been having an affair with one of our friends (to whom he's now married).

It's been playing on my mind and all the emotions have reared their ugly head alot recently and I'm so scared of it happening again. I don't want to be a single mum again. I've been doing some crazy, crazy things like checking DH's history on the computer, his phone, emails that sort of thing. Of course there is nothing to find and I'm turning into some sort of Psycho crazed pregnant woman.

I wouldn't wish those horrible feelings of being cheated on, on my worst enemy, not even the OW. My self esteem has never recovered and I still to this day find it hard to even watch a soap where someone is having an affair, it makes me feel sick to my core.

They've been (officially) together now for about 5 and a half years and for most of that it has been one huge battle with them. OW is a very manipulative person and also devious and sly with it. She has had some major problem with me, almost as if the roles were reversed and it was me who was the OW. I've never been anything but polite to her and have never spoken out of turn to her (although I've wanted to). I've even, in the early days, sat opposite her at lunch and made polite chit chat with her on a hen weekend that we were both on!! I always tell myself that they may have stripped and took everything else away from me but I still have my dignity
Anyway this woman has been vile to me over the years and although I don't bite to it has continiued. She even tried to dress sexy one day when picking up DC's from our house when she knew DH would be there with them on his own!!! She has purposely put many spanners in the works when exH and I have been getting on. I don't particularly like him but I would rather we got on for the sake of DC's than be at each others throats.

Anyway since I've been pregnant she has for some reason let up a bit, ex and I get on pretty well now to the point where DS has even commented that daddy and I are 'friends'! What has changed I don't know but I have to keep my guard up with them as there is always a lull before the storm where that pair are concerned!!

Right that was a bit of a rant, sorry it wasn't meant to be. It was supposed to give you a bit of insight into why I'm feeling extra shitty at the moment. Now I've exposed myself for the true nutter I really am

Am very of greensnails huge garden too. We have quite a big garden but not 130ft, more like 50ft. Do you have a gardener greensnail? I love gardening but would seriously need help if ours was any bigger!!

House still in a state (upstairs), DC's rooms are all sorted ready for them to be 'put back to normal' by the end of the day, actually it will only take them half an hour at the most!!

Officially had my best nights sleep in a very long time last night. Apart from going to the loo 3 times and waking up to turn over every so often I didn't wake up until 7am and the cat wasn't even up doing her noisy thing either - result!!

meggy would love to borrow your book

Following on from yesterday's lack-of-nookie note, I had a chat with dh about our non-existent sex life last night. We've agreed that it doesn't make either of us particularly happy, and we know from past experience that if we don't get a move on then it really will be a 9-12 month break which will make it quite difficult to start again....so we're going to see if we can get going again

Gizmo - I agree that there are other ways of feeling close, and we do lots of those, but its not quite the same....

Flump has been enormously uncomfortable for the past week or so, in a way I don't remember my previous 2 bumps being...I feel like its got into a really awkward position and is stuck there. Can't be the case at 30 weeks, right? There should still be plenty of room to move....? Ah well, seeing the consultant at the hospital on Tuesday, so might get checked then....you never know

Go Filly go , you're a braver woman than me. Even if the current logistics weren't stacked against me, there is no way that nooky would be on the agenda!

Monkey how long will your dh be away for? I'm also keeping everything crossed (literally too if i could manage it!) that the babies decide to stay put for as long as possible.

Sunworshipper what a choice - Antartica v Afghanistan. Is 'no' or 'not now' an option??

And Gizmo your dh had better not be rushing to the airport in Japan at the critical moment, having cut things so fine. My dh likes to joke that he'll be back the week before. Hmmm some joke.

filly please can you tell my husband a thing or two!! I keep telling him there are other ways of being close apart from doing the actual deed and have pointed out that there is nothing wrong with his fingers (sorry TMI) but he really doesn't get it!! He's one of these blokes that thinks a bit of foreplay is twiddling my nipples like a pair of radio dials for 10 minutes and sticking his finger in and wiggling in my fanjo for another 10 minutes before sticking his wotnot in there And, I'm only convinced that he does that because there have been times when I've point blank refused to drop my drawers and let him get stuck in

Oh, and GibberingG hope your presentation goes well today. Hope the babies do lots of wriggling in front of your audience, really freaks them out, especially if the audience is largely male!!

Playftse DH will be away for a 5 days. I know France isn't terribly far, but he is driving there and back so it's a 14hour car journey...How long will yours be gone for? Do you have family nearby? My mum told me last weekend she was going to pack her bag in early May should she need to get down to us at the drop of a hat (2 hours away). Thank god for mothers!