Tips to survive the last few weeks!

[ZippysMum]

Hi,
I am 31 weeks pg with twins. My first dc's. Babies growing really well, which I am thrilled about. Much wanted and appreciated pg, so please don't think I am ungrateful, I am actually quite to be feeling like this.

But I need some advice from you mums in the know - I am soooo uncomfortable - have put on a lot of weight, have ENORMOUS bump (measured at 41 weeks singleton pg equivalent last week). Can't sleep, can't get comfy, bump is hard and huge, have awful heartburn (my mouth actually fills with stomach juice if I am lying on my right and baby b stretches out - yuk), hard to get up from lying down, I seize up when sitting. backache and swollen ankles if I don't spend about 7 hrs of the day lying down. And I have 7 weeks to go!!!

Any ideas to make the next 6 weeks go by fast?? Or ways to get comfy?? What worked for you?

[arolf]

oh, I shall be watching this thread with interest - I'm 33 weeks pg with a single baby, and feel absolutely wretched at the moment, but not quite ill enough to go on maternity leave just yet. the next 7-9 weeks cannot go quick enough to be honest.

[olivo]

oh zippy, i can sympathise a bit, i am nearly 37 wks with one, and have been measuring ahead for weeks. i am frequently sick when lyong down because of heartburn - gaviscon cool tablets and a glass of milk do help.
sleeping is crap too, have you got a double sided bump pillow - mine helps a bit, as does sleeping kind of propped up with my v pillow on top of my normal pillow.

have you tried seeing a chiropractor for backache? expensive but might help.

no tips for making time pass more quickly! sorry!

[ZippysMum]

Hi olivo,
I have a foam wedge that goes under the bump and a rolled up quilt which both help! I'm awaiting a gaviscon delivery from Tesco (I did order some other stuff as well which I spent most of last night looking forward to. I don't measure it out any more, just swig it from the bottle!
Chiropractor is a good idea, though we're saving hard so might just try to persuade dh to do some back rubs as that does really help. I am finding MN a good timewaster (esp as we have no telly), but am a bit concerned that I'll find it hard to kick the habit once dt's are here!

[isoldeone]

I have suffered from hyperemsis throughout and at 36 weeks last week couldn't sleep because of the heartburn suddenly becoming worse. The registrar at antenatal prescribed ranitidine tablets. Probably have some terrible risk but after a pregnancy dogged by illness- have had ga, morphine, co-codamol , buccastem stemetil , cyclizine, parecetomal- one more more prescription drug probably can't hurt.

. I can eat and sleep again although still sick in the morning. I am sleeping a lot . I have a huge 1 lt fibroid and the babys head has now engaged. My bed is something like the princess and the pea - duvets as matress topper x2 and a matress topper and DH has built what he affectionately calls the nest - a sort of u shaped pillow / duvet combo action.

Rationing mnet and facebook - reading non pregancy books ,sleeping, having a bath ( getting tricker to get out with confidence) having the odd hormonal cry and changing the words to cascada hit to "evacuate the uterus". Thinking oh yeah when people keep texting to say they'll pop round to keep me company - 3 weeks into holidays I have seen one friend who to be fair has been on holiday. Most aquaintances have school holidays now. I'm sure everyone will magically descend soon once baby makes an appearance!

most of all consoling myself thAT THE REAL FUN STARTS SOON and that I should appreciate this "me" time but heck after thirty -odd years of "me" time reckon its time for a (gulp)change

[loveverona]

I found that sitting/rocking on an inflatable exercise ball really helped. When everything's feeling 'low' it really helps to alleviate the pressure down below. Also if you kneel down then lean forwards over the baIl with your upperbody, that's quite a relaxing way of watching tv. It also gives you good posture thereby helping any lower back strain. You can get them from all sorts of places - try this one www.amazon.co.uk/Tunturi-Ball-Classic-Anti-Burst/dp/B001CGC22A/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1249384090&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 =8-15.

[loveverona]

Sorry - here.

[cornflakegirl]

I'm 38 weeks and second the gym ball. I got one from Tesco for about £6 including a hand pump. (Got the 75cm one which actually seems to measure around 65cm when inflated.)

[HappyTangerine]

Another vote for the gym ball,also leaning on all fours over a bean bag/pouffe thing - I watched the Matrix on all fours last night, bit of a crick in the neck but it was the most comfortable my bump had been for weeks!

Am 32 weeks and so tired and uncomfortable so I sympathise. Carpal tunnel in left hand and evil heartburn. My little wriggler is very active at night and between that and the heartburn, I don't get to sleep until 3am. Completely by accident today I discovered a comfortable way of sleeping, on my right side with lots of pillows lengthways under my head/back. It really eased the heartburn and I didn't wake up with a swollen clicky hand (miracle in itself). Can you get to a swimming pool and just float about for a bit? This is the one thing that has helped me most of all.

[lazylion]

I would panic if I ran out of gaviscon, I have a bottle in every room for swigging. I'm 34 weeks but measuring 40, I'm crossing off the days.
Baths help a bit and I force my DH to rub my back until he gets blisters(he says).
I can't even bend my legs I'm so huge, and I'm getting about 3 hours sleep a night despite cushion ramparts. This last bit of pregnancy is always grim for me and I haven't really found a way to make it easier or go faster. But it does help to moan to those in the same boat.

[ZippysMum]

Thanks everyone. I have ordered one of those inflatable balls - but won't be able to go on all 4's as I hurt my knee rocking around on a hard church hall floor at NCT classes and now can't kneel for the pain!! Will use to sit to eat though, as I do get very uncomfy on our kitchen chairs. lazylion great idea about a bottle in every room. Just a shame it tastes so foul!

[Toppy]

LEMON gaviscon tablets - they are the only one of the brand range I can keep down. My pharmacy puts in special orders for these round here as they are so popular. Not hard when the alternatives are peppermint or aniseed - bleurgh !

[giggly]

second the swimming, although getting changed is a real hassel. I had started going to an pre natal class but found it to cause pelvic pain afterwards, now I just lie on my back and somehow dont get heartburn and float about occasionaly managing to kick.It is bliss.

Other than that I find a good moan helps.