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.

Wow another 2 babies!!

Congrats Thaney and NANN I like it when people just pop on casually and say they've had babies!! You make it sound so simple!

Had more period pains yesterday afternoon and again this morning and they definitely were period type pains and not constipation pains!! I know it doesn't mean anything much but still it's exciting to think my body is getting itself prepped!! I really would like to go a bit early. Went to holland & barrat today and got some RLT and the capsules so will maybe start them tomorrow - not sure if I should leave it til Friday though when DP will be home, just in case!

Feeling a bit bleugh again today, had palpitations last night that were preventing me from getting to sleep and still have an annoying cough from the cold I had. Don't think it helped that I didn't get to bed until 2am as was out for a meal with my family for my parents wedding anniversary and ended up staying up late with my little brother! Ended up with the fuzzy head thing again whilst I was out shopping and my friend ended up having to drive my car home! Really need to realise that I just can't do what I used to! Was really with a girl in a shoe shop we went into, I was sitting on one of the seats having a rest and she actually asked me to move so she could try some shoes on!!! I know that's what the seats are there for but really...could she not have sat somewhere else!!??

Thanks for all the bump comments, I have been really lucky with the amount of weight I've gained and the fact that I still have no stretchmarks but I'm trying not to be too smug just yet, I know it could still all be snatched away!!

Thanks for the tartan suggestions too Lis and arch I think I may just even go down the line of getting a tartan scarf and wearing that with something I already have. A few of the other girls are gettin tights but I think that might be a task too far trying to purchase tartan maternity tights!!

Where abouts in aberdeenshire did you live arch? I lived there for a while when I was younger, although I know it is a large area!! I'm actually in Angus now but I'm only about half an hour from Aberdeen.

Sorry not to name check everyone today, lacking in energy and as usual far too much chat since I was last on yesterday morning to keep up with!! :)

Congrats nann brill news and another lovely name

Hi ladies! No MN access on my phone and DP, baby Henry and I have just got home

Rang unit shortly after posting for advice. They said to wait til it was every 2-3 minutes. Went in about midnight and was 5cm dilated. Gave birth at 8.07am on Tuesday morning to an 8lb 4oz stunner with a shock of white blonde hair. Mum and DP were with me and managed on gas and air. Bit of a tear but not many stitches.

Can't talk about the piles, they're more traumatic than the birth!

Hospital 'care' afterwards was a joke but more of that later. Am exhausted but thought I should check in.

Love to all x x

Obviously I managed on gas and air, not mum and DP!

wooohooo Thaney, NANN and Cycle and welcome to your babies! So exciting. hope you're all ok. Loving this happy news every day!

Yey Cycle!!! Congratulations & great name (I have a Henry :) ).
I was horrified to get piles this pg having avoided them twice. Have no idea how i will focus in labour without stressing about them
But the Anusol cream does seem to do something.

BTW had a pg massage this morning, twas lovely :)

Yay Cycle congratulations on baby Henry (cute name!) sounds like it all went a-ok!! :)

another new member of the Aprilites

Congratulations on the arrival of Henry Cycle, am so chuffed for you

I keep going through up's and down's of being ok and zen that I won't be having this baby for weeks, then all of a sudden I want the baby NOW. I wish my hormonal self would make up its mind

Cycle lovely news, Henry is a lovely name. You well and truly beat me to it! I think you did amazingly well on just gas and air, and staying at home until you were 5cm. Hats off to you!

Huge congratulations NANN and cyclebump and welcome to the new April babies! Ahhh, I can't wait for my baby to get here! DP starts his new job on Monday 11th, one day after my EDD that has to tempt fate surely!

Yay Cycle, welcome to the world little Henry! :o

Yay cycle and NANN! Congratulations both and welcome to the world Henry and Rosalina. Great names too. Team April seem to be very good at baby names!

Can't wait to hear all the stories. x

Woo hoo congrats cycle well done. Welcome Henry

Congratulations cycle and NANN

I can recommend getting some tops with built in support for breastfeeding. I've found Primark ones with a built in bra are ideal, no clips on the strap but stretchy enough just to pull down for feeding and very comfortable. At £4 much cheaper than 'proper' breastfeeding tops.

Ooh, good recommendation chilli, I'll have a look for some.

I got mine on ebay (these ones) and they arrived quickly - seller does reduce postage if you're getting more than one

cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Maternity-Nursing-Vest-Top-7-Colours-All-Sizes-/120702024216?pt=Women_s_Clothing&var=&hash=item61cb8c96ea

I can't remember if I've already posted (hormone brain) so I'm going to post anyway and say BIG congratulations to Cycle. These babies are arriving at a steady pace now, so much so that I'd wager a bet that someone has been huffing and puffing overnight and will make an announcement today. Needless to say, my presence on here this morning means that absolute ZERO happened with me last night so I'm still cooking this baby. Officially one day overdue. Trying not to be majorly disgruntled about this but failing obviously.

Am seriously considering having a boing on my daughters's trampoline today. One of the lesser-known methods of natural induction but worth a shot maybe?

Good feeding vest links ladies - will def check out the Ebay stuff. I've recently ordered another batch of them but you can never have too many right?

Congrats Thaney & Cycle! Great names too. Cycle hope you can take some real drugs now for the piles or maybe bfing stops that?!

I'm looking forward to having one of those one tablet thrush treatments almost as much as having the baby. After reading about taking them and bfing I think it should be ok and the pessaries are useless. Damned if I'm giving up sugar and yeast. Those cookies are too good Chilli. I dutifully rolled and chopped and froze a batch but have been eating my way through them and doubt they'll last till I pop!

Aussie, I grew up in the NW but spent most of adult life in the Eastern Suburbs. You? I tried to figure out how you set your profile to allow people to message you but now can't find where it is. Sorry, obviously I'm missing something !

kits can I have a go on your trampoline? Def worth a shot.

Well just seen midwife. My usual community midwife was on holiday.
Today 40+3. Last time they palpated my abdo a week ago they told me babies head was 3/5 engaged. Today apparently head pretty much out of pelvis, and only 1/5 engaged. So I'm thinking the student midwife who felt my tummy last week obviously didn't have a clue! Was meant to be having a memb sweep but midwife said no point as head too far out of pelvis and would be a complete waste of time.
Booked for midwife to visit on Sunday but not holding out much hope for anything to have changed. Another 9 days till induction then.

Don't know why but feel fed up and useless and a bit tearful. How pathetic. My body wouldn't go into natural labour when I had dd and I desperately don't want to be induced again.

Oh well, rant over. Hope there is some more baby news today. Off to get on hands and knees to clean kitchen floor. What an exciting life!

Hiya all

I haven't been on the April thread but thought I'd pop in and add another arrival!

DS2 born via c section 28/03/11 7lb 13 oz and called Yaseen

I didn't get the vbac that I wanted...was contracting very strong and very well, made it to 5 cms with no pain relief and staying mobile. Then when in established labour was given gas and air.

They then started cfm and I stayed upright on the bed so that I wasn't lying flat out but didn't feel like I wanted to bounce on ball or walk around and I expressed that concern to midwife and she said that when in established labour, the body is doing all the work anyway so not as essential to move around as in the first stages (am not sure about that?!)

Anyway, contractions were getting very strong, very intense and so I asked for an epidural. My membranes were bulging but not breaking so they broke them for me and with every contraction, I was leaking fluid which they said was good as meant baby's head was pushing down and doing what it should do.

I made it to 7cms but then my cervix started to thicken on one side, DS2 started to get a swelling in his head and I started to have blood with the fluid rather than just clear waters. We decided against a drip for the contractions because my contractions were very good and consistent, they didn't need help - they just weren't dilating me.

When I knew I was bleeding and he had a swelling, I said safety first and so we had the c section.

I feel ok about it as I know I gave labour a chance, didn't have pethidine, got to second stage naturally etc..so, I guess just one of those things.

Trying to get breast feeding established now - he cluster fed from 4.30pm to 11pm on Tuesday night but it seems to have done the trick as he slept from 6am to 9.30am this morning after draining both boobs so am hoping my supply is on the up!

Mega congrats to all the other arrivals and positive birth vibes to all the ladies currently baking their buns!

Don't be disheartened Jen, subsequent babies are less likely to engage anyway, they are also more likely to bob in and out of being engaged. Have a loo at the spinning baby website and find some tricks to help the baby to engage. But also remember that you don't have to be fully engaged to go into labour - I wasn't either times.

For some reason I was thinking of some good 'new mum tips' last night and thought I would post them as they really helped me:

Buy an insulated/thermal mug thing. Great for putting your hot drinks in when you feel like you are constantly drinking lukewarm cups of tea because you're running around doing this and that.

Get your dp to make you a stack of sandwiches and put them in the fridge so even when your baby is being a velcro baby, you have filling snacks to hand.

Set up a feeding station on the sofa. Have the remote control, telephone, mobile, laptop, snacks, glass and bottle of water all to hand. Because you just know that that bloody phone is going to ring, just as you're both settled into a feed!

The weather is glorious here again today

Morning Ladies!

I slept all night! Tah dah!!!! I almost feel like a different person! Hip still feels out of place, but not as bad as it was yesterday. No Michael Jackson impressions required today!

Another day of batch cooking for me, we started touse the stuff I did a couple of weeks ago, so I'd better replace it.

If I make a lasange do I bake it then freeze it or layer it up and just freeze like that?

Looks like my reflexology hormone rebalance did diddly squat! Not even a twinge last night.

Has anyone been thinking about what they are going to eat post partum? I've been making up a dream food list for DH to bring me in hospital! So far I have pate with warm crusty bread (not sure how he is going to get warm bread to me, but thats what I've requested), brie and other stinky cheeses, parma ham and other deli meats, Reeces peanut cups (looking forward to these the most), rare steak (see bread) and the pièce de résistance Mr Whippy ice cream!

I'm hungry now! Best go find something that wont cause heartburn!

Huuuuuuge congratulations to notanother and baby Rosina (such a cute name), also to cycle and baby Henry (another excellent choice, April ladies have taste!) and PussinJimmyChoos with Yaseen (both Yaseens are ones for the ladies so keep an eye on him )

Beetle fingers crossed things start for you soon. I wish DH would stay off work with me! He?s barely back and he?s in the office, home late etc. Apparently this will all change when baby arrives and if I?m at all worried I?m to call at any time but it won?t change ? if there?s a big meeting while he?s supposed to be on paternity leave he?ll go in ? and I can call but there?s no guarantee I?ll reach him! Still I suppose waiting around won?t change anything...

Lis hope your heartburn has calmed down a bit. Are you sleeping slightly sat up? Fingers crossed the reflexology does something.

Aussie I can?t believe you?re still working! And I?m super jealous of your Hyde Park lunchbreaks. It must be so beautiful and spring-like right now.

JKS your patience stores are allowed to be a little depleted. DH at least should understand that!

kits hope things happen for you naturally although there are times when I think an ELCS would be quite nice because at least then you have an end date and can work around it! But I totally understand wanting to avoid one as well. Get bouncing on that trampoline!

MrsWajs the period pains sound most promising. I haven?t had any at all :( I think a tartan scarf sounds like a most acceptable compromise! Tartan maternity tights may well be a bit of a stretch...

ILTMI I?m with you on the hormonal roller coaster ? I want it now, I want it over with but then I panic because I am in no way shape or form ready. And I don?t want to go into labour in the evening (I think because DH will have just done a day at work).... You were right about the not-being-arsed for natural methods of induction though , more I think because DH is still jet-lagged and I feel like an absolute whale.

Jen It doesn?t matter about engagement. Mine seems to bob in and out at will (although that?s based on my palpating myself and the relative amount of pressure on my cervix so not massively reliable). Don?t feel useless! Some people just don?t labour naturally by the prescribed date ? it might just mean you naturally cook your babies a bit longer. Cleaning the kitchen floor will help get baby into the right position at least and with any luck you?ll be so knackered having done it your body will decide that it?s the perfect time to go into labour!

As for me, well I?m not sure what?s happening here. Nothing seems to be the prevailing theme. I jump at every twinge or slight stomach cramp, wallow in the bath every evening and have considered upping my gym schedule. Had my final lot of bloods done today and invited people over for both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. So early hours of Saturday morning it is I guess.... Or I?ll be dragged kicking and screaming at 42 weeks, which is the day of the Royal Wedding which I absolutely refuse to miss.

Frak - i'm hoping that at least if i'm in labour during the wedding i can still watch it at home, lol!

Well some marital relations/natural induction method this morning and am feeling 'umcomfortable' is the only way i can describe it. Have been out and about doing jobs this morning so obv not about to pop i don't think. sure it will come to nothing.

right lunchtime :)

Tee hee JKS at marital relations! I thought you were talking about Wills and Kate! We've tried that, but it just wasn't happening. Might just ask DH for a sample if I get that desperate!

Just had a sausage sandwich! Yum! Small things in life can make you so happy sometimes!

And, by the power of mumsnet I have discovered what my mystery rash is. Thread here. PUPPS/PEP! Another thing to add to the list of pleasant pregnancy things that only happen to 1 in 200 women!! I'm so lucky! Maybe I'll be one of these women who has the pain free birth!