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10/10 ... 9, 8, 7, 6 - It's The Final Countdown!

915 replies

AbFabT · 27/08/2010 09:34

Last chat thread for October 2010 babies until we head into POST-natal.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
FingonTheValiant · 14/09/2010 10:42

Oh yes, and is Elsa a real spy? Or will you have to kill me if you tell me :o

BionicEar · 14/09/2010 11:19

Morning!

Feeling a bit grumpy today as got bad back and tummy hurts too - think it a combo of crap tummy muscles and position of baby. Probably lack of sleep not helping either.

DH is not good at massage so either have to try and rub myself or get small DD to do it!

Hmpph! Anyway I will go and leave you all to it as not good company today.

moonstorm · 14/09/2010 12:02

Hi all!

I bought a waterproof mattress protector just in case my waters break overnight. It?s not plasticy, but a tight terry towelling, so I don?t know how waterproof it will really be but I thought it would be much less sweaty to lie on at night. Thought it was also be good post birth for leaky boobs (struggled to get a night bra to fit in the first weeks and couldn?t manage to keep the breast pads on even by sticking them on with surgical tape Blush ) I think it?ll also be good when ds starts to potty train at night (ok in the day, but nappies at night) when he comes in with us. It might come in handy for me as well? I keep waking up at around 2am desperate for the toilet (so much it hurts, and I have to hobble to the toilet as quick as I can? I am worried what will happen as by pelvic floor gets more strained Blush . I am doing exercises now?

I am SHATTERED today! Ds didn?t sleep at nursery yesterday, then didn?t fall asleep until 9.30pm and THEN woke up at 4am!!!!! Shock we fell asleep after 6am only for the alarm to wake us at 6:50 Sad . He usually sleeps though and I don?t know what happened ? but his behaviour has changed lately ? mostly himself, but we have had a couple of ?difficult? (to say the least) days? I wonder if it?s anything to do with the baby arriving. I have surrounded myself with official-looking documents and am ashamed to say I am wasting the day ?playing? on the Internet and not doing much. (To be fair, I have completed all of the tasks I have been set ? I worked my socks off to do it so I could take the rest of the time easily, but still feel (a little) guilty?

jessebelle glad your Internet connection is back up. I find it hard to put my views across to the medical staff as well ? not looking forwad to CFM, but might try on the day to get them to do it intermittently rather than arguing my case beforehand?

nymph I still need to sort my freezer and cook some meals to freeze. More importantly to cook some meals for ds so he has decent food!

Floozie glad the wedding turned out ok in the long run!

Seashells Good idea about the glucose tablets ? I?ve bought some as I don?t think I?m allowed to eat in labour (due to being VBAC Hmm ) so I want something to give me some energy if I am flagging

Fingon have you seen ?Coupling? it?s a comedt series ? dh and I love it.

BionicEar hope you feel better soon

I?ve bought 2 packs of maternity packs to take in (I?ll have to stay in for 36 hours ish due to the strepb) after that dh can always buy more as they are needed. I didn?t bleed for long last time (3 weeks?) but out of interest, I was told that after a cs, your bleeding can be much heavier the 2nd week than the first.

Olympics:

I?m entering -

  • Biggest Bump!
  • Slowest Walk!
  • Fastest Hospital Bag Pack! All done and in car!!
  • Worst Memory! Yes!

Words of Wisdom Grin :

I thought I could pass on some tips I picked up from last time Smile

  1. babies are sick a lot ? so to save changing the bedding all of the time, wrap a soft cloth right round (so they can?t get tangled) the mattress under the head (hope that makes sense) it means when the are sick, you can swap this instead of the sheet eash time ? cloths are cheaper than buying lots of sheets. I started by using a muslin cloth, buth this seemed a bit rough, so I bought a cheap double sheet and cut this up.
  1. breastfeeding can be painful to start with (so much literature says that if you are doing it right it shouldn?t hurt) which is true, but think of how your hands get if you wash them too often/ having to break in a new pair of shoes/ saddle sore after not having ridden for a long time ? you nipples haven?t been through this before so need time to adjust. Not everyone feels sore and I?m sorry for mentioning that it might hurt, but if a friend of mine hadn?t warned me, I might have given up thinking I couldn?t do it, when really I just needed time. I think it was painful for 3/4 days and then the pain went and I bf for over 2 years.
  1. erm I had more, I?ll try to think of more later if you are interested!!!

This has turned into rather a long essay/ dissertation!!! Told you I wasn?t getting much done today? Feel free to ignore!!!

Ps I keep getting period style cramps? Lasts about 30 seconds then goes ? not regular time-wise, but rather often now?..

ILoveGregoryHouse · 14/09/2010 12:04

Fingon - series to watch:

Damages (there are three seasons now, will get season 3)
Dexter (am planning on getting this)

And, of course, are you up to date on House? There's also Private Practice and Gray's Anatomy.

All of these have 20+ episdodes, except Damages which has around 13 I think.

What about Poirot and Miss Marple?

FingonTheValiant · 14/09/2010 12:21

I believe I'm up to date with House, I haven't let my standards slide that much!

I haven't watched Gray's Anatomy for ages, can't remember how far I'd got with it, in fact. I'll research that one.

I haven't seen any Damages or Dexter, but I was planning to get hold of Dexter, so I'll have a look for that. I might also see if there's any new Criminal Minds out, I haven't watched those for a while either.

I was hoping to get some Wallander, but I like the Swedish one and it's SO expensive!

Miss Marple might be good'un, I bet the library have some I could borrow.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I never know where to start looking!

FingonTheValiant · 14/09/2010 12:54

Sorry moonstorm, missed your post, I'll definitely have a look at "Coupling", I'm just desperate for something new whilst trapped indoors.

Thanks for the reminder about cloths instead of sheets. Someone else told me that and I'd completely forgotten. When I bought a loads of reusable nappies from someone they included a whole loads of flat terry squares, so I might see if i can strategically place those everywhere baby might be sick .

Can anything be done to toughen up nipples in advance, I wonder? Not sure how, but I'd love to get everything on my side.

DillyDora · 14/09/2010 12:57

Seconding ILGH's choices especially Damages of which I've only seen 1 episode so I'm saving that one up...

Bionic come back! As if we would want you to go away cos you're in a grump! We don't mind grumps here....

cheers for tips moonstorm

I'm a frustrated medic too - got kicked out of all the sciences at school (timetabling issues apparently, and my headmistress said 'well, you're not going to be a brain surgeon are you?' um..nooo...but I'm a psychologist, does that count? Anyhoo, I didn't know she was drunk half the time and smoked pot at work, I may have trusted her judgement less if I had...) and so did literature, and then psychology...but in my head I'm Gregory House - oh yeah!

Umm...sooo...remember how I was all glad about getting the 2nd hand cot? Weeeelllll maybe, just maybe, I should have asked my friend to measure it before I got it home and found it was 30cm longer than I had anticipated!!!!! O flip! I think, think we can work it out but I feel a right fool Blush

moonstorm · 14/09/2010 13:46

Oh yes, remembered another (hope this isn?t coming across like the well-meaning friend/ relative with loads of unwanted advice ? these are just things that people told me about that really worked? Grin ) I won?t do loads more after this (I?m just taking another break from work?)

  • I found that ds got really warm in the car seat when in the car (even though he was a winter baby) so I found it easier to dress him in normal clothes (not coat etc.) and then add blankets/ hat. It was then really easy to take off layers/ add to it while driving.

Can I add another Olympic sport?

  • Longest rambling post by a pregnant lady? Blush at how long the last one was!!!
nymphadora · 14/09/2010 14:53

Hormonal day, just sobbed through that programme where people move to Austrailia Blush

Hermya321 · 14/09/2010 14:59

Roo I'm hoping to have a pool birth, but we shall see how I am on the day so to speak.

Moonstorm I'm shattered as well at the moment, it's not fair really is it.

I feel quite crappy today, was at work for a few hours then just gave up and came home to sleep on the sofa. My heartburn is becoming more constant now and I had another crappy migraine again today. I'm fed up of being pregnant now, I've had enough. I want to sleep to be able to sleep on my tummy again and see my toes. I miss them.

sam12 · 14/09/2010 15:29

Roo thanks for some ideas on food- I got some chocolate but anything that felt remotely healthy couldn't be kept in a bag for that length of time. But sweets are a good idea- I am sure after all that breathing your mouth is going to get dried out. I am wanting a pool birth as well- maybe not for the actual delivery but for labour. However there is only one room with a pool in at the hospital I am going so I guess it is wether I can get in that room or not on the day.

Tired after speaking about how long it could take to get to hospital yesterday I got stuck in traffic on the very same route this morning and it took me 55 minutes to get half of the way- I turned off well before town and the hospital. So am getting slightly worried and have to keep my fingers-and legs- crossed in hope I don't go into labour around rush hour.

Fingon I read somewhere that they used to recommend that you brush your nipples with a toothbrush for three weeks before the baby is due to toughen them up in preparation for bf Hmm They don't recommend this anymore luckily as it does not sound very pleasant.

Hermya Sorry to hear you are feeling pants- I felt just the same last night. I know it doesn't help now but there isn't long left- and make the most of people being nice and helpful whilst you are pregnant! Because soon noone will care about us they will just want to coo over the babies

tiredfeet · 14/09/2010 16:01

hermya I'm sorry you're feeling rubbish. Good idea to come home and rest, hopefully it will help. Heartburn is miserable! on the plus side, you've made me all homesick mentioning betty's, I'm so jealous! I'm planning a trip with baby over the christmas period while we're up visiting family Smile

moonstorm thank you for your description of breastfeeding. I know it sounds silly but everyone I speak to either goes on and on about how hard and painful it is, or is the opposite and says they found it easy from the second the baby came out. Its nice to hear a description that feels somehow balanced rather than exaggerated one way or the other.

quite impressed at those still working! I hope your workplaces are being supportive. I get so tired now that I arrange one day of doing something (e.g. seeing a friend) interspersed with one day of just rest/swim/ housework, as I just can't pack very much into a day anymore. Plus after each little bit of housework (e.g. hanging out the washing) I have to have a little sit down!

sam12 must have been horrible sitting in the traffic having that realisation :( . I'm going to chat to the midwife about what to do, I guess it must be a common worry in places where rush hour traffic is bad.

we've been invited up to dinner in london this weekend, I'll be 37 weeks. I really want to go and see our friends, but a bit worried about going into labour while we're up there! Is it still ok to plan to do stuff like that at this point? I thought maybe if we stuck my hospital bag etc in the car just in case...

Katy86 · 14/09/2010 16:01

ladies ladies LADIES!!! we are nearly there!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxx hope everyones well xxxxxx

Hermya321 · 14/09/2010 16:25

Tiredfeet Just stick your hospital bag in the car and go and have fun. I have this theory that if you arrange something important near to the time that the baby is due that it'll be like waving a big red flag and the little one will somehow be unable to resist interupting it. This proved true with my friend who went out for a curry for her birthday (week before due date), low and behold her waters broke in the car on the way to the restaurant.

sam12 · 14/09/2010 17:25

Tiredfeet I spoke to the mw at the hospital about the traffic and she basically said set off before or after rush hour and if you get that worried call for an ambulance although they won't class a woman in labour as an emergency and you could be waiting around 2 hours!! So not very helpful-maybe yours will be better! I second hermya about your trip to London. If you stay home you can guarantee nothing will happen and you'll be fed up that you missed out. Just take your bag with you- we can't be expected to stay near home for 5-6 weeks! Although saying that my dh refused to let me book a week in Cornwall for my 39th week but maybe I was being unrealistic there.

Tyson86 · 14/09/2010 19:26

Have been to pick up the car seat ad base from storage today, put hospital bag in car and got to get to morrisons in a moment for conditioner just incase im kept in tomorrow, which i doubt now. Actually feel scarily organised. :)
Ds had a great first day and his Nanny is dropping him off tomorrow as ill be at my appointment, i really wanted to drop him off aswell :(

FingonTheValiant · 14/09/2010 19:56

Ok, I have just embarrassingly realised that while I thought I'd packed a hospital bag all I'd actually packed was a bag for the baby. And now I can't find the page on here that has a list of things to take. Does anyone have a link to it by any chance?

I'm getting a bit edgy with all this talk of having them ready in the car and now I'm panicking.

Tiredfeet definitely go to London, just be prepared that you might end up having the baby there. In which case, maybe have a look which hospitals are near to your friends, so that if you do have to go you can at least go to one that looks good!

Tyson wishing you lots of good vibes for tomorrow... but at least you're prepared for it. Sorry you can't drop your ds off though :(

Sam thanks for the advice, but I think I will pass on tooth brushing my nipples, I'll just let the wee one get on with it I think :o

Sorry you've had a rubbish day Hermya, sounds like you made a good decision though. I'm seriously starting to wonder whether I might actually enjoy being a sleep-deprived new mum more than the last few weeks of pregnancy. I'm so fed up with it now, my back ache is now a permanent feature.

I'm loving the confessions of a frustrated medic that's happening on this thread :o we should start a club.

Sorry to hear about your cot Dilly, but it did make me smile, it made me feel better about the fact that I don't have a hospital bag, I'm not the only one doing foolish things lol :) Still, at least you have a cot now, albeit a longer one.

And thanks again for the advice moonstorm, the plus side to you versus one of those annoying relatives is that the internet takes away that whole "smug tone of voice and knowing smile" aspect that goes with relatives. So feel free to keep them coming, I for one am taking notes :)

SeaShellsOnTheSeaShore · 14/09/2010 20:59

Tyson- best of luck tomorrow ((((hug))))

moonstorm · 14/09/2010 21:55

Tyson - hope all goes well xxx

DillyDora · 14/09/2010 22:09

Hi All, just a quick one - cot update - came home and DH had put it up, fitting perfectly into the intended space...ahem...so...clearly I didn't measure it right this morning. O dear o dear...

Sorry for those feeling rough, I really overdid it today - sat too much in my office so SPD was off the charts but did my physio like a good girl and that helped. We need to reeeeest! Not work!

Good luck tomorrow Tyson

Hermya321 · 14/09/2010 22:19

Tyson Hope everything goes well tomorrow.

floozietoozie · 14/09/2010 22:50

Tyson - all the best for tomorrow. Hope you get to come home. My ds is starting nursery tomorrow, I totally sympathise on the not being able to drop him off front.

Moonstorm I'm worried about your period-type pains! Is everything ok? Also, I think advice and tips are great, and a good reminder even for those of us who've done it once or more. I did the same thing with the something under the baby's head too - did you pick that up from special care by any chance?

Hermya and Fingon and any others who are feeling a bit pregnancied out - I know it's hard, but it really is better than the alternative, trust me. Try to think that your babies are getting the best start by being where they should be now. When you've been up all night AND you have to deal with a refusing to feed crying baby, you may look back on this with rose-tinted spectacles.... Grin Grin. Am I scaring you yet??? Only joking, your LOs are going to be perfect feeders who return to sleep in seconds.

ILGH you've reminded me to try and locate my wheat warmer, thank you. Lord knows where it went to in the move. Yes, don't forget to have a few packs of paracetamol on hand for after pains.

My other tip is one Piesey mentioned a little while back, about using a jug of warm water when you pee after birth. I didn't have a perineal tear but I had a little bit of labial tearing and it did make it much easier because then the urine didn't irritate the tear. Basically, pour it down as you wee. Also, don't forget your number two inducing foodstuffs, but don't make the mistake I did and let DP give me three or four dates in one go - they were more than was required!

Well, I had my hospital tour this morning after a dreadful night last night. I didn't get to sleep until after 3.15 and four successive toilet visits, up for another at 6, alarm at 7.45 as I was supposed to be in the hospital at 9. I hadn't arranged for childcare for DS so DP couldn't come as DS didn't wake up in enough time, so it was just me and about five couples. The tour was not great as the consultant-led delivery bit was full (in fact it was closed to any admissions, bad luck on anyone giving birth who needed it today as they will have been ambulanced to a hospital in the next city) so we couldn't see the rooms there. We saw the post-natal wards for consultant-led - the maternity unit has all been reorganised since DS was born and I was trying to figure out if that's where I had been the last time, and I could feel myself on the verge of tears. Then we went to look at the brand new MLU, which was still pretty clinical IMO. The delivery room had a pool and was big with a bed and seating etc, but it was an internal room, and I am slightly claustrophobic - not the best. Don't know if they're all like that. Then the post-natal rooms, which are supposed to be lovely and have a double bed etc, were also all full, so we couldn't see them, although I have actually looked at them on a video. The MLU is right next to the place I went to have the amnio done too, which was another stressful experience. I know I was very tired, but my main thought after being there was - I want to give birth at home. I could just feel my stress levels rising having the tour, and trying to take in where we were supposed to go depending on which bit you were in or what time of day it was. It was just that thing of there being loads of people around, doors open, that sense of no privacy really (ironic, given I had about 11 people present for DS's birth and didn't give a damn!). So I had a talk to DP this afternoon and tried to make him see why I think, as long as medically everything is ok, I'd be better off at home, and I think he's coming round. I'm not afraid of the birth or pain, and I think the whole psychological advantage of being relaxed here would be like a few shots of drugs anyway to me. DP doesn't drive so we'd have to take a taxi to the hospital, there's the whole getting DS sorted, DP has limited energy because of health issues and could rest better here too - the advantages are endless I think. So now I REALLY want to get to 37 weeks without complications. I'll find out about my blood on Thursday and whether my platelets are going to bugger things up for me or not. I should add the whole hospital thing is obviously my issue after last time, and I hope for those of you going to hospital that it will be fine - not trying to have a go at hospital births - DS's, the circumstances aside, was fine last time, and I'm sure if in the event I do have to go there, it will be fine too. Just not my preference. Like AbFab said, very grateful to have the NHS and good hospitals to hand, but for me this feels right. And I do have the room! I feel excited about the thought of having it at home too.

Sorry for yet another mammoth post. I'll definitely enter that birth Olypmics category, Moonstorm!

Elsa123 · 14/09/2010 22:54

Good luck for tomorrow Tyson! I'll be thinking of you.

I'm really not keeping up at the moment and feel like I need a notepad for name checks so I will say what I can remember...

Hermya and Nymph I had a boyfriend who is the doppleganger of Spike. He'll be about 39/40 now and probably doesn't have any hair, but when he did, he bleached it blonde also.

Pads- I bought 4 packs today 2 from Boots then found ones with wings from Mothercare and I remembered how much more secure I felt as a teenager when I had heavy periods using towels with wings, so I'll pack those ones for the hospital bag. I asked my mum and she remembered needing thicker pads for 2 weeks then said she went down to slimmer ones after that.

I went and did a monster shoppathon today and got home having totally overdone it and felt nauseous for about an hour. I've also had a dodgy tummy for 3 days now which is worrying as my BH's have been getting persistant and worse and my backaches. I'm also kicking myself for bruising myself squeezing into the car as it really aches now and I worry I've managed to cause myself some kind of pelvic injury I wouldn't have brought on otherwise.

The baby has kicked and shifted all evening and its currently trying to find a comfortable position by stretching hard up into my chest and down onto my bladder. Its dead comfy....

On the plus side, I bought some more baby sheets, a little travel case with scissors, nasal aspirator, soft hairbrush, thermometer, nailclippers, nailfile etc etc, bath stuff, zinc and castor oil cream (like Sudocreme but cheaper), cotton wool, breast pads, lanisoh cream, moisturiser and 2 cotton nighties from BHS that were cheap. I now have 3 to take, but am considering asking for the hospital gown things (2, for one to cover the open back Grin) because I'm rather liking the nighties!!

Tomorrow I'm having the stair carpet fitted, so I'll be taking it more easy at home and sorting out my hospital bags and also doing filing.

Grand Designs will be recorded as my DH is away- I don't know why we're watching it, our lives are one long episode of the programme as its taken us 4 years to build the house working weekends only. Joy.

floozietoozie · 14/09/2010 22:56

On a brighter note - I'm sitting here with LO hiccupping away. So cute.

nymphadora · 15/09/2010 09:02

Going for a bath, dh is under orders to call in an hour in case im stuck!

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