supergolden88

I love the idea of a meet up with babies/toddlers along. Would also prefer Peckham Rye picnic area or even the cafe (lots of space outside and a grassy bit they kids coul play on... Great to meet you all sorry I did not get a chance to talk to all of you - it was a pretty big group!

foxyarchie sounds like we may be very close. Are you going to deliver at Kings?

I thought I would start a thread so we can chart when all the autumn babies are due and perhaps find bump buddies who are due at the same time I'll start October 29th - blue bump

I feel guilty anyway - I wish I was ecstatic during that scan. The whole thing was very rushed and the revelation that we were having a boy was almost throwaway. I didn't have the usual 2 hours waiting time to prepare myself! I did think the same thing (count myself lucky) when I found out that a somone at work just had a miscariage (not her first). Now I think I will go melt in a puddle somewhere

I did say that feeling this way was silly and ungrateful however I could not help my reaction or ignore it. I am very aware how lucky I am to be having a baby and I dont take anything for granted. In any case I am slowly coming to terms with having a boy. I'm not depressed or crying any more and I have announced it at work with only one mild breakdown. I am sure my hormones are not helping matters much either. Also with regards to the older you are the more girls - sure that has got to be false as it is the sperm that determines the sex.

It is my second baby so I have a fairly good idea what to expect - like you I would not have dared first time around!

When I went to a breastfeeding workshop before the birth of my daughter we were told not to introduce a bottle in the first few weeks lest the baby get "nipple confusion" and refuse the breast. I did just that and my daughter was exclusively breastfed for 9 months. I tried to introduce a bottle in the second or third month with expresssed milk but my daughter completely refused it. She also completely refused dummies. The longest one stayed in her mouth was about 30 seconds. Admitedly I did not insist (she would get into a state) although I tried every teat/bottle on the market. Eventually at 9 months she took the bottle but continued to breastfeed until 13 months. This time around I need to have more flexibility. I fully intend to breastfeed again but want to be able to give expressed milk or formula if needed. Just wondering if this nipple confusion is more of a myth than gospel. Should I introduce a bottle in the first few days? Surely babies know that it is food whether from boob or bottle and can switch between the two?

I am worried I will have deadlines to meet in the middle of giving birth or the first few weeks (I know I have brought all on myself!). But looks like I will have to invite my mum over for a few weeks even though she drives me crazy and then perhaps look into mother's help... A lot will depend on timing - if the baby decides to come bang on due date or be late whether there are any (knock on wood) complications and so on. Fingers crossed...

I have two very good DVDs for sale One is pilates the other a more general training one see details below * Complete Pregnancy Fitness (2 dvds includes couples fitness and postnatal) - ?9 new [www.amazon.co.uk] The production values are not great but the trainer Erin O' Brien is and this is proper exercise that will make you sweat. See the reviews on Amazon. I admit to skipping the tricep dips! * 10 Minute Solution - Prenatal Pilates - new ?4 [www.amazon.co.uk] This is 5 10min sections which are excellent for overall fitness. Even includes abs exercise. Again I cannot reccommend it highly enough.

Not sure which ones you mean but the chemist on Northcross Road had some MAM bottles a couple of years back

I very very stupidly accepted a book project which is due to come to me 10 days before my EDD. I know it is insane to say yes to it but the money was good and it is a new contact and clearly I am not sane at the moment. I was wondering if any of you used any help when your babies were very young... Are there any options out there? A doula? (not that I know what a doula does exactly) Part time nanny? I am thinking I may need someone to come to the house and help out part time.

I hope the folks at Cafe Nero dont have a heart attack when dozens of pregnant ladies arrive at 10.30 on Sunday!

Puddleduck Nursery (which used to be in ED) is really good. They are now on Merttins Road in Nunhead

Lactulose works if given consistently (and it sounds like you have exhausted the natural methods) Reflexology on the feet helped but I am not sure I remember exactly how to do it (I think you press your thumbs at bottom of foot and press upwards towards the toes) so perhaps google it?

Anything from limited edition prints/posters framed to a personalised photobook with all your favourite pictures in it. Also good: books (first edition or just with special significance); tickets to a destination or event and so on

Keef "All I meant was that we have a girl, so are used to a girl, so the thought of having a boy is a bit scary. I am sure that had we had a boy, I'd find the thought of a girl a bit scary." That encapsulates my feelings exactly. It's what you know. The first time I knew nothing about babies. Now I have four years experience with a girl and have seen lots of girl siblings interact (for some reason most of the mums in my group had second babies that were same sex as the first). We desperately wanted a girl the first time around and we got our wish so now we will have to adjust our expectations. But bless my husband. I did not realise how much he loved me until he said he would consider having a third child if that made me less stressed/depressed/anxious (all the while reminding me we may get another boy). This from a man that took four years convincing to have a second child. In the abstract the possibility of another girl is helping although I never ever pictured myself having more than two. In the meantime your posts are a huge help and I am making playdates with mums that have boys to get used to the idea!

It is also what you are used to. When I has my daughter I had no experience of babies whatever. I dont think I ever even held one. So she was my training and in four years I feel very well equipped to deal with little girls. Had I had a boy first I would probably want a second one now Another thing that colours my feelings is that I have a younger brother with pretty much the same age difference as my daughter will have with the baby (4 years) and we are not close. I dont remember being very close when we were growing up and when he was 13 I left Greece and came here. So we have kind of drifted apart. We barely speak (he has now been on a world tour of his own and is currently in Lisbon) and I have not seen him in at least a year. On the other hand childhood friends of ours are very close (sisters and they have both got girls). I guess I wished I had a sister. We'll see how it goes. My girl is a very sociable and genuinely kind hearted. She will literally give her toys away if it makes another child happy. She has lots of friends at nursery (mostly girls but some boys also) and is excited by the idea of a baby. But even she was expecting a sister. When I told her it was a boy she was excited but later that day asked "the baby cant turn into a girl, can it?"

Thanks for the posts everyone it really does help to share those feeling however silly they are. I am sure too that if I had my baby boy in my arms I would probably feel different to what I do know. But I have four more months to go (though if you saw me you would say "any day now!" as I have been told a few times already and if looks could kill there would be a few casualties piling up. My husband (who by the way has all nephews - 6 of them) says when we settle on a name I will fell better and he may have a point. And I think shopping for a few boy clothes nearer the delivery date will also help. Every time I think of four years of saved girly clothes I start to cry (which goes to show I should given them away ages ago). Anyway lets hope my work picks up again - if I was really busy I would not have so much time to luxuriate in moping.

I 23 weeks pregnant with my second baby. My daughter recently turned 4 and this baby was very much planned and wanted. I had a scan on Friday at Kings. For once instead of waiting around for ages before having the scan I was seen straight away (so much so that I had sent my husband off to get me a cup of tea and had to call him back). The scan went well - the baby appears to be healthy, growing well, no apparent issues at all. Only thing is the baby is a boy. Naturally I was expecting this could be the case but since finding out I have on more than one occasion found myself tearful and quite depressed. Whenever I go out with my daughter I all I see is little girls everywhere. The boys I do see I find myself disliking (!) which I know is completely irrational. I frequently tell myself how stupid I am being about how I should be happy the baby is ok but it seems to be making no difference. I guess subconciously I was expecting I would have a girl - that there would be two little sisters running around. My husband was also convinced we were having a girl. Doesn't help that most of my friends have two girls and two other friends recently had a baby girls. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced similar feelings. I am getting concerned that if this continues I will end up resenting the baby and possibly getting post partum depression (in my case starting well in advance!)

I feel like I need major mummy-to-be pampering session. I need a haircut and maybe mani pedi facial too but I have not been to any haidressers at ED for a few years. Can anyone recomment someone for a good haircut (longish hair and would like to keep it long) and perhaps a beautician who works from (her) home for the rest?

Try picking up just before you go to bed and putting on toilet or potty. Even though they are half asleep they sometimes pee and avoid accidents. Also try limiting too many drinks after 6pm Having said that my daughter did well for a couple of weeks then regressed for another two (accidents almost nightly) and now she seems fine (fingers crossed, knock on wood!). So I would say persevere dont go back to nappies

I was so pissed off at my mother in law (for a variety of reasons) that when I overheard her saying "I think she is pregant you know" (I was only 9 weeks at the time not showing but bloated) I ordered a glass of wine during lunch just to shut her up. I think the bag from a maternity store I left in the living room may have given her a clue... I frequently get "you're huge" and I am only 20 weeks. Another 20 weeks of comments to endure. On the taxi driver front I once had a taxi driver take me all the way home at 33 weeks even though I did not have enough money to pay him (and told him so in advance). So there are some nice ones out there

saw doctor (male doctor just my luck). Gave me a cream but said if it does not improve in week he will refer me to the hospital. Feeling rather sorry for myself just now

I would consider anything at this point surgery included! I had them in the post even before pregnancy but they never hurt at all. THis time there's bleeding and I cant be 100% that it's the piles so I am literally panicking right now waiting for surgery to open

yikes! But that is temporary relief I want to get rid of the buggers!