Dec 08 Mums - happy new year, happy new thread and soon some happy new babies!

[sybilfaulty]

Happy new year!

Sorry for the rubbish title but wanted to get the new thread underway. Let's close the door on some of the sad events of 2011 and look forward to a better year in 2012.

Vag That is brilliant!!

DS1 was 2 days late and DS2 was born on his due date. So I am wondering if I might follow a pattern and have this one 2 days early. I don't think DP would be flown home early. He has been told he can ask to have less time off. So he has asked to only have 6 weeks off when he comes home in March. But they haven't said if he can or not yet, they've said probably so it could be 2 weeks after I am due he gets home.

I am a bit worried about birth partners. I have thought about my Mum or my friend. But it feels a bit strange to me to have one of them. However I don't want to give birth on my own.

I have been looking on ebay for a birth pool but they seem to be about the same price second hand as they are new.

Yeah ebay can be a bit rubbish, the only way to get one at a decent price is to keep checking religiously until a used one comes up in your area for pick up. Otherwise it is just full of people trying to sell an unused one for what they paid for it plus postage!

I seem to remember you investigated doulas didn't you? Worth asking local doulas as they might have a client who wants to see one on/other contacts or a hire scheme. A doula who lives near me would have been happy ot lend me her pool (so long as no client needed it) had I not been able to find one. Also check out FB groups and so on if you have a local mums FB group.

Indith I will have a look to see if I can find someone that lends them out. I'll keep a look out on ebay too.

Kayz our friends who we gave ours to live up your way now I think, I will check the village name and get back to you. If you can pick it up and drop it back you can borrow it, you just need to get a liner. They are due their baby in May so would need it back by then. Why does he want less time off???? Its so sad to think he'll miss the birth of his first child. Will yu have support?

Indith you describing all your stuff is getting me excited about the birth! Have you double checked that the hose fits your tap? We had the little incident with the hose not matching and DH had to do the mister fix it job with Gaffer tape and towels. Oh its all making me a little sentimental for d2's birth, I'd love one more HB.

Lady you were talking about the paying for the birth, as comfortable as I am with birthing now, I think I would still want an Independant midwife again and if I was in London I'd want 'the Birth Center" again. the price for a straightforward birth there is now over £8000 I think but if I had the means was preggars and in London I would definitely go with them...they spoilt me and made me feel special, it was nice. The massage treatment that came with the midlands midwife was quite nice too.

kayz they live in Caistor, is that anywhere near you?

Vag Caistor is a bit far away and if they need it in May and I need it in June it might be a bit tight.

Its all a bit complicated really but he works 8 weeks on and then 8 off. His employers say that if you need a specific date off then you can choose to have less time off. So he is due home about the 18th March and he asked for just 6 weeks off. Then he will work 8 weeks and be due home on the day after I am due. But if he had his full 8 weeks off he wouldn't be home until 2 weeks after baby is due.

If that makes sense to anyone.

Oh now I get it. Somehow I thought you were due the end of Feb, I think I'm melding you, Indith & ZJ together.

I've just managed to get a birth pool off ebay for £60. So I should only need to buy some liners for it.

Get a new hose too unless you are confident of being able to sterilise the used one properly, it will have been used to empty the pool not just to fill it so has probably had shit passing though it .

Ewww. It's a birth pool in a box one so I might get a new fill and empty kit for it.

I've just looked again and it says it was never used for birth as she had an emergency CS but it had been filled. I think I'll still replace some stuff.

Know nowt about birth pools, sorry!

Had such a good day today. Took train to Wimbledon Common and DH pushed running buggy with DD2 and I cycled with DD1. She was a bit cold and miserable, unfortunately. But soon perked up after our circuit when we went to Giraffe for lunch and they have plastic coloured giraffe cocktail stirrers. Genius. DD2 ate everything in sight. DD1 virtually zero, but had fun. Then train home and I had a half hour snooze. DH made appalling cakes with them. Such fun but RANK! Then I made delicious chocolate chip cookies with choc mint glaze for lunch party tomorrow. DH bathed girls then they both wanted ME to read them a story. Unheard of with choice of Daddy or me! They always want him!

Then had sex (with DH!), made a yummy stirfry and watched last two episodes of Band of Brothers. Brilliant. In bed with electric blanket on while DH surfs web downstairs. Happy days.

AND after 3 weeks of DH being away 3-4 nights a week for work, he bought me 10 red roses and a load of gorgeous spray chrysanthemums (I think!). Felt v spoilt!

Got friends for lunch tomorrow so doing a big roast lamb. Yum. Feeling a bit smug. Sorry!!! A happy little me tonight.

X

Broke thread with smugness. Sorry all!!

PS Still smug!

Smugness is allowed, it sounds lovely.

We are playing pass the parcel with germs. how much poo can there be? And how much snot? Who will be next? Dh has escaped it all so far so he thought he'd join in the fun and do his back in rowing today (in the last session on the water he is going to get before the race next week!) and is now about as able to bend down to pick toys up or carry children as I am.

2 weeks time and my interview will be over and my children will be staying with my parents. I will be in big, fat pregnant, relaxing bliss. So long as I'm still pregnant anyway

Kayz at least you ahve plenty of time to sort out what bits and bobs to get/replace. Must say I only ordered my hose and liner the other day once I knew I was about to hit 37 weeks, iron levels were ok and the HB was definitely on, didn't want to waste money! Made in Water deliver next day, very good service in case yours happens to be a La Bassine.

Enjoy the smugger, beans, nowt wrong with appreciating it when life is going well!

Kayz glad you've gone for the birth pool, I used one at home with DS2 and it was fab. Really made a difference to the experience, though I did poo in it and DP nearly missed the birth itself as he was off to get a sieve...

Indith you sound super organised, how exciting!

Vag, sorry but about the willy holding. Sorry you're feeling low about being back. I'm sure DS1 will bounce back in no time. We're having moving to Amst chat again. Now it's me trying to persuade DP. I am longing for some excitement and a move abroad would fit the bill. Finding this village yawnsville. Oh dear.

Effie I am sorry to hear about DS1's bullying problems. How heartbreaking. I am dreading it happening to T (as prob will, he's not v coordinated and always gets knocked around). Have the school given him any strategies he can use if it happens again? Is the other child(ren) getting a bollocking?

Having a nightmare on the potty front. After a rocky start, it's gone from bad to worse, and only seeing/pooing in pants. Rewards don't work as he is unbribeable. He seems to not really realise when it's going to happen and asks to sit on his potty after the event. I'm really loathe to put him in nappies again as we made such a bit deal of him not wearing them and being a big boy now, etc. But no idea how to deal with the constant soiling. It's making us both anxious and we're fighting a lot more because of it....

Wow I should have sold our birthpool! We got it for free from the midwife so would have been a good return.

Beans you dirty dog, and yay for being appreciated for the wonderful wife that you are.

Just got back from a lovely day and a half in Amsterdam with three girlfriends. We stayed at a lovely hotel, went to an amazing restaurant and wandered around the Jordaan area (the non sleezy touristy bit)...ok we might have pop into one or two places for a 'coffee'. Was very relaxing. The girls I went with are so lovely and relaxing to be with. We had the most hilarious game of 'marry, sleep with, throw off a cliff'.

Also I am soooo excited we have tickets to see 'Happy Mondays' at a great little venue that I have been dying to check out, here in the Hague. It is similar to the pubs I used to go to see bands in, when I was a yoof. Going to be a young irresponsibly person again for a night.

Oh hello Spot, cross posted. Having just spent the weekend there, I can highly recommend it. I almost wish we had moved there than here, though I do love being near the beach here. It's such a beautiful city in summer or winter and the people and cafes there are so nice. Plus I got the most amazing foot massage for 30 mins for ?20! How cheap is that!

Get you Beans smug away my love.

Spot personally I would say back in pull ups try again in the Summer. Take the pressure off. Oh and on your village thing. We moved here nearly 4yrs ago and it's prob only in the last yr that I am properly happy here made some good friends etc. it takes time. Although Amsterdam sounds fab.

Busy weekend of much haggis eating here. Had some friends to stay which was lovely. Then my parents came over this arvo for leftover haggis eating. An glad burns only comes round once a yr.

Hi there all, sorry for prolonged absence, am just struggling to get here.

Beans - enjoy and be smug to your heart's content! Its these kind of days that make everything worthwhile. Huge congrats on finally crossing the line on the house - I don't know why but there doesn't seem to be a way of getting though house buying without that bit being hideous.

Kayz - yay for the birth pool - very organised!

Vag - sounds like you've had quite a weekend of it!

Spot - DD struggled to get the pooing bit for a while. In the end, she got into a bit of a routine of sitting on the potty in front of the telly, where she kind of "relaxed" a bit, so she wasn't having accidents so much. She then figured it out and was fine. Bit unorthodox, but might be worth ago.

LadyT - I have finished and very much enjoyed both my "secret" santa books, a real treat. I have a soft spot for coming of age/school type stories so old school was great, but the updike was really special. Unusually for me I read it slowly over a few weeks and it feels like one that will stick - some of it so vivid. Have also been reading the new Lionel Shriver, so much for all that - really odd combination of ranty and dark, but also insightful and quite funny. Am trying to work out if I liked it. Zipped along anyway. Hope you are feeling better - saw your facebook posts, combo of cracked ribs and chest infection does not sound fun.

Had a busy if knackering weekend here. Did a sleepover at our neighbours 2 doors down last night - DCs stupidly excited and DH and I had a great time staying up too late and drinking too much - something we haven't done in a while. Had to pull ourselves together for a huge family do today. DD had a ball in the thick of the dancing and somehow avoiding getting trampled. DS a bit clingy, but then we were all knackered.

BTW - saw the artist earlier in the week. Didn't know what to expect, but really enjoyed it - just straightforward and corny in the best kind of way

I've been thinking of going to see the Artist. Thought it might be a nice night out for DH & I. I don't usually want to go to the movies with him but I think I would for that movie.

Hello everyone,

Just bobbing in quickly as I've some work to do (booooo!).

beans Loved your smug posts. Very funny and deliciously smug

vag I did chuckle at the hand washing avoidence tactic. Have you had to change the rules?

spot Apparently boys find potty training harder - my mum says so and she had two boys and me. A sample of three, wouldn't hold up to statistical scrutiny . I agree with those saying to try again in a little while, as disheartening as the idea may be.

DD2 is still being sick. How long can this last? For the past two nights she has puked in her bed. It isn't after all meals but at least once a day and of course she can't go to nursery till she stops. We've had the in-laws up today to look after her and I am SO grateful for that, however... now I know I shouldn't moan but MIL keeps reorganising things. She has been rearranging cupboards in the kitchen. The worst bit is her ordering me about "now Jolly there isn't enough room in here for these things so you need to find somewhere else for them". It is getting rather grating especially when she says things like "I've cleaned your washing machine today". 1. The washing machine is not mine. 2. The machine lives in the cellar and no one ever sees it. And breathe... .

Who cleans a washing machine?!?

Hmm, that is irritating, JB. I'd find it quite grating too. Gosh, so quiet on here today. I've done loads of work this morning and lots of fuck all this afternoon. Very pleasing.