DEC 08 - Barely into toddlerhood and already at our tit's end

[MomOrMum]

Tit's end...had to be done.

Hope this works!

Aha, Kayz, Persephone was on my list last time. Ottilie is lovely but is the daughter of a woman I loathe and besides, Ottilie and Octavia don't really go.

Hello everyone, bored at work and it's lunchtime, time for a cheeky post.

katie nice to hear from you!! Sorry to hear about your dad, I hope it gets sorted soon. Hey, can you update us about the XMas dinner? How did it go?

Invisible thanks, that would be good nearer the time re VBAC, I am undecided about the whole thing! (apparently they will push me down that route as reason for c-section is not likely to be repeated)

LadyT you asked about photo of DS on skis, there is a video on my facebook page, i will try and post DH's photos as well. Zoe funny you saying about not being able to stand up, DS had these pink (there were no blue ones left) snow boots, which he really couldn't walk in, but when they were attached to skis he was better at standing up!! So maybe you should try your DD on some skis for standing practice!

Oh yes, re settling in the night, well this is part of the ongoing feud between DH and I, when DS wakes he wants cuddles, so I give him cuddles, on a futon bed that is in his room. I usually wait until he is asleep and then put him back in his cot. Except he has been going through phases of waking up a lot, and waking up when we try and put him back and wailing and refusing to resettle. I don't actually think it's that bad (there was a really bad phase just after Xmas where I agreed with DH that it was a problem, but now he does wake sometimes and resettle himself, so I think he is entitled to want attention from time to time. But DH thinks that every time we go in and give him attention and cuddles he is learning he can get what he wants, and he wants us to just go in and not take him out of his cot and reassure him in it. I know this will just drive him mad, and I'm not happy to do it unless I think the situation is desperate. I think DH thinks that if we do this we will end up with some perfect sleeping baby that will never wake up. Sigh. Anyway I have wittered on there.

LadyT hurrah for the name books. I think you judged the ponce factor perfectly last time, O's name is beautiful with just a hint of ponce to keep you happy. Very exciting about your book, and spot's too. You will both have to keep us updated.

Right.
Back to work.

Hello everyone,

I must be quick as DD is asleep and I have to do some work before she wakes up ready to vomit all over my fresh clothes. Yup, we're in land of the sickness here. Not fun.

Anyhoooooo.... my goodness there is a flurry of ahem.. activity on here. Congrats ladyT and summer. LadyT You must be crazily fertile and amazingly perceptive to have known so soon!! How exciting, I know it wasn't in your plan for this year but sometimes these things are just meant to be. It does make me feel very broody indeed, although I'm still scared at the idea of hyperemesis again, oh well, we'll see.

I've lots of personals to do but will have to come back later, lots of love for daisy at the moment, and good luck for trace seeing her consultant today. Back later....

Ohh, Summer, I shall away to FB to peer at your boy in skis. Excellent!

I think no physical contact when a child is crying is very hard (even if it's just a reassuring hand or a kiss) and not v effective either. I do fully understand the argument that it is 'rewarding' crying but at the end of the day, I think babies are entitled to want a cuddle, aren't they, if they're feeling a bit mis?

I am far more flexible on boy names and there are about half a dozen I like but to tell you the truth there is one girl's name (not saying what it is!) that I absolutely adore, it would go with Octavia and it is a bit poncy but not crazily so (only three syllables!) and O was going to be called it but DP was never quite convinced and Octavia was a name we both loved. So if it's a girl it is going to be a case of wearing DP down and as he is on the back foot anyway about the whole pregnancy thing I am hoping I will be in a stronger position this time.

Tee hee at only 3 syllables, is that how you define ponce? Am sure it is lovely, don't worry shall not be pestering or guessing this time....
One advantage I think about not knowing the sex is I'm hoping less people ask me what name I am thinking of. I am planning to brief DH this time to keep his gob shut (even to family) and to not tell people myself either, as we both liked DS's name but lots of people including family didn't, and it was hard to ignore them.
I hope you wear down DP anyway.

Jolly, hello!!!!

Oh. I don't appear to be back to work.

Ha ha lady Fidelia is lovely whilst reading your post was trying to work out if I would prefer Fidelia or Phidelia (in true Aussie style, we always change name spellings). I love the name Prudence, a workmates daughter was Prudence, we all called her Pru. She was very popular at school and no one changed her name to Poo. The only funny thing was her mum, my friend, was the head of the school nurses and one of the schools in her remit was actually a Pupil Referal Unit (PRU).

Still in my jammies and feeling slightly better but still cruddy. DH is working in Arnhem, and like it's namesake in Australia it's out the back of beyond. So he has to leave really early this morning and as DS1 is just on a half day on Wednesdays I have kept him off school as I couldn't face getting them both up early for the school run then the pick up a few hours later. The boys are being quite sweet though both have eaten their lunch and breakfast without stress (DS2 is well and truely back on the grub) and we have just been chilling out watching tele (theirs and mine) and DS2 even said his first Dutch word! Haha we were watching a Dutch cartoon and the charaters were singing and sang Ja Ja! And DS2 copied (whilst doing his usual dance bopping) 'Ja Ja!'. He copied each time they sang it and was so pleased with himself.

Rubs after I had DS1 DH waited a couple of months then cancelled all the charity direct debits I had made him signed up to whilst pregnant, The dogs trust, water aid, NSPCC and age concern. We still have the sponsor child in Indonesia though.

Spot you just reminded me of when I was doing an arts course a couple of years ago one of our pieces was a book cover design I loved doing it, I still take a strange interest in book covers because of it, my tutor was really critical of our work but it really helped get a grasp of what we needed to do. Is DP in Amsterdam, when T is feeling better come over and we can hang out. Have a break from home stuff.

Yes, I suppose syllable content is only one element! I know of brothers called Nonny and Bebop and only two syllables apiece there...

I was reasonably strict about not telling anyone the name, and was annoyed when DP told his sister (though she does live in Bermuda). Though I remember I did blab to Turnip and PD when we had a drink together quite late on

Hi Jolly! Sorry your DD is poorly too. What a lot of sick babies.

Yes, MUST do some work. Have been most unproductive this morn. Aaaaaaarrrrrrrgh.

Oh and hi katie! Sorry about your dad, wish I could help my specialty at work was kicking doctors arses, I was quite good at making them see sense, but it is stessful. You really need someone going into bat for you on the inside, if you can find a specialist nurse or someone similar to advocate that would help. Hey and can I ask what happened with Christmas?

lol @ you Veggie and the charities!
Lady I think I know the name you are talking about - I won't say but you mentioned it once - I may be waaaaaay wrong though!
Hmm not sure on that Phidelia as it preminds me of cream cheese
Summer - I am surprised they are pushing you down that route I was told it will be "suggested" I have a C-section since I've had one already, to which I obviously replied, no worries at all you don't have to convince me!
lady thanks for asking, dh is feeling ok-ish this morning, but is an awful patient... can't really breathe at night so doesn't get much sleep etc, then gets cranky. Oh well, not for too long

or rather it reminds me

Gosh I cross posted with loads! It's funny DH were counting syllables too, but that is because our surname is only one syllable, so we felt a first name needed to be at least 2, is DS1 case 4. Back to nicknames or shortening of names I agree with Lady you need to wait til they come and grow into a shortened version. We never wanted DS1 shortened to Alex, prefering Sacha or Xander as it turns our he is AK, though lately he prefers the full version.

Afternoon all! Thank goodness SL has fessed up at last, I was going to burst with excitement on her behalf! It's brilliant that there are going to be so many little brothers and sisters. My reckoning (also completely unscientific) is SL another boy, Beans a girl, Rubena a girl and (controversial this) LadyT a boy. That said, I reckon Lady that your name is Millicent - no idea why but it fits with the criteria! Beans, surely Pru would be a better nickname than Dense

We were visiting a friend with an 8-weeker this morning and I did feel a tiny bit broody over his dinky little hands and cute noises, then he vommed on me and the feeling went away

Crying in the night - fortunately dd hasn't done that in a while (apart from one night on holiday after she'd tripped over and wanged her head really hard on the coffee table ), she might wake up and go "wah" once then stop but very rarely more than that. If she does, we put the music on her listener on first, which usually helps to settle, and if it's anything more than that I'm afraid we proceed to boob. I'm still of the opinion that whatever works it what should be done but then again am a big softy.

daisy am sending lots of prayers for you and your family, and especially lots of strength for your DH.

and lots of health vibes to urbane, babyMom's teeth (ouch ouch ouch), katie's dad and all the babies with bunged bottoms.

have put up a pic of dd on my profile, the snow on the left is how deep it was, they'd cleared a path to the door so we didn't have to dig ourselves out every day! Will post a vid to fb tonight of me and dd in the snow, she absolutely loved it

Oh, I am going to go out on a limb with the new babies:

Beans - girl
SL - girl
Rubes - boy
Lady T - bucking the trend, I think boy.

Shall we take a sweepstake on who will be next to get up the duffer? Not me, alas - will have to do future babies vicariously through you lot

Glad you are a bit better Veg.

Hello dear Jump

Thinking of you Daisy and Trace.

Nice to see you, Jump! Good, more pictures of snowy babies jumping around. And no, the name isn't Millicent

Yes, I too thought VBAC was something one had to agitate and beg for, like a homebirth. But I am largely uniformed. And I won't be having one as I am far too weedy.

Glad you are a bit better, Veggie.

I won't be mentioning Fidelia to DP as he is a great admirer of Beethoven and Fidelio was his only opera, and he would be on Fidelia like a fat kid on a cupcake.

Right - WORK!

My guesses are:

Beans - Boy
SL - Girl
Rubes - Girl
Lady T - Boy

Someone, maybe Zoe as she is good at this stuff, should copy them all down so we can look back when the scans/births happen.

DS1 has decided he wants to be a formula 1 racing driver. Must start saving for a go cart.

I have never had a VBAC(DD2 was transverse and so CS compulsory, and with DS I'd had 2 sections and so everyone said "you don't want a VBAC do you?") but the risk of scar rupture is low - 1 in 360 or something. How it would go I think depends to an extent on what happened last time - if you didn't labour at all or much, it could be much like a first timer's birth, whereas if you got to 8cm or so it's likely to be easier. I wanted a CS with DD2 as my labour with DD1 had been so horrific and had ended so badly. Turns out I'd have had to have a CS whether I wanted one or not bec of how she was lying.

I know lots of people who've had VBACs and even 2 people who have had HBACs and it's gone really well for them. Equally, a friend who had a VBAC baby in October had a third degree tear and is still uncomfortable walking, wearing Tenas etc. This could have happened of course if she'd had a normal delivery first time round but she has said if she had no 3 she'd have a section.

I guess you do your own research and then decide. My understanding is that if you have had one CS they can't refuse ano (tho they can vigorously try to persuade you to try VBAC) but each to her own. FWIW, my planned sections were both lovely, recovered in days (well, not internally I suppose but well enough not to need analgesia and to do school runs, shopping, entertaining etc) and hugely positive experiences. If I were lucky enough to have ano baby, it'd be a planned CS for me every time.

Sorry, don't know why I waffled thro all that. If you got to the end, well done and many thanks

Pg ladies, have you joined new AN threads or are you sticking here (or both)?

SL if I remember correctly didn't your labour not progress? I imagine it's something that you can kind of take a 'wait and see aproach' however I do find it a shame that they go for all these VBACs are better, and quote all the'research shows...' stuff but no one ever seems to offer counselling to come to terms with the previous birth experience. You seem quite ok with it all SL but I know if I'd needed an emergency CS I'd be quite scared of the birth again and this would def effect things for me.

Well, I have poked my head round the door of the appropriate thread (actually the inappropriate thread as this baby will most likely be born in Sept not Oct) and...in the nicest possible way, I think I would rather just stay here with everyone I know and love I haven't got time for two, so....So long as you don't get fed up of me when my jeans won't fit, I'm gagging for a spot of c and I can no longer paint my toenails.

Glad it got to you veggie - I only realised the other day that I'd not included the card we'd done so sorry if it was a bit impersonal. So glad your DS likes the comics. DS has just informed me that he's going to see AK today...

Which he's clearly not. Not least because we've only just got out of hospital. He had this vomiting bug but seemed to be doing ok so I went to work about 11 yesterday morning. I got a couple of texts from our nanny saying he'd been sick again and then a phone call to say that he'd started sicking up blood and she'd phoned an ambulance. The cab ride to the hospital was awful. And I feel absolutely terrible for not being there for him. Luckily it wasn't anything sinister but that he'd ruptured membranes in his throat from vomming so much. And then continued to be sick while we were in A&E so eventually they admitted us because he was getting dehydrated. It was the same place we were with DD - same ward and just room next door to where we'd been and DH and I found it genuinely traumatic. I think we'd just blocked out lots of memories of that. I was obviously in a state about DS and then there were all these tiny babies crying....was awful.

But in better news we're at home now. And he seems a lot better. But I feel like I've been hit with a truck. I also genuinely can't work out what we can do to get a bit of a rest - because I don't want anyone else to look after them while they're ill. At least DD seems to be almost fully recovered. Anyway. Moan moan moan.

SL my mind is so addled I can't remember whether I congratulated you or not. Really lovely news.

Am going to hie me to facebook to see photos of skiing babies...

Katie so sorry about your Dad - hope you get the help you need soon. I had a random tropical disease I caught in Soho and it took ages to get diagnosed but the school of tropical medicines were quite good. Just have to hand over a lot of blood for tests.

Rubes hope your DH is on the mend.

Oh and do stay here all you pregnant ladies - is vicarious pleasure to hear about it all although after the last few days am not sure I could cope with 3. LadyT I promise to be ever sympathetic to burdens of pregnancy/pedicures...

It would be interesting to see if other antenatal groups are as nice as us...but I don't want to share you so tough to them.

I'm gonna go with
Beans-Girl
SL-Girl
LadyT-Girl
Rubs-Girl

Well...I gotta get at least one right.

oooh lots of girl predictions for me!! Yes I have ventured to another ante natal thread however I agree with Lady, it's so friendly here and I just feel like i'd rather stick to one. I think it's because I have met so many of you and the other thread seems so "cold" at the moment. I'm betting there will be more of our group getting preg again so it would be nice to stick together!

Urbane, your poor DS What a shame! That virus is obviously an absolute rotter. And how horrid to be back at that bit of the hospital again Sincerely hope it's the last you ever see of it. I'm very sorry you got an exotic disease in Soho but in a funny way it just makes me love it even more...

I have got to have this baby before October cos they are renovating the Lindo Wing at St Mary's in Oct so I won't be able to go then...My consultant says she is thrilled to have me back, which is lovely as it sounds ridiculous but I really missed seeing her once DD was born Anyway, keep getting carried away, which I mustn't as it really is early days. Scan next Thurs.

Urban, that sounds terrifying. I really hope you are all better soon.

LadyT, I know what you mean about seeing your consultant. I quite miss seeing my midwife. I love chatting to her when she comes into work.

Urbane, you poor thing, that sounds awful! So traumatic and miserable for you all. Can I make you a cake? I am not far away and I could sling it round in the car on Friday? Gosh, sending lots of love and positive thoughts your way.

AM so glad that the preg ladies have decided to stay. We will do cheerfulness for you, rest assured. I suspect that other threads may be fun once they have warmed up a bit, but they won't be a patch on ours. I also found them a bit sad at the beginning, with people joining and having to leave, or joining and then getting busy in the real world and not posting. Our list of due dates and babies is very long, yet there are some people who never really came back after their babies were born. Hope that they are all well and happy