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

DF DH won't be drinking, he doesn't really drink much anyway.

Pjen my baby is still every which way other than head down! I won't be opting for ECV if she stays this way so I'll have to see what happens. I'd get checked out over that leaking tbh, definitely worth it.

Kitty still need to wash baby clothes here although they're all sorted out now at least. Going to get bags packed this weekend just in case.

Just got back from local farm that was doing Halloween activities with the kids, it was lots of fun and had a bbq there too. Bought some pumpkins to carve tomorrow and it's also Ds1's 7th birthday tomorrow! Busy times as we're also taking him and DD to the cinema as a treat (ds2 staying with my parents) and then getting a take away for us all afterwards. He has a bowling party on Saturday and then it's Halloween on Sunday so we'll be out trick or treating.

I've not been as itchy so haven't called anyone yet but I will do, more concerned today about lack of movements. She was really active in the night and then hardly anything today at all, I've felt about 4 movements all day whereas I usually get near enough constant movement. If this keeps up I'll give MFAU a call later on as DH has a drs appt at 4.30pm. He had a letter today saying that he's an MRSA carrier so called the dr and they're seeing him this afternoon. I have no idea what this means for us but he was tested for it when he went in to hospital overnight recently.

Just come back from my first day back at work for 5 weeks. It was weird coming back, my desk untouched. Cleared e-mails and got my to do list for tomorrow in shape. As most of the gals in the office take friday off, they did a little send off. I got a little worried when everyone in the surrounding offices filed in and then had to wait for the boss to come in. Typical foot in mouth problems [we know to ignore him] but they got me a lovely mum to be hamper from Neals Yard and some cute little baby gro and hat from cath kidston with little ducks on, v cute. It wasn't expected at all, as I'd been away. Went smoother than planned. I hand over to my temporary replacement as they are unsure still about who is covering me, I hope it's my temporary replacement she's lovely, but because of some redunduncies in other departments it may go to one of them, who'll not understand anything about the job at all, at least temp has worked in the team for 3 years and know how we work.

Had a lovely massage yesterday from the physio team, they've signed me up now for weekly massage to help with the pain. I then had a hair cut straight after, it's just the way I like it and going to be so neccessary when LO arrives.

I plan on washing LO's clothes next week, when I start my Annual Leave before the little one arrives.

DH had another night terror last night, he was thrashing about on the bed, and shouting I've squashed the baby, where is she, I can't find the baby. OMG that one scared me, I've asked if he wants to talk to someone about his worries if it'll help, but he doesn't think he needs to yet. I think he's get Pre/postnatal anxiety, I know us mums [tobe] can get it, but never thought it would get to him.

C&G what are the risks with ECV? A woman at yoga was saying something about it as she is 36 weeks and baby is transverse and she says she'd heard there were risks but didn't know what they were. For now she is trying shining a torch low down on her belly to encourage her LO to go and investigate!!

kellestar your poor DH - and can't be much fun for you either! I think he'll be a lovely dad if he is this involved and concerned already but I know that won't make it any easier for you to see him so anxious :(

kittybump - have you also had a look around "junk" shops (most of which now claim to be "antique" shops - even though it is mostly junk! We have a great one near us - they do house clearances, mostly and you can pick up fantastic proper furniture at the same prices as you'll pay for chipboard and veneer. I'm totally with you on that - would much rather have a solid oak desk that's 80 years old than a chipboard special. My pet hate is identical matching furniture that looks like page three of the Next at Home catalogue - mismatches all the way for me!

All baby clothes washed and put away - and the cot arrived this morning, along with the playpen and highchair (didn't realise DH had ordered them - all very nice and thoughtful of him, but the playpen and highchair are just going to creat clutter for the first few months!)

Trying work out if its possible to make a changer top for a chest of drawers. We don't have space to get a separate changing unit, and the top of the CoD is just wasted space, so want to fashion something to use up that space.

Hospital bag packing for me on Sunday, after I buy up the entire contents of Boots on Saturday

Kitty - try ebay for a chest of drawers, usually loads of good quality solid ones on there. We got a M&P changing unit off eBay and it's great quality.

GPs are general practitioners - jack of all trades, masters of none!

Afaik ECV carries risks of fetal distress and breaking the waters.

WWSB - I'd just get some non-slip matting for under the changing mat. It's not like the bars are high enough to stop a baby going over them or that you can leave a baby on a unit anyway!

C&G - please get checked out asap!

kellestar - maybe doing some Natal Hypnotherapy with you would help your DH? I'm amazed at how much calmer I am after just doing it once.

Yay for everyone finishing work!

Hi all

Japh do you have any idea how high the risks are for ECV? My LO is breech at the moment and I have a midwife appointment next week to confirm - if it looks like I am still breech then I'll have a scan the following week. Have to say I am not too keen on the idea of ECV as a friend had it and it was really painful for her. But then I am also not the keen on the idea of a CS if I can avoid it.

WWSB rather than fashion a change table top, what about an anti-roll change mat? There is this one which actually has a harness: www.pregnancypillow.co.uk/Ultimate-Award-Winning-Baby-Changing-Mat_p_101.html And I have one that is like this but a bit wedgier: www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Wedge-Shaped-Changing-Mat/dp/B001O3YUGM?_encoding=UTF8&

So glad to have finished work for this week. Only 8 more days to go as I don't work Fridays. Bring it on.

31 weeks tomorrow and this will be my last full week of work if i'm lucky! Between a bit of working from home and taking a few days annual leave, I should be able to shorten my last 6 weeks of work. Can't come soon enough - very of all you who've started your ML!

Morning everyone

34+3 today and according to the midwife yesterday baby is engaged. She looked quite shocked that she was engaged this earlly but I know that they can move in and out when it's the second or third baby. I just hope that this one breaks the trend as both DD and DS were born within two weeks of being engaged and I think this little one has been engaged since sunday.

I'm going to put the last few things in my hospital bag just incase. I just need to get some travel size bottle to put shampoo etc in - much cheaper than buting travel size bottles of everything and take up a lot less space than full size.

Japh and C&G Sounds like it's busy for you round this time of year too for birthdays.

C&G did you get checked out or has baby got a bit more active? FWIW I've had a few days where baby has been really quiet but I'd still get it checked out.

slightlytired I don't know about ECV as all mine have been head down but an old wive's tale (I know not the most reliable source of info) is that putting something warm at the bottom of your bump and something cold at the top can make them turn. It's supposed to be because they move their head away from the cold and down to the warmth. No idea if it actually works (though a friend swears it did) but might be worth a try.

Thanks crazykat. I'm up for old wive's tales if it means less discomfort!

God it feels early. Couldn't sleep last night and then DH up just after 6 crashing around the bedroom getting dressed (sometimes I think separate bedrooms must be the key to a happy marriage ), followed by DD up at 6.30 and demanding breakfast. Soooo tired...I can feel a CBeebies overdose coming on.

Well, hope everyone has a good day.

worst night sleep to date, fact.

DP gets in at 9.30 and "made" dinner (got out cooked food from oven and put on plates) whilst I finished off my work - then we ate, went to bed around 11pm

DD wakes up crying for daddy, he goes and gets her and outs her in our bed!!!!! (which means she wont get back in hers) brilliant/

I had about 6 inches of our king size bed to squeeze onto and no cover, so in end, got up at 6 follwed by DD, and DP and dog and whole house wide awake demanding me.

Grrrr

I ache and I am whiney.

Does any one else feel strange about having lots of people round? It's DP s birthday and we are having 20ish people round tomorrow night, and I really dont want any body to stay :( I want my peace and quiet and privacy

OWO I feel your pain - my DH did that the other night. I couldn't believe it - we've always made sure she sleeps in her own bed - I asked him did he seriously think that right before the arrival of a new baby would be a good time to introduce the possibility of sleeping in mummy and daddy's bed? I know a lot of people don't mind sleeping with their children but they wriggle so much and take up so much room!! It's hard enough to sleep at the moment as it is. And isn't it exhausting when everyone wants a piece of you? At least when work goes away for a while, there will be one piece of yourself you can get back (so you can give it to the new baby, of course!). As a good friend of mine says - shove a broom up my *rse and I'll sweep the floor as well!

As for wanting to "batten down the hatches" and stay at home alone - I think that's probably a normal part of nesting and getting ready for birth. I've worked from home 3 out of 4 days this week - partly, I think, because I am feeling quite self conscious about how pregnant I look now and just want to wallow in my deeply unflattering trackpants.

hahaha slightly Im wearing trakky bottoms and a huge dressing gown right now, my belly doesnt fit under my desk and so it gets squashed really badly and hurts - not giving up uni til baby born, so tired of trekking an hour commute every day :(

slightly tired when my dd was breach I looked at the NICE guidelines - from memory although there are risks associated with ecv the conclusion was that overall they were lower than the risks of c section. I think it's important though that these are really small risks.

There is actually some evidence that moxibustion works and I used that with other acupuncture (although I am usually quite sceptical about Chinese medicine). Don't know if that's what did the trick or not but dd turned at around 36 weeks which is unusually late for a first baby so it might be worth a look as it doesn't involve needles. www.acupuncture.org.uk/the-news/press-releases/394-acupuncture-and-pregnancy.html

Should have posted a health warning, the website I linked to has lots of pictures of accupuncture so best avoided if needles are a problem

SlightlyTired my SiL has an ECV with her first who was breech, LO went into distress half way through manouvers and was rushed for emergency c section. Friend in the office had an ECV and baby turned back a day later which really really hurt and ended up having a c section. My mum was breech with me and she had 2 ECV's and I turned back both times and came out arse first and have been backwards ever since [or so she says]. These are the only breech people I know and they all had ECV's.

I wear my joggers to work as well, my maternity work trousers are too slack on me now, under bump and I have to yank them up all the time. My bump argues with anything pressed against it, counters, desks etc. So I'm typing with my arms stretched. At least this will be the last day of this and then home loafing again [hsmile]

Thanks everyone for the input re ECV. I guess I will wait to see what midwife says next week and then start trying things if I need to. (Does anyone else on second or third babies feel like there is absolutely ages between midwife appointments? Not sure if I am imagining it but I am sure they saw me more often when I had DD.)

SlightlyTired - I don't think the risks are that high (they wouldn't try it if they were) but afaik it is very uncomfortable.

Info on ECV: www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/pdf/External_cephalic_version.pdf

DH listened to my Natal Hypnotherapy with me last night and is now supportive of it - the CDs are not very wacky at all, lol! Though I think he's a bit at the idea that birth is something I'll be doing with our baby - I did point out that however much he wants to help, he can't actually have the contractions for me! It's brilliant - makes me so so relaxed and positive. Highly recommend it if you're freaking out at all like I was.

I've got a few work things that need to be finished, in particular some book keeping and a report for a meeting in 2 weeks and I have no motivation for work at all! I just want to nest and look after baba and me.

Nursery is very nearly finished, so can unpack all the baby clothes, etc this weekend! And my bag is mostly packed now the actual bag has arrived - I've wanted a proper cute holdall for ages and decided this was a good excuse to splash out and get one and it arrived from Cath Kidston yesterday.

I'm in joggers most of the time too now. God knows what I'm going to wear for my brother's engagement party on Saturday!

Can I ask the opinion of all of you who live/work in London? We've got this do on Saturday night near Waterloo and would usually get the train/tube no question. But I'm now worrying about what if the Tube is busy, especially with drunk people, when I'm so pregnant and feeling so delicate? We've got to get from Paddington to Waterloo and back - I've checked and although Circle & Jubilee lines will be closed, Bakerloo will be open so we could get that all the way.

I never normally fuss about going into London at all (used to work there ffs!) but when we went to my MIL's birthday do last month, I got very scared about drunk people knocking me, falling on me, etc (DH nearly knocked me down a flight of stairs!) and we got taxis all that night anyway as we were staying in town.

japh I have taken taxis from Paddington to my flat and my flat to Waterloo quite a lot, so I reckon it'll be about £15 each way, if that helps? I'm pretty sure there is a bus that does the same sort of route - the TFL website journey planner will confirm if there is one. However, I'm sure that tube will be alright, particlularly if you have your DH walking behind you on the stairs and protecting you if you have to stand. Or just demand the priority seat . I think drunk people would be better than commuters - it won't be rush hour busy and drunk people tend to meander rather than push (unlike commuters).

I'm looking into the Natal Hypnotherapy cd too - I was hoping just to get away with the birth one, rather than having to get the whole set?

Hopefully buying the pram this weekend. My parents have offered to pay... but I'm not sure that they realise how much they are these days, so don't know how much we can spend!

Hi all,
IT IS FRIDAY!!! YEYYY
I can't wait for these last 2 weeks at work to go by faster than fast!!

C&G I do wish for an e-section. I am absolutely NOT too posh to push kind of person and I don't mind the pain (have high pain tolerance) and have had a similar surgery and know how painful and difficult it is to not be able to function properly for weeks (although I recovered magically fast last time). I observed my sister's labour of a breech baby going terribly wrong causing her pelvis joint to break during pushing and she got tore apart in front of my eyes. she was hanging from hospitals roof for 3 full weeks and after that I absolutely have NO desire to give birth. Actually the reason that it took me so long to come around the idea of getting pregnant (am 37). I have no desire of any natural birth as in my brain I have images of cruel brutal unhuman doing to my sister. I get anxiety attacks (real ones) when thinking about giving birth naturally. It is just not for me. I have had 4 major surgeries and know very well how to handle surgeries and am not at all worried about them. there are 12 people with university degrees in the section room making sure I and baby are fine and this gives me such a good feeling. But when it comes to thinking aobut perinuem stretching and pushing out a head or possible use of foreseps, my palms get wet (they did as I wrote these words) and I actually totally freak out! So I am absolutely delighted that my LO is breech and hopefully she stays like that. My sister insisted at the time to have an ECV of her breech baby and natural birth and paid badly the price.

Kittybump and slightlytired there is an absolutely great thread on section side effects and real stories in here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1053355-C-Section-Information-Real-Life-xperiences
forward it to your friend. Just tell her that crash section is way worse than elective section and all consultants agree on that (I have talked to 3 so far in person). e-section is a major serious surgery with prolonged healing time and a lot of typical after surgery problems.

slightly tired re ECV: be carefull and check the consultant's success rate when it comes to ECV as some of them are useless and then LO can get into distress. My sister two breech kids they both went into distress after being turned.

Japh glad you like your hypnobirthing CDs. I spent a lot of money and bought all CDS and books people recommended on hypnobirthing and I just can't get my head around believing them. My scientist background fights back. I need the results of randomized statistically powered and well conducted (with appropriate controls) clinical trials before I believe in something (that's what I do for living - so no surprise). I wish I could believe in the concept but just not for me... Glad for you though as I really want to get read of my worries.... Re the tube, I live in West London and had to take tube in rush hour to Canary Wharf and back couple of times this week (one of the worst lines in terms of being jammed and also a long ride) and it was really very tiring. I suggest that your DH asks the guys sitting in pregnanct women sit to give up their sits. I was too shy to ask and a nice lady noticed and asked the guy (who was pretending to be blind) to stand up. I was very relieved once I sat as I was feeling faint. Will not be fun to take the tube but if you sit and DH stands in front of you should be fine.

Wishing you all a very happy Friday - off to get lunch now... mmmm... hungry...

Thanks WWSB. I think we might see how busy the Tube is on the way there and then just get a taxi back to Paddington. My brother suggested we drive but DH hates driving in London and I certainly won't be able to drive home, so I don't think it would help, especially as it would take longer.

You can just get the Birth Preparation Natal Hypnotherapy CD. It includes a short relaxation session, so you don't really need CD1 as well IMO. It's definitely the most important one to get, though if you really get into doing it, you might want the Birth Music one too so you have something to move on to when ctx get too much to concentrate on the Birth Preparation CD.

sorry pregnancy brain i want to "get rid of my worries" not "get read of" ha ha

PJen - I know what you mean about the science aspect. Did you get Natal Hypnotherapy stuff or Hypnobirthing? A friend gave me her scripts from Hypnobirthing and it definitely wasn't for me - way too "woo-ey". Natal Hypnotherapy is a lot better, especially if you gloss over the information booklet and just do the CDs.

There's a lot of evidence on the benefits of hypnotherapy for a lot of things, such as chronic pain management, GAD, etc. I've used it effectively for pain management myself, so am happy with the concept.

And there's also evidence on the benefit of relaxation and reducing unnecessary outside stimulation for labouring women. French OB Michel Odent has done a lot of work in this area.

Ditto to the fight-or-flight response and adrenalin suppressing progress of labour, increasing hyperalgesia, etc.

As I see it, it's just a tool to help me stay relaxed no matter what happens, so that I can try to encourage labour, not suppress it with stress hormones and muscular tension. I know that breathing techniques and conscious relaxation help, but I was getting so stressed I needed help to be able to do this. And it's something I can use no matter whether I'm labouring naturally in a birth pool or am on a drip for early induction!

OWO I don't like having loads of people round at the best of times, so I sympathise with your party dilemma. At least if it's at your place, maybe you'll be able to slip away to your bedroom now and then for a bit of down time?

I'm finding myself increasingly short with people at work, which is really not like me. Blaming the hormones and sleep deprivation.

slightlytired I think I've had the same if not more appointments this time round than last time. Part of that is that I've had to see the consultant as well this time though, last time I barely set foot in the hospital until I was admitted.

Just had my baby's carpet fitted, so room is good to be made beautiful with all the bits that have so far been wrapped up under the stairs :)

Hope everyone is having a good day so far

Quick update, will catch up later. Ended up going in to MFAU yesterday at about 4.30 and didn't leave until 10pm. They moved me up to a ward for monitoring and what I went there for changed into having contractions! I was having quite big ones every 10 mins on the monitor but baby's heart rate looked lovely, thankfully. They wanted me to stay in but I had to say no as it's Ds1's 7th birthday today. I really thought I was going into labour though as those contractions were starting to get painful.

She wanted to check my cervix because of the contractions and it was closed but has changed and is very soft now. Hopefully this won't mean labour soon as I'm still only 32 weeks. They agreed to let me go as long as I go back in for monitoring on Monday. I had bloods taken too, half were back and were normal, liver function tests were normal too and the other half will be back on Monday for when I go in apparently.

Right better run! Will be back later.