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.

Congrats cake and happy birthday Annie . Feral I am wondering how you are doing - hoping things are going well for you. 100years - great news about the freezer and your sweep.
I bought some clary sage oil today and had a bath with it and massaged it into bump with carrier oil but doesn't seem to have kick started anything other than the usual contractions I get all the time. I just seem to need a wee every two minutes and it's made me feel quite tired.
Off to bed to toss and turn all night - one day we will all wish for these peaceful but sleepless nights! Good luck ladies

Having some moderate contractions now so am sat in the bath. Hopefully this is it now and not the baby tricking me with false labour! Hope everyone's ok and looking forward to seeing if my dc has a birthday twin tomorrow!

Cheering you on feralgirl as I feed Lo. :)

Still cheering u on feral and yep am feeding Lo again but had fab nigght in shock went so well babe went 11pm-6am with one feed at 3am had no idea this was possible with a new a babe. I did months of 2/3hrly feeds with DD1 so quietly whispering WOW....sure it won't last! :)

Hope u all had gd night too

Morning all :)

Ooh feralgirl fingers crossed things are moving for you. and ssmile it's encouraging to hear it doesn't have to be sleepless nights all the time!

How's everyone else doing? Nothing to report here. Not sure whether to ask about a sweep at the midwife today? (40+2) Or maybe I'll book one for later in the week if nothing happens...? I hate internals at the best of times and have a tucked up cervix apparently, so smears etc are pretty painful.

hope all got some rest and lets have some babies today! :)

OOooh I wonder if feral has had baby yet Let's hope so.

I'm still here :) Nothing other than a few odd twinges in the night. Doomed to this bloody ante-natal appointment at the hospital this afternoon. If I have the nasty doc again and she is rude to me in any way I shall say so, never mess with crazy pregnant women hey :)

I walked into the bed post in the night causing me to say OW loudly, poor OH had a start and woke suddenly, had to quickly explain it was my toes and nothing else :( the :( is at waking him up and possibly thinking that something was happening!

Crap night's sleep, woke a million times for the loo, this is because head is SOOOOOO low now, every move is like a little bladder punch!

Hope you have a good day folks, I'm probably going to go for a walk and potter about the house. Not sure how up for walking I am, my PGP is mega flared up at the moment, but in my head I keep thinking, well I've got less than a week of pain if I go to induction and so I'm tolerating it and ignoring it.

Nothing to report here too. Average night of loo trips and day dreaming about labour! Also think quiet day for me too.

Hoping news soon with feral - sending good labour vibes

Continued good luck all (on phone so will reply more personally later!!)

100 years - great news about the fridge/freezer. Great timing too. I'm impressed by all these home visits from midwives - is it to do with having home births, or is it just one of the options that some areas get? Shame abot the pgp - I had it bad with ds2 but thankfuly not this time. Wondered if it was because there is a bigger gap this time, but its definitely been more painful in the last few days, so I wonder if its all just the pelvis opening up in readiness. Hope your appointment goes well.

Louplet - never mind. I count due date as being the top of the hill, and then there is only one way to go now - so you have reached the peak at least!

Minkyjj - found my clary sage a few days ago, and its fantastic. I love love love the smell. Also takes me back to the weeks before ds2 was born. Will have to have a bath in it soon. Hope it works for you at some point (or at least helps you relax - I find the smell very relaxing).

Feralgirl - shaking the pom poms for you. Hope this is it.

Ssmile - sounds fantastic. Hope you feel great this morning after a reasonably decent sleep.

Misty - i'd take any opportunity for a sweep, but then they only work if you are ready anyway, so maybe its just yet another thing to pin hope to, and if they ae very uncomfortable for you, I guess that would put me off too.

Might take the boys to soft play today as ds1 ended up in our bed last night so didnt get a great sleep. His eczema has been great but we ran out of his usual creams in the last few days, and have been using other emollients, and its amazing the difference they make - need to get a repeat prescription in first thing this morning.

I'm dancing to scissor sisters on the radio in kictchen :o wow sleep is nice

Big congratulations to cake, your LO was obviously very keen to enter the world - two weeks early? Hope that you had a good birth, just how quick was it? Is little George doing OK?

Hope that feral is caught up in the throes of proper labour by now - looking forward to some news!

Glad to hear that you are all set with cold (and frozen) food now 100 years... perhaps LO will feel able to join you now - with my DD labour only began a couple of days after I'd taken delivery of the last few things that I needed, it was as if she was waiting for everything to be in place!

TP and Jojo, don't worry about all these ladies who are about to 'pop', there are still plenty of us left who aren't at our due dates yet... now is that kettle back on? Mine's a redbush, milk and no sugar.

Had a rubbish night's sleep due mainly to laying awake and fretting about situation with SIL (who had her DC prematurely at 26 weeks, that was about six weeks ago), I have to phone her today to grovel and apologise for "not having taken enough interest in them and the baby". Apparently the fact that I was trying to finish up at work, whilst getting ready to move into a house which didn't have a kitchen or bathroom, and entertain DD with no childcare during holidays (as my parents were up with SIL helping out with premmie situation), whilst being heavily pregnant... doesn't warrant me not having pestered her or my brother with daily phonecalls/text messages to see how things are going for them. I actually thought I was doing them a favour by not constantly ringing!

Sorry, rant over. Just had to get that off my chest before I make The Call and eat humble pie in the hope of healing our relationship before my own little baba puts in an appearance.

MW appointment later, hopefully can get my BP down to a reasonable level before then

Welcome back loomer and yep, plenty of tea and biscuits here! The situation with your SIL sounds like a classic case of pregnancy-misunderstanding, and believe me there is quite a lot of it about chez us. I, like you, would have thought that new parents of premature baby would have appreciated the space - and your brother would have asked if support was needed...but well done for swallowing it and making all ok again :) My SIL has refused to see me for the last 3 months as she is ttc and I am too upsetting a sight to see. You may infer from my tone that though hugely sympathetic and sorry for her and my brother, being ignored doesn't feel great :(

I have a midwife visit today also - apparently 2 home appts are the regular thing here in the west mids (booking appt and birth plan chat). Obviously this has brought about a manic cleaning frenzy, which was necessary anyway thanks to carpet fluff. Found dried out frog under cabinet - nice (thanks cat). Now I am dressed and ready for MW to arrive at precisely the same time as a bank valuer, who DH has sent round as we are changing mortgage. Let's hope I am not legs-akimbo when the bell goes...

I am also booked in this pm at the hospital (may see you there *100years?!) at an 'opinion clinic' with the consultant midwife. This has come about following my unhappy scan appt earlier this month (last week? who knows!) and I am hoping she'll be able to offer some better advice as to whether I can avoid CFMonitoring and stick with a water birth. We shall see.

ssmile I shall think of you dancing around your kitchen today in case it all gets a bit dismal (waiting rooms etc) - a lovely image and I do hope that we are all that happy and energetic with clever sleeping babies very soon!

Happy days all

ssmile - Good image of you with bubba dancing to Scissor Sisters! And, really happy to hear you had a good nights sleep too - hopeful that I'll be in a similar position... soon?!??!? Maybe before the year is out at this rate!!!

Misty - My midwife said she'd do an "internal" before the sweep, and they determine whether a sweep would be effective. Having said that, the internal will be just as uncomfy as the sweep... whatever you choose, hope all goes ok... good luck

100years good luck with appt. Hope you get a nice consultant. Don't take any messing!!! Having the bump can be useful... I have threatened to sit on the step kids!!! Only in a jokey manner of course!!! Got them to get changed for bed though!! Also, know what you mean about the pressure It's getting harder to walk without feeling like I'm going to start making dents in the floor...

Conker Enjoy the soft play and hope you get some rest!

loomer Rant away - that's what we're here for! Hope all went well with the phone call, and that BP stays low... good luck

TP - also good luck with consultant... and hoping it's good news about having the water birth you want.

Just a thought... I've seen a consultant once (around 35 weeks) the whole pg... because they thought I might be big (turns out LO was normal sized). She wrote in my notes that they'd let me go T+10. So, talking with midwife yesterday, and she said she'd offer a sweep Friday, Monday and Wednesday and then I'll be induced next Thursday anyway (if nothing happens) as next Thurs is T+10. BUT, how do I go about being induced??? Does my midwife book it with the hospital? Or would I just phone up and say "please can I be induced today?" I'm doubting it's the latter!! I can ask my MW on Friday but wondered if anyone knows?

The MW will book u in for induction mine did when I had DD1, she did after my last sweep was unfavorable. Gduck.

Walked to postoffice today 10min each way but that was enough tum ached after. Nice though as staff made fuss of babe the postoff lady is preg &lady on till is waiting to be grandma tom so they were really nice.

Glad my dancing raised a smile :o its tough early weeks of having a baby but there are some fun bits so thought it be nice to share one as most of you are having a tough time waiting it out :)

Thanks ssmile... thought that might be the case. Hoping it doesn't come to that, keep thinking I'm going this weekend! But we'll see!!

Nice to have a fuss made by everyone in the PO!! And thanks for sharing the fun bits!! Always good to read!! :)

Thanks for the info sebs. I had the sweep and then mw thought my pad might have meconium on it so had to go up to MAU for monitoring and check.
Thankfully the doc said it wasn't meconium and back home again :)

Sweep result was 1-2cm dilated, cervix 1/2cm thick (good?) and posterior (bad?) but all in all, favourable and poss I might go into labour in next 48hrs . Having some blood tinged discharge when I wipe now - but could that just be from sweep? Wasn't particularly comfortable, but worse to come I know...

I was pleasantly surprised at the attitude towards HB from the hospital - they said no need for internal and sent me on my way as they really want me to get my HB :)
The wait continues...maybe I'll try dancing around ssmile? (not sure SPD will allow that though...)

100years - hope the hospital appt went ok

Hope all are having good days :)

Ah yes TP I'd forgotten that you are in an equally awkward situation with your SIL, and even more sadly there is bugger all you can do about it - what will happen after you've had the baby?? Will she still refuse to meet her new niece/nephew because it might upset her? Totally bizarre attitude I think - surely she sees pregnant women in the street all the time, I certainly did when we were TTC, and although it's a sad reminder it's not exactly something that would send you into a blue funk?! Anyhow, hope that you got to see your MW and valuer in two separate rooms! And hope that you are going to be able to get the waterbirth that you are hoping for.

As regards my SIL, I have literally just come off the phone with her, and although I wasn't really able to justify the lack of contact that I had with them during the period when their DS was fighting pneumonia (which was about four weeks ago, just when DH and I were at maximum stress levels trying to get house sale and move finalised) we did at least both acknowledge that it was all in the past now and that there is nothing that I can do at this stage apart from apologise. She says that she won't hold a grudge - I really hope that's true! Now I have to try and get hold of my brother to have the same conversation with him... easier said than done trying to track him down.

At least MW appointment was straightforward - I practised some of my relaxation techniques whilst I was in the waiting room, and my BP was normal. Everything else normal too. She says that if I haven't had baba by next weds (when I'll be 39+5) they'll offer me a sweep. Going to try lots of positive visualisation over next seven days, and hope that helps. DD arrived three days before EDD, so I'm hoping that bodes well too.

Misty sounds all very positive for you - and how great that the hospital staff were keen on you getting a HB, that's surprising and brilliant... you just need to make it happen now, no pressure there then!

Feral - hope all is progressing well, thinking of you
Smile - you are doing so well - keep smiling and dancing
100 years - I know the pain and loo discomfort as my SPd is really awful now - won't be long though and it goes soon after delivery.
Misty - hope something happens for you soon and that you can avoid the internals. Having had loads of speculum tests over last eight weeks I have found they have not been as bad as smears so that may be the case for you too ?
Conkertree - loved the relaxing effect of the clary sage. It smelt wonderful but did nothing.
Loomer and tiddleypom - I feel for you both with your issues with your sil's. I have been through something similar with mine years ago which has ruined our relationship. She never speaks about it but she lost a few babies and we were not told so offered no support but obviously she did not know we didn't know and when we conceived our first child she turned her back on us. I now see her once or twice a year yet she lives five mins walk away. I wish I could resolve what's happened as I really did nothing wrong but too much time has passed now. Try and resolve it if you can even although it sounds like neither of you have acted unfairly otherwise it has much sadder long term consequences.

misty and feral we're cheering you on - and 100years too (we bumped into each other at the hospital earlier, which was lovely!).

sebs here's hoping your first sweep does the trick!

loomer well done for managing the call to SIL - you've been the better person (despite being heavily pregnant, which actually makes you a bloody angel!) and I really hope that you can all put the slight antagonism behind you. If your brother is anything like mine, he'll be happy as long as his DW is! Happily for me, my brother doesn't have the same issues with me as SIL and therefore if she still can't bear it post-birth, I know he will come and see us and be a part of our lives. We shall see how it all goes once the baby is here, but I do hope that the distance doesn't increase - sorry to hear you have experienced that minky and thanks for the advice. I may well make contact myself after a few weeks and just see if we can at least talk about things.

Anyway - sadly water birth is out, as the midwives are not prepared for me to go back into their care and I must stay under consultant-led. I am not quite so disappointed as I had expected to be, partly as it was all explained really well, and partly as they placated me by letting me hear heartbeat (140bpm) and told me that baby has had a growth spurt and now at around 7lb :)

Long chat with mum also cheered me up, and she says that she doesn't expect me to 'go over' my date - clearly she is an expert and I am prepared to believe her :o

So - a couple more weeks of being patient and getting jobs done, whilst drinking virtual tea with the Sept herd and cheering the graduates - it could be worse!

Back from 3rd sweep and although no physical changes to note I have now lost my entire plug and had a full on show...not a pretty site. Baby has less than 48 hours til induction so he'd better get a move on!

Am now also CONVINCED that they'd wives tales are a load of tosh...they only work if the baby would be ready to come anyway-I've tried them all, some at the same time and to no avail whatsoever...am now 10 days overdue and it remains to be seen whether bubs will resist this THIRD sweep!

Come on baby annie! It is very rude to be this late!

Ooh annie can i join u with the full on show? A couple of hours ago i felt a bit wet down there, went to loo and wen i wiped, well, ive never seen so much gloop-and this is our 3rd dc!! Hoping things will happen in the next day or 2.
Hope feral's doing well..

Loving your description jimmijam...that's exactly what I thought too! X

TP - stick with raspberry leaf tea - it doesn't bring labour on but is supposed to strengthen uterus. Mind you, I'm not actually taking it - haven't had chance to get any and probably not worth it now!! Sorry to hear you won't get the water birth, but at the end of the day it's a safe delivery we all want. At least they'll be looking after you ... And let's hope your mum is right too!!

Yes, come on baby Annie - your mum wants to see you pronto and has 'cleared the path' for you so please make an appearance!!

Just burst into tears... After making three lots of dinner (kids then me then DP whilst he sorts DSS's footy and covering school books) and cleaning up the bump is feeling so heavy it's almost hard to breathe. Just made it upstairs and burst into tears... Felt better for doing so and now have feet up watching Location ... Still only have one more week at most so must keep reminding myself that.

Hope all feeling ok and can't wait for news from Feral and Misty hope this is all the start of things!!

100years - hope you got on ok with appt.

Oh - crossed posts so Jimmi hope this also means. Things getting going for you!!