April 2011 - towards motherhood boucing on yoda balls, eating coc pops and riding frozen surfboards we are

[SnapFrakkleAndPop]

Raspberry leaf and all round.

Continuation from here. No Mofo C bombs yet been dropped in the delivery room although our first 2 babies have arrived. Congrats to gormers and Jo, we hope your little ones are still doing great.

Best to have a quick check first Caramel for any items of underwear! Best get her to start in the kitchen! All my cupboards have been cleaned and re-arranged. Ooh and my skirtings are clean! We are ready for baby now!!

I have eaten too much chocolate now! Feel sick!

Caramello Im working till Friday and due on Tuesday, so finishing 3 days prior, i know if im at home, ill be bored and fustrated waiting for baby, so rather come to work, chat to the girls and im on my butt all day at work anyway, in front of computer so its not a stressfull job, thank Goodness !!
How nice to have your mum over !! My mums coming in May, I cant wait !! Where is Oz are you from ? Im a Sydney girl.

Well got some great news, my iron levels have gone back up to 10.6 so they have ok'd me for a birth in the the birthing unit, so yay, water birth, here I come !!

Congratulations Liv another one of our April arrivals.. Yippee! and on Mothers Day too, what a lovely present!

Had my antenatal appointment with the GP this morning (as MW fully booked) and was a bit hit and miss to be honest! Was booked with young Doctor who was very sweet if a bit unsure about what he was doing.. he couldn't find a doppler so got older Doctors help anyway, together they located it and older Doctor did the looking for the heartbeat. Found it eventually and told young Dr that fetal heart rate was 100 and 'all fine'. In fact he told him 3 times to record it as a 100 though in the end the young Dr just ticked the fetal heart box.

Anyway after thinking about it, I phoned the labour ward to ask their opinion because I thought that 100 seemed pretty low and they agreed and asked me to come in for a bit of monitoring. Baby is absolutely fine and has perfectly healthy heart beat in normal range (was around 130-150) but it's bizarre that the Dr a) thought the heartbeat was 100, and b) didn't think this was anything to worry about so am a bit sceptical about the merits of the appointment really!! MW suggested they have been listening to my pulse instead of the baby's! Main thing is though that baby is doing fine, and it was pretty cute feeling the movements and then seeing his heart rate go up each time as he was exerting himself.. ahh - nothing beats the sound of a babies healthy heartbeat :) :) (soppy first time mum emoticon)

Great news about iron levels Aussie one of my NCT ladies just had her baby in water and she said the pain relief it gave her was incredible so hopefully well worth it!

Congratulations Liv what a really pretty name you daughter has, and home in time for Mother's Day = PERFECT!!

LisMcA How's your dad doing? Also, where's your baby ha ha..... I've been hovering and waiting for the announcement that labour was underway, i's so annoying when you think this maybe it and then after you've talked yourself into it and told a few close family etc....NOTHING! Arrrgh, the waiting game is the worst Not long now xx

I know, sorry ladies! I think I am over analysing every little twinge, pain or kick. Does it always feel like that? The answer is yes it probably does, but when you are sitting waiting your mind plays tricks! Laugh is I still have 12 days til EDD! I'm so over being pregnant!

Salted DH's dad is still in the respite home. Hoepfully getting out tomorrow. He is infection free so they are just getting his meds balanced out. The nurses there have been fantastic. They have written to his GP to give them a bollocking about the doubling of his morphine. DH has spoken to SIL to get her to be more demending when the docs don't explain things. They are a family of authority trusters. If that what the Dr says it mus be right! Obviously I challenge authority (Mother Nature being one of them right now!) and find it quite hard when all my questions aren't answered! Poor DH gets given a list of questions to ask every time they phone!

Nevermind Lis, all of that activity was doing something, even if it's not obvious to you at the moment.

I would say step away from the clary sage though, it's best to use when contractions tail off or slow down when you are in active labour. Using it when in pre labour or at other times will only give you strong BH's and make you uncomfortable and tired. Not the thing to do if you are in pre labour and you have another couple of days of labour ahead of you. If you are in real labour nothing will stop that, so don't worry about doing things to push things along - although I know how blood tempting that is

MW check today was all ok - hurrah. Now onto weekly appointments with her.

The next thing on my list this week is to move the sofa's, hoover the cat hair and dust bunnies they've been hiding, then do a wet run with the birthing pool. DH has fannyed around with the boiler so we now have hot water 24/7 (I'm not even going to think about how much that is costing)

Hurrah for good iron levels Aussie, just remember to keep taking your iron

For those of you due and feeling disheartened that you have no labour signs - I didn't with either of my previous two. No twinges, no shows, no feelings of imminent labour, nada. But both times I woke up in the middle of the night and labour had started all by itself. Have faith in your body and your baby, they will come when the time is right

Thanks ILTMIMI, MW said there was no harm in using but what you said makes more sense when you think about what is does (makes contractions stonger).

Congratulations Liv!

Aussie that's great about your iron levels and your delivery predictions did make me chuckle!

Lucie your appt with the docs does sounds rather odd, but I'm glad the hospital were able to reassure you.

No action here since Saturday, I feel like I'm in limbo waiting for things to happen, but like you said ILTMI it'll probably be a middle of the night all go at once thing. I suppose at least I got a good dry run at using the contraction timer thingy!

Anyone else had any experience of feeling fuzzy headed and a bit sick recently? Had a bit of a headache today too :(

Managed to get myself into a total panic thinking it was pre-eclampsia but don't have any swelling etc etc. Has settled a bit now but still don't feel 100%, don't want to phone MW and make a big song and dance about nothing! Also don't want to phone DP as he is away again this week and only left this morning!

I get the fuzzy head MrsWajs. Mostly if I'm too hot, just out the bath. or I've been standing too long.

If your headache shifts when you take paracetamol it shouldn't be PE. Are you drinking enough water? I often forget to drink and get a bit dehydrated sometimes.

My mum echoes the experience of no prior signs and waking up in labour. Ooh, many, many BHs today, perhaps it's all the walking!

Good to know about the clary sage ILTMIMI, I had been thinking of cracking it open tonight but will hold off now.

Aussie, yep am from Sydney too. Have you got your profile set to accept messages? We should hook up when babies are out as I think you must live close to me after seeing you're having your baby near me. We can plop the babies on playmats under piles of stuffed toys in the form of koalas, kangaroos and emus. I think my whole family are scared the baby won't know about Australian fauna judging by the amount of Australiana themed gifts that are being posted!

MrsW hope you're feeling better. Always better to phone the MW if you're worried about PE but hopefully your headache has shifted.

I too get the fuzzy head, headaches & occasionally sicky feelings. Normally when i haven't eaten enough i think.
Plus i get breathless and a bit almost numb/tingly when i sit in a certain position/lean back on the headboard for eg.

Have finished my BF course folder, yey! Can give it to a friend tomorrow who also did the course and she will arrange to get them both handed in. Big weight off my mind.
Need to think what other job to tackle next - well i've already started; new (any) curtains for front room. I have ordered the rail to collect from John Lewis tomorrow, may try a visit to Paul Simon and see if they have any big enough (bay window so needs lots of curtain).

The things i'm getting done pre-baby, not exactly baby-related, lol!

Afternoon all, hope you're all doing well.

Felix has had a spectacular day - pooing all over the place when the MW came to weigh him. Then when we went to change him after that, weeing all over himself, twice! And then throwing up all over DH. So that was 3 costume changes for Felix, one for DH!

I've posted a rather long winded birth story on the post natal thread, if anyone's interested. You're probably not, but it feels nice to get it out of my brain! I've saved a copy for myself too.

Looking forward to hearing other people's experiences too. x

MrsWajs I've been feeling like that too especially over the last week or so but I think it's because of not been drinking enough water since going on ML it's easier to remember to drink it at work for some reason! I seem to be all tea and cake since being off instead of water and fruit salads so am making an extra effort to get back on track with water/fruit and have been feeling a lot better for it over the last day so perhaps that would help (if you're not already!)

Oh thanks guys, feel much better reading it's not just me!! Not that I'm glad the rest of you are feeling crap too!! I am notoriously bad at not drinking enough and always have been!! Todays episode occurred after I'd been in the shower so maybe was just a bit too hot, palpitations have re-appeared too so it definitely could be down to not drinking enough - bad me! Headache shifted after 2 paracetamol though so glad about that. Just got to try and take it a bit easier I think, not that I was really exerting myself today in the first place!!

Yup, I get the fuzzy headed, bleugh feeling, usually with more swelling of my hands and feet when I'm dehydrated. I'm having to work really hard to drink enough fluids so each morning I fill the water filter jug and just work my way through it. I also find that I need a pint of water/squash through the night otherwise I wake up in the morning with a headache.

Petal I think babies always save the really explosive poos for when you have someone visiting! I remember one of my sisters doing similar while the HV was visiting, one of the others did an out the nappy, up the back spectacular while my mum was showing her off to the neighbours. Thankfully they were only in the front garden and Mrs Next door had finished having a cuddle and had just handed her back to my mum pre-poo explosion!

waves I hope everything's going well for everyone! ANd congrats Liv

I had midwife this morning. Baby is still free. I'm not shocked. my 2nd and 3rd kids didn't engage til labour. I've had loads of BHs. Just wsh the little miss would move it along!

Congratulations Liv! :)

I am a hormonal mess atm - up one moment and down the next. I'm struggling with what almost feels like grief for how my relationship with DS1 was. His babyhood is gone and I can't get it back - suddenly my baby boy seems huge, and grown up.
I'm also feeling so, so guilty for all the times over the last few weeks and months when I was too tired, too sore to play with him or take him out.

Midwife came this morning and took the staples out of my section scar, all seems to be healing nicely and I am just praying I don't get an infection like I did before.
DS2 weighs the same as he did

Congratulations Liv and welcome to little Phoebe (beautiful name too!). Hope you?re recovering well, looking forward to hearing the full story x

Sorry you're suffering Ali, I remember feeling practically bipolar in the few weeks following the birth of DD1.

I?ve been trying to relax today after a mildly traumatising Mothering Sunday. DH and DD woke me up with some of chocs and a bunch of tulips. This was only slightly tainted by the fact that DH had rushed out to buy these at 9.30pm the night before ? when he casually warned me not to get excited about receiving lots of mother?s day presents and I burst into a hysterical sobbing fit

DSis and I had planned to take DD and DNephew to the playground for to wear them out before meeting our parents for dinner. DD, however, seemed determined we would spend the day at A&E. First she trapped her lovely little fingers in the sliding door in the lift (I actually had to yank them out!!), then she leapt from the climbing frame onto a full size set of monkey bars (she is 2.6yo and only about 85cm tall) and finally fell over while running with a big stick, grazing her arm and neck but just missing impaling herself or poking one of her eyes out.

Thankfully, lunch went well. My mum liked the restaurant I?d booked and seemed well chuffed with the beauty vouchers I?d bought her. She proceeded to get riotously pi**ed, warning me not to go into labour as I?d have to get a taxi.

On the way home, I persuaded DH to climb over the wall into our permanently locked communal gardens to retrieve the maternity top that had blown off our balcony. Unfortunately, he ripped his jumper on the way over and, when he did find my top, an animal had pooed all over it As if all that wasn?t enough, I realised I really needed the loo on the way home and made a run for it, but didn?t quite make it in time

All this sparked off my first night of real pregnancy insomnia. Normally, my hypnobirthing CD sends me straight off - but last night, every time I closed my eyes I started to panic that there was something wrong with DD2 or had visions of DD1?s lovely little fingers trapped in the lift door

I know pregnancy is making me hypersensitive to everything ? but it really was a trying day! Sweep booked for tomorrow, please keep your fingers crossed for me Aprilites

Ok ladies, opinions please. Period/trapped wind pain about every four minutes lasting about 40 seconds to a minute per cycle. Can talk but have to breathe through and walk around. Should I ring the people? DP thinks not but I dunno.

Cycle - yes, ring - better to ring and be wrong than give birth in your new kitchen :)

I had this last Wednesday, wasn't convinced it was the real thing until I rang the hospital. My beautiful DD2 Anna arrived about 3 hours later! Good luck, I'll assume no news is good news!!

Thanks for all your good wishes, Phoebe is doing well. We named her Phoebe which was my grandmother's middle name. Lily is my great aunt. The Poppy came from DS as he has been calling the bump that for the last month. He seemed to know it was a girl before we did!

Birth Story as follows:
Went in for regular day assessment clinic at 11.30am on Wed morning due to the reduced fluid. FHR was still fine but I told them about the reduced movements. As it had been going on for a couple of days they phoned the on-call Obs and he decided they should induce me straight away rather than wait until Monday as planned.

I phoned home to let my mum know I wouldn't be back as she was looking after DS and phoned DH at work to go home and pick up my hospital bags. I had the 1st gel at 2pm and was sent to wander around the corridors of the hospital in the hope it would get things moving. Mum bought DS up to see me and we wandered around together for an hour and I explained that I was staying at the hospital so I could get the baby out of my tummy . Nothing much happened so I had an examination at 8pm. My cervix was still closed so I had a 2nd gel.

More corridor wandering, period pains and a little backache but nothing major. I was given a bed on the ward next to a lady who had a C section that afternoon and DH was sent home at 11.30pm and told they'd call him if I progressed. I was still getting some pains so put on my tens machine and the midwife said she would examine me again in 2 hours. So I spent the next 2 hours trying not to groan too loudly and doing lots of marching on the spot. Asked for a yoda ball but it never materialised.

I was getting significant pains by 1.45am, midwife examined me and I was 3cms so she said she would transfer me to a delivery room and call DH.
DH turned up at 2.30am by which I was fully dilated. A few pushes and baby was delivered with just the Tens machine for pain relief at 2.52am. (I tried the Gas and Air in the delivery room but it still made me sick as with my first labour so I refused it). DH got to cut the cord.

I'm pleased I got to have a natural birth this time The thing that surprised me the most was that when they tell you to push into your bottom to deliver it does feel exactly like you need to do a big poo . I had a 2nd degree tear so some stitches were required, again I refused the gas and air but was having skin to skin with Phoebe so that helped to take my mind off it a little. They havn't been sore which has been a bonus.

I'm a little that despite being admitted 14 hours before I delivered they didn't manage to give me the GBS antibiotics in time and only put the cannula in when I was transferred to the delivery room. Therefore I had to stay in for 48 hours monitoring. I'm also rather annoyed that I was effectively left labouring on a communal ward instead of being put into a labour room as they didn't think I was in labour. Although given the choice I'm glad I had the quick labour rather than the 3rd gel in the morning which they thought I might need.

So there you have it, good luck to those still waiting for baby. Thank you to whoever it was that suggested taking flip flops in your hospital bag, they were very handy in the shower and comfy when my feet and ankles swelled to huge proportions 2 days after giving birth.

Lastly my breastfeeding of choice is definately the Fig Roll. No crumbs to drop on the baby and the figs help out in other areas