June is approaching, the end is in sight, time to sort our lady gardens so the midwives don't get a fright - Due June 2010

[ConservativesShouldWinSurely]

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 - ELM, 29, #2
1st - whenwillisleepagain, 42 #2
1st - PogueMahone, 36, #3 SURPRISE
1st - madamefreckle, 34,#2 GIRL
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
7th - MrsC09, 29 #1 SURPRISE
7th - perkster, no 1, SURPRISE
7th - Zeel, #1
8th - LittleRobbo, 35, #3 GIRL
8th - Saucepanman, 31, #4
8th - MrsAlwaysRight 31, #2
9th - greensnail, 28, #2 SURPRISE
9th - Boobz, 30, #2 SURPRISE
9th - Petitfilou, ?, 1
11th - shipsladyg GIRL
11th - woofie, 33, # 2 BOY
12th - Georgee, 38, #1 GIRL
12th - Elena67, 43 #1
13th - sobloodystupid, 34, #3
13th - WaiteH, no 1
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, 31, #1 GIRL
17th - chestnut100,30 #1 GIRL
17th - LateforWork,#1, SURPRISE
17th - Plum100, #3, SURPRISE
18th - Virgo1979, SURPRISE
18th - theperfectbaguette 34 #1
21st - Gizmo, 40, #3 GIRL
21st - Bubs1,?,SURPRISE
21st - Sunworshipper, 36, #1
22nd - gaelicsheep, 33, #2 - NOT TELLING
23rd - Bobolana, 29 #1 GIRL
24th - GibberingGinger 34 #2+3 BOYS
24th - lifeinthesun #2 BOY
25th - Ilovemyterrier, 38 #1 BOY
26th - herewegrow 31 #2 GIRL
26th - imkeepingmum, #1, SURPRISE
27th - muchchocolate, #2
28th - Wheredidmyfeetgo 32 #3
29th - CantSleepWontSleep, 36, #3, SURPRISE
29th - MrsDmamee #3
29th - playftseforme, 36, #2+3 BOYS
30th - MonkeyMargot, 36, #2+3 SURPRISE
30th - LaTrucha, 36, #2 BOY
30th - NotGrownUpEnough, 29, # 1, SURPRISE
30th - EssieM, 37, #1, SURPRISE
30th - Monthlymayhem, No.2, BOY

I'm totally shocked. There are some nice breastfeeding dresses around! I'm not fussed about special breastfeeding tops, but I hate not being able to wear a dress so have just treated myself to one from the Milk Bug website.

I think DD is partly beginning to be a real two-year old, coupled with some insecurity caused by the arrival of the baby, DH trips away and mummy's hormones.

No, SBS: that's what we're here for!

Their large is a size 14 LaT .

I know CSWS! It's a joke. Fortunately I'm a large! (I hope ) I don't know if it's in all styles?

I read something on here once that sometimes helps me through tricky moments with DD (although she is only two): children need our love most when they least deserve it. Would that help, earlyonemorning?

CSWS - they do have what I think is a nice purple one on JojoMamanBebe which has more reasonable sizes.

Congratulations gizmo and WWISA on your beautiful baby girls. I too would not be so quick to be understanding of the midwives in your situation gizmo - it really is unacceptable, protocol or no protocol and I have been fuming on your behalf.

saucepanman I too have been having many arguments with DH and just hope that next week is better. So exciting that we have more babies scheduled to arrive (thinking of you saucepanman and mampam + anyone else I've missed). I think I may be waiting past my due date (31May) as that was the case with DS1 and DS2, but MIL is arriving on Tuesday, so at least I will have childcare on site then and can make my way to the hospital if it all kicks off.

A very early morning from me- didn't get to sleep till gone 2 and been awake since 4.30 and up since 5.30! Am already starving hungry, hope I am straight in this morning. Good luck tomorrow mampam, I probably won't get back on here to make any announcement until I am home from the hospital- fingers crossed for Wednesday!

Oh, me and DH have made up thanks everyone for understanding, and my kitchen looks lovely!

Good luck saucepanman!

And I'm adding a special good luck to greensnail, who everyone keeps forgetting! Is the induction today or tomorrow?

Ooh, I take back my 'good luck' to greensnail, as she's had the baby already (message on fb). Will let her announce properly on here herself though.

Good luck Saucepanmam and many congrats to wwisa and greensnail !!! I can barely keep up!!

Last week at work for me - hooray! Also had a w/e of rows with DH. apparently I am not listening to his woes enough, and am complaining too much about my own health niggles . Things still strained this morning but civility has resumed at least.

I bought a BF dress from BooBMaternity (you can buy from everydaymaternity.com) whose sizes are very generous - I think their XL is an 18.

Off to check FB to read greensnails announcement!

How exciting - good luck Saucepanman! LaT, that's very wise thing about when children need love, although by the time they get to 2 I find it harder & harder to judge the best combination of affection & boundaries, especially in tricky situations like this. My 3 yr old is reacting by being especially bouncy & bumptious, which isn't a great combination with his fairly firm father - we had a disasterous family visit yesterday afternoon in the hospital - but it's an ongoing process, so I hope once we all get home together we can get a better handle on the right way to deal with it.

All this talk of clothes makes me think. - is anyone else looking forward to digging out their old clothes in a few months' time? It's one of the best bits of the post natal period I always think; like a new wardrobe but for free!

I can't wait to get back into my old clothes gizmo, am utterly sick of wearing the same maternity clothes day after day! There's some lovely summery stuff in the shops right now and it's frustrating that I can't fit into any of it, argh! Has anyone (like me!) bought some stuff for post-pregnancy? I've bought a few dresses in my pre-pregnancy size. Probably a really stupid move!

Good luck to everyone this week with inductions and sections.

Congratulations WWISA and Greensail LaT DD is also being a bit testing at the moment. Extra clingy and moany. She is also letting me rock her in my arms like a tiny baby. She is only nearly 17 months but she wouldn't have let me do this a couple of weeks ago.

Final week in the office cannot wait to have some time do clear out cupboards and hopefully make some space. Been trying to get baby organised in case of an early arrival.

suzy1975 not sure if you're planning to breast feed or not, but for obvious reasons, dresses are tricky when it comes to BF! (Unless you buy specific BF dresses).
I witnessed an amusing incident in the park yesterday. A new mum with lovely baby, sitting in shade about to BF. When suddenly she realised she can't as is wearing a pretty summer dress! She then has to go and hide in the loos.

herewegrow am also on final week at work - hooray !!
Maybe our toddlers sense something is about to change? DH erected the new cotbed in our room ready for the babies, and this morning DD was extremely intrigued as to what it was doing there. She isn't being clingy as such but is giving me lots of hugs and kisses. I feel a sadness that at 18 months, her time is up of being numero uno. Sounds silly, but it marks the beginning of a whole new world for her.

On a different note, what does everyone think about the new govt. ceasing CTF as from 1 August?

Congratulations Greensnail & when will I sleep again

Good luck Mampam & Saucepanman - hope all goes according to plan & you are both nice & early on the list.

So exciting all these babies (& a bit scary too it's becoming very real now!)

My dd is 4.5 & although very excited about becoming a big sister she is acting up a bit. She's so clingy to me round the house & having arguments with dp who isn't as patient as he could be.
Talking of dp he's been a bit of an arse this weekend, apparently this weather has affected him far more than me. I'm used to crap nights sleep so therefore he should be able to lie in & nap in the daytime to catch up on his sleep. Also when it suits me I can do lots of things eg lifting & so I'm being a bit awkward asking him to do so much - charming. Luckily he's in a slightly better mood today, so far anyway!

Congratulations in advance greensnail!

I know what you mean about affection and discipline Gizmo. I think I am strict in my own way (there are some things that my firends are fussed about that I am not and vice versa). Sometimes I think I should just give DD a break TBH! I do quite a lot of explaining to her aswell, and in quite an 'adult' fashion and it seems to work more frequently than I would have expected. I thikn sometimes she just wants to know there is a reason for what she's being told to do or not do. If I say something she pretty much goea along withit.

She absolutely is testing the waters though. Yesterday she went through all the motions of a 'throw myself ont he floor screaming fit' which she had seen a friend do but very, very slowly, looking at me all the tiem to see if there was a reaction. There wasn't, naturally

I'm trying to give her extra love and cuddles though, when she wants it or will accept it. I'm trying to take seriously what a huge change it will be for her to have abrother. She couldn't be more into babies, but she's not so sure that mummy should look after the one who is coming!

I find the CTF a convenient place for people who want to give DD something for the future to put money. If DC2 wasn't going to get one, we'd have done the same thing (effectively). We're quite into investments here and I try and squirrel away an ISA or two every year for our old age. My Dad takes an active interest in it and has taught us quite a lot. He invested his retirement lump some about twenty years ago and it has grown to at least five times what he originally invested, so worth doing but only for the long terms. Great time to buy shares now too!

On post-pg clothes, I stayed with a very big baby tummy after my c-section last time for ages, so I have no idea what size I will be for trousers etc. But I am going to get some decent things when baby is born. Last time, I bought really cheap stuff I didn't much like as I thought it was just for a short time. It wasn't, and I felt I looked rubbish for ages.

I do really want to get fitter though. I never did after DD and have stayed a bit overweight, having never been in my life. DD was just such a handful and then all sorts of awful things kept happening to us and it just never came off. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it though. Walking fast with a buggy didn't work last time.

Coming a bit late to the discussion about Gizmo's treatment at Rosie maternity, but my DSis had DD2 there on Weds 19th, and she was out within 5 hours (which is exceptionally speedy even for a second baby) because they had nowhere to put her on the PN ward. Sounded chaotic.

Off to the spinning babies website for me. I'm sure this baby is trying to turn. So uncomfortable today. I feel just like when DD turned from cephalic to transverse. Argh!

Hello all and congratulations to those whose babies have arrived!! It's getting very real now...

LaTrucha I have also been perusing spinning babies website as mine was back to back at last appointment, not impressed

Hi all, thanks for all the well wishes. I wonder how saucepanman and greensnail have got on today?

Had a MW appointment this afternoon, she basically confirmed what I already knew.....that this baby is going to be a whopper [so glad I'm not giving birth naturally]. She said it may not be as big as DS (10lb 14oz) but it's definitely gonna be over 10lbs!!! and my enormous bump is all baby

Had a phonecall from my boss earlier, apparently her accountant is sending her a form for me that I have to take to the job centre and claim my maternity pay from there?? I have been on sick pay up until the 10th May when my Mat leave started. What really pisses annoys me is that surely this should have been sorted out before now, not one day before I'm due for a CS? The nearest bloody job centre is a 40 minute drive away and how am I supposed to go there when I've just had abdominal surgery? I gave my Mat B1 to my boss months ago.

Anyway rant over. I'm enjoying the sun but not my giant elephants feet. May or may not get on here later but if not, good luck to all those who go pop this week and hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon.

Thank you to everyone who has given me advice and supported me over this hideous pregnancy. I really do appreciate it

mampam xxx

just thread crashing from the may thread to congratulate Gizmo (its Spacecadet)...and that you had such a horrible experience in the Rosie..sadly Im not surprised.(many of my friends had upsetting experiences there).I had 3 dcs there and had such an awful experience with DS2 that I went to Hinchingbrooke for DD2...do contact PALS and make a formal complaint..its totally unacceptable