Bummer ladies, it does sound a bit like the SPD back/hips thing is a bit of a theme with second pregnancies. I do feel for you all.

PP - yay for the extra help. You go girl. We all have these ideals about keeping house gorgeously and how that reflects on us as women, but the truth is, for at least the last 2 centuries, if you were a middle class woman with a middle class house (and any kind of life outside the home) then you usually had hired help - even it was just a washerwoman or underaged maid. I think it was WW2 when sistas had to do it all themselves in reduced circumstances when the idea of having to do it all yourself became popular. Pffft to that!

Noni - sorry to hear you are having a hard time. It doesn't help becos when you're feeling sick you don't get to take to your bed and sleep for hours!! Anyway, just remember, this too will pass and you will have your little bubba and life will go on and it does get easier!!

MM - I had a chuckle at your DH doing a happy dance over the telly. LOL men are such simple creatures.

Andie, sounds like Easter was a bit of a bonanza at your house! DD1 got heaps of chocs (we kept it minimalist this year but the family went a big hog wild) but they were all sensible with Missy E so only a few little eggies for her, plus a quacking duck from the EB and a bunny with a book in his tummy from Grandma! Glad you've started to identify how angry you're feeling with your Ex (in my experience, there's always a layer of anger sitting underneath depression). It might be worth asking your GP if there are some free/low-cost counselling services in your area - it will help you work through some of your issues so that you can feel like you're making progress and not just medicating the symptoms, kwim?

Rainy, great tip about playgroup. I'm in the market for a new playgroup, have decided to drop Kindergym for a term, but I think playgroup could be a good outing for both of us for the same reason you said - it doesn't require too much energy. LOL! Plus it won't matter as much if we miss a week here or there.

Arte, that's great they're so on top of the homebirth thing in NZ. Apparently it's like that in Britain too. If I were you, I'd be booking the cleaner and I'd make sure that when DH gets home every day for a week you are sitting on your arse eating chips out of a packet and watching Home&Away with the dinner not yet cooked. Sort of a passive resistance kind of protest, LOL.

Katie, hope you have made up for your late start with the E.eggs. LOL. Do you have a plan in place for when BIL comes home, so that you're not run ragged by yourself? I bet it could be a bit confronting for a few days until everyone gets used to the way it is. xxx I hope it all goes as smoothly as it can.

Poor Clare - oh I do hope you are feeling better day by day. Rotten luck about the painkillers. Though I suspect it's a temporary state caused by all the stress your poor bod has been under. Rest up as much as you can, remember to put yourself first whenever you can. Sending you psychic chicken soup, sweets! xxx

AFM - exciting times here, I have DH at home at my disposal so a lot of the little projects I want done are getting attention! Already he has moved all the furniture in the spare room and we're about to get compost for my garden. Organic winter veg here I come!