December 2011 - Support tights time!

[BeeMyBaby]

Had no idea what to call it, sorry. Just googled third trimester and that was the recommendation...

plu I volunteered, my friend is organising it. It's for muscular dystrophy so she's kind of organising it on my behalf. She asked if we should do it during half-term or wait until Easter. I know doing it now I'll just about manage but not sure I'd manage when I'm sleep-deprived with a 3 month old. I promise I'll take food and drinks and not doing anything else all week!

Please take a folding camp chair, then! I've looking at them recently. If you have DS in a pushchair, you could carry this, from Millets, for about a tenner.

Hi everyone. And congratulations fairy! My son was born at 30 weeks so I know some of what you are going through. I also felt really guilty that my body couldn't keep him in longer - I think it's a natural reaction. But of course it's not your fault! I hope all goes well in SCBU.

I was admitted to hospital a couple of days ago as I suddenly started feeling loads of pressure. Turns out the baby's head was engaged! But everything else was fine so they let me go home but I've been signed off work now which is a big relief. The baby moved after about 8 hours and wasn't engaged any more. I have no idea why that happened! But I'm obviously worried about another premature baby so am trying to take it really really easy. I wish it was December already!

Mmmmcheese oh crikey that does sound scary - hope that little one stays cooking for a good while longer. give him/her a good talking to and explain whilst you are really looking forward to meeting them, they are not due to arrive for at least another 7/8 weeks. Stern words are needed!

seriously have they given you any other advice other than to rest and take it easy?

mmmmcheese - Ditto what hawthers said. Stern words for a mischevious little one are definitely needed! Failing that, take it very easy and ...erm... cross your legs!
seven my physio gave me a huge Tubigrip (a bump band - she called it Tubigrip) to give my pelvis extra support (even though I don't have any PGP anymore). If you are planning to be on your feet outside for so long, maybe you should get one to avoid any extra strain. Good luck!

Thanks oimissus I'll look into it.

mmmcheese that must have been a huge worry, make sure you get plenty of rest, and get to hospital for steroids pronto if you think you're going into labour. Those pelvic floors are even more important now, I've been getting sudden strong urges to have a wee since I dropped a fortnight ago, I assume it's the baby pressing on my bladder.

oi and awch I ment... do you think m&s have similar sizes to supermarkets? Ie if I got measured at m&s then bought from Asda?

Re taking it easy, I ask for a massage, oh says he is too tired, if I mention my back or legs he huffs and rolls his eyes, and if I ever asked for help around the house, he goes in mood and sulks whilst running the Hoover up the stairs!

Hi kristyI think Asda will have the same sizes as M&S.

I hate evenings.
I'm ok at work, but as soon as I get home, I'm tired, itchy, uncomfortable and grouchy.
I've got DH cooking a simple dinner whilst I lie down feeling sorry for myself.
Bedtime is worse. I spend at least half an hour huffing and puffing, rearranging pillows, going to the loo 7 times, and not getting comfy.
Moan whinge rant moan again.

I need to get over myself and buck up!

Congratulations fairy- scary stuff when they are so early but sounds like he's doing OK- best of luck with the next few months.

lala, if the band is uncomfy I'd suggest trying going up a chest size or two- I am usually a 38D and in both my previous pregnancies I'd gone up to a 40/42Dd by the time I was due. When baby hits a certain size, your ribs splay outward to make more room for all your internal bits, and it does increase your chest size, not just your cup size. I recommend finding a big M&S and trying several, then buying two of the cheapest ones that fot (one to wear and one to wash).

When you've had baby the ribs go back to normal- and if you BF the cup size may go up by anything between 1-3 sizes!!!
So the preg bras may not fit again, hence not spending too much on em! I am living in two M&S 40dd nursing bras at the moment...

Oh and kri5ty, the sizes of bras are different between styles even in the same shop: so get a rough sizing by all means, but you need to check if Asda will take returns, then buy a few, go home and try em on, return ones you don't want (or order online). If the store has loos you could always buy em, try em on and then return before you leave (providing they will let you- check first!!)

Oh dear, I just treated myself to half a glass of wine with dinner and now I feel a little tipsy. It's going to be a very cheap Christmas.

I've forgotten who asked but yes, you can start bfing after weeks of not. My DD1 didn't bf until she was 12 weeks old, she was tube fed, then fed by syringe. She wasn't especially prem (4 weeks early), but caught MRSA.

Women who have never given birth can bf too, I supported someone last year to nurse her baby who was born to a surrogate. Tis all amazing.

Mmmcheese, it's great to hear your little one is still in there, but because it means everything's ok, not because of any misplaced guilt! Honestly, reading about all this guilt is making me quite sad. Haven't we got enough to feel guilty about, without feeling guilty for something which is actually a cause for celebration: a living baby, snatched out of the way of harm by bolshy mother instinct?

As for the bras, if you can get hold of bra extenders, they are great for handling sudden increases in rib-cag size, if those aren't matched by increases in cup size (whereupon it's pretty necessary to get into a new bra). JojoMamanBebe do them, here, and my local haberdashery does it, or somewhere like John Lewis or Bravissimo (though I can't find it online).

P.S. thanks, msbuggywinkle; I think I was the one who asked.

msbuggy that really is amazing, and it must have been awful your DD1 having MRSA. Is syringe feeding better/easier than cup feeding?

ooh, bra extenders. Good thought! These are v cheap on ebay - have just ordered a set and will let you know if they're any good!

2-hook extenders x 3

seven before they have a sucking reflex, cup feeding works better, when they have a suck reflex they seem to find cup feeding difficult. It was pretty awful her being so ill, the hospital staff were ace with everything though. There was one particular nurse who was so helpful with re arranging wires to make it easier to try to nurse her.

Hi all, I had the horrid dream again last night about DH leaving me. :(
Silly pregnancy dreams.
And my ears popped again yesterday - and were "gone" for 3 hours. Nothing I could do would "unpop" them. Anyone else had this?
Pelvic floors ladies, yawn. But a coffee first, methinks.
Hope y'all have a great day. - I have a call at 10 to discuss why enquiry levels are down in Germany. Woo.

hawthers no they didn't give me any more advice than to take it easy. I asked if i should be on bed rest but they said there's no evidence that it makes any difference. Evidence or not, I'm going to be lying down as much as possible!

seven I didn't realise you had dropped - I missed that. Does that mean that the baby is engaged? The strange thing is with me that even though the baby was engaged my bump looked exactly the same, it was just very hard at the bottom and soft at the top.

Re. steroids, they recommended that I have them but as DS1 has cerebral palsy and it is possible that it is a result of the steroids that he had when i was pregnant I want to avoid them with this one unless I actually go into labour. We live close to the hospital so I can get there really quickly if anything happens. The consultant was happy with my decision and totally supported me but still wrote "patient refused treatment" on my notes which makes me sound very difficult and stroppy! I guess she was just covering her back.

I had loads of braxton hicks last night but they were just in the lower half of my bump. Does anyone else get that? I always thought they happened to the whole of the uterus.

Really wish time would speed up so I can get to the safety of 34 weeks!

Hey all. kri5ty, tell your DH he needs to pull his finger out. Why would any man be huffy because his pregnant wife needs some TLC?

Mmmmcheese, that must have been really scary! Hope it isn't a taste of things to come, i.e. baby trying to scare the hell out of you :o

OiMissus I've had several dreams about DH cheating on me. It's so weird, I wake up in a foul mood, and then have to try and act normally, whilst giving myself a mental talking-to.

So, I went to see my GP today, and he thinks I am depressed. He is referring me to a counsellor and I have to go back to see him later today, because I stupidly forgot my maternity notes. It was really scary telling someone for the first time how I've been feeling for the last however many months, but it was such a relief to be taken seriously. I really thought he'd tell me it was my hormones.

Grr, am very cross with myself. I tripped over on the way to school with kids (fell over at the kerb). Fortunately put my left arm out, so didnt land on my bump, but of course I went down like a sack of spuds. Cue one scraped elbow and lots of adrenaline.
Was picked up by nice school mum mates and fed a cup of coffee, not had any tightenings or bleeding but am still feeling paranoid :(. Now resting on sofa hoping baby will wake up and give me a good pummeling to say its all OK in there...arg.

sorelip well done for being very brave and speaking to your gp. hopefully just telling someone how you are feeling will start to help you to feel better. hope the counsellor can get you an appt soon. x

aethelfleda hope you get some wriggles soon. have a cup of tea and some chocolate too both for yourself and to get young nipper moving. x

aethel our bodies are pretty resilient and designed to protect babies with layers of flab in my case but I totally understand your paranoia. I can't remember who it was on here who said they fell down the stairs and they were fine...your poor elbow as well! Feel better soon.

sorelip I bet it was scary, I'm mega impressed at your bravery and pleased your GP is taking it seriously. Don't forget you've got strangers on the internet who are here with a non-judgemental listening ear if you want to talk as well. All love.

I can't motivate myself to do any work today - pottering about on the internet, might bite the bullet and order that gorgeous allsaints cardi someone linked to a while ago (though mildly concerned it will just look like a tent over a big belly?) - just saw that H&M baby bodysuits are only £2.99.

Also psyching myself up for GP visit and flu jab tomorrow...are you all getting flu jabs too? It's finally supposed to get cold tomorrow - woohoo, I've really been feeling the heat and I love autumn anyway

Thank you hawthersand Tyelperion, DH was the one that finally talked me into it. I'm still terrified of what will happen when I sit down and tell a professional about my home life. I live at home still, with my (separated) parents, two adult brothers, teenage sister and DH, in a 3 bedroom flat - dad is possibly an alcoholic, and verbally abusive to my mum. He also smokes weed constantly. He spends all of his money on beer and weed, contributes minimally to the household, and borrows money from my brothers regularly (he knows better than to ask me any more). The other day he swore at me repeatedly for not saving him enough curry sauce from my pot, because he'd failed to order any of his own. Being in the house with him is incredibly uncomfortable, and I wish he'd just fuck off and leave us all in peace, but of course he won't, and mum won't throw him out on his useless, lazy arse.

I love my mum, but she is useless with money, and we have almost been evicted previously because she hasn't paid the rent, and hasn't told me.

Sorry, I know this isn't the place to complain, but it feels like the pressure is building up, and I don't know what will happen if I blow up.

My doctor hasn't said anything about a flu jab, do I definitely need one? I haven't had one before.