Jan '07 part 30: where some of us are postnatal, some are antenatal and the rest are plain ANTInatal!

[2Happy]

Wilkie - congrats on the blue

Shimmer - glad you're enjoying it, sounds totally exhausting

Raisin/eandh - ditto on sleep deprivation. Am shattered. And have so much less patience when shattered

Who was asking about milk? I don't intend to swap mine over to semi skimmed any time soon TBH. I admit I am totally anal about what they eat and drink, but as far as milk is concerned, I feel they are 2 healthy and very active kids in no danger of obesity. I think at this age they need calories, especially since I'm so anal about what they eat otherwise !

We had a burst water main here, which was a PITA as these things are. The whole mains pipe is rusted to hell. But the complete donkey who had the house before us built an extension over the water main, so if we decided to replace the whole pipe to prevent more bursts (or if we don't replace it and wait until it does burst again) we would have to dig up the floor and remove half of the kitchen to reach it . This is the same twat as did DIY plumbing and electrics which left us with an enormous leak in an unearthed house

Thanks re the itching comments. It is PUPPS, lovely GP I saw today gave me antihistamines (think I may just camp at GPs), have taken one tonight and smeared on some steroid cream (OK I applied sparingly as per instructions but was a real struggle not to empty whole tube on tum) and feels a bit better. Looks really attractive, hugh purple and red angry stretchmarks above and below my belly button, each stretchmark is filled with tiny blister spots to make them raised and angry...remind me NEVER to do pg again please ladies......!!!

If this doesn't work I will be turning to homeopathy!

Hmm only pressed that once??!

Trigger finger

Have a sore throat today - hope it's because I slept with my mouth open from 11.30pm - 6.45am (dh on night duty) rather than anything sinister. Felt sorry for dh who looked a bit haggad this morning so have left him to have a lie in. Kind me . B asleep and I've plonked P in front of CBeebies .

Wilkie glad you've got summat for the itching. Hope it works quickly.
Can I also be a member of the I Vino fanclub? She did everything for us and look after two lo's.

Lizz sounds like you had a fab day yesterday.

Hi all - we have got gorgeous weather here, dh has been out in the garden hanging all our laundry out. There is SO BLOODY MUCH! We have got a little friend of Z's today, they are cuddled up in bed together having a nap, so extremely cute. Everyone's asleep except me, it's very peaceful here!

Lizz - maybe they wanted her to grow up with people loving her - y'know, Timorrah, timorrah, I love ya, timorrah, you're only a day awayyyyyyyyyy.... . I was with a couple of mates today, and one was talking about someoen else's child who was called something so ridiculous I can't even remember what it was, but nearly put my foot in it by going on about people with silly named kids, because this friend called her son Ptolomy!!!

Reg - you lovely wife you, hope he appreciated the lie-in! Hope the throat doesn't develop into anything else, we've all got colds round here.

Wil;kie- hope the cream works

Raisin - how long did the peace last??

Lal - hope the birthdya party goes well tonight. BTW, is it shameful to admit that I have no idea who Beth Ditto is

DH - any more sibling-carrying incidents?!

2Happy - I have no idea who Beth Ditto is either! We must be behind the times!

Friend's dd is awake now, she was a bit upset but I have placated her with fruit flakes!

2happy - pmsl at the song related name!

Rgee- hopw you are ok and the throat didnt develop into anything

Lizz - v.impressive about the photo, we (well E&H) are having some photos done on thursday with my niece and nephew (for fil birthday) eddas had some done with her neices and nephews and her dc and they are fantastic, I was very impressed that the photographer got 6 children all fairly young to lay in same position look at her and smile then Eddas told me they were individual shots and photographer had photo shopped it together it looked great

ud- how good are you having 2 toddlers and a baby!!

Lal - I love W's gran have a fab time tonight

Ummm now I can't remember who posted. Had a nice day Ellie had eddas dd round to play for a few hours this morning (dh at golf with his dad) then dh took ellie swimming and I took Hattie to my parents (they love seeing her on her own as its normally both of them) tomorrow dh taking Hattie swimming and not sure what Ellie & I will do, the to Mum and Dads for bbq and girls sleeping there dh working monday so I'll collect them monday morning some time!!

knew I'd forgotton someone - wilkie hows the itching now??

2Happy - You made me laugh out loud at the song name! Maybe thats what they were thinking...I don't know!
BTW - how do you pronounce Ptlotomy (sp?)

Raisin - I know who who Beth Ditto is! My sister went to see her last year, and said her show was slightly gratuitously graphic.

Ok, so I am a saddo -
PTOLEMY
From the Greek name Πτολεμαιος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek πολεμηιος ( polemeios) meaning "aggressive" or "warlike".

Like - why would you call your son that?!?!?!?

hmm...evidently MN doesn't take greek script. Which is weird as it appears in my posting box no problem.
Sorry.

EAH - it was actually easier than having Z on his own IYSWIM, cause they kept each other amused. Well, apart from Z screaming THAT'S MY train track/book/puzzle/piece of fluff (delete as applicable)...please tell me other kids are going through this phase too. He's so possessive it's driving me INSANE!!!

Ptolomey - pronounced TOLOMY I believe. Am I a bit sad that I quite like it (apart from the werid spelling). Maybe it's the hormones though??

Update on the itching: Seriously, what an absolute mess. I am slightly concerned that I can't see my GP till Tues, am a bit frightened it is something more sinister than PUPPPs but is classic as per various websites. The stretchmarks are huge red welts now with loads of tiny ant bit spots all round which are now on my boobs too and a few on my legs. They itch like F*CK despite the HC cream and antihistamine (which admittedly does work for about 3 hours at night but I can only take one a day). ANY IDEAS?????????????????? ANyone else ever experienced it? Have never heard of it before.

Raising - very impressed with your baby sitting duties

RGee - you can't be a wimp when going to Briham Rocks, am going to head there when LO is born - J would LOVE IT and I would be able to clamber about too.

Lizz - am having Fireman Sam issues, I remember your FB posting from a while ago and have done a similar thing. Norman Price? ASBO surely? Why does no one twat him one?????? Also, why do they need Fireman Sam for EVERY emergency??

Sorry - am exceptionally self absorbed in my itching at the mo and can't remember other postings. If you have any advice please please please help me.

Wilkie no advice for itching sorry but x. You do know if you need to see a gp before tues it can be organised via nhs direct? You ring them, they get your local out of hours to ring you etc so its a bit long winded but there is someone on duty if needs be. It sounds horrid. Poor you.

I had no idea who beth ditto was either. Totally out of touch with music, in fact I hardly ever listen to it anymore, well nothing except nursery rhymes!

Had lovely day at home today in the garden. it is actually a bit too hot there when its sunny. S caught the sun on her cheeks and got too hot so was grumpy this aft - felt a bad mummy for missing that bit with the cream. She had her hat on too. Oh well.

finish later...

morning

not alot to report as its half term we went to eddas yesterday and took them on a very long walk through corn fields orchards etc to next village and they had a play at park and then walked back (well I carried H half the way back!) good thing was they were shattered last night

how is everyone?

I'm here! Lurking away. Nothing interesting to say though.
A RL mate of mine is due with DD3 any now and I am trying to think of original presents. Seeing as she has everything she needs for her third baby I am a bit stuck. Apart from some sort of beauty treatment for her, because I guess she will need some time out!
Any ideas?

Hi all. I'm lurking too.

Lizz my fav pressie this time was a blanket with B's name and date of birth on it. One plus point of having a boy was that I had few blue clothes given to me (must say, he looks quite cute asleep in his big sister's pink grobag - am sure he won't be traumatised by it...). I have shed loads of blankets, but this is the one I always use! Two of my friends have given birth in the last month and I got one of them this and the other this

EaH hope you're managing to sdtay sane . At least the weather is decent (well, it's a bit showery here atm).

Wilkie hope your itching is subsiding. No advice I'm afraid. Does a cool bath help at all .

All not so bad here. B had a troublesome weekend caused presumably by bad tummy - culminating in sh!tting on dh and projectile poo-ing (for those of you who know our house, it went from the dining room table, to 6cm from the door pmsl - I was in bed so dh had to deal with it). We have now just reached smiling and cooing territory .

The kids are driving me up the wall arrggghh
I hate half term with a passion.

Waves ................ just needed to get that off my chest.

Rgee omg with b the super shitter but he can be forgiven when he is smiling. Glad everything is going well ith you all.

Lizz I am useless with gift ideas but a bit of mummy pampering sounds good.

Wilkie how is the itching hve you been back to docs or seen midwife ?

Hello to everyone else !!!!

Rgee - Nice choccie ideas. Thanks.
ROTFL @projectile pooing. I so read that wrong. I read it as you had the problem, not B. And it was you that had shat on DP & only just reached smiling & cooing stage with him. So pleased it was not you and it was the baby!
LAL - You are offiically past the half way through half term point now. Chin up! x

I swear I am either going to

a) go mad
b) have grey hair
c) run away to a quiet island
d) give my children away

when it is the summer holidays a week is killing me and Ellie breaks up on 14th July and doesnt start school till 7th September >

Another me me me post - apols in advcance.

Well, have spent since Thurs in and out of GPs, Obst clinic, MWs appointment about the rash. The 'ras' (makes it sound so tame) now COVERS my entire stomach, not a bit of unaffected skin to be seen, I bet there are getting on for 600 spots on either leg, my boobs are covered pretty much and it has just started down my arms. I have yet to see ANYONE that has seen a case like it before and everyone I have seen has been totally shocked by the severity of it.

So, went in to see MW this morning and absolutely sobbed after one hours sleep from 4-5am this morning because I was itching so much, GP came in and rang dermatology department. AS last ditch attempt they have prescribed a really strong steroid cream to use twice a day but have said if no better by MOnday they are inducing me next week (I will be 38.5 weeks - they did offer me induction this week but we decided to see if cream does anything first).

Am so fed up, so unbelieveably fed up. Then on top of that although am desperate to have this baby to get rid of rash, I wanted a lovely low-tech birth in the gorgeous birthing centre here, am terrified of being induced and having to have yet another medically controlled birth. Anyone have anything they can offer me with regard to my options - what would YOU do? Don't bother with suggestions of helping the itch, have tried EVERYTHING and there is nothing that will help other than potentially this cream which I have just smeared on.

Wilkie lots of hugs from me as I had a itchy rash and that drove me mad and it dosent sound anywhere near as bad as yours.

All I can say is being induced isnt all that bad. I was with lauren and was dreading it but it was such a easy and better birth than aidans where I had epidural, ventouse ect.

With lauren I had the pessery about 9 in the morning started my contractions around 3 30. I had no pain relief until her head was crowning at which point I had a bit of gas and air, she was born at 5 30. I totally worked myself up about it and it was nothing like it was first time round.

Hope all goes ok with cream but it would be nice to have a baby before I go away on the 8th june , no pressure btw .

Bloody hell Wilkie that sounds horrendous. . As you know, I am all for a natural intervention-free birth, but I think if I was in your position, the thought of another fortnight of terrible itching / lack of sleep etc would tip me over the edge and I would go for the induction. Can't say I know much about being induced, but the good thing is as we know, second labours are normally quicker. . J was early iirc, and at 38+ weeks the bubba will be wanting to come out to meet his mum

EaH if it's any consolation, I am already going grey (didn't have any grey hairs before being pg) and probably slightly mad too .

BTW Lizz, pmsl about sh!tting on dh

Wilkie - i know it sounds really gay but have you tried suplhur? I was so cynical about homeopathy but it sorted Z's eczema and it was really bad (although not as bad as your thingy, you poor sod!)