Ok, a more postive thread - what's the best advice anyone has given you whilst pg? (or would you give others)

[bumperlicious]

Not really advice from someone else but letting the doctor sign me off sick for 2 weeks at 29 weeks was the best thing I did all pregnancy. Slept well, enjoyed the sun and completely changed how I felt about being pregnant and having a baby - i.e. now actually feeling positive and excited!

Catnip, I SO agree! and also to limit visitors to just one a day if you have to. i remember there being an am visitor, an afternooon visitor and then an evening visitor.. i would stay well clear now unless i was explicitly asked. my best visitor was a friend who came round, took DD, changed her nappy, rocked her to sleep and then left after 30 mins..

TBH you should set your own visiting hours at home afterwards, 2-7pm is good so you take your time getting up in the morning and battle with breastfeeding if nec before an early night/evening nap.

Best advice I ever got was never to listen to anyone elses horror stories, especially from those folk who like to tell you only the worst things.
Also follow your own instincts and ignore everyone else

tell all visitors they have to phone first. If they want cups of tea etc they have to get them themselves. And don't be afraid to tell them that it is inconvinient or tell them when you have had enough and want them to leave.

Brilliant advice for when ds was first born.

Do something everyday you are pregnant just for you that you cannot do when you have a baby - doesn't have to be anything costing money - go for a walk without carrying or pushing anything/sleep in the afternoon knowing you can choose when you wake up: it really helped me having that me time before the birth. Also, I was advised to always make sure I had some cash in my purse so that if a friend popped in and said 'do you need anything' i could give her a couple of quicd for some bread and milk. Finally the best thing someone told me was keep feeding all the time for the first 3 days and you won't get engorged - it worked for dcs 2 and 3 - didn't know about it for dc1.

Try not to use pregnancy as an excuse to over eat, in my experience this can = stetchmarks, heartburn and feeling yukky when you have had the baby if you find it hard to shift the weight. Breastfeeding and sleepless nights can sometimes cause women to crave chocolate and cake so not a good time for a diet!!

Also agree with toadstool, obv read up on labour etc if you wish but do not see the birth as the goal. Plan for making the first weeks with baby as easy as possible - get all laundry baskets empty and stuff folded and put away, fill the freezer but not the fridge, buy loads of nappies in the larger size than you think you will need (they will get used) and also stacks of vests and sleepsuits and fitted sheets, buy lanisol for your nipples and a hand pump if planning to breastfeed.

1st: dont keep taking your iron tabs in the last couple of weeks unless u want 2 have an enema while in labour(!) 2nd (really good advice from a friend with kids) make yourself a pain & get someone to check u r doing it right every time if u r breastfeeding for the first time until u r happy with it, then no probs with painful nipples etc.

Adding to minno's point - if you need iron but don't want to take iron tablets (or the constipation they cause) try the spatone iron sachets instead. They're basically a shot of water with the iron already dissolved in them, mix with a little fruit juice and bliss. Feel better from the iron and no constipation.

Also buy some of the cheapy supermarket big knickers instead of paper knickers for after the birth, and if you're going to buy a nightie or pjs for afterwards, try to get at least one that is in a dark colour - it can be very messy for days if not a couple of weeks afterwards and you don't want to have to be worrying about getting stains out in the wash on top of everything else.

make sure you have at least one packet of muslins and one packet of cloth nappies - even if you don't ever use them as nappies they are both very handy to have around to mop things up, use as a mat to lie on, use as a summer shade or cover, as mini towels and much more.

Finally, if you are going to get a musical mobile to put in baby's cot, make sure you get one that has a long play time - there are some around with 15 or 20 mins of music. If the baby likes it and it helps them to go to sleep (seems to work for lots of babies) then it is a real pain if you have to keep popping back in every couple of minutes to rewind the thing. A long play time and/or remote control means that the baby can relax and hopefully fall asleep rather than get upset that it has finished and get you back in the room all the time.

My best advice would be, indulge yourself whilst you still can. Whether it be lie-ins or watching weepy movies, reading all day etc.