We will have a serene, pain free, uneventful pregnancy and birth and will BROOK NO ARGUMENT on that.

[scarletfingernail]

New thread.

Wow dream those boys are doing brilliantly! You are obviously very good at cooking babies. Does that mean that they just give you an epidural as a matter of course sometime during active labour? I suppose it means if cs is needed you are already prepped up?

biscuits one of mine is much more wriggly than his twin this time. So for twin A I probably get a squirm, wriggle or kick every time I pause, for twin B its much less- I think- although today twin B's bottom is kind of over the middle of my bump, encroaching on twin A's side, so whether I attribute some of his wriggles to his brother I don't know. But i don't count kicks as such, just go for normal patterns. I don't notice so much when im busy, but if i was sat down while dd napped and didn't get a sudden rapid increase in movements that would trigger me to take notice and have a little freak out iykwim? Guess you've got to decide if you want ELCS. That'd where I keep getting stuck . For one, I think I'd be doing the self hypnosis thing again and going for it... But then I always wanted at least 3. If its likely to be your last baby, no VBAC, scar worries the same. Dh insists these are my last babies

Oops, pressed post too soon. But they will tell you re-tear risk isn't high, as they say for me, but I know its a bit more vulnerable where the tough, non-stretchy scar tissue meets normal tissue, so you'd tear kind of along old scar edges iykwim? Even my consultant admitted that. I guess if you're worried about a big baby too that's another factor? I think a straight forward vb is far better recovery wise, I just wish there was a guarantee of one of those!!!

Oh, and yes pomme, I think they just whack the epidural in if you go in in labour. I asked if it could be sites and not have the medication through it today but didn't really get a yes....
Well jealous of your beautifully proportioned bump.

I did a better pic today, maybe I'll swap it for my minging naked- bump one... Hang on for a 30 week today one!

OMG - this is so my last one Dream .

Honestly, I don't think I could go through the ttc pressure again. And then I'm getting older too - I think 2 will just do me nicely

Oh and I've had a lovely wriggly bean this evening so I do feel properly better about it now.

And for those of you who were worried about my bra situation (I'm sure many of you had a sleepless night about it), I am currently carrying out repair work - not sure how long it'll hold up but we'll see.....

So you can all rest easy on that

I want a sweet treat. I have just finished the last of our yummy caramel popcorn and i'm still craving something.....might have to raid the biscuits.

scarlet your poor ds. I do hope they can diagnose what it is. Poor sausage.

dream yay for an excellent scan. And biscuits yay for some wriggles. I have decided ninjababy is definitely a ninja as I am getting lots of kicks and pokes now. All low down so I'm guessing its feet downward at this point. I am brooking no argument that you all get the births you want. And no tearing for anyone.

I NEED something sugary.

Creme egg

Creme egg

Creme egg

but i don't have any.
and ds is in bed
and dp is out

bugger!

oh and I would like at least one more dc after this one. If we can afford a place with enough room, and if my ageing body can take it! (mind you ds was conceived straight away and this one took 19 months so who knows how long another could take. I might be ancient by then!)

ha! I just went to fetch the biscuits, looked out the window and its snowing! DP is out in London, hope he gets back ok later.

I think we will just have two. I have been so grumpy this pregnancy! But maybe if I get a marvellous sleeper this time I will rethink. DD didn't reliably sleep through until she was two and even now she is in with us on average once a week (she's two and half). And now that I've finished my Phd I would like to pursue some sort of career in my area. But then I did want three originally...

Dream hooray for good weights. Now that they have given you a date I am definitely going to push for one next week.

Too thanks for the pre-section labour info. Like you I think if I magically get to 8 cm without really noticing (!) I would be tempted to just go for a VB. Can't quite imagine that happening though... You really haven't got long left now! Have you got names sorted out?

It's exciting to think of all these babies to be born soon.

I decided I needed a break from the creme eggs. I had a cadbury's caramel instead

I had 2 milk choc hob nobs and 3 maryland cookies. On top of the caramel popcorn I think thats probably enough sugar for this evening.

Is anyone having family members to stay to help when they go into hospital/ when they are first home?

Because we live a long way from family (DH's and mine) there is no option of DD going to someone overnight or of someone coming for the day. We only have a 2 bed flat with open plan sitting room/ kitchen so not much room for guests at the best of times, and the thought of having people to stay while we are also trying to pack up to move fills me with horror. My mum and sister's idea of helping is to hold the baby or cook fancy meals and leave the dishes. DH's mum might be better but would make my mum very jealous and so possibly cause problems down the line. Plus, she might not be able to get time off anyway.

I just don't know if it would be better for DD to have someone here just for her, even if it made mine and DH's life much harder (my family were when DD was born) or if on balance it would be better for her to go to a friend during the day for a couple of days and for DH to split his time between DD and me in hospital. Or is that just ridiculously naive? I wonder if it just be even more unsettling for DD.

Anyone got any thoughts? I am failing to get any perspective on this.

fishcake have you decided who DD will be with while you're actually having the baby? Are you having the baby in hospital? Do you have anyone that will come to help with DD who wouldn't mind staying in a hotel/B&B rather than at yours? Even if you offered to pay?

We're planning for DS to stay with my parents while I'm actually in hospital, then he will come straight home when I do. DH is then planning to have 2 weeks off, then my Mum is hoping to have a week off when DH returns to work.

Definitely no more than 2 DC for me. We've had a hard time of it (a lot more than I've revealed on here, for fear of outing myself) to get this far. We had very good reason at one stage to think we'd have no biological DC at all, so to have one was more than I could ever hope for. After this one I'm happy to just sit back, enjoy and count my blessings.

Thanks everyone for your well wishes for DS. He's gone to sleep with a normal temperature for the first time since Monday, so I'm keeping everything crossed for a better night tonight.

Ninja I'm going to have to raid the biscuit tin after reading your post. Gutted I've not got any chocolate hob nobs

fishcake I think if she goes to a friend she knows well it wouldn't be that bad... Plus she could have a couple of practice play days without you there for a couple for hours in readiness? I may be being naive about this having never had a CS before- I mean how much you need your dh on hand all the time. But if parents is going to be that stressful... hmmm. I don't think either will scar your DD for life- though maybe you and dh is a different story! And is much easier knowing when it'll happen so they're not hanging around for weeks. Are you going for CS because you had one last time? Sorry to be so nosey... But hmm, I haven't been much help. If parents do come, definitely need a list. And if dh's coul tell yours they were there first time, for your firstborn etc, only fair- fob them off

Also I'm v lucky to have my date I think (thank god the consultant is so lovely and dh worked with her way back when!)- I was told by a reg last time (before the consultant I don't like so much came in) they wouldn't even discuss delivery til 34-36 weeks Which I think is crap seeing as half of twin pregnancies have delivered by 37 weeks- you'd have people going into labour without having ever had it discussed- and while most would be straightforward what to go for- VB or CS, and determined by twin 1's position, not having discussed pros and cons and risks etc in time seems stupid to me. But anyway, it definitely seems if you are proactive you're more likely to get hat you're after so fingers crossed- after all I have my date at 30 weeks

too, my friend went in when her waters had broken just to be checked and was 7cm. Second labour. You never know...

Ooops sorry fishcake. Of course you're in hospital for your CS. I remember now

Yes, that's the only thing - I would love to have a really fast second labour like so many people seem to have, but you can't guarantee it and I'm too scared to try. If someone said right, this will take only 3/4 hours and then it will all be over I would go for the VB, but you just don't know - and you don't know when it will start either, and then I'd be facing induction at 38 weeks.

4 weeks today! And only 3 more at work, thank God. I have a top name at the moment - whether it is still the top name in 4 weeks remains to be seen!

Oops, gotta go - meeting in 30 mins and need to get across the city first!

Oo Too what's the name? If I remember rightly you revealed dd1's name and it was one of my favourite names ever.

One of dh's friends had their second baby last night, a boy, waiting to hear their name now!

Fishcake - Have a mixture of my mum and PILS covering looking after dd when I go in but I am desperate to come home to just us 4 and no house guests/visitors for a couple of days.

Sorry Too - If you want to say that is! We've ended up being ridiculously open about dd2's name as dd1 calls the bump by that name which I love but means I can't hide it!

scarlet I can totally understand why you would want to stop at 2 if you have had such a tough time of it. TTC, pregnancy and childbirth are tough physically and mentally, there were times when I didn't think we'd be lucky enough to have 2 so although I say I'd like 3, if it didn't happen I would be very sad but so very grateful for that fact I actually have children. The 19 months ttc this one, the dr's appointments, the blood tests, referrals, ultrasound, hsg and AF turning up so very regularly month after month when you've been told there is nothing wrong with you is heartbreaking. If all that had happened with baby no1, I don't know how I would have coped.

fishcake not really sure what you could do with dd during labour, but certainly before family descend I would pick some jobs and assign them to people for when they arrive. IE cooking, shopping, taking dd out and making a fuss of her, housework etc. And be firm about what you need them to do!
We also only have a 2 bedroom flat but dp's parents usually stay in a hotel as they live 5 hrs drive away (and don't do blow up beds!) and my folks (who will look after ds whilst I am in labour) will probably stay at ours when we are at hospital (so ds not too interupted) and head home in the evenings once we are back as they are only about 1.5 hrs away. Unless we manage to move house before this one is born, in which case we will have a third bedroom (although still no spare bed).

I completely forgot I entered a competition type thing on here to be a tester (or rather ds to be a tester) for chocolate porridge and I've just had 10 sachets sent through the post to me. Yum!!

Hopefully meeting friends later, not sure what to do if not. Tis snowy but sunny. Bet its bloody freezing too!

ooh I love a bit of name talk. I have a big list of girls names I like but only about 4 boys names. My current favourite boys name is ds's middle name so I don't think we could use that? Will dig out my list from wherever it is saved.

Just a mega quickie as I have to get to work, I will try and catch up later :)

I'm now an official GP-approved preggo :o
Blood test next Friday to monitor my thyroid, and apparently because of that I'll be referred to obsetrics straight away too (not sure what difference that will make to my care, the GP was new-ish and not very sure). And my booking in appointment will be held in my home at about 10 weeks, how weird is that? (or is it normal? I didn't think they did that sort of thing anymore because of budgets etc)

I'd like 3, but DH was a bit oo-er when I mentioned it, and reckons 2 is plenty. I have lots of time to work on him though

Ninja some friends of ours used their DS1's middle name for their DS2's first name. They obviously really like the name, we didn't think anything of it. I don't see why you couldn't use it. My DS's middle name was never on our favourite list, I didn't like it enough to consider it as a first name and I still don't now. We only chose it because we thought it sounded lovely with his first name.

We're getting close to having chosen a boys name. DH has ruled out Lawrence. He said he can't say it without thinking of "that designer twat off the tele." His words not mine. I've ruled out Reuben because it's a little bit of a mouthful with our surname. Which just leaves Theo, which was always number 1 on my list, sounds great with DS's name and DH has now said it's growing on him.

We're now very undecided on a girl's name. We were always pretty sure if we had a girl she would be an Ava. But the popularity of it has put me off slightly, even though I still love it. Lara is now being given some serious consideration.

Anyone else sharing?

Fantastic news Popcorn

Does it feel more real now it's Official?

All of my MW appts are at my GP surgery, but I'm pretty sure there are others on here who have theirs at home. Do you take medication for your thyroid? If so they probably just want to review it and make sure they don't need to make any changes.