Due Feb 06 - Our coats won't do up!

[Bewitched]

Here it is then ladies - our shiny new thread, named without reference to jumpers, sweaters or cardis!!

Stats to begin - hope they're all up to date!

Teuch, Due 28th Jan, Baby # 1, Age 27, Lives West Lothian (Inner Hebridean Island from Jan), Surprise flavour, mm/c previously
Hotmama1, Due 1st Feb, Baby # 2, Age 38 (DP40), Lives Nottingham, Girl flavour,
3K, Due 2nd Feb, Baby # 1, Age 28, Lives Gravesend, Kent, Boy flavour, IVF conception
Tabs, Due 2nd Feb, Baby # 1, Age 32 (DH40), Lives N Herts, Couldn't see flavour, mm/c Oct 04
Kando, Due 3rd Feb, Baby # 3, Age 32 (DH35), Lives Holland, Girl flavour, DVT last time. Heparin injections.
Lulu68, Due 3rd Feb, Baby # 4, Age 37 (DH40), Lives ???, ?? flavour,
Yeahbut, Due 4th Feb, Baby # 3, Age 30, Lives Holland, Girl flavour, IUGR in previous pregnancies
Mimi5, Due 6th Feb, Baby # 5, Age 37, Lives ???, Boy flavour, mm/c previously
Popadopolis, Due 8th Feb, Baby # 1, Age 26 (DH30), Lives Bedford, Girl flavour, hyperemesis early on - tablets to control
JuA, Due 9th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 31, Lives Chorley, Lancs, Both Girl flavour, 1 m/c prior to DD. Expecting twins!!
SmallHouseDragon, Due 9th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 39 (DH 37), Lives Devon, ?? flavour, induction then emerg c-sec with dd
Womba1, Due 10th Feb, Baby # 3, Age 30, Lives Eastbourne, Girl flavour, Baby 1 stillborn
TicTac, Due 11th Feb, Baby # 1, Age 29 (DH 42), Lives Horwich, Lancs, Girl flavour,
Ixel , Due 11th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 31 (DH 42), Lives North London, Hospital won't tell flavour,
Spacecadet, Due 11th Feb, Baby # 5, Age 33 (DH 37), Lives Cambs, Girl flavour, m/c in March, underactive thyroid, dvt after delivery of last dd
Popmum, Due 12th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 32 (DH 40), Lives Broxbourne, Herts/Essex border, Secret flavour,
RachelRog, Due 12th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 33, Lives Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Surprise flavour, mm/c in March
Chloe55, Due 13th Feb, Baby # 1, Age 24 (DH 27), Lives West Yorkshire, Boy flavour, 2 previous m/cs
Jasnem, Due 18th Feb, Baby # 3, Age , Lives , Surprise flavour, 5 and 6 yo girls already
MrsDoolittle, Due 21st Feb, Baby # 2, Age 32, Lives Oxford, but soon to be Newbury, Boy flavour,
Morgan, Due 22nd Feb, Baby # 2, Age 37, Lives Hitchin, Dubai from Jan, Surprise flavour, Ectopic Jan 05. Heparin injections
Flamesparrow, Due 24th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 24, Lives Bournemouth, Surprise flavour, Waterbirth for no 1. Hoping for homebirth.
mum22soon, Due 24th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 26, Lives Eltham, South London, ?? flavour,
Frizbe, Due 28th Feb, Baby # 2, Age 30 (DH40), Lives Ripley, Derbyshire, Girl flavour,
Thell, Due 28th Feb, Baby # 1, Age 26, Lives London, Girl flavour,
angedemarche (Jangus), Due 1st March (c-sec 14th Feb), Baby # 2, Age 27, Lives NI, ?? flavour,
poppyh, Due 3rd March (c-sec earlier), Baby # 3, Age ??, Lives South East London, Girl flavour,
Scotsbird, Due ???, Baby # 2, Age ???, Lives ???, ?? flavour,

(The preview of this message is looking very odd and spaced, but hoping it looks ok when posted!!

Ooo Tabs let us know how your BF NCT class goes. We have ours in a couple of weeks...it will be interesting to see if we get "different" information.

If I still have a job I will be returning in June sometime so want to get handy with the old pump as early as possible so that DH can feed and therefore making the whole transition thing a lot easier come June. I am totally open minded about the duration of BF though. I want to do a minimum of 3 months but that is all I have thought about. I think fate will make me do whatever I need to!

Hi Flame - I didnt think about sterilising for the pump, I suppose you would though wouldnt you. I will have to get my steriliser out tonight - that is an Avent one too but not sure if it will fit a pump in there. I've had it for a while so I cant remember.

sorry to hear you are still aching, definately go and see a chiropractor or osteopath. My osteopath discovered I had a twisted pelvis so has been helping me with that. I need to book to see him next month and that should be it.

Off home soon girls, I'm feeling very tired again too. Will probably sleep for a few hours when I get in. This seems to be a new routine for me - work, sleep, sort stuff out at home and sleep again!!!

If it is the big 6 bottle avent steriliser, then the avent pump fits it.

One of the best pieces of advice I was given re breastfeeding was not to give yourself a time frame - try not to think in terms of "I want to feed for 3 months", just small steps "Today I will breast feed", and eventually you realise that 6 months have passed and stopping seems inconcievable.

Tabs - in the interest in preparation I have a suggestion for our next thread name "Are we there yet??"

Re sterilizers - I've got the Avent microwave one and the breast pump fits in it. I 'pumped' to get my milk supply increased and to have spare in the freezer if I wanted to go out so dp could feed dd.

Stopped bf because dd started losing weight - now realise that I should have just ignored the hv and carried on as dd was happy and sleeping - but you don't know any better as a new mum and panic - this time around I'll take advice from hv when I feel like it!

Snap - flamesparrow on wanting to bf longer this time around - good idea to take it day by day - I still beat myself about 'only' doing 10 weeks - longer than the majority of my antenatal group - note to self get over it!

Would love advice on breastfeeding longer - this is so going to be a thread on our postnatal thread!

The pants gel thingy comes with disposable muslin wraps which you throw away - and you can buy extra ones. Just rinse the gel pack in warm soapy water, freeze and off you go again - not as icky as it sounds and tbh you won't care. I did have an epiostomy (sp) and forceps delivery so I was very tender down there (enough of the scary story)

Oooh no, less of the forceps and cutting Honestly though I wouldn't cut yourself up about 'only' breastfeeding for 10 weeks, you still gave it a go because you felt that was the healthiest thing for you and baby and your baby will have received the colostrum which is the important factor in the matter.

Ignore the forceps and cutting - I had nothing (no stitches)... so try and focus on that story (and I'll pray for another one like it!!!)

flame, Ilike your attitude to childbirthand babycare, and agree totally.
Don't listen to any stories of how bad things can be, just accept that your plans might not come to fruititon, and pray for a healthy baby. Anything else is a bonus.
I have had a great birth experience and a terrible one, but I've got two great kids, and I got over any problems I had early on.

I also didn't set time limits for BF. Igave each feed a name (Breakfast, elevensies, midmorning snack, early lunch, late lunch) as many as I needed, and gradually the days turned into weeks. I panicked at 6 weeks when it stopped hurting, but that's a whole seperate thread.

I have gone from feeling really good this week to a big downer. DP has just told me he can't baby sit, so its no aquanatal tonight. I was counting on it for anxiety relief. I have just heard that my best friend has miscarried at 12 weeks. What can I do to help when I'm finding it easy and she's had the worst news???

I don't really expect an answer to that.

Sorry

Evening everyone just a quick note,

Was at midwife yesterday for 28 wk check all is fine with baby, heard the heartbeat, bp a little high so she gonna keep an eye on it. I measured 27CM, means nothing to me but she said baby's growing fine so must be ok.

I've got my GTT tomorrow. Will let you know if all's ok there.

I'll have a proper read of all thread later.

Bye for now!!

Jasnem sorry to hear about friend....

Re BF'ing, personally I chucked the Avent pump and brought the electric Melda one, enabled me to get lots more expressing done in half the time with less hand work! highly recommend the Melda electric one!

You can always cold water sterilise the pump, instructions on the back of sterilising packs/bottles, so you may not even need a steriliser! (if your looking to save money)

I'd recommend kamolisan nipple cream, just rub it on after each feed and no cracked or sore nipples here, thus no need for cabbage leaves (or maybe I was lucky?) I just went with the if boobs feel full and baby isn't interested in a feed, express a bit off and bang it in the freezer for later theory!

Anyway hope your all well, think I may be in trouble with the midwife, as have just realised I missed my 24 week apptmt today got busy cleaning......doh.....

Evening all.

Jasnem - I'm very sorry to hear about your friend. Having been there myself I can understand what a terrible time she will be going through. I think that all you can do is let her know that you are there for her if she needs you, but that you also understand if you are not the person she wants to lean on at the moment.
Do encourage her to talk to someone though - I found using a forum like this (a different one at the time as I hadn't found MN then!) a great help, as there are lots of people who can relate and you can rant and rave as much as you want!

As for all these horror stories, I'm going to have a 4 hour labour on a Friday (so that DH is in the country!) with just a little gas and air for fun before baby pops out quite easily, and then breastfeeding is going to be the easiest thing on the planet to do.

Tabs - did you read my birth plan ??? The only difference was I was planning to take a snooze through the transition phase

Heehee Tictac - ages ago (long before I was preggers) I dreamt I gave birth, lying on my back but caught baba in my arms, and baby was smooth and clean and had thick curly hair. Looking about a year old. And it said cheerfully, 'Hello Mummy!'

I am hoping to breast feed my two - although I am not going to stress too much if it doesn't work out. I breast fed dd for about 7/8 months although she had one bottle a day from about 6 weeks. I am not sure how feeding 2 will work out especially with dd to entertain!
I am feeling a bit more organised now - have just ordered some bits and pieces from kiddicare and Jo Jo Maman Bebe. I need to order some nappies and with a trip to Mothercare I think I will have most of the essentials. My sister is bringing back lots of clothes that she borrowed for her dd when they come to visit next month. Hopefully by then the babies room will be sorted and I will have built the chest of drawers.

Oops - hope I haven't scared anyone with my kind of birth story - you have sex again - hence I'm here!

Anyway, I'm also going to have the easiest birth this time - just going to cough and out she will pop [crossed fingers icon]

Came home from work to a message on the answerphone from my midwife re my bloodtest last week - apparently my iron count is low so doc has prepared me a prescription to pick up - lovely more constipation! Had to have iron tablets last time - I obviously need more dark chocolate.

re the miscarriage. I have had friends that have miscarried and my sil had a very late miscarriage - all you can do is be there for them.

I too have a similar birth plan - labour long enough to get to hospital ( just after taking kids to school), no drugs, then home immediately with happy baby!
I was confident after DD1, but experinces with dd2have left me feeling anything short of another cs will be good. DEFINITELY NO EPIDURAL for me though. That is the only unflexible thing in my plans.

I was so excited for my friend - and to be pregnant together would have been great. This isn't her first mc, and I know she will copewith her supportive DH.

I did talk to DP about it this eve and I feel better. So glad I'm past that early stage. If I'm worried I just give him a nudge and wake him up.
Don't know if he's a he, but can't call him it, so he's George.

Cough and I need a wee
Go to bed and I need a wee
Run a bath and I need a wee
Have a bath and I need a wee
Write this message and I need a wee...

Morning girls,

Very tired this am, dh was up at 6am (hence I was!) and am now in work - booo!

I don't actually plan to give birth, I thought the fairies came along and sprinkled you with magic dust and then the baby appeared? Have I got this all wrong? .

I am sick of DH telling me I won't be able to cope with labour as I have a low pain threshold and should just opt for epidural immediately - he said this last night in front of all my friends and family, I wanted to lamp him! My comment was to talk to me after February when he surgically has a rugby ball removed from his anus the insensitive git!

Chloe55 - lamping him one is an acceptable use of pregnancy hormones in my view!

I'm just having an openmind re labour - may be better may be worse - just take it bit by bit on the day(s).

Getting my iron tablets today so hopefully will be bouncing around doing starjumps later on - what a sight that will be.

Exactly hotmamma, I am under know false illusions that labour is going to be a breeze (far from it, I'm cacking it!) However, I want to keep an open mind and if I can cope without an epidural then that's my preference.

Well statistically I'm sure that some of us will have an easy labour. Bagsy me!

Spoke to one of my best friends earlier this week who had her second baby last week, and her first labour was about 4 hours, and this one timed established labour at 1 hour 16 mins. The head was already out when the student midwife came to check on her!! She was out of hospital 6 hours later. We'll have 25 of those on this thread then please!

Wow! Yes please bring on the 1-2hour labours! TicTac - you off the toilet yet?

Yay Tabs - they are the stories we like. As I'm due on the 29th Jan/1st Feb - can I be first in the queue for an easy birth - please?

Hey Tictac, you think you wee alot? I haven't had more than 3 hrs sleeep in one go since I got pregnant with ds, now aged 2! Nothing went back to normal after his birth!

Am not reading anything to do with giving birth on this thread. I've remembere what a trauma it was for me last time, and have decided that ignorance is the best policy this time

Who was it asking about free stuff? I got a good free pack from Tesco baby club last time, like a bounty one, but they've given me nothing this time so far. But I have mamged to wangle 2 vouchers for the huggies box in Boots, so at least have a spare changing bag!!! I've also joined everything in my name at my address and my mums, so doubling up on freebies! And must have got a bit OTT at the baby show, as both my Mum and dh have had letters welcoming them to the Cow and Gate club and wishing them well in their pregnancies

Saw the midwife this week. She said "oh dear, it all flops second time round. The woman before you is only 3 weeks behind you and she still had a washboard stomach". Hmmm.