September 2011 - a month or so to go, come here to share the joys and woes of the final stretch.

[100years]

Now I know the threads we were in weren't finished, but there were 3 threads for the September due dates, and I thought it would be nice to get everyone together and share their experiences.

Stats thread is here If you aren't on there, then get adding yourself.

Hopefully we can all get through the last stint together :)

I'm due 1st Sept, so one month to go, if the LO is punctual.

Maybe we should just pee our pants - it's not like much comes out! that combined with the SPD means my DH is less than enthusiastic when I jump at the chance for walks into town (jump being figuratively speaking...if I actually jumped I'd be in agony for days...)

That made me snort laughing, Misty (attractive, no?). That could be especially useful in the middle of the night when it takes 5-10 minutes for me to extract myself from all of the pillows, shove DH's legs off my legs, roll over, sit up, stand up, shuffle along the landing, and then it's three drops and I'm wondering why I bothered. DH might make me go sleep on the spare bed in DS's room though if I tried it.

Off to the MW this morning to have Wednesdays appointment redone by my usual MW and find out if this baby actually does have a head and a bum and which one is pointing where.

cbear gd luck at MW today hope baby doesn't have 2bums :) and all is as it should be.
I supposed to be taking DD swimming today but snapped at her 5am when she got me up for the 4th time since 2.30am mummy too tired &grumpy to take you swimming now! Needless to say she then proceeded to sing &tell herself a story loudly to get "herself back to sleep" grrrrrrr then DH left his alarm on so after he had sneaked to shower I was woken up by his fecking alarm at 6.45am so mummy definitely has grumpiee peed in pants on this morn :(
Will prob cave on the swimming as its good way to wear her out. I sit whale like in corner of pool whilst she jumps around for an hr getting rid of her energy &we get to do cake n coffee after definitely the best bit for me :)

Caught up with the thread, I'm impressed with all the baking! I love baking but haven't had chance to do much this week as I'm still working through my list of house tasks (gardening, painting, etc!), think I will make some blueberry muffins this afternoon - yum!

How is everyone? I'm well, my swollen foot only lasted for a morning, MW told me to sit with my feet up for a while and it went down as quickly as it appeared! Just one of those pregnancy niggles! I seem to be wanting lots of sweet things at the moment, oranges and the likes, wonder if it's a sign! I think they say sweet things for a girl and savoury for a boy?

Agh, the peeing, yes! The minute I get up, no matter how long it is since I last went, it is full-on urgent. And I don't seem to get much warning before needing a poo either; I am sympathising with potty-training DS quite a lot!

Ssmile, DS is also choosing now to be a bit crap at sleeping for no apparent reason which is really not helping. DH is on hols for 2 weeks though so it's all down to him and I got a lovely lie-in this morning.

Scarlett, I always want sweet things - I am a sucker for cake - although, thinking back, I did really go off chocolate when I was pg with DS so maybe there is something in it...?

I craved fruit with DS and junk sweets this time with DD. It must be something in the air for sleeping because DS was up every hour last night, I put him in our bed at the finish because I was so desperate to sleep.

MWs went well. Took two of them to find her head and agree that she's head down, the reason given was that she's fully engaged. I didn't even realise and haven't felt any different, my bump is still high too. They redid fundal height and I'm 39cm (37 weeks now) which is scaring me a bit because I'm dreading another huge baby and I've gone from measuring spot on to suddenly being 2cm ahead. Hoping their stories about position and baby stretching are right!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine, baking again tonight for DS's birthday tomorrow :o

How is the potty training going feralgirl, and how old is your lo? Ds2 shows some signs of being ready (he's 2.3) but I thought it might be better to wait till after the baby comes. Mind you, would be lovely to have a week or two of no nappies before the baby arrives!

I saw people were discussing peeing after birth earlier in the thread. The worst bit of post birth for me, was finding it really hard to pee. Was in the pushing stage for 3 hours with ds1 and just over an hour with ds2 so I guess you have to expect the muscles to need a bit of time to repair, but I remember it being so frustrating needing to go, and just not being able to. Sorted itself out in a few days though.

Thats exciting cbear - am surprised there have been no births yet, so maybe you will be first!!

I craved jelly beans wth ds1, and toilet cleaner (to smell, not drink) with ds2. This time, it's definitely been more sweet than savoury, but don't know what I'm having so only time will tell.

Conker, the training is a bit hit and miss, literally! DS is 2.7 and just decided of his own accord a couple of weeks ago that he was going to start weeing in the loo - standing up, holding his bits and shaking like an expert - and he's on a steadily upward trajectory with learning about wees but he is a bloody nightmare when it comes to pooing and just seems terrified of letting it out! It is all very wearing, esp having to bend down and clean up when I am this pg.

Ooh Cbear, exciting that you're fully engaged! I wasn't last week at MW appt but I've definitely felt downward movement this week; 38 weeks today. I am so tired of being pg now and I really really want to get it all over and done with and onto the next bit!

Me too, I'm tired of being pregnant now! I don't think she'll come just yet though. My brother's DP was engaged for weeks before DN arrived and with DS he didn't engage until I was in labour and 6cm so not sure it means much. It's put the jump in DH though, he's convinced it's going to be tonight!

Engaged babies? Woohoo - the start of birth announcements this week (at least one on Friday), how exciting! I hope I'm not chatting to myself come by due date (23/09) :)

MIL just been round for a cuppa and brought the most amazing hand knitted 'sensory' blanket - bright colours and different textured squares. SO clever. To celebrate LO had a jig, complete with arm flail and what can only be described as a head-butt. Unless it was a bum-butt (?!).

Only 35 weeks but have had 'period pain' ache for last couple of days. Trying to ignore and putting down to general pregnancy niggles, but this new development, in combination with NCT classes and labour bag packing is making me feel a little 'EEP!" - not long now...

Listening to Radio 2 (Jeremy Vine) who is discussing front facing buggies - the lady speaking says that these are 'tantamount to child abuse'

p.s. also got the cake/chocolate/junk food cravings, and wondering whether I may be carrying pink...

Oooh, I can't wait to hear what the mystery babies are! I know they can only be one or the other but still fun waiting to see!

Having my first real scare today leaving playpark could barely walk pain in my right side trying not to let tears slide under my sun glasses &scare DD. Hobbled back to car sat 5min before stealing myself to drive 10mins home. Put DD in front TV now crashed on bed. No idea what it is but vuncomfortable. Think baby trying to stretch where there is no room, hope it passes feeling bit scared if carries on might have to call DH at work.

My DH coming home as was getting too wobbly, most unlike me. Prob just vtired. x

Oh, ssmile, I really hope it's passed. That's horrible when something hurts that badly and you're out on your own. I've had some very sharp pains which have passed reasonably quickly and put it down to stretching. Hope your DH can get home quickly if you need him to

I freaked out this morning when I had really bad pins and needles all down my right arm and lost sensation in my right hand - thinking OMG, pre-eclampsia - then I realised it was because I'd been leaning my arm on the desk and internet shopping for such a long time that I had cut off the circulation. What an idiot.

Oh, x-post. Good for your DH. Hope you can get plenty of rest.

How are you feeling ssmile?

(feral I did smile to read that you had shopping RSI)

Just made batch of chocolate & courgette brownies as recommended by MN last week. Not tried yet but they smell good despite dubious ingredients.

Hope you're okay ssmile

Blueberry muffins and cherry scones just come out of the oven - waiting for them to cool - before I probably eat them all haha! They smell sooooooo good!

OOOHHHHhh muffins.......

Hope you're okay ssmile and that your DH is looking after you, take it easy x

Had a sleep. Tum vtight but baby been wiggling so relived just bit odd. The brownies sound yum will have virtual one. dH made me cuppa tea. May have just got dehydration as pee vyellow &had had rough nights sleep think I just got overwhelmed. Still getting tightening in lower tum though.
Thanks for support x

mmm brownies - made the nigella recipe for 48 of them last weekl - only eaten one as boy they bring on the acid - felt as if it is burning from stomach all way to back of mouth despite ranitidine on prescription.

So funny catching up with all your posts everything sounds like me! I've been baking like it is going out of fashion and tiddly I can totally sympathise with the period type pain - much worse when walking and can't walk a pace without feeling like I need to pee.

So glad that your LO is head down and engaged cbear.

Actually been having a mass panic about where to give birth since we were talking about knowing your midwife on this thread last week. Went to visit the birth centre (mw run 20mins by ambulance from hospital) on thursday and ended up crying on the way home as it just didn't feel right. Went to see mw on friday to discuss and can't really get to the bottom of why. Think it is due to slim chance of getting a mw I know to deliver me. Set me thinking seriously about home birth where it would be a midwife from my 'team'. Considering the other birth centre at the hospital but they only have one pool and would def be a midwife I've not had any contact with before. Keep coming down on the side of home water birth - mw really supportive- but something still holding me back - maybe just the realisation that this is actually it and I have to give birth (1st LO). Would be 10 mins further away form hospital but that seems a long way if something goes wrong.

Sorry for rant! Didn't realise how confused i was still started typing!!!

Sorry you are feeling confused milliebow. Definitely helps to relax when you know and are happy with where you will give birth. We moved house a couple of weeks ago and I was quite nervous about moving hospital as had two ds' there but visited the new place, and although I didnt see the actual labour ward, I'm much happier that I know exactly where I'm going when the time comes.

On the other hand, have only met one mw from that unit so unlikely I will know actual mws when the time comes, but in my experience, all the mws in the labour ward with my other two were lovely, and they did change shift at one point, but it really didnt matter. At the time, you are focused on the birth and whatever pain relief you are using, and your birthing partner whoever that may be. the mw was obviously massively important, but it didnt matter (to me at least) who she actually was. They were all really supportive.

Hope that helps - my main advice would be to make sure your birthing partner is ready to be as supportive as possible, and in whatever way you feel like at the time (it may well be different to what you expect to want at the time).

Thanks conkertree that's really useful advice. My DH is my birth partner and is being really supportive already. Think it is almost the fact I have so many options which is a bit overwhelming.

Hi, with ds, dd and also this lo we've not met any of the hospital midwives, the mw i c at check ups said there r only 2 at the unit that arent nice but theyre higher up so id only get them if the units really busy.
Ssmile hope ur feeling om xx
hv came 2day, she was really nice and didnt ask any probing questions. Said not 2 keep baby in carseat 4 more than an hour if possible, thought id read online it was 2 hours. She explaine its due to