Nov 2011 - Feathering our nests and buying baby vests

[PamSco]

Taking liberties again as there are only 5 posts to go on old thread. Hope everyone is well this morning!

ziggi 37 weeks is full term and over 5lbs 8oz is full weight (learned this in school in 2009).

voodoo Really glad to hear that you and OH had a good talk and are working on things. Now his mother will feel dumb/awkward for saying mean things - which is why she should have kept her mouth shut.

pandia my legs are permanently swollen and when I sleep my hands ache because they swell too. But the hands calm down about an hour after being up and about. Am wearing huge ring I bought on sale on my wedding finger but I think it may have to come off soon too...

caz glad that they listened and didn't give you a hard time! I now you know X's birth date (unless he makes you wait)! exciting!

smiling I am taking a 10 wk course, not sure I trust my natural instincts:)

Had my 32 week appt this am. Bubba's head is down:) and everything seems good, I have gained 37lbs so I am supposed to do a bit more exercise to get my heart rate up (sometimes I wonder if the GPs have children because I am really getting tired quickly with normal activity?!)
Has anyone else had ms come back a little bit? Counting down the days of work left (15:)!!)

Hope everyone else is doing well

I cant tell whether my morning sickness has come back a bit or, well, it never really went fully away and I am just not coping well with it the last few days. My digestive system is not a happy place tonight and its leaving me a bit of a misery. And I still have 6 weeks of work left plus the neccessity to submit a research proposal for my thesis. Oh dear oh dear. I am again feeling sorry for myself without huge grounds tonight.

Hi Everyone, Caz great news re Xander! So the countdown starts here eh?
MW appointment here, she thinks the bubs is breech. I think she just likes to move about a lot! Swear my MW doesnt actually pay attention to what she is doing as I said something about how I would have to crack on with lots of kitchen floor washing and she said oh yes or they would turn the baby but seeing as I have had a cs then perhaps not. Never had a cs and she had just spent 5 mins with her hand on my belly right where a cs scar would be! OH was like erm okkkkk!
Off to Costco for a nosy about tomorrow night, am looking forward to it especially as have taken some sick time and am feeling great not having work hanging over my head :)
Apparently the MW was telling me that in the case of the restless/twitchy legs then Tonic Water is the old wives tale cure that an older mw, now retired, used to swear by. Personally I am so sick of not being able to sit on the settee that I am willing to try anything! I shall report back! Now to go crawl on the floor to persuade bubs to turn around!

voodoo do you have a pg ball, bouncing on one of them is supposed to be great for turning baby. There was a site reccommended on another thread for turning ideas will see if i can find it.

sorry for those feeling sick again, i can only assume it's cause of baby getting so big and so near the stomach now.

caz oh that's great news, so glad she went with your request so easily.

found it yay spinningbabies.com/techniques

Voodoo, its such good news that you had a good talk with your OH - regardless of how things work out, it can only be a good thing that you can talk honestly. Fingers crossed for more progress.

I had posted yesterday about routine, and I feel compelled to add that although I like a general routine, in the sense of getting up, getting dressed etc, I didn't do a strict feeding and napping routine or anything like that, I just went with the flow. She sort of fell into her own routine anyway (like mother, like daughter, maybe!) so I found it easy enough to predict when she would need fed or whatever. And if it was an hour earlier, or an hour later, than I expected, I was fine with that. I'm unintentionally a really contradictory person - I am a neurotic, anxious, panicky person in many ways (although I hide it so well that really only DH, a couple of my sisters and a couple of close friends actually know the truth!) and yet to my amazement, when I became a mum, I found it relatively stress free and couldn't quite understand what all the fuss was about! How weird is that?

Where has bump disappeared to? She was posting quite regularly but I haven't seen her for a few days. I know she had said she was feeling down, I hope everything is ok. And Poppys (I know she changed her username, but i can't remember what to), is she on holidays at the moment? She has disappeared too.

Hiya gals

Voodoo fab news on the big heart to heart. Sometimes those crunch moments are just what a relationship needs. Wishing you and OH all the best! Also for breech babies, I was told to pick a time when bubs is awake and - I kid you not - shine a torch on your bump pointing upwards from near the 'way out' and see if you can get your nosey baby to turn upside down to take a look. Also if you hold a cold drink/ ice on the top of your bump it can make bubs change position to avoid it!

Caz brilliant brilliant news on the induction. The labour will do your wee boy a power of good in terms of clearing out his lungs and getting him ready to arrive so he should be pretty chipper. But even if he does need a wee stay in the neonatal unit a boy his age and size is likely to be there overnight or a day or so tops. All the very best.

Over here our good news is Willow was obviously listening about the lumbar puncture as she's had a good night and a good day so its not imminently on the cards!

Another mum's arrived on the unit with a 29 weeker who was only 10oz heavier than W, so while she looks bigger she's of a similarish scale rather than the ginormobabies of 32 weeks plus she's been sharing a room with. Okay they're 3 and a half lbs or so :) But anyway it's bizarrely reassuring because I can now see the missing step between Willow and the bigger babies. That said when her parents came to visit they were asking why the incubator nearby was empty.... because W is so titchy they hadn't actually spotted her :(

Folic m'lovely I just got your message - sorry I keep forgetting to turn my phone on after leaving the NICU. Would be lovely to meet up sometime. If you pick near visiting hours you can even meet my wee girl :)

voodoo glad you had a good chat with OH and cleared the air. Hope you two can work things out. And sorry but double bugger sounds painful!

Caz so happy for you! 37 weeks is not far away at all and you will soon have your cuddly, warm little bundle in your arms!

Poppet Yay for Willow having a better day! If it's any comfort, Sylvie-Rose is one of the smallest in SCBU and all the other parents exclaim about how tiny she is. I am so used to looking at her that I don't realise how tiny she is until I realise that the huge baby beside her is actually a 33 week preemie and much smaller than average!

Good bfing day today. A lactation consultant came over and gave me good advice on how to latch her on and she sucked nicely for quite a few minutes. She also showed me how to bottle-feed her in a way that she uses the bottle like the breast so should transition a bit better between the two.

Oh and she had a bath! I think they do bath them on a weekly basis but this was to show me how to do it. She looked so cute but hated it and cried very loudly!

MIL brought us a present which is a lighting-up Mary and baby Jesus. Very nice but she knows we are not religious. I think she thinks if she keeps buying Catholic art, dh and I will see the light but it hasn't worked for the last 20 years so not sure why she thinks it will work now.

Hello ladies,

snoozle I have been lurking on my phone recently, not that easy to post though.
I know what you mean in regaards to routine but going with the flow as well, I am very much the same with that - though do enjoy the odd pj day but that normally after a really busy day!!

voodoo sorry to hear of your difficulties but glad that you and OH managed to talk and sort things out. I hope that things continue to improve for you. Re: twitchy legs & tonic water, it is well known to work due to the quinine contents - hope that it helps you xx

caz yay for gtt and also induction date, I do hope that Xander doesn't keep you waiting too long.

poppet & chip glad to hear that both thread girlies are doing so well at the mo xx

never thanks for the info re: car insurance, hadn't realised that - last pg I only passed my test at 38weeks and so wasn't confident to drive until after DS was born. This time though I need to drive as can't walk too far & DS needs taking places + shopping etc (DP doesn't drive!!)

cali had to giggle at your birth dream :) not something I have experienced

H007 sorry to hear you are still in limbo but it does sound positive so far. Glad that the kitten is settling in well

just I too have had some return of MS (not that it fully left)

moses basket sorry I can't remember who asked about them. I had one with DS (brought for £2!!!) and he wouldn't sleep in it but was happy to be in it during the day and found it most useful when I had a bath as it fitted in bathroom so I knew he was safe IYSWIM. I have one for baby that we were given and will use, along with a cradle as well for downstairs. With DS I used travel cot with basinette for when he was in my room, it worked well and he settled much better in that than the moses.

Thank-you ladies for all of your support the past few weeks, it has been good to be able to be honest with how I feel without judgement. Since the GP signed me off work last week I have been feeling much better, think the rest and reduction of work stress has really helped; I have had some energy to do things and been able to be mum for DS which has been lovely. Have been taking the lowest dose of the meds (they wanted me to increase them but due to improvements I don't see the point); not sure how much they have contributed to me feeling better but will stick with then at the mo.

Have been sorting some baby bits out, baby stuff has started to make it's way to where it will be once baby here :) task for tomorrow: sort & wash baby clothes we have been given!!

Sorry for epic post xx

Evening all! Still not managed to read back all these pages! Hope everyone is doing ok and not feeling too uncomfortable/out of breath/sicky! Lovely to here that Willow and Sylvie Rose are both doing so well. And caz - great news about induction....not long to wait now. Main news this eve is that we've switched teams! Now team pink! Bit shocked but 4d scan said def girl. It was so lovely to see her on the scan. Got some fab piccies

Bump So glad you're feeling better! Also consider staying off work - it may be that it's what you've needed to not keel over with the blues.

Had our first ante-natal class tonight! It was so cool! One of the ladies is due same day as me (but her bump looked bigger - I'm sure I'm just hallucinating) and we all had good chats. DP looked a bit pale at a few sections, like episiotomy, my cervix dilating (they had a little plastic model to show how it went from long and narrow to almost flat and wiiiide), and the placenta bit...
Apparently my hospital rarely does a physiological method (waiting for pulsating to stop, delivering naturally etc) and I'm a bit wobbly on what I want, tbh.
They do, how ever, recommend staying in hospital, so I'm definitely going to take advantage of that - they also have inflatable pools so water birth is an option! Yay!

Snoozle I?m still here lurking (Poppys), but I have been so shattered pre-holiday and now I have been loaded up with work to ?make the most? of my last 12 workdays after I extended for a month.
I cannot believe how exhausted I am and really regret extending, even though I am working from home!

Caz I am so pleased that you have been given your induction date without any fuss. Let the countdown begin. Has this helped a little with your anxiety? I know that all the big days/hurdles are coming up shortly and I have been thinking of you lots and keep sending you strong thoughts. You are doing so well and Xander is a very lucky boy (nevermind gorgeously chubby!)

Voodoo I am glad that you had a heart-to-heart with your OH. I hope that you will be able to slowly build over the wobble

Poppet I am so glad that Willow is doing well and listened to the concerns

Chip I am so pleased that Sylvie-Rose is doing so well and is feeding from you.
Have you, or Poppet been told how long your little girls are likely to have to stay in? Sorry, I have no idea about preemie babies, even though I was one (though a while ago) and they may simply not know

bump I am so glad that you are feeling better after having been signed off

kate congratulations on your little girl! I switched from pink to blue at 20 week scan. Quite a surprise! I hope you didn?t buy too many boy specific items

Cali yay for antenatal classes. I had 2 so far, after missing one last week, which we?re taking in the October batch and the next one tomorrow. I can?t wait!

I will not be following a strict routine, as I panic enough as it is about this baby and how I will cope on my own whilst DH is in work and my entire family back in Europe :(
I will however let bubba sleep in the bassinet from the pram during the day and only at night will he be in the crib in our bedroom, as I want him to learn the difference between day and night.

Our holiday was fantastic and I got some much needed relaxation, rest and sleep. I had no problems with flying at all and was only asked for my fit to fly letter on the way out, but not on the way back.

I had a scare a week ago, just before we left for our remote island with no medical assistance at hand. Bubba had been a little quieter and I decided to have a reassurance scan. Turns out he had turned breech the night before, causing me a seriouly sore bump and that was why his movements seemed different. OB then asked me if I had any leaks, which I could not say 100% as I had had a few dashes to the loo, but didn?t think I did. He kept scanning before showing me that thre was no amniotic fluid at all by baby?s face and upper body. He asked me again about leaks and at this point I started panicking a little. Typical for something like this when I go without DH!
Anyway, he found a pool of fluid by baby?s feet, but was worried about possible contractions, as my bump was so sore, so I was rushed escorted to a CTG on the labour ward. I didn?t even have the time to call DH to tell him what was happening. I was rushed out without paying and the ward already knew who I was and why I was there.
At this point I got really distressed as this seemed serious.
The lovely MW put me on the monitor. Bubba doesn?t like the monitor and kept kicking the sensor.
I was then left on my own in the darkened room where all I could do was cry as the HB kept ranging from 160 to 120! Fortunately my DH arrived on the ward shortly after and stayed with me to comfort me.
In the end (1.5 hours monitoring) my OB came over to take a look at the CTG and he was happy that baby wasn?t in any distress and he was happy for me to be discharged and to go on holiday, after taking the rest of the day off from work.
Apparently the range in HB is normal at this gestation.
I am pretty sure that bubba turned cephalic again after only 2 days breech, but will know for sure in a week when I go for my standard appointment.

I am now in single digits and I think I have moments of clarity where I suddenly realise that I am having a baby . I am so good at being in complete denial!

I hope you are all well and really sorry for this huge post

voodoo maybe he's had the kick in the pants he needed to start talking? I hope it works well for all of you.

chip what a lovely thing for Sylvie-Rose to be chosen :) Nappy contract next?

Poppet fingers treble crossed that Willow gets strong enough for big cuddles soon.

So many name checks to do :) *Caz great news, I hope you find some peace in the certainty of a date.

Ziggi good to hear the nest is being built :)

0-k,lllllllllllllllllllllllllll (that was the kitten we are kittysitting for at the moment) H007 I hope your furry bundle is less deliquent than this tweenie tearaway!

Well my, erm, purge the other day wasn't a bug - well I'm confident it wasn't. I think it is entirely mechanical. I think The Boy has managed to kick himself an annex into my lungs. Since the other day the kicks are very very high and my stomach is very squashed. So I had eaten too much just as The Boy decided on a position that jammed the exit to my belly. SO food just needed to go one way or the other - it went the other.

It has happened twice more but I've restricted meal sizes down to a saucer at a time and going ok.

I'm getting rib flare which is also causing sickness but I can stretch that out in about 30 mins. Honestly thought it was something worse the first time it happened.

I'm wondering if my tummy muscles are working just a bit too well as the bump just isn't moving outward - just upward?

Heyho it is all managable so no real complaints.

We have risked buying a moses basket as I can't get down south to pick up my sisters crib - so hopefully it will do over xmas until I get to The Pool.

Merlioness you are never given a date as such but what we have been told is that she must be at least 2kg weight, be able to maintain her own body temperature without an incubator, be able to be fed with a bottle/breast so no NG tube. And she must be able to maintain her oxygen levels. She is getting there slowly!

Oh, that makes sense. Thanks chip.
I hope that she will get there soon ish. Grow little Sylvie-Rose and Willow!

Morning all - I am rubbish at this - clearly going to forget about half the things that people have been saying! Congrats on the team colours change Kate.

I have discovered that the only way that I like tonic water is with gin in it :( little difficult at the moment but I am forcing ice cold tonic water with lemon in down and thinking good thoughts.

Glad to hear you are feeling better Pam.

I have also heard about the torch on the bump to try and get the baby to turn! That and music played just above the pubic bone. I shall be trying these forthwith! I honestly think that she is just being a little free and liking the ability to turn around. I also think they have me ahead of my actual dates so am not worrying too much. She is certainly very very active and making a lot of big movements today. Hopefully all my positive thoughts are turning her the right way round!

Hope everyone is ok, tis nearly nearly Friday! Yay!

Nothing new to say, so cheeky bookmark! xx

Hi there,

Just checking in quickly.

Pam hope you feel better. I'm going home to Liverpool for a week at the begining of October. Sure there'll be plenty of space in the car if you'd like me to pick up your cot?

Thanks all for letting me know about full term babies - just need to work out when to start on the raspberry leaf tea now . Am totally sick of waiting for this one to arrive! I've got two looooong months to go!

Merlioness glad it was just a close call and not too serious :)

voodoo good luck my sweet with that free range baby!

See y'all soon
Ziggi

Ahh must've been all the excitement of yesteray's appointment, or going back to work for the afternoon but had an awful night of take your breath away BH last night. Never had anything like that before. I even had to breathe through one or two. DH was all ready to pack me off up the hospital.

Had shooting pains across very low bump, followed by period type pain and tightenings over a few hours, bump kept going a really funny shape as if Xander's body was poking out all over one side. We could cup our hands around his bottom/back at one point.

This morning I've been uncomfortable and tight on and off and pelvic pain has been bad, but the last hour I've had some shooting pains again so finally admitted defeat and left work. Phoned hospital and going up for a check up (even though we only had one yesterday!!) as soon as DH makes it back from work (he's on his way).

I'm sure I'm over-reacting, but I've not been feeling right since 8pm last night now and given my history of threatening prem labour I want them to just check it out. Fairly sure Xander is ok because he is wriggling away. He's had lots of hiccups today...

I'm probably just over-doing it and should give up work. I just don't want to lose precious weeks with him after he's born by starting mat leave now.

Caz Hospital-going for good measure is totally appropriate! If there was some sort of cash prize attached to it I'd be a millionaire by now!

I had period like pains yesterday, too - no BH though, so I'm putting it down to Sprout growing like mad.

And hiccups are good, too!

caz always best to go to make sure all ok. fx for you.

Popping in to say hello and hope all is OK. I've had mild period pains recently - no regularity, so must be BH/uterine stretching but go get yourself checked out if worried.

Will catch up later but wanted to post this link that I have found - a newly launched website talking about the beauty of natural birth and has interviews with some world-leaders in childbirth discussing pain relief, risks etc in short online videos. Very inspiring!!

www.oneworldbirth.net/

voodoo - so glad you cleared the air a bit with OH, I got that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach for a minute. a couple of times things have reached that kind of crisis point for me and my dh and precipitated that kind of discussion and although we both felt a bit raw, its like pressing "reset" and getting a fresh approach.

smilingcl - I read waaaaay too much the first time. And was on mumsnet too much and went to too many mums groups and activities. But I was nervous so it was natural for me to do that. But I distinctly remember a point where I was like "sod this, I'm winging it". So I would say read some but try and stay relaxed about it (easier said than done).

Caz - good luck, hope all is well. I would totally go in too.

Well, I am back in Scandinavia after a nice last trip to the UK. I did a lot of maternity bag and baby shopping but my mum and brother are coming in a few weeks and they will bring some cheddar cheese, marigold stock, teabags and all the other things that I didn't get from the supermarket ;)

I had a terrible experience when I went up to the Barbican though - I had to rush for the last fast train on a sunday - didn't really "run" as such but hustled down to the platform. Then sat down, talked to my DH for 18mins and when I got to London Bridge, stood up and realised I couldn't really walk. There was sooooo much pain from my pelvis, pubic bone and into my thighs - it was agony. But I forced myself into a cab and went creakingly to the exhibition. And there I sat down again to watch some of the animations and got up 10 mins later and was totally seized up! I had to call my Dad and get him to come up to town to rescue me! It was really horrendous. I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to get back to Copenhagen the next day.
But I got in, had a bath (actually a little hottish) with Radox and went straight to bed with the pain. And after a really long kip (bit fitful with painful turns in bed), I had eased up again the next day and could walk again. So weird. But now I am trying to be really careful and take it slow and not rush about. I have been cycling everywhere still - its easier than walking in this town.

Only 3 weeks left at work!

Caz, hope things are ok.
Grumpy here. Had a MASSIVE bartholins cyst and later abscess with my last pregnancy/birth - it was like I had a testicle, I swear, and I couldnt walk or sit properly - had an emergency surgery on it 8 weeks after he was born. Anyway. The area has started hurting agian. Bodes ill. Not a happy bunny about that at all. They cant operate on it while I am pregnancy as its too risky and the antibiotics made me very ill and didnt fully work for me. And feeling stressed about work related stuff - not the actual job part but the uni part that goes along with it. Grumble grumble.

Caz, it is totally acceptable to go to be checked out!
Just starting, ouch! Stress and sore bit = not very much fun :(

Ive been to Costco, where I saw a quinny Zapp.... I am a pushchair novice but vaguely know this needs a maxi cosi car seat to make it suitable for babies? Anyone want to put me straight? I liked the Zapp and it seemed a great price at about £85. Hellpppp!! Am thinking at that price I'd be better to go back tomorrow if needs be but honestly am quite afraid to go ahead if I then have to spend a bomb on a car seat and other stuff too!!