How am I going to tell her Dad!

[StAnne]

My teenager has just announced that she is pregnant. How could this happen? We are a religious family and her father is going to hit the roof. She is a very good girl and we go to temple every week. She seems very content and happy to tell me she is due in three weeks time. She thinks its a blessing but only waited until now to tell me. It's amazing she hasn't shown until now. I'm a wreck how can we tell him this news?

Next time you email her do advise her to try and get a room that's as far away from a cow shed as possible. Bloody cattle lowing all night is a bugger for waking up babies

Oh Dear! She left her Moses basket here! She said something about it being a bit unlucky in Egypt. I don't know what she means. She has e-mailed me that there seems to be a Star following them. How odd! Well around here all the Roman's have hangovers and we are cleaning up after Saturnalia parties. They are such drunken louts. Do you think its because we sell alcohol at such cheap prices and their parents never gave them a little wine and water at dinnertime!

Have you heard anything yet, StAnne?

According to the news, a great big light was seen in the fields over Jerusalem. there were reports from all these shepherds saying that they had to go into town to find out something about a baby? some king or other.

bit bizarre. i didn't know the queen was pregnant.
anyway, they said they were setting off from their normal site and they should be in the town by friday night.

StAnne - you have the patience of a saint. Bet your daughter still needs her mum though, what, with this being her first and everything. Can't believe the Romans insisted on the Headcount; it's a disgrace that a full term woman should have to take such a journey, and on a donkey too. At least they hadn't booked the Eurostar. What would her NCT class say to that?

ANy feelings on the sex of this little one? I think it could be a girl...

How's it going, StAnne? I've been following this thread but not posting because there's SO MUCH to do here (I run a small inn in a little town called Bethlehem - pretty quiet here most of the time). Must say, it's such a bad time to travel at the moment - apart from the weather, bloody governor Quirinus and his census mean this town is packed out. People descending from every direction! Good for business, though - we're totally packed out with all the rooms taken up now. It's mad, whole families sharing one bed! Everyone's returning to their home town. People are travelling from as far as Nazareth! Still, it's totally packed out but can I get a good carpenter to fix the broken manger in the stable? Forget it!
Anyhow, where is your daughter heading to, Anne? Make sure she's staying somewhere safe - there's a lot of coming and going here even at night (well, there would be - there's a whopping great big star that seems to be right above the town, in fact, it's directly above my inn, you'd need double blackout curtains if you had a newborn here), and there are sheep wandering around - word is the shepherds on the mountain are leaving their flocks and making excursions to the town! Totally irresponsible - I blame the drink, they're claiming that the sky is filled with light and they can hear singing. Never trust a shepherd.

I hope your girl took notes from her NCT classes, St Anne. Maternity services around Bethlehem are very stretched - homebirths are the norm there but often no midwives available. My friend Elizabeth was blessed with a little miracle 6 months ago (long story, trying for years, past childbearing age when she was surprised with little John - anyway, whole other thread). Aftercare is provided by 3 Wise Men who visit 10 -14 days postpartum, they tend to concentrate more on astrological predictions than physical checks, they also bring gold, frankincense and myrhh as a "Bounty pack".

Have we had any thoughts on a name yet? I'm into a latin-american vibe, with a touch of rapper in case they grow up to be famous. Something like HeyZeus for a boy, perhaps? Still, I suppose your dd won't want to saddle him with anything flashy in case he becomes something run-of-the-mill like a tax collector. What if it's a girl? Emmanuelle? Or does that have connotations?

firstly CONGRATULATIONS!!! SEriously, its wonderful news - very brave wee lass you have there - that would have been a lot to deal with on her own. I say this because i had my first DD at 19, lived with my parents and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. My parents were wonderfully supportive and i managed to go on to university and get my degree and phd. I probably woudlnt have done either if i didnt have DD1 to movtivate me.

I made my poor old mum tell my dad - apparently there was a moment where she had to stop him from getting into the car to murder my then not so DP, who didn't want to know, but after a few days of shock he was over the moon - he absolutely doted on DD and i don't regert anything. He was the proudest grandad in the world!!

Honestly, i know you have religious concerns, i am a catholic and haven't been struck by lightening, although my priest does have a few extra grey hairs on my behalf!! Not sure what religeon you are, but it is a new life, something you should rejoice in.

3 weeks to go??? Oh my word?? although there was a member of my family who gave birth in her MIL bathroom while MIL out for dinner - came home to mother and baby doing well, ambulance just arrived But practicalities - has she had medical care - is she set up with a midwife, hospital etc - there are benefits she will be entitled too, one off payments - lots of information required, maybe her midwife has given her this already??

I know it must be a big shock for you - my DD1 is now 19 and i often think, when will my turn come to get that "um, mum ive got something to tell you and you aint gonna like it, talk" But well, i had DD2 when she was 15 so that was quite a good contraception motivation for DD1 who is in a long term relationship.

Best of luck, your DH will go up the wall, but he will settle down, doesnt have a choice really does he, theres going to be a baby in three weeks time and you have no chioce but to embrace this and ENJOY IT!!

God Bless
xx

d'oh - how niave am i!!!!!

Anyway, StAnne, bet you are busy knitting and getting things ready. Good luck for the birth. Any ideas how your girl is going to get him/her into a routine? "Little sweet baby, Controlled Crying we'll make?" or do you think he/she will be a good baby and we'll all get a "Silent Night" straightaway.
Must dash - I've been offered a twilight shift in BethCo's - great for those last minute groceries...

You'll have to be careful not to be too much of a doting granny- you don't want to give the child a God Complex.

excellent post ijustwanttoaskaquestion, best one on the whole thread and yours is a lovely story

awwwww thanks claudia - i met my DP when DD1 was only 1yo - he's a carpenter!!

I think it's great everyone is being so positive - I mean, every sperm is sacred, and all that.

BTW do they have stables on lastminute.com? That might be an option. Last year someone started a thread because she too was heavy with child at this time of year, and her husband had left it too late to book a hotel room. I bet they wished they had lastminute.com then as well.

I think you'll be lucky to get anything at all on lastminute.com. Just went down to the river to wash some more sheets, and all the other innkeepers around report that they're overfull. I mean, we're on lastminute.com but I had to take us off the other day. And I still got four couples and a man on a camel knock on my door this afternoon. I suggested Delilah's down the road, but it's not a popular place (weird food). Mind you, she's probably jampacked as well.

Guess it shows that every baby is special and every baby might just change the world...

Happy Christmas - I'm going off for a cry now (but that might be to do with the combination of sleep-deprivation and Bailey's...)

Any more news? She must be nearly there now, hoping she has sorted accomodation out

Is this your dd?

Nymhadora Good girl, Op's DD, Mumsnet is the place to go for help! .
St Anne, I really don't want to worry you, but I've heard on twitter that King Herod is clamping down on first born sons. So sorry to mention it but I thought you ought to know, in case your DD's baby is a little boy. Maybe your DD and her new family (aw bless!) could take a Flight unto Egypt or somewhere like that. This political unrest is so horrible, why can't they give Peace A Chance.

So much going on. Some British slaves came into town yesterday with a Roman caravan & have been celebrating something they call Yuletide. Some Indians came a few weeks ago and had a light festival and of course we have Hanukkah. Well I've made them all sandwiches as they all seemed so home sick. Well DD has called me and says the roads have been jam packed with people going in different directions I told her that the AA advised anyone going to Bethlehem to following the A41 then on to M3 the at junction 12 follow the Star Road. She'll call me back if there are anymore problems.
(What a lovely story ijustwanttoaskaquestion in RL my sister had my nephew at 16 yrs her then DP and now DH have been together now for 24 yrs
Well must get the house ready for their return and must pop over to my cousin and see baby John.

Oh St Anne, what a stressful time for you!
I just wanted to mention that pregnant ladies should not touch sheep or cattle. Could transfer nasty diseases to baby - please tell her to be careful. Think donkey is ok though. Hope she doesn't have to wait too much longer.

Has she thought of any names yet?

oh yes, caspar, that's a really good tip.
make sure she's got a bottle of the anti-bac stuff just in case she comes into contact ith any.

iklboodolph: when i first told joseph about it, he said the angel had told him he should call it Emmanuel (but i think he's going to call him Jesus because his mum is a spanish/hebrew mixed race lady)

Still no news? Surely the baby must arrive in the next day or two.

By the way, I'm not sure if you have this covered as I haven't read the whole thread, but I saw Blooming Marvelous have some lovely cut-price cots in their sale - the 'manger' range I think they were called.

StAnne - you be prepared to tell that little grandbaby of yours all about the world. Tell her (or him) that if anyone is mean to her/him at playgroup to turn the other cheek. Tell her (or him) not to judge other people and to NEVER throw the first stone. Tell that little babe that their are good people in all sorts of nationalities, even Samaritans.
You never know, if that little babe listens to granny s/he might be quoting you when they are all grown up...
Granny's wisdom - if only kids would listen.
Still no news?