January 2012 - Thread 4

[shonnomanom]

Can believe we are on Thread 4 already! We must chat too much

Thats good news Red-try and rest tonight.

Oiesha-tell dh it's all in the thumb action :) Ahem...both thumbs just inside pressing down on bottom of vagina, sort of pinch and stretch and pull the skin outward hold for 2 mins and repeat. It sadly isn't erotic or particularly comfortable, but it can lead to some curious facial expressions and giggling from both parties.

here are some pretty good instructions www.bloomingbellys.com/bb-blog/prenatal-perineal-massage/

Oh the things we talk about, dignity..what dignity?

I had a bit of a panic over the weekend as well. Hadn't felt anything for nearly 2 days so started to get v stressed. Tried the cold drinks etc. Ended up going to the hospital just to get checked. All ok :) Ended up being monitored for about 15 mins and midwife was there saying 'that's a movement' and I didn't feel a thing. Obviously jnr was in a position that the ant placenta was blocking everything. Moving like crazy and I couldn't feel a thing!!!! Def put my mind at rest and we could go out as planned for a late lunch.

On the positive side I had some good news on Friday. Even knowing that I'm about to bugger off for a year I've been promoted! I was so surprised that they did that. Really chuffed those as I could imagine that if it didn't happen b4 I left it could have taken an age when I got back.

oh congratulations trubble that's excellent!!

loving the massage instructions btw fish - have forwarded website to my OH

Oeisha Thank you. Will try that and I am buying a dreamgenii!!! Have been doing 'some' pelvic floor exercises but didn't realise they involve so much!!

Gulp! that massage looks sore "interesting". I might leave it til week 34.... Not feeling brave today.

anyone else getting a bright red belly, like it's really hot, but isn't to the touch? weirding me out!

redBELLYbedhead no bright red belly here...but I am uncomfortable icky. Sleeping tonight's not going to be easy. SO glad LOs finally given you a booting

trubble congrats on the promotion!

I keep starting at the tree decorations on the john lewis site. I'm a friggin magpie for them, I swear...at least this year I've only got a hankering for £25 worth. BUT that is just on the JL site, I usually have to heavily restrain myself in M&S too. Luckily I get my Mum one every year, and my nieces and nephew(s??)*. So that's 4 this year, and I might sneek one in for Abi and me too. So I do get to indulge a bit. Must visit soon and rule some out.

So, my jabbing went ok. Though I have collosal arm ache right now. Perhaps I should have listened to the nurse when she told me not to go swimming after. I did 'take it easy' though- only 20 lengths, with stops and I was hardly breathless.

*a non-blood-auntie started a kit up for me, 1 every year for 18 years. Such a thoughful thing to do, as it meant in my 1st home I had xmas decs. I knew and loved to decorate my own tree with. So, I'm doing it for my nieces & nephews and for my LOs when they arrive too. Plus, they're all going to be multicoloured and joyful. I'm the garish xmas type, rather than a 'theme'. Must drive my SIL mental.

trubble Congrats on the promotion! I have an anterior placenta too. A couple of weeks back it caused me a bit of a scare too. I went for what was supposed to be routine age-related check with the consultant and after telling me I was "as fit and healthy as a 25 year-old" (I'm 38!) she proceeded to check the baby's heart beat, only to find it seemed to be speeding up and slowing down quite worryingly. She listened to it for about 3 minutes without saying a word (I could tell something was up...) and then finally she said "I think I'm going to need to send you in for a scan to get this checked out" and I burst into tears (can really relate to everyone who's been saying they've been tearful lately!!). Typically it was the first and only time my DH wasn't with me (he was away with work) so I was sitting in the scan waiting room on my own surrounded by lots of excited couples feeling more and more scared and fragile! Luckily the lovely sonographers saw me really quickly and spent a good 20 minutes or so looking at the heart - the valves, the blood flow, the chambers, everything, and they tracked the heartbeat and said it was all fine. Phew! They told me I had a really big anterior placenta and their theory was that it was muffling the baby's heartbeat on the doppler, which was then intermittently picking up my heartbeat instead (hence the apparent speeding up and slowing down). I felt really emotional about the whole thing and tbh I've been feeling pretty fragile ever since.

The whole sleeping on the left side thing has been bothering me quite a bit too. Anyone been advised about this by their MW? From what I read here it's just one small piece of research and the advice is still that sleeping on your right is OK. Hope so, cos I'm struggling so much! mum2be79 and anyone else who has a dreamgenii - really interested to hear what you think of it. Seems so expensive but if it's worth it to get a good night's sleep without feeling guilty about possibly harming the LO, I'll definitely shell out.

sassy After day 1 of much better sleep I thought it might be a fluke. After day 3 it had more than paid for itself. It does help me sleep on my left (I'm a right side sleeper naturally). I am finding I do turn about still, but that's only 1 reason why I got it. It's ace for propping hot water bottles against your back (the cushioning on the back hold it in place). It has also helped with the ligament pain I was getting early on and the slight pains I'm getting in my hips and back - they're pretty much gone, but I can tell if I've become impatient and thrown it out of bed, I hurt more. That and it also serves as a BF pillow after birth...
...and my furbabies LOVE leaning up against it when they snooze, and Gizzard loves snuggling between Abi and the pillow if he can...if he's talking to me (he's been all battings and bitings with me today, totally 'human daddy' focused).
The most of the research I've ever seen about left-sleeping's to do with Mum's blood flow rather than still birth rates. The idea being you're less likely to get feinting fits, less likely to have leg cramps, hip problems etc if you're not constricting bloodflow.

Oeisha thanks I'm totally sold! You're not on commission are you? :o Was feeling a bit stingy cos I've just forked out a stupid amount of money on maternity clothes for the 2nd time already, but this is something it's really worth spending money on, especially if we can use it for bf after the birth too. I'm lucky I'm not getting leg cramps or anything else... yet [looks round for wood].

Congrats on the Promotion trubble
And well done all the dancing babies, even if they are dancing in secret and scaring their mummies.

I think the whole 'sleep on your left side' is to do with the increased blood flow when on the left, hence when putting someone in the recovery position you lie them on the left. Lying on the right side is fine but the left is encouraged for this reason. I start on my left and continuously rotate from left to back to right to back to left etc etc etc etc etc

Morning :)

On the subject of allergies, we've been asked by the hospital to take part in a study on allergies - they're asking everybody at our hospital who is due in the next 6 months.

The lady asked us at the 20 wk scan. Apparently they have identified that most people with allergies have a specific gene but that not all the people with the gene have allergies. The study is to try to find out what the non-genetic triggers might be.

Both OH and I have to fill in a questionnaire about the family history of allergies etc and our general health, then I have to fill in a large questionnaire about my diet and the environment where we live (house, flat, damp, pets, smoking etc).

At birth they will take a tiny blood sample from the placenta to test for the gene (provided we don't need it - if we do we won't take part), and then there are follow up questionnaires after birth and up until 2.

Morning all.

Glad little one is wriggling now redhead, it's worrying when they suddenly go quiet.

I had my GTT yesterday, they did my 28 week bloods as well so that was 6 vials of blood and 410mls of lucozade on an empty stomach (was sick in the night typically so was completely empty) but I survived

Wasn't paying attention on the way home though and ending up taking 20 minutes to travel the 4.5 miles homes

Got to take Dd for her preschool boosters this morning. Dreading it, I tried to explain it and she's decided she really doesn't want to go so that's a good start!

Oh, and dh didn't pay all that for the bag. He got it at the same time as ordering the furniture so the nice lady gave him a discount

Have a good day everyone, I have loads of housework to do so a fun day all round!

Hi all - I was going to reply to lots of people's comments, but have spaced out and can't remember what any of you said... Bloody baby brain.

I've decided to go for the flu jab, but want to stock the freezer first, as from past experience the jab will knock me on my arse for a week or so, so I'll be making a range of pies and then booking it!

Anyone else thinking about birth plan already? I was musing on it this morning and wondering if I ought to scribble some things down whilst I'm thinking about it...

Glad bubs was OK redhead...

Oh yes - and I got a party dress from JoJo catalogue and I love it. It's this one in the plum colour and it's lovely - very flattering to the bump. I'm going to try and get my money's worth out of it, so I have five occasions lined up to wear it to:

• niece's christening
• DH's office Xmas party (whenever that is)
• DH's volunteering group's Xmas party
• My cousin's wedding
• Christmas day

That ought to make sure I'm good and sick of it by the time Sproglet gets here! On the plus side it should dress up and down pretty well with shoes or boots and pashmina or cardigan, plus it'll do for summer wear in the future if/when I have no.2 and it's a summer bump.

Hello everyone,

As usual I had about 6 pages of posts to catch up, thought of many witty and entertaining comments, and since getting to the end of this page, have now forgotten them all!

anyway, from what I do remember...

trubble great news on the promotion! It's nice to feel appreciated, and they must really want you back! and you have a lovely year to just enjoy the title without doing any work. Result!

sassy I just got my dreamgenii back and it's worked wonders for my poor sore hips. I didn't think that much of it when I was pregnant last time, but this time (and admittedly only 2 nights in) it's been a marvel!

oiesha I love the idea of the Christmas decoration presents. What a lovely thing to do. I may have to snaffle that one.

red - phew, glad your boy's kicking off. My best friend is the daughter of musicians, and after spending her time in utero being in front of the percussion and brass, she can sleep through anything!

Parsley - interesting study to be part of. I come from a family of allergy sufferers (none of them to nuts or dairy though, but pretty much everything else), while DH's family don't even get hay fever, so I'll be interested to see whether our DCs get my feeble genes or his less feeble ones!

Giraffe - it's a bit trickier talking them into jabs now they understand what it's all about! Good luck with that.

All fine here - G2 still a bit lazy, but gave DH a small prod yesterday. DD's bed arrived yesterday (ahh, the joy of John Lewis delivery - the lovely man took one look at me and said "you're not touching this" and lugged it upstairs for me!) My baby's all grown up with a big girl bed (er, not that we've put it together yet - it's enough of a struggle getting her to sleep in the contained environment of a cot - it's going to be horrendous once she realises she can get up!)

Have a good day all!

cakes - lovely dress! I'm quite jealous - I don't have to go to any Christmas functions to go to (well, the work one is themed Under the Sea, so a pretty dress isn't really going to be much use - not that I'm going anyway - there's only so many drunk people I can bear to be around!)
Er, and if there are any pies going spare...

Lol - I'm planning cottage, fish and a chicken, leek and mushroom with a pastry top - which would you prefer? ;)

cakes - any of the above!

yummy - crikey, you're one big raging hormone, aren't you?! Poor DH hasn't seen any action since I got pregnant (well, twice, but that hardly counts). I simply can't be bothered. And now I'm enormous, so he doesn't seem too fussed! Phew.

well in the last few years my OH has developed a problem with his... you-know... so it works fine now and again, but typically on the rare occasion that I jump him (which I didn't at all for 3 months, but now I'm back in the game) it's too sore for action

he has to have an operation on it but he's had to cancel it twice - once for my cousins wedding, and once for his nana's funeral. So at this rate we'll both be in recovery at the same time, which is probably a really good thing....

sorry for TMI

Dh is finding it hard to want sex - he fancies me lots, but can;t get past the teeny person inside me thing ! lol

yeah I find that a bit weird myself actually