June Just around the corner now...

[petitech]

Will this be the final thread?!? I somehow think not, with more and more people starting on maternity leave, we have time for a good few more methinks!

TTL & Lisa I did the speed course and despite being determined to grump my way through it, I found it quite fun and educational, not patronising at all and defo no gory pictures. The most important message I took away is that you can go at 70mph on some dual carriageways...which I didnt know, I thought it was always 60mph...not sure that was what they wanted to get across! I would go with bub too, how else can they expect a new mum to get there.

Sorry 8 I am no longer in the breech club. Scan today showed only 1 head and its down where it should be. I think this might have happened only last night because it was a stomach churing roller coaster going on in there most of the night. Everything else is absolutely text book and average so I'm feeling very pleased with my good little boy today. He even has a large backside (hence the confusion with the head)...just like mummy!

Joanne agree with the oven cleaning fumes issue..pass the task 'just in case'...now do you think I could try the ruse with bleach, washing up liquid, hoover bag fumes, maybe even lawn mowings?

Hello all, another very tired lady here with an active bump. 38 weeks tomorrow!

Firstly congratulations Moufflon - another girl! And I have read everyone's updates, but am a bit cross eyed and so won't go into individual replies - but wishing you all very well indeed.

I started to get quite short but regular (and painful) mini contractions from 10 pm last night. I spent a very uncomfortable night as my bump was unusually tight and sore all night, with regular wakings for a wee of course. Poor DP couldn't sleep either as he was listening out for me in case it progressed! I had more of the short sharp contractions when I woke up.

Braxton Hicks of sorts I would guess, but add that to my still dodgy tummy, cooking/online bulk shopping/nesting and lower backache and I'm wondering if this means something. Not had a show or waters break yet, but I'm keeping a close eye. I have my second MW appt tomorrow to monitor my BP etc for PE so I'll talk it through with them. She's certainly calmed down today after a warm bath.

All I would like to say is... I have a pedicure booked at Harvey Nicks tomorrow afternoon (shower present) and I would very much like to get that done first please! ;) And if she's feeling very generous, maybe time for a mobile hairdresser to give me a cut early next week. I'm unsure about booking anything in now though, just have a funny feeling.

Have ordered some jasmine oil after the previous mentions on here - I'd forgotten how much I like candles and oil burners anyhow, and I'm hoping it will help set a lovely calm mood if I'm able to have a water birth. My ideal - pool, candles, oil burner, dimmed lights, scented lillies, nice music on the ipod docking station.... maybe it's just wishful thinking but I guess it's good to have some sort of plan. My friend (who gave birth in mid April) was all for a water birth, but found she just wanted to be on a bed when it came down to it. So I'll keep an open mind.

Later! x

I'm pleased for you your boy's turned Jasmine

Another Xpost! Ooooh, nmh, could possibly be the start of something!

ttl I went to a wedding when DD was 6 weeks old, having expressed enough to last until the following morning (it was 2 of my bestest friends, and their wedding was the cause for a huge reunion of all our friends from all over the world, and the reception took place in the pub where we all met and used to work together - it was never going to result in anything less than 50% ABV boob juice!). I expressed a couple of times and chucked it away during the wedding. By the following morning, DD was fine on mine.

Except, I didn't throw the milk straight away. As I carried it through the pub (discreetly) in the pot, one of the more drunk guests spotted it, and grabbed it off me. They then had a rather gross moment with a couple of them daring each other to drink it. It was eventually poured down the sink and not drunk, but for a moment there I thought some of my friends were going to slip very, very far down in my estimation.

Moral of story - express close to a sink or toilet, or prepare to be weirded out by drunk wedding guests.

Thanks for all the insomnia sympathy! At least I'm not at work any more, so I can take it easy (in theory - actually just tackled the weeds and overgrown shrubs in my garden, and off to yoga in a bit...).

I just baked a carrot cake, if anyone wants a virtual slice? It's delicious!

Citizen MEEEEEEEEEE! I do, I love cake!

Oh also I think I had some BH this afternoon...I was washing up and I got about 3 little uncomfortable pains that didn't really hurt on the top of the bump. Not like kicking pains, something else. I guess they must be BH as they have stopped now and came in really quick succession. I think it is dawning on me that the baby is going to come out soon

Wilkos have lovehearts. I'm getting embarrassed at how often I go in to buy them. I'm hoping the staff will just put it down to pg cravings. Though when I continue to go in with a baby they might just think I'm a greedy pig

Jer A friend of mine had an ELSC and said it was the best decision she ever made. All terribly civilised and she was safe in the knowledge that she and her baby were safe, which she wouldn't have been if she'd tried to deliver naturally. Plus you really CAN plan for the baby's arrival since you'll know the exact date!

Lisascat you could always say you thought you'd gone into premature labour and were speeding to get to the hospital?

8RD Sorry you're still suffering :( What are your thoughts on cs? Have you spoken to your MW about it? My test is at 8.25 tomorrow morning :-/

Joanne did your bump go really hard? If so then it was probs BH

NMH Eeek! At least you're termm so don't have to worry about that. I'd book the hairdressers, almost guaranteed to set off labour!!

MW came again today and brought the HB pack and the syntometrin which is now in my fridge! She looked at my birth plan and was happy with that. She also asked me some questions about Safety In The Home, which I passed with flying colours Apparently baby's transverse, so not in the totally optimal position but she said not to worry. So I'm not worrying :)

Joanne, my pain definitely felt like it was my cervix... Very sharp stabbing pain, nice. I didn't know you could get BH at the top of your bump? Something to look forward to.

Yeah, I bet booking the hairdresser will bring labour on... Deep breaths...

MIL sent DP home with a massive bouquet of tulips, and as I had the energy to give the lounge a proper clean earlier, I was really pleased to do them justice.

Now for an evening on the sofa...

Congratulations on the new additions to the thread, lots of thoughts to all those with twinges and pains (mine have all been very exciting only to reveal themselves seconds later as not so trapped wind) and good luck for your driving test tomorrow nurse.

Sorry it's short and sweet, posting on iPhone is crap, but I have been reading regularly.

37+3 today, was hoping to work as long as possible, but pretty much conked out now :( never mind, get through tomorrow and a lovely relaxing weekend of cleaning, laundry and trips to the tip awaits.

When I get BH, they don't hurt; my whole bump just goes hard for a few minutes and then releases. It happens most often when I am doing something physically active, like cleaning the house.

As for BF, again a first-timer disclaimer here, but I've got a good BF book (The Food of Love by Kate Evans, which I believe Kara recommended - thanks!), which says its okay to have up to two units right after a feed, and that it takes the body three hours to metabolise alcohol. Any more than that and you will want to have expressed enough to feed the baby until you've metabolised everything.

Congrats on the turned baby Jasmine!

Eagerly awaiting news of the next baby! Who will it be, who will it be?!?

Evening all!

Joanne - The BH pains I have been getting have been at the top of my bump too. It feels as though someone has wrapped something around the top of my bump and pulled really hard!

Nurse - yey for getting your HB pack, I don't think I have the syntocin though - at least if it is there they didn't tell me! I figured they would bring it along with them when I call them to attend me. Starting to get exciting!

Citizen - yes I have been doing the weeding, I keep getting all these little seedlings appearing in my nice new bedding area It gets me on my hands and knees which is a good thing!

Going to pick up the TENS machine next week, need to wait until DH gets paid as we have pretty much wiped out our cash pot for this month and we have to pay cash or cheque. Still only a few days to wait!

Have put new batteries in the bouncy chair today and put the cover back on - I washed it yesterday as it was dusty from being in the garage. Next job is to check the pushchair and car seat over and remove all the labels so they are ready to be used.

Saturday, DH and I are going to rearrange our bedroom so the bedside cot is in the right place - we are going to wedge it between the wall and out bed. That also helps give the MWs some extra room as well when helping me.

Kara have you got your Entonox yet? I only realised after she'd left that she didn't mention it. I think I'm seeing her once a week from now on though so I'll just have to remember to ask next week

Yes it came today, just the one bottle though!

How exciting nomoreheels looks like you're really limbering up.
8rubberduckies don't be as I do get really badly engorged at the start, but after a few months, I can mess around with feeding patterns no probs.
Mind you, in saying that, I'm hoping to donate milk this time so there's a good chance my supply goes totally out of control...

Thanks ladies for the advice on how to get a few drinks in

sasa everything I have read says it's fine to have a couple and bf. I'd only consider getting sozzled if I knew I was going to be nowhere near the baby for the night (i.e. if she was being looked after by parents while I stayed somewhere else )

Thanks 8rd :) I wasn't too clear about the pump and dump thing - everything I read said you might want to do it for your own comfort, but what they also said was there's no need to think that if you've had a few drinks 24 hours before and not expressed that the alcohol will just sit there all that time. It'll work its way out of your milk as it does out of your blood, so however many hours later, even if you haven't pumped/dumped, you'll be fine to bf again. Hope that makes sense. (So if you expressed milk with alcohol in it it would store it, but it doesn't store it in your body - like blood.)

lisascat and about your wedding 'drinks'!!!

Just back from NCT. It was fun :)

Gosh lots of posts... :) will catch up later.

Just wanted to say Good Luck nurse

TTl, nothing to be embarrased about wanting to enjoy the odd theoretical getting sloshed session after pregnancy. I didn't know that about alcohol not being stored long term in the breast milk but I guess it's hard to find out as it would be very hard not expressing to ease discomfort. The only time I had to pump and dump whilst bf I had drunk a fair bit of whiskey and I could smell the alcohol in the milk which made me feel a bit ill. I regularly had one or 2 glasses of wine without worrying about any getting into baby but that whiskey session put me off drinking anymore than that the rest of my time bf!

4 weeks til due date today! still seems such a long way off now that I'm actually ready for it.

Morning All and Good Luck Nurse!
I'm feeling guilty this morning, I woke up and couldn't cope with the idea of going to work so I called in sick again. There isn't really enough wrong with me to be at home, but i'm still so tired and it's my birthday tomorrow which I don't really want to be wiped out for. So home again it is. And only next week to go (plus Tuesday after the bank holiday) The end is almost in sight! I'm 36+1 today and I really wish i'd decided to go at 36 weeks...oh well.

TTL glad your NCT class was good, is your teacher called Alison? Just wondered if it's the same lady who does mine.

I think DH has sympathy tiredness! He has been wandering about for days complaining about being shattered despite having fled to the spare room to avoid my hippomonster antics during the night!

Morning ladies n bumps

Think I have slept ok enough to have a productive day today, although I have a bit of a cold; there's always something eh?!

Re alcohol & breastmilk; I saw a woman on a USA tv programme using test sticks (looked like litmus paper type things) to test her morning after milk supply but I don't know if they are for sale here?

Sorry can't namecheck this morning but I remember nurse should be having driving test right now hope its going well.

DS1s gcse exams began yesterday & I think he is now thinking they will all be a walk in the park as the 1st was easy I truly hope so but he has missed loads of school & has advanced maths next week. Have to say I am much more chilled about my ability to look after baby than if I am doing right by the older ones!

Better make a move as DS2 birthday nxt week & I still have things to buy.

Does anyone else veer between feeling ready & not ready? Am 39+1 today so baby WILL be here within 20 days max I find myself willing labour on one minute & then stressing about it the next!

Morning everyone,

Moufflon, congratulations!!

Finally some progress here, the changing unit is assembled! After 2 long weeks of it sitting in a box in the living room - still got the cot and wardrobe to get done but have enlisted DPs father to come and help him with it later. Been trying to get the baby clothes washed and the house tidied, got a skip arriving today to get rid of the junk and may even have a go at packing my hospital bag. Its so exhausting though, i'm having to have a it down after loading the washing machine!

I am going to breastfeed I think as I haven't actually bought any bottles or anything and wouldn't have the first idea about how to go about making them up

Have had a bit of a dodgy stomach the last couple of days, don't think its a sign though as I am refusing to believe that I have 3 weeks to go - i'm not ready!

The baby has been very active lately and it can be quite uncomfortable, but I think I will miss it when he is born.

Better go and get dressed, don't want to scare the delivery men when they turn up in my dressing gown. Had a bath last night and can no longer get the towel to stay done up around me everyone says I am really small for 9 months though, doesn't feel like it when I am trying to roll over in bed

Had my first ever Braxton Hicks yesterday. They were bloody painful and I hope I don't have to many over the next month. Life is already hard enough to deal with without that going on!