Earthgirl gets back on track!

earthgirl

argggg just lost a really long post, start of it was a whinge about work so its probably a good thing!!

Anyway feeling very emotional and fragile, oh has found enough change in his car for fish from the shop, so we are going to have a relaxing night in.

I want to stop stressing about work (only 5 more days to go anyway!) and start to get into holiday /new baby mode!!

Here is my to do list (sadly hardly touched this week )

School
- tidy cupboard (you can tell I have no notion!)
- do some marking MOST DONE JUST YR9 LEFT
-print off specs/ exams and other tutoring resources for ks3 and Alevel DONE
- bring home my remote and any other items of mine so they don't get 'lost' when i am on ML!
- print off schemes of work ( i ended up doing them all ) and put into file.


Savings
- plant some more veg and maybe some flowers
- maintain focus on reducing electricity usage
- top up shops only for rest of month

Other
get nursery more ready incl putting up curtains that mil made.DONE
put something down to protect matrass in case waters break in bed. DONE
read baby 'routine' book
listen to cd (ongoing)
Credit check (1 weeks time)

Income
ongoing - check for ms, and do small business work.
- complete tax return
- investigate benefits

Have my antenatal class tomorrow, so need to remember to take sandwiches, drinks and fruit.

goosander

earthgirl wrote: »

...I've been saving electricty at home, so only using my laptop until it runs out of charge.

Thats probably a false economy. Laptop batteries have a finite number of charge cycles (full to empty), typically 250-500 after which they lose capacity and need to be replaced.

If you run down your laptop battery each day, you will probably knacker it in a year or so.

twinklie

I'm guessing it's a school laptop...if so, Earthgirl won't have to replace it anyway - school will!

cha97michelle

They might not replace it though. The funding might not be there. I left mine at work as it was a bit knackered when i went on my 2nd mat leave. I hoped it would get repaired while i was away, but it got sent back to IT and then i didn't get it back. I even asked the head directly for one but didn't get one.

Dangerous with all the budget cuts to assume anything. I was lost without my laptop. There were only a few computers in the department office and by the time the department LSA, the technician and the student teachers were on there i never got a look in.

earthgirl

Well I have never been offered a school laptop I just bought my own, as I needed it for school work, tutoring and small business work.

I didn't know about the full to empty charge limit - thanks - off to do a bit of investigation!

earthgirl

Hi all,

well after a quick investigation,there are lots of conflicting ideas.
I think I am best to let the laptop only run down say 40%, and keep the charge level fairly high, and avoid letting it run right down before recharging.

The antenatal class was ran by the NCT, and although most of it was good, she was quite prescriptive about ideas and products. Some items she mentioned were a cot that fits on the side of the bed for the first few months (only £200 :eek:- no way!) and a tummy tub, an ear themometer, an exercise ball, a swim ring, and a baby hair brush. I might get the last 5 if I get some vouchers from work..

Note to self: M&P grooming kit incl thermometer £5 with voucher
Ebay tummy tubs circa £10 used.
Gym balls £7 ebay new (ask friends, and check TKM first)
Swim ring? Ask friends.

Have the morning of timetable, and feeling a bit more positive and energetic :j(not quite that energetic, but ok), so off to get some of my to do list crossed off!

cha97michelle

I'd go for the digital ear thermometer. Other than that, i had a hair brush i never used, and have no idea what a tummy tub is.

I've used the ear thermometer loads, although another tip i heard was if you kiss baby on the forehead and their head feels hot to your lips they have a temperature.

People seem to have a knack of recommending really expensive things don't they.

greent

earthgirl wrote: »

Hi all,

well after a quick investigation,there are lots of conflicting ideas.
I think I am best to let the laptop only run down say 40%, and keep the charge level fairly high, and avoid letting it run right down before recharging.

The antenatal class was ran by the NCT, and although most of it was good, she was quite prescriptive about ideas and products. Some items she mentioned were a cot that fits on the side of the bed for the first few months (only £200 :eek:- no way!) and a tummy tub, an ear themometer, an exercise ball, a swim ring, and a baby hair brush. I might get the last 5 if I get some vouchers from work..

Note to self: M&P grooming kit incl thermometer £5 with voucher
Ebay tummy tubs circa £10 used.
Gym balls £7 ebay new (ask friends, and check TKM first)
Swim ring? Ask friends.

OOH - digital ear thermometer a must, imo - great - we use ours loads for all 4 and we 2 adults if poorly. Gives you a much better idea of if their temp is high (take temp a few times when not poorly for a base reading - each of us differ slightly) and when you give them calpol etc how much it is coming down/ how quickly. Wouldn't be without mine - unlike lots of baby stuff!

bedside cots are good - if you b/feed and are anxious about co-sleeping. I just co-sleep and if I wake up enough put DS3 back in his cot in our room (his room is on a different floor) A moses basket is fine though.

A tummy tub is, I think, a baby bath that resembles a bucket. Just bath baby in the sink if you don't have a bath (I bought one in IKEA for DD for £3, used it for all 4 babies and sold it at an nct sale for £1.50 - brill buy!!) Get a normal baby bath if you want one - often on freegle/ freecycle. Don't bother with a top n tail bowl, though. (UNless you get it with the bath) And babies don't need to be bathed every day - once a week is fine (unless sicky) - they don;t do anything to get dirty when tiny. A wipe over of face, hands and bottoms in that order with a flannel is fine....

What's the ball for? You or baby? Again you might get a gym ball/ birth ball on freegle if you put a wanted. Not something to get excited about.

Baby hairbrushes are useless - and they don;t need them usually, anyway....

Swim seats - they're good - but not needed for several months - it's a rubber ring with a seat in to sit baby in in the pool so they can float and still be immersed. I sold one at NCT sale at the weekend for £1.50....


Things I wouldn't have been without: the thermometer, muslins (but only for DD cos she threw up all the time!) a bouncy chair (you don;t need an all singing/ vibrating model) we had a swing chair - which I bought used for £10 and sold for £15.... - that was good for DS2 & Ds3. Hmm - ooh a sling for dad to carry them in all snuggled (both of them get off on it)

DOn;t get a breast pump before baby. You might not get on with b/f. (unless you get one free - I gave mine away on freegle) But do (if you can) give it a go - SOOOOOO much easier than messing about with bottles/ sterilising etc....

ABove all, be prepared to throw any ideas you have out of the window when in labour and after baby has arrived!! What is best is what works for the pair of you - not what anyone else says... a happier, less stressed mummy = a happier baby.

Kittikins

Just to put my 2-pennorth worth's in, buy a forehead thermometer (electronic one) rather than an ear one - recently my DD had an ear infection and so sticking a thermometer near her ear wasn't good.....and also there can be a huge difference in temperature in each ear (say for example if you've got the start of an ear infection......it can be about 2 degrees hotter than the other side!!)

HTH

earthgirl

Thanks for all the advice, I seem to get lots of conflicting advice from real mums and then the professionals, so I will do a bit more research!

I have a baby bath and breast pump (manual and electric!) but this tub is supposed to be really relaxing, like being in the womb. We will see!!