April 2011–Half in! Half out! On the grumpy couch...do the hokeycokey, breathe the baby out, that’s what it’s all about

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

New thread here ladies.

Again, many thanks to Frakk for the inspired title

Do you think this thread will be the last ante-natal one for the April 11 crew? Or will I be the last one standing and having to start a new thread and talking to myself?!

Lis hope all is well with you.

Congratulations, Caramello and Aussie (did the babies of Aussie extraction arrive on the same day?!) - looking forward to hearing all about it when you're a bit more settled.

Nice night out with my lovely boyfriend last night, changed our minds and decided to go for thai instead. Nice spicy curry and a walk back up the hill, then a tub of ice cream and a movie in bed. Lovely! Really uncomfortable night with lots of backache and stomach cramp - thought something might be happening but no, have woken up and am fine this morning.

Not feeling TOO impatient today as boyf is doing last day of work before 'paternity leave' (since he's self-employed this really just means 'refusing work' but, still...) so would be nice to have a day or two to hang out with him before baby arrives. But I still want it out without being induced on Weds!

Hi! Had a mammoth lie in today. thought if my body lets me sleep I'm sleeping [busmile]!

Congrats to Carmello and Aussie on their little antipodean April babies!!

Nothing here since the pinky gunge yesterday. MW called with my induction date this morning! Next Thursday, 28th. I knew it would be, I'm going to miss the bloody wedding! Still its given me a couple extra days to go myself, which is what I want, so I can't complain! I'll have a baby by next weekend!!

Salted you've hit the same wall I did last week! Chocolate is your friend! And it can't talk [bugrin]. There has been a lack of contact from all the nosey people in my life over the last few days, maybe my grumpiness towards them has sent the message!

• should I brave the outdoor swimming pool today, or would someone try to harpoon me?

ROLF ecuse! How warm is it with you? I would need a survival suit to go outdoor swimming today, it's freezing!

Anyone around?? all off sunning yourselves? Better not be having babies before me!

26 degrees here in London, can report that London Fields is jam packed full of picnicking hipsters, traditional summer smells of disposable bbqs and cannabis are drifting on the wind, shoulders are turning red, and the Lido is one-in-one-out. I had a little swm, though, and sat in the sun with a book, so feeling quite pleased with myself. Nobody harpooned me, although one or two lifeguards looked nervously at me

Hee hee! It's brightened up here, but nowhere near 26 degrees, blustery breeze means cardi required.

In other news, I have discovered Lactulose tastes like maple syrup! Hopefully that will clear me out and give baby room to exit!

It is a lovely day isn't it?

Fraser met a cat for the first time in the garden today. He was mesmerised :)

I keep looking at the plants I've got to plant, giving them a drink then scampering off because I'm in a frame of mind where I'll only do fun things.

So no babies here either, I do keep having those sporadic stop-speaking-huff-puff contractions though. I think "ah this is it ok, DH please immediately go do " then erm nothing for hours. I think I have a strange view of what is vital for labour. I think most women would tell their DH to hold their hand or fetch a heat pack or run a bath but no I tell him it's vital that the bathroom is spotlessly clean or a random bit of DIY is completed.

Lactulose really helped during the MW stressed induced monthofconstipationhell. I still have some left in the bathroom cabinet in case it's required after the event.

Oh Lis on the helping constipation topic, use a heat pack on your bum muscles, have a bath, drink lots and lots and lots of water, relax your shoulders and try to stretch your hands high while circling hips clockwise. I'm not kidding it helps.

Should DH burn some sage in the dining room too arch :o

Thanks, I'll give it all a go!

Many congratulations Caramello and Aussie, am so happy for you both, and not at all jealous that you are holding your gorgeous bundles while I am sat sweating in places that a person shouldn't sweat!! Gawd it's hot here too.

I've had my pre-baby haircut and dye today, so that's me done for preening for some months.

Good for you for going to the Lido ecuse, there's nothing quite like an outdoor pool.

My lovely niece has been a godsend this afternoon and played with ds in the garden all afternoon while I done a good impression of a beached whale and dh visited his mum in hospital. Hopefully she'll have surgery tomorrow and will be out in the evening or Sunday - so no more driving a distance worrying that I go into labour while away from home . TBH I just want her out of hospital and home, those places give me the jitters and they are just full of ill people and germs. You get such better care at home as well.

honestly movement, heat and water really help. Not sure on the sage, or even Clary sage mind.....

Ecuse London must be practicaly sub-tropical to here to go to the Lido. Must have made you chuckle to scare the lifeguards :)

ILTMIMI Good news about MIL plan to come out of hospital :)

Sorry arch I was just being funny!! My sense of humour is slightly skewed just now! I've just had a litre of water and now bouncing on the yoda ball. Bath booked for later. Its the codeine bunging me up!

Lis don't worry I'm a lovely mixture of a bit hormonal and sensitive about MW's opinion that my birth plan is hippy-ish because I want to be at home and perhaps use a birth pool if possible. I realise you're just joking, didn't want you to miss out on the tips just because they sound like the beginning of a very strange ceilidh call :)

:o

Hi all. Loving the sun.

Congrats Aussie hope you and ur baby girl are ok

ecuse your lido comments really made me laugh. I have been getting sideways glances when out shopping today too...makes me chuckle. I amjealous of your swim, sounds lush.

So I am not overdue, yet. EDD is monday. Just been talking to an obs/gynae friend who has said I should push for a sweep at my next appt on Wednesday. So hopefully something might happen between now and then, but for now I am looking forward to it. SOmething to focus on.

ILTMM I ominiously had my hair done almost 3 weeks ago . By the time this fricking baby arrives I'll have hidious roots again. Humph.

Lis a vision for you that'll make you feel better. I've been very regular throughout my pg. A few bouts of constipation...one such incident in a shopping centre loo this afternoon. Had the feeling of "oh feck I am going to crap myself" so found a loo. Then spent 20 mins (I kid you not) half straining to get a plop out...then getting half way through and literally being stuck. If was fecking hidious and I was huffing, puffing and actually sweating. So horrid.

Oh, and to make you ALL feel better. I sneezed whilst in the lift of TK Maxx today and did enough wee for it to dribble down my leg. Yup, really. Thankfully I was just with SIL. Who was admitedly . And I was rather mortified, as you can imagine .

That's all folks! x

Been trying to type a post all day but keyboard on laptop has officially given up the ghost!! Now at my mums house so taking advantage.

Arch I like the coco bloom bouncers too but seriously can't justify the price of them versus how long it would be used for! I did see a nice red cosatto one I liked but it was still £70!! And a mamas n papas one which was £130....why do I have such expensive tastes!!?

Sarahjinx I have my mum on a mission to acquire me some lactulose from her work tonight cus I can no longer cope with this constipation and I'm not even bloody on codeine! Might try some of arch's alternative techniques too!

Aussie Congratulations on your wee girl, hope it wasn't too traumatic and you're settling in at home now.

Ecuse Glad you had a nice day :)

Lis I spent the odd afternoon of my youth getting frozen at the outdoor pool in Stonehaven!! Any progress following your show?

Nice hair ILTMI hope your MIL is home soon, you're right hospitals are dirty places to be!!

Oh LittleMilla your post made me laugh so much!! I am with you on the poo starining - have had many such episodes today! And also the wee-ing too although thankfully not in public so far!!

Well this avo I have had more of the usual back ache/period pains/constipation pain, doesn't seem to be easing up any so not sure if it is really the beginning of something else or not?! If not then I'm going to crack up feeling like this for very much longer! Struggled to drive the car today cus I couldn't get comfy in the seat and could hardly turn to check for traffic etc etc! Maybe shouldn't be driving actually!!

And just to top things off DP got laid off today too :( ordinarily I would get myself in a complete state over this but right at this moment I need to focus on baby and getting her here in one piece . . . . SOON!!

Oh MrsWajs thats shit about your DP. What area is he in I still have oil and gas contacts up your way, if I can help at all PM me.

More snot in my knickers tonight, so something is afoot! Also hoping the lactulose will jiggle things up a bit too! Re Stonehaven Pool - It was the fact the water was salty that shocked me more than anything!!

He's a painter and decorator Lis, tried to get an offshore job pre-pregnancy as the building trade was so slow - he's been laid off about 4 times in the last year, but had no luck with that either. My dad has a few contacts in oil and gas too and even he couldn't get him an interview with anyone :(
I feel really sorry for him and it doesn't help that I am in psycho-hormone mode, so really we're just trying to avoid each other tonight. He's never stuck for a job before so I'm sure he won't this time but it just really couldn't have come at a worse time.

Good on the snot front!! And lol @ the salty water!! [busmile]

If there is anything I can do let me know, I've heard the market is picking up in Aberdeen again. How are the pains? Still regular?

TMI - Lactulose has had the desired effect! I can almost feel in my waters that today might be the day. The only day I wanted to avoid!

Morning, it's that time again (ie 3am-ish) and baby/womb are doing their nightly double act, likely to last an hour or two. It's been like this for a couple of weeks. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if when i finally do give birth that the baby arrives with a fully formed watch strapped to their arm.

My MIL still lives in Stonehaven (it's a lovely place, especially Dunotter Castle) and I believe my DH spent much of his childhood summers splashing about at the Lido there :)

MrsW I've given up leaving the garden gate now nevermind driving. I'm really sorry to hear about your man's job uncertainty. It's awful as you have to keep their confidence up whilst not really showing how upset you are, a big ask for you right now. It sounds to me that he will be able to adapt to find something soon especially as he has experienced this recently. It's nice to look at baby things like the Bloom Coco, but in truth as with most other baby stuff we don't actually need to buy them as baby will be happy just being loved, kept clean and fed and that's magical enough in itself. The extra things like baby rockers and the like are just nice to haves and cost nothing to look at (plus you never know when a kind relative may ask what they could buy). The Koto bouncer looked quite similar at half the price but I'm still thinking for the sake of a few months I may just noy buy one at all as I've Fraser to buy for as well now.

In terms of your DH's work I had job uncertainty with my DH a while back too, it's awful. He works in IT and for the last year and a bit ended up in a role where he is very much overqualified and alarmingly underpaid (and frustrated) but we are grateful he is in work, even if he is out the house 7am-9:30/10pm 6 days per week earning what I was earning when I had left Uni. ( Lis if you have contacts round the central belt for any IT support role all suggestions welcome, as this current situation long term is almost unbearable, we just assume it's not forever and keep plugging away).

Also Lis really glad to hear that you're experiencing a bit of relief and I've got my fingers crossed that you start in the next few days (myself following, DH back to work soon...) and if not we could all start energetic Ceilidh dancing whilst eating pineapples :D

Milla I also chuckled at your post. I think our ever dwindling band of ladies are wonderful as we can share such hilarious and honest details..makes us all feel better :)

It's just taken me and hour and a half to reply inbetween the strong BHs/tightening/ PITA but going nowhere pain...surely there can't be much more of this to go.

Ow ow ow - pains stronger now than they were last night but still irregular. I'm sure though that they are maybe a result of the lactulose i took last night??? It's confusing. Bowels have started moving now though so hopefully if it is lactulose related it should tail off?! Urgh wish i knew.
Don't know what to do either with regards to hen do which is today i'll be annoyed if i don't go and i've just got a dose of the runs. But then again i don't want to go and stand huffing and puffing in the corner all day!!

MrsW could well be your day. If it is today you wouldn't be missing much weather-wise as even the a night out then I'd say go for it bute tulips are staying closed!

I'm not sure if I'd go to the hen do, but then I'm of the mind frame now that the world stops at the privet hedge but then I'm a week further along and that way inclined. If it'll give you cheer, if your pals will keep a special eye on you, if you're not far from home and you are feeling like a night out I'd say go for it but keep your mobile attached to your wrist and only go to places where you wont get shoogled by crowds.