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

PS, I think someone posted a link to it earlier, but there's a discussion of the day on advice for the first week with a newborn, and it has an awful lot of good advice in it for new mums. I wish I'd read something similar when I had DD - all the books and the classes tend to focus on the birth, and actually some good solid practical advice for what to do when you actually find yourself with a baby is so valuable!!

I'm so ready for this baby to be born. It's starting to get really painful now, I get BH whenever I sit down and when I stand up or lie down it feels like my bump is going to split open at the bottom. I'm almost positive it wasn't like this with my first two. I'll go completely round the bend if it's like this for the next five weeks.

Crazykat I know what you mean. I have developed a proper pregnant person's waddle, which is much more pronounced if I've been sitting down for a long time. I get BH whenever I even think about doing anything vaguely physical, such as - I don't know - walking to the water cooler at work?! By the end of the day my bump seems to weigh as much as a large bowling ball and even turning over in bed is painful and difficult. Plus you have two children to look after already. I think this is nature's way of making us not worry about the birth!

MW can't see me till 1530 but said I would be better seeing GP! So appt with GP at 0945

maxpower you don't have to have things like a canula just to make life easier for them if there is no good reason for it. You are well within your rights to refuse. I would contact AIMS, they are best contacted via email but can give you some good advice and there's probably a lot on their website avout VBAC as well.

miffster hope you enjoy the HB group and visit with your Dad.

slightlytired I need the same thread for coping with newborn and toddler! Might start one.

crazykat I know how you feel. I am getting really uncomfy and I am sure it is worse this time ruond, but maybe I just forgot from last time!

Got DD today and friend coming round in a bit. Looking forward to catching up with her. Also had a call from the dentist cancelling an appointment today I had no idea I even had!

slightlytired I gave up trying to turn over in bed a week ago - it's impossible.

wholelottalove best thing I found for coping with a newborn and toddler was to get a little present fron the new baby that they can play with to keep them occupied when you're feeding/changing baby. I'm hoping it will work again this time round too. I think there is something in our brain that blocks out all the downsides of being pregnant (never being comfortable, pain, heartburn etc.) so that we dare to do it again.

MrsSL hope it goes ok

Am at home all day today with handover document to write, but so nice not to have to get up, dress up and drive 35 mins to work :) :)

Really nice that you get on so well with MIL Miffster, thats really special. I think mine has really chilled out with me since I became pg.. she got a bit funny around me after we got married two years ago, but the promise of grandchild seems to have done the trick :)

At our Antenatal class BF session the dads were encouraged to practice the holds as well, while holding a knitted breast (areola, nipple and all) against their chests with a doll. was very funny, but also hopefully helpful for DP's to get the concept and what you do with nip/ babys mouth, stimulating of milk ducts etc. DH has a better memory than me as well :)

japh I agree with max defintely take a few more than you think you'll need, I went through so many babygros in a day with mine.

max If you don't want the cannula then you can absolutely refuse it. I did with ds1, when I went into labour they trundled round with a trolley with all the stuff on it and came in expecting to do it. I said no way as it wasn't needed at that point, then they sent the dr in to try to scare me saying I could bleed to death, I ignored them as I'd already done my research. I had low iron 8.5 I think and they wanted one in me just in case. Everything I've read suggests that having low iron means your less likely to bleed lots as your body knows it can't and other things too. I didn't bleed much at all with any of my three.

slightly I'm sure everything will be fine and they noone finds any mistakes! Have you had midwife appt yet? Snap with the bowling ball comment. It was funny at ds2's bowling party last week, all the children were putting bowling balls up their tops and saying they were pregnant hehe :o

Miffster massage sounds lovely. Hope you have a nice time with your Dad out shopping for baby.

crazy how many weeks are you now? I'm 33 and feeling ready to pop already... I'm sure I can't stretch anymore, but then I'm measuring weeks ahead and look like I did at the end with ds2.

MrsS how did the gp go? Hope things are all OK?!

WLL Have a good time with your friend catching up :)

Button I can't even remember back to when I had the nct classes, was so long ago but I didn't even get to finish them all off due to DD arriving early!

Felt a bit more tired today after yesterday but OK now. Woke quite swollen though, although seems to have gone down a little now. It's my birthday tomorrow! Think we're getting an indian tonight and watching a few films to celebrate and then taking the dcs to a local fireworks display tomorrow which should be nice. Hope everyone's well :)

Seen by gp sent to day assessment unit just out now. Bloods for oc, check for pre eclampsia and ctg! Baby engaged and uterus " irritated" - asked if I'd had a show yet and told probably won't make another 4 weeks. Plan to go home and rest as much as possible and then get signed off sick from Monday if still like this!

OOOH - EXCITING mrsSnaplegs could you be next?

I tried to do some cleaning lastnight and had to stop every few minutes for a rest. How will I ever manage to do my nesting?! I need to clear out the spare room but looks like I will just be instructing DH instead which is a pain as I hate doing that.

miffster I feel the same about my NCT classes. we only have 5 sessions and a couple of them are hours long but with no chance for socialising. it would be nice if someone takes the initiative and suggests we meet up afterwards but not sure if that will happen. It all seems to be squished into a short timeframe.

I am going to email the leader of the group and ask if something can be included about caring for a new mum while breastfeeding and the need for husbands/partners to keep visitors to a minimum.
I really want to bed in with my baby and hope that it helps the breastfeeding.

My boss was supposed to meet with me for our fortnightly meeting yesterday but didn't show up so I emailed her suggesting that perhaps we all (me, my workmate, the person who will be doing my job and my boss) all meet up soon to have a chat about things. Still not heard back from her. It makes me feel completely neglected specially as I have been working really hard for about a month trying to get all the training planned and done. meh!

MrsSN that is really rather exciting. It certainly focuses the mind - I also have only 4 weeks to go, so perhaps I should get organised!! Thinking of you!

DF that is rubbish about your boss. At least you know you are doing everything you can to make the transition easy for them. You can lead a horse to water...

Have just come back from MW - all well - baby seems to have turned around now so that's great. Blood pressure still v v low and she sent me for iron level test as well, which I've just had done. She said that either my iron levels were low or I need to go to bed with a box of maltesers. I know which I'd prefer...

C&G that sounds like a fab way to spend a rainy evening. Have a wonderful birthday tomorrow!

Went to mothercare today and bought some perineum massage gel and took it to the till and the sales lady rang it through then seriously asked me if I'd like a gift receipt!!!! What a lovely gift that would be for somebody!

DF ditto with the cleaning - I see dirt everywhere I look but just can't bend or stretch properly to combat it! The only time in my life i've ever felt like cleaning :)

I did nhs classes and no-one at my class was particularly local :( there were very nice people there but I was too shy to ask for contact details. I'm hoping I'll make some new friends at the post natal stuff now....

slightly ditto with the low iron (or potential low iron for you) my gp wasn't very useful and said it was up to me if I took a supplement or not I prefer the maltesers idea too :)

mrssl maybe your baby was just waiting for the house move! Sounds like it may make an appearance soon, sending good vibes your way :)

big wave to everyone else - sorry to those feeling fit to burst, happy birthday for tomorrow C&G

kittybump I got mine from Mothercare too. When are you starting? i thought I might try the paspberry leaf tea out tonight and then start the massage next week!

Would like to get a bit more unpacking done before lo arrives!

I think something may be happening here! I just feel weird!

After not sleeping for 3 nights I had the best nights sleep in 8 months last night! I thought my face looked a little swollen this morning (both times before my face has swelled a couple of days before arrival).

Baby is engaged (4/5??? (I don't know what any of the numbers actually mean as neither of my boys ever engaged)), but today feels even further down, I sit down and there's so much pressure at the back, in the exact same place as you get the pressure when you get the 'bearing down' sensation.

Bump has definitely dropped, boobs very tingly, I feel sick, have pooed 3 times today! (sorry tmi), really feel sort of out of it.

I don't think there's been any movement today either which makes me think there's even more chance of somehting happening. I've been quite busy getting things ready for ds2's party tomorrow, but have still had pplenty of times where I've been sat down, and not felt anything that I can think of. Baby normally has very definite times of movement - when I wake in morning, when I get into bed an after sex. Nothing when got into bed last night, nothing after sex last night and nothing this morning.

I can barely walk it's all so uncomfortable. I don't know if this is something starting to happen. It can't, not now, it's my babys birthday party tomorrow and his birthday Monday, I can't miss those.

Oh and I haven't stopped weeing, I go for a wee and pretty much as soon as I stand up need to go again! Don't know if that's any sign

How exciting cheryl and MrsSN its like a baby race now

Is anyone else getting pains in their tummys? I might just be being a bit dim as is first time or being paranoid after the fall but it seems that since the fall I've been tender quite low down on my stomach? is this normal towards the end?

Thanks for the advice on babygrows, etc. I'm packing 6 sleepsuits, 6 bodies and 27 nappies (because that's a convenient small pack!).

For anyone that doesn't make friends at antenatal classes, I'd definitely recommend contacting your nearest NCT group and asking about meetings. My group runs a few postnatal meetings locally.

C&G - lol at you using my example with your doctor! I'd agree that she doesn't know what she's talking about at all when it comes to OC.

More itching doesn't necessarily mean my BA levels have worsened, but it's not a great sign. Had another really bad night so it'll be interesting to see what my levels are next week.

WLL - the hypno should still help you relax, but listening to it all the way through will help more. I know it suggests you try and do it at a time when you wouldn't normally sleep, but I quite often don't get round to it till bedtime!

maxpower - I'd at least ask about siting the canula to make it more comfortable even if you don't want to refuse it initially. I had one in when I had my scare a couple of weeks back and normally I hate them so much, but the doc couldn't get the veins in the back of my hands to cooperate and sited in more on top of my wrist and that seemed a lot better - I slept with it in without much of an issue.

cheryl - I'd get checked out re the alck of movements, just in case you have a UTI or something (would explain the peeing and feeling weird).

Afaik, 4/5 means they can feel 4/5 of the baby's head above the pelvis, so baby is 1/5 engaged. I get so confused abotu which way round it is though.

MrsSnaplegs - hope your LO stays put a while longer! It's good they're checking you for OC as well as everything else.

Lauren I don't have any tenderness per se - achiness yes, but that is different. I guess if you bumped your bump on the way down into the hole you could be bruised. It would make sense?

Cheryl hope it's a false alarm and you make it to the birthday party!

Yeah Im hoping its just that slightly! Not seeing MW til wed so I'll wait until then to mention it if Im still achey

Hope you are both doing ok Mrssnaplegs and Cheryl!!! Good point about the UTI cheryl as that could be a reason...

DF - at my NCT class, our teacher took a copy of everyone's e-mail addresses on teh last session and copied it for us all - she also pre-arrnaged a follow up session at someone's house 6 weeks after the last due date. It was the push we all needed to get in touch and support each other and it was great. I'm sure she'll do something similar but you could suggest it if not .

Phew am exhausted today!!! Bump is achy - Lauren - I've got a bit at the top of my nump on the right hand side which is so tender. It feels just like a bruise on the inside - nothing to see on the outside. I thought it was because thats where LO's head was but now midwife says he'd head down but its still so sore. To top it all I've got a rotten cold and so everytime I sneeze I get a shooting pain there! Its the first time I've tried to hold them back as normally I like a good sneeze .

Right-O - bed for me... My DH is out tonight, working all day tomorrow, out from 6.30 tomorrow night and then working til 6pm on sunday... And I ache.... And I've got a cold... And I've got 2 boys to entertain... And its pissing with rain. Feeling a bit sorry for myself . My parents were meant to be coming up for a visit on saturday afternoon but my mum can't risk getting another cold because it usually turns into pneumonia so they need to stay away.... Boooooooo

Ah thanks chooster thats really reassuring

hi df - not sure about when to start the massage, I was told 34 weeks which is now! Still can't quite bring myself to do it yet, I think procrastination my be a pg symptom for me as i'm putting off the birth plan and hospital bag too

Good luck to anyone who thinks their LO may be arriving soon

Quick question and sorry if tmi, my cervix has been really twingey, kinda like when my period arrives, short bursts of pain, kinda tickly and itchy lasting a few seconds. Is this normal for now? LB is 2/5 engaged at mondays mw appt. Five weeks and 2 days to go.

Hmmm, kelle, I'm not familiar with those symptoms in the normal course of getting a period - but if this is what happens to you when you get yours, it may be a sign that your body is starting to prepare?

Half past 1 and here I am completely awake. DD just woke up after a bad dream - and the second I am awake all these worries about mistakes I may have made at work without realising it start flooding into my brain. I think I need to get some perspective... WHY can't I just relax and enjoy the fact that I won't be there after the end of next week, without thinking that some hideous error is about to be uncovered?? I get so cross at myself sometimes - it is like I subconsciously look for things to worry about.