Calling all Watermelon's

[toothfairy29]

Happy 30wks blu!!!

What exactly happens at a baby shower? Have only ever seen one on friends!!! Is it jut a big party with lots of baby gifts??

 

[cookielucylou]

These baby showers sound like a nightmare, very glad they are not popular over here!
Cant believe how far we all are already-it doesnt seem that long ago I joined this group! Its lovely to have people to chat to at the same stage

 

[Blu_Butterfly]

Yes, it's a celebration for the parents to be and baby. Usually food and games for the guests and gifts for the baby. Usually a delight, not sure what's going on as of late.

Yes - I remember joining these threads so early on and now to think we're in the home stretch. I still remember getting my bfp on 3/26 at 10dpo! Been so great to have all of you ladies to chat with - otherwise I think i'd drive DH crazy.

 

[ImSoTired]

Happy 30 girls! I'll be 30 week on thurs and I go see my OB that day as well. Baby is quiet this AM and I'm wondering if she is sleepy and maybe she was kicking me in the night because I kept waking up.

Usually someone throws someone a baby shower. They are usually done by a friend or a sister/sil. Since I only have one sil and she works a lot my mil is 'hosting' mine. And my mother is helping money wise because she is busy at work. The host usually takes care of everything but I have taken on a lot of the responsibilities myself including the invitations, the games, and I have chosen all of the decor but mil bought it. At a shower the mother to be is surrounded by family and friends, usually just women but sometimes they do a coed type thing. Everyone brings gifts (from a registry or whatever) and comes to eat and play games and celebrate the new baby on the way. I don't like all of the attention but it's a great help when you have nothing for a new baby. It's just a nightmare because it's not the type of thing I wanted. I wanted something much smaller and peaceful and laid back. No such luck! The secret is to have someone great to host your shower and help you with every aspect and take your feelings into consideration. I had a great bridal shower because my best friends were my hostesses and aalthough I hated the attention the shower went well. This one is awful because mil has no clue what she's doing and most of the work is on me. I don't have to pay for much because my mom and mil are paying but I still have to organize the games, etc. So annoying....

Sorry blu and nicki. I know what it's like to have baby shower stress

Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[toothfairy29]

Ladies....

you might remember I have been concerned about my bump being small and posted a photo last week at 29 weeks. I have been feeling a bit off it for a couple of days and have had an upset tummy. Bump feels different I think too. Each scan I have had or midwife exam so far I have been told baby is breech. I really cant tell myself by feeling. I wondered if maybe he has turned over the last couple of days and this is why I have felt different? I also think my bump actually looks bigger and a definite pregnancy shape today?

What do you think? These photos are only a week apart. Left is 29 wks, right is today 30 wks. Can you see any difference at all???

 

[ImSoTired]

Definately looks like it's sticking out a bit more. Perhaps you are right and baby has done a flip in there making your bump poke out a bit more. I really wouldn't be concerned though, I can definately tell you are pregnant and I think your bump is perfectly normal. Some women are just lucky and keep a smaller bump in pregnancy. I am absolutely huge and it's embarassing. I was hoping I'd carry small because I have a rather petite baby girl in there and I was a small baby but I guess because I am so short that baby had no place to go but out Beautiful bump toothfairy, nothing to worry about

 

[hopeful2012]

Hi Ladies! I hope everyone is doing well. My day didnt start off well, but has improved. The weather is so pretty here, so we have the windows up and the air off. Im making homemade applesauce today, so the house smells awesome! I spoke with my insurance company and everything is arranged (at least my part of it) for my maternity leave and hospital stay. I guess it helps that i work at the hospital that im delivering at. I agreed to work thanksgiving day since i will be off for both christmas and new years. My leave officially starts on December 2- unless i decide to change it to the day after thanksgiving. I will have 1 1/2 weeks before my due date and 8 weeks after (i may change my mind and take 10 afterwards). Im so excited. I realized that i have filled out my last work schedule until after i come back from leave. (we do ours about 5 weeks in advance). 11 weeks until my due date! I have so much to do!
My sister is hosting my baby shower and my best friend is helping. I think this shower has about 50 people invited and then there will be another for the other side of the family (they live about an hour away, so one of the aunt's is hosting one there). Mine have not been stressful as my sister is planning everything but still asking for my opinions. Mine will be on October 20th. My sister also knows me very well and knows what i like, so i dont have much to say on her choices. We have been slowly working on the nursery, but i am feeling the overwhelming need to hurry it up. I really want it done before the shower, so that i can organize everything that we get.
I am still working crazy 12 hour shifts, but everyone in the emergency department is so nice to me and they try to help me with anything that they can- especially now that im showing so well. Most of them think i have a basketball shoved under my shirt. I had a patient's wife asking when i was due yesterday and then she proceeded to tell me that it looked as if i did a great job keeping my figure! Made me feel good. I always said that i wanted to be one of those cute skinny pregnant women and since i have lost weight the entire time i guess i got my wish. I think i will have maternity pictures taken at the end of october or first of november! I cant wait!

 

[Kelly M]

Toothfairy, hope you feel better. Your bump is adorable! Definitely looks bigger in the second photo. Everyone keeps saying how tiny I look and I don't mind the compliment but I don't feel tiny at all. My bump feels huge. I guess it's because I'm just used to a much flatter stomach so I feel kind of like a whale as of late.

Sorry you ladies have such stressful baby shower situations. Also, I had no idea baby showers weren't a thing in the UK. Mine was a breeze, my sister and mom planned it and it was just immediate family. It was a lot fun, got TONS of stuff for the baby and ate delicious food and cupcakes. I'm not trying to rub it in or anything. Just saying to those UK ladies, that's usually how they are supposed to go. My heart goes out to the ladies having trouble! It should be a fun experience, not stress. Why can't the other people helping/planning understand that? Shame on them.

My dr said baby is growing just fine and everything looks good, including my weight gain (whew). Glad I got the ok from the Dr., always feels reassuring. 29 weeks today! Wohooo!! 11-13 more weeks to go!

 

[nickibrum]

anyone struggling with winter clothes now? specifically winter coats? I cant remember if i asked this already to be honest.

I bought a duffle cape coat today from ebay. Hopefully it will fit, but i can collect and try on there and then which will be helpful. As i dont have a massive bump im hoping I will only need it for the next few weeks and then when LO has arrived Ill be back in my normal coats.... im not a fan of cape/poncho coats but I refuse to spend over £45 on a winter coat ill only wear once.

Work is getting very stressful, so much to do and not alot of time left to do it. In one respect 5.5 weeks seems like loads of time and then in another it seems like it will go in a flash based on the last few months. You are all correct in saying its flown by. I remember setting up this group etc- madness. I found my POS yesterday aswell! Maybe I should date it so I will always remember. Its gone in my memorybox for now

Im making a food hamper for MIL for xmas. So far I have
bottle of wine, mulled wine set (wine and glasses), shortbread, cookies, jam, crackers, mince piese. What else could go in there for not alot of money?

Also I need an idea of joint present for MIL and FIL. Really struggling as I cant afford much but dont want to be cheapskates either. xxx

 

[ImSoTired]

Nicki I just bought a few cheap pair of maternity pants and a maternity sherpa lined fleece hood and some t shirts. I can't bring myself to buy a new winter coat either, so I bought the hooded sweatshirt and I plan on wearing my winter coat unbuttoned if needed. It's predicted that we will have a bad winter this year so I'm hoping that I can limit my outdoor exposure when I'm too big for my coat and hoping I'll go right back into my normal coat once baby arrives. Maternity clothes can be so expensive. What I do need is a pair flat slip on shoes, some new pajama pants, and a few nursing bras so I'm saving my pennies.

I don't know what to tell you about MIL's Christmas gift. Sounds lovely so far though! I need to start christmas shopping and I am going to be a cheapskate this year. Everyone is getting a gift card and nothing more. I'm much more worried about saving our money for baby than whether everyone has a lot of Christmas gifts. After my baby shower, in about 2 weeks, I'm going to buy one gift card a week and be done in plenty of time for Christmas.

 

[nickibrum]

Im trying to avoid gift cards as I think sometimes a hamper can be cheaper and I can use vouchers to buy things meaning they are actually free. The food hamper has cost about £15 so far....normally we spend about £50 per parent, which this year we have kinda said it will be £30 per parent but I cant afford to give £30 voucher if that makes sense? I have 19 people to buy for...very large family.

Trying to be savy and seeing what I can spend with my points and what is best to use for cash. :S mind blowing lol

 

[ImSoTired]

Im trying to avoid gift cards as I think sometimes a hamper can be cheaper and I can use vouchers to buy things meaning they are actually free. The food hamper has cost about £15 so far....normally we spend about £50 per parent, which this year we have kinda said it will be £30 per parent but I cant afford to give £30 voucher if that makes sense? I have 19 people to buy for...very large family.

Trying to be savy and seeing what I can spend with my points and what is best to use for cash. :S mind blowing lol

Yeah unfortunately we don't have 'vouchers' that work like that. Everything here that is worth buying is pretty expensive. If I made my mom a basket of goodies it'd probably cost more than if I just went out and bought her a gift card and then she could go and get whatever she wants. I have 14 people to buy for, so only a few less than you and hopefully I won't go broke this year Good luck!

 

[sigh]

We're doing a polyanna/secret santa this year among the adults to cut down on expenses. I need to start shopping for my nieces and nephews now! Already starting to feel exhausted!

 

[sigh]

I forgot about the winter jacket thing and went out yesterday and realized I can barely zip it. Luckily I think I saved my pre-weight loss jacket so hopefully that will work!

 

[Kelly M]

Luckily, I won't need to worry much about my winter jacket being that I live in Austin, TX. It doesn't get very cold for very long so I think I can make do with a big hooded sweatshirt and my coat unzipped. I'll be damned if I have to buy a new winter coat that I'll probably only wear about one or two months.

On another topic, I passed my gtt! Not that I was worried I wouldn't or anything. I feel like it was kind of an unnecessary test considering I don't have any symptoms and feel fine.

 

[cookielucylou]

Congrats on passing kelly, I agree it does seem silly as surely you would get symptoms if you did have it. I think I passed mine as she said they will only contact me if I have a problem and mine was done last monday.
Has anyone else experienced itchy legs? The bottom of my legs have been really itchy, OH said they looked slightly swollen yesterday but I hadnt noticed but could that be why?

 

[nickibrum]

Well done on passing hun. One less thing to worry about.

As for itchy legs it could be down to the weather; heating is probably coming on now (as I think ur in the UK) etc so that might effect things. But keep an eye on it. I was told to call my midwife if I get itchy.

I found a bargain yesterday- a bird house for £4.50 in debenhams, looks like it would cost about £15..... thats going in the gardening hamper! lol.

I should probably look at the xmas presents i have and lay them out or ill end up buying two of something etc. My sister is into baking so I have got her a cute oven glove and will buy a few nice looking whisks etc but sneak a dvd inside aswell. Cheap and effective

 

[cookielucylou]

I've had it a few weeks now, and we have only just turned the heating on so wont be that. Drives me mad sometimes and i end up scratching until they bleed.
For christmas we are doing everyone gift/goodie bags as we are on a tight budget with having 2 little ones this christmas. I think its a lot more personal and looks more thoughtful then just a gift card as we have budgeted £10 per person and I would feel really mean giving everyone a card for that ammount. I can get quite a lot for that if I look round for offers.

 

[nickibrum]

I've had it a few weeks now, and we have only just turned the heating on so wont be that. Drives me mad sometimes and i end up scratching until they bleed.
For christmas we are doing everyone gift/goodie bags as we are on a tight budget with having 2 little ones this christmas. I think its a lot more personal and looks more thoughtful then just a gift card as we have budgeted £10 per person and I would feel really mean giving everyone a card for that ammount. I can get quite a lot for that if I look round for offers.

Thats my plan. So far some people have even come under budget

I managed to get £30+ of no7 stuff yesterday for £11.50 but that was for me lol. No7 is on 3 for 2 in boots and I had the £8 off vouchers they are always handing out.

My foundation is slowly running out. Holding off for the points event in 2 weeks time so I can get the £12 back.

B&M have some good kids toys at bargain prices hun.

has anyone been dropping hints about push presents? Ie a present you get from your OH for doing all the hard work and pushing LO out into the big wide world?
Ive been hinting at a diamond ring I have seen which is cheap. OH didnt get a wedding present so i think its only fair he actually does this one.... but I dont see it happening.

 

[BabyForMe83]

Happy 30 weeks Imsotired!

Hope all you ladies are doing well xxx