Summer, summer, summer PESH: Get in your birthing pools, it's going to be a hot one

[LadyGoneGaga]

BESH BAYBEES

dontrythisathome, girl born March 25.
Cheggers, twinz girlz, born April.
FannyPriceless, boy, born June 8.
CurlyCasper, girl, born June 24.
CUNextTuesday, boy, born June 29.
AlpinePony, boy, born 1 July.
Carrots, boy, born July.
IggyPiggy, girl, born July.
Cosmosis, boy, born Sept 5.
Backinthebox, boy, born Sept 7.
Skatergrrrl, girl, born Sept 10.
VAG, boy, born Oct 2.
Silversky, boy, born Nov 1.
SomethingSuitablyWitty, girl born Nov 2.
okiecokie, girl, born Nov 12.
Honeymoo, boy, born Nov 11.
ReginaMonologue, boy, born Nov 13.
Maswera, boy, born Dec 24.
PollyPoo, girl, born Jan 5.
MrsFC, boy, born Jan 7.
ChoChoSan, girl, born 6 Feb.
Ginhag, boy born 11 Feb.
Muser, girl, born 15 Feb.
CluckyKate, boy, born 18 Feb.
Perfect Dromedary, boy, born 23rd February.
Casserole, girl born 19th March
Medee, girl, born 26th March.
Scorpette, boy, born 21st May.
Rocketleaf, girl, born 23rd May.

UPDIFFED

Laurielou, the unmarried hussy with the "surprise" diff, due 31 May (ish).
TwinkleToes, supergluing her fanjo shut, due 20 June.
Orchid, hoping for a zen like child, due 1st July.
Ginfox, loving the new mega-boobs, due 12th July.
LadyGoneGaga, No, it's not fucking twins, due 24 July.
Ivegotmrbitey, appears to have eaten posh spice, due 27th July.
Macaroonmum, eating for 7, due Aug 6th.
Owlbooty, suddenly weeble-shaped, due 7th August.
Ocarina, there's a what in there?! due late August.
Mountie, too shy to shine, due Autumn.
Truffkin, growing a padawan, due 17th November.

And... the boy has no name. Am starting to worry because NOTHING is standing out at me or if it does, TIS doesn't agree. WAaaah. Someone else tell me they have no name yet...please!

Don't worry, Macca - you have weeks yet - maybe see what he looks like when he comes out. Are you going for a name that works in both languages? Or more of an Italian name? Or more of an english name? if I was having a little Italian baby I would call him Lorenzo I think - love that name but as we are both pretty WASPy would not be right.

We have our girls name sorted (I think) but unsure of boys name still - I did like one, then changed mind and liked another. Now sort of not sure about which one or whether I've missed a better one out there. Both are pretty unusual, not sure whether one might be considered too posh or whether we should just go for it. Aaaagh, the responsibility!

Well hospital appt was pretty fucking useless and ended up in angry floods of tears after it. (But not during, why do I meekly nod and agree and then rage about it afterwards). Basically they found Ketones in my urine so they think am not eating enough. So I have to eat more and then if blood sugars are out when they think am eating enough then they will put me on insulin. I think I AM eating enough although could snack more and have more protein at breakfast.

So I asked about birth plan (seeing as MrG took this morning off work to attend so we could all discuss it) and she says she wants to see me again at 38+3 weeks and won't discuss it until then as depends whether am on insulin or not. Afterwards I thought this leaves me with no plan at all if i go into labour before that point.

They haven't done another growth scan, weren't even going to measure me until I asked - and then they came up with two cm smaller than 2 weeks ago FFS. I said to the MW that can't be right and she said "Oh, it's just because I had the tape measure tight, here let's measure you as 38" . What's the fucking point. Asked about growth scan, she says "Oh we don't worry about that as baby not small". So I ask about Macrosomia and how that will be monitored and THEN she writes scan at 38 weeks on my notes. I am not reassured that they have a clue what they are doing or actually give a shit or want to enter into any kind of dialogue with me about my treatment. And they are considering putting me on what seems to be be a highly interventive form of treatment for what seems to be quite a minor problem. Like they wants to crack a nut with a sledgehammer and bugger the consequences. I am so close to telling them all to fuck off and stay at home until my baby comes. Am probably stupidly hormonal but just feel really upset at the moment, like I have no control over what is happening and they won't even discuss anything with me.

Sorry for the me, me, me. Am really struggling with this for some reason.

shakeyourMaracas Bitey bach remains nameless for the exact same reasons. The FDH has fixed on a name which I HATE and all other suggestions get rebuffed. I know he is waiting for me to crack and has started calling my belly by this name . It isn't happening though and I am going to start coming back with some corkers soon and insist we call our first born after a little known and unpronounceable Welsh bard.

How long have you got to turn the baybee before the c-section deadline? What other options have you got? Sorry the moxy combustion didn't work, I had high hopes for you.

Sorry Macca to hear that little-y is not playing nicely and going head down. Have you tried doing all the Spinning babies stuff? My baby is a bit back to back although the MW was so fucking useless I don't know whether I believe her anyway so going to be getting on the ball myself.

gaga of course you are struggling. You are trying to stay in control of a difficult situation and doing everything right but you are dependent on the people looking after you to communicate properly with you and work with you. It's the worst kind of frustration isn't it?

Can you think about doing plans for different eventualities and if you need the MW for this call her back? It's her job to make sure you are fully informed and happy with your treatment.

I'm not sure about the ketones. The only thing I know about ketones in urine is that it is a desirable outcome when on the Atkins diet. Not helpful information I assume, but just wondering if it is a side effect of a low GI diet too?

So sorry that you are having this treatment and really hope you can regain some control of it. < extremely gentle chinese burn oh alright it's a hug >

Fanks Bitey

Oh dear GG that does sound like an absolute crock of shit - it is so unsettling when you end up feeling that the bloody medical 'professionals' don't know their arse from their elbow. How the fuck can they not discuss your birth plan until 38+ weeks? That is clearly daft. Can you complain? Can your community MW complain for you? I do think that is well out of order, this is just not the time to be buggering you about. Try to remain calm, lovely. Get moved, get settled in, with a bit of luck MicroG will rock up at 38 weeks bang on and you will be able to go in a leisurely fashion to the hossie and tell them exactly how YOU want to proceed - which is how it ought to be. Buggers, the lot of em.

Macca is transverse better than arse down? Surely it must be? Is the little dude halfway to head down, maybe? Am v.v.sorry the toe burning did not produce results and also sorry you are melting hideously in the heat; cannot imagine how you are coping with it as I am pathetic as soon as it reaches about 25 degrees.

Bites Do not crack. DO NOT CRACK. Be strong. Here is a large supply of emergency mango ice cream I made last night. It magically has no sugar in it whatsoever so that GG can also dive in. In fact, it positively lowers blood sugar levels just by looking at it.

Oh dear, my fellow cluster-layers. I would offer a group hug but that is not the PESHly way. Here, let me stand on your (burnt) toes instead.

I've got my iron levels back from the GP. It's gone up from 10.3 to 10.7 if the receptionist has read the right bit. Thank fuck for that at least; I was dreading having to take all the evil iron tablets and then basically either throwing up or exploding. I'm sure Owlet is back to back. I refuse to let this worry me. He'll turn round when he is good and ready. I won't find out whether he is arse down or head down until next week though. He had better not be arse down if he knows what is good for him.

Whoops, epic long message.

Ps. Lorenzo is fab name. I like muchly.

Hurrah for Bootylove's iron levels .

Gee that is really crap of the medical types. If I were you id write your ideal plan now. Then you have something in place in case and a starting point to work from at the next appointment. In fact isn't that what they should have done based on your circumstances NOW and then revised if you are on insulin? Stoopid!! I really think the problem is that they are used to people who don't actually think for themselves, dont plan anything and just do as they are told. I am so sorry it's upset you, that's just nit what you need right now!!

Great news on the iron bootsmanouver well done

Sorry to hear about horizontal babyroonie (who henceforth shall be known as Lorenzo) there's still time to turn tho eh? Abd actually means did all as my perfectly positioned baby turned posterior right at the last minute. Sorry that's probably not helpful bit surely it can go the other way too?

bitey I always thought Taliesin was a great name gorva boy but TB vetoed, something about getting bullied at school being a bad thing? ;-)

Sprout finally got her thumb in her gob for the first time after desperately trying to for 5 weeks. 5 minutes of peace!!

Sorry for horrendous typoes. Baby on lap plus iPhone ropey auto text = posting fail.

Aw, bless little Sprout finding her thumb

I think as you suggest, Sprocket I will write my plan and then make them argue the toss with me about why I can't have this or that rather than vice versa. Especially as could well go into labour before I see them again anyway (and will certainly be trying to make that happen in all the ways I know how once we've moved . And if I do go into labour naturally I won't be going in until the last minute - am perfectly capable of doing my own bloods at home because I'm not a complete idiot!).

I think it will help you feel like you've taken back a bit of control of the situation lady especially if you research the specific ishoos that thd GD might throw up instead of having to take their advice at face value. X

Oh dear GG - this is all a bit suck-full. Will add this all to the list of Things To Worry About, for later on down the track.

I'm now going to interject a little memememememememe..... Health warning - I have a headache and am cross as I lost ANOTHER stone bonker case to a really incredibly amazingly fucking stupid jury. And we've been told today that some fuckwit judge has made an executive decision that police can't bail suspects any more (for longer than 96 hours). So that means my job just became about 500x harder.

I had a private scan today. I was mega grumpy (mostly with anxious nerves - and aforementioned work stress) and was made to wait for an extra half an hour past my appointment time with a bladder that was bursting... This obviously improved my mood no end. [I don't know about you, but I accept that waiting is part and parcel with the NHS thing. Why do they expect me to be happy to wait when I'm paying £100 for a 10 minute slot? Fuckers ] Then the first person I saw came armed with a cash machine making me feel like the most special person in the whole world...

Now comes the good news! The baby is still hanging in there and today I am 10 weeks pregnant. The last scan was three weeks ago, and the baby measured 6mm. Today the baby measured 31.2mm and was wriggling and jiggling about and waved at me. First left hand, then right, then both... It's silly I know, but to me it looked really happy in there... The heartbeat was 146bpm and the placenta all looked good. She tried to take a 3D picture for me, but it came out blurry and looked more than a little fugly, so we'll just ignore that one for now. The happy jiggling silhouette is enough for me for now. What a relief... Then the lady tried to sell me an NT scan.

I wanted to wait until I was with the laptop and not stoopid phone to respond today.

LadyG It all sounds utterly shit you poor thing! :( And I agree with you about trying to crack a nut with a rock - am a bit about the ketones thing... because umm... well, when you cut out/reduce carbs you produce ketones. Please send the cunt to Biochemistry 101 pls! I really am sorry though, please put your feet up and I'll fetch you a nice daiquiri and some wasabi peas.

brown W00t! My scan last time was at 9+6 and they told me it was pretty much "job done" - I was stunned by how much you can see so early. Brilliant news for you - and totally agree when you pay you expect service! Gits. Also what a bunch of arse about your case. :(

I've been semi-job hunting today, I dunno, I do like my job but I do feel I'm underpaid. I want to open my email to see what's going on, on the other hand I'm not due back to work until 11th July and why worry? If it's all gone tit's up, so be it - there is no dedicated cover and I've already got 2+ months "holiday" in the "holiday bank", I need to take some, especially as come this time next year I'll have 4+ months. I've turned off my work phone too and it's end-of-month which of course mean the finances must be in order... I'm not spending my holiday cooking doing the books. I shouldn't worry, but I do.

I have discovered why you shouldn't have 2 close together. Monday night we co-slept as we were in a hotel room. He was fidgety and actually sat on my very tender, very sensitive nipple. Tuesday he poked my nipple and today he trod on it (only one is very painful). Also my angelic easy baybee has turned in to a demonic toddler almost overnight and jb has gone off to the cinema leaving me with a monster who rubbed tomato & yoghurt in to his hair whilst I ran to the toilet to puke. I have ineffecutally rubbed at his hair with a baby-wipe, removed the worst of the crusty yoghurt from his shoulders and put him to bed.

Alps - how does he know about your sore nipple?! Sounds like some form of evil genius going on there... Sorry to hear about the puking. I really hope it's only a shadow of what you experienced 1st time around. And good luck with not checking your emails. MrB fails every time - though somehow, I manage to let the office survive without me! Am v jealous of the 2 months leave in the bank. I have 18 days left this year. Which doesn't seem like very much.

Fantastic news on scan, Brownie. There's some stat that I'm sure you've googled that if you see a HB/healthy baby after 8 weeks it's about 99% sure that you get a healthy baby at end of it (am paraphrasing). Anyway, even more so at 10 weeks. So am very for you. It's a magic feeling when you've been worrying so much. Poo for the long wait though.

Ouch Alps. I generally find small children are attracted to any sore/dodgy part of your body. I was still bf in early pregnancy and MiniG decided to take up twiddling the other one . Not fun at all. Now he tends to elbow/knee me in the bump at regular intervals setting up painful braxton Hicks.

Seen anything interesting on the job front? Would it affect mat pay if you left while pregnant? I changed jobs when pregnant with MiniG (unknowingly) and ended up on Maternity allowance only. worth weighing up although am sure you have anyway.

How are boobs going, Rocket by the way? Hopefully gushing with milk and non-sore?

Apologies if I miss anyone out, just popping on quickly.

Firstly BB great news on the scan . It's a brilliant experience seeing your wee one on the scan and being told all is well. Enjoy!

LGG sorry you're having a rubbish time of it . As if PG isn't worrying enough, you have all this and house moving to contend with. Thinking of you muchly and hoping things improve for you . BTW, you mentioned you knew someone on my friends list on FB. Are her initials MP by any chance? She's the only person I can think of that lives in your neck of the woods and has been to differs yoga recently. If so, it's a very small world. Her other half was our best man. It's also transpires that the mutual friend Starcunt and I have was our other best man!! Seems wierd that both our best man have links to you guys .

Alps ouch is all I have to say! They do have a knack of knowing where to get you. Mini O has just squashed himself against my very engorged boobs and made me swear, so the fun doesn't stop after PG!

Boots good work on the iron front. My MW came today and reported back that my third lot of blood taken last Monday had gone up again to 11.5 (from 10.3, then 11.2 I think it was), so Spatone really does work .

Got to dash as mini O is out of the bath and shouting me.

Orchid I know her as MH - married name maybe? But a foreign sounding first name. Very small world!

Gaga, sorry to hear you are getting crap experiences from the medical peeps. Doesn't sound like your MW is especially competent, and on the other hand everyone else wants to intervene massively.

brownie I had my NHS '12 week' dating scan at 10 weeks. I think post 9 weeks the window is quite wide and 'counts' as 12 weeks iyswim. So that means you are having a real life baybee :o how lovely that you got lots of movement and waves. I am sure s/he IS vey happy to be in there.

pone sorry for devil child. Don't envy you

lady boobs seem to be producing sufficient milk, thanks! sprout seems happy enough being EBF anyway although weigh in with HV tomorrow will be the test. Nips are still tender but not remotely on the scale if a few weeks ago so am hopeful they will continue to improve. Am going to try and get to a BFing session at local children's centre next week for moral support and chat more than anything else.

Lady I am so sorry to read about your muppet midwife and the badly handled birth planning. Have you got 2 consultants? I had one for the diabetes and one for the pregnancy. The pregnancy one was a bit overcautious but yours seem strangely determined to find something wrong. I'm not surprised you're pissed off in the slightest.

How are your blood sugars looking? And are you testing for ketones yourself? (sorry for all the questions)

So glad the boobs are getting better, Rocket. And Sprout's little mouth is getting bigger all the time and you will find things much easier then i think.

Boo I had been told that this appt was the joint clinic - so should have been with both the Diabetologist and the Obstetricin. In the end was just the Ob, the Diabetic midwife (who was shit) and the Diabetic nurse. So perhaps would have been better if the Diabetic consultant was there like they were supposed to be.

Blood sugar is fine - had been in limit for 4 days but a smidge high this morning. And no, not been told to test for ketones. Might get some strips from Boots though.

I just can't understand what the rationale would be. If they put me on insulin they would induce at 38 weeks. So I would basically be on insulin for about 5 days. What would be the fecking point?

Quite. It seems insane to me Lady. The only thing I can think of are that the NICE guidelines have changed since I had GD?

Glad you got them to admit to the scan anyway. They told me smallboo was measuring at least 8lbs and he came out 7lb 7 a week later. It's not an exact science as you know, and we all know that bump measuring is extremely arbitrary.

Some ketones info here.

LadyG sorry to hear about your shite appointment today. It does enrage me that HCPs so often appear to try and railroad women into procedures without a decent discussion or explanation. I hope you can eventually get at least nearer to what you are hoping for, or at least feel more in control of the situation. The only talk of ketones I've heard is when my GP gave me drucks for the vomming as I was dehydrated, I'd never heard mention of them before that.

Brownie so excited that you had a great scan (even if the money grabbers weren't overly sensitive to the joyous nature of the appointment!) I did find it entirely unromantic to have to deal with the card machine before going in for our early scan, although I suppose best to get it out of the way early on and then enjoy the wiggly baby.

Ooooh Macca if you are going for an Italian name there are so many lovely ones to chose from. I love Emmanuel and Guiseppe (although Sep Blatter has put me off slightly ) Isn't Draco also Italian originally? So you could be very 'now' with the last Harry Potter film coming up!

Rocket very glad to hear BF is progressing well. Sprout is just the cutest little thing!

Ski the boob poking / kneeing / general abusing sounds painful. Mine have been extremely itchy for weeks now but the painfulness comes and goes. I had a spell of about half an hour today when my right nipple was agony and a few times I actually had to excuse myself to go and relieve it a bit. I find that if I press the flat of my palm against my nipple, it helps for a while Sorry for voming too, am adding my hopeful wishes that it is less bad than last time for you.

I am excitedly awaiting the arrival of my Mommy tomorrow for her weekend visit. It also means I shall be leaving work at a reasonable hour instead of considering getting a camp bed under my desk. We launch a large scale transformation project next week and are putting in every possible hour to get ready for the initial announcements. Am hopeful that after the initial week or so of activity, things might calm down so I can work more normal days and feel less tired. I also had a call today to say that the local stockist of Amby baby nests has some in and will assemble one for us to go and see on Saturday. My Mom has offered to buy one for us if we decide it is what we want, but as they seem to be rarely stocked I've not seen one in real life yet. If everything goes well with the scan, it will be very exciting to be imagining our child in one of them in only 4.5 months time!