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

Aaarggh, restless legs driving me wild. Been up and down since about 2 and finally given up trying to get some sleep. Luckily DD will be in nursery later today so I'll hopefully be able to catch up after I've dropped her off.

wll i too have finally given up and got out of bed, couldnt sleep at all. Scared myself silly yesterday when i woke up face down in bed, my prePG position to sleep. Then couldn't feel movements from LO so harrassed MW had T&T until movements picked up, still not up to the usual tricks. I'm so tired but worried exhaustion will make me sleep bad and hurt LO. Vicious circle. DH said he'd wake me if I rolled onto front but he's not noticed me getting up and down for the last 6 hours.

Will catch up with other posts later. Im testing out the new sofa for sleeping

Very quick post as morning rush hour in the PJB household should already be well under way but isn't!

kelle that sounds horrible, please try not to stress too much. Will you be able to catch up on some sleep during the day with someone keeping an eye on you to make you feel better. LO is pretty well protected in there and very unlikely to be harmed but you need your sleep and not to be too stressed.

MrsSL is all okay with you - haven't seen much from you over the weekend. Apologies if it's just that you've had a busy weekend etc.

Hope everyone has a good week, last 3 days of work for me but soooooo much to do...

cheryl that is absolutely shocking about the window! Can you get hold of the landlord quickly or have you had to be windowless all night?

Kellestar hope you get the sleeping positions sorted with the help of your DH. I woke up on the 'wrong' side today but DH is in the spare room (Snoring) so I have to rely on myself to change positions. Could you surround yourself with extra pillows?

Not looking forward to this last week - the training is going to d-r-a-g! I feel a bit sick actually. Hope my replacment doesn't need too much babying and doesn't ask me endless questions.

Had a bit of a panic last night as I though my waters had broken - still not sure as it was only a bit, then a bit more later on. I've had painful tightenings on and off since last night but not regular or strong enough to keep me awake.

With DD it was like that (a little bit at a time for an hour or so then nothing) but contractions started about an hour later and she was born three hours later.

Why can't every labour happen the same way then we'd know for sure. Or someone needs to invent a test to do at home that tells you if it is or isn't.

Ooh crazykat, it sounds like it started maybe you should call your labour ward?

I have been keeping up but haven't had much time to post. You all have my sympathy for aches, pains, heartburn etc. It honestly does disappear once you've given birth I can now sleep comfortably and get close enough in bed to cuddle DP.

As far as recovery, I was very sore from my c section for quite a few days but had the catheter removed the next day and could get around. I had trouble sleeping as I felt so wired with adrenaline and hormones, the midwives were a bit worried about me. They took babies off me for the night and knocked me out with a tomazapan but I still woke up twice. As the babies were do early they don't have a strong sucking reflex, I was expressing and feeding from a bottle and topping up with formula if needed. Girls have done very well and put on weight and this weekend have been much more alert so I'm just breast feeding now, even managed tandem feeding! Out of desperation weaken they were both crying and Dp was in the bathroom, I wad amazed when it worked, and was quite proud of myself

It'sJust an amazing and rewarding experience, I'd never even changed a nappy before! I feel so blessed

Lavita well done that must have been such a special moment looking down and seeing two babies feeding away :) i really hope I can breastfeed ..

Just thinking considering how good (generally!) our bodies are at growing babies, releasing the right hormones, loosening up ligaments in preparation, altering our hearing so we can look after our babies once they are here etc. then why lower our pain thresholds just when we are about to be in pain!

crazycat good luck if this is the time - I'm seeing my scientist friend in a minute - I'll ask her to get onto that labour predicting gadget

also seeing my friend who is about 22 weeks pg - she has been having a terrible time (had to give up work at 6 wks!) and this is the first time I will have seen her - I shall have to try and not look too radiant! LOL I don't think i've ever been radiant or 'blooming' in my whole life :)

have a nice days everyone xxx

Re pain threasholds - lack of stage 4 sleep can lower your pain threshold (partly why sleep deprivation is such a common torture technique!), so if you're not getting much sleep, it could be due to that.

Wow at Lavitabellissima for tandem feeding. There's an amazing picture in my NCT book of a woman tandem feeding twins and it looks incredible.

I'm ok I think - tried to have a quiet weekend, went out Saturday window shopping and lunch but took it out of me so spent yesterday doing nothing!

Am actually lying on bed breathing through some stitch type pain - not sure what it is but quite uncomfortable!! Waters still intact, no show but relatively quiet bump today! Just going to rest for a while and hope it eases off. DH going out in 20 mins to help with DD class walk in woods so not really good timing if it is labour!!

notso Lol, that sounds like me usually, I'm such a hoarder; hate to throw anything away. I'm going to have to be more ruthless now though or we'll run out of space with nearly 4 dcs! I think the mincemeat would be fine to use but a new batch would probably be better as Slightly said, I also use the Delia recipe.

Reshape wow that's great, made lots of money at the pamper evening, well done. Hope the massage went well, I'm so jealous hehe. I know what you mean about the section thoughts, I've had them myself as my baby has been breech but quite unstable really as she's up and down and all over. I had my other 3 vaginally and I also feel a bit guilty but also scared. I'm due on 23rd so have the same date issues and big baby! I have a growth scan next week I think so I'll take it from there.

Slightly What's quincemeat? I bought some nice jars at the weekend for my mince, just got to place a shopping order to include all the ingredients for this weekend now and I'll be on it. DH was rude to you! You sounds perfectly reasonable to me :o Oddly, I've not been waking for a wee in the night now (go from about 1am-6am does that count?) but not sure that's good as I want to be used to being awake in the night to feed baby.

Cheryl my pain threshold seems the same, I think mine is usually fairly high. I was pleased with the x-factor, all barring the final decision, fix or what?! Shocked over the window, have you got it sorted out now?

WLL I'm starting to worry about baby being OP, well and maybe breech too but I don't want another OP labour if I can help it, it definitely hurt a lot more (or was that just because it was faster and the last birth so I remember it more?) but it was very fast.

max I'm fed up already although happy (happy?) for a couple more weeks to pass first but still scared on and off about labour, eek.

lauren glad you enjoyed the mucking out, I think you're mad :o don't overdo things though.

DF personally I wouldn't want to be driving even after "easy" births, my first 3 were relatively easy but I still felt rough afterwards. Every bump on the road hurt me inside, I was tired, aching, etc and not to mention bleeding. I don't want to be anywhere but my own home within a couple of weeks of birth, I bled for that long and then the lochia carried on for a few more weeks. Plus, sod driving all the pissed people about, what if you need help with the baby or suddendly feel unwell? It happens. I wouldn't mind a drink or two but not getting drunk. One sober day, or two, certainly won't kill DH. Fwiw, I don't think he should go without you either.

kelle hope you're OK, has baby been moving more now?

crazy Have you been in to be checked? It could still be your waters. Sounds like it could be something to me.

Lavita wow, tandem feeding, that's fantastic! You sound so happy :)

Cannot believe I am 35 weeks on Thursday, i'm worrying about things I never have done before. I'm worrying that my waters will break while we're out in a gush and then what? Also very worried about the speed now. First labour was about 3 and a half hours, second was just under 3 I think and my third was 25 minute first stage and 47 minutes pushing!! The hospital is an hour away in traffic but about 20-25 minutes on a clear road. Think I'll mention it at my next midwife appointment.

Feeling quite tired again today but bright as at least the sun is out. I'm sure I can feel a head under my ribs now since last night, but who knows with this baby! I think I'm having an octopus! I feel movements (strong ones) on both side of my tummy at the same time, up and down and everywhere. Really want to know what way she's lying, maybe all the fluid also makes it hard to figure out.

MrsS I was going to ask about stitch like pains, I've been getting those a lot. Has anyone else? Really sharp and quite painful, right where a stitch would be but I can be just sitting or lying still when they suddenly happen.

Well if anyone finds out about stitch type pain come back and tell me quick!! On iPhone as still no Internet DH has gone out to DD school thing saying don't be silly you're not in labour - you're not lying in a puddle of water! Ha - just my luck that's sealed my fate!! Have taken 2 Paracetomol and trying to rest.

Hi all, just popping in quickly as have loads to do, new freezer arrived Saturday and it's now ready for me to fill with delicious things so am cooking my ass off!

Thanks for the mobile recommendations, I like all of them though
Had a panic yesterday that if the baby is here for Christmas he/she will have no presents and DS (I think DD knows the truth but don't know how to bring it up)will wonder why Santa has forgotten the baby so I ordered a load of stuff from Lamaze. I realise I have probably condemned myself to being over due now!

Thanks for mincemeat advice too, I think I will just use up what I have, may rejuvenate it with a good slosh of brandy.

Have got ingredients to make Limoncello and Cranberry vodka for presents, but can't find any nice bottles to put it in.

crazykat are you going to get checked out?

lavita well done on the tandem feeding, glad it's working well for you.

C&G my LO does exactly the same, I know head is down though but he/she seems to do star jumps whilst simultaneously pushing bum up and head down!

Right really must go, will post more later!

Lavita - well done for tandem feeding!!! Huge respect - I found even the one baby difficult last time!

C&G - quincemeat is basically a mincemeat recipe made with quince rather than apple. My in laws have a quince tree and I was a beneficiary of rather a lot of its fruit, so I thought I'd give it a go. It's Nigella's recipe from her Domestic Goddess book. On another topic, I cannot believe how quick your labours have been. I think you're right to be concerned about how quick this one might be!! Definitely mention it to the midwives.

How are you feeling now MrsSL? I do get stitch like pains from time to time but I think mine are related to the fact that I've had a cold and have been coughing loads.

Today is first official day of maternity leave and have had a lovely morning - went into town and had highlights done (long overdue, so feel like new woman) and then met DH for lunch, am now back home and about to put my wellies on for a nice walk in this glorious sunshine, before it gets dark again! DD at her grandparents', which is very odd, but rather nice. I'll be missing her horribly by tomorrow but I intend to enjoy the peace today!!

Well I had a snickers for breakfast, bad I know but I couldn't be arsed to make an effort that early, plus kitchen is below bedroom.

LO perked up today, absolutely no doubt things are okay. I think because I scared myself yesterday I was worried about getting into that position again, unbeknown to me. After DH left for work I made an attempt banked up with pillows to stop me going onto my front and put some of the birth preperation music on, which was very relaxing and off I drifted for 3 hours sleep. I feel so much more rested. I've pootled about, doing a bit of housework, corrected some of MiL's painting booboo's, which DH will be cross at me for, but they were driving me bonkers.

Pain threshold is about the same, but I bruise like a delicate flower these days. Every BT brings a bruise within minutes that can last a week. I also wake up and find bruises on my legs where I must have stumbled into something during my night time sojourns.

Lavita it's great to hear you and the girls [and DH] are settling in well. So pleased for you.

notso I always use last years mincemeat, mine is heavily brandied and everyone loves it. I don't like it myself, but I'm not a fan of mixed peel/raisins/currants. But I love the smell. I bought some nice ceramic stoppered bottles with the pilsner top at our local kitchen shop I think they were under £2 each and they gave me discount because I bought two dozen. I then adorned them in collars of ribbons [from the vast stash] and some little bells, a sprig of Holly from the garden and a novelty Robin from the haberdashers. This year I've crocheted covers to go over our pots of honey.

Pain settled so have rested on bed going to try getting up now and see how it is!

Just spent the afternoon at the hospital as baby hasn't moved since last night. All's fine, waters intact as far as they can tell as there's been no more since last night. I was on a CTG for a while and it was picking up regular contractions but I couldn't feel any of them. They said one reason LO isn't moving much is that I could be going into labour or she could just be having a quiet day.

Lavita tandem feeding sounds amazing, glad you're all doing well.

How are you feeling now MrsSL? I've had stitch like pains but lower than a stich would be, more towards my hip. I've no idea what it is but my best guess is that it's baby putting her hand or foot in an awkward position.

MrsS how are you feeling now?

notso ah I'd not thought about a present for the baby, have to see if I have her before Christmas or not, definitely good thinking though. Lol star jumps sounds familiar :o

Slightly ahh I see, lucky to be getting all that quince, hope they turn out well :) I have the midwife on wed morning so I'll mention the fast labour concern then. Knowing my luck I'll have an epic labour instead . Enjoy your time off.

kelle Glad baby started moving more, must have been a scary time.

crazy how have movements been for you now? Did they have a look at your cervix at all? How many weeks are you now? Wonder if labour is starting for you.

I've been getting more tightenings today which have been on and off with intensity and some period like back pain. Sure it's nothing as usual though. Tmi coming up but I tried to feel my cervix before in the bath and I think I could, it's been out of reach up until now but I'm sure I felt it, means it's moved to the front more if it was it.

Pain intermittent but not regular , a little back ache as well but probably just lo shifting around again. 37 weeks today seeing consultant on weds am so will check then. Baby definatly lower again and for some reason I have lost 3 lbs in weight this week.
Hope everyone else is ok will try and get on netbook later!

Greetings everyone, and welcome back GGG - how funny, I thought of you the other day when I went past Green Baby shop and then you turned up on the thread again!

To answer the questions. 36 weeks tomorrow acc. to the NHS, first baby and...

BH - yes, if I get up and rush around after eating, am tired from doing too much physical stuff, or walk too fast - bump goes hard and heavy like a cannon ball, and aches. better if I stop, breathe through it and sit down/crouch.

Sleeping varies, 2 weeks ago I woke several times a night, recently have done better and onbly woken at 4am-5amish and got back to sleep, even more recently have gone back to waking at 3am and 5am and not getting back to sleep from 5am. It is getting uncomfortable to drop off again because of the bump aching and all the bloody pillows kerfuffle and feeling like a giant ungainly sealion trying to roll over. DH and I are both snoring as well so wake each other up.

Pain threshold, I burned my arm quite badly a few weeks ago, and was very gung ho about it, and everyone who saw it was horrified, but then again the back pain episode really did depress the hell out of me and was awful and made me worried about a long back to back labour. I have cheered myself up about labour by remembering that I had my lower back tattooed in full colour 8 years ago, right across my kidneys and sacrum and spine for 6 hours, without a break, with no pain relief, and coped with just breathing and disassociating. And that is one of the more painful places to have a tattoo apparently. Fingers crossed. But who knows?

Feeling useless Today I have done sod all. But last few days have been very efficient. It comes and goes, think it is related to how much iron and protein I consume.

Presents for the baby, erm, no. He has cost me a fortune already! I do want to buy him a teddy toy but have resisted so far. It must be a machine washable one...

NCT all day Sat, was much better. Did labour positions with our DH's andpractical stuff like nappy changing, next day was BF session, also very good. Doula then came over on Sunday and was very encouraging. Am really up for having baby at home now!

Lavita you sound so proud and happy, it's very inspiring to read your joyful posts and wow, well done on the tandem feeding!

Kellestar poor you with the MiL making a mess, I would be livid as well. And also how scary about the sleeping, glad you managed to potter and de-stress, yay for maternity leave

Japh and Notso hope you manage to swerve the dodgy midwives. Why even become a mw if you are a bad-tempered unsympathetic person??

shocknews am at you considering cooking and hosting Christmas dinner, rather you than me, even if 'your turn', surely a new baby = free pass.

DH I don't think you can be a taxi service if you are feeding every 2 hours day and night, that sounds a bit unmanageable, not to mention lack of sleep is like being drunk, in terms of how it affects driving reaction time so also unsafe...especially with all the risk of potentially pissed/high Christmas drivers

Cheryl at the window!

Crazykat, ooh, good luck...

waves at everyone I've missed

Well - I wonder which of us will be next?

lavita lovely to hear how well you are getting on and well done on the tandem feeding, that's great!

crazykat how are things now? Sorry you have had a bit of a scare but hopefully it is everything hotting up for you now.

miffster and anyone else planning HB I had my HB booking visit today from the midwife and it was great. We went through all my questions and I felt really reassured about everything. I am so looking forward to it, just got to do my GBS test this week and hopefully it will be negative.

C&G I think the cervix coming forward is a sign of things starting to get ready. Fingers crossed for you. How many weeks are you now?

MrsS how are you doing now? Hope all has settled for you.

kelle glad baby is moving ok today.

Wow, it seems there are lots of people on the brink of having their babies! I still feel like there is a long way to go, although MW said today I can go ahead with HB as long as I get to 37 weeks which is actually 26th Nov - or 11 days away!! OMG!!

lavita lovely to read how well you and the girls are doing

crazy finger crossed for you, if this is it

anyone heard on OWO ?

saw mw today (all I seem to be doing at the mo is seeing mws!) she was pleased with the outcome of the appt on Fri, I think everyone seems to be quite positive as to how I'll get on this time - I really hope they're right. She said I'm measuring bang on for my dates, baby is in a good position for 33 weeks although it needs to move it's body round a bit apparantly.

was toying with the idea of taking Thursday off but I was barely in the office at all last week and I don't want my colleagues feeling like I'm taking the p*.

really getting fed up of having restless legs now.

Wow, some epic posts on here - has taken a good long while to read through. Strange there is quite a bit of stitch type pain. I've not had that but the baby is obviously sitting on a blood vessel or something as when I walk my left thigh slowly goes numb... Such a strange sensation. Then when I sit down its like ice cold water running through my veins in my thigh. Something is pressing somewhere... Oh and my hips. pelvis, back are all in agony. Grrr - this is such an uncomfortable stage.

All this talk of making your own mince pies has me thinking. Well done to all of you but I dont think my domestic skills stretch that far .

Notso - Yeah I thought something similar the other day - If Santa is bringing DS1 and DS2 pressies why would he forget DS3... So I've got a couple of tiny things but only for DS1 and DS2 sake... Actually at 6 I dont think DS1 is that convinced anymore. He asked the other day if the tooth fairy / God and Santa were all real. Odd combination and it took a while to negotiate that mine field. I think for some reason they had been learning about Noah's ark at school .

Speaking of DS1, I had 3 of his friends round after school for play / tea and so now am knackered.... DS1 will be heading to bed soon closely followed by me - after some porridge! Its all I fancy at the moment.

Am sure its because I've over-done it a bit, but getting tight BH every 5 mins or so. Think I'll rest up a bit this evening.

Just one more word to Lavita - so lovely to read your posts - please keep posting on here when you can as it helps those of us still lumbering around. Those first few days really are lovely . Hats off on tandem feeding - obviously a natural .

Hope things either settle down or move onto the next stage for both of you MrsS and Crazykat - the is it / isn't it gets a bit irritating after a while...

Ooopps obviously I meant irritating for you both..... when I read that back it sounded like the is it / isn't it was irritating for those of us reading your posts, which is SO not the case