In or out?

The question is: Would you have your baby sleep in your bedroom for the first few months? Or would you not?

Now, I have heard different and contrasting views on this matter, so I'd like to ask your opinion. 

Here in the UK the midwives usually suggest having the baby in your room for the first six months and then move her to the nursery. Apparently this is good for different reasons, the most important of which is that the baby will imitate your breathing techniques, and therefore there is less risk of cot death or apnea. 

I also think it's very common in London to have the crib in the master bedroom for obvious space issues.

This is our situation. We live in a two-bedroom flat. We are quite lucky to have an exceptionally (exceptionally for London!) big bedroom and a smaller, but still decent size, second bedroom. When we found out I was pregnant, we immediately started thinking of sleeping arrangements and we decided to keep the second bedroom as our guest room. Between August and November we will have lots of visitors coming to meet the baby and it didn't make sense to us to give up the second bedroom and have the guests sleep on air mattresses in the living room. So, at least until the end of the year Baby O will be sleeping with us. By then she will be around four months old.

We have therefore put the crib in our room, next to my side of the bed so that it will be easier for me to take the baby and carry her to the living room for night's feeds and to the bathroom for diaper changes. This is how it looks at the moment:

I don't think we have much of an option at the moment but I would like to hear your thoughts. Many friends and colleagues have told us that it will be impossible to sleep with a baby in the same room as babies make constant noises. Of course, we will just have to wait and see...I hope that by the end of the day we will be so exhausted that it won't be difficult to fall asleep. 

Does your baby sleep with you in your bedroom? If so, would you recommend it?

36 Weeks

Today I am 36 weeks pregnant. This week is a crucial one as at the end of it I will reach an important pregnancy milestone: Baby O will be considered full-term and I could give birth any day. Life is getting a bit more complicated; I am always tired and out of breath. I need to rest very often and spend a lot of time on our rocking chair (thanks Ila!). 

I have definitely become bigger, as you would expect, and the bump is now rather prominent. Thankfully, I can still wear normal clothes, dresses are surely the most comfortable option. I haven't weighted myself in a few days, our scale doesn't seem to be working properly (or so I say!), but I have a midwife appointment next Tuesday and I will definitely check the damage :) 

Thankfully I can still sleep fine. I usually fall asleep on my side but then I tend to turn on my back in the middle of the night. I do take a couple of trips to the loo but I can safely fall back asleep. So, I can't complain. 

I am getting slower and slower and walking has become a bit of a chore. But it is good to get out of the flat whenever possible to get some fresh air, so I try to force myself out every now and then. 

The annoying bit is the nausea. I am never really hungry and do not enjoy eating. I have troubles digesting and have a bit of heart burn every now and then. What a joy! 

Moreover, something has started. I don't know whether they are the *famous* Braxton Hicks or not but I have started to have tightening pain in my lower belly. The tightening is short but it is quite uncomfortable, sometimes it even makes me scream...I wondering how loud I am going to be during real labour! I am taking them as a sort of rehearsal and try to practice my breathing techniques, although I am not really sure how prepared you can really be once the real thing kicks in! I have to say, I am still quite relaxed but I am getting more and more aware that the big moment is approaching. 

This is why this morning I finally wrote my birth plan. I have used all the headings suggested by the midwife at the antenatal class and will discuss it with my midwife at the appointment next Tuesday. Writing what type of delivery I would like to have and what types of pain relief I will want to try made the all thing much more real. Let's hope it is not going to be too long and too painful!

London 2012 - Olympic Park

Today Rob and I ventured to the Olympic Park. Last week we got tickets to go and visit the park; I was a bit skeptical at first as I thought it would be rather stressful in my condition (I have just entered the ninth month!) but now that we went, I am so glad we did. The only sport event we have tickets for is volleyball which is not played at the Olympic Park, so if we didn't visit it today, we would have not had the chance to see the village otherwise. And it doesn't happen every day to live in a city that hosts the Olympics. So, even if I was a bit tired and out of breath this morning, we left our flat around 9.30am and headed to Stratford. I have to say, I was impressed at how smooth the journey was. The tube was crowded but definitely not overcrowded and once we got there there were so many people helping and directing the crowds that I really didn't feel stressed at all. 

I loved the Olympic Park, I think the Brits did an amazing job. The architecture of every single arena and stadium was simply stunning. Too bad the weather was so crappy today that the pictures don't really give justice to the site. Anyway, here are some of the best pictures we took.

My belly attracted quite a few comments. Everyone was super sweet.

Water Polo Arena

Olympic Stadium and Orbit in the background

Park Live: where you can watch live sport. The hills were packed!

Definitely tired. But happy!

Coca-Cola Beatbox

Velodrome

And we even caught some American TV live. Rob got super excited!

And American medalists being interviewed (Also, Giuliana from E News was there!)

All in all we had a blast. I got home exhausted and had to rest in bed with my very swollen feet up for a couple of hours to recover but it was worth it! We visited an Olympic Park, saw athletes wandering around, had a delicious pork sandwich, and even managed to do some shopping! I would do it again. Brasil 2016, we are coming! That would be nice...

Mum and grandmum's visit

Mum and grandmum have now left. They arrived last Tuesday morning and left this afternoon. Their company and help have been invaluable. During their time here they have cleaned the flat, hand-washed all Baby O's clothes and bed linen for the Bugaboo and crib, ran loads and loads of laundry, ironed, washed the curtains (which I had never done since we moved to the new flat!), stitched curtains and tea towels, embroidered bibs, and most of all kept me company. I am now officially on maternity leave and the flat is empty without them. I miss them already. 

Here are some pictures of them in action:

And a close-up of all the bibs they made. I can't decide which one is my favourite...

Aren't they adorable?

From Aunt Ila, With Lots of Love

Last week Rob and I came back home from a long and tiring day out to find a nice package waiting for us outside our door. The package was addressed to *Baby Otremba*. We got excited! Baby O had just received her first package, completely addressed to her. That's exactly what we needed to cheer us up!

As soon as we got inside our flat, we went to the bedroom and opened the package. Inside there were several presents all nicely wrapped. It was an explosion of colours. A pink note read: *If Baby O doesn't go to her baby shower, the baby shower goes to Baby O*. I thought it was incredibly sweet, you all know how sad I was to miss my Italian baby shower. 

Rob and I both chose which presents we wanted to open and the fun began. Inside, lots of lovely clothes for our little princess and sweet notes from aunt Ilaria, her mother and our good friends Mario and MariaPaola.  Thank you all, you made our day. 

List of Don'ts

When I moved to England, almost nine years ago, I came up with the idea to write a list of things that I wouldn't want to do one day as a parent. You know those things that you really don't like about your own parents and their behaviour, and you promise yourself you'll never do it as a parent? Well, my concern is that I will forget one day and will end up acting exactly the same way. Anyway, eight years and a half later and I haven't written that list yet. 

However, I have now come up with another list. A list of things that I want to try to avoid when Baby O finally comes, things that I see other parents or grandparents doing and that I really don't like. I know my mind will go blank as soon as our little girl arrives and that most probably I will end up doing and saying these things anyway, but if I have this list to go back to, hopefully I will take it into consideration and remind myself what used to bother me before I became a full-time mum, devoted to our little princess! So here we go:

1. Do not ALWAYS and ONLY talk about your baby. Surely there must be other interesting topics of conversation, otherwise how would have you survived until now? 

2. Do not be a fool and think your baby is the -EST: best, nicest, biggest, smallest, tallest, shortest, fattest, funniest, smartest...and the list goes on an on!

3. Do not complain if she doesn't sleep enough, eat enough, talk yet, walk yet, is clean and potty trained yet...She is just a baby, she'll have time to develop all her skills. There is a time for everything. 

3. Do not compare your baby with other babies. They are all different. 

4. Yes, you are a mother now, but do not forget you are still a wife, a friend, a daughter, a grand-daughter, a niece, a cousin, a colleague...you have lots of roles to play.

5. Do not think your life is over. You can still, and indeed must, get excited about potential trips, holidays, exhibitions, festivals, concerts, dinners out...And if you can't or do not want to bring the baby along, what are nannies, baby sitters, grandparents and friends for? 

6. Do take care of yourself. It is still important to look beautiful and healthy. So treat yourself to a nice manicure and pedicure every now and then, keep your hair clean and shiny, look after your body and be fashionable. You have a baby, not a disease. And keep eating healthy and get your body back on track as soon as possible! 

I am sure with time I will update this list and add more items but this is a good start for now. Mums out there, do you agree with me? Or am I being completely unrealistic?

Baby O's Birthday Poll Closed

So, the poll is now closed! 

The following days have been guessed, I wonder if any of us got it right. Make sure you remember which day you picked, as I said, there will be gifts for the winner(s)!

I am so excited for Baby O to finally be with us, the sooner, the better!

August 7 (2 votes)
August 10 (1 vote)
August 16 (1 vote)
August 17 (3 votes)
August 19 (1 vote)
August 20 (1 vote)
August 25 (1 vote)
August 27 (2 votes)
August 28 (1 vote)
August 29 (2 votes)
August 30 (1 vote)
August 31 (2 votes)
September 1 (2 votes)
September 2 (1 vote)
September 4 (2 votes)
September 5 (1 vote)

At the antenatal class I learned that if you are overdue, you will be booked for an induction at 41 weeks + 5 days. So, technically, Baby O could be as late as the 10th of September. If that will be the case (and I seriously hope NOT!), there will be another poll.

London Baby Shower

Today was the day of my London baby shower and what a day that was. I had such an amazing time.

I had been looking forward to today since the moment Natalie set a date for my baby shower but when my Italian baby shower got cancelled (oh well, postponed) for the reasons you already know, I got even more and more excited about this London do. So this morning I woke up and after a lovely breakfast with Rob I got ready. I tried a couple of outfits on and finally went with this one. I wanted something sweet and with pink touches, of course! So I picked a blue dress and pink accessories, shoes, cardi and bracelet.

When my girlfriends saw me they were all kind of shocked at how big I am. The bump keeps growing and growing, I wonder if Baby O will be a big baby or this is just a fake :)  One thing for sure I hope to get my body back as soon as possible after the big event. 

The baby shower was simply amazing. We ate lovely food, chatted as only good friends can, had fun playing a game, opened gifts and took a stroll around Barnes. 

Natalie organised such a fun game. She printed photos of famous people when they were babies/kids and we all had to guess who they were. Some were very easy but others took some time to identify. It was so much fun! 

And after playing the game, Baby O and mama had the most fun opening the gifts! Look at all the wonderful things we got: a Dior milk bottle with its case (how chic is this??!!), sleepsuits with union jacks and tea-cups, stickers to mark every month birthday, a clay baby prints kit, cardigans and a super sweet pink and blue dress. Also, my lovely friends brought gifts for my recent birthday; I got a mother-to-be set of organic body products and a book of the best tea houses in London. My girlfriends and I have already decided to use this book to start a new series of monthly afternoon teas around London. I can't wait! I feel so fortunate to live in a cool city like London and most of all to have such amazing friends.

To thank my girlfriends I made little thank you bags with white, pink and black cupcake cases. And ladies, if you are reading this: Thanks again for such an amazing day, you are the best! 

Antenatal Class and Tour of Birth Centre

A couple of days ago Rob and I attended our first antenatal class. The topic of the class was Labour, birth, pain relief and relaxation. It was an afternoon class that ran from 1.00 to 4.00pm. Before heading to the community centre were the class was being held, we made a stop at our local cafe' for a lovely brunch and then off we went to Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre. I really like this place, it's modern, it's vibrant, it's colourful and it's very welcoming. I mentioned it before on this blog as they also have a nice nursery. In fact, while we were there we collected all the information about the nursery, just in case. We have actually decided to have a nanny for the first few months when I'll go back to work as we think it would be better for Baby O to stay in a familiar environment, she will be only 5 months old! I already know it won't be easy to go back to work at the end of January, even if part-time, but at least I hope to feel more comfortable knowing that our little baby is at home with a trusted person. We have already found a nanny we like, let's hope the transition won't be too painful for us!

When we arrived at the centre a few couples were already there and many others arrived soon after. It was nice to see all those bumps gathered in the same room and it was very sweet to see all the husbands and dads-to-be sitting next to their partners, eager to learn something. I have to say, I didn't find the course particularly enlightening. The midwife who gave the presentation and showed us the videos was very nice and offered a lot of details but nothing I hadn't really previously read about somewhere else. I believe these courses were very useful back in the days when information was a bit less spread, but these days with the internet and all the magazines and books available on the topic, I can hardly imagine a mum-to-be who doesn't already know all the details of labour! Rob, however, found it very useful and apparently learned a lot. In fact, most of the questions came from the boys! It's endearing to see how men these days want to be more involved, participate and try to understand what their partners are going through. All in all it was a lovely afternoon with nice couples, about 12/13 couples in the room, and delicious biscuits and fresh juices.

Once the class was over, we took a stroll along the Southbank and shopped a bit. We then had a very early dinner at Nandos, always a favourite, and finally walked to St. Thomas', the hospital where Baby O will be born, for the tour of the maternity unit. This was the best part of the day, we really enjoyed the tour. The hospital is in an amazing location, right opposite the Parliament and Big Ben. All the labour rooms are single and en-suite and have a couch for the partners who want to stay overnight. They all have gigantic windows overlooking the Thames, I suppose it will be nice to enjoy the view at least, while in excruciating pain! Opposite the labour and birthing rooms are the pool rooms; I am still not sure whether I will be using one or not but I guess it's nice to at least have the option.
So, we left the hospital with a big sense of relief. Don't get me wrong, of course, it is still an hospital but it is kind of welcoming, especially the Home to Home area and the garden room, where Rob said will be spending most of the time. And the midwives all had smiles on their face, let's hope we will be lucky with the ones on duty the big day!

Below is a virtual tour of the maternity unit at St. Thomas', if you'd like to have a look.

Turning 33

On July 17th I celebrated my 33rd birthday! 

I have been celebrating every single birthday of my life since year 1. When I was little my parents used to organise afternoon parties at their house with friends and family. When I grew up I took the lead and organised my own parties, with their help, of course. Before I moved to England, I usually organised evening parties at my parents' garden. Then, even if I wasn't living in Pescara anymore, I still tried to go home for a couple of weeks in Summer around the time of my birthday and I celebrated a couple of times at the beach or at other venues. The last few years, instead, I have celebrated in London with a barbecue, a pic-nic at the park and lavish dinners. This one has definitely been the mellowest birthday celebration, but fairly so given my level of energy.
The day started with a lovely breakfast prepared by Rob: cappuccino and English muffins with Nutella. Rob had decorated the kitchen with Union Jacks bunting and bought coordinated napkins. It was lovely. Then he went to work and I spent the day at home relaxing. I was still off work so I went from the bed to the rocking chair to the couch to the chair outside on the balcony. I get tired so easily these days that I can hardly stand up. The real celebration happened in the evening when Rob took me out for dinner. It's not easy to dress up with this big bump, but I did my best.

Rob chose a very nice restaurant just two minutes away from our flat, Chop House. The table they reserved for us was perfect and with a stunning view of the Tower Bridge. Dinner was simply delicious and we were even lucky enough to be entertained by the opening of the Tower Bridge. We spent more than two hours in the restaurant and then back home where Rob asked me to lock myself in the bedroom as he needed to do something in the kitchen for me. Surprise surprise, a birthday cake with candles was waiting for me on the kitchen table! You are never too old to blow birthday candles!

Next to the cake was also a little blue Tiffany bag. I got so excited! That was my gift, a lovely pearl bracelet.

I already have the silver version of it, a present from mum and grandmum from a couple of years ago. Now I hope to increase the collection! I like all these three, for example. I think they would look very nice all together.

Anyway, another year has gone and next year there will be a little someone next to me who I am sure will enjoy blowing the candles for me and opening my gifts!

Thank you all for the birthday wishes, cards and presents. Love you.