April 2011 - we'll shop til we pop!

[GoldFrakkincenseAndMyrrh]

Continuation from our old thread here

So maybe this thread we'll see some babies?! And definitely lots more shopping

Arch huge hugs. Ditto JKS and ILTMI. I would deffo go further up the chain, what an absolute bitch to make you feel like this. x

Did the Supervisor say stuff too, or just sit there in support of the other MW? Wondering if there's any hope there?

thefurryone I am so with you on the shopping front! I keep looking at things I know I should by, but don't know what to go... panic kicks in, what size, how much, which brand, etc, etc! Almost too much choice & info now.

ecuse I'm expecting 1st & haven't had any braxton hicks.. .I don't think! Not entirely sure what I'm waiting to feel!

Arch What a bitch your MW is talk about bully! If you can change your not going to get anyone worse but if not you'll need your birth partner to be a mafia boss strong and make that cow MW know where she stands IN THE BACKGROUND THERE TO HELP AND THATS IT!!

She's got me annoyed for you, she's obviously in the wrong job, what was she a prison warden in the past!!

BIG SUPPORTIVE HUGS and a slap for her xx

furryone I have everything ready and still keep buying bits, I can't stop I'm addicted to anything to do with babies, news, shopping, radio, tv, magazines even hovering in the baby aisle cooing over nappies, sad really but I'm happy in my baby bubble state

ecuse Braxton hicks.. only felt them this pregnancy nothing for the last two.

Oooh exciting - I just noticed I got my HIP grant got paid into my bank account! I'm due 19th April, if that helps any others still not sure whether they qualify or not (I'm right on borderline - made me 24+4 on the 1st January so technically "in my 25th week of pregnancy" but not quite 25 weeks). Anyway, FWIW if any others due at the same time thought they didn't qualify they may well. My midwife thought I wouldn't, and didn't offer me the form, but I explained the discussions on Mumsnet and she agreed there was no harm in sending the form in to see what happened.

Now to buy £190-worth of fruit and veg

Hello April Ladies,

I?ve been lurking for ages as I found it really hard to keep up with this thread in the beginning. However, I?m now feeling EXTREMELY pregnant and have read the whole thread for a bit of support. Basically, my eyes keep closing of their own accord and I keep crying about everything (news, friend?s horror stories etc etc). Also, as this is my second DC, I am having Braxton Hicks all the time and when I walk I feel like DD2?s head is already halfway out my fanjo!

Architien ? It?s comforting to hear I?m not the only morbid moo looking to settle her affairs just in case she dies in childbirth. What is this, 1811?!

Cyclebump ? Yes, I think I?m feeling a bit like you. We live in a smallish flat, didn?t need a baby monitor with DD1. Someone gave me one afterwards and it has been useful for holidays.

Beetlebaby ? I feel your fury, it is NOT polite to keep reminding a pregnant lady how big she is. With DD1 I got so fed up of the canteen staff shouting about how big I was and asking how many were in there, I made a formal complaint to their manager. Alright, I may have been a bit hormonal

Caramellokoalalover ? I just read that at 30 weeks your baby should now be able to tell artificial light from sunlight . I bet my poor baby can?t, it?s been so long since we?ve had any!

I can?t believe any of you are brave enough to watch OBEM!

ecuse - that is good news.
I've just explained to my MW that I am eligible (EDD 17th) so have filled in form ready to post tomorrow.
Explained to her that you had to be 24+1 on Jan 1st not 25 so she got all excited and said she would look up who else may have missed out that should qualify :)

Baby still transverse, MW bets that it will have turned, one way or the other by next appt in 3 weeks - she wouldn't put money on it though, lol.

Lovely call from midwife just now turns out my blood came back 9.9 so she thinks I've got diabetes.

Hello April ladies - wow we've been busy on here lately, just catching up as back from my 28 week midwife appointment. All seems to be fine though I never seem to have the in-depth conversations that I read about here.

Mind you I'm not going for a home birth so I think they just wait for you to turn up at hospital and see what the deal is! Blood pressure has crept up a bit, apparently, but she said it's not particularly high. Baby is head down so I am baffled as to why all the kicks I am feeling are 'down there' unless he/she flipped around very recently in order to be in the right position at the appointment. Clever baby.

Today's midwife was a lovely woman and told me that she had wine when she was pregnant - unprompted too. I told her I worked in the wine industry but didn't ask if it was ok to have some. And she said she had pate. I liked her.

Salted - I hope the funeral is bearable tomorrow, that's so dreadful. Poor you.

Furry - I haven't a clue what to buy so am with you on that. Today I've taken delivery of a baby gate and a changing mat. I am adding to the pile of random purchases daily. Have decided with clothing not to buy too much as you don't really know size and I certainly don't know sex. I figured I can just buy things online as I go so I have sleepsuits x 7, hats x 2, t-shirt things with poppers x 5, scratch mits x 2(since been told they are rubbish), socks x 3 pairs. I need to get something to put over that lot for coming home from hospital and then I am off to raid SILs stash for extra bits. Didn't get bibs as I thought 'what do you need bibs for?', oh yeah, dribble maybe. Have 12 muslins for that.

Arch - so sorry to hear you are feeling so miserable. I can't offer much advice (see above, not a clue what I'm doing) but no one should be making you feel like that so I hope you get the support you need to have the birth that you are hoping for. She sounds very unhelpful.

I haven't had Braxton Hicks either, first pregnancy too so it's probably that I don't really know what I am looking for. OBEM makes me cry, so I think I might stop watching. It mainly makes me cry because it scares me to death. This week with that poor woman who didn't want to get out of the car and then had the really quick birth - she just looked in complete shock. And I was a bit freaked out by the baby not crying when it first came out. Was seriously impressed with Waterbirth Wayne though - he was amazing. I mentioned to DH that he might want to watch it, as that guy was the model of how a husband/birth partner should behave. What a little sweetie.

I got a baby monitor from Amazon in the bonanza sale. Just got a digital one, no movement sensor and no video. Have also been told that the movement sensors aren't that helpful so decided not to bother. Our house is very small too.

Oh thank the lord it's Friday tomorrow. This has been a long week.

Hey all
I came home from work this morning. Have a cold but feel yuk. Promptly slept all afternoon. Glad I had the flu jab. Hopefully itcwill keep the worst away.

Hello April Family (I like that)

Missed you all recently, been working loads, but I've just told them enough is enough. I'm not doing overtime anymore after I was left int he office myself on Monday until 8pm. The cleaner came in and scared me half to death! All I keep thinking is he could have been a murderer or rapist. I think I've hit the paranoid stage of pregnancy! Everyone is out to get me!

Arch :( I'm so sorry to read all your worries. I've changed midwives as my first was useless and just made me feel guilty at being overweight and bringing a baby into the world. They won't even consider me for a HB. Not that I particularly want one, but as soon as someone says "you are not allowed" I want! Now I'm trying to persuade them to let me use the birthing pool if it's available. There is a weight restriction, but they won't tell me exactly what it is, so I think i'm near the weight. Because I'm getting extra monitoring at the "too much cake" clinic I've spoken witht he midwife there and she said that risk assessments for weight are only carried out on ladies of 140kg. I am no where near that by the way! But I'm delivering at a different hospital to where the other clinic is, so they might have different rules! I'm not even thinking about actually giving birth inthe pool, but it would be nice to use it as pain relief, as a bath just now helps with my SPD.

I have physio next tuesday for my SPD at last! The irony is that (touch wood) it's been much better the last week or so. Might be I'm more aware of what I can and can't do so I'm not aggrivating anything by doing too much!

About extra scans I had one on Tuesday (28 weeks) to check head and stomach size. All fine (head is not unsually large, which is my fear as DH has a Massive Head!) and he's head down, but back to back! Still early days though! I've got 2 more scans to go at 32 and 36 weeks too. It's quite nice really!

I'm of anyone who got the BT150 monitor for the Amazon price! We paid full whack from John Lewis :(

I've ordered the Ina May Gaskin book as recommended. Thank you!

I have the "rage" too. But that story is for anouther post! I'm still mad!!!

Away this weekend for a girly spa day with my BF. She's just announced she is moving to Australia in May so trying to spend as much time as possible with her before she goes! Bit sad she wont get to know Buster very well before she leaves though.

Anyway, have a lovely weekend ladies. I'll be back to report on my "rub down" as DH is calling it on Sunday!

Girly spa weekend LisaMcA - so . Enjoy!

Arch hope you find an understanding MW or two at your hospital or I'd seriously consider changing if it's at all possible. They don't sound supportive (to say the least) and that can't be good. No wonder you're feeling so shite. Hope it's feasible to change or get an IM or doula.

In shopping news, I made my first purchase for this baby on Tuesday. This rocker A secondhand bargainous purchase. Feels very strange to have it sitting in my bedroom as the first visible evidence that a baby is on the way. Has spurred me on to do more shopping but think I should hold back another 2 weeks until we move.

Arch My heart so goes out to you. After what happened to your Mum I think it is despicable that she throws that one at you.

I have my home visit next week to discuss the HB I want to have. I'm bracing myself for the big scares. I think having the confidence to go ahead with a HB is almost entirely about having confidence and trust in your MW and yourself as a team. Is there any chance that you would get this baggage for the labour? If so it can't work. She's obviously anti-HB and this may be rooted in her own lack of confidence.

I haven't got any answers for you. But all the stats and research say that planned, supported HBs are as safe as hospital births. Sounds like this cow is in the wrong job. You're not a novice. You've had one healthy baby and you know what is right for you.

Look after yourself and remember you are the strong one. Honestly, that mw has made me so angry I'm tempted to come to your next appointment with you and tell her what she can do with her expert knowledge.

Aaargh! Am having another rage attack.

Came home to a freshly run bath that DP had set up for me. However, he'd attempted to tidy and the kitchen had a pile of washing up collected from around the house so I had to deal with it, the living room was in disarray with my 'hoarded' stuff mixed up, including all my pregnancy paperwork, which I had to sort out before it got thrown away by accident. Then he complained when my hanging out the washing interfered with the TV signal. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!!!

Hmmmm, have calmed down a bit now. I'm so glad I don't have to live with me at the moment

Hello everyone! I'm back!

Will be doing a full update later (bronzing, cocktails, broken toe and all) and a read through/reply to everyone's messages in depth but just popping in after a quick skim for now

Arch - your mw sounds a bitch

Cycle - YANBU btw. I hate it when things are half-arsed/DH does something nice but undoes the effect by not doing the washing up or moving my stuff.

JKS - I'm still in the transverse crew too. Made flying interesting cos I was terrified of baby damaging itself on the narrow armrests which were at just the wrong height!

Hi Frakk :)

Lol Cycle - i mentally went through my rant list (incl: waking me up when he came in last night to say he was home!, snoring, nor hearing DS2 wake up so i woke up and had to wake him, which meant i couldn't go back to sleep so was up early anyway, etc, etc) at DH in my head this morning, luckily by the time he brought me breakfast in bed i was over it :)

Arch - your MW is a crazy lady, but i know nothing about blood levels & diabetes, anyone else?

Arch - I have just come back from the diabetes clinic so can offer some advice on the blood sugars thing.

Before you eat breakfast your blood sugars should ideally be below 5.5. Two hours after a meal they should be below 6.9. Therefore 9.9 would be regarded as quite high.

You would be refered to a diabetic clinic (ours is lovely) which would involve a dietician and a midwife and a specialist consultant probably. Hope that helps.

Wiggler gave the midwife an almighty boot when she was having a feel and a listen this morning

Phew! Thought my madness had scared everyone away!

I have now apologised to DP and am hoping my agonising back pain yesterday was to blame. Day after physio alway hurts loads so it's much better today. Plus I have a half day at work!

Hmmm, baby's a bit quieter of late. More wriggling than booting and, unfortunately, the vast majority of it is very late evening and overnight.

I also have another problem. Antenatal and parenting class is on 12 Feb. Mum and dad do the big move on Sunday so will be out of the country and DP has stated categorically throughout that he really doesn't want to go. TBH I don't want him with me if he's going to be all uncomfortable and weird but, equally I don't want to go alone. Mum will be away and I can't think of anyone else I'd be comfortable bringing IYKWIM. Various people have offered but it'd be weird.

Is it awful to go alone?

Arch your midwife sounds like the portent of doom! Hardly helpful or informative and as the chorus of disapproval on here shows, she's talking a load of crap. CAn you see someone else instead? You are well within your rights to and don't even have to give an explanation why.

Goldfrakk welcome back, albeit with the broken toe. Unlikely to have been from a glorious swan dive into the swimming pool given your gestation so I'm intrigued to know why/how.

Saw my consultant again yesterday and the baby is breech (still!) and, having been convivnced that I had a diastasis again it turns out I don't. Instead, I've got an umbilical hernia which is a split or weakness in the muscle wall behind my naval. It's why my belly button has popped out. It didn't with the twins but I would imagine my muscle fascia was somewhat fatigued by the whole twin humungousness last time and has just given up gracefully this time around. Apparently if I have a caesarean it can be mended during the op, but I told my consultant he could go and dangle that carrot somewhere else as I'd rather have a VBAC and umbilical hernia than go through a caesarean and caesarean recovery again. He's clearly dying to hack me open!! Having said all of that, he's very open to my VBAC plans (whilst no doubt busily sharpening his scalpel anyway...) so I'm not feeling pressured.

Cyclebump I wouldn't worry about going alone. I went to my hypnobirthing course on my own (two days and I was the only one solo there) as my husband was very reluctant. HOwever, I think he now regrets not going so maybe strike a compromise. They break the days up so you could strike a bargain - he could always come along to the first session before lunch and if he really hates it then he's got your blessing to slither away and not come back. At least that way he's tried it and if it's still not for him then all is fair. I think my husband gets "beanbag fear" i.e. worried that he might be forced to do something new age and embarrasing on an oversized cushion.

Nursery painted today and tomorrow by a sweaty, monosyllabic painter chap. Still, B.O. aside at least it gets done this way. Realistically my husband and I are not going to get round to it at the weekends with the girls around.

Think I'm almost there on kit - just need the mattress for the stokke cot, a billion sheets and then it's just a case of assembling the nursery and then packing my hospital bag. Strange to think that this time last time I was already in hospital on bedrest. I'm loving being normal this time around!

Frakk welcome back. The toe though - ouch.

Lol at "beanbag fear" kitstwins. At our NCT class the teacher made us act out what a C Section would be like complete with surgical gowns and nametags for all our roles. It was DH's idea of hell! That and having to hold the fake pelvis and shove the baby doll through. Ah, happy memories! There were two women in our group who were flying solo so I don't think you'll appear like a freak if you go it alone cycle.

Ahh, we did the acting out a c section at my sisters hospital antenatal class (I got to be scrub nurse.)

We also had to do the breathing.. all together, and then I was appointed for a solo-effort. Not sure why bearing in mind I was only there to keep my sis company

Hi Everyone

Glad others are having the same shopping nightmares as me, it really is a case of too much choice and too much advice being available, if 10 people tell you something is a "must have" you'll always find another 10 who think it was a waste of money. My DH was quite sweet and pointed out that baby clothes are generally quite reasonably priced and whilst he's keen for me not to spend all our savings on stuff we don't need, we won't be facing a financial crisis if we don't use the £4 pack of bibs

arch your midwife sounds like a right one, sorry that you had to deal with her and that she upset you so much. My hospital has a consultant midwife who is in charge of the whole midwife team, not sure if that is just another name for a supervisor of midwives but perhaps you could see if there is one at your hospital.

Welcome back Frakk, broken toe aside I hope you had a lovely time

Will I never learn? DS was with MIL this afternoon so I went into town to buy some stuff I needed. I think I went a bid mad as I had the luxury of being on my own and ended buying quite a lot of stuff, which was getting heavier and heavier.
That then brought on the BH's. Oh Lordy I didn't know what to do with myself. I was walking back to the car as fast as I could but with a really pained expression on my face. I must have looked a right sight!

However I did buy a gorgeous long legged romper for the baby. It was half price in the Debenhams sale, the Blue Zoo range, and is tres cute.

Well done for sticking to your guns kits

Hmmmm, acting out a c section. Yep, that's the nail in the coffin of DP attending I reckon!

Oh well, as long as I won't be considered really weird for going alone. Shopping wise my mum and grandma continue to go mad on my behalf. Luckily they've mostly bought useful basic stuff like babygros and sleep suits rather than anything too mad. Our flat is still a colossal tip as we try and rearrange everything so vie been instructed to buy essentials only for now. Little slippers with monkeys on are clearly essential...

I had really bad BHs yesterday too. Lunchtime walk at work was awful on the way back. I kept having to stop and do slow breathing. Thankfully no one from work saw me.