December 2010: Our Christmas Babies are growing but our energy levels are slowing!

[WhatWillSantaBring]

With thanks to the provider of the snappy title (it wasn't me - I think it was Strix)

Link to Stats thread (I hope)

Here

Wow MrsSnaplegs you have such a lot to get done! Hope all the moving prep goes well and that work stop being such tossers, they sound awful. Had to laugh at the Admin assistant wanting her own desk, my replacement has decided she needs a new keyboard, new wireless mouse and a footstool. Who knows why! They didn't even manage to get me a footstool despite it being mentioned on my H&S report.

I have moved so many times and quite enjoy it in some ways, good luck with it all and great that you will all be together again soon :)

ButtonAzure hope you are feeling better and getting some respite from the cold. Horrible isn't it?

93pjb hope that things aren't too stressful with the 2 house situation and the fear of early induction. I've become more and more aware that any of us could go into labour soon, scary.

kellestar enjoy your time off, still 4 weekes left for me and training of my replacement starts next week which I am dreading as she's one of these people who instead of saying 'ok, that's great thank you for showing me how to do it' instead says 'what if I did it this way instead?' Arrgghh!

laurenamium yay for the lovely flowers. How much time left in your other job?

I had such a bad nights sleep last night, waking up dehydrated a couple of times and then woke up at what I thought must be at least 10 only to find it was only just after 8.

My baby seems to have very regular patterns of movement so doesn't wake me much in the night but for some reason I just can't sleep very well and am having some bizzare dreams.

DF Just a week left in my other job too then its holidays straight into mat leave.

Sorry you are having a rough time sleeping, Im sleeping much better now, its just a struggle actually getting to sleep but once thats done Im out for the night :)

Had a scare Thursday. Developed really bad back pain that spread to the top of my bump. I was on my own at home and ended up getting rushed into hospital by ambulance. It was really scary, especially as the pain kept on peaking so the paramedics were timing it in case it was contractions - I rather freaked out when I heard it was coming at 4 minute intervals! Then in DAU in agony for hours, especially when I had to lie on my back for the CTG - sitting up helped with the pain but LO's hb jumped so I had to lie back. Got pain meds into me when they'd checked out that I wasn't contracting and LO seemed okay and I managed to fall asleep/pass out and it just went in the end.

Still not quite sure what it was but it seems like I may have hurt my back through coughing so much with my cold as it's still tender. I have hypermobility syndrome so its possible I dislocated a rib or something and that set LO off into kicking me where it hurt!

They kept me in overnight for observation and it was very weird to be on the ward with women with newborns and women in for inductions, etc. Didn't get much sleep!

Finally got home yesterday afternoon, exhausted.

It's made me a bit more nervous about labour pain I have to admit, but generally it's made us both happier about the hospital and how we'll cope. Everyone was great and the ward was really friendly. I now feel like an old hand at CTGs and managed to sleep with a canula in my hand.

And I now know that G&A does not agree with me. The paramedics had me try it and i gave it a good go, but all it did was made me dizzy, make me vomit (after which I refused to have any more!) and made me feel far less able to cope as I couldn't focus on my breathing or relaxation anymore (or stay on my feet!).

I'm packing my bags this weekend though! Didn't have anything packed so ended up sleeping in a hospital gown (had to put my joggers back on to go to the loo at night!) and had to wait till DH could get in with clean clothes and toiletries in the morning. Snacks are a definite must - all the food I could get on Thursday was some toast! And stuff to do/read is a good idea as hospital is so boring - I hadn't thought about being in and not being in labour or having stuff happening.

Japh glad you're ok must have been scary being on your own. Also good trial run! G&A doesn't agree with me either so good to know in advance! Hope you're feeling better! Once all this is over we need to talk hypermobility it has been suggested by podiatrist I may have it and I have appt with my rheumatologist on weds next week. My chronic pain hasn't been as bad during my pregnancy - better than I was expecting!

japh that must have been so scary! So glad that everything turned out OK. I wouldn't discount the g&a until you're in labour and try it out though, things feel a lot different during labour ime. Try and take things easy and rest, you sound like you need it. I'm with you on packing the bag, I intend getting mine sorted too. How are you feeling now?

japh god that must have been scary! Im glad you and LO are ok though!

Sounds a worry Japh! At least you coped well and it was a trial run although hopefully the real thing wont involve ambulances and will be a lot calmer . G&A made me so dizzy and sick too during labour - I didn't actually feel that bad til I tried it - Bluuuurrrgghh - that was with DS1 and I've not tried again since. Glad LO is doing well!

Loads to do MrsSnaplegs - but must be great to have the keys to your own place. Now for the moving in bit - I love moving into a new place and finding all the best places to put things! Glad to hear your DD seems happy about it all.

Laurie - glad your last day at work was good! I did pretty well too and was massively surprised. Got some lovely flowers and loads of Boots vouchers. So so nice and made me feel quite sad about heading off and leaving them all to it.

Hope everyone else is doing good!

Japh that sounds horribly distressing.. hope that you've had your share of drama now and can have a nice smooth easy birth!
Like the constructive observations :)

DH had his operation yesterday, apart from a bit of moodiness the night before he's manning up pretty well actually, i'm quite impresessed!
He was outsourced from NHS to a private hospital, was v nice; own en-suite room, satelite tv, nurses bringing in tea trays, several menu options, consultant care.. bit jealous really, wouldn't mind having a baby somewhere like that!

I've done something silly - managed to hide this thread even though I have it on watch- how do I unhide it? Silly fat fingers on iPhone

Hi everyone

Japh, Must have been very scary for you but glad all is good with you and baby.

MrsSL, bet you can't wait to all be back together properly at last. Re the filing cabinet, Thanks for the offer, I will see if DP still wants one as we did manage to get a small one, not ure if he managed to get all his tools etc in it. It took me a while to realise that you must have seen my wanted posts on Freecycle!

I have a scan tomorrow to check my placenta, I personally think it's fine and that it was the useless sonographer that was the issue, but will be keeping my fingers crossed nonetheless.

I'm wondering if I'm getting Braxton Hicks. I'm getting like very mild contractions, they randomly come, starting in my back, lasting between 15mins - a few hours. They only last for about 30secs or so and are about the same intensity (maybe a little stronger) as the contractions with ds1. They then (when they last a while) move round to the bottom of my bump. They come regularly every 2-3 minutes, but as I say are not painful at all and baby is very active leading up to them and sometimes during them, so not worried that they're proper contractions, but just wondered do they sound like BH to you ladies?

Also, seeing as I'm (possibly) having BH this time round does that mean labour will be harder and more painful?

Hi All,

japh wow that sounds pretty intense - glad things seem to have settled down for you.

I've currently got DH (aka Bob) and DD (aka Wendy) building every ikea bookshelf ever made ....

MrsS hope the move goes well. I'm you don't have to worry about decorating!

lol at mrsS and fat fingers :)

cherylanntweedy You had actually mentioned on here you were after a filing cabinet - many threads ago, I remembered because I thought we wouldn't need ours after we moved and thought you might want it - obviously it has taken us longer to move than planned I hope having BH doesn't mean a harder labour I have been having them since about week 16!! Worse when I walk too fast but usually have them every day.

button Glad your DH is able to "man up" and had a pleasant hospital experience - hopefully he is now full of sympathy for you

DH has spent most of the day clearing stuff from the attic for the movers. He had boxes of old paperwork up there from the pub and has managed to clear 7 boxes of old paperwork into 1 - woohoo!! Also managed to find a box of Xmas decs we haven't seen for 3 years

DD has been to her last party here - I managed to get the wrong location so she was a bit late but nice for her to go out on a positive note - we have set up an email account for her so her school friends from here can email her. She is fairly computer literate at present (well for a 5 yr old) and I thought it would be a great encouragement for practising her reading and writing . Had to send her one myself last night though as she was asking to check her emails to see if any of her friends had sent her one

Movers will be here Weds to pack, Thursday to load van and Friday we should be in new house. Due to the short notice we won't have phone for a week or broadband for 3 weeks so fat fingers here will have to iphone or netbook it! Glad we have all our stuff packed by the movers - definately worth it, shame they don't unpack at the other end but it is giving us a chance for a clear out. House is smaller so means we have finally got to get rid of our 3 piece suite - we have another sofa bed we will use in the interim until we can buy a new one after Christmas.

Right better sort little madams dinner - didn't think she would want anything after party but has just announced she wants something - any excuse to stay up and watch Strictly!! She was entranced by the Cahrleston last night - looks like she is going to follow in Mummy's footsteps - I gave up ballet at her age for Ballroom and Latin and she seems to want to do the same, oh well at least I can help her out, may even persuade DH to come with me after baby is born - great way to get fit again!!

do you think I should name change to Mrs Fat Fingers??

Hi everyone.

MrsS glad everything is moving for you now with the house and you can get settled in before the baby decides to make an appearance.

Japh sorry to hear you had such a scare, but glad everything is ok. That's a really good point about snacks in labour bag. We just didn't think of it and when we got to the hospital with DD and I was sent to walk around I remember ending up eating some crisps as that was all I fancied from the hospital shop - not too nutritious really.

cheryl I don't think BH means a tougher labour - not AFAIK anyway. I have been having tightenings for quite some time but they aren't painful, just uncomfy. I did have dry runs of contractions in the couple of weeks leading up to DD's birth IIRC which was annoying. Hope your scan goes ok tomorrow.

I am tired. DD is insisting she doesn't want a nappy at night anymore, but she's had two accidents in the middle of the night. For some reason DH always seems to sleep through it and when she's upset it's me she wants. Last night she ended up in bed with me and DH went into spare room. I've told her she's not coming into Mummy and Daddy's bed with no nappy after she weed all over the bed at 3 AM the other day. It was on DH's side though!

Anyone else getting emotional? I didn't think it's been that bad this pregnancy, and then the last couple of days just been in tears at anything. The highlight being the Green Balloon flying song on Cbeebies set me howling

lol I think its funny :) but that might be because its been a running joke that I have fat sausage fingers, since getting pregnant they have turned into more like cake hands...I have dimples and everything! stupid water retention!

Thanks for the well wishes. I've caught up on sleep and now just have a sore back in some positions - it really feels like a post-injury strain so I'm sticking to the injury theory.

Am slightly that the paramedics managed to lose the bag I normally carry my notes around in. Oh well!

CherylAnnTweedy - I thought lots of BH was a positive sign for labour as your uterus will be more toned???

My immediate/emergency bag is now 2/3 packed - just need to find a few more bits that got stored in the loft while we decorated. Atm it's all in a Mothercare bag while I wait for the holdall I ordered, but at least I have the basics ready for if we have another rush trip. Hope not though!

And the nursery is nearly finished. So happy with it - and I can't wait to start putting tiny clothes in the drawers.

Has anyone else made any plans for Christmas? Now that we're unlikely to be allowed to go overdue, if I get to full-term (15 Dec) at all, and now that the homebirth has been ruled out by the OC, we've realised that we can plan a bit better as we'll definitely have the baby by Christmas (eek! ). We've asked my Mum & Dad to come and stay for a few days which I think will be good as they're very helpful. And then the in-laws are coming over for a buffet lunch (where they all bring a dish) on the 27th. My Dad was a bit unsure as to whether we'll cope with having visitors that soon.

You'll probably be fine Japh as long as they are helpful and everyone chips in a lends a hand. I think its bad when people come over and expect you to run around after them and prepare food, but if its all good then it should be fun . We've made plans to come to my mums for xmas which is about a 2 hour drive away. Although due to health reasons my mum is not helpful as far as loking after the kids is concerned, she's great entertainment for them and really gets stuck in as long as she doesn't have to move too much! But she'll be great at baby-holding which will allow me to spend some good time with my big boys.

The move is coming together Mrssnaplegs! Fab.... Hope DD doesn't miss her friends too much

Right, gonna head to sleep - just can not get comfy today at all and my braxton hicks have been coming on quite a lot. At least 3 or 4 times an hour. Not painful at all but just tight and makes me catch my breath a wee bit. Hoorrraaayyy for no work tomorrow

Ah, that no-work-tomorrow feeling Chooster.. slightly now. Hope you sleep well :)

Packers packing for you definitly sounds like a plan MrsS (or should that be MrsFF ) must be so hard to resist running round doing everything yourself!

I'm hungry now, that seems crazy as its 11.30. Don't even know what to have, I only ate tea about an hour and a half ago. Think i'll go and have a rummage

A late hello from me.

Hope you feel better again soon Japhrimel

Pregnancy insomnia has kicked in this weekend. I could have been up and posting at the same time as you last night MrsS but I was staying for the weekend at my mum's and wasn't online. I spent the night wide awake wandering round the house. I finally dropped off between 4 and 8. Strangely I haven't felt particularly tired today and now we're back home and I'm not at all ready to sleep.

Got really bad restless legs and no desire to go to bed yet so I'm doing some work on my laptop and watching 24 hour news. Maybe this is good preparation for looking after a baby

It'll certainly be handy if I now require just 4 hours sleep a night!

The bump is definitely getting to the 'heavily pg sympathy glance' stage. I'm mostly fine but am getting increasing rib discomfort and breathlessness - I know a few of you have had that too. I'm just coming up to 32 weeks and am starting to think it would be nice to not get any bigger but I expect there is very little chance of that! I'm also feeling really ready to meet the baby and start on this new adventure

Button thinking of you, your family and your dad, good luck and feel better soon to him. And your DH for his op too.
Lavita lovely to see you back and glad you and the twins are all doing so well. Florence is a lovely name.
Japhrimel eek about the scare. I guess it was helpful in some ways to have a trial run with G&A and hospital generally but I still wouldn't wish that on any woman, hope you are managing to get some chill out time.
crazyKat good luck with the knitting, sounds like nesting is kicking in big time.
Chooster and kellestar enjoy mat leave/time off. And lauranamium good that you have finished your main job and can wind down a bit.
93pjb yes, work quite near Tooley St, can meet at lunchtime Mon- Thur this week if you want between 1-2pm? After that I will be on mat leave, woo hoo. I hope the moving stress gets sorted soon. And MrsS hope your unpacking and moving in is going smoothly over the next few weeks.
DF sympathies for the mad dreams and waking up.
Cheryl I thought BH were just a sign of your womb limbering up so you will probably have a very efficient second stage.

Sorry to everyone having problems taking deep breaths and having reflux and insomnia and water retention and aching.

Thank you SO much for the lovely compliments about my bump I don't think I have ever had such a lovely reaction to a photo ever! Particularly welcome as today I looked at how my face and ankles have all puffed up overnight and I think I look like a hamster! Probably due to going into a baking frenzy and making cheese scones for the freezer all weekend only DH and I kept eating them so now we have total carb/fat overload and feel like utter pigs. Literally ALL we ate on Sunday was cheese scones straight out the oven. And bacon & fried egg sandwiches. {blush]

And I burned myself on the oven and have a 5cm shiny red scar on my arm.

What is everyone doing about Christmas?
Normally DH and I are expected to visit with his mum and step dad or his dad and step mum or my dad (mum RIP) and SIL and her 2 boys and DH. This entails about a week of travelling round UK on trains as we don't have a car. 2 years out of eleven we rebelled and had Christmas on our own at our flat and it was BRILLIANT.

This year I think that DH & I we will be best off staying at home by ourselves again, since I am due 14 Dec, and instead we should try and meet family/friends in London when we and they can manage a date during November/early Dec to hand over pressies and be a bit festive. If people can't make that then that is a bit sad, because this is our last Christmas in the Uk for a few years, but we can post them gifts instead and call them on Christmas Day.

We know we just can't cope with Christams visitors in a 1 bed flat, and we can't cope with our usual trek all over the UK on trains to visit our respective families with a newborn/or if I am still pregnant.

We might be able to do a bit more visiting in January I suppose. But the thought of trekking off to Yorkshore/east Anglia/Berkshire/Lancashire to see all the various members of the clan in Janaury sounds mental to me.

Time to put our feet down - if they want to see us, they are going to have to come down and visit for the day, I reckon.

They have cars - we don't.

But I still feel a bit guilty.

Christmas we're having everyone here, my parents, grandad and we've invited dh's mum, 2 teenage sisters, his brother and brother's girlfriend. I'm not bothered when I have the baby (hopefully before Christmas though :o) as I'll still have everyone here, I love Christmas and wouldn't do it differently for the world. Going to start baking christmas puddings and mince pies soon too.

Consultant appointment this afternoon so I'll discuss the issues I have.

BH do generally get you better prepared for labour, I've always had loads and loads of BH and my labours have all been fast and intense. First was about 3 and a half hours, second around 3 (2 hours of pushing though) and my third one was written as an hour and ten mins!

Still need a few things for my hospital bag but doubt I'll get them this week as it's half term. Ds1 is 7 on Friday so we'll be going out to do something and then getting a take away for dinner I think we're taking him and dd to the cinema, ds2 is a little young though so hopefully parents will look after him. His bowling party is on Saturday and then we'll be off trick or treating on Sunday. So many birthday's now though, my mum's is on Wednesday and mine is 6th Nov too hehe.

Hope everyone is well.

Well, long time no speak, ladies! Sorry for total radio silence - can't remember the last time I posted. I do read from time to time to see what you are all up to, but what with finishing up at work and trying to get things into shape for handover to replacement, plus a long period of feeling pretty rotten (turns out low iron levels really do suck), I haven't had too much opportunity or energy.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind if I rejoin at this late stage.

Cannot quite believe I am 34 weeks now. Have 3 more weeks at work (sigh) and then hopefully a couple of weeks to relax before bubs arrives (insofar as that will be possible with a 3 year old around...).

Sorry to all who have been feeling rubbish and/or struggling with sleep. I seem to remember from last time that this is pretty much the point at which I started having two breakfasts - one when I inevitably woke up at 4am for no apparent reason, and one at 9am when I was starving because the first breakfast had been so long ago.

And Miffster I cannot resist responding to your post. There is absolutely no way you should be expected to travel around with your new baby (and all your new baby's kit - and trust me - there'll be a lot of kit) at Christmas time. Don't feel guilty about it for even one second. The logistics alone would be overwhelming - let alone trying to do it all when you're absolutely exhausted.

Morning all - on a weeks AL this week so off to get final hair do before the birth and move. One thing I hate about moving every 2 years is finding a decent hairdresser every time, have a really great one this time and don't want to lose her

DH has cleared the attic except my rocking chair and nursing chair - I can't help him lift those really!

I am sorting DD room and we are having to have the conversations along the lines of - is this piece of carboard crap art work moving or can we do another one when we have moved, sounds cruel but I have sooo much of her art work that trains made of pringles tubes do not take high priority on the packing list She has agreed to give her dolls house to a little girl up the road as Grandma is bringing her other dolls house up from her house after the move - no little girl needs 2 of them!! Button Running around trying to do everything - me ? Never ? What ever gave you that impression of me All pictures are off the walls, spare room ready for movers to pack, attic cleared, DD room nearly done - just have to start collapsing the climbing frame and swing whilst DH takes up the raised beds in the garden

slightly tired glad to see you back - hope you start to feel better soon but yes you are right this is the no sleeping, funny eating, can't settle stage isn't it - I remember it well

miffster I agree completely with slightlytired - they can come to you - especially if they have cars! no way you want to be handleing the rail network over Xmas or NY with a new born and all their stuff!!

Work rang this morning - had to remind my boss I was actually on leave this week not working from home - wonder how many more phone calls I will get??

Hope you all have a good day!

Mrs Fat Fingers