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.

Oh crap, there is a pregnancy warning sign that involves rib pain but for the life of me I can't think what it is. However lots of people (me incl) get rib pain when the baby is head down and LOA or ROA and then the baby's feet wedge into the ribs on the other side (this also happens the most when I'm sitting very upright ((at a desk or at the dinner table)). Give your MW a call Frakk if you're concerned. Or maybe first lie down on your side and see if the pain subsides, it does for me when I'm getting rib pressure.

Am loving the printed labels ecuse

The itchy left tit syndrome seems to have stopped for the first time today, probably because huffing, puffing and waddling my way around town took my mind off of it! I also saw 3 other heavily pregnant ladies and we all gave each other that 'I feel your pain' look

I also picked up various bf'ing bra's, got them out of their packets, studied them, and put them back down again. I am incapable of making a bloody decision regarding bra's for some reason. I think it's because I know the make and style that fit me really well, however they have a muscle back like a sports bra so you can't wear them with strappy summer tops - which are what I will be living in over the next few months. So, I need to find some with a normal back, but I just know from previous experience that they won't fit as well

not sure what rib pain could be frak? is it intermittent? If it's scaring can you phone your mw?

ILTMIMI got my breastfeeding bras in debenhams.. 2 for £25 thought they'd at least start me off and then when I know what size I'll be I can get some more. I have huuuuugggge knockers and these seem pretty supportive so I'm pleasantly suprised!

I think I may have had/be having my show? Was a mucussy wipe this morning (say about a table spoon's worth) but clear and snotty (looked exactly as if i'd blown my nose) so wasn't sure if it was just extra cm or not but had a bit more that is very faintly pink.. ooh I hope so!

Rib pain is constant, on the left, properly under the ribs. Baby is LOA, feet firmly wedged in anatomically superfluous floating ribs on right hand side. Worried now :s

Might give MW a call...

Don't know if it's any help but had a quick look to see if I could find anything for rib pain - I wonder if the pregnancy warning sign that ILTMIMI is thinking of is for a urinary infection? None of the other causes seem to be too calamitous so I would try not to worry, but I really think there's no harm in calling your mw if you are feeling concerned- it's so much better than just worrying to yourself about it? What I found is below - hopefully it's reassuring

www.buzzle.com/articles/rib-pain-during-pregnancy.html

Frak Does it hurt if you take deep breaths in and out, are you feeling short of breath? If so and you have no symptoms of infection, then although extremely unlikely they could be symptoms of pulmonary embolism.

I think you can also get upper abdo pain in pre-eclampsia, but I would expect you probably to have other symptoms, eg headache, nausea, vomiting, flashing lights or spots in front of eyes.

I had severe pain on my right side lower rib area at the back and was in agony a few weeks ago. Turned out just muscular pain but I think its always best to get checked out if your not sure.
I would give your MW a call if you haven't already. They may well suggest you go in to be checked out eg check your bp, urine, have a feel of your tummy and listen to your chest, and check all is ok with baby then you would be reassured too.
Don't want to worry you btw.

ILTMIMI thanks for your info earlier. I find the whole question of what actually starts labour fascinating, as you said, we still don't really know.

Kit hope you are ok, and currently in hospital in labour!

I too have had a small amount of blood stained snot in my pants today, but not enough to be a really convincing show, and absolutely no contraction type pain at all.

I hope you're calling your MW Frakk and getting some reassurance and good advice. Whatever it is, it hasn't been going on for long so hopefully things will be ok. Let us know how you're doing.

Lucie - I posted on here a few weeks ago about my local Debenhams not stocking nursing bra's. Not even one bloody bra. Grrrrrr. They have loads on their website though so I think I'm just going to order a load and then send back what I don't want

Hurrah for bloody snot, how exciting. I only had shows both times when I was well into established labour, so I'm not expecting one this time either. However it still doesn't stop me from checking the loo roll everytime I wipe

Yep called MW. She didn't seem worried - suggested it might be muscular and try a warm bath, if it doesn't go away, gets worse or I feel worried I can obviously go in but I rather got the impression she thought I was making a fuss over nothing, which I probably am. Going to give it a couple of hours and if it gets worse, or ar least doesn't get better then we'll reevaluate.

Frak - glad you spoke to her, hope it eases soon.

ILike - i'm a frantic knicker checker at the moment, did have a show both times before so am waiting for it...

Sometimes I feel like i'll never have this baby

Evening all

I'm into week two of ML now and have enjoyed every minute so far. I've been trying to keep up with all the high drama and arrivals each night but we're moving along like crazy now aren't we? It's all really fascinating cross reffing the dues with the arrivals and the stories

Kit Good luck, hope all is ok and that LO is on the move

Frak I've had intermittent high rib pain the whole time, lay flat, try a hot wheat pack or warm bottle on it, MW sent me for obligatory scans/checks but says it's really common to pull muscles high up there, particularly late on.

I had 38 week check today and head not engaged.....MW says I have to go back next week as is unusual at this stage, that right, feel so bloody ignorant. Had to smile as she wrote, 'Sarah is looking pale and tired - have advised rest' am up there with you non sleepers at the moment with wees and agony of SPD, have to take codiene to get anywhere near comfortable enough to go off, sleep for three hours then hourly, at least I'm getting ready for the night feeding, was a firm 9 hours a night girl till now.

Anyway x

Sorry, MW said head is 'high' and in my right hip, I think that's different to not engaged. She said it means labour not imminent at all. Would appreciate any advice or similar experiences...

Ok ladies - so, I've had persistent and fairly constant low grade period pain all day and then just now, lying on the bed it got really really intense, and I felt immediately nauseous - had to go and rock backwards and forwards over the loo - it passed off after a while, and now I feel ok, just a little gripey. Was that an early contraction?! Did anyone else start out with constant gripe rather than waves? Am excited and terrified and confused all at once!!

Daisy that could well have been. You're probably well under way by now!

Sarah if baby is high and over your hip it sounds like it could be oblique position. Has it previously been breech or transverse? It could be in the process of turning or it could just be awkward! Get on the spinning babies site for lots of helpful tips to encourage optimal positioning. If MW said to go to the maternity unit if your waters break then it's almost certainly oblique. Not being engaged isn't unusual but not being head down and able to engage means they'll want to keep an eye on it.

Rib pain better this morning so I suspect I was worrying over nothing! This pregnancy lark is stressful...

Nope - had another one exactly the same about 25 mins later - decided to try to get some sleep, expecting to be woken up by another one but nothing happened at all!! Now I'm paranoid it was something sinister.... had also convinced myself that something was wrong with Bean but I've felt a few wriggles so far this morning, and the recent pattern is for laziness in the morning and mad dancing in the evening so....will ring midwife at half eight I think.... Just not how I had imagined it at all!! So confusing!! And quite disappointing....

Hope everyone else is faring better this morning.

Guess what guys? Still no baby. Am I the most overdue on the thread, now 8 days over.

Tried to contact my midwife yesterday to see if I could get another sweep today, then another on thurs, but she hasn't got back to me.

So desperate to get this baby out that persuaded DH to have a shag last night (well he didn't need much persuading) He slept like a log afterwards. I have nothing to show apart from a slightly sore fanjo!

To top it all off dd has come down with tonsillitis yet again, so I have been up since 4am and she isn't well enough to go to nursery. I am feeling absolutely wrecked, so perhaps a good chance that I may go into labour whilst having to look after a poorly 3 year old!

Lets hope there is some more baby news today.

Oh poor your Jen. Your sweep sounded so promising as well... Hope your DD feels better soon. Tonsilitis is utterly miserable. An excuse to chill out on the sofa and eat ice cream, I think!

How frustrating for you as well, daisy.

What a very unhelpful comment made by your MW SJ, you would think she would at least qualify her explanation with more information and suggestions for you to encourage the baby to move Hearing things like that when very pregnant is not helpful. Like Frakk suggested, look at the spinning babies site and pick some tips up.

Sounds like pre-labour or the baby moving around to get in a good position Daisy, all good things although they can be worrying if you are unsure about what is happening.

The waddle around town yesterday obviously worked in tiring me out , as I slept really quite well last night. It was one of those nights when everything was just right, the bed was comfortable, the room temperature was just right and dh didn't snore like a bastard - for once!

Off to toddler group with ds this morning then a MW appt after lunch.

Jen - my sympathies, i'm getting impatient at only 39+2. Hope something kicks off asap for you.
Tried sex here too, DH also slept well, i didn't, hmph.

People round the corner doing their driveway so all day yesterday & this morning the delightful sound of jackhammers & reversing trucks.

Off out to BF support group with both boys in a bit, wondering if i should take a towel to sit on as i have this thought that waters will explode everywhere at the most inconvenient time...

Thanks for site advice ladies, will have a look. It was pretty unhelpful ILTMIMI particularly as the last time I saw her she said Oblique and sent me for a scan which showed head down, not engaged but down to the left, the scanner lady was quite huffy about it, but on the day I could feel what MW meant. Yesterday she said head down but all to one side and too high, and she did say if anything happened to get in touch asap as it wouldn't be straightforward. I feel so bloody ignorant about all this.

Baby is hugely active, not wriggles but big old rolls so yep Frak I might just be gettting an awkward one!

Poor old you Jen can't even imagine what 8 days over feels like (or a shag at 40+8 for that matter) and am smiling a bit at your sore fanjo!

Hi everyone finally getting some movement here. Was awake most of night with what I can only describe as contractions - tightening accompanied by strong period pain, went between 12 mins and 6 mins apart and even put tens machine on. Had some sleep this morning and now seem to have gone! Has anyone else experienced this, I was so convinced this was it due to severity of pain!!! Also had show - tmi - mucus with blood streaks in it a couple of times through night.

Hope everyone else getting on ok?

I think MWs don't actually bother to explain, unless you ask why, why, why - which I think I'd do in the UK but have a get-out-of-jail-free pass to do so as a stupid furriner. Plus I have an almost unhealthy interest in midwifery/related careers! So don't feel ignorant but do ask questions if you don't understand.

Your MW should have told you why things wouldn't be straightforward though as (and I really don't mean to scare you with this info) oblique or shoulder presenting babies are undeliverable and a missed diagnosis of this can put you through a long and exhausting labour which was always going to end in an EMCS. Even if your baby turns during early labour it's likely to be very, very painful as it needs to come up, therefore working against nature and gravity, to go down and get into a deliverable position so being prepared for that is, IMO, pretty important. Otherwise you might be in latent labour with contractions which are doing something and moving the baby for ages or, worse, agony and thinking it's normal when in fact your baby is just getting more and more stuck. Plus if your baby isn't engaged, even if they're head down, if your waters go you're at risk of a cord prolapse and you need to go the maternity unit straight away. So grr at MW for not telling you at least a little of that and for leaving you confused.

Now get on your Yoda ball or try some of the inversions from spinning babies.

Hi Sassy, in exactly the same boat here, although I only had TWO before they tailed off! Very dispiriting to wake up in the morning and go, oh, thought I was in labour there. I spoke to midwife this morning who said it all sounded very normal and just to hang on in there.... Tough all this waiting, isn't it? Quite enjoyed having something physical to actually cope with!

Thanks frak and you aren't scaring me, I posted in the hope that someone in the know would advise!

it isn't that I'm scared to ask questions it just that at the time I feel like I don't know what I don't know if that makes any sense?! It's after, when I've had a chance to think about it that I think, questions! Will defo ring mat unit the minute anything happens if I don't make it to next appointment, and if I do make it whats best, insisiting on another scan if all isn't as it should be?

So, I'm off to sort out some inversions, Spinning Babies is fascinating reading.

Also, aw and the hugs - love you April ladies.

Daisy I know exactly what you mean, despite the pain at least something was happening! When's your edd, I'm now over by 6?