Nov 2010, energy levels are low, but only one trimester to go!

[hmmSleep]

Here's the new discussion thread!

Stats thread here

Hello ladies,
haven't been around for a while. Am really envious of all your nurseries and hammocks and bags packed and all. I haven't done anything yet. My last 2 were both 10 days over due so I'm thinking I have lots of time. Bet this one comes 2 weeks early and catches me totally unprepared!!

kelsurprise I had hydramniosis (sp) with my first. Sorry, but yes, she does have abnormalities. Having said that, she is a lovely, delightful 9 year old now who talks 19 to the dozen, reads, still learning to write (motor issues), toilet trained, sleeps well at night.... Hasn't been easy getting here but we are happy where we are. Sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear though. I hope things work out well with you!

afternoon all, had a mw appointment this morning baby is 4/5th engaged, she thinks she will be here within the next 2 weeks!

That's nice! Mine is still floating...
Had an app yesterday and have been booked in for a sweep for my due date.
Hopefully will be home cuddling baby by then!

sweetgrapes isnt it early to book you in for a sweep already? You've still got 5 weeks untill your due (i'm not a stalker i cjust checked the stats thread! ...maybe that does make me a stalker! )

I had a CS first time round with dd, so they are being extra cautious! I am under 'consultant care' which this time round seems to consist of an appointment with the midwife working under the consultant (that was yesterday) and then an appointment on my due date for a sweep.
DS was 10 days late and they swept me out 3 times to no avail. They had pencilled me in for a CS again at 42 weeks. Thankfully, got my VBAC at 41+5...
Fingers crossed, this time will be fine too!
Generally I go along with all their pencilling-in's and other appointments and decide nearer the time whether I want/need it or not. Saves my breath arguing.

Crikey I am impressed they are so organised to be thinking about a sweep now, i saw the physio today who fitted me with a belt, the relief is immense, I will tell you tommorow if I sleep better tonight,

Hi girls

Running around a bit too much to do more than lurk recently. The thread is getting busier, it appears. And I am wondering how soon someone wil start a postnatal version! It is all getting exciting and scary. I hope we will all do well - always impressed by how well we deal with some scary situations.

The Cat family is doing well, although DH is largely not here. 5 days a week of travel to distant sites and 16 hour days from overseas office. I appreciate he is doing it for us. He is trying to get things under control by end of October so that he can be here for us in November. Still it is so hard. I miss him. And I worry he will push himself too hard.

Bizzarely I have been getting anxious about my job or lack thereof situation. I know I would be going on maternity leave soon had I not lost my job. I suppose it's the other mothers to be ion the nct group who reminded me how inadequate I feel being jobless at the moment. I was asked what I do and answered "nothing". And now I feel so insecure. Even if I had always hoped to stay at home for the first few years. And even if we plan for 3 children meaning probably up to 8 years out the career circuit for me if not longer!

It is so irrational to panic about it now, yet I do. Maybe it's because of all the talk about pensions (will I even have one) and cuts to child benefit. Or maybe it is just that this is a time for tears and hormonal anxieties? I certainly cannot sleep at night as well as I used to. My mind just keeps buzzing. Yet objectively speaking we are fortunate - we don't need me to work, we don't need the benefits. And I am still terrified.

addicted sorry to hear you've been having a hard time. that your baby could be here in 2 weeks

pidgin I'm definitely not feeling LO any less. He's still as active as ever, and seems determined to create enough space in there to have a good stretch out whenever he wants. I keep getting a foot protruding out the top of my bump, and last night his elbow was sticking out the front. I'm pretty sure he's going to burst out the front alien style rather than taking the more traditional exit

blondecat I'm also feeling quite anxious about my jobless situation. Was fine with it until I actually finished, now it's dawning on me that I have absolutely no source of income other than DH. I keep telling myself it's a good thing that I don't have to worry about rushing back to work if I don't feel ready, but I've had many sleepless nights worrying that I'll never find another job. We're also lucky enough that I don't need to work, but I just feel really strange about not contributing to our household income for the first time.

I have got the upmost respect for those of you who have other DCs to look after as well as being pg. I babysat my friend's DD the other afternoon, and I needed a long nap afterwards. Only had her for 2 hours, so who knows what state I'd have been in if she'd been here for the whole day

Morning all!

I can't remember (sorry!) who asked about hearing their bump "click", but I had that in my last pregnancy. It was really odd, but it was definitely the baby. As it turned out, she's double jointed but I have no idea if that's why she clicked.

I'm feeling a bit strange here. I had my 34 week mw appointment yesterday at 34+3. Bp fine, wee fine, bump measurement not fine. Bump is measuring (drumroll please) 40 weeks.

I am waiting for a phonecall to get an earlier scan than the 36 week one to see what is going on. Mw said I won't get to the due date (ie I won't be allowed to) and that I will have to expect a more managed birth, and maybe even a c-section which I do not want.

I left feeling gutted. I'm sure it's all down to the fibroid but won't know till they can look, but they might not be able to get me in before the original appt of the 18th anyway

Sorry for being down. I feel enormous and can't imagine getting bigger, and everything seems up in the air now.

Poor you grinnning bee regardless of what happens in the next couple of weeks you are going to have your baby soon, keep on at them for the new scan date

Thanks Clueless. I know I should focus on the end bit of getting ds out safely, but for some reason I have a bee in my bonnet about wanting to (this sounds so silly) do labour more properly this time.

Dd was back to back and took ages. I was so pooped by the end that I needed ventouse help and I want to do it myself this time. Anyway, tis out of my hands. I wish I could chase up the scan, but I just have to wait...

Still, at least there is some dairy milk in the fridge

dairy milk is the answer to all problems

Has anyone has any pain at the top of your bump? It hurts when i move so almost muscle like, and its a real stinging pain i cant even touch the top of my bump without being in agony. The doc said to just keep taking paracetomal and it will be ok, but its not touching the pain anyone have any ideas?

oh and the doc also said that if paracetomal didnt work then they would prescribe me codine, but i just dont feel comfortable taking paracetomal and or codine over a prolonged period of time without knowing why. Especially if its going to affect the baby. Should i judt suck it up and accept their decision and take the drugs? Arggghhh i hate making decisions!

Addicted good to see you back, and I've sorry to hear about the prenatal depression. Was it related to the worrying test results? I only ask because have had a couple of friends who've been put through very difficult pgs by unsettling but inconclusive tests. All sympathy, in any case.

Might the top of bump pain be the thing where your ribs spread out? I get it a bit, but not that badly. Sounds like it can be very nasty:

parents.berkeley.edu/advice/pregnancy/ribpain.html

But the doc's unconcern seems surprising, unless s/he had a clear idea of what the problem is.

umf basicly the docs told me i'd never carry a baby full term and the likeyhood of me having a baby at all was very slim, they have continued to remind me of this throughout the pregnancy and as a result i've struggled to really 'bond' with her and believe that i have to go through all this worry and pain and aching and morning sickness and hormones and actually have a baby at the end of it plus being slightly anemic (which wasnt actually picked up untill i was almost 34 weeks) hasnt helped. then i found out i have strep b which was more worry and a couple of other test results have been worrying but i've had no clear answer to what they mean. but hey ho, i've decided the docs know nothing! we've got this far, according to the mw there is no reason she now wont survive labour and birth (even tho docs are still saying to 'tread carefully' and 'not get too attached') i have faith in my little girl and i know its all going to be ok and the docs can just f* off they havent helped through any of this, just made it all worse.

its all thanks to my amazing mw (who has moved areas and not my mw any more ) and my dh who has been a rock that i'm still functioning albeit just about!

sorry dont quite know where that mini rant came from i'll blame it on the hormones

thanks for the link that really helps, they did rule out pre-eclampsia (my blood pressure was normal and no protine in my urine) but as mentioned above my docs are crap, so i dont expect much less from them at the moment!

Hope they sort out the scan grinningbee and fingers crossed for you.

addicted top of bump pain sounds horrible -I get a stitch-like pain sometimes when walking but it tends to be in the sides. Does stretching/ lying down help? That might at least help identify what it is.

blondecat I think your fears sound totally natural and are maybe part of the general late-pregnancy worries which seem to effect everyone to one degree or another. It's a very uncertain time no matter what your position, and obviously job situations make it more stressful. It's hard to relax, never mind how much you want to!

bunny maybe our babies will be future kickboxers?!

I've had a few clicks from my bump too, most odd. DH didn't hear it last time it happened and probably thinks I am going mad...

Just had an amusing experience with the supermarket delivery man. They had substituted the heavy-duty maternity pads I ordered with ultra-thin ones, so I was obliged to stand on my doorstep and bellow through the wind and rain, 'No, those maternity pads are not big enough, you will have to take them back.' Poor man did not know where to look, but having been awake most of the night I was in no state to express myself more subtly (and this is the second time Tesco's have delivered the wrong maternity pads and I have had to send them back! What is their problem?! Do they think I am going to be able to cope with mini-pads??).

I think I need a nap...

lol pidgin the poor delivery man

Nice to see you again Addicted and good for your DH and midwife.

No more repeats of the bleeding, thank goodness. I had my introductory visit to the hospital on Monday (do you get this in the UK?) It involved signing a lot of forms for my health insurance and a chat with one of the head doctors about my plans for the birth.

The baby is supposedly a bit smaller than average, but everything is working fine and it certainly has a strong pair of legs. Ribs are well and truly bruised by now.

Is anyone doing acupuncture to prepare for the birth? They seem to be quite keen on it over here.

Addicted, well, very glad to see you here at 34 weeks with all progressing. Remarkable how unhelpful drs can be. Will be thinking of you.

Today I have a lot of Braxton Hicks/minor contractions/period pain-like feelings in lower bump. I can't decide whether or not to worry about it. It does feel very much like how labour started with DS1, but then it's usual to feel more BH in 2nd pg, right? I don't feel like hoofing off to the hosp and wasting their time and mine, so suppose will wait and see. Only 33+2, so really don't want to go into labour yet. Any advice??

are they regular, umf? I think that is one of the key points. If they are regular / getting stronger then call someone, otherwise probably BH.
I had a couple of days last week with a very sore bump and pains coming and going, but when i tried to time them they were all over the place and didn't get worse.
Seems to happen if I sleep on my right side, so sticking to the left for now!

Thanks privet! Hmmm, no, I don't think they're regular and they're not markedly stronger since this morning, so I reckon it's just what you describe - a sore bump and pains day. Reassuring to it's not just me. Last pg I didn't notice any BH, and the labour was very long and slow, so it's actually quite encouraging this time to think that my uterus is practising.

What a lot of posts over the last few days, sorry if I've missed anything important!

umf, I had that yesterday, which along with lower back pain made me a bit . It wouldn't be too bad actually as I've just turned 37 weeks which is considered full term. Absolutely no twinges today though, but my bump has definitely dropped and I can feel that the head has engaged,(walking like a penguin) so i think all the discomfort was down to that. Hope yours settles down!

Sounds like you've had a crappy time Addicted, come and rant away to us whenever you feel the need! Keep on the dairy milk.

Glad the bleeding settled CardiCorgi. I don't get a hospital tour, when I went for my last consultant appointment I asked where I need to go when in labour, and was just told 'out the doors, turn right and upstairs'.

Measuring 40 weeks grinningbee , hope they get a scan sorted for you.

Glad the move went well comtessa, I can't even seem to get motivated to vacuum the living room, never mind move house!

latest bump pic .

Hello everyone, went to my first (it was the second week) of "Parent Craft" Classes, today. First half was with a Physio and we did massages and breathing. Had to work with another lady as DP couldn't get today off of work. She seemed really nice and is due just a week before me.

Also met some other parents-to-be who are due in the same week as me and we all had to work together to do a poster detailing the pro's and con's of epidural, there weren't many pro's (surprise surprise!) and I think it's just made me more determined that I won't be having one of those (unless it is completely necessary). I was also only one of two women at the class who had previously had a baby and it was very odd being asked questions like I was some sort of fountain of knowledge, I am anything but that and find it hard to recall anything that happened in my last pregnancy, let alone anything about giving birth, which left me feeling quite .

Was nice to meet up with other pregnant ladies this week and am looking forward to next weeks session, which DP can attend!

I have been having more BH contractions recently umf as Privetdancer said you should be OK as long as they are not too painful or regular. Just practise runs I expect!

Off out for a meal at Frankie and Benny's for my friends birthday today. Should be a laugh! Speak soon, take care!

x x x

pidgin, bunnygirl Thanksfor piping in. Let's hope we all feel less anxious soon or at least are too busy too notice. I was still glad to hear it wasn't just me.
I completely fall into the" will I ever get another job" / "how can I ever compete with 20 somethings when I do" anxiety camp. And it's terrifying to think that I am completely dependant on dh. It is so hard to let go of control over life/ finances.

addicted you are holding up amazingly well. People can be so mean when trying to be "helpful"

umf, hmmmsleep Scary stuff - I guess I will see it in a few weeks. You have the right attitude though. Still only 33+3 here. Keep telling LO not to rush just yet. Especially as she was transverse last week. Now I think she is just breech but we will see at next appointment. Little mite just doesn't want to turn the right way!

Hello all!
Hope you're feeling well addicted? Hope things continue to progress well for you.
Lovely bump photo hmmsleep - am getting on for that size myself and am currently 32+3.

Is it routine to have a scan at 36 weeks, or is that only if there are concerns? Saw MW today and am now into the fortnightly appointments which actually makes me very excited to think that it won't be too long before the little one's here.

Thanks for all the best wishes for moving. I really did try to be hands-off but have certainly overstretched a muscle or two in my back, but that seems to be healing now.

Is anyone else just feeling generally pathetic? Had a mean caller at work today (temping as receptionist) who managed to reduce me to tears as he was being so bullying. It's just not me at all, I'm usually much more together than that. Probably just as well I was made redundant - just imagine me advocating for a client at tribunal and suddenly bursting into tears at something the judge said...