December 2011:Once we pop, we just can't stop

This thread title is good too Thanks Oi and sooo exciting!! I'm mega jealous! Nothing to report over here, yet again, besides the fact that I'm typing with one hand as the other is now being iced on your advice (damn chilies, I was just trying to get things started )

I like this thread title!

Sorry Oi that excitingness was directed at mmm and her mucus plug action - I was trying to thank you for the thread and express my excitement one-handedly...

This one's the most apt (I hope) Just realised I also missed the news about your elcs this week SoTired...how exciting! And with kri5ty in labour too & Mmmm just behind I think this'll be a busy week!

Tyel Germolene for your fingers? The one with local anaesthetic in it...I use it on EVERYTHING, it's brilliant I've got chilli under my nails before, where the skin is very thin & it burned for days

Found the thread thank Oi

Kri5ty sending good luck labour vibes

Tyel No personal experience but germoline or savlon works wonders.

Mmmm Lets hope as your mucus plug is coming away, labour isn't that far behind.

I don't know what my mucus plug would look like, as mine came away when I was in active labour with DD.

Wrapping presents with a cuppa T and watching Prison Break.

Mmmm I shouldn't have but I couldn't just leave it so I sent my mum a txt saying that was incredibly rude, why bother calling if you;re going to hang up after 23 seconds Seriously, that's how long the call was She just replied you made me feel like you didn't want to talk to me so I am now taking your advice & am PMSL as I text back Drama Queen. I can't be it's just too ridiculous. At least I'm smiling again.

Nothing doing here. Nice bath and a cat cuddle.
I am so excited to hear all the news of tireds cs, kri5ty and mmmm 's labours. Come on babies!

yup i too have burnt myself with chillies!!

oi i have just had a long bath, pre bath they were getting stronger... was still getting them in the bath, and had them since i got out... although they are not as strong or maybe im getting used to them? Time to start monitoring again!!

honey i had a similar text off my mother the other day (she knows i wont pick up the phone), left me angry all day

ok had a contraction, lasted over a minute and i couldnt concentrate on anything else... hope this is it lol thanks for the labour vibes girls... i just hope it doesnt stop/slow down

Obviously I have been totally out of it! Congrats sotired and good luck kri5ty v excited for you!

I been away for a few days and totally missed all the excitement. Still at only 37 weeks so might be more time yet for me! Though have been eating chillies, drinking raspberry leaf tea, evening primrose oil etc to speed things along! I am enjoying mat leave though it is bloody noisy... Have workers redoing my windows!!!

ladies just wanted to say thanks for the support during the last 8 months!!!

Exciting kristy!

Im not getting too excited as i lost my mucus plug really early last time so might not mean anything...

kri5ty I'm sorry your mum is still being a pain but now I'm thinking anger might lead to labour...a release of emotions perhaps No BH today but feeling quite crampy & my back hurts so hoping to follow your lead

Thanks girls

honey having awful witches parents, just will make us all the better mummys!

hi all, a baby and labours starting since I've been away - exciting! Is this the new thread then? or is there a different one?

Marking my place, just caught up with the last thread, congratulations to cheep, and good luck to everyone currently in labour!

Supervising MW has ok-ed a homebirth for me (after MW visit last week, when I was told living on the first floor, without a lift, was a H&S issue for the ambulance crew), woo!

Babybay bedside crib just arrrived & it is gorgeous...I decided to pay a bit more & went for the dark wood one to match our bed & I'm so pleased that DP bullied convinced me into buying it now. I still want to co-sleep but it's lovely to have something new for the baby & I'm really looking forward to sleeping on my back again

Totally agree kri5ty I've learnt everything about how not to parent from my mum.

Of all the days for the bloody boiler to pack up! Heading out somewhere warm for a while and will test my fire-lighting skills out later. DH trying to get a plumber round

Yay Honey - we've had our sidecar crib alongside the bed for a couple of weeks now. Doesn't match our bed though, that's very chic of you It's been very convenient for pushing aside the heaps of clean things that have yet to be ironed

AWCH glad they approved you too! When my family said our second floor flat was unsafe and irresponsible, the MW pointed out that if you're having a homebirth, unless you've actually passed out you'll be able to get out under your own steam if you have to. And also reminded me that they manage to get 20st heart attack victims out of top floor flats - so a pregnant woman wouldn't be a problem either.

Is everyone reading that good birth story thread? I'm riveted!

Oh Kate! Hope it gets sorted soon!!

Honey, sounds lovely!
Tyel, I used the whole 'what about heart attack victims in tower blocks'? argument too, MIL and DH (the ones who were worried about home birth) have finally come around to the idea of homebirths being a decent idea, were your family only worried about you living on the 2nd floor? Or were they against home birth?

Having lots of little painful twinges downstairs today (TMI; feels like I need to take a poo out of my foo-foo), and lower back pain, hope LO isn't planning on making an apperance!

Woo hoo new thread!

Right then girls, let's get popping <eyes kri5ty, tired and mmmmcheese expectantly>.

Tyel I feel very chic, I bought the organic coconut husk mattress too but to be honest it was cheaper than the most basic unvarnished version with a foam mattress (if bought in the UK) as I bought it direct from Germany. Everything's so overpriced here. Considering what the basic ones are going for on ebay secondhand I could probably sell it for more than I paid I was worried it wouldn't match & would look weird so almost went for white but I'm glad I didn't it's lush...nothing like a bit of retail therapy I'm not ironing anything, what's the point

How's the epi-no going by the way...I've managed to get to 8cm, only just though & it feels awful Can't imagine how I'm going to manage the extra 2...I've decided to start using it the maximum twice a day now to see if that helps

honey i was looking forward to sleeping on my back after having ds but having conditioned myself not to for so long i found that i could no longer do it!

I dont iron anything!

You guys make me feel a bit bad about not doing epi no or perineal massage but i am going with aethels line that it doesnt make a difference for second timers. Anyway, im looking forward to my epidural

Kate stay warm - perfect excuse for a peppermint hot choc at starbucks (my poison du jour!)

AWCH the entire family except DH was against a homebirth at first, led by my mother. But once she met the MW, she changed her tune and now is HB proponent numero uno.

The amazing thing is that I am starting to realise the Internet has really transformed our access to information and knowledge about birth. I was reading the Ina May guide to childbirth the other evening and so many of the stories said things like "I just happened across a book about natural childbirth in the bargain bin at a bookstore" or "A friend told me about someone who had a home birth", but that was it. Whereas I have been able to watch videos of waterbirths, homebirths, breach births, read blogs written by midwives, download an iPhone app that tells me what's going on every week, has a contraction timer etc etc.

When I was explaining to my mother and aunts about oxytocin getting labour started and that it's inhibited by the release of adrenaline, so that's why it's important to avoid any stress (eg. bright lights, strangers, unfamiliar surroundings) all three just looked totally blank. And these are well educated high powered women - but somehow learning about the processes of their own bodies is so low on the priority list as to actively be shunned, like somehow being interested in the processes of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding meant being chained barefoot to the kitchen sink.