May 2011 - The Home Stretch!

[sesamesmith]

Old thread here: The Rosy Glow Before the Storm

Stats thread here: Due May 2011

juneau John Lewis is quite good. I was at my real bra size though as I over estimated the band width (is this the right term?) and under estimated the cup size....

pistachio you are very organized . Think I'm going to order some Bamboozles in Size 1 with a few Size 0 and Size 1 wraps, and maybe a few Teeny Fits

Loopy Is there a middle ground? I had a massive PPH after DD. Actually what happened is that there was an emergency next door and everyone ran to deal with it. DH and I were alone with DD. One of the midwives came back about an hour later and estimated that I had lost a lot of blood. So, the registrar said I needed to be taken into surgery immediately to find the cause of the bleed. I said that I had been fine for the past hour, so didn't understand the urgency. Anyway, she agreed to review it in an hour if I had obs every 10 - 15 minutes, a line for a drip and a catheter put in, just in case. In the end, it was absolutely fine, but it was a bit of give and take. Are there any rooms in the delivery suite that are set up to look like a normal home? Or is the midwife over reacting? I think it's good though that you are discussing it with them now as they could agree at this stage, but then when you go into labor, suddenly and without explanation, no one is available.....

My mother very kindly has offered to send some Bravado bras which is brilliant. She also offered to find a cleaner which is lovely. And then she suggested visiting in late May.... oh dear.

Thanks for all the info about fittings. I'm a DD normally and went up to a G/H when my milk came in with DS, so I think I'd better drag my fat self into London and give Bravissimo a visit!

And the rib is agony - every time I cough, sneeze or blow my nose I'm in pain. Baby's feet are right up under my ribs too, so he gives me a kick every now and again just for good measure. I'm sooooo glad this is my last pregnancy!

And another thing! Last night we were in the cake shop and there was a lady wearing one of my pre-maternity sweaters ! Flaunting her non-pregnant figure !

Hi all, quick post to say I've just ordered my aquaborn birth pool as baby is head down (if not in the best position on right/back since Tuesday, LOA before). Home visit booked for next friday @ 35+5 where the birth box will be left behind so REALLY need to get the place sorted (been decluttering, sorting crap out etc) before then so that I can begin to nest/relax properly and focus on me and baby more.

Baby clothes from newborn to 3-6 (bagged up) are washed and laid out in the drawers along with plenty of disposable nappies bought with coupons I found in the bounty mags I was given at the start. I have washable nappies from DS which I plan to use but just not to start with.

Avent manual pump bought from mothercare for only 16.66, steriliser descaled and cleaned, bottles brought down from loft and new teats bought all in prep if I want to do the odd bottle.

Moses basket cleaned and rebagged up ontop of our bedroom cupboard to stop it getting dusty.

Mat and breast pads etc all bought but birth bag not packed yet, I have everything, i think, just need to put it together.

Been quite hormonal this week and now think i'm coming down with something as I've been a bit giddy today. Mentioned it to my mw at appt this morning and my bp and urine are fine so she suspects a mix of the heat (tho lovely) and probably the beginnings of the lurgy, DS has been coughing and complaining of a sore throat the past couple of days so think she's right. :(

Also been suffering from heartburn and the start of piles (nice) the past few days and as baby has moved down to 'brim' it certainly seems to be having an effect. So lots of gaviscon and pelvic floor exercises for me!!!

On the subject of nursing bras, I splashed out on Bravado Body Silk bras a few weeks back and can confirm they are SUPER comfy and better still come in s,m, l, xl rather than a specific size and are very adjustable through backsize and cupsize (stretch). I figured then as I change shape they'd change with me so I shouldn't need to keep buying more...
Worth a look.. Got mine from here and they arrived quickly without problem..

Not such a short post after all... :)

Oh, and loopy chin up, try not to let them drag you down. My mw was summarising the concerns brought up at the clinical meeting about allowing my homebirth this morning. I listened, stated I wasn't so concerned about those areas (mobility mainly for getting in and out of pool) and promised to write a detailed birth plan (their request) and stopped worrying about it. You are experienced in what happens and at least wth a homebirth you get better monitoring throughout, I barely saw the midwife through my last labour...

brillopads which moby did you go for? I want to get the UV but it's only available there in fushia and i'm not very girly and want DH to feel comfortable wearing it too..

I've already bought a calin bleu gauze wrap and was umming about a moby too but don't want anything too hot as I don't cope so well in the heat as it is without extra fabric too.
As we will be going into summer with newborns i'm concious of picking the right wrap... Had DS in may 2006 and it was a scorcher of a summer, barely went out in the day let alone wore a wrap, doubt i'll get the same option this time...
loopy maybe you can advise too?

cazzr I got a standard Moby in burgundy- 1. "unisex" colour as we're having a 'surprise', 2. unisex colour so that DH might not feel awkward about strutting around wearing it/ baby if he fancies having a go

Hey everyone...bad day today and need to vent...
Been to midwife today who informed me that because I was under social services for my DS (severe PND but all unnecessary, just an awful jobs worth HV), I have to go through child protection conference before my baby even gets here! I'm gutted...I've come such a long way since then and feel like I'm being told I'm a bad mum before I can prove otherwise!
Apparently it's because DS doesn't live with me...his dad claims everything but I have DS most nights anyway!
Midwife was lovely and sorry she had to upset me and said she'll be fighting my corner...as will mum and DP...I could so do without it all.
Other than that, severe hip pain getting me down too

I have done nothing except buy a sling for this baby. 7 weeks to go and perhaps i should do something. Agagagagagghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I can't even remember what babies need. Something to sleep in, wear during the day, get clean...Everything is in the loft, we are trying desperately to sell the house so can't clutter anywhere like the last time, when everything was in place about 3 months before hand!

Right i'm panicing now. What do i need? Breast pads.

The bloody husband is away so i can't even get him to go into the roof to have a rummage.

Ok deep breaths.

Someone said to me yesterday that i looked as big as they did the day they went in full term (39wks) with their twins. Cheers for that, still got a while to go. And my ankles have suddenly decieded to disappear. Adios, see you in a few months, and thanks for the great timing with the weather, just as i want to get the pins out you chose to make me look like fence posts.

Querty Yeah, sounds like baby is getting right on in there... I have the same feeling.

linzeluv You aren't a bad mum... they are just going through procedures and it sounds like you have a good team to back you up, so don't fret too much. As for the hip pain, try sleeping with a pillow between you knees, if you aren't already.

Loopy Wow, 7hr, 3hr and 45 min... I reckon this one will come out in less than 15 min by look of things. Any bet takers?

We aren't buying anything outside of diapers and a about a dozen one-zees for NB. We don't know what we are having yet, and I can't be arsed to go through DD's old stuff just yet... we want to get her a single bed and dresser before unloading anything that is going to create clutter. I figure, it being May when DC2 comes, he/she won't need a whole hell of a lot. Car seat and swaddling blankets are sorted already. I'm not all that fussed actually... I'm more concerned about getting the garden planted.

John Lewis is great and its sister store at South Kensington,,, if I remember correctly. Gosh, I forget what its called. MIght not even be in the right area of town. Across the street from that department store, on the high street, is a boutique for fitting as well that is the bomb.

Off to bake cookies for play date tomorrow. Night night Ladies.

Yes loopy...horrendous PND, undoubtedly made worse by jobsworth HV on my case...social services got involved when I couldn't assure her I wouldn't harm DS! This was never mentioned! I just didn't love him and hated myself...always maintained I didn't get any urges to harm him. Was put on ADs that sent me into a bipolar type state, with admission to psych after withdrawing from said AD with hypomania! Moved away on my own leaving DS with his dad. I'm now fully recovered and a bloody good mum! I just feel gutted things are gonna be dragged up again after working so hard to get where I am now.
GotArt...I know they have to follow procedure, I'm just tired and hormonal! It's not hip pain at night anymore...this is constant pain made worse by walking.
I don't start mat leave for 2 weeks but there is no chance I can do ward work like this...I don't work then I don't get paid (agency) although I do get SMP...obviously my rent still needs paying so anyone any ideas what I can do?? Work need 28 days notice to start leave.

Maybe you should see a chiropractor. I had a incredible pain in hip too and it got to the point I couldn't sleep, move or put on a pair of socks and have been going to one and its done a world of good. No more pain. You need to see one that is pre-natal experienced. Sorry, no ideas.

Is anyone else experiencing achy hair follicles? Its doesn't hurt to rub my head, but, say washing my hair, my follicles definitely ache.

It certainly would loopy...I'm also worried as they wouldn't leave me alone re. DS's weight...he was putting on a pound a week for months and was accused of over feeding (exclusively breastfed!) and when weaned had to do daily food diaries (with PND although I could barely function!) we're a family of porky babies so imagine this one will be the same! Paediatrician wasn't concerned but they still persued...even saying he was "obesely overweight" in the child protection conference!
I can't believe how much they've back tracked me...was so looking forward to this baby, I really thought that left to it, I could enjoy her.

linziluv you poor thing. Sounds like you really went through the wringer. Re the weight thing, sounds like they were talking nonsense if you were exclusively bf. If it's any consolation, friends of mine had a similar experience - their DD was quite chubby (really quite major rolls of chub all over her) from being exclusively bf, they knew not to worry and that she'd grow out of it when she became more active and had a toddler growth spurt (my friends are both highly competent doctors!) but still the HV etc kept on expressing concern and referring to their DD as "obese", even though they clearly knew rather more about it than she did! I think the trouble is they are programmed to work off charts and averages rather than use common sense....(their DD is now a perfectly healthy toddler)

That's what I'm hoping...DS is now a very tall (off the chart) skinny little thing! His dad is 6ft 4 so was never gonna be a tiny baby...I think 2nd babies have to be easier as you've been there before and know what to expect. I'm thinking of moving clinics anyway, maybe they have nicer HVs!
I keep trying to reassure myself that I've got nothing to hide, my flat is always clean, always got food and DS is always immaculate (well, as clean as a 3yo can be!)...I don't take drugs or drink at all...it was just scary as my midwife felt it appropriate to tell me of 2 mums who'd give birth, the one woman she felt shouldn't have kept her baby did, and the one she felt should have kept the baby had it whisked away at birth! Now I know this won't happen but it's scaring me all the same.
Thanks for the support everyone x

linzi all you can do is make yourself as available as possible to discuss their concerns in an open forum. Is there going to be a case conference? Are there any health care professionals who can back you up? One idea could be to ask for the situation to be kept under 'constant review' which would mean that you would have social services in your life, but at least shows willingness. It is very rare for babies to be taken at birth, so please try not to worry.

Oh, and ask your midwife to stop relaying scary stories as it isn't very helpful!

loopy have found the perfect sling. It's a Papoozle . Ideal for a newborn as has stretchy fabric and doesn't have a million straps. A friend of mine used the Papoozle and then around 9 months moved onto an Ergo.

Was so looking forward to my massage as have been in quite a bit of pain. Arrived and she said, 'I'm not trained in pre natal massage, I've never done pregnant women before, and actually am quite nervous...' . Wish the receptionist had relayed this to me when I made the appointment a few days before! It's at the chiropractic clinic, and I made sure that it was noted I was 34 weeks pregnant.

Am going to look for a massage therapist trained in pre natal massage.

We are doing potty training today with DS (3). The idea being to only have one in nappies at any given time

ilove, there will be a pre-birth protection conference to discuss whether I am a risk or not...my midwife has to be there but she's totally on my side...HV who is just awful but she's about the 5th we've had so she doesn't even know me! Mum and DP will be there supporting me.
This'll all happen when I'm around 38 weeks! I think a social worker will also have to do an initial assessment...that's the worst bit as it's so intrusive.
One thing going in my favour is I was always honest and cooperative with all those involved, went to every meeting and had clean drug tests everytime (wasn't doin drugs but they accused me anyway...was the prescription drugs making me crazy!).

Hi All,

Haven't been on MN for ages. Thanks all your wishes for LO. I vanished because my daughter was born 7 weeks early on 22nd March (the day after my last post). She is tiny but progressing well and still in the hospital.

Good luck to all of you for the BIG day.

Hope to be more regular on MN.

Cheers,
Nuttym

Oh wow! So pleased she is doing well

Congratulations!

linzi So sorry I didn't get on yesterday and see your post. I can see why you are concerned and really feel for you. As others have said, be confident that you know what you are doing and its great that have a good support network around you for help if you need it (both for this conference and afterwards). I've had a little experience with ss in my job and they really do see taking children away as a last resort once all other options have been explored. The idea of case conferences like this is to try to put some plans in place to help you before anything goes wrong - not saying that it will of course! Also, a very close friend of mine had post-partum psychosis which meant ss involvment and so had a similar thing for her second pregnancy - at the conference itself they were all keen to stress that it was to help her. They had a specialist senior HV involved who was very supportive and knowledgable. It meant that she had a lot of people she could call on if she felt that she was struggling or needed advice as well as her own family and friends. As it happens she didn't need any of it and after a couple of months they pretty much left her to it and she and her two DCs are really thriving so I will be keeping everything crossed it will be the same for you x

As an aside - I got hounded by my HV as my DD was big at birth but then failed to gain weight very quickly - made me feel like absolute shite. I think one of the problems was that as I am a larger lady she thought DD should be a chubster like me she never met my 6ft, 30inch waisted DH in the entire time she visited us! Luckily for DD she looks to be taking after him :)

Nutty Wow! Congratulations and glad to hear your DD is doing well x

Hello everyone else!

Nuttym gosh, our first thread birth - congratulations! Must have been a very worrying time for you though and hard to leave her in the hospital. So glad she is doing well. Have they given you any indication of when you might be able to take her home? I just re-read your last post to remind myself whether you had any warning that she might be so imminent and see that they'd warned you she could be early - but still, the next day must have been a shock .