May 2011 - The Home Stretch!

[sesamesmith]

Old thread here: The Rosy Glow Before the Storm

Stats thread here: Due May 2011

cowboy yorkstar quick post as entertaining DS. I've been going with the anus suppositories and germaloids cream and I think I'm making progress! Worth a try, and agreed, is all gp will offer I gather AFTER insisting on having a look! No thanks, i'll save the lack of dignity for when in labour, tho agreed I'm nervous about dh seeing any hint of piles in labour, despite him seeing plenty a gruesome sight in DS's labour!
LOL

hi all,
Some friends threw a baby shower for me on Saturday which was lovely - lots of yummy cakes :)
besides that tho no good news or changes on the home front.
Think my DS is 4 coming on 16.... sounds like a teenager:
DS: I want you to get me juice
me: you know where the fridge is!
DS: Well I don't care.
me: excuse me?
DS: Whatever!

lol!!!! He has the catch phrases, just needs to work on the application a bit.

I hope we all have good weeks and DH's start being a bit nicer!

loopy I have very random up and down days at the mo. One day I can barely drag myself outa bed and feel very weep and pathetic, then I have a day like today where a take DS to our local country park and do loads of walking (albeit with crutches) watching DS play and even drag myself on a miniature train! Lol crazy eyes

Weather is fab at the mo which definitely helps, tho have been feeling particularly sweaty and clammy the past few days...

I'm sure all of this can be attributed to hormones but I don't remember being so affected last time? But then I spose I didn't have a 5 year old DS to chase around after back then... I'm quite in awe of you loopy being heavily pregnant and taking your brood to a docs appt, it would certainly stress me out as I know DS would be a nightmare!

I'm amazed we've got to the 18th April with only one baby! Surely another one or two, going on probability, must arrive in the next week??

Loopy Have now ordered a Moby wrap - couldn't find a babyhawk anywhere so thought I'd stick to the wrap which seems to be recommended to most first-time babywearers. My priority is to wear it around the house anyway so it seems to tick all boxes. It seems to be ideal for newborn and first few months and if we're still using slings/wraps after a while I might branch out and find something else! Also went for the tens machine hire with the same company as you - that's a bargain! I'm sure I paid £50 with mothercare the last time. So thanks again for being full of good advice! The gloom is probably hormonal - once the girls are in bed maybe you should take it easy, long bath, early night.

qq ditto with the DS attitude, my DS will be 5 at end may and we frequently hear 'yeah yeah yeah', 'whatever' and get rolling of the eyes and attitude in the tone of voice. I gather testosterone is the culprit! MORE hormones!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1196862-Stats-May-the-2011-Birthing-Begin

After all the discussion I have created a new stats thread for us regulars: I have gone through the thread and tried to add everyone from the old stats so sorry if I have missed anyone and some I couldnt find so please update it and I hope you like it!

DD (4) asked what was for dinner last night. I told her, 'pasta' and she rolled her eyes and said, 'we've had that like 5 days in a row...'

We had the manners go to your room discussion

Just realized that aside from a hospital bag for me, should probably do a bag for the DCs with clothes, DD's inhalers/asthma medication, list of DS allergies and his formula, in case they have be dumped stay with friends.

cowboy am due 18 May. DC 3. DD (4) DS (3)

Could I possibly go on the stats if I promise to keep on posting? Am on my phone so tricky to update. Am DC#1, due 3 May.

loopy sorry you had such a low weekend. I hope things are feeling better and the consultant appointment goes well.

neenz as a first timer, I'm nervous that I just won't produce milk or that my poor little boobs won't be enough. They haven't grown at all in pregnancy.

cazzr I have good and bad SPD days too, although even on the good I can't really do much walking. It's very depressing to wake up some mornings and realise it's going to be a painful day.

I will add you both now, thanks.
Sorry if I lost you in creating

Cramps and period like pain are getting worse as the day is going on with such a bad back ache now so I just getting the hotwater bottle out. Does anyone know if I can try out my TENs yet?

cowboy the advice is to have your tens on as early as poss as the effect builds up, if that makes sense. If you want to have a bath or shower I'd do that first though. Think this is it?

Thanks for the new stats thread cowboylover
Am sure we will have some more birth announcements soon- my money is on Bonkerz or PP to be next although things sound possible with you too cowboy!
re post birth meal- definitely blue cheese, pate and cured meats for me, and a glass of wine. Will be lovely to get my appetite back and enjoy food again. Will have to dig out my Spork as DS always needed bfing when I was eating my dinner so for the first few months I was usually eating onehanded!

JBells hope you are feeling better now
VicBic hang in there girl? how many weeks are you now- you must be super-bored
Stripeybumps sorry for your loss- you really are having a tough time of it- hope you get some 'me' time now you have finished work
Cazzr I feel up and down emotionally too- at work last week a friend noticed I was pale (was nauseous) and hen she mentioned it I burst into tears later the same day I scratched the car badly and shrugged my shoulders and wasn't at all bothered

Congrats to all on ML- 3 days to go for me although am off sick today with bloody morning sickness. Am very annoyed that I threw up my raspberry leaf tea as it's not my fav tipple so its a PITA to force it down then not be getting any benefit from it. Not so sure it works anyway, drank it religiously last time and had very irregular ctx but maybe it would have been worse if I hadn't had it?!

Hello everyone just checking in again after another long absence! Great BF advice from everyone on the old thread - I'd also recommend a good support pillow to go under baby to get it up to the right height so you don't give yourself backache when feeding and keeping a copy of Tracy Hogg's Baby Whisperer on hand for when you need an extra bit of calm support!

At just over 38 weeks now, head engaged and everything in the right place thank goodness, I'm off to see my sister-in-law for a massage tonight to hopefully get things going.

Good luck everyone!

Well, been to see the consultant, who was a different one to the one I saw at the beginning (I have not see the same midwife or consultant the whole way through this pregnancy!). She was lovely. She measured me and listened in, and had a feel around, baby is head down (yay) and she wrote down 4/5. She booked an appointment for me on the 23rd May in case I haven't gone into labour so they can discuss what will happen then, but hopefully will go into labour before then. She did tell me that as have had previous section, will have to go into hospital earlier than other women would for review / monitoring, and will require "constant monitoring" but she did say that I'd still be able to move around etc, and not be stuck on the bed which I'm happy with. Oh, and I'd have to have a needle thing in my hand ready but I thought that was standard. So generally quite happy, and hoping I will go into natural labour (not yet, between the 7th and 15th would do me ).
They tested my water and found a trace of blood and "leuco" which I am not entirely sure what that is!

Good luck cowboy! Also, on the practicalities/ day to day life of BF - actually it's remarkably straightforward in the early days - baby cries, you offer it the breast, you sit down with a big glass of water and large slice of cake! And there is loads advice on here if you have any question, no matter how apparently silly.

Don'tworrybaby - good choice with the Moby - I used mine loads with DD, and one of the things DH says he is looking forward to about the new baby is getting to use the Moby again!

Stiffy - just on the small boobs issue - hopefully you know that breast size has nothing to do with ability / inability to produce milk - in fact my SIL has / had very small breasts pre-children (think AA or A think) and although they got a little bit bigger in pregnancy, they were still pretty little compared to mine, and she successfully fed both her DS and later on, her DD, for months. And I have read that people who genuinely "can't produce milk" is actually a very tiny percentage of women. There are loads of things you can try if the baby appears to be struggling to feed, starting with making sure you've got a good latch. There is masses of face-to-face support in London, and phone support. Rest, plenty of water and plenty to eat are also very important in helping your milk supply.

oh I am last on the due date list!!
I wonder if I will be last in the delivery room too....

You guys are all going to be too busy to talk me through my last few days!

Stiffy - I have teeny tiny boobs (they did get a little bigger after DS) and they also haven't grown much in this pregnancy. They do get quite a bit bigger when the milk comes in though. I don't think I produced as much milk as many (heard stories of fountains of milk etc) , but I did BF until about 7 months so all was obviously fine, so don't stress

Oooh cowboylover please keep us posted - maybe just maybe the start of something?

It is going to become an exciting thread!

Hi! All

Apologies for extremely long absence. Have been so busy fluffing the nest and so fed up at the same time, just haven't felt like being sociable .

I will promise to do proper name checks from now on.

Here is my update:

Have been suffering with extreme insomnia - sometimes only managing a disturbed two - three hours a night. I am up every 40 mins - 1 hour for a wee as well!!!

Everything is washed and ready, although some stuff has been bagged up to stop the dust.

We had a scan on 8th April (I was 35+6 then) and the stats were as follows:

Head Circ: 332.5mm
Abdominal Circ: 339.5mm
Femur Length: 70.2mm
Estimated Weight: 3.171g

Have just had last midwife check this afternoon. LO is head down and 3/5 engaged.

Last appointment is for pre-op assessment next Tuesday 26th April for ELCS on 28th April. Feeling really nervous about the section now, even though i've done it twice before.

I am still fluffing the nest - it just never seems finished. Made even more difficult as the children are on half term at the moment.

loopy you mentioned in a post a couple of days ago that there had been a change in bottle feeding methods (I hope I read it right). What are these, where can I get more info? Nobody has said anything as I think they all think that everyone is going to breast feed, but as I have mentioned before on here, I can't as I had a breast reduction (from L to DD - removing 5lbs) in February 2004.

37+2 today - can't believe I am nearly there. Always feel like something is going to go wrong.

Piles ooo! I had them a few weeks ago, it was absolute bloody agony. Mine only last a week. But the first few days were awful. I used witch hazel on a cotton pad, and left the cotton pad there, removing and replacing when going to the loo. Thankfully they have gone, you have my every sympathy. Agree with others, I too have been feeling lots of pressure in my backside, over the last fews days.

cowboy fingers crossed this is the start of things for you. Echo what don't worry said have a relaxing bath before using the tens.

I'm looking forward to a large glass of rose when I get out of hospital.

Evening ladies, going to be a rubbish post from me as on phone and exhausted as DD has a nasty ear infection which means we've been up all night. Got sone antib's now tho - not that she'll take them - so hopefully will get better soon. Been feeling v uncomfy too - lots of pressure down below and bump v tight and hard. Really really hope I don't go overdue again as I don't think I can take much more of this!

Cowboy - does sound promising... Take it easy and keep us posted if you can

qwerty - love how easy it is to type your nickname one phone btw! I was one of the v last on my old a/n thread and it did get a but quiet so I promise to keep coming back to keep you entertained as much as I can :) don't leave us for the June lot!

Interesting bf chat. I will admit I found establishing it v hard last time and mix fed from 16 weeks due to consultant advice but that meant I kept going until 9mo which I don't think I would have done without the one bottle a day. Plan to keep going for longer this time if I can. Really recommend the kellymom website for bf info - was a middle of the night lifesaver many times!

Loopy - hope you are feeling a but brighter this evening. This bit is hard going for me with just one dd so don't beat yourself up. Can you draft in any friends/rellies for some help?

Stripey - sorry for your losses. As others have said I hope you manage to have just a little bit of time for you before lo arrives. Glad to hear your dd is responding well, you must be v relieved.

Hello to everyone else I haven't namechecked... This has taken me so long to type I've forgotten what I've read!

Xposts mummyw! Was wondering how you were getting on! Bottle feeding info should be in the book tgat you should have got from mw at booking but basically you have to...

boil kettle
let water cool to 70degrees
make up formula
cool under running tap to drinking temp

iirc you can make up the bottles in batches, cool as quickly as poss and store in back of fridge but as I only did a couple a day I never needed to do that last time. Others might have more or better advice

Yorkstar that's really out of order - both the way you were treated for your appointment and the way they treated you in hospital last time. You should definitely think about complaining imo...

Cowboy thanks for sorting out the new stats list. Must have taken a while! It does sound like things could be kicking off for you...?

Loopy sorry to hear you had a bad weekend. Hope you are feeling a bit better. I have now got everything I need (I think) for the HB, including 2 extra cheap shower curtains from Argos (£1.99 each!). Re thermometer, I've just got a baby's bath thermometer which tells you when it's between 36 and 38 degrees - is that going to be accurate enough? I couldn't find another type of thermometer which goes in the pool.

Omnom what on earth's a Spork???

MummyWilliams nice to hear from you! So only ten days to go... exciting (and of course scary too)! L! No wonder you had a breast reduction. I went up to H when BF DS and that was more than I could deal with.

Thanks everyone!

Qwerty Will try keep you company so dont leave us!

omnom I have a Spork for my lunch box in work and didnt think of that so will dig it out.

Now getting tightenings every 10 to 15 mins some are just uncomfortable and some really hurt that I cant stand up. DH just made food for us and had to stop eating twice to do a few laps of the dining room before starting again, the bath idea helped. Should I be keeping some sort of record of these? Keeping a cool head is not going so well so distracting myself with MN and TV!

Hes looking a little nervous and trying to reasure me that its just one of those pregnant things, he leaves for work at 4am so going to bed soon so I think im going to ask my Mum to come around and keep me company.

Qwerty are you due 26th? I'm due 24th, was 29th last time and some of us waited til the last baby had arrived (on 10th of the following month!) before moving over to postnatal. I'll keep you company!

cowboy Good idea getting your mum round. You could be at 10/15mins for 24hrs so it might be worth sending DH to work as long as he's contactable all day. It's all down to personal choice. Good luck getting some sleep! Keep us posted x

cowboy very excited for you especially as we are due date buddies! You aren't planning a homebirth are you? If not then your only a teeny bit early, I on the other hand am having anti labour thoughts till 37 weeks on Sunday then it'll be all out labour inducing activities from then on! Lol

Currently trying to encourage baby over to the left side, he seems to favour the right and now getting achey left ribs onto of general pelvic pain from all the lying on left I've been doing. Pelvis feels soo loose at the mo it's freak but hope it'll help when the time comes! :D

I have very much enjoyed my first day of maternity leave :)

Cleared all the weeds from the front garden(yard), and got an email saying that "your application for a month's free real nappy has been approved" via the local council. Emailed Lloyds pharmacy to find out what's going on with that Tens machine that's never in stock

Was going to order various bits & pieces from Tesco, including a Tumble dryer, but the internet (Virgin) keeps on going on the blink. An "engineer" will come out on Weds, I suspect that all they'll do is just replace teh modem.

My SIL in Dubai has given birth to a little boy, Henry, but I don't have many more details at the mo.

cowboy you can't be having your baby! your EDD is(was) only 3 days before mine!!! We're still sorting out LO's room; trip to Ikea planned for Thursday.