Feb 2011 - The turkeys are getting fat...so are we!!!

[WanderingSheep]

Hello all, I've been absent again for ages - it was so much easier to keep up with everything when I was signed off work
I've moved my mat leave dates forward, so only another 3 and a bit weeks to go before I can mumsnet in peace all day if I wish!

I too have been having loads of BH - my belly goes rock hard and sort of takes my breath away, sometimes they last up to 30 seconds. They don't tend to hurt though, and I clearly remember that labour did, and felt like strong period pains when it was starting.

I started taking an iron supplement a few days ago and what a difference - I feel like my old self again a lot of the time and have actually managed 2 full days at work this week. Having a bit of a nightmare in the poo department - I thought I was constipated before but this is a whole new world....and have terrible piles too :(

Re the Xmas pressies, I've been dropping lots of hints to DH. He is fairly useless and will never live down the year that he left it so late that the only shop that was open was a sports shop and I ended up with a gym bag and a badminton racket....quite hilarious if you know me and my lack of sportiness. Needless to say I don't think I ever used the racket, but the comedy value in the tale was certainly an added bonus!

That's funny flowers [hgrin]

sorry,

I'm also trying to think of a seasonal name (as very impressed by all of yours!)but everything that I think of sounds wrong...any suggestions anyone?

hello sbf, sorry about the piles, ouch!!! just concentrate on your leaving date.... not long now! i'm trying to think of a seasonal name too but rubbish at that sort of thing. is something like smallpoinsettia a bit poncey?

i might try needtoweep the way my hormones are but that's not very festive! any suggetions welcome

I'm also getting BH, have been for a few weeks now, bump goes rock solid and takes my breath away, doesn't really hurt but is quite uncomfortable. Still, on the plus side, I have now finished work!!! I have 4 weeks leave to take so I am now on leave and then starting Mat Leave from 3rd Jan. Had lunch with girls from two of the offices today, got some lovely pressies.

Hope those of you with snow are not struggling too much, I have none here!

Im so jelous of you all going on maternity leave early! I dont finish up until 2 wks before my due date (4th feb)! I am a self employed childminder though and only have after school children at the minute so my working day is very short and easy!

Talking about pressies frome the OH, for my birthday one year i got an electric blanket, aqautic frogs and a balloon modelling kit all very random! Now i drop lots of hints or just tell him outright what i would like!

Sorry to hear about the piles sbf must be painful.

Dont think i have had any BH yet, although i have started leaking milk from my left boob

Hello everyone, it's byron - back from holiday and glad to be in +20 degrees again (sorry sorry if it's any consolation I'm a bit about all the snow...)
Madrid was great, but if i'm honest a bit of a party city for me (at 6 months) or maybe that was just the people we stayed with. Lots of late nights and smokey bars.... But we did lots of walking, shopping, eating and 'oooh'ing at the lovely parks and boulevards.
Hope everyone is coping with the snow - if in doubt, hot chocolate, and you are never too old for an amusing snow sculpture!
I don't think I've had any BHs, only a stitch-like pain if I walk fast and get out of breath, or if I have a full bladder when I pee! Am awaiting boob-leakage.
As I've only just started thinking about c'mas, I have no idea. Luckily my sister is getting all organised and I think she feels sorry/pity for me being so huge and not able to go shopping... (successful brainwashing) so she's organised lovely things for the GPs and elderly aunts that I can just go in on [relieved emoticon]
Have a lovely day all

janedoe - if it makes you feel better, I have the same due date and am planning to work through the end of January. I have a relaxed desk job though so not overly difficult.

I have stopped so early for a few reasons, firstly was told to expect to go into labour any time from 34/35 weeks and the main one is my job, I spend a week at each location and have to drive everywhere - North Yorkshire, Ipswich, Belfast, Germany - I live in Hampshire! I'm in agony if I'm in the car for much more than half hour and my closest drive is 3 hours away. I was originally planning on staying at work as long as possible but when I realised how much holiday I had to take I just though oh sod it!

I know I will be very bored very soon though!

Oh, and having said last night that I didn't have any snow, well, it snowed last night and settled so we now have about 4 inches, so still not a lot compared to rest of the country! I want to build an igloo but just don't have the energy!

I was also going to ask what people are asking for for xmas, I really have no idea what I want, I put baby stuff on my list and was told that they want to get things for me! I don't need anything for me!

jackfrost - I don't blame you for stopping work so early, if I was in your shoes I would do the same. I'm only toughing it out because I'm intending to be on leave until Jan 2012 so it minimises the unpaid time.

I am definitely asking for something just for me for Christmas but I'm not sure what yet. DH says he wants a juicer - after he complained about the number of kitchen gadgets we already have . Apparently it's only the bits I use that are in the way.

I'm only stopping so early because I have/will have loads of annual leave to take (we have flexible benefits and I opt to be paid slightly less but to get 7 weeks' holiday a year). So I can finish work at the end of next week and start my actual ML at 39 weeks in mid-February.

But I am very glad it's worked out that way...

I'm stopping early cos I work freelance and no-one will give me work in Jan in case the baby arrives early!! Will stop around Christmas and plan to be v bored (and skint!).

I have found already, having been off for 2 days that I am internet shopping lots! Just having to stop myself from hitting the confirm button because I know we don't really have the money for it all! Oh, that and I know im only buying it because I'm bored!!!

I have been off sick since the beginning of November and am off sick until 22nd when I start my annual leave until mid-Jan when "official" mat leave starts.

I am already bored but then I'd probably be bored at work as well!

Hi girls. Yes tis boring at home tbh.Especially whne yo arent in great shape and so cannot get much done.Thank god i have 3 friends who are either sahm or on mat leave.
Just went for my 30 wk check.Am measuring 33 but thats much the same as before. She said the head has gone down quite abit which explains why i managed to walk dd all the ay to school today and back with not too much breathlessness.The spd isnt as bad either mw sad that could aslo be from the change in position.
Is anyone having trouble with getting boots on?Cant wear shoes in artic conditions but am finding pulling uggs onto already fat legs is so difficult with the bump.I actually burst into tears this am as i just couldnt get them on.This prompted a trip to Evans who do nice big boots.I got some really nice ones with a zip all the way down so i can slip my foot in and pull the zip up.They are a bit baggy on my legs but oh the comfort!I feel like i have a new lease of life :)

That's good to hear ledkr - your little one must have realised how uncomfortable you were. My spd hasn't been as bad recently either, I've been able to roll over in bed without whimpering for the last couple of nights - hurrah!

I can't wait until I leave work - I'm literally counting down the hours! I had some holiday saved up too, so will be off from mid December, and starting ML at the beginning of Jan. Only for 6 months, but I'm hearing of people who are taking far less, so don't feel too hard done by. How we'll survive with no money is another question...

jackfrost excuse me for being so nosey but your job sounds very glamourous, what do you do? glad you're not going to get stuck somewhere though, hope your lo doesn't come too early!

woo hoo for everyone starting mat leave soon! I've left my job permanently now so will be a fulltime mumsnetter sahm which I'm looking forward to even though we'll be really poor.

ledkr good news on the breathing, can you feel the difference in position? my solution to the boots problem is not to go out

americanexpat if your DH is anything like mine then he'll use the juicer for a few weeks then it'll stay at the back of a cupboard taking up space

I've been measuring my FH, with help from OH, and I'm now 33cms. I know (from reading other posts on here) that it's not definitive though!

need to sleep.Mine is 33 at 30+ wks its not that important unless is massively bigger or you have gd,i know mine is just from fluid as i aways have that with the other pgs.I am just massive and feel like evryone is looking at me.
talulah i have found that the pillow between the knees makes things worse,i am just sleeping normally now and have de caf tea in the evenings so pee less.The belt has helped loads. Blimey,walking,sleeping and breathing! I am spoilt,i wont know myself

Long post ahead warning

Byron I would have hated being in Spain at the mo, hate those smoky bars!

Yes Xmas pressie really nice, it's a beginners course, so you make either a mirror, a box or a shelvy thing.

Now, just got an email from my aunt who lives in Spain and has lots of friends having babies at the mo and in the recent past. I told my family recently about wanting a HB. She's written all these horror stories, basically each one of her friends ended up needing immediate medical attention, whithout which they or baby would have died. She's told me not to play with the future of my baby, that i could make him terribly disabled or kill him by having him at home.
This is obviously something I have thought about, but have been reassured by research and litterature. But I do not want to endanger the baby in any way, that's why I'm not cycling anymore.
She's also brought up the issue of her and my mother's cesareans (for all of us, no natural births in my immediate family since 1950) saying that I have narrow hips, etc.
I grew up thinking that there was just something wrong with women in my family, but after reading lots and lots and listening to their stories I've come to the conclusion that they just went to hospital too soon and sufered too many interventions (not helped by a knife-happy culture in southamerica, where some contries have 80% c-section rates!!!).
To end, I am just very upset by her email, and don't know what to do, and the only thing I can do right now is cry.
Feel free to ignore this post, I will post again in the childbirth forum, where it'd be perhaps more appropriate.
Appologies for long self-centered post.

I can think of one woman in my due date group from when I was pregnant with DS whose DD ended up profoundly disabled because (in part) she was having a hospital birth. They were just so short-staffed that no one noticed how distressed the baby was getting and they left her in labour for ages and ages and by the time her DD was born the baby had suffered massive brain damage. Had she been at home she'd have had a dedicated midwife (two for the later stages) who would have noticed the problem and had her transferred to hospital as a priority case for an emergency c-section.

That's not to panic anyone who is having a hospital birth these things are rare wherever you have the baby but you can't just say "ah, this terrible thing happened at a home birth that wouldn't have happened in hospital", or rather you can, but you have to acknowledge the other side of the coin of terrible things that happened at a hospital birth that wouldn't have happened at home.

If I were lower risk I would definitely be going for a home birth. In fact I could see me ending up with an unplanned home birth if this one comes much quicker than DD did.

How nasty of your aunt to say that, I am on your behalf. It drives me nuts when people tell pregnant women birth horror stories. It would be different if she had given you links to actual evidence and medical studies but all she's done is give you a list of horror stories. I'm sure you've seen it written on MN before but I'll say it again, the plural of anecdote is not data.

If you are thinking about a homebirth then I would have a read of some different stats and talk it over with your MW. There is a list of different studies here but you can also google if you have the time. Make sure you check the source though!

How blood stupid of your aunt,wtf has it to do with her anyway.My friend had all her 5 daughters at home and all were fine the youngest one was difficult to get out as she was huge and so they went to hospital and then back home afterwards.
I dont know if i ever told you this but when i was going thru breast cancer at aged 26 i hasten to add,a very large number of people told me horror stories about people they knew who had died from it in quite graphic detail.I learnt then how bloody insenstive people can be and to take no notice.

prof same story with a neighbour, her mw ignored the lack of eyes (!!!) and irregular breathing for an hour! But that was in a ver very busy hospital.

ear deff. full of just anecdotal evidence, and I don't know enough about the Spanish health system to see how that might be something that plays a part in all of this. Thank you for the link, I have been looking at that page and read lots as well.

ledkr I had never thought of it like that, you (one) thinks they are telling you something specificly related to you, but perhaps we just like to tell stories, and if they are horrific even better!

It just upset me very much but you are right in saying that it's near to impossible to say what would happen in one case or another. I guess childbirth is the dangerous thing in itself, and I am trying to go through it as informedly and prepared as possible, not forgetting it is dangerous but also something that happens, has happened and will continue to happen all the time to most women. If only it could be like my dear cat! a mew sqeak and out each one of the six kittens came!

(btw, that reminded me of angels presents, how funny! definetly not surprises!)

Needtosleep - My job is really not very glam at all! I teach soldiers, not anything all that interesting either! But I do cover a really big geographical area, so going back to work when girls are here is going to be interesting as I can't cover the same area, so not entirely sure what is going to happen there, but i'm planning on returning in September.

Knitta - Not a nice thing for your aunt to have sent you, i'm sure she didn't mean to upset you though. I don't know a great deal about the Spanish health system but I imagine they are very hospital based and don't offer the level of support you get for HB in the UK. As someone else has already said, you will have a dedicated MW or 2 with you, they have oxygen and all the kit needed for a normal delivery and IF anything looks a bit suspect i'm sure they will have you on your way to hospital in ambulance VERY quickly. If a HB is what you want, go for it!

I have been told a few horror stories about normal birth for Id twins, second is apparently at a much greater risk of things like Cerebral Paulsy due to lack of oxygen if placenta separates, but you know what, I was number 2 identical twin and I turned out ok!

Just don't be put off or panicked into doing something you are not happy with!