May be Babies - The Third Trimester

[SirCharles]

A new thread as the other one was ready to burst!
Thanks *Mikocat" for the new name.

goodname - my ds was up at about 5.15am this morning, what I wouldn't do to have a good sleeper! He didn't sleep through until about 16 months. We did have, not too long ago, a nice period where he regularly slept until 7ish, now it is more likely to be 6am. Argh. Still at least the tiredness won't be too shocking come May...

It's 8 weeks this weekend for me!

45 days to go for me. Suffering horrendous back pain, Doc has prescribed me some Codeine but feel bad taking it. Also been to Chiro, the sticky rib is (sort-of) fixed but the lower back I doubt they can do much for. I just find myself constantly yelping in pain when it 'catches'.

My (18 mth) DD has been quite poorly the last couple of days, raging temp & hacking cough fortunately she's woken up a lot better today... at least that's something positive.

After a couple of months of trying to get relationship back on track with 'D'H we've just had the monster of all rows. I feel like we're back at square one & am so sad. Might stay at my mums tonight. Don't even want to look at him.

Sorry all me me me - just feel like total crap. Today was 'supposed' to be my 1st 'me' day since my daughter was born. What with my back, sleepless nights, low-iron, poorly toddler & general feeling crapness I've so been looking forward to it... & my husband walks (storms) in and behaves like a total demonised c**t (I don't use that word lightly).

Thanks for starting the new thread, sorry I don't post often. Hopefully the next post is a brighter one!

saggybaps - Sorry to hear things are so difficult right now, it's awful having relationship problems when you are pregnant I know. Not to mention your poor back! I hope you get a chance to sit down and talk to a very repentant husband very soon, and also get that 'me' day! They are a real tonic I think. Here is a soothing cuppa, have a wee sit down lass.

Thank you so much LittleSarah I'm so sorry to vent, was just in so much pain earlier, and a-hole 'D'H just pushed me over my limit. Feeling so frustrated by this back-pain. Have maxed my dose & hope tomorrow is better day.

Saggy, sounds like you're having a really rough time - sorry to hear it. Hope it all improves for you soon. Drugs and hoping for the best seem a good idea. Hang in there!

LittleSarah we are also having sleep "ishooos" atm! DD2 now wakes up at 6-6.30 every morning to do a wee - that's what we get for potty training her... I put her to bed in a pull up, and she has a potty in their little ensuite, but she still has to come and get me to help her. Had just gone back to sleep after my 5am coughing session (stupid cold!) when she came in this morning... She's also refusing afternoon naps at home, even though she has about 1 3/4 hours at nursery! Even if she is asleep in the car, we can't transfer her to her bed any more. It's like she has a sensor pad in her bum, and now the nappies are off, it's been unleashed! Grrr!

hi all,
i realise i'm a bit late to the party but hey, i've still got 7 weeks left (holy scheisse!) so thought i'd sign up and say hello.
i live in brighton and am expecting a wriggly little girl on may 9th. i haven't joined nct and couldn't stomach the antenatal yoga classes i tried (too much chanting, not enough action) so it's nice to find this group.
anyone else from brighton on this here group?

Thinking of you saggybaps and everybody else with sleep issues... You are not alone, my two DsS have an in-built alarm clock for 6am.... Very very annoying...

Can I ask something?
I'm due on 23rd may, my dp wants to go to a fishing w-end on the 6th of may, 2.5hours away from London (where we live). I would have to go with him and take care of the kids on my own all day... (two other wives will be there) what would you do??? Note that dp has never held a fishing rod in his hand, ever....

Hello Langoria and cherrypie55 - I've taken the liberty of adding you both to the list. Congratulations to you both.

Already Born:
08.02.12 (26+6) - Gotmylittlelamb #1 born Sophia Diane (EDD 10th May)

EDD:
1st May - Mikocat #1- Scan = Girl
2nd May (or 28th April by scan) - Harecare #3 - scan = girl, planning home birth
2nd may - DialMforMummy, #2
2nd May - MidwifeWithABump #1
3rd May - Mythical #1 - scan = Girl
3rd May - LadyMaybe #2, Surprise
4th May (or 30th April!) - Yorky, #4, Scan = ????, planning home birth
4th May - saggybaps #2 - scan = boy
4th May - Goodname #2 - scan = boy
4th May - Ariane5 #4 - scan = boy
6th May - Wrigglebum #2 - Surprise, ELCS @ 39 weeks
6th May - oltob #2 - scan = boy
6th May - Tara0202 #2
6th May - Purestcocoa, #1 -scan = girl
8th May - Dreaming #1, Surprise
8th May - myweeangel #2, Surprise (but quietly convinced it's a boy)
8th May - SAF1610 #1?
9th May - cherrypie55 = girl
10th May - Marmite123 #1
10th May - Pickle54 #1 = boy
11th May - Cairnterrier, #2
12th May- Chocolatesparkle, #1, scan = girl
13th May - musicalmrs, #1, surprise
13th May - Bonbonpixie, #1 - surprise
13th May - Sugarx, #1, surprise
14th May - Montymum, #1
15th May - heidihole, #1, scan = boy
15th May - Precious Puddleduck, #1
16th May - cupcakefairy, #2, surprise
16th May - Failsafe, #1
16th May - googietheegg, #1, girl
17th May - MandaHugNKiss #4
17th May - ballroompink #1, surprise
17th May - Sunshinela, #1
19th May - SirCharles #1, surprise
19th May - NewToThisStuff, #2, scan = girl, Planning ELCS @ 39 weeks
21st May - littlesarah, #3 - scan = boy, planning home birth
21st May - luckynumber11, #3, scan = girl, ?VBAC but would prefer ELCS
21st May - Basse, #1, scan = boy
22nd May - Knittymum, #3, girl (confirmed by 2 scans)
23th May - tostaky, #3, scan = boy
24th May - MixedClassBaby, #2
25th May - LimeFlower #1, surprise
26th May - GingerLemonTea #1, surprise
26th May - BebeBelge
27th May - SESthebreave #2, surprise, ?ELCS
28th May - Catsycat #3, girl (2 scans), ELCS
28th May - openerofjars #2
29th May - BlueCrane #1
30th May - Langoria - surprise
31st May - CluelessPro #1

I was 34 weeks yesterday, am feeling absolutely HUGE and unwieldy and the SPD is playing up even though I am trying to rest. Mind you, the rest is going too well as we are moving house on Saturday!

Morning all, well 30+1 and the tiredness seems to have hit again!! Slightly frustrating as I could've done with it waiting a week until my (last!!) work deadline is out of the way next wednesday as I can start to wind down a bit after that! Only 23 more working days to go...woohoo!!!

saggy so sorry to hear things are tough at the moment, hope they resolve soon!

littlelamb great to hear Sophia is doing well!

tostaky re. the fishing weekend why has DP decided that this is the time to try out fishing? Has he been invited by some friends? I'm not sure that you can commit to looking after DC's at that point in your pregnancy...for all you (or he) knows LO might decide to come early...is it something that you need to say a definite answer to now or could you leave it until the last minute depending on how you're feeling? I'm also not sure I'd want to be in a different bed at that stage - even being away this weekend, whilst nice, I didn't sleep half as well as in my own bed!!

Right...must get back to work...

tostaky, I wouldn't want to have to look after my 2 DDs on my own, in a strange place (with all the disruption to the normal routine, plus the over-excitement and resulting possible behaviour!), when I was that pregnant, tbh. If your DH isn't really into fishing, I'm not sure why he has to do it now? Is it a special occasion that can't be repeated later? My patience would also be wearing rather thin by that point, so I'd probably be really stressed the entire time. We are actually going to Cornwall for a week when I'm 34 weeks pg - thought that was the absolute latest I was prepared to go, hoping I can make it down the sand dunes to the beach!

BlueCrane I've been really tired lately as well - I'm also 30 weeks. Must try upping my protein intake (and sadly dropping some carbs!), as that seems to do the job with my CFS/ME symptoms - must see if it works on being pg too!

Waves hello to "cherrypie". I love Brighton - we used to go all the time when we lived in Croydon (now we live miles away though). I found pregnancy yoga quite entertaining when we had DD1. My DH used to call it "stretch and chat". The teacher used to tell us to imagine our cervixes were lotus flowers, gradually opening up in the sunlight. Never worked for me in practice though. Think I'm too twitchy for yoga!!!

My parents have turned up this week, and are doing my head in without even actually staying here. Ho hum!

or cherrypie even - doh!

Hi all. Don't think I've posted since the first trimester but I have been checking in to see how everyone is. Congratulations little lamb :)

catsy that's an interesting strategy on the tiredness, I seem to be craving carbs - well, cake and bready things and not really fussed about protein stuff so maybe I need to try and up the amount of that I'm eating, which would probably up iron levels as well as that might be affecting energy levels! Then again it's also ridiculously hot in my office as they still haven't switched the heating off so I'm plodding around in flip flops, trousers and sleeveless top and I'm still roasting!! So much work to do though so can't afford to flake out too much

I couldn't get on with yoga either, I did enjoy a nice swim at the hotel at the weekend though so might try and fit that in once a week before I finish for mat leave and then try and go more often after that.

tostaky - No way to the fishing for me, I would want to be safe at home with my feet up. You will also be close to term so always a fair chance of going into labour.

I'm really keen to get back into my yoga. It's not for everybody but I think all the breathing, relaxation and positioning helped me in labour, mentally and physically. I have been rubbish at it recently - just tired and lacking motivation - I need to rediscover my yoga mojo!

I have been gardening however, got loads done this morning, such a gorgeous day here, me and ds have been outside all morning. (Planted out shallots, peas, garlic and broad beans).

Welcome and congrats to cherrypie55 and langoria! I live nowhere near Brighton cherry (Scottish borders) but I visited last year and loved it.

Catsy and everyone else with bad sleepers - arrrrrgh! Seems to be so little you can do. Ds up at 5.30am again. One good thing about it was that we were all out in the garden by 7.15am.

Cupcake and any other knitters - do you have advice for using double pointed needles? I can do quite complex things with straight needles but last night failed utterly to manage simple baby beanie on DPNs. I have changed to circular which I find easier but not sure what will happen when I start decreasing. Problems with DPNs included a number of dropped stitches, twisted stitches and generally weird looking stitches when starting a new needle... I really want to conquer this eventually so I can knit socks!

afternoon and welcome to the new joiners/rejoiners. The End seems so close, yet so far!!!

any advice to a complete beginner knitter? ie what should i try to make for this LO and what book/pattern/wool/size needles should i get to help me on my way?!

BTW - does anyone have any advice on slings? I would like one but there is a dizzying array and they sound expensive - how do i decide!? & do i wait until LO arrives or buy beforehand? HELP!

tostaky - do you have to take the kids? could you leave them with someone else? where would you be staying? do you know the other wives? do they have kids? would they or their kids help you out so you can go for mid morn and mid afternoon naps or for a maternity massage? It is the sort of trip i would say i might make at that stage but with the right to change my mind the day before in case i did not feel up for it.... BUT i don't have kids already. AND tbh a 2 1/2 hour drive now is too long - we would have to stop every 45mins -1 hour for leg stretching & peeing & i would not dare reduce my liquid intake for fear that the painful piles would re-appear.

Sooooo - i think it depends on how you feel but YWNBU to say no. It sounds like a lot of hard work at a time when you should be nesting & chilling with the most strenuous activity incl reaching for a choc digestive and a cuppa or a gentle stretch in a pool or yoga class!!

Could you take someone else to look after the kids/leave them somewhere else and you go along with him to chill out in a nice hotel and spa....? perhaps if you offer that as an alternative he will realise it really is not on OR arrange something lovely instead.

If he gets antsy tell him to tie a medicine ball to his front weighing 10-15 kgs for the next month and see how tired he gets with kids running around without their usual distractions....

Well I've just been to see the midwife and she reckons that the baby feels like it's breech - aargghh! She says that they won't start worrying until 36 weeks as she could still move, but even before she decided that she appeared to be breech she commented that it was 'All baby in there' when feeling my tummy - i.e. not much room for manoeuvre!

So it's lots of sitting on the birth ball and on all fours for me, lots of things are out due to the SPD. At this rate though I don't think I'd be completely adverse to a C-section rather than trying to give birth to a breech baby with my SPD. Still a bit nerve-wracking though!

Trying to register with a GP near my new house is proving difficult - thankfully I rang my hospital of choice and they were very helpful and registered me over the 'phone and said they'd send me an appointment for 36 weeks to have there.

SirCharles - When I was pregnant with dd my dad bought me this booklet Sirdar First Steps 292. It was great for beginners and has loads of patterns for hats and cardis, plus good instructions. I knitted the wee hat on the front page first, just a rectangle that you can fold and sew together. Highly recommended!

Actually my blanket I'm doing now is easy peasy, all it is is rows and rows of knit stitch, like doing the simplest scarf only fatter.

Mikocat - Ds was breech until about 35 weeks, from 32, they do turn. Fingers crossed your little one moves.

Mixed day here - all kids back at school/nursery so I went back to bed for an hour this am, needed it as now on abx for a chest infection :( and totally puffed. I'd been blaming baby for taking up room my lungs needed but according to mw the head is 2/5 engaged already! She is on holiday now for a fortnight and my next appt is at 37+3 - she's given me strict instructions not to go into labour before then
Dreading tomorrow as builder is coming to reopen a doorway and create lots of dust I don't need this week! But I have a reflexology treatment booked for the evening and I can't wait! Everything aches.

Glad you're hospital were so accomodating Miko, good luck with turning LO. I'm sure my chiropractor said something about an adjustment they can do if baby is breech - might be worth asking if scrubbing floors doesn't work - how is the SPD going?

Not sure about the fishing trip, if you knew the other wives and they were likely to help with the kids then maybe, but if you'll effectively be on your own with over excited DC, without the usual home things then it sounds like hard work to me Tostaky

No idea about DPN, will ask mum next time I see her, she's always got at least 1 knitting project on the go!

SirCharles I am with you completely on the end seeming so near and yet so far - slings aren't actually that expensive to experiment with, compared to buggies/prams for example. I have a totsbots papoozle and don't rate it tbh, whereas I love my close carrier (now called caboo but easy to get on ebay) quite interested in a look at their new struxtured carrier - like a cross between a sling and a baby bjorn. Also have a lovely rainbow fleece pouch which they sleep in so happily while they fit, but they quickly get too heavy for one shoulder for too long (my babies tend to be bruisers) but it comes into its own when they want to sit on your hip as its less bulky than the hippychick but v useful support. Hope that hasn't confused you too much, is there a local sling meet near you? might be worth asking at your local children's centre or bf support group

Hi Miko DD1 was breech for a couple of weeks in the early 30's of weeks. She turned on her own after lots of leaning over the ball (felt like a big scraping sensation when she did!). Hope it will be like that for you too. Glad the new hospital are being helpful!

SirCharles I am not a great knitter (i.e. I'm very slow and easily distracted), but have made some nice things by picking the pattern carefully! I'd say buy wood / bamboo needles (metal gives me terrible wrist pain - I can knit longer on wood). I'd get a double knitting pattern, as there are lots out there for babies, but it will also grow quicker than with 4 ply for example! I like knitting with natural fibres (or mixtures with a lot of natural fibre in them). Two nice patterns for starting with that I have are Sirdar 1687 (designed for their luxury soft cotton) - it's trousers, a cardigan and hat for birth-1 year. I made this up in turquoise and white for DD1 and it is very cute for a girl or boy, I've also made it in white for DD3, but changed the knit stitch to moss stitch, which looks lovely too. I used 50% cotton / 50% acrylic yarn. Also Sirdar 1711 (designed for their "Snuggly" DK) has 6 different cute hats - I made DD1 a lovely red Merino beret for when she was about 2 years old. It has quite a simple lace design round the edge (had to be simple for me to do it!). I was intending to make it up in teal for DD2, but never haven't got round to it yet! I would say one thing that helps is, if you have a local wool shop, use the experience of the ladies that run it, because they often have brilliant tips and ideas, and tend to really know what they are talking about!

LittleSarah no idea on the double point needles - far above my level of skill, and likely to send me into a cold sweat!!!!

BlueCrane probably heat exhaustion for you then!!! Not sure if the protein thing would work for everyone, but high protein foods are recommended for jet lag, and some people think it works for CFS (which it seems to for me).

Hello all, not been on the old thread for a while so it was nice to stumble upon this new one.
Knitting - I'm crocheting a cardigan and planned to do a blanket - best get cracking as there's not a lot of time left.
Fishing trip - Why do you have to go? Let him go, but stay home, it doesn't sound much fun.
Lack of sleep - thankfully my DDs are great sleepers and DD2 (2.6) still has an afternoon sleep, she won't transfer from a car to her bed, but will go to sleep in her own bed. I look after a friend's DD who's younger than mine (2.2) an afternoon a week and although she doesn't usually nap she will if her Mum gets her to sleep in the car and transfers her. Last week she woke up and wouldn't sleep while her Mum was trying to lie with her so when she went I brought her downstairs snuggled her beside me with an old black and white film on tv, read the paper and within 10 mins she was sound asleep! Meant I could curl up on other end of the couch while 3 children (my DD and friend's other 2) were also asleep!!
Baby position - Mine is breech so far, hoping it'll move by 36 week check otherwise they'll send me to hospital to turn
Home birth - if the baby's not breech then I'm hoping for a home birth, I'll go to hospital if necessary. With DD1 and DD2 there was meconium in the waters so DD1 born in the hospital no complications, DD2 born at home with ambulance outside no complications.
Relationships - Me and DP are getting along, but feel so broken. Tonight he is out and I wanted to go, but he doesn't want go out with me amongst his friends. Mothering Sunday was a treat though with a massage and lovely lunch along with his Mum. Very mixed messages. Have no idea what's going on, will he leave in a few months after the baby is born or will he decide he wants to work things out? Do I want him to? This has all come about since the pregnancy. It makes me utterly depressed. I've felt like I don't want the baby/I don't know who I am/I'm a waste of space etc. I've sought professional help, but I think I'm better off just doing things that are positive and trying to sleep more!
not having a late baby - I've started on raspberry leaf tea - one cup a day for next 2 weeks, stepping up to 2 cups, then 3 in the last 2 weeks. I've also got a big new exercise ball to bounce on for a couple of hours a night starting at 36 weeks. Anything else worth trying??

Quick question on the exercise ball...is it ok just to buy a normal one or should I get one from a specialist pregnancy website (or similar) as they seem to have 'no burst ones' Both my Mum and Grandma had DC1 back-to-back and ended up with loads of stitches and my MW suggested that I get a ball to sit on instead of the sofa to help with positioning...bit overawed by the choice and price range of balls though!!

Ladies - I have a special no burst ball..... But what am I supposed to do with it?! Just sit on it? Or something more.....?!

BlueCrane, a normal exercise ball is fine. I think most of them are "antiburst" ones. I got mine from physiosupplies.com, and it was good. They do come in different sizes, so check you are getting the right one for your height.

Harecare, sorry things are difficult for you atm. I hope it will all improve for you soon. I think massage with Clary Sage oil is supposed to help with not having a late baby, btw (or did I just make that up???).

SirCharles, kind of rocking and rolling your pelvis can ease a bit of back pain, bouncing gently can supposedly help bring the head down more, leaning forward over the ball is meant to help the ideal head down / babies back forwards (there's a word for that isn't there?) position. Of course DD1 thinks its for kicking round the living room, and she seemed to be having more fun with it than me last time!

Davina ball from argos is £10. My pilates instructor recommended it, I have no fear that it will burst. Good for sitting on, good for leaning over on your knees to watch tv, good for exercises if you know what you're doing. Good to bounce on in last weeks as for me walking is painful due to SPD, but bouncing achieves the same result but keeps me in parallel.
My DDs were back to back - I was so careful with being upright, not slouching etc. This time I'm assuming it'll be back to back and just not bothering!