DEC 2010 the final countdown ~ merry christmas ladies, hello babies ~

[OnlyWantsOne]

Hi :)

40 + 2 here

Good luck tomorrow slightly

Is anyone else worried about accidentally pooing when in labour or is it only me that's that vacuous?!

Happy Due Date fellow 12th of December MNs I don't think my LO is going to be punctual, which means this baby takes after it's daddy [hmmm]

lauren I think pooing in labour is pretty much guaranteed, apparently you really don't care at the time and the MWs deal with it very swiftly. I want a water birth which means someone will be catching my poo in a small net - DH isn't keen :)

Good Luck slightly

Hi Button I hope all your preparation means a swift delivery for you, apart from a few achey period type pains I have had no preparation whatsoever, I need to go and wake DH and instigate a brisk walk in the fog. A friend of mine swears by going for a 'bouncy' walk to move things on, I'm not sure I can face anything bouncy!

I am feeling really un-pregnant . I mean, I expected to feel a whole lot worse by this stage and thought I would be wanting the baby out but I woke up this morning and for a few minutes kind of forgot I was even pregnant at all. Have had a glass of ice cold water and the baby has moved but I think he/she is so lacking in space now that I am only getting rolls and swooshes rather than the full on movements I had a few weeks ago - surely it must want to come out soon?

I recon I am going to be waiting a while as I am not feeling the discomfort other people seem to have.

Might go for a bouncy walk too and see what happens

LO showing no signs of action. I have taken the phone off the hook and switched my mobile to silent. I will let DH take the calls today and see how he likes it, he thought it sweet that everyone is taking an interest .

I'm finishing wrapping presents while listening to festive songs. Definatley missing the mulled cider.

The sun is shining and the day looks gorgeous so looking forward to a little walk this afternoon with DH.

Thanks Kitty, and happy due date to you too!

This 'labour - the extended version' is carrying on its saga for me. Had some more (painful now) contractions bang on 12 am this morning, and thought wow, military baby, knows its EDD! Had a 2 hour bath from 1am, at three had a lay down in bed and fell asleep. Only woke up at 9am with cramping - you know the 'uh oh, i'm coming on' feeling.

Just writing this post though painful contractions are starting again... if I don't laugh at this i'll cry (again)!

I might ring MLU because i'm also pretty sure had a teeny tiny bit of waters leak last night. Def wasn't wee, clearish, about a teaspoon or so.

Lauren i'm a little worried in case a poo isn't solid! would just be horrid in water! ...thats basically what's putting me off trying curry anyway!

Well fellow due date MNs no labour here either - had a really restless night with Braxton Hicks and baby feels like moved down a bit but that's it. Apparently DP has "plans" for tonight to get things going...hmmm. Seeing reflexologist tomorrow as well, that usually sets off BH's if nothing else. Kids have lots of activities planned for today and we are putting up Xmas decs so I will probably not be in the frame of mind for labour. My Gran has always sworn by a bus ride over a cobbled street so there is maybe something in the bouncy walk theory... see if I can fit one in too.

I am not worried about pooing or anything else in labour - you hang you dignity up at the door, as they say, and its the last thing you think about. What is nice ( they did this with my 1st 2 which were not water births) is if they pour warm water over your bits at the pushing stage- it is very soothing and you do feel everything is clean.

UPDATE - MESSAGES FROM MUMMY

Baby Jasmine is now 3 days old and is a placid little soul.

Her Granddad thinks Jasmine looks just like her Mum did at that age.

Never in the course of human history has so much chocolate been eaten by one person so quickly.

Three cheers for "Granny Pants", Maternity Pads and owning your own pillow!

From Jasmine's very proud Dad

PS - Mum was very brave, no screams at all during labour but she used some words I didn't know she knew!

Thanks for the update Mr Pitterpatter and glad everything is going well. Congratulations again! I love the name Jasmine too.

Happy due date to franken kitty button and df - hope (other than DF if you still want to be late!) that the babies start showing up for you all soon. :)

Button might be good idea to phone MLU just in case. I bet things are imminent.

slightly good luck for the induction today. Hope you are soon snuggling with your baby.

lauren I didn't actually poo with DD but had had a good old clear out in early labour, so it isn't guaranteed. I really wouldn't have known had I done it though. I am a bit concerned too I might go in the pool and it might not be solid, yuck. I think it can still be sieved out. I am putting DH on sieve duty after last night.

DH went out on his works do last night. He had a lift arranged, but decided in his wisdom to stay a bit longer, couldn't get a taxi and ended up getting in at 5.00 this morning I am not impressed at all. He is now knackered and hungover and currently in bed whilst DD naps.

I don't know how but the house has got really messy again, there is a shedload of washing to get through and we've run out of loads of different food bits all at once. Am now hoping the baby stays put for a couple of days so I can calm down and get things sorted.

Oh no lottalove that sounds like no fun :-( I've just got back from food shopping and the shop was a NIGHTMARE, full of dothery elderly people and stressed out shoppers bulk buying for Christmas!

Lol at Putting DH on seive duty

Whilst I am only 38 weeks today, I feel for everyone who is fed up with being asked. DD was 2 weeks over due, and I hated it.

My cold is (hopefully) on the mend. I'm still pretty miserable but I think the worst is over. Fingers crossed I will be through coughing by Thursday.

Thanks for the recipe, but I think if I had boiling milk over a raw egg I'd also be sick to my stomach. I've read up a bit and apparently breast milk should give the antibodies required for baby to not get the cold. Hope my milk comes in before he gets sick. Poor guy.

Happy EDD fellow 12th Decemberers! Absolutely no signs of movement still here but getting lots and lots of anticipatory texts, calls etc. It is sweet but definitely a little annoying too.

Feeling very smug about staying in bed until the afternoon today. Looking forward to roast beef for an early dinner and then going to see Harry Potter

mmmm... roast beef sounds good.

we had roast shoulder of lamb and it was sooooo good. I lazed around, listened to christmas music, read another book, went for a little walk. DH has rescued some DVD's that were on the top shelf [that's where he keeps my girly DVD's in case his mates laugh] that I wanted to watch last week, so at least I can hopefully have some good viewing this week. Don't really want to start another crochet project in case I don't finish it.

He put himself firmly back in the doghouse by bringing home another rusting relic, another landrover series one that he couldn't resist, so can no longer get in the garage to A: access the freezer and all it's homecooked goodness and B: access the washing machine, so after his whinge about me not keeping up with the washing [which was actually due to having no space to dry things] I had a little huge tantrum and he's re-organised the garage and drive so that I can at least get to the washing machine, but not easily, I've got to lean around things with a huge bump.

Well done to you pitter patter and mr pitterpatter!

WLL think that sieve duty would def be fair and square for DH after that!

Glad you're feeling a bit better strix

GGG and Kellestar am also of roasts. I just couldn't face the washing up at the moment.. Dh can never get the grease off properly!

Well phoned into MLU earlier, they got me to go in again to do monitoring and a swab. Had F.O. funnel put up my fanj, that was delightful, obviously. Waters had not broken, just a lot of v watery discharge. Cervix isn't at all ready either, so still have a long way to go apparently.
Have had a lot of cx all day again, hosp gave me some codeine before i went home which has made me feel quite nice Theyve told me to rest, no bouncy walk or stairs. Am so happy that hospital is only a five min drive anyway!

Well DH has redeemed himself somewhat by taking DD to the heaving supermarket this afternoon and stocking up on everything. I seem to be getting obsessed with having fully stocked cupboards and also having the house nice and clean. Bit of an impossibility as the cat keeps running mud everywhere - the last time approx five minutes after I dragged the hoover round. It is so ridiculous, but I was furious. Did try to do some natal hypnotherapy to wind down earlier, but I am just in a total grump today.

button sorry things still not moving for you. Hope you can get some rest and I am sure everything will get going soon.

kelle sounds like a nice afternoon, but shame about your DH blocking off your garage. I don't think they realise how tricky it is to negotiate the bump round things at this stage.

GGG hope you enjoyed your roast. Just had toad in the hole and I ate too much! Will probably not stop me from scarfing a load of choc later.

strix glad your cold is on the mend now.

Think I might do some christmas wrapping later on.

All this talk of food, I've got stew and dumplings in the oven, should be ready soon, I'm so hungry!
I've had poor dd ill today, shes running a fever and snuffly and achey, hope shes better soon, I hate it when shes ill. She was crying because it meant she missed riding with her cousin this morning and her friends party this afternoon, so we got out the glitter and decorated pine cones and stars etc which cheered her up and left me with lots of hoovering!
Hope slightly has had her baby by now, will be nice to here of some more babies arriving on our advent thread!
Sods law says mine turns up on Christmas day though-so ironic that I've spent most of my pg worrying about ds being premature, and now I'm 38wks I reckon he'll probably be late, better late than early though!

Hi all, feel like poo . Think it's sinusitus, used to get it regularly after I had my tonsils out, so I think this bug thing hit ds2 & dp's tonsils and as it can't do mine it's hit my sinuses.

Baby is back in the right position after its post sweep party. Feel really sick too today.

crazykat glad the leak was sorted so quickly.

Sympathy to everyone who is late but not feeling like anything is going to be happening soon. I'm 39 weeks today but really know what you mean df about feeling un-pregnant, I think I feel more well than I did a week or two ago but that might be because I'm not heaving boxes around anymore.

Hope it is going well slightly.

Hope everything is going well for miffster looking forward to hearing about another lovely snuggly newborn!

strix glad to hear the cold is improving, hope the cough goes by Thursday!

Is anyone else who's planning a home/mlu birth really worried about needing a hospital birth?

I've been worried about needing an induction the whole way through tbh, but now it's getting closer I'm realising it's giving birth in the hospital with hospital midwives that is scaring the pants off me. I want the baby born before Christmas and don't want to run the risk of being in over Christmas (worried that an induction will be painful,long & end up in cs) so I'm going to need inducing before I'd like to, but the biggest concern is definitely the midwives at the hospital. Ime hospital mw's are clueless (1 who couldn't even find the baby let alone heartbeat, guessed that it was breech and back to the right - I could feel it was head down with back to left. This was at over 30 weeks so not exactly small at that stage). That's just one example. I don't want to be tied to the bed and ignored and made to feel stupid and like my wishes aren't for consideration.

I'm too stressed about a possible hospital birth that this baby won't come naturally because I can't relax enough, and because I can't relax I'm worrying that baby won't come naturally therefore will need to go to hospital, so then getting stressed at that. It goes on.

All I've done is moan since March, I need to calm down and chill out!

Morning all

Congratulations to Pitterpatter and Mamathulu and wow at MrsSnaplegs birth story. Wishing everyone else as speedy a labour!

Miffster hope you are getting on ok and we'll hear soon you've had your baby at home and all is well.

Cheryl I know what you mean about the hospital. I'm really not keen to deliver there either - the delivery rooms are so like operating theatres with horrible strip lights - but with your past history you're probably likely to have everything to go well and naturally. I'm going to the MLU and would hate to transfer, but am aware that I need to be prepared for that to happen.

Well, I'm 38+4 today and thought things might be kicking off this weekend.

After a knackering day out in central London on Saturday, which was fun, but in retrospect a bit too much at nearly full term, we got back home and went out again to a birthday party. Lots of drunk people eyeing up my bump and asking boring, repetitive questions about when it's due, etc, what bad timing it is with Xmas, etc, ha, ha, ha (can you tell I didn't really enjoy it?)

When we got home later I had two painful contractions about 10 minutes apart. I had enormous pressure down low in my bits, almost like the waters were bulging down and convinced myself labour was starting.

I got a bit tearful, probably because I was just exhausted at that point, and DH was wonderful, put us both to bed and I slept right through with no further twinges.

Woke up yesterday feeling impatient for the baby and had strong BHs all day long about every 20 mins or so, with three really painful ones in the evening that had me doubled over and breathing heavily.

Again, nothing in the night, I slept fine, and I've not had a show or any leaking waters. I need to be patient as it'll probably stop completely now and I'll go overdue!

I am going to try and make the most of this week, making food for the freezer and going for walks to keep him in a good position.

I'm seeing the midwife today. Would it be wierd to ask her to check my cervix to see if it is slowly dilating? I guess with no show it might be a bit odd.

How are you all feeling today ladies?

SorryFor everyone feeling under the weather. I've had 2 nights of very little sleep as the twins are nocturnal so cute though, lets hope it gets netter.

ThinkingOf you all

Morning everyone

Sorry to those worried and in pain :(

40+12 today and I need to ring at 3 to get my time for induction!it's all a bit real now!going to spend today having a bit of a pamper day seeing as it might be a while before I get the chance to again!

Morning all. I'm hoping we have lift off here. Having ctx since 3 this morning, irregular but definite cotx and getting stronger and a bit painful now. Also a lot of back pain. Spoken to community midwives to let them know and just trying to keep relaxed and active and see what happens. I really, really hope this is it today.

CAT yes, IKWYM, I feel the same way, especially since going up there for scan and realising how much I hate hospitals. Trying to keep in frame of mind I will labour at home as long as possible and hopefully deliver at home too, but if I don't that's ok too. I am glad I have a doula to back me up whatever happens.

chloe hope you don't have much longer to wait.

lavita sorry for no sleep - it will get better, early days yet, although I imagine it must be harder with twins.

Morning everyone. Baby Kira was born at 1:58 this morning weighing 8lb 9oz. She's absolutely perfect and well worth the wait

Hiya folks, still no action here either. Not unexpected, my earliest baby was 40 +13!

Cheryl I understand your anxieties about hospitals, perhaps better than most, and that has been a major reason behind me choosing home births. However, having now experienced both, I would say it is more about the quality of care and support you receive, and the unknown factors surrounding the birth iself. Eg, you could have a home birth midwife who is a "strap you to the bed" type.Or you could find your body finds birth a skoosh and your environment does not matter.

I also am the most "go with your instincts" type of person but in this case I would say, do not go in early. Do not wait to be told " we will book you in for...". If you decide to be induced (and you do not have to), be the one to tell them when you are coming in. It is unfair that Christmas is imposing an extra anxiety on your birth - forget Christmas this year if you have to! My friends boy was born in hospital on Xmas day and she had a fab time- all the staff were dressed up and she looks back happily - she got the best gift after all!

Then make sure you have faith in your birth partner(s) to stand up for your wishes at every turn, and have your birth plan all talked through. When you go into labour you can then relax and go into yourself. Take familiar things from home you can focus on, a pillow, blanket or other comforter is good.If you are anxious, somewhere you can "hide" is good, under the blanket , in a bathroom, in a birth pool, and try to get low lighting and minimal people in the room.

FWIW although I was induced with my first, and it felt horrendous at the time, I coped better than I thought, there was no epidural or Emcs and my joy at his birth was worth a lot worse than I got. Unless the situation calls for a crash section, there is no reason that each and every procedure cannot be discussed with you before being carried out, and you be allowed space to think it through with your birth partner.

Also try every day to do something to mentally switch off your anxieties, natal hypnotherapy, massage, walking outdoors, soaking in the birth pool just for the fun of it!

I have booked a home birth but being realistic, the adverse weather means they may not send out midwives so I am facing up to hospital birth here too.