October 2004 - Moose massive, part 3

[beansprout]

Does anyone want to come and play here? There's loads of space!

Bibi that is the epitome of wishful thinking, I am right there with you except I am 13 weeks away.

I feel like a right wimp leaving at 34 weeks but I want to leave now!!I am struggling with the tube and the walk to the station as my back is in bad shape so I know that in six weeks time I will be sooooo ready to stay home.

I have also decided to take a year off work so the time on the other end isn't to much of a worry for me

Turtle, a year off soundslike heaven, but I do not envy your tube ride and walk! I am v lucky in that I live a 10 min drive from work, so staying on until 38 weeks shouldn't be that bad, knowing I can get home quickly when I'm tired.

Any ideas how I could cope financially if I took a year off? I get full pay for 6 months, then nothing after that (unless I get SMP? I don't really know?) Any ideas - maybe if me or dh didn't eat, or leave the house in the car, and we let the baby roam the house free of nappies, we may just survive!

Bibi - I have the same deal, but will be paid half pay over a year IYSWIM. SMP is buried in there and the employer tends to top it up, but SMP only goes up to 26 weeks. Are you entitled to AML? Could you take a few months and just make the money last for longer?
We are looking to move our mortgage, plus have sold some stuff and just generally saved like mad. Have also got lots of stuff second hand from friends and e-bay. There are also NCT sales which are supposed to be very good. It's a stressful one though.

Am completely with you on the "in x number of weeks it will all be completely different". Ten in my case - eek! Just not sure what it will be like... I will send the makeover fairy along to you when she's done with me (although she may be some time!)

Morning everyone. Chirpy Bean here today! We have decided not to move after all, despite seeing the perfect house last night. After a long talk we just felt that it would all be too much. Dp starts a new job in the autumn, so we are both currently tying up our current work, plus of course, Bean, who doesn't need a new kitchen/bathroom or even his own room, but 2 parents who are attentive, present and focused on him, and that's the most important thing. When the conversation got to "could we cope?" we knew we were contemplating too much!! Good to have looked into it though as we now know what some of our options are.

Hope everyone else is well, has slept and are being treated kindly by the horrible hormones.

Bean you sound as though you definitely made the right decision. Having a baby and moving house/changing jobs are the most stressful things we do and we have our whole lives to do them - why not spread it all out!!

Bibi - I don't know if we can afford me staying off work either. I get paid for 18 weeks full salary then SMP kicks in up to 26 weeks (which is not much money at all)therefore we will be without my salary for 6 months. I think we can manage on my DH's salary but will have to cut back on spending. We are playing it by ear. We have also discovered that changing our mortgage to Lloyds is gonna save us a lot each month!

The big question is Nanny or Nursery? Can't seem to bring myself to consider that yet? Any other first timers thought about childcare yet?

You would of thought wearing black would be safe but noooooo! just got some cake and cream on my breast! excellent

Has anyone felt their tummy strech lately? I say this before I ate the cake honestly though, I think I might be getting strech marks? what do they look like? are they really obvious when it happens?

my spelling is pathetic I honestly do know how to spell STRETCH!!

I was having a bit of a panic about stretch marks yesterday. Embarrassingly, I had to ask dh to check the underside of my bump as I can't see down there anymore. He said he couldn't see any but I've got a feeling he was just being kind. My bump is rock solid so it can only be a matter of time before all the skin/ligaments/whatever start to go ping and I'm left with my very own underground map.

Don't say that Piglit!! My body will look the same as before when all of this is done, right? (sticks head back in sand)

Ooooh, you non-stretched people make me . I've had stretch marks since about week 16! I've religiously applied magic stretch-mark-reducing creams/oils/lotions twice a day since day 1 to no avail.
I have "flames" as dh calles them rising up from pubes. I've managed to keep them below the belly button so far, but am sure I spotted one making a break for the upper belly this morning in the shower ... was afrid to look too closely and convinced myself it was a crease in my skin left from pjs
Turtle, yes it's obvious when it happens, they are ugly and red and look like the cat's had you with it's claws. But if they are under your bump, you can ignore them as you can't see them.

I've read that SMs are genetic, so there's not a lot we can do. I have them from my weight yo-yoing days and it's true that they do fade to nothing. My thighs host a veritable themepark of attractions - veins, cellulite, stretch marks.... nice.

Am v hormonal today and had a major flip out about the birth last night. Apart from that, ok (!). How's everyone else? Big Bean hug to y'all.

Hi - finally had time to catch up with you all. What a hormonal lot we are. I burst into tears on Saturday because DH returned from shops without any chocolate. I hadn´t given him explicit instructions to buy some, but I thought it was obvious by now that pregnant women require regular supplies of chocolate to keep them sane and calm. I think he´s learnt his lesson.
Managed to avoid stretchmarks last time, but figure that was because I´m so old my skin had already lost all its elasticity and was already sagging nicely.
I noticed yesterday that I´m beginning to waddle -anyone else got to this stage yet?
Think I´ll waddle off to the shops now and stock up on more chocolate.

Don't get me wrong, I do have some old SM on the tops of my thighs from fat days also but they have really faded and are quite thin, small lines. My stretching feels around the belly button area. Fingers crossed they havn't arrived yet?

Piglit I can't see the underside of my bump either unless I completely arch my back and stand inces away from full length mirror, head tilted.

Bean I have had such a hormonal week, it's been awful, yesterday evening I didn't get a seat on the tube and I have 15 stops from work to home, it upset me to no degree as I have really bad back ache ALL the time. I am still not sleeping and DH is not helping cause he is frustrated cause I keep him awake - it's a vicious circle of keeping each other awake at night with snoring, we have painters in the house decorating at the moment so spare room is out of action. Some days I feel at my wits end, I feel useless around the house because I can't bend over and pick things up, I am desperate to do some gardening because it's a disaster at the moment. Hmmm, think I shall try and find a gardener.

Does anyone know of a cheap gardner who will spend a day "tidying" and weeding etc in West London?

Aw Turtle, it sounds like you are just feeling really, understandably fed up. Big, cool bar of chocolate for you and a pact that we all don't expect too much of ourselves, especially as it's hot Sitting with our feet in a bowl of cool water has been strongly recommended to me - today may have to be the day!

Where abouts are you? I'm in NW London (Harlesden/Willesden). Although the estate agent told me this week I am on "Harlesden/Kensal Green borders".... yeah, right!!

Huppa - I am waddling a bit too, although it might be psychosomatic! I'm dreading the head engaging and the big time waddling setting in before I finish work, but as I will be over 37 weeks when I stop, I may have to be lucky!

Thanks a bunch Bean I am fed up, I know I'll snap out of it and probably need a session of shoe shopping over the weekend to perk me up again. I am in Chiswick - hence the mamoth tube journey into the city.

Yep I am also developing a waddle, I notice it more when I have been sitting for a long time then get up to walk, my bum always goes numb.

A vile man at work has just been made redundant and to be honest, this is mean, but he calls me "fatty" every day and I am kind of happy he's been made redundant- is that really awful? I know he isn't trying to hurt me on purpose but I am so sick of been called Fatty that I will be glad to see the back of him

Hi all.

Been reading back on your posts and really feel for the raging hormone battles you are having to fight.

I've been fairly level headed although did have small outburst of tears at the weekend. But DH was wonderful and gave me lots of big hugs.

So much going on here at the house, that now that I'm at home all the time, I feel I am in the way a bit. Not ideal. DS is at nursery 3 mornings a weeks now which is lovely for us both, but in my new status as SAHM, I am keen to get us a little weekly routine of stuff to do in our afternoon/2 days together... a whole new ball game!

But have to say, I'm so happy to have finished work early ... sorry I don't mean to rub it in, but my decision to take maternity early was purely based on the fact that I won't be returning to work and wanted time with DS on my own for 9-10 weeks.

Turtle - I got the Formes catalogue too. What a joke?!

And I know it's tricky, but if you are on the tube/train and no one is giving up their seat, then ask someone for theirs. They'll be too embarrassed to refuse.

Where have we all gone?!! I see that the Sept. thread is quiet too - have all the larger ladies melted?

Had a horrible anxiety attack at the weekend over the birth - all reassurances welcome please!!

Beansprout, I'm here!
Are you worried about the pain of giving birth, or that something will go wrong or just a bit of everything? If it's any consolation, I am just as scared of giving birth at the end of this 3rd pregnancy as I was first time round. But I know it will be OK and I will get through it and am looking forward to meeting the new baby. By the time our due date rolls around I am sure we'll just be desperate to give birth to end our moose like state!
I fell over at the weekend - was carrying a large basket of washing and stepped out of the back door straight over DD1's spacehopper. I managed to take the brunt of it on my arms and just felt a bit sore afterwards. Both girls were hysterical crying - goodness knows what the neighbours thought was happening. DD2 spent the weekend telling everyone "mummy fall down". Then on Saturday night the baby didn't move at all and I started panicking, but I felt it kick in the early hours of Sunday and it's been quite lively since. I might see if I can get an antenatal appointment tomorrow, just to hear the heartbeat for reassurance.
It was so hot at the weekend! Now it has started raining here, but it is still hot!?! We have sent both DDs out today with no coats as well.

Cerys you poor thing, big hugs, I really feel for woman who fall during pregnancy, I have been so close a few times that my heart skips a beat, it scares the living bejesus out of you at the time. I think your baby is very well protected though and should be fine, however I can imagine you want some reassurance for your own peace of mind.

Bean why the anxiety attack? is it the thought of delivery?

I just had my purse stolen from my handbag while having coffee with another pregnant friend. I am so annoyed as I had £80 in my purse and all credit cards now have to be cancelled, DH made a good point, pg woman aren't exactly going to chase someone and we are more vulnerable so be careful my fellow mooses. Argghh still makes me so angry.

Boo to purses being stolen, that's just rubbish. Glad you are being pragmatic about it, my hormones could really have a field day with something like that at the moment. Will heed fair point about non agile, non chasing meece too (esp. in London).

Cerys - hope you are ok, that sounds horrible, plus the worry of db not moving too. Look forward to that reassuring heartbeat... (sigh of relief).

Flip out was over the prospect of birth and this idea that I have that I won't be able to cope and will be scared witless with nothing anyone can do.
Oh, and the phenomenal pain . Keep telling myself that I will get to meet Bean at the end (which I am already longing to do...)

Am actually v angry with louse who stole purse off a moose - just wanted to say that. Shame on these people

Beanibeanibean, it may go brilliantly it may not go brilliantly but it will happen and it will pass and you will then be a mum (which you are going to be a brilliant one of) and honestly, that's the major part.

Hugs.

AND they can do stuff for the pain, and epidurals do usually work.

Motherinferior you are soooo reassuring. I love hearing that sort of stuff.

Bean, I am really surprised I didn't freak out right there and then. I was sitting outside a coffee shop and no one batted an eye lid to help what was obviously quite distressing - two heavily pregnant woman frantically searching under tables and looking in bins for a purse. I some times ask myself what is wrong with people....sigh. The main thing is no-one was hurt but if there was ever a time that I really could use a stiff drink and cigarette that was it!! I didnt't but I might have to have a very cold glass of rose with dinner