December 2010, where we waft about in mat gear eating icecream

[Miffster]

Yo December 2010 ladies, here we go - the mid-point of our pregnancies...and beyond!

Oh only just noticed your reply notso! No worries and good luck with the piano. Very much looking forward to seeing Betws-y-Coed. My mothers family hails from there originally but I've never been. I adore Wales in general though. One of the best things about moving to Bristol is the proximity to Wales!

Morning, a much better nights sleep for me last night.

QoD - DP is from Medway. We did consider moving up there as they still have grammar schools, but that was the only plus point really, so DP ended up moving down here.

Notso - I've spent a lot of time up in North Wales as XP is from Buckley. Now I'm hoping you're not related to him in anyway, although I don't think I've done too much slagging off of him and his mother.

Jobob - I don't think they will rescan atm as they did eventually get everything they needed to check baby, and as I'm booked in to check placenta in Oct I don't think it will happen.

MrsSL - how frustrating, I'm not surprised you're tired after work. The offer of a cuppa is always open, and to Chloesbaby too. Not too sure why I'm worried about anonymity as anyone who knows me would know this was me from my nickname , but I have an email [email protected].

Angel - I'd be seriously too if I was you.

PJen - Yay for classes, hypnobirthing sounds like just what you need.

I will only be getting a few vests and sleepsuits in newborn size. ds2 was only in newborn for a couple of weeks at most, so most things I'm buying are 0-3ths.

We're going to have to have the moses basket & cot at the end of the bed which is a pita. It's a big bedroom, but the bed is in the only position it can go and so no space down the sides for cot. After 2 nights of getting out of bed to get baby for feeds, I expect we'll be co-sleeping. (That's if I'm not fed up with it by night 1!)

Hi all thanks for the thoughts - feeling a better today - got an apology after giving him a taste of his own medicine.

I honestly think he just doesnt get the pressures on me just being pregnant let alone with everything else - i have found it really difficult becoming a mum overnight to a 15 yr old when there are only 16 yrs between us.

Looking forward to scan tomorrow - hope evryone elses 20 wk scans go well.

GGG - exhausted just reading your post!! x

cheryl I LIVE in Medway! We're not from here though - we moved here from London just before DS was due as DP's mum now lives here. We knew we needed to leave London, and the choice of place was based on MIL's location! DS was born at the Medway Maritime Hospital

It is a little chavvy round here. We'll have to move before DS's old enough to bring home an orange girl with bleach blonde hair. THey all seem to look like that round here

Well done angel. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you. I forget quite often that DP has been thrown in at the deep end, but at least it's a long way efore they're teenagers that must be so much harder.

Wow QoD!! Ha ha so true! His parents live in Rochester, his sister is in Rainham. He misses his family, but certainly doesn't miss Kent. We always visit the Pentagon when we go up just to remind him what he's not missing! We're actually going up on Sat to see his family & one of his old workmates.

cheryl I'm in rochester as well. It could be worse. could be Isle of sheppey

cherlyannetweedy Thanks I will email you - i won't post my email on here as it is my full name and that really gives things away!

Hey, notso - positions matter??? (And take your mind out of the gutters, ladies, I'm talking about birthing positions) Pray tell, where do us ignoramouses find out such information?

Oh lordy, so much to learn

santa birthig positions do matter, but I think there's only ONE important thing to remember. I will quote the MW who led our antenatal class:

'whatever you do, don't lie on your back in bed. Use whatever position you find comfortable: stand, sit, kneel, squat, bend over the back of the bed. Do anything but don't lie on your back. If you do need to lie down, lie on your left side'

The reason for this is that lying on your back slows labour down and makes it more painful. The increase in pain iirc is because then the weight of the baby presses down on nerves. The slowing down is because if you're in a more upright position gravity helps the baby's head press down on your cervix, which helps you to dilate faster, if you're on your back you lose the aid of gravity.
hth

WWSB, are you signed up to ante-natal classes? This was one of the things they talked about with us. Using a doll and a model of the pelvic bones, they showed how if you are lying on your back, the baby essentially has to go over a bump in the pelvis/lower back (can't quite remember), which can be very painful and slow. They tell you to use gravity - so positions on your knees etc are good. They also made us try them out in the class. Unfortunately, my husband had designated himself "class clown", and when we had to try the one on all fours, I couldn't understand why everyone was laughing at me. I turned around to see my husband pretending to straddle me and whip my backside. SO humiliating. But also quite funny. Luckily all those people in the class are still our friends.

Thanks both - I never knew that.

Will NCT classes teach me this or should I find others? The local hospital cancelled its antenatal classes.

I'm about to sign up to NCT but I have real issues with how anti-hospital they are - their literature seems to go directly against NICE official guidelines, which concerns me. I'm not saying NICE are infalliable, but it strikes me as being a bit irresponsible.

Im not doing any classes this time round, hadnt even considored it - who else here is on baby number two (or more) and is doing classes?

Santa I'm not sure - I've never done the NCT course. Partly because the price is extortionate, and partly because you practically have to book the moment you conceive to get a place on one round here. However, I THINK this is the kind of thing they will cover. I think they also cover breathing through contractions as well which my NHS one didn't cover. My mum talked me calm and made me breathe deep and slow when I went into labour with DS and started panickig a bit.

owo I'm not doing a course either.

OWO - I'm on number 3 and not signed up for classes. The miwife tried gently to encourage me to go as she said it helps to have a mix of first time mums in a room with those that have done it before. I dont think I'll go unless I'm on mat leave a the time and they kids are occupied! .

Santa - I did NCT classes and found them very useful - this was 6 years ago and so dont know if they've changed but I didn't find them anti-hospital but they were very very pro breast-feeding which was OK for me as thats what I planned and it worked out well but it may not be so helpful if someone has already decided not to BF. BUT on the whole very very useful - would really recommend it. Also I still meet up with the friends I met there 6 year on .

All good here but I am HUGE - I mean really huge. When people I dont know (i.e people in shops) ask when the baby is due I've said November as I had so many "Wow - December" looks - as if to say they thought I could go at any moment. After all I am due 2nd Dec so I guess it could be november after all .

My blooming marvellous clothes arrived! Yeahhh.... I really like the blazer and the leggings I bought are amazing. They are the seamfree ones and oh my god they are the comfiest things ever . When DH saw me in them he said "you dont look bad in those" (which is about as close to a compliment as I'll get these days!) so he told me to order more - of course there're all gone, but hopefully some of you lovely ladies are enjoying them too! .

Off tomorrow on a spontaneous trip down south to the farnborough airshow and to see some friends. I love doing things at the last minute so we'd better take advantage before junior arrives. Having another baby makes me realise how easy it is with a 6yr old and a 3yr old....

at QoD and chavvy! The day DN was born I decided to buy a local newspaper to put in his memory box, but the headline was Wrexham chav capital of Wales, I bought the Times instead!

WWSB QoD and Slightly have it spot on although I ended up having DD and DS that way, DD because I had to have constant monitoring and I kind of ended up like that with DS because I was so damn knackered!
There is a book called Stand and Deliver which looks good, I have also been watching programmes on Home and Health and also re-runs of One Born Every Minute on 4OD for tips!

Slightly Sorry but I just snorted tea laughing at your DH!

OWO I am going to ask about classes this time, had them with DD, didn't bother with DS but things seem to have changed a lot at the hospital so wouldn't mind a refresher.

notso it's not looking great for me then! I live really close to the town where the word chav originated, and my Great-grandad was from Wrexham (although I'm pretty sure there weren't any chavs back then)

Hi all.

I have had my 20 week scan and it was brilliant. We had a trainee doing it but he was with another more experienced sonogropher who talked us and him all the way through it and then re-did the scan just to be sure so we were in there for ages but saw so much. They also gave us about 10 photos! All is ok, nothing wrong that they could see and the baby was very active. All feels so much more real now.

DH is convinced it's a boy because he saw 'something' on the scan which is irritating me a bit as he's sent text messages to people saying as much. We have also had a falling out because I asked him if he would be disappointed on the day if it turns out to be a girl. He got really huffy with me as if how dare I say he might be disappointed even though that's exactly the impression he has given me all afternoon

Grrrrr. And I feel resentful about the fact that even though he's been home since 4.30 and I didn't get in unril 7.30pm it's still me who has made the dinner while he sits on his arse. MEN!

Angelgirl79 you have my sympthies RE your husband!

chooster a friend of mine is off down to the farnborough airshow this weekend, she has family nearby!

I want to do some kind of classes and was hoping to spend my health in pregnancy grant on NCT classes or hypnobirthing classes. Don't know what would be best? My greatest fear (apart from not being able to breastfeed) is not being able to stand up to the midwives if they try to make me labour on my back!

QoD, DP was born there, as that's where the mat hospital was at the time! Ha ha he does have an inner chav really.

I delivered ds1 flat on my back as I had to have the contractions monitored as I couldn't feel them and how strong they were. I guess I mus be one of the lucky ones, the only thing that hurt was my skin stretching!

DF I didn't find that the mw's tried to make me labour on my back at all! I ended up sitting cross legged for a large part of my labour, refusing to move in any way. I for some reason became very stubborn while in labour So most of the labour was done in an upright position, but I was on my back when I pushed DS out.

cheryl kindly hand me a crowbar to prise my foot out of my mouth

Ah, lovely you got to see so much of your baby DF! . Definate advantages to having a trainee there. Do you think DH has a small preference for a boy? Maybe he just got a bit carried away by the whole thing. I think once you find out the gender (or think you've found out!) at a 20wk scan it can suddenly make the baby seem more real and you can imagine a little person a lot more . Its funny DH said he saw this LO's boy bits long before the sonographer pointed them out - I didn't have a clue - even when she pointed it out I had to squint a bit and tilt my head to see what she meant .

is it not very obvious then chooster I wonder if it might have been the umbilical cord my DH saw!

Glad you had a great scan DF, and all those pictures, lucky you. I'll be spending my HIP grant on our 4d scan.

Lol QoD, I do take the mick out of him for it!

We've been offered the parentcraft skills by the mw as it's DP's 1st baby, he's really looking forward to it. Also DF, I think most mw's are pretty keen for births to be upright as much as possible.

Oh and notso, did you see Toy Story in 3d? We were going to go yesterday but didn't think we'd get tickets on the door, so we'll prob go next Weds. Is it any good in 3d? We saw Shrek a couple of weeks ago and the 3d was rubbish, and avatar made me really motion sick, so debating whether to just watch it in 2d.

WWSB - the Miriam Stoppard book has pictures of practical suggestions for positions for the different stages - and how your partner can help with them.

But it is basically just stay as upright as possible, and if you need to lie down to rest, lie on your left side.

You also need to try and be aware of how you are sitting and moving when we get bigger to encourage the baby into the right position. Lots of sitting leaning back and lying on your back encourages the baby into a back-to-back position which means labour is likely to be longer and more painful! Apparently back-to-back babies are far more common these days as we spend more time sitting down in office chairs and on the sofa, and less time doing physical stuff like scrubbing floors.

My cousin (due 1 day before my EDD, would you believe it?) posted a pic of her "bump" on Facebook and she is TINY. I'm feeling huge now...feels like I'm going to be the size of a house by December. Is anyone else starting to struggle with moving around because of the bump? If I'm low down (on the floor or the futon style bed at my in-laws) I can't get up in the normal way and have to go on all fours and find a bit of furniture to pull myself up with. I suppose that's partly because of the SPD, but still...it's all making me feel very ungainly already.

Is exhaustion normal at this stage? I have Fibromyalgia and have been off my meds for 10 months now, so I'm not sure where my pregnancy symptoms end and any Fibro symptoms start. We had my BIL's wedding last weekend and I'm still shattered. I'm not even working properly atm so have had 3 days at home recovering and still feel like shit.

Hello all. Had a manic couple of weeks so sorry for being a bit absent on this thread. So pleased for those who have had their lovely 20 week scans.

I'm doing fine, although tired too, Japhrimel. I came off the iron tablets as they were bunging me up (and think I was starting to develop piles, nooooo) but having spatone and lots of veg. I am finding hip/pelvic pain is worsening but I have a referral to physio and I started yoga last night which seems to have helped in terms of doing gentle hip stretch.

Think we have decided NOT to find out sex at scan. Been going back and forth and couple of my family members have been surprisingly critical when we've said we're having surprise

Whoever asked about doing classes 2nd or more time around, we're not, but have hired doula and the antenatal yoga does go through good positions for labour and breathing a things. We did a really good one last night where you are on all fours and kind of hula your hips around doing deep breathing which I think will be v good for contractions.

japhrimel I fully sympathise with your fibro symptoms as I have ME and many are similar, also off meds but only since wk6 as wasn't planning on getting pg again! Exhaustion - yes very normal, missed the bus home from work last night and had to walk, got to main gate of place I am living with another 1/2 mile to go and security guard offered to drive me the rest of the way as I looked so tired. Have also stolen my boss' comfy chair and put it in my office for those sneaky afternoon naps

I have my 20 week scan today - DH and DD are coming down for it as well so excited for 2 reasons! Hope we can find out the sex - we did last time and am keen to again this time. If it is a boy we will have some girls stuff to pass on to a good home!

MW has said no need for me to go to antenatal classes bbut I will be booking my hospital tour ASAP. Didn't get one last time so first time I had been there was when I went in to deliver. Although I have been to this hospital (used to work there 18 yrs ago) I have not been to their new maternity unit, I did my midwifery placement at a lovely little MLU in a local town which unfortunately has now closed - i think having seen that as a student I know how good it can be so probably have high expectations! I remember getting called in to see my one and only delivery - the phone call went something like " Sister said you needed to see a birth, Mrs Bloggs is on her way in but it is babay number 5 so if you can get here before she does you can see the birth" Promptly got in car and rushed in - getting into uniform in the process! Arrived about 10 mins before Mrs Bloggs, when she went into delivery room I think she must have been prepped with pants off already - MW asked her if she was ready to push yet - she said no - I got told to go and make her a cup of tea - came back and just as I walked in the MW said are you ready to push - she said yes and by the time I had put the cuppa down on her bedside locker she had delivered!! She made it look so easy and natural - I think she went home about 2 hours later!!!