Jue in June 2011....... labour here we come!!!!!

[Jer79]

New thread. Should last us a week.

PS - there's an NCT Bumps & Babies coffee thing near me and I'm wondering whether to go this week. Do you think I'll feel silly if everyone else is there with babies and I'm just there with my bump :)

Petitech - go, go! I started going when I was first pregnant to Bumps and Babies, the mums were very welcoming and happy to talk about their birth & bfing experiences, and let me have a sneaky cuddle with a snuggly newborn while they had a cuppa
Perpetual - MW didn't look around mine either, just asked where in the house we were going to be, what access was like and whether we had somewhere safe to store the entonox.
Merlion - yey for your bp, boo for not getting signed off work!

Been back to the hospital to find out about TENS hire, got some good info and a form. Will be able to hire it from next week when I will be 37 weeks. Costs £30 including £10 deposit, so cheaper than Boots. If anyone else is thinking of hiring TENS but hasn't sorted it out yet, check with your hospital to see if they do it.

Hello everybody! Just checking in to apologise for dissapearing, it's all been a bit hectic with one thing and another! I've briefly read and it's great to see everyone's doing so well. I've got a bit of time on my hands now as my maternity leave has officially started (even though I'm going to have to go to work for a couple of hours a few days this week )

I've managed to change midwives after several terrible appointments but I might never see her again anyway as I haven't got an appt for a couple of weeks and I'm 36 weeks today!

I've got a scan later this afternoon, then consultant appt tomorrow, who will finally be able to tell me if I'm now classed as 'low risk' and can give birth in the birthing centre rather than the hospital ward. Fingers crossed.

Will have a proper read of what I've missed now!

Kara- I bought a TENS machine from Lloyds Pharmacy for £25. I was about to do you a link but they seem to have taken it off the website

Mummy - it was probably a special offer, £25 seems really cheap, haven't seen them for less than £50!

Anyway quick post from me as need to go and get DS, but MW has rung me and she and the supervisor are coming out to see me next Wednesday to talk about my HB.

Petitech - I would go along too. You can pick up loads of tips and tricks to store away while they are still fresh in people's minds. And cuddle babies, that's always good! Plus, you might not be the only bump there.

Just a random rant - I had a different MW at my appt yesterday. She filled out all the forms and checklists in my book that my regular MW has ignored. I assume they have been ignored because it's my second baby rather than any negligence on her part! I was a bit at the stuff thrown at me. I must do this, I must do that. I must breast feed and on demand and not use dummies or nipple shields. She said baby had to sleep in my room. I explained I co-slept a lot with DD and may do again this time and I received a right cat's bum face! Apparently they don't like that. And apparently when MW makes a home visit after birth they will inspect where baby sleeps to make sure it is acceptable! Sounds a bit nosey-pokey to me. Is this normal?! I don't remember any of it last time...

Sounds promising kara personally I would have someone else with me if there will be 2 of 'them' just to even out the numbers ;)

Am starting to stress myself out about not being ready for the baby yet; my 3DSs birthdays all fall within 18days of my due date & so far I have bought 1 pair of shorts for one of them

I also have loads of mailshots etc to organise for the business as well as the nesting. TBH nesting keeps seeming more urgent than everything when realistically bleaching the cupboard under the sink should so not be a high priority right now!

Think I need to write a to do list to calm myself down!

Glad the baby has turned petitech & merlion that your BP is down :)

mrsnoggin!!! My mw hasn't mentioned a thing like that. She measures my bump, checks my wee, lets me listen to the heartbeat, fills out any forms that need filling out and sends me on my way. We haven't talked about birth plans let alone what happens after the birth, and I can't imagine she'd ever tell me what I 'must' or 'mustn't' do - she's checked I'm on NCT/NHS classes and I think she's leaving me to get the information and make a decision myself. I can talk about it with her if I'm not sure or anything but I really didn't think she would be there to tell me what to do, or to inspect me! This sounds really wrong to me, especially since it's obvious to anyone that breastfeeding is a matter of personal choice and circumstances, as is on demand or not, as is co-sleeping. I am totally inexperienced though ...

Cross post mrsnoggin I would have been tempted to ask her what she intended to do about it if she didn't approve of babys sleeping area?! She sounds like a bit of a witch.

at Thornykate. I thought exactly the same thing when I was listening to her. I nodded graciously for a while and then pointed out I had done it before and DD (sitting next to me at the time, looking suitably beautiful and healthy stuffing raisins down her gob) had obviously turned out fine.

My birth plan has yet to be mentioned...

Hi all, been keeping up with the news and glad everyone is pretty well and all the maternity leaves are starting :)
Well our news is that the NG tube came out today, we have been BF ( sort of on demand, but im not allowed to go over 3.5hrs) for the past 48hrs with no problems and she weighs 4lb 7oz. I am so proud of her........
we had the best night sleep so far as well last night as she didnt seem so hungry and the poor thing had to be woken for her feeds, where as on the ng she was starving every 2 hrs. Trouble is now trying to wean off the expressing and allow my breasts to adjust to her needs but keep getting engorged which is very painful indeed........temperature maintenance is better so heating still on but no longer at sauna temperatures.
A good tip for you all which is working for us.....when she is out of her cot/pram/moses basket put a hot water bottle in, she doesnt then wake when being put down onto cold sheets.

oh and my midwife/ health visitor/outreach have never even asked where she sleeps let alone had a look. Think thats all a bit much to be honest........

Crikey MrsNoggin - that's some midwife - bossy and judgemental - nice

Glad everything is going so well Moomin I find it really hard to believe that your have an actual real baby, looking at my bump still finding it hard to believe there is one in there!

mrsnoggin can't believe the way you have been treat - especially with a second baby. I had a card through the door saying the health visitor had tried to visit, but as I am still working full time and they don't have an answer machine when you ring the given number, not sure how to inform them of anything! I have sent an email to the centre she is from, but heard nothing back. I would be happy to show her my nursery as am very proud of it - but do find the whole concept a bit weird, if you had shown some housing, money, care risk I could understand it - but visiting before baby is even due feels more intrusive than supportive. Or is it just me???

I have had to start making some changes at work, am going through potential job restructure and pay changes all in the middle of ML and had blargh stuff with students. Today after previous incidents - scissors and a chair were thrown - so I decided I wouldn't work with that group anymore, after bollocking said students, I then went and gave my bump a little cuddle in the toilets in case baby felt stressed - how pathetic
Hoping to get dog-mauled carpet fixed this week

4lb 7oz! You must have super breastmilk Moomin! So glad Florence just keeps on making such amazing progress :)

Hi MN2, was just thinking about you today :) How's married life treating you? Yay for mat leave and fingers crossed your low risk.

The health visitor did tell me not to let baby sleep in my bed today. I have to say I am leaning towards co-sleeping so if I DO decide to do it I'll just have to smile and nod and then carry on as I was!

OMG Curioselle was the chair thrown at you? That's not exactly a safe environment for you to be in, hope you're ok

nurse Chair wasn't thrown at me but at another student fairly near me, as were the scissors that were thrown back in response. TBH before pregnancy I would take this in my stride (I deal with behaviour) and find being vulnerable an uncomfortable place to be. Am beginning to wish I hadn't decided to leave ML as late as possible!

It's true you do feel a lot more vulnerable in situations you wouldn't have thought twice about before. Not long to go till ML though :)

Playing catch up again

Glad everyone is well. moomin really pleased to hear that Florence is doing so well. I hope that clarkie's girls are also progressing well.

Spent the weekend in London. Phew it is hot down there compared to up here. Was a hectic weekend which resulted in swollen ankles for me and today I have been pretty much napping on and off all day... apart from at aquanatal!!

curiouselle glad you got your pram sorted. And at the chair & scissor throwing incident at your work. Glad you haven't got long for ML to start.

nurse that's exactly what my friend does with regards to co-sleeping.

My health visitor has also rung me and left a message saying she wanted to pop by next week to introduce herself. I have never heard of this before so glad others have had calls from theirs too!

Lots of pushing from the wee one now. Sometimes something sticking out either side of my belly. Is very weird!! :)

Evening all,

MrsNoggin at your mw, sounds delightful. The trouble with people like that you just can't be arsed to argue as it takes too much effort and they never listen anyway. You are safe in the knowledge though that if she turns up at your house after the baby is born you can refuse to let her in .

Moomin Fab news Glad to hear you're all doing well :)

Kara Thanks for the reminder about tens. Now I am out of the breech club I should probably look into hiring one . . . . will add to my list of 7 thousand things to do before this baby arrives

curiouselle Know what you mean about the vulnerability, very strange feeling. I don't feel as vulnerable this time, but then I'm not in a place where chairs and scissors get thrown!

There was so much more to say to people but my brain is suffering from trying to sort out my assignment and pretending to be vaguely intelligent!

Enjoy your evenings :)

To be fair, my normal midwife is an absolute star. I'll just have to hope she does my after birth home visits.

A chair and scissors curious, wow. I don't know what you do, but I'd definitely be looking forward to ML!

Playing catch up too!

Surprising how busy life can feel when you're on maternity leave!

Moomin so glad to hear things are progressing well - and great tip with the hot water bottle. How clever.

We're thinking of having her sleeping in the moses next to the bed. What do people think of that?

We gave birth plan to midwife today and she said pretty much all of what we want is part of their procedure anyway, so no worries there. Baby is right size, right way up, halfway engaged, so all looking good. I'm now 37+2. Can hardly believe it! And the second of our NCT group gave birth yesterday, so it's all getting incredibly real. Done the hospital bags, getting on with other bits and bobs and I think a bit of batch cooking may be in order tomorrow.

Sure I've seen TENS machines online for about £22 to hire... will have another look now.

Hope everyone's having a chilled evening.

NCT hire the TEN's machine..

here

petitech meant to say. I have been going to bumps & babies since around 10 weeks!!!! As has already been mentioned it is a great source of information and anyone who has one nearby, once the wee ones arrives I highly recommend you go. Also a good place to do that first public BF - at least that is what I am planning!!

Hello all,

haven't posted for ages, things been hectic with work and wriggly-bump.

Oh flippin' heck, to the stories of health visitors/midwives calling round. We're a bit like a hippy version of the Adams Family, I'm not sure what they'll be able to do with us

BP Flo is in a full size cot next to our bed but we have a 'safesleeper' cot divider that makes it smaller. Downstair she is in her pram cot. Havent othered with a moses basket but it would be ideal to be next to your bed and then just bring it downstairs with you in the morning