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Chequers, I know this is a bit rude but I thought I would create a thread for us after all we are a mini antenatal club. Might be easier to chat. There was another lady from MK too a while back but I don't know what happened to her. Perhaps this will prompt her to come and join in.
Re hypno I think it depends if you relax easily. If you do, the CDs or doing something by yourself is probably ok. Personally I am a bit of a control freak and find it very difficult to let go, so the course really helped me with that. Without the course I would never ever have contemplated a HB so it gave me quite a lot of confidence and I feel much more positive. If you are really scared, I think it would help. And after all we are spending so much on baby stuff anyway, it might be worth spending a bit on this as the memory will stay with you forever. I went to this lady's course and she is ace. She is really supportive and doesn't count her time and you really get a lot for your money. She even helps you with specific issue you have and send you some stuff to read specially for your needs
http://www.myhypnobirthing.co.uk/
Re aquanatal I don't particularly think there is a best time to join, anytime is good really. I started at 13 weeks (you can't start before that anyway). But I suppose the earlier your start the better really as you have more chances to build those muscles. Helen is great and very fun. Don't expect it to be relaxing though. I thought (like all new joiners) it would be but it is hard work.
Don't worry about asking lots of questions, next time it will be me (and frankly answering your questions is so much more interesting than the contract I am reading)
Will let you know how my visit of the hospital goes on Sunday. Perhaps they give the wards an extra clean beforehand!!
Oh my god chequers I had the tour this morning and I am absolutely horrified. The rooms are really small (knew that already) most room share toilets and bathrooms facilities with the delivery suite next door which I find outrageous and slightly concerning in terms of infections. Some rooms don't even have a toilet or a shower...at all!! They don't have basic "active birth" equipment like birthing stools or anything like that. And basically reading between the lines you could tell that the minute you come in you will be heavily monitored and the changes of an active birth are quite slight. We were also told that in theory there are 6 midwifes on shift for 11 delivery rooms but most of the time there are only 4 of them. When you know that you are supposed to have 2 midwifes with you when you deliver, that means that if 2 ladies are delivering and then another 2, you can be left on your own for quite some time.
And as I told you the other day it looks so grubby.
I am absolutely horrified and there is no way I can give birth there when you don't even have basic privacy. I was wondering. What/how did you do to get be able to visit bedford and North, what do you do if you want your file transferred etc? Any information would be greatly appreciated. God I miss the hospital I had my DD at!!
I think I will call Bedford and my MW and see what they say. I think bedford is the nearest. There is another one nearer than Northampton (stoke mandeville hopsital in bucks) might look at it as well.
Don't think we have the same midwife, but yours covers for mine and I think I met her once.
I think bedford do visits again, they say so on their website.
Don't think I will go ahead with HB as I am not sure if I transferred to beford that I could. And the problem is that if the midwifes are busy with someone else, you have to go to hospital anyway and I don't want to risk giving birth here so I kind of have to rethink all my options which is a little scary especially this late into pregnancy.
I have called both Stoke Mandewille and bedford. SM don't have any availabilities for tour until 30 May so if you fancy going there you probably don't want to leave it too long. I have finally managed to talk to someone at Bedford too and they do tours every Saturday at 14.00 and 15.00. I am planning to go this Saturday.
About Northampton, can I ask you if the rooms had private ensuite facilities (at least a toilets) and if you know whether you can get a private room after the birth?
Sorry about mispelling your name earlier . Will let you know how it goes on Saturday. Let me know if you need the phone number to call and book your tour.
So did you go to the aquanatal this morning
Thanks for the info about Northampton. I know it sounds silly but knowing I could have a private room as opposed to be in a ward of 6 women with 6 crying babies if I had a c-section makes quite a bit of difference to me!
Glad to know it is not your real name! Would have been surprised otherwise!!!
I am pinning my hopes on bedford too but have a feeling it will be like the other two. If I am not happy with Bedford I might check Northampton out because it has 2/3 of my criteria (clean and private amenities room for afterwards don't know about private toilets/shower adjacent to delivery room ? ).
Number for Bedford is 01234792073 (visits every Saturday at 14.00 and 15.00) Number for Stoke Mandeville 01296316120 (next available slot 30 May!)
If you walk the dogs everyday, you probably don't need the aquanatal anyway!
Are they big dogs/hard to control? Or is it just the having to do it everyday that gets to you a little.
won't go to Bedford this Saturday after all as I have other commitments but I will go the Saturday after that.
Yes, I suppose you are lucky re EDD although you also have to make your own view as what is right for one person isn't necessarily right for the other I guess.
I haven't done NCT but I think it is pretty much active birth based. Hypnobirthing does not recommend to move so much, but I don't think it contradicts an active birth either. They still suggest you practice sitting on a ball etc and squatting, so I think it is probably complementary. At the end of the day when the time comes, you'll be able to chose what is best for you or at least what you remember the most.
Personnally I am thinking of using a pool and my ball. I will start practising my hypno resting/relying on it.
You learn breathing techniques too. I don't know if NCT teaches these but again I think you need to have a toolkit of what works for you.
...as long as it's got toilets! The pool room in MK is also bigger but has no amenities. Imagine having to climb out of the pool half naked and stroll round the corridors soaking wet because you need a week
I know it is terrible. Frankly when I saw the hospital I didn't feel in a "civilised country" and yes it would certainly be nice to keep a minimum of dignity (although it is very hard when you have your legs up in the hair for all to see your nether regions).
Yes you need to look for toilets and if possible showers very very important in labour. One needs a little privacy
With regards to leaving DD or not at nursery, different persons make different choices. Some people take them out to save on the nurseries fees during maternity leave which is fair enough. Some people feel guilty about having the baby at home and not the toddler and therefore take them out of nursery or they just want to take the opportunity to spend more time with their toddlers.
Personally I will leave my DD at nursery. I am lucky enough that I can afford the fees even when I am on maternity leave so it is purely a question of personal choice. She is very happy and settled there, quite challenged too and she has her little social life and her friends and I think it would be mean of me to deprive her of that. Especially since I wouldn't be able to devote as much quality time with her as she would deserve. I feel she would probably be a bit bored. I don't really want to break her routine, but what I will do is try to take her a little later in the morning or collect her a little earlier in the evening so that I can spend a bit of time with her.
In addition I would like to be able to spend some quality time with the baby too. But like I said it is a very personal decision to make, and I am sure when the time comes you will make the right choice for you. Another solution might be to put your DC at nursery a couple of days/mornings so that they keep they interaction with their friends and you still save some fees
Yes you are definitely thinking forward, but good for you, it is a great quality.
I feel like I have been pregnant since forever too. I am sleeping very little and very poorly so I can't wait for ML to start so that I can nap during the day or just laze in bed a little.
I am ok otherwise. Still haven't had my test results (had to redo them 3 times) and yesterday I had some period like pains but luckily they have stopped.
I am 31 weeks today. Rollon 40 weeks (plus or minus one)
And I hope for your benefit we won't have too hot a summer. It was scorching the summer I was pregnant with DD and my ankles /legs were like tree trunks!
Will try to enjoy the rest and prepare myself mentally to be woken up every three hours. I am not looking forward to the first few weeks (apart from the bit where you can cuddle your baby non stop), they are so hard
Yes it does get better once your little one manages to go without one of the feeds at night and you start getting a 5 hours uninterrupted stretch. Mine was a big baby so she slept through at 2 months. Can't help but thinking I might not be so lucky this time..
Right need to kick myself to do some work! It is hard, I am tired and it is Friday. And I know I should start to panic because I have less than 2 weeks to go, but really can't be bothered
In the end the party I was supposed to go to on Saturday was cancelled so I went to check Bedford instead.
Good news (and what a relief) it is nice!. I couldn't explain it but the atmosphere is so different there, it is like they are more relaxed and it is more cosy and you can tell they treat they like their "mums" and treat with respect. The delivery suites don't have private toilets/showers, but at least they are not shared either so you don't the person in labour next to you doesn't have to share in what you are up to in the toilets. I have to say the hospital looks very very clean.
We were shown everything including the pool room and the theatre for C section (we weren't allowed to go in for infection reasons but I thought it was good of them to show us.).
Then we went to see the postnatal ward. They have bays of 4 people but these bays are in contained rooms. They also have a few private amenities room (£85) and there is a mini cafeteria and a room with stuff for babies, breast pumps you can borrow etc etc..
I was very relieved when I saw all that and will try to organise my transfer as soon as possible. I'd go and check it out asap if I were you.
Yes my weekend was good considering that I visited the hopsital and meet the other independent midwife who was also lovely. So at least I feel like the "where to give birth" bit is sorted. Yesterday was not so good though as couldn't walk and was in a lot of pain because of SPD
Glad you liked Bedford. It really has a nice feel to it doesn't it? And as you said, there are hot on hygene. My doctor is supposed to have written to them and I am now waiting for my booking in appointment with them.
I just about missed you at the aquanatal on Tuesday. I was all set to go, with my back packed and at the last minute I couldn't face going because I was so knackered. I am firmly intending to go next week though. If you are going back next week, perhaps we could meet and go for a coffee or something afterwards? Otherwise we can spend the whole session wondering which one of us is needahand and which one is Chequers!
The holidays was a disaster hence why I was so tired on Tuesday. We were just going 10 days but spent the first two trying to deal with my SIL problems (can't remember if I mentioned it but she had to be sectioned two weeks ago for the second time and we don't really know what to do with her). When we reached our holidays destination hoping to finally relax, after a night I felt really sick. Couldn't breathe, my lungs and throats where burning exactly like when I am in contact with cats (I am really allergic to cats, borderline asthma). Turns out that people are allowed to take their pets with them in the rooms. I have nothing against pets, but I think there should have been special rooms for people with and people without pets. To cut a long story short we had to leave because each time I stepped into the flatI was getting worse. After that we found a nice hotel for two nights but because it was bank holidays seasons in France, everything was booked. After that we found a nice looking B&B but the mattress was so old you could feel every single spring. My DH can usually sleep anywhere but when at 2 am he couldn't sleep he suggested we went home and I could have leapt with joy. We spent our holidays driving, packing and unpacking and not sleeping much so I was very very glad to come back. It is a shame as it would have been nice to have a last relaxing time before the baby comes.
Apart from that I am well. I am on maternity leave now and trying to recover/rest a bit. How is everything with you?
The aquanatal at newport pagnell was cancelled on Sunday so maybe that's why there were so many people there?
Great if we can meet for coffee, that would be lovely, yes lets meet outside. I shall wear a white carnation (only kidding). Thanks for the offer of a lift, but I don't want to put you out of your way especially if you need to work afterwards. I will see how it goes. If I am feeling ok I will try to walk and if I am too tired I will just grab a cab or call DH if he works from home.
My SIL is bipolar too but she doesn't want to take her medication so it is very tricky. She is DH's young sister only 23 (same age as my sister!)
I am about 5ft6 and I have a brown hair bob (although when I don't blow dry my hair it looks more like a brow hair mess). My swimming pool bag is brown and gold. And I shall be wearing my lilac crocs so that you can recognise me (so much better than a carnation!).
It is good in a way that work is slowing down a bit. It gets tiring doesn't it. How many weeks are you now? You are due in August aren't you? When do you go on ML?
Feels like a long way away still doesn't it? Oh by the way are you still interested in hypnobirthing. My IMW gave me some flyers for two practitioners so if you are interested I could bring them for you?
No not long to go for me and I still have loads of things to sort out. You know the kind of things you say you will do when you have a minute but you never have a chance like getting rid of my trunks of books, emptying the garage through ebay or freecycle. Tidying cupboard etc... I just hope my nesting instinct will kick in soon.
Yes the pregancy business is expensive especially first time round as you don't really know what you will need. You can receive the best advice from someone about a product only to find after you bought it that you hate it (hence ebay, freecycle etc)
I have seen a homeopath myself and I am seeing a refexologist next week in a desperate bit to try and relax/build my energy up a bit before DDay
The gap between DS and DD will be nearly three years. DD will be three in August.
I have never tried acupuncture but would if DS was in a bad position before labour or if I went overdue
Yes I have to go and see someone, not sure what they'll do. I am very gutted though as I have just realised it is Tuesday and not Wednesday morning as I thought. Which means no aquanatal, no coffee and no meeting you. How annoying. I have nothing to do all week, why does it have to be at the same time!! I hope we can postpone to the week after.
My MW and doctor were a bit scatty too when I mentioned bedford and were kind of like "so why is MK not good enough for you?". At the end of the day it is my choice and I don't see why I should have to justify myself.
Yes I have to go and see someone, not sure what they'll do. I am very gutted though as I have just realised it is Tuesday and not Wednesday morning as I thought. Which means no aquanatal, no coffee and no meeting you. How annoying. I have nothing to do all week, why does it have to be at the same time!! I hope we can postpone to the week after.
My MW and doctor were a bit scatty too when I mentioned bedford and were kind of like "so why is MK not good enough for you?". At the end of the day it is my choice and I don't see why I should have to justify myself.
I know when I ask people where they are having birth they also look at me like I am an alien. No one seems to understand that I want to have my baby at home or if all fails bedford. Then again a lot of them are first time mothers and probably don't know what to expect or perhaps they haven't done the tour.
Have a good weekend too. Will tell you how it went on Tuesday afternoon. I have now just realised the Tuesday after I have my IMW appointment!! I thought it was a Wednesday too. I will try to get that changed so that we can go to aquanatal and for that coffee. I am so useless, first week on maternity leave and I have already lost count of the days!!
Good for you for being assertive, mine wasn't too impressed either when I said I wanted to Bedford but honestly it is the best decision I have made recently. And actually I can tell you of a few reasons I think it is as bad as everyone says each time I have been there (apart from the scans) i.e about 4 times, I have been disatisfied in some way by the care provided to me. My first scan result were missing from my notes, two of my blood results were missing from my notes. The results from my urine test and swab they did in hospital were missing from my notes..and guess what I am Group B strep according to the swab, which is a pretty important information for everyone including my NHS midwife to have ommitted to tell me!
Anyway, I have been to bedford today for my booking in. I saw the consultant and she was absolutely lovely. She still thought I was having a HB and bedford as back up and she was happy with that. Then I mentioned that my perspective might be changing because it appeared I was Group B strep positive, she really took some time to explain things to me and to answer my list of questions. She is the first consultant I found approchable and not patronising. Both her and my second IMW thing it is probably best if I go in hospital and I agree. So I feel so glad that I decided to go against NHS MW and doctor and go referred to Bedford. The consultant even supported me trying to have a water birth in hospital and wrote so on my notes. Then because there were a few things I had forgotten about labour ward she suggested I pop up there again. There weren't too busy so a lovely midwife showed me round again and explain loads of stuff and answered loads of questions. I saw two further people (another MW and the person who took my booking in blood) and they were all so lovely. In addition the hospital doens't push you for an induction until you are 12 days overdue which I thought was very good.
So to cut a long story short, I am a bit gutted about the HB but I feel that it is not the worst thing that could have happened. I have trust and confidence in this hospital, whereas if I had had to go to MK I would be absolutely devastated.
Did you go to the aquanatal this morning? I have asked for my appointment next week to be moved so hopefully I should be able to come along!
I just wanted to day how lovely it was to meet you yersterday for the coffee/diet coke. I hope we get to do that again sometimes.
I saw MW yesterday afternoon and LO is a little bit engaged but not too much and still lying in a funny position. Apart from that not much to report apart from furious nesting. Good luck with work and everything.
Oh I am glad your doctor was rather supportive. It is a little bit stressful anyway having to do all this, so the easier people make it the better really! You should get your booking in in about two weeks now.
I know you won't see this today because you are in London but I couldn't wait to tell you the good news. I have had my Group B strep test results and they came back negative. I cannot believe it!! I can have my home birth now! I am so chuffed .
Aquanatal on Sunday and today was really really hard. Helen was in great form and full of energy and several time I thought I wouldn't managed to finish the class because it was so tough!! Anyway I hope I'll see you next week and that we can catch up
So how was the first NCT class? I bet it wasn't as scary as you thought!
Yes I am definitely up for a catch up next week. One of the ladies who used to come to aquanatal brought her baby yesterday. He was so cute!! Can't wait to have mine.
How are things on the work front? Slighly busier?
I have finished my nesting (turned the house upside down and tidied everything again). I still have a couple of really important things to do before the birth like having my hair done and going to watch SATC but after that I will have ran out of things to do!!
My IMW is coming again today. She came on Monday to check me over but said she would come back to discuss HB if my test was negative. I am so excited!
Oh good. You can tell me all about it on Tuesday then
[shocked] that your colleagues didn't tell you one of them was off sick with German Measles. You health and safety officer should have been on the phone as soon as they knew to tell you not to come!!
I'll try to rememeber to bring you the leaflets about hypnobirthing next time I see you too. I had forgotten the other day
Erm, hi there! I feel a bit awkward about jumping into this thread, but I'm going to take the "all others welcome" at face value!
I have only just (rather late in the day) signed up with mumsnet and this is my first ever post, so I hope I'm doing it okay.
About me: I'm due 2nd July with my second child; I have a 2 1/2 year old son already; we moved to Milton Keynes about 18 months ago.
I have got to the stage of being rather worried about the birth itself. Last time round I had a 3rd degree tear, and I really want to avoid that this time, but I'm getting all sorts of conflicting advice and not having a good feeling about things. This Sunday we went on the hospital tour at MK, and it didn't exactly fill me with confidence at all. But then again I am wary of attempting to ge anywhere else as last time was quite quick, and I seem to take after my mother whose second delivery was very quick. In principle I like the idea of a home birth, but if I tore badly again it would be really grim to end up having to get transferred to hopital at that stage to be stitched up. Argh. The whole thing is making me scared, frankly.
Anyway, sorry to go on there, I just really wanted to say hi. I am feeling quite isolated as I have ME so tend to be stuck at home on my own (with toddler!) anyway, plus am very immobile now due to SPD/crutches.
You are very welcome on this thread. So far there is only Chequers and I on it, but I think it is because there aren't many MK ladies around.
I am also expecting my second DC (a boy), my first is a girl and is about the same age as yours and I am due about 10 days before you. Can't wait.
I also have some sort of SPD but not as bad as yours (well at least not anymore). I had a wonderful physio at hospital who put me straight and now i can go out and about but can't really overdo it, so I don't really go out much either. I am mostly staying at home and keep movements to when absolutely necessary.
I moved to MK about 10 months ago from London and don't know many people either as I was commuting to London and it is a bit hard to socialise locally when you never have anytime to do so!
I do understand your birth dilema. Both Chequers and I went through the same thing as we weren't filled with confidence either by MK (which you probably already know if you read the rest of the thread). I wanted a home birth then couldn't have one so decided to go to bedford and now can have one again so I am preparing for this. If you really have a history of quick birth then perhaps you should consider a HB. Apparently you are less likely to tear at home (for some reason)and it wouldn't be so frightening it everything happened quickly. How far are you from the hospital? On the plus side if you decide to go for a hospital birth and you are a speedy lady, you won't be in there for long!
Anyway keep us posted with what you decide and keep on posting.
Thanks so much Chequers and needahand for the warm welcome! (By the way I should say I am mostly only likely to post late evening, as I can't seem to get to the computer until then as a rule.)
In terms of getting out and about, I am also hampered by not being able to drive (poor vision). But it would be lovely to meet up in person some time, some where!
Sorry to hear you have SPD too, needahand I had a lot of help from physio Helen who's been wonderful, and I'm sure it would be a lot worse by now if it hadn't been for her, but this last month is looking a bit grim, hey ho.
I'm getting a late scan and seeing consultant after on Monday, so maybe will then have a better idea of what is best thing to do to minimise tearing risk. I might bring up home birth as a possibility, see what they think. I guess I have worries either way (being in hospital or not being there) so it's hard to say which would be more stressful. I'm in Loughton, so only about 10 mins from hospital by car, which is a relief! As you say, with any luck I won't be too long in the delivery part. I also don't want to end up staying too long afterwards - last time I was in for a week (combination of various things, incl tear, ME, baby having low blood-sugar...) Hubby is really keen to get us home as soon as poss this time, though, and this time round he'll be experienced at caring for me + new baby, so hopefully that will work out.
Hi Chequers sorry I didn't make it this morning. This is the first time I have been up since Sunday and I am still not feeling great. I caught a nasty bug (probably from DD and nursery) and have been sick since Sunday. It has completely floored me and I am very very weak. When it started I thought that perhaps the baby was on the way (as this is how my labour started with DD). But 6 hours later when I was sick as hell and nothing happened I quickly realised it was just a bug. It is bad enough when you have a baby at the end of it..but even worse when you don't.I just hope I won't be as sick when the baby comes as I am not sure I can cope with that much sickness twice in a fortnight!
I am also gutted as I was so looking forward to seeing you and catching up! I hope I'll see you next week but if not I'll set up an e-mail address so that I can give you my RL contact details and we can arrange another meet up soon.
Very sorry to hear about your car too!! You must be soo gutted.
Polly How did your consultant appointment go? Are you any closer to deciding what you want to do re birth? I am not very far from you either (shenley lodge). Let us know how it went.
Hi Chequers, I will send you an e-mail with my mobile number so that you have both my e-mail and mobile. I am glad you can get a new door for £80, it is not as expensive as I thought. Does it include the fitting though? I agree it is probably best to do that than claim on your insurance as otherwise your premium will go through the roof and sometimes you have to pay the first £100 or £250 anyway.
Hi needahand - I'll be checking June thread to see how things are going: thinking all good thoughts for you!
That sounds awful being so ill at the best of times, let alone so late in pregnancy - really not what you could do with
And Chequers car hassles also not what you could do with right now - guess it's been one of those weeks!
I did see my consultant on Monday. I think I do have a more or less firm plan now, even if it does feel more like a 'best of a bad lot' option in some ways. I'm planning to go into MK hosp, and have an elective episiotomy to try to avoid tearing. In theory we could leave it and 'see how it goes', since having really good care during labour and delivery ought to minimise risk of tearing anyway - but in practise I am just not confident that I would get that good care at MK (esp since friend who had baby there a week ago ended up with 3rd degree tear herself), so the episiotomy seems like the best 'backup' choice. Especially since scan showed baby is above average size anyway (unsurprisingly, since DS1 was pretty big.) Also, baby isn't engaged at all (which I expected from the amount he still wriggles around) so no particular reason to expect things to kick off early. Consultant suggested I should have stretch and sweep once I reach due date, to try to avoid baby getting even bigger (DS1 was 10 days late.) The other suggestion is when I arrive at hospital to basically be a 'squeaky wheel' - make sure everyone knows my concerns, and what happened last time, and then I should have better chance of being properly looked after! Well, we'll see, I guess. We are decided that it's better to go to MK hospital than attempt to go further afield with a history of quick labour, or try for a home birth with a history of tearing badly, so I might as well make the best of it!
Chequers I will send you an email too, so you can get in touch with me if you want to.
Polly thanks for your best wishes on June thread. How did your consultant appointment go? Chequers has sent me your e-mail. I'll have my mum all week next week, but perhaps after that we could all try to meet up (provided you haven't just had your baby in which case we could just delay a bit).
SJ and I both are well but I am still struggling to sleep. We are starting to do a little bit more again (after initial rush of energy for two days after the birth, I just completely went flat). We went for a little walk yesterday, and I am starting to feel a little less knackered. If only I could sleep a little more, I would feel so much better.
Will try to catch up soon again. Take care both of you
I've written something about my consultant appt a bit further upthread, and since then I've managed to discuss pain relief options to go with it, so I think I'm feeling relatively settled in the circumstances. I'd love in some ways to go for a home birth as you did, and if all went well it probably would be the best option for avoiding tearing too badly, but at the end of the day I just don't feel I could risk it not going well and getting another 3rd degree tear, as while one is not too much problem, having a second one apparently carries serious risks of long-term complications. So I guess the episiotomy is the 'compromise' solution, since some people have been advising me to have a c-section, which I definitely would rather avoid if possible.
Meeting up the week after next would be lovely, assuming as you say I haven't had baby by then!
I hope you start getting more sleep soon; maybe your mother will be able to help out a bit and give you time for some more rest. After all, in ye olde days they used to expect women to just lie still and not do anything for a good couple of weeks or more after giving birth, so it seems to me it is entirely reasonable to be exhausted!
Hi Polly sorry I hadn't seen your earlier post. I am glad you found a compromise solution you are reasonably satisfied with. It is so difficult to know what to do, one only every wants to do the best but nothing is foolproof. I think that as long as you are comfortable with the decision you make, then it should all go well. And I can see why having an episiotomy is more attractive than a C-section!
I have added a picture of SJ on my profile. Feeling a bit better today as I had more sleep.
Glad you've had more sleep; sleep is definitely a good thing!
Had a regular antenatal appt yesterday: after showing no signs of engaging at all previously, baby was 3/5, to my surprise. And sure enough, I then realised bump has noticeably dropped. Of course DS1 was engaged for ages before he finally deigned to come out, so who knows how long it'll be still, but it's a move in the right direction, obviously! I just hope having got thus far he'll hold on till after Saturday, when I'm planning/hoping to spend all day in London for a friend's wedding. DH is even now on the other computer searching the net for info about London maternity hospitals, just in case...
I haven't had a chance to post for a while with my mum being here for more than a week and my DH working from home.
How are you? I saw chequers yesterday and we were thinking about you as it was your due date wasn't it? How is everything going? Are you excited?
I hope we can meet up soon. Everything is fine here. Of course I am a little bit tired every now and again with the broken nights, but on the whole it is not too bad and far easier than first time round!!
Hi needahand - I'm fine if a bit fed up with going overdue! MW came and did a sweep this morning (Fri, I mean) and things were apparently looking reasonably promising then - if nothing happens by Monday I have another antenatal appt at the hospital at which we will be talking induction.
Hope to see you soon too, and your little one! Very encouraged to hear it's easier than first time round!
It is no fun being overdue but it won't be long now before you hold you baby. To be honest I really found that second time round the pregnancy was much harder (with the fatigue and SPD etc) but the actual having the baby and the baby itself is much easier. With DD I was lucky if I was bathed and dressed by 5.00pm but second time round you really don't have that sort of issues.
Anyway good luck with the last few day and the labour. We'll meet up when you feel up to it (hopefully before chequers gets her baby!!). What are you doing posting at 1 in the morning, should'nt you be restin anyway?
Ha, I seem to end up making a lot of posts at 1 in the morning - I just find it so difficult to get off to sleep mainly because of the SPD pain that I often find myself on the internet in the early hours!
I very much agree about finding pregnancy itself worse this time round, which I hadn't been expecting at all - my hyperemesis was worse this time as well as the SPD, and yes, I just hadn't made allowances for how much more tiring it is to try to look after a toddler instead of just yourself! So I am very grateful to hear that birth and babydom might be easier! Obviously I know there are no guarantees that'll I'll find things the same as you, but I can hope so!
Antenatal appt tomorrow morning, so I'll see what happens then. I don't particularly like the idea of being induced, but then I'm not liking the alternatives either, so I'll see what they think.
Hi, just a quick post to say that Wilfred Jonathan Michael was born at 19.07pm on Weds 9th July, weight 8lb 6oz. I hope at some point to get round to writing up my birth story, probably post it over on the due in July thread, I'll let you know if/when I do it.
It's Chequers - I got my messages deleted and changed my name as I found out today my manager is on Mumsnet and I got a bit paranoid!!
Needahand, that's fantastic news!!! Congratulation, that must be a real weight off your mind to not have to do any more job hunting. Does this mean you will be moving away soon though?
. Will let you know how it goes on Saturday. Let me know if you need the phone number to call and book your tour. 
I had a lot of help from physio Helen who's been wonderful, and I'm sure it would be a lot worse by now if it hadn't been for her, but this last month is looking a bit grim, hey ho.
