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.

I have a vague plan (more a pipe dream really) this Christmas to put gravy in a chocolate fountain and guests can dunk mini yorkshires, small pieces of roast beef and roasties instead of marshmallows etc. Can you tell I really appreciate a good roastie?

That is my thought exactly about the pain relief GG, if I need it I don't want to be fannying around with anything else. I want something I know works and won't make me feel horrendous. Good advice too ski I will add that in, and perhaps write it on the back of the FDHs hand too!

Bollox about the hoover btw GG

Bitey it is much much MUCH more important that your birth partner knows your wants about pain relief then what you put in your birth plan. My birth plan didn't even make it out of the bag. But TBG was well primed on the "I do not, under any circumstances, no way, want pethidine". So when the midwife tried to foist it on me (I would still like to know why) he was able to establish why she was offering and say no very firmly. I was freaking out slightly at that point and thought it was being offered to help the baby and would have ended up agreeing to it which would have been a very bad thing given said baby arrived 45 mins later.

Which was a needlessly long way of saying: birth plans are nice, but well prepped birth partners are better,

Bitey I will be on your doorstep, fork in hand, awaiting the switching on of the gravy fountain at 7am on Christmas morning. Sounds like the best idea ever. Can we have stuffing balls too? I'll even make them as my contribution

GG sorry to hear of vacuum fail. Could you get Mini G going round with a dustpan and brush? If not, then given the faffing about your buyer has put you through I think her having to hoover a few carpets should be the least of your worries.

Alps I bow to your superior knowledge of nutrition. I have a GTT booked in 6 weeks time so may be heading your way for Good Advice.

The thought of writing a birth plan fills me with dread as there is so much to learn. I'm currently firming planted in the 'it's got to come out some how and I don't need to know the how bit' but reason that I have aaaaages to get my head round it, so can procrastinate for a bit longer I am finishing work at 38 weeks so that will give me plenty of time to think about birth and stuff like that

We have a very large change plan kicking off at work tomorrow and I am leading one of the workstreams. I have the fear. There is too much to do and we'll never be ready. Aaargh. Still, we have free cupcakes in the canteen today so there is a silver lining.

Thanks muser, think I will give him the whole talk tonight. I think if he knows why he asking and why I don't want it he will be more confident about asking questions. It's going to be a total role reversal for us, I am the chief question asker in the relationship and I think he might get quite intimidated by a uniform. It's his opportunity to shine though .

I'm on the last bit now and looking at cord cutting. I know the FDH doesn't want to do this, he goes very pale and sweaty at the mere thought! I was going to just say that the MW could do it but then thought about doing it myself. Can those that have been there already advise again please? Am I more likley to be too busy gazing at bitey bach to actually want to do this? Also, is it horrid? I am rather squeamish!

He just needs to remember the key questions bitey.

1. Who are you? (for anyone who comes into the room who doesn't introduce themselves)
2. What's that? (for anything that gets taken out)

Truffs whoop whoop! Lovely lovely scan news

BB Hearing the heartbeat makes me well up every single time, still - I shall therefore restrain myself from going down the BESH fight club route and punching you on the nose :)

Bites my birth plan is more a sliding scale of hideousness that starts with 'May I have the lovely lovely pool and candles and shiz' and ends with 'meh, feckit, sunroof if you have to'. It also contains the caveat 'I do not currently think I want meptid but reserve the right to change my mind about this'. My ishoo with the opioids is that if you don't like the effects, the buggers don't wear off for ages so you're stuck with them and also as Moos says if the baybee is further along than they thought then they are not a good plan anyway.

My plan does however contain the important note in bold that anaesthetic does not work on me for more than about 2 minutes and then wears off (I have had many happy dental experiences because of this and have never had a GA so no idea if the same applies to that). So if I have to go to theatre that will be muchos horse tranqs, pliz.

I luff the mini yorkshire gravy fountain idea.

I have been to the hossie today and in return for 5 vials of blood for their research project, I have had a quick and dirty scan that shows Owlet is the right way up, yay! He is bloody massive, no wonder I have reflux. And a tour of the birth centre which is v.v.nice. So I don't mind if I end up there, it's not too hospitally at all.

GG bastard hoover. I have hoovered up plaster chunks with mine and fully expect it to explode any day now

We are in! Well, I am. Bulk of furniture still in the van. This is like a proper grown UPS house. I feel like Goldilocks. Cats hate me. Will catch up properly later, haglets.

There is something in the deli water I think with all these massive baybees pending owlie! I am also a speedy metaboliser of the anaesthetics, hadn't thought to mention that so will add it in now. Just had a look at meptid and don't want that either. Maybe I should broaden the pethidine ban to all the opioids. I don't want to vomit poor bitey bach into the world! Glad you liked the birth centre too. They are pretty nice aren't they?

Thanks again muser have written those down for him!

ladygorngoldilocks please enjoy this house warming present

Yey for lovely truffs scan news and successful gaga house moving, hope you get settled soon. the cats will get over it (or adopt someone else :o)

bitey on the subject of the cord, TB said no way did he want to cut it right the way through pregnancy. But then we put in the plan that he would decide at the time and he ended up doing it. I think once they have seen you go through birth it makes them man up a bit. And to be brutally honest, squeamishness over the cord is going to be the least of his worries!!

Re gravy fountain, you are an utter genius, I can not fathom why this is not a standard part of xmas celebrations already.

great news on owlets orientation, not so good on the size thing but aren't they notoriously inaccurate?

I don't think he's overly massive in the massive sense, he just looked awfully squished in there which would explain why he is currently expanding his living quarters by leaning back against the left half of my ribcage and using his feet to push out the right side. The little charmer. It makes me go ARRRRGGGHHHHH OWWWW.

Mr Boots is not cutting the cord as we both feel he may vom. I may also vom. We'll leave that to the MW.

GG Hoorah for new house! Hope you can locate the kettle

Just back from MW. Foxcub is still head down (good baby!), but not engaged. All else is fine, so will see them again in two weeks for sweep if necessary.

Bitey gravy fountain is awesome idea, but I would need to learn to make really good gravy first - bisto just won't cut it.

Owl your birthplan sounds like mine - best to worst case scenario and everything in between. The first MW we showed it to was curious as to why I am determined to avoid opiates if at all possible. She is quite junior, and didn't seem used to people actually having formed their own opinions. The senior MWs are all in favour of keeping it natural as far as poss. And they are all very keen lentil-weavers, so keep reminding me re: aromatherapy, RLT, perineal massage, EPO etc. Todays advice was "keep on that birthing ball" . I cannot wait to deflate the sodding thing and get it out of my living room.

Muser have you copyrighted your "who are you? what is that?" advice? Am def going to write it down as a talisman for Mr Fox, but just wondered if I am allowed to use it, or if you would be expecting royalties.

foxy glad foxcub is behaving its self and head down. Have you done any perineal massage? It's not the most fun thing but I am pretty sure it saved me from stitches although I spose Sprout was early and a bit of the wee side.

Excellent work, Ginners and MiniGinners The engaged bit doesn't seem to matter that much I was told - they can just drop in as you go into labour. That might be a bit of an odd sensation.

Can I just add to Muse 's two questions - question 3 which I like to ask at least once each appointment. 'What the feck are you doing and why?'

My NCT teacher told us the who are you/what's that duo, so use away. The "what's that" is because in theory they shouldn't need to be picking up anything that's not a baby - and if they do you want to know what they're doing.

There's also the BRAT thing for big decisions. What are the Benefits, What are the Risks, What are the Alternatives, and How much Time do we have to decide?

Happy new home GaGa enjoy the unpacking (deciding where to put stuff is my fave bit of moving)

I forgot to say earlier that I may have shed a little tear on Saturday so am happy to take your DWH (double wuss hag) crown BeaveringAway I knew I was a bit nervous before but didn't realise just how much I had primed myself for bad news, so when he showed us the heartbeat and said everything looked fine (before he did the detail) that alone was a huge sigh of relief and some tear shedding.

Loving 'who are you / what's that' and will start the mantra with TGB immediately. He's not massively assertive and I know is already getting a bit worried about not being able to do anything when I am in painful land. I think he's probs more worried about saying or doing the 'wrong' thing when I am very stressed as I can be slightly bite your head off when tired / stressed / under the weather in real life so during birth I think he's got the fear that he will try to be helpful and I will be evil and he will feel bad. Waaaah - minefield!

We have decided that we will spend some time this coming weekend sorting out a chest of drawers so it's empty and ready to fill with tiny baby things. My Mom brought with her at the weekend a little cardigan that she has knitted, it's plain white with duck shaped buttons - so cute. My sister also bought some little vests and babygros so we actually have stuff to put somewhere. It will also prompt me to store away my normal clothes so I can streamline my wardrobe and have the other stuff packed away for when we move (nothing like planning in advance!)

I think muser's 2-point plan is great along with owlie's realistic birth plan. Not all the ESH's got their dream birth - but all got their dream baybee. When push comes to sunroof shove (badoom tish), nobody really cares how they get them out. Be open to intervention - that way you won't end up writing on AIBU/Childbirth "AIBU to think I've been deprived of my birth experience and now I can't bond with my baybee?". :(

Off the top of my head: me, cosmosis/boxer/carrots/cheggers/donttry/curly/boxer/VAG/silver/drom/medee/laurie didn't get what they wanted. All of them have their beautiful babies though.

re: cord - they're f'minging - but quite frankly, if your other half has sat through proceedings thus far he'll be numbed by "it all" by now - and has only blood clots the size of his hand to look forward to as he helps you in to the shower!

I'm off to the mw today for booking in, which probably means it's "real". Will today hopefully find out which way this is heading. I'm kind of hoping for regular mw check-ups with a few extra consultant ones and then elcs, but we shall see. If they want me to vbac I shall very seriously consider paying myself. But I'm probably jumping the gun there in light of how ill I was last time and how soon after this pregnancy is (didn't feel soon whilst TTC iykwim!).

I have taken to sleeping sitting upright to try and stop myself vomming. :(

Poor ski, it's not fair to be vomtastic twice. Good luck with MW appointment.

foxy I feel your birth ball pain, mine has a mind of it's own and rolls across the room unprovoked. The poor cat must think he is in the prisoner! Can't wait to see the flaming thing back in it's box!

My birth plan cause hilarity in the bitten house hold last night. I have covered every possible exit strategy that biteybach might take from an easy sneeze to an unexpected c-section. The FDH said it reads like my last will and testament! Ah well, it's important to be clear I think!

We also practiced the Who are you/ what's that last night, it wore a bit thin in the end with some fairly sharp responses from me eg "I am making a cup of effing tea" but you really got the point of it. Woe betide anyone who picks up any equipment, looks at it and wanders off without saying anything with the FDH on the case now

We are going to wait and see re: the cord. There is a very funny sketch in Peep Show which has scarred us both for life but you never know in the heat of the moment.

You're going to have a squee filled weekend I think truff, nothing like tiny folded baby clothes to make you melt!

Um for those of you that haven't yet looked, can I heartily recommend avoiding the worst bits of child birth fred?

Alps you make very good points wrt. keep your eyes on the prize. I'm so sorry the vomming is back with a vengeance - can you get prescribed Stemetil? I found cyclazine didn't touch the puke, but I did get some relief with Stemetil. It didn't seem to have any other side effects either.

GG glad you are in! Have the cats forgiven you yet?

It might only be first trimester stuff though bitey - won't know for a few more weeks yet. :) And if it is the dreaded full-term stuff then I will just have to suck it up and remember the end prize is worth it!

JB is taking Bear back to Glasgow for a week in September and I've decided not to go, I'm going to have my last week ever of relaxation, just me and my bump. I'm going to book the week off work and just do "nothing" really except read, eat well and maybe get a pedicure and go swimming.

Back from the mw, as suspected - will be mw-led until 36 weeks at which point it will be consultant at hospital. She can't discuss c-section with me - well, not with any authority because it's not her who will be actually doing the op (obviously!), that'll be a discussion for me & consultant - although she didn't say it was a "no way" - but what is "no way" is a hb after c-section. Friend of mine who is v fat had an elcs here about 3 months ago for her 4th baby (2nd section) - so I don't think it'll be a huge battle - if they say no then I shall put the effort in with the pies until they say yes!

Got my 12 week scan at 10 weeks(ish) - I think that must be a thing they do here - in hindsight, think it's so they can say "we really think you should book in for a combination test" - which I didn't last time, but I need to phone the hospital this afternoon and book that. I've also just been to the hospital to have them stab at me multiple times for 3 little vials of blood.

bitey I refused to look at the Childbirth board last time. [Denial]

Add me to that list pone but as i said I think having a clear birth plan which accounted for diversions from my ideal helped things not spiral totally out if control. There is a thread about this at the mo and I think I said on there that it's more about making you think about the options and possibilities before hand than actually a 'plan' to follow during birth. And eyes on the prize is so right.
Fingers crossed your vomming is just 'normal' this time round or buggers off even earlier!

barbie Thank you for the recommendation, if I need to I shall come back to that. But so far, so good with the cyclizine - doesn't quite stop it in its tracks - but allows me to (mostly) function! :)

rocket I couldn't quite remember whether yours had gone to plan or not. "Funnily" enough, the mw I saw today was the same one as last time (obviously) and she was 5 weeks behind me. As it turned out, she was late and her lentil aromatherapy candles hb went out the window and she ended up in hospital...

The other thing re. plan is, as many people have told me, that you may have had your heart set on one thing in theory (e.g. water birth) and when it comes to the crunch point you shriek "FUCK THAT I'M NOT GETTING IN A POOL WHOSE IDIOT IDEA WAS THAT??" and deliver in some other way that feels better and right at the time. Ditto tens machines, avoidance of epidurals etc etc.

Pone weekend off sounds absolutely fab. Enjoy every minute of it :) I've also had stemetil in the past for random puking and can second BB 's recommendation if the other one fails you.

Our cat also hates the birth ball but this is mainly because Mr Boots keeps bouncing it like a giant basketball near the cat when he is trying to sleep in his bed.

TB took my birth ball to work to sit on for his bad back. Promptly rolled it over a drawing pin and pppffffffftttttttttttt.

Excite!!! just got a text from my diffed freind (TBs best mates mrs) she has finally had a show and contractions at 40+3 after being convinced she was going to be early and having a 'sensitive womb' with contractions for weeks and being in labour twice before but it all stopping!! Sprouts best mate is finally going to arrive

MrM uses mine for Xboxing - I'd really like to deflate the damned thing as it is taking up too much room.