July 2011 - the final push!

[buttonmoon78]

I'm not going to do the stats as it took up so much of every page! Welcome, everyone!

Hi ladies, Confuddled glad you're doing ok - I've just seen your profile picture on FB - you look so relaxed and serene!

Cara, I've just added you to FB x

Thanks for the advice on pillows. I'm not finding sleeping too hard at the moment although I wake 3-4 times every night to pee! I think I will investigate a Boppy as I really like the idea of something to put the baby in a good position for feeding.

I think I'll go and have a little look on ebay...I've had a mini burst of energy too which I've used to take advantage of a free listings weekend on ebay. I am trying to clear stuff out and make some money now while I can still use the post-room at work rather than having to walk to the Post Office when I'm not working (only 3 weeks!!)

hi
Aw confuddled hope you get the meds you need if youre still in pain. going to go look at FB to see if theres some piccys on there.
I went to the Take That concert last night and so glad i still went as they were brilliant, im totally shattered now though and my back and feet ache.
So thats one of 3 things done before this baby is allowed to make an appearance, no2 is to finish work this Friday and No3 is to have our holiday next week then hopefully its 2 weeks of cleaning, relaxing (hmm i'll be lucky with a toddler) and preparing for the arrival of little man no2.
suz xx

I managed to get two lots of 4 hours of sleep last night. I actually feel human this morning, relaxed and have some energy for once. DH has his MBA exams tomorrow and Friday so I am about to leave for the mall. Luckily our local mall is the 5th Ave of New Jersey. As amex holders I can use the guys room to go hang out, read the paper and snack on their brownies! It is fully air conditioned to artic conditions. I am not allowed to go shopping though as the cheapest store is banana republic.

Confuddled I hope things start to improve for you and babyC. I am sending positive vibes your way.

confuddled I had post-partum contractions with DD. It was only for a few days and only when she cried at night. I was overwhelmed by the agony and given that I had deliberately had a c-section to avoid pain I was mightily pissed off that nobody had told me that they happen. I'm very very glad that things seem to be slowly improving for you and your baby.

sues Jealous about your TT gig. I saw a favourite band of mine the week before (Pete and the Pirates) and remembered how much I adore live music. For the first time in decades I'll be missing Glastonbury this year but still hope to see Arcade Fire and Pulp at Hyde Park and The Flaming Lips before I have DC2.

Phew - back online, shorter than anticipated!

Baby is currently breech/transverse - bottom over left hip, head under right ribs, one foot stamping on my cervix and one foot kicking me on my right. I just want to know one thing... WHY?!

Been for physio this afternoon - more exercises to do.

Glad all seem well, hope you're ok confuddled.

Bursts of energy?! Must have bypassed me...def getting slower and able to do less :(
My colleague has already warned me about afterpains, as she had them with her second many years ago and freaked out because she thought there was a twin in there!
I had a really good meeting with the mw today and all seems to be well. Monkey is in the best position (not sure what the correct term is) but she couldn't feel the head so thinks it's pretty well down. She made a few references to how well s/he was growing and size of my bump, then said I maybe didn't want to hear that, but I figure DD's already beaten a path shall keep telling myself that anyway!
Got my hospital bag packed yesterday and newborn clothes put in drawers so feel slightly more organised.
Happy monday to all xxx

No bursts of energy here either. Lots of slumps though. Mid morning, mid afternoon, late afternoon, early evening, late evening...

Afterpains were a bitch with #3. Am expecting worse with #4! Never had any with #1 though, just 2+.

at bursts of energy. As if...
Walking to the midwife (a 15mins walk) was agony today. Apparently this is good news, because despite only being 33+3 the baby's head is already quite low - and hitting my pelvic bone every time I take a step so ouch.
Have done a load of babygrow washing and won my ebay bid for the buggy today so feel like I've achieved something. Thank goodness for being able to work from home I say. And only 2 weeks to go until I'm off work.

Ah man....so more painful contractions after the birth! (can u tell I haven't had that antenatal session yet) I knew it contacted back but I guess I just thought was painless. oh it's more fun being naive lol! :)

I haven't heard good things about pethedin I would love to think I could get thru birth on gas and air.

Am waking often in the night with pains similar to those I suffered with when suffered with ibs...can anyone relate to that? Am guessing it is guts as feel like need loo when I get it, baby must be on my bowels....nice....add that to restless legs....heavy belly and numb hips....night times are getting fun!

How are you today confuddled? You sound like you're doing really well with the expressing and hope the reduction in meds hasn't been too bad. Slightly worrying about the disposable pants, you must have got a real fright That's really not nice to hear the 'information' given to your mum, but I'm glad she knew the truth. I felt bad when my mum was upset that DH's mum travelled up with him and the hours-old baby, but at the time I was either in a helicopter or a theatre bed. Still, not nice to think about them feeling hurt even if you have no control over the situation.
Well done Badger! What buggy did you get? I have a Phil & Ted's sport and have been using it with DD for ages, it's so versatile and I love it.
Quite bored out my skull at the moment so may just load more music and work out a playlist for this birth - didn't get a chance last time but worthwhile doing anyway I think!

Yesterday I pumped double each time until I'd used up all the bottles on the ward and they went to another ward who had bigger bottles that I ended up taking two a time of! Annoyingly my pump is broke (worn out?) so I'm not able to express and going to have to go downstairs to do it. Probably about 10pm and 4am so I don't burst!

Baby is now on exclusive EBM and tolerating it! She's on 2ml/ hour which will be 3 by 10pm ale an extra one every 8hrs. She needs to get up to 14ml which will be Saturday unless they change the rate. She's also had two breastfeeds today, still not quite there but she was swallowing as I could feel it on her back. First time she finished drunk! Second time she wasn't quite with it enough and wanted my shoulder.

I'm still on the ward, Mum asked to see the midwife and then took me in the shower, she and my sister kept me in there whilst the midwife was in my room. Mum did her usual trick of keeping calm and polite whilst the midwife ranted at her, getting annoyed at Mum being polite. Ended up with an SHO coming to talk to us and then the bed manager. Bed manager agreed I could stay another night then today one of the midwives asked me about going home and I explained how I'm virtually housebound, reliant on other people to get me around. A bit later the community neonatal midwife I know from my other two came in and offered me one of the parent flats! Not enough time to deal with it today but I'll be moving tomorrow. It's sort of upstairs from the unit so closer than where I am. It's all self-contained, she called it like going on a self-catering holiday.

I can't scroll up to read what I'm writing so may be repeating myself but she's off the lights now and will be out of the babytherm and in a proper fishtank when they can find one. I know I didn't write this but they now have so much milk they're having to freeze it!

After birth contractions are often worse with a section because the wound is being contracted too so you don't miss out!

Button they do say each one gets worse! At least after my section I could choose from 4 different pain killers, this time it's only been co-dydramol and they're trying to tell me I can't take any home - really? I'll just have to order a repeat from the GP then. Mad midwife told Mum I'm only suffering mild discomfort anyway!

Mild discomfort my arse. Sounds like the dr I saw on Wednesday who said that ecv can be accompanied by 'some discomfort'

Glad to hear she's obviously getting the hang of this milk malarky. She'll get there! And also glad that you can stay close by.

Am really uncomfortable tonight. This is no baby I'm incubating. It's an octopus with sharpened toes and fingers! I actually feel bruised where the one foot is digging into my side.

Off to have a bath now. I know it will help the spd pain but I'm not looking forward to the baby gymnastics it promotes

Stangirl I share your pain :( Had to give back my Glastonbury tickets that I spent all morning getting last year. Gutted. I will be very, very grumpy that weekend! 2013 is a definite.

JimmyChoo17 don't worry too much, I think afterpains are meant to be worse if you've had a baby before. i didn't find it bad at all first time. Well, nothing compared to labour pains!!

Midwife on Thursday and I feel like it's D day.... I have no idea what position the baby is in or if all is ok. Trying not to think about it.

Buttonmoon you are in the wars :( Hang in there...I bet you'll have the most gorgeous baby of all of us.

Glad to hear baby confuddled is doing well.

Afterpains immediately after the birth of DS2 were terrible. Luckily the mw was giving me some stitches and gave me the gas and air in case I needed it. I didn't need it for the stitches just the afterpains I wish they could have left it at my house for a few days though. It does remind me that I need to stock un on paracetomol and nurofen for after the birth though.

Ugh after pains Am dreading them this time! Had none first time and noone warned me about them 2nd time, I remember having just had ds1 and lying on the bed saying 'but it still hurts, it still huuuuurts!!'. With ds2 they were horrendous and the mw could not find the key for the medicine cupboard so I was left for over an hour with no pain relief just lying on the bed on the labour ward, couldn't bring myself to hold ds2 for more than a minute or 2 nevermind feed him I was in so much pain Am packing my own painkillers in my hospital bag this time! And while we're on the subject what painkillers can I take whilst bfing? I have some codeine I had on prescription for tooth - can I take that?? Or can I take paramol (obviously not with the codeine) which is paracetamol and dihydrocodeine? I used to know all this!

Pethidine - I'm with Button - never again! I had it with dd and it was like all the very worst bits of being drunk - nausea, drowsiness, wooziness, feeling totally out of control; but none of the good bits! So I will never take it again. Also found my epidural didn't really work so G&A my onlly pain relief option!

Feeling a bit laboury tonight I think (and keeep telling myself so as not to get hopes up!) that it is just because baby is so low. I have pressure in my pelvis and feling quite achey and crampy and have been for couple of days. Can't put my finger on whats different today but feel a bit restless/unsettled. Also finding my BH are increasing the feeling of pressure down below. But the BH aren't especially strong or any more painful than they have been so no reason to think anything is happening. I do have this open though!

hello all, sorry i've been so absent just had alot of pain and been struggling a great deal, then went to cornwall for half term.

Good news tho had scan today to check placenta and it is on the borderline of being 'o.k' however with another 6weeks to go they said as it can only move more they are happy to leave me be and go for natural birth so thats good.

How is everyone? time to pack hospital bags, get baby clothes washed and ready and cot up. Feel big time nesting coming on now! Tho been really exhausted and finding it a struggling just doing day to day stuff.

Confuddled: Congratulations! Was your baby born on the 1st? If so, she shares a birthday with my DS2. Hope everything goes/went well with your pastor (getting confused on timelines!) And can I just say your Mum sounds lovely - I'm jealous of having someone who will deflect the stress for you like she seems to be. Hope all goes well with the move too.

JimmyChoo Hope the Mummy-mobile is working out for you. I got mine a couple of months back and had to go for practice runs in the multi-story with DH before I felt safe to be let lose on my own!

I'm also dreading the afterpains. I found mine really bad last time to the point of having to do labour breathing techniques to get through them. My yoga teacher says it's the flipside of having a uterus that contracts effectively! I've just got myself prescribed some Voltarol to cope with them (was not amused by the MW suggestion of paracetomol ) although just read that it can pass into your breastmilk so need to see if there are any better options.

Have had nasty sickness bug last couple of days and feeling that rubbish kind of reminded me of being in labour, plus have been having LOTS of Braxton Hicks today and thought I might have had a show so have convinced myself I could go into labour imminently. Hopefully I'm wrong as planning to make an offer on a house tomorrow and then start getting bag etc ready after that, so just need a few more days...

Pesha I think everyone will be wondering from now on lol I've proven how close you all are!

I had the pains with my first but I think the gestation may have helped (or not depending on your POV) as the placenta didn't come out in one go. I was on the g&a until someone came back in and noticed! Second time I guess my scar type would have made it worse and not breastfeeding plus expressing (breastfeeding speeds it up, but with pumping you don't do it as often and it's not as effective but still causes them) and same again the third time although a standard scar it was another birth along.

Most pain killers are safe with breastfeeding, I'm on co-dydramol which has been on repeat the last 3 years. If you want to be sure on any medication check lactmed as it's got the best advice, all backed with research (compared to your GP saying better stop for a week...) and alternatives if it's not recommended.

I wish madwife had said it to me - wonder why they kept me in the shower... - I so want to challenge her! She said something about co-dydramol and me having oramorp that pg shouldn't be so she was telling the doctor to stop my prescription, so I said I've been on it three years and it barely touches the sides of my daily pain let alone having just given birth and afterpains added pain from expressing so I asked the dr for something else, he chose oramorph. So from this she's deduced I have mild discomfort I take co-codamol (???) for which my GP manages. If I'd realised I was having a consultation with Dr Madwife I'd have explained the fall I had 5 years ago, the fibromyalgia, the degenerative spine disease and the scaring on the nerves in my spine but I didn't view it as relevant or her any of her business! Considering she was my MW when I was in labour, you'd think she'd have read my anaethatist assessment about why I wasn't suitable for an epidural...

Mad she was born on 1st June, it's my sister's birthday so trying to convince her it doesn't mean she gets to keep her!

It was lovely having our Pastor here. They had a private room free so moved her in there instead of the chapel. He's obviously never seen one that tiny and kept saying "oh wow". They allowed my parents and sister in so we had a bigger than normal group - 8 of us instead of the 3 max - and they didn't rush us. He prayed for OH during the service, which surprised him as he thought he'd just tack it into prayer requests but he did it separate and he prayed for me when he was here.

Mum is good, she won't stand messing especially when it leaves one of us upset. I wish she'd been there when I was in labour because she would have been the only person in the room who could have said no to the stirrups and would have been listened to...

confuddled I am so pleased that things are getting better - albeit a bumpy road.

All this talk of afterpains has also reminded me that they are supposed to get stronger with each birth. I have a friend who is a specialist pain nurse and she hates how people are underprescribed (I am talking short-term issues here) and has offered to give me the strongest painkillers permissible if I need them. She's also a mother and has bf her kids so knows what is fine.

cara I'm not sure if you already have kids and have taken them to Glastonbury but we took our then 5month old last year and she was the happiest I've ever seen her.

Hi all.

Feeling shit today Was sick this morning but not until about 10 mins before I leftt the house for school run, normally if I'm gonna be sick its a soon as I get up. Hoping its a sign but doubt it! Baby is so low its making me so uncomfortable, couldn't even bend properly to give ds2 a proper hug at playschool cos it hurt so much. Sorry to keep moaning but feeling really sorry for myself!

Has anyone else completely lost their appetite? I'm just about managing 3 meals a day although some days I can't face breakfast so just have some lucozade instead to stop me being sick! But lunch will be a small sandwich and tea is maybe a small bowl of pasta or one of those small microwaveable pizzas as they're so easy and I really don't fancy anything! And then I have about 10 Jubbly ice lollies a night but thats just frozen squash really so not surre it counts as food! Have done an online shop and ordered some 'proper' food that I actually have to cook as feeling guilty about feeding dc nothing but pasta or frozen crap for the last week so hopefully that will get me eating a bit more healthily too.

Right, off to bed now while ds2 is at playschool, the joys of a bigger age gap!! Will try and post properly later and not just make it all about myself.

Eek - I nearly put a kiss on the end of that, on Mumsnet Obviously spending too much time on facebook!!

Pesha I know how you feel with the discomfort. Last night I was so uncomfortable I thought the baby must be coming too. I really couldn't sleep. As for appetite I can only manage tiny amounts of food at a time as the pain in my ribs gets worse if I fill my stomach. I'm trying to eat little and often but it means that I'm not eating proper food.

Question, has everyone got their nursing bras and if so where is the most reasonably priced ones? THey are so expensive. I was thinking of using nursing vest tops but again where can I get reasonably priced ones?

I am on mat leave now, and although its nice to not be working I keep panicing about how much to sort. Mainly my home, awaiting a builder to sort nursery out which will not be till end next week. Does everyone have the feeling they want everything perfect, or is that just me being highly strung?

How are everyones hormones? Mine are going sky high, Im wondering if there is any herbal, remidies I can take to assist calming them down.

No sleep for me either. Last night, along with palpitations, not being able to breath because of blocked nose, and worrying about if the baby is still ok in there, I am shattered.....

Moan, moan, moan.......... will try thinking of positives now. Grrrrrrr,hormones...

Same here! DDs are so fed up with fish fingers or sausages that they've both decided they had better cook Last week, dd1 (13) did beef stew, shepherd's pie and spag bol. Yesterday dd2 (11) did bacon & tomato pasta. Thankfully they're both really enjoying it so I don't feel too bad!

Was so uncomfy last night. Think twiglet, pubescent dr from last week must be right (not that I'd ever tell her) - it's not a baby in there but something with far more arms and legs than it should have!

The bad news is that having taken ds to ent appt this morning his hearing is down again (no surprise there - I've been bellowing at him for weeks) and he has a double ear infection so bad that consultant couldn't even see far enough down his ear canal to check whether grommets were still in place or not. He said the infection looked advanced and had obviously been there for several weeks. This despite seeing the gp every week or so, most recently yesterday and being told that he definitely did not have an infection .

So the poor boy's on ear drops and oral anti-bs with a follow up in 4 weeks or sooner if drugs fail. I'm so cross I don't trust myself to write the letter of complaint just yet. But I'll be doing it this afternoon at some point!