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

[OnlyWantsOne]

Hi :)

40 + 2 here

Glad they saw you and its good that some of your waters have gone, sorry your MIL is being such a pain though. I hope your contractions settle down and we see a birth announcement from you soon!
Good Luck!

kellestar sounds like you got the reception I expected but at least you know where you are now. Seriously, I wonder why some mw's go into the profession....

DD is at home as she's poorly, but I've decided I'm not missing my lunch date with a friend so I'm leaving DD with DH. She must be poorly as I told her if she stayed at home she had to rest not be playing games all day and true to her word, she's not moved off the sofa.

Just a quick note to say that Malcolm Stephen arrived under the Christmas tree (literally) this morning. 6lb 6oz and a hungry wee man. All safely snuggled up in bed right now.

Congratulations on the new arrivals! Kellestar i've never heard of hind and fore waters! Good luck for today!

Laziness I'm the same date as you I think - due on the 22nd - and next mw appointment is 40 weeks. I'd love to deliver before Christmas but if not I asked about being induced and mw said they don't do it til 40+9 which is New Years Eve .

Wouldn't it be nice to just know the day I'm off to resume my squatting position - mw said it will help.

93pjb Congratulations, my late grandad was called Malcolm, he was amazing, I bet your little one is too x

congratulations 93pjb, can't wait for the birth story

kellestar on your behalf RE the midwives and MIL. Enjoy the time with DH and I hope you have your baby soon :)

Congratulations 93pjb

Kelle, just what you need eh, mw's who don't want to be inconvenienced by someone having a baby . for you and at your MIL making an announcement to the world.

We have finally decided on our dd's name - Caitlin Cheryl.

Malcolm is snuggled up with daddy so a chance for a quick update.

Kellestar that sounds thoroughly unprofessional on mw's part... Hope they get their act together.

Love the name CAT!

Briefly my story is that I got the kids' room a bit more organized yesterday morning and got the cot sorted out and started contracting as soon as that was done mid afternoon. 20 mins apart by dinner time then after DD was settled in bed immediately jumped to 5mins apart but no show and no waters. Midwives came and checked, contractions were getting stronger so they said they thought they'd be back that night.

As soon as they left it all ramped up a lot so sister came over to look after dd and then called midwives back. They got here around 1am and Malcolm arrived at 4.45am. Longest 3 and 3/4 hours of my life! I really wasn't sure I could cope but couldn't get enough respite to do anything else so just stuck with tens and breathing in the front room by the light of the Christmas tree. Natal hypnotherapy's relaxing birth music was tolerated for about 20 seconds so we had the radio on playing carols.

Malcolm was delivered in his caul so waters didn't break at all and he is not in the slightest bit bruised but can't help thinking I'd have had an easier time if I hadn't had to push his cushion out too! DH was amazing, midwives were lovely and one of my new ikea dining chairs was very well tested.

Grazing and a first degree tear but no stitches and I've survived the first pee!

He seems to be feeding okay but a bit sicky and possibly slightly too sleepy this afternoon so will need to keep an eye on that this evening as DD got very jaundiced in the first few days.

Actually, not brief at all!

Good luck Kelle

congrats 93pjb! what a lovely present!

congratulations 93pjb

DD has developed a rash now . Have rung out of hours GP who has reassured me that at 37+6 LO isn't at risk given that it's not chickenpox and my rubella immunisation is up to date. Still, it's not nice for her and on a selfish level, means that 2 of my 5 precious days of peace and quiet before she finishes nursery have gone down the pan.

Congratulations 93pjb, never heard of a baby coming with waters intact before, amazing! Lovely name too, glad you had a good homebirth.
Max my dd is ill too, although thankfully no rash but I don't think she'll be going to school tomorrow. Theres so much of it around at the mo, about 1/3 of her class is off. Hope shes all better for Christmas, and the arrival of her little brother!
Slightly worried about the snow thats on its way here (I'm in Somerset)I'm pretty confident that I'll get to the hospital ok as main rds all the way but my mum is due to be my birthing partner and she lives in a tiny village that easily gets cut off, will just have to keep my fingers crossed as I really want her to be there, as does she. Shes been to all my consultant appts with me and has done lots of research. DH isn't good in hospitals, he'll be around waiting but not in the room.
Still dd will cheer up if we get snow!

Congratulations 93pjb and thanks for sharing your story :)

Hi everyone. I am very happy to report that DS arrived this afternoon by planned section. He is very cute! My cough is still here but not as I bad as I had feared.

Congratulations Strix! Hope your cough isn't too much of a pain with your section, and that you are getting a well deserved rest now!

Haven't managed to catch up with all the sudden burst of baby news- congrats all hope I'll be joining you soon. Midwife thinks I'll still be waiting next week though.

Why does everyone keep suggesting lots of sex? Last thing I want to be doing right now!

Congratulations strix and 93pjb

and best of luck Kellestar

love the name cheryl

Esian and everyone else..thanks for the reassurance..
Like I said before my MW always takes everything lightly..she never mentioned squatting to me..so i hear it from u for the first time..will try it now..thanks :)

I suppose she might talk about a sweep at my 40 week appointment..hopefully..(I'm due on the 23rd)..
good to know someone has a due date closer to mine :)
i have a feeling it's going to be a snow baby for sure

Congratulations Strix :) Does he have a name or are you waiting to see what suits him? Hope you are well.

Frankenfanny I feel the same about sex though DH is probably on a promise for Saturday as I think I am prepared to start making efforts to get the baby out from then.

I am a bit worried about the snow too, they won't grit our road and there's a bit of a hill.

Congratulations to all the babies and new mums this week! So exciting, logging on and finding about another half-dozen new babies!

I am up with insomnia, not contractions. My oedema is horrible now, and feet are very uncomfortable and sweaty in bed, so once I'd woken up I just couldn't get back to sleep. Must go back up and try again in a moment.

DS gave us all a hectic day yesterday when he tripped, carrying too many Thomas trains and caught his chin on a wooden chair, which split. (The chin. The chair is fine.) We had to take him to the local hospital first aid unit because it was gaping a lot, and they superglu'd the cut closed! (not fun, pinning down a screaming toddler. ) An hour later, at home, he came to me whimpering and saying his chin hurt - he'd just picked the scab and glue off! So back we went, for some steri strips this time. Of course, he knew what to expect this time and it was no fun at all. Anyway, he's fine now, we just have to cope with a massive plaster on his chin for 5 days! It's going to get SO manky, isn't it?

DH is finally back from his job interview in Scotland so now I can have the baby!

Hi everyone - haven't really posted since DD was born 4 wks ago but have looked in a bit, congrats on all the babies and well done too to those who are still waiting!

We finally settled on Ellen Lily as a name - she's doing great, had some early weight gain problems and jaundice as a result of probs with my milk and feeding but she's fine now and the BF is much better (to the point where I can post while feeding in the wee small hours, yay!)

I've been obsessively reading threads on feeding which has been a huge help and also got some fab support from an NCT bf counsellor, and a tincture from a herbalist to help increase my milk. We're getting there now though and generally having a baby is brilliant!

She's nodding off now so i'm off back to bed.
Take care all xx

congratulations strix

LittleB hope your DD gets better soon. My DD was much better this morning and was happy to go to nursery so I'm hoping to finish my christmas shopping and make some space for the christmas tree today. Annoyingly though I seem to have got a cough (which is probably a manifestation of whatever DD had).

reshape sorry to hear about your DS, hope he makes a quick recovery. Also, glad your DH is back with you.

DF I'm toying with the concept of sex to try to get things started, as I could really do with this LO turning up early. Problem is DH works shifts and with a 4yo in the house you have to pick your moments if he's working at night Plus by the evening I'm generally so tired and uncomfortable I can't really face anything but sleep. Looking like a beached whale and coughing your head off hardly sets the mood either

Strix great news another little boy for the group! Glad CS went okay, hope your cough clears up as well.

cheryl that's a very lovely name.

PJB congrats if I haven't already said so.

little B ikwym about the snow, expecting 5-10cm tonight, got the landrover all ready, just worried about getting in. Does your mum know the local farmer or neighbour with a 4wd who would be kind enough to get her out if the roads are bad. DH doesn't plan on taking you on the back of his bike? [festivewink]

DF & Max now it's the opposite here, I am well up for sex it's DH that's a little freaked out when LO moves all the way through the occasion.

Contractions again last night, much stronger but 15-25 mins apart, didn't get closer and they faded away towards dawn. Starting to think this will be the pattern.

Ok, so of those of us left, who just knows things are going to kick off today/tomorrow becasue of the snow? I feel like I've had one long contraction going on for about 2 hours this morning. I didn't even feel my contractions starting last time (until they started the drip at which point they became excrutiating!) - this time I've had aches and pains for at least the last 3 weeks. I'm becoming so used to hurting, I feel like I'm not paying attention to whether there's any pattern or coming and going. LO has just started putting loads of pressure through my bottom. Been to the loo about 4 times this morning, but there's nothing there iykwim.

Hi everyone. Just grabbing a few moments to update on my birth story.

Started with contractions on Sunday in the early hours and although they were irregular felt like contractions not BH. Went away again in the day then returned Monday night, got to 5 mins apart by 5 am then I got in the bath and they stopped. Had a show at 1 am and some more through the morning but the contractions kept stopping/starting that day and I was getting a bit frustrated and worried as had asked DH to stay home from work and wasn't sure if this was actually it. I had a lot of backache and pressure in between too.

My doula came over at 3pm and gave me a homeopathic remedy to help dilation and we went for a short walk. Straight away went to 3 contractions in 10 mins and we called the MW. It was my own MW which was fab. I was 50% effaced and 3-4 cm - just starting! DH took DD to dsis.

Over next few hours we got the pool up and filled and I walked, bounced on the ball and used Tens. Had some food and lots of lucozade too. My MW left at 6 to be replaced by a lovely v hands off MW. By 7.30 things were hotting up and I was having to focus on ctx and breathing through using tens and relaxing in between.

Decided to get in pool which felt amazing but ctx stopped! After 20 mins I suggested I got out and straight away they were back, waters went on sofa (on bed mat). Then things hotted up quite a bit. Was just starting to feel I couldn't cope and tens not helping anymore when I realised I was pulling at my hair and probably in transition. Got back into the pool and at that point found it hard going until second Mw arrived with gas and air. Managed to suck down a whole cannister in about ten minutes and realised I felt a bit pushy. Did a couple of massive pushes and William's head was born. I was so surprised to feel him crowning, MW had to get me to pant to slow it down but notes have pushing stage as 2 mins! I apparently roared him out, glad DD wasn't there as I was loud!

We had cuddle in pool for a bit but I got out to deliver the placenta, then snuggles, bath and tucked up in bed. Time of active labour only 2 hours. The water also cushioned his speedy delivery and I had a tiny 1st degree tear which already feels fine.

I would really recommend tens for back pain and also breathing/relaxation through and between contractions. Also in transition when you feel you can't cope it means you are nearly there.

I am so pleased with how everything went, both DH and our doula and the MW were amazing. William is gorgeous. He has been very sleepy and I've had to hand express some colosturm for him but now milk is coming in and he is feeding ok.

Oh meant to add, DD's face when she saw her new baby brother in the moses basket when Dsis brought her back the following morning was absolutely priceless - I will treasure that memory. :)

WLLsounds like you had a great experience. Good to hear about another home birth delivery.

Agree about the snowy conditions - my dad's unable to get near work and it took him 6 1/2 hours to make a 45 minute journey and that's 4wd. A303 in evil condition and severe weather warnings around dorchester/ yeovil way which we are expexting up near north somerset later this afternoon. yikes! So odds on LO will be making a break for it tonight! :) DH isxat wotk in brizzle and it's sunshine and the snows melting, at home it's windy with heavy fluffy snow that just seems to be blown around, like being in a snow globe. Chickens flatly refused to leave their house.

My chickens have gone back to bed too. Feeling a bit coldy so I'm off for a nap