Due April 2006 - new thread for the April Shower!

[colditz]

Ok, I did it!

Now shall we get our stats down again? I think we have had some joiners since we last did it.
Copy/paste the list and add yourself to it.

Colditz - due 06/04/06, aged 25, DP aged 32, 1 DS aged 2.9, having a baby boy! Very scared of needles....

ooh Homsa don't get that Strolli Rider thing, it was in my Which? magazine and they thought it was so dangerous they wouldn't even test it. Apparently it is to do with the weight distribution going up and down kerbs and cornering and so on, and it will tip over . I fancy a buggypod meself, but DD is now becoming remarkably unhappy about being put back in the buggy once she has been taken out of it and I am wondering if the time has come to let her walk most everywhere...

Morning Ladies!
Back from holiday in not at all sunny Somerset - lovely views of driving horizontal snow across a grey harbour! It was lovely to have a week away though, our first holiday in 2 years (because I don't count 4 days at the in-laws last summer..)
I don't seem to do "nesting" - never been mucj of a one for cleaning at the best of times, but am in full blown list writing mode. DH just sighed when he saw the Weekend List, and I haven't even shown him
Shopping List,
Things to Borrow List,
Attic List A. - Retrieve,
Attic List B.- Store.
Do you think I gave up work too early? I am sadly retentive.
We've bought a Mamas & Papas Twin Aria, DS will be 22 months and will happily walk quite a long way then just wilts and tries to climb back in to the pushchair so we had no option really, haven't put it together yet so no idea if it fits in the car (worth more than car actually I suspect).
Catching up on all the gossip - I had Pethidine with DS, made me completely confused, quite distressingly so, was rescued from the corridor at one point as I had no idea where I was (or, more scarily, where I was going) and I forgot to get them to call DH who had a lovely uninterrupted night's sleep at home....
This time I'm asking for an epidural, and if there's no time or pethidine is my only choice it's on my birthplan that I do not want to be left alone at any time once I've had it.
Sounds like some of you will be having March babies!!! I'm so jealous, chances are I'll be late again - I really really want the baby by Easter.
Hospital bag?? Have bought a pack of nappies - oh, and written a list! Does that count as being ready?

Oh wow thanks allyco, that's put me right off it! How are you anyway, I guess your contractions have stopped again?

The buggypod looks like the best choice to me too right now. DS is quite a good walker, but hard to control and I just wouldn't feel safe with him perched on a buggyboard next to a busy road. Would also be useful to be able to strap him into the buggypod to keep him from running riot in shops!

I wouldn't worry about this stuff at all yet if I didn't have to face up to the possibility of another cs, and therefore not being able to carry the baby in a sling for quite a while!

that buggypod looks very cool.
My friend bought a twin buggy when she had her DS, DD was 26 months when he was born. She said it was a total waste of money as was quite heavy and awkward and DS just wanted to walk everywhere anyway. (Mind you she does has steps to go down to get out of house so that wouldn't have helped either).

I can't wait till I finish work. The lack of sleep means I'm being really crabby and am taking it out on the kids I teach which isn't very fair on them (mind you, the ones this afternoon have been horrid). 2 weeks to go....

oops got DS and DD back to front. DD wanted to walk. Obviously DS couldn't. Doh

That buggypod does look really cool, I might seriously consider that, although I'll have to check if it's available here/can be delivered here. I've tested out a few double strollers and they all seem just dreadful - heavy and difficult to manouver so I was thinking I'd just do without, but with dd only going to be 20 months when the baby arrives I'm not sure I can avoid it

I was thinking that I would manage with the baby bjorn for the little one for a while and then decide. (By the way in another of my bargain finds I got last seasons colour/pattern whatever baby bjorn active for 50 quid! They also had the regular one which I borrowed from a friend last time for 18 quid!!!!I've never seen them that cheap anywhere.)

The other thing I had considered was \link{http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0009XBXIQ/qid=1141086191/br=1-3/ref=br_lf_ba_3//103-6748123-7095003?v=glance&s=baby&n=542436\this} which the older one can just stand on, but there is also a seat you can strap them into if need be.

Keep having horrid dreams about cs scar splitting. That is when I am lucky enoguh to sleep at all - not just uncomfortable but also find there's so much think/worry about. Feeding, baby kit, who'll go with me to hospital, blah blah, blah...of and money of course!

I've been having horrid dreams as well, nasty scary ones involving DS meeting some terrible accident, generally falling off things, running in the road, plummeting from clifftops - doomsday sort of things. I've woken at 4am for weeks now. Usually manage to combine this with vicious leg cramps and a trip to the loo....
Though I did have a dream the other day where I had the baby, it didn't hurt, and I got to go home really quickly! though i couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl - blue hat, pink dress....
RL doesn't seem to get a look in in my dreams!

Ohhhh those bloody leg cramps. Feels like there is a hot golf ball under your skin, vicious!

I have a very real fear that ds2 is going to turn up on ds1's b'day! The birthday and due date are only 2 days apart, so quite possible.

I thought the baby was supposed to get quieter? Mine seems to be pushing his bony arse out at every opportunity!

5 weeks, 3 days left and counting.

I am crapping myself I am terrified of needing to be induced again, God all those needles

Don't think I could do without a double pushchair, Mrs. Evs. My DS is about the same age and I think it'll be a while before he can walk far in a hurry. I can't even imagine him staying on a buggy board for long. We've got a Graco tandem from a second hand shop for £50, which I'll probably live to regret because I hated my Graco single, except in the early days, where I absolutely loved it because I could just transfer the car seat straight to the buggy without disturbing DS.

No horrid dreams here. A bit of cramp though and swollen ankles to the size of balloons. I do have daytime fears of that CS scar splitting though. Also, it worries me that when the Midwife examined me to see if I was in labour before my CS (I wasn't) the midwife said that my "cervix wasn't very condusive to giving birth"! . What's that supposed to mean?! I wish I'd have asked now. We are going away this weekend to a cottage with some friends. It's only about an hour away so if things kick off, everything should be O.K. I'm taking my notes with me.

Anyone written anything about their birth plan on the back of their notes, yet? I haven't. I'm not really sure what to write this time.

haven't really thought about birth plan (except that after last wks discussion on here I know I don't want pethadine), certainly haven't got round to writing anything down.

Baby is getting more violent by the day, it never stops and is lying back to back so I'm getting limbs poking out rather than bum. I swear its foot was behind my ribs yesterday, very uncomfortable.

1 week and 3 days of work left :)

Cripes Ponka - what on earth can be up with your cervix?!
Re scar, I have developed stretch marks across my scar so it looks like a zip...ready to unzip!!!

Ponka, I'm sure the cervix comment would have been to do with how it seemed to be gearing up to childbirth at that moment, not its general demeanour! IYSWIM.

Our Maclaren Quest just gave up the ghost so this buggy chat is very timely. I want to avoid a double. Those pod things look ingenius; anybody know anyone who has used one? MrsEvs, I like your red business too, DD would adore that. Not sure she would do a buggy board and think I might trip over one.

Maclaren Triumph is one offer on Maclaren website.(£50). Tempted to get one and apply boggy pod!

I've just ordered a buggypod, but been told it won't arrive before mid March as they've run out of stock. If you can wait that long, I'll let you know if it's worth it...

I worry about the scar thing too. A 0.5% risk of rupture doesn't seem THAT small to me! Having said that, the risk of umbilical cord prolapse in ANY labour is apparently 1%, and I've never worried about that. I just hope that I can forget about the scar once I'm in labour, I imagine that could be a big psychological barrier to "letting go" and relaxing and all that.

I've got an appointment with a consultant in 2 weeks' time to talk about VBAC. Will drag DH along so he can hear everything from the horse's mouth (he doesn't really listen to what I say and is not willing to read my book on VBAC ).

Hope so, Spots!

1 hour of work to go until that's it! It's so quiet and such an anti - climax compared to the last time I left. My first day of maternity leave tomorrow is my birthday (Yey!). Having a nice quiet day with DS and my parents, I think.

I wonder why you never see those buggy pods around and about. They look like a really good idea.

God, everyone is giving up work except me. I am mad. My secretary is on holiday for a week and the phone keeps ringing... aarrgh...

I haven't really written a birth plan except DH wants to cut cord so we'll probably just say that at the time. I'd quite like him to have first hold of the baby too, given that I've have had nine months' exclusive rights .

Little man is still breech and I am having a scan on Monday pm to check if he's turned. I doubt it very much. Am going to start a new thread before then calling on the power of MN to make him turn prior to the scan, because if he doesn't then I am deffo in for another section and as you all know I really don't want one. A friend said I could go for a homebirth and just dmand my rights and that if the hospital hasn't got midwives capable/confident enough to do a VBAC home breech that they contract it out to an independent midwife but TBH I cannot be arsed to argue the toss. The only good thing about a section is that I would be able to sort out care for littlest DD in advance. Ooh and of course would get private room in the hospital afterwards....

Anyway, must get back to work (did I mention my secretary is on holdiday...)

God, I gave up work at the end of January!

I am a carer though, so job is very physical. But I am surprised at so many people staying on for so long, I thought it was normal to leave before 34 weeks pregnant? Or is that just my area of work?

I'm leaving work at 37 weeks. Last time it was 38 but I am 6 years older now! Would love to stop now but I need to earn all the cash I can.
Well allyco, the private room after the cs does sound nice, even if the rest of it doesn't! I was in a ward with 4 other women for 4 days after mine and it was hell.
Now going to be very intellectual and watch dvd of '40 year old virgin'.

40 year old virgin really made me laugh tonton, hope you enjoy it.

I wonder if you don't see those buggypods around much because they are quite new. You can't get them here in the US yet and when I searched on google for them, there wasn't a great deal there, so I thought maybe they were a recent invention. Homsa - will be v. interested to see what you think when you get yours/how it steers etc.

I haven't really been having nightmares but certainly very vivid dreams and certainly find it hard to get to sleep in the first place as mind is racing constantly. My biggest complaint at the mo is a vicious groin/pelvic pain on one side that I think is being caused by loosening ligaments allowing my pelvis to get a bit wobbly. It's pretty bad at times though - I find myself limping quite a lot and turning over in bed is almost impossible. Add to that scorching burn of acid reflux and April 8th can't come soon enough for me!!(Although madam probably won't arrive anywhere close to that!).

Haven't thought about a birth plan this time (actually didn't really bother with one last time either), there are so many variables and you just don't know what's going to happen, so not sure you can ever fully plan it. My plan in my mind is just to get on as well as I can for as long as I can with nothing and then go for the epidural.

My folks just booked their flights out here (Dad got the OK from the surgeon yesterday to fly), so now I'm as excited about them coming as I am the baby!!

I do feel sorry for everyone still dragging themselves to work - hope you get to finish soon. Although quite often after a day at home with dd a nice day at the office sounds like a wonderful break!

After saying yesterday that I wasn't having nightmares last night I had a horrible dream which involved lots of blood and not being able to find DH.
Also got cramp again and acid reflux is horrid here too.

I'm finishing work at 34 weeks, had originally wanted to go till 36 weeks but was persuaded not to. Am glad now that I am stopping next week as its becoming quite hard to be enthusiastic and full of energy all day. Mind you I will be doing some work at home as I'm taking some marking home as I know I'll get bored and I didn't want to stress about getting it all done before I go.

wow another thrilling chapter in the allyco household:

we were up all night with vomiting littlest DD. I got to bed at 6.50am this morning.

By 7.30 she seemed better and so she went off happily to childminder's at which point I noticed a strange noise coming from my exhaust - the upshot being it was knackered as was the catalytic converter and I am just now back at my desk after having given Kwikfit £400.00 to mend them .

So, I am shagged out with no sleep; my house resembles a laundry; there's bound to be sick for me to find when I get in tonight AND I have no money.

is there no end to this hilarity...

Allyco, I trust you have a large chart up on the wall and are crossing off the days till you finish!
I fell foul of the sugar police yesterday and had to ring the hospital to confess I had 3 scores over the maximum. Diabetic nurse now threatening to put me on insulin when I go in on monday for my next scan & appt. Was very upset by this even though I'm a grown up and know it's not something I can win or fail at. Spend most of my time bloody hungry though and I'm sure that's not right.
Anyway to give you an idea of the illogicality (is that a word?) - max score allowed 7.5

Mackrell risotto with mange tout & parsley = 8.7
Fish & chips with huge sea of ketchup = 6.8

How is that right???
Have had to give up rice.... and we only had the fish and chips in a Last Supper kind of way cos we figured I was doomed to insulin!

poor pepper. Will you need tablets or injections?

Colditz - I'm surprised tht you lasted til January doing that sort of work I don't think I could've. At least my job is mostly arse-based .

Reading all this about strange dreams. I don't really have them. I find it hard to get off to sleep thinking about various crap like why am I having another baby when the one I have doesn't sleep,how will I manage, I won't manage, I can't manage...

Do you know, after today and last night, I quite fancy a caesarian after all so I can have a few days in bed!!!!!

God, I had a nightmare last night as well having said that I wasn't having them!! It all stemmed from last nights episode of Lost (I won't spoil it for those who watch, but by the time it airs in the UK, you'll be glad you are not pregnant and watching it!!), I woke up really terrified and had to wake dh for reassurance (which he was actually very gracious and sweet about, bless him).

Good Lord Allyco, you really have had a rough old time of it, you poor thing. I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight. Poor pepper as well it must be awful having to watch every morsel you eat at a time when you should be able to just let rip.