Sept 08 - No no no, ME do it!

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Shiny new thread for Christmas!

Unless your sister has somehow got the wrong end of the stick she is being unreasonable! Seems like an odd thing to get upset about.

I'm back in the iphone world again. Unfortunatly it cost me £140 to have it replaced. Most of my apps have put themselves back onto the phone but the photos have all been lost

debi :( about the photos (and quite that you have an iphone!)
pacita I'm 8 weeks and suitably nauseous thanks...I'm all about the steak pies and liquorice this time round

That's good your phone is working now debi not so good about the photos tho

I got a bfp this morning, but I'm not getting to excited just yet.

I'll be excited for you then lolly, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. Many congratulations

Ouch on the cost of the phone Debi, and what a bummer about the photo's

It sounds like you're craving iron Carrie! I had a thing about eating lots of red meat in early pregnancy and normally I don't eat very much of it.

Keeping my fingers crossed lolly x

Aww thanks iltmimi and becaroo

I'm not going to tell anyone in rl until I've had my 1st scan.

Congrats lolly. No.4!!!!

Loving the steak pies and liquorice carrie.

My sister apologised last night. It seems she's having a bit of a work / break-up / Dad induced meltdown so she's taking it out on me and mum . She's lying low today and mum thinks she is staying at her friends house as she doesn't want to be on her own at home. I daresay she will resurface in a day or so.

Glad your iphone is almost back to normal debi, shame about the photos though.

I'm going to get an early night tonight, I've been reading Life of Pi (boy on a boat with a tiger) and so far its holding my attention. I might make this the year I start to read books again. Now I just need a weeks hols lying on a sunny beach to go with it .

Whoa, another baby! I'll get excited for you too, lolly, although I'm suitably terrified about the imminent arrival of my own bundle. Please someone repeat to me that I will cope with two, without the support of family nearby!!

I am finally feeling well enough to be able to go through labour. Still coughing and occasional nausea attack, but much better.

Sorry to hear you're nauseous, Carrie, do the ginger thing, I find it helps. In fact, I kept on munching diego's organix gingerbread men. I have to say, this last pregnancy was super pukey, till the end. I hope your MS goes after the 12th week!

Congrats lolly & fingers crossed for you.

Pacita we've got no family near (not quite as far away as yours but still 500miles) and we're all still in 1 piece

Thanks Debi. I am both excited and terrified, and will be pestering you all organised ladies for tips!

pacita those organix gingerbread men are yummy, I pinch them off my DC's too .

Can all you ladies in the know recommend any books for me to get ds about a new baby sibling? There are so many my mind boggles.

We're also contemplating ds being there at the birth, so I'm sure seeing his brother being born will make it quite real to him

we got ds1 the usborne 1st experiences new baby sticker story book. He liked that. Oh and we also have 1 about a tiger getting a new baby- Little Tiger's Big Surprise. That's a nice story too.

ILTMIMI DS was given a baby dolly and 'Miffy and the new baby'. He was really good when she was little and didn't seem that bothered by her (in a nice way).

"Little tigers big surprise" is good. ds1 got that from his GP.

As ds1 is a bit older than your ds we got him babette coles "mummy laid an egg"...its fab...great illustrations

ILTMIMI I was given a book in spanish, which I'm not sure exists in English. It's called something like "Mummy bear has got a big tummy*, and shows how mummy bear's tummy grows. At one point you can lift up the tummy and you see twin baby bears, which when they are born play and grow and develop big tummies because they are full of cake. It's very sweet, and Diego seemed to get the connection!

It's interesting that you may have your DS at the birth, ILTMIMI. I am now kicking myself for not having opted for a home birth, as I thought it may be traumatic for DS to watch me going through labour (much blood and screaming first time round). The issue is that if I go into labour before my parents come on the 15th, it will be perhaps more traumatic for him to be with a sitter while I'm in hospital. I am fretting, and crossing my legs. However, I've has VERY strong Braxtons both last night and today. GULP. Was that a sign of labour for you, ladies?

I too would be interested in any tips about bringing in the new sibling. Your DS's attitude sounds brilliant, Meglet...

here is the book in question, ILTMIMI. I saw the french original in amazon, but I don't think it's translated to English...

pacita I have realised why DD is such a handful... I watched non-stop 'Jack Osbourne Adrenaline Junkie' the first few weeks I was bf her. It's all my fault .

LOL!

Thanks for the book recommendations ladies, much appreciated

I've never had signs of labour being imminent, both times I woke up in the night, the first time with mild contractions and the second time my waters were trickling.

You can still plan for a HB if you want the option Pacita. The only faffing and planning you'd have to do is to make sure the MW's know of your intention. You can always book a HB, but not take up the option if you birth after the 15th.

If it all kicks off and happens when ds is asleep, then he'll stay blissfully unaware in his cot. If not, my sister is going to be at the birth and is going to be in charge of ds. I'll be in my own space in the pool and I'm not a screamer so I'm not worried about how ds is going to be. DH will also be to hand and there will probably be 2 MW's (if it doesn't happen too quickly again that is ) Well, that's the plan anyway!

My dcs were fine when the others arrived, I'm not sure how F will be tho, he is a real mummys boy

I've just called the docs to ask about the flu jab now I am classed as high risk, they booked me in for 12 o'clock I hope I'm doing the right thing getting it done.

ILTMIMI, your plans sound excellent, and I am aiming to your level of composure this time round! How can I book the option for a homebirth? This is a really good tip, but I thought you needed to do all sorts of assessments and stuff.

Lolly, I had the vaccine and don't regret it. I don't know what bug I've just had, but even though I felt horrible for close to a week, I did not develop a temperature, so I suspect that it was milder than it would have been had I not been vaccinated. The 3 strain vaccine recommended for pregnant women is well worth it, specially if like me you have other DCs to look after. Also, one does feel three times worse when ill and pregnant!

pacita - for your MW checks do you see a community MW? If so, phone them up and ask to book a HB. Make sure you stress what your EDD is, so they can then come round asap and do an assessment or drop off a HB kit (different groups of MW's do different things).

If you see a MW at the hospital, give the Midwifery unit a call and ask them how you go about booking a HB.

NC that's great news that you're ovulating, and that DH is feeling 'useful'!!

Wow lolly congratulations! We'll prob have our babies within a month of each other as I'm only 8w and I guess you're 4 weeks?

I also appreciate the book recommendations as DD was only 17m when DS was born and didn't really have a clue what was going on, but she was excited to have a baby in the house.

pacita one tip we were given was for you not to be holding the baby when your DS meets it for the first time. Let DS see and discover the baby in his own time (it could be in a moses basket, or being held by someone else), without seeing you cuddle it and therefore feel like he's been displaced. DD stayed with a friend for 24hours when I had DS (similarly we have no family for 250 miles) so when she came back from her first ever sleepover I didn't want her to think she'd been replaced. We also gave her her own doll, and a 'present' from the baby.

Interesting that you think I might be craving iron...I was told I was anaemic back in April when I was being tested for all my pain, prob it was because I was having such heavy periods that my iron levels were low, and I've been on supplements ever since. I'm also sooooooo thirsty.

pacita my friend had a HB and they had to check that her home was suitable (had running water for example!) and she was given a list of things to have ready - bucket, old towels etc.