December 2010:where we await the best Christmas presents ever

[Miffster]

Stats thread here

japh treat yourself to the massage any way, because you'll be busy and your body will take a physical strain over next few weeks etc so worth enjoying the massage :)

notso DP has decided that he isnt drinking more than 2 beers if he has a drink, so he could still drive if emergency

Morning all and welcome mamathulu

Congratulations again jobob and thank you for sharing your story.

OWO just posted on your other thread. Sounds like you're having a frustrating time. Cannot believe only 26 days until Christmas! That is scary.

Have finally managed to start shopping and ordered some things on Amazon last night. Had a big blitz of the house yesterday and felt really energetic, then have had terrible night's sleep last night. Some stronger BH now.

The baby seems to have rolled accross slightly and got itself into an interesting position which is putting a lot of pressure on my pelvis which is killing me, whilst simultaneously pressing up against my ribs and giving me heartburn. Not happy. Sorry to moan, but my God it bloody hurts in my cervix/pelvis, plus have noticed a bit of discharge recently and now I feel slightly itchy and odd down below. Going to docs this afternoon in case it is thrush. Deep joy.

Actually was going to ask, last time went to docs about unusual discharge, the doctor used a speculum thingy to take a swab from my cervix like in a smear. Is this usual in pregnancy?

In terms of false starts I had several over the last week or so with DD and as I was overdue they drove me mad. However, when labour itself started, actually the contractions were different. I can't describe it specifically - they weren't shorter or longer or more uncomfy to begin with, it's just they felt different somehow and I knew this was it.

japh meant to say I second OWO - go for it with the massage.

I feel so heavy, it feels like the bottom of my belly is going to drop out if that makes sense. Really struggling to walk and DP & my mum are both nesting!

I have constant burps and heartburn and it's driving me crazy.

Hiya, will look at catching up from weekend.

Have had a few days of false start feelings - the first (and scariest) being on the M1 llate on saturday night, on the way back from my last visit to parents in London before LO arrives! - my dad starts radiotherapy today so wanted to see him before that. Had been feeling fine, and insisted to parents that was better off going home now in case of snow alone. But then halfway home had some horrible cramping pains that were really constant.

Got home to DH, decided to take a bath, but then lay down in bed and pains subsided after about another hour. Had crampy feeling most of yest, and some BH, lots of nausea and general tiredness; very similar to the early pg experiance.

Am just taking it so easy now! No more of this madness!

WLL dont know if its normal practice, I didnt have any swabs done with DD but at 26 weeks this PG I had some bleeding and was admitted to hospital - and had swabs taken then

Hello everyone,
sympathies to everyone feeling crap. This fag-end of pregnancy really is quite tiresome isn't it? But then the sleep-deprived-frazzled-fanjo postnatal 6 weeks is no walk in the park either so I suppose I should be grateful for the chill out/hibernating time.

However I am SO BORED. Have done everything I need to do, the freezer is full to bursting, and now can't settle into relaxing.

Was meant to be having lunch with dad but he has cancelled. Daytime TV is shite. Can't sleep because Thames Water are outside the flat with a pneumatic drill. It's bloody freezing so walking round the park with the wind ripping my face to ribbons does not appeal. Going to the shops involves spending money. I feel like having a cup of tea and a cake with a mate but everyone is at work.

harrumph.

Miffster I could have written your post! I was just coming on here to have a moan. It's too cold to go for a walk, if I go into town I just spend money, the house is tidy and the freezer full...and the baby feels like it is doing breaststroke in there so sleeping is out of the question, even though I was up at 5. Sigh. I should be enjoying this as it is my treat day - DD at childminder till later on this afternoon - but so hard to relax. Just feel like I am in limbo!

shall I have the sweep tomorrow? Im nervous, not had one before

Afternoon all - still getting used to this maternity leave malarky. Did the ironing this morning and cleaned bathroom and upstairs loo while DH did lounge, washing and kitchen. Little afternoon snooze this afternoon and just waiting for DD to get home from school. She's been a real madam recently I think because of new school, really cheeky and disobedient so she is on a warning of toy removal if her behaviour doesn't improve - fingers crossed I get my real child back today

Glad everyone is reasonably ok - this final stretch seems to be taking forever and I am with those of you suffering. Can't get comfy or sleep properly, lots of false starts which are really uncomfortable. Will be glad when baby arrives.

Jobob - thank you for sharing your story with us, I am so sorry for your previous loss, it must have been devastating, you are very brave to be so strong about it - I am glad you now have Micheal safe in the world.

OWO I have talked to DH about a sweep as well

OWO I had one last time - it's uncomfortable but not painful. Not sure if it worked for me (did go into labour later that week), but given that you've had stuff going on, it might be the nudge your body needs?

Just back from mw, baby is OP so now need to try to do something about that - why is nothing straightforward???

Beginning to wonder how I'll get everything done before I finish work - only in 2 more days this week and 3 days next.

Hoping for a bit of snow tonight - DD's already accused the weathermen of lying

OWO I would go for it, I've had before and they don't hurt. Uncomfortable yes but if you relax it hurts less, did the trick for me too. It hurts a lot less than labour anyway :o

Oh, also, not sure about whether to hire a tens machine or not? I did last time, but all the pain I had was round the front of my bump on the left hand side and my understanding is that the tens machine works better for back pain so I'm not convinced that the tens machine actually helped. However, if LO stays OP, I might have quite a lot of back pain - any thoughts?

MW just turned up and did my check, no sweep for me then!!

maxpower just hire it... you know you should, I didnt have back pain in labour last time but used the tens from first few twinges through to delivery - helped me cope big time

max I hated tens and after I used it with my first I was left with tingling up and down my spine for about a year afterwards! Was horrible and I don't think it did anything. My last baby was op and I didn't get much back pain although it was a lot more painful than my others but it was also faster and more intense. I had no buildup at all, just suddenly contractions one on top of the other, no rest between at all but it was fast...

japh was going to say to you before, don't worry overly about contractions not being as they "should" be, every labour is different and some women never get the "typical" contractions. I didn't get the buildup at all and they did last longer very quickly. Just so you don't think it isn't really happening for you because you're not fitting what "should" happen and leave it to late to get in! Listen to your body more than anything else I'd say, everyone can tell you something different but only you know how it feels to you. :)

thanks OWO DH said it's sod's law that if I don't hire one I'll want one.

C&G don't tell me that! Once they started the drip last time my contractions were on top of each other, no build up etc and that was horrific. I'm just about coping with the concept of a 'normal' labour without the prospect of it being manically fast and with the intensity of the contractions like last time! I didn't have any lasting problems from the tens machine though.

Mind you, as I'm still waiting for my replacement card, I can't actually order one yet anyway

max when I say fast mine was 25 mins in first stage and then 45 mins of pushing so, on balance, I think I'd rather than that a 24 hour labour though! At least it's over and done with fast even though it's very intense and painful. I only had a couple of mins of gas and air as well while they were trying to put a clip onto ds2's head, that was more painful than the contractions! He was getting distressed and they tried about 5 times but couldn't get it on, then no more g&a. They think it may have been the speed which stressed him, I think it was the sweep they gave me when I got in that I didn't consent to and didn't want. My waters had already gone and she said aferwards she gave me a "good sweep" to get things going considering I labour really fast I didn't need that (I thought she was checking for dilation as I did consent that) and right away his heartrate started dipping on the ctg (I was wired up to one). If you got on well with the tens last time though then there's no reason why anything should be different this time :)

C&G that's my problem, while the tens machine didn't bother me, everything got really intense (due to the drip) and in the midst of it all, I don't know if it actually helped in anyway. If I'd had a gradual build up I'd probably have a better idea of whether I found it helpful or not. I think I probably will hire one so I've got the option.

japh I have been having acupuncture for 18 months, initially as I was still struggling to get pregnant again a year after our loss and was still suffering hugely heavy periods. The woman I use comes highly recommended for fertility problems and once I did get pregnant she could do anti-miscarriage points and so on, targeting different areas throughout the pregnancy. She also gives very good advice so its as much a therapy session and gave me much needed continuity of care (we don't have community midwives here).

I did have induction based acupuncture the day before, it can only help if your body is ready to go into labour. They struggled to get my labour to progress so I would say my body really wasn't ready. If you have not had the best of experiences in the past I don't think it would be the right time to try someone new, you can get reflexology I think for much the same thing maybe your masseur could recommend someone or might do it themselves? Good luck! Exciting and nerve wracking all at once, isn't it

OWO I'm getting my sweep tomorrow afternoon, Im dreading it but thinking it's for the greater good!I'll let you know how it is lol!

Hope everyone is fairing well in the last sprint till D Days!

good luck for tomorrow lauren it won't be as bad as you think!

oooh forgot to say, we think toys r us have tracked down some replacement parts for our cot bed - fingers crossed!

Quick Question. The midwife told me last week that the baby was 2/5th engaged. However I can feel a hard lump on both sides of my bump! Is it possible for a baby to move back out and up and lie transverse after starting to engage or is this more likely to be bum and feet?

max sounds like a good idea, if you need it at least you'll have the option then.

DF Yes baby can indeed move out of being engaged. Two hard lumps either side sounds like transverse to me.