feb babies - it's time to glow and grow :)

[angels1]

Hello all,

I just realised I put the 1000'th message on our last thread (uh oh, I think that's the limit), so in my at not realising I'd reached the limit, thought I'd better start a new thread if anyone finds it.

oh that's scary, any time after 39 weeks and I will absolutley freak out!! I want to ask them what happens if I go into labour naturally but all conversations so far have been quite hysterical so think that they think i'm mad enough as it is...

Hmmm maybe a secret handshake would be better after all - either that or a MN tattoo in a secret place...

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? If DH goes to a job interview, should he tell them about me?

If you go into labour naturally you go in straight away and they do an "emergency" c-section (as with SamCam last month). Generally not a problem unless the reason that you are booked for a scheduled c-section in the first place is placenta praevia or vasa praevia or suchlike (and in that case they'd normally schedule the c-section well before 39 weeks to be on the safe side).

Tell them about you how? How would it come up in a job interview situation?

But generally I'd say "no".

Hi!

Zero, I think personally, I'd tell him to tell them after he's got the job as it's not like it affects them hugely. Even if he takes time off it's not going to be half the amount of time he would need off were he the mother of the baby and not the father and they can't stop him from taking holidays, sick days etc.

girlafraid, lovely news on the scan!

I got my quad test results today - the results were 1:98,000 so I'm chuffed to bits!

I also got some maternity jeans from Next online. I'm really impressed because I only ordered them last night and they arrived just after 9 this morning! They fit really well and are so comfy! AND I'm in an extra good mood because I've just had a cream cake and was able to eat it ALL without DD noticing and wanting some!

hey ladies, had my scan today all good and...apparently it's a girl!! I am very shocked as have 2 boys already and was sure it would be another boy. Also I didn't find out with the other 2 so it's a bit hard to take in! But I'm really really pleased - no more struggling for boy's names (we still don't agree on DS2)!
hope everyone else is well - any more scans recently/soon?

Ooh another girl congrats!

How many boys and how many girls do we have now?

Ah, just counted. We've got 10 girls and 8 boys so far and then obviously some surprises and a few more scans to come. Mine's in 2 weeks!

Yes the prof is right just get to hospital if go into labour. I think my friend may have been booked in so close as its fairly short notice as she is due oct 16th-my birthday.haha
I am wondering how much choice we get for the actual date i seem to remember with dd i had a bit of play. if thats the case can i have your opinions on something?
PIL live away and mil works in a school so can only vist at weekend and for a free b and bovernight stay. I have told dh that this will be only one night as just cant be doing with it really although am sympathetic to their need to see gc etc. If i have the choice do you think option a-be in hospital at the weekend so they can stay here and visit at hosp, thus paving the way for some blissfull time alone when i return. The downside of this is that dd will also be off and wanting to see me and baby and there is a danger of her being left out as dh and pil will be very excited. option b is to have section in the week and tolerate a vist on my first weekend home. Tricky eh?

worry how nice, you are not alone in a housefull of boys. Lovely news.

I think when you factor in the twins etc. we have 11 girls (Lulabel27, scubamummy, worrymummy, TheBreastmilksonMe, ElleB1980, moonminmama, ledkr, Girlafraid, linz17xxx and two for jackinthebump), 9 boys (CheeseChomper, GinaFB, americanexpat, applecharlotte, Sam2302
smallblackflowers, tadjennyp, byronicheroine and alimamma), 4 declared surprises (suzym1984, MissTfied, EauRouge and Deliaskis) and 96 unknowns (the rest of us... although that includes people who haven't posted for months).

If anyone on here is definitely having a surprise, post and I'll update your stats...

As I've been such a miserable bu88er lately, I thought it was only fair to come today and say, for the time being at least, I'm all better! Just woke up this morning and didn't feel like cr@p and just felt more positive. Am a bit tired this afternoon but I think that's cos I've been for a pub lunch and have Friday-afternoon-itis. And going on hols tomorrow for a relaxing few days with DH, so really, all is well with the world.

Thought I'd better say, lest you all thought I was permanently miserable.

D

ledkr - it's really a tough decision. Do you think you'll be up to having visitors in hospital so soon after a section? Considering your concerns, could you schedule it so you have a bit of time as a family at home before the PILs visit?

deliaskis glad you're feeling more jolly - and have a fab hol with DH - was it you off to Paris for the weekend or was that someone else?

I love all this good scan news - makes me desperate for mine, which is still 2 weeks away and got a letter today to say 'unforseen circumstances....we've had to shift scan to another day'.

Went to work today - hurrah - first time since I was 4 weeks pg I've managed to go to work and really really miss the place. Am hoping to go back to teach my KS4 classes (or at least be present in the lessons with my supply lady initially and then gradually take over) from now onwards to get back in the jist. Only issue is - you're allowed paid time off for hospital appointments etc in pg right?? It's just I'll only be going into work for about half of my normal lessons for now, and by some annoyance I have FIVE hospital appointments coming up in the next month that will mean missing one of my 4 days to teach KS4 a week (and I'm only in about 1 1/2 hrs on these days for my lessons) - am I taking the p* by asking for this much time off paid for antenatal appointments given I'm sort of half off sick at the same time? I can't really shift them easily (2 are mw appts I've tried to alter already, one is a scan, one a physio related to back pain from pg and another an obsteotrician (can't spell)). Don't want them to think I'm joking with all this time off for medical appointments as I'm not going to be in much anyway but it's just really unlucky timing.

A question for those existing mums I've wondered about - when you have an epidural can you eat/drink after having it? I'm not sure I'll want to, but I just want to know all the facts, and if I end out in a hideous 2/3 day labour and need an epidural, I can't get through that long with no food/drink! Also once you have it do you have to stay in bed and deliver lying down style or are you still able to move/walk/change positions etc? sorry if these are obvious q's.

oh ledkr you still worrying about PIL visiting? It's a really tricky one. How long are you in hospital after cs? If it's a few days, are they able to come then and leave before you come out of hospital and just visit in hospital? That way they could help look after your DD too.

I'm definitely having a surprise Prof
Have a lovely weekend everyone I'm off to enjoy Paris but without the moldy cheese and red wine! (hoping it's still possible to enjoy without these! ) x

IIRC you are entitled to paid time off for your antenatal appointments, but you are supposed to make reasonable endeavours (or some similar phrase) to arrange them outside work time. But if you can't move them, you can't -- the NHS tends not to be massively flexible over these things.

You can eat/drink but some places don't like you to (some don't like you to eat once in established labour, I think, although mine has no problem with it); I'd ask about the policies where you are. And it depends again what you can do when you have one in; if you have a "walking epidural" then you will be more mobile than if you have a classic epidural, but not all hospitals offer them (so another thing to ask about). IME the thing with an epidural is that once you are having one you get hooked up to the epidural drip and also to an IV drip (in case your blood pressure drops), and possibly to another monitor to pick up fetal heartbeat. And once you have three sets of tubes/leads hanging off you then moving at all, let alone being "mobile" in any meaningful sense, becomes tricky without getting tangled up. But most hospitals will turn the epidural down once you get to fully dilated to let you feel some of the second stage contractions and let you move position a bit.

thanks prof the expert :) Will have to ask mw about epidural bits.

Appointment wise I have tried to change mw and scan I had scheduled for day off but got a letter today changing it to when I'm working. The other appointments were a bit 'take it or leave it' - it might be possible to change but might have to wait ages and have waited 8 weeks for physio appointment already . Anyone else taken much/any time off for pg appointments?

american ex pat and angels no i am not unduly concerned since dh said "look whatever you want is what you will get" and they are reasonable.I can cope with vistors better in hospital as it shorter and all i have to do is lie there and dont have to put them up etc. but dd is dh step daughter and although he is fab will be excited and pil are nice but stuffy unlike me and dd who are free spirited and they will be excited too and she may get left out and lead to future probs. Does that make sense?angels thats great that you are back at work. Maybe try and change one of the appointments but dont worry if not, i ahve been ok so far as i am part time and all my app have fallen on days off. Nightmare colleague had a whold day off for a scan however adn will probably be off sick all the time.
Also dont listen too much to people who talk about 3 day labours.They usually mean from the time waters go or get first minor contraction. You wont be literally on your back screaming and deep breathing for 3 days.
my spd is really rife now. I guess its osteopath time but trying to eek it out till pay day.Oh it doth hurt tho.

Prof I'm having a surprise - thanks.

Just to illustrate-dd got ready to go to the hills in summer hols in a tutu and wellies complete with sparkly make up. I could hear pil telling her she had to change and dh backed them up although he normally loves things like that and calls her vivienne after viv westwood.Shame really

ledkr a lady at work told me she was in labour for FIVE days - as in in hospital in agony for all that time - really freaked me out - how come when you're pg everyone wants to tell you their horror stories?!

Love it. When i had breast cancer people used to tell me all the people who they knew who had died from it often with gory details. It used to really upset me. I have developed a very loose tongue in this pg tho and i fear i will say something very cutting. Was with 2 friedns yesterday and one is due in 2 weeks and is having a c section.The other is not pg but has two dc and was telling us she wouldnt have a section and that the hospital is dirty etc etc.I really had to bite my tongue. I think she may be a tad jealous.

angels1 no not me for Paris, we're off to Austria for a few days of relaxing in amidst beautiful mountains/lakes etc.

D

angels1 meant to say congrats on successful work trip! I bet that feels like a massive achievement given all you've been through.

D