Flying mattress graduates - dock here!

[festiemum]

Hey chaps! Here's the space for us to witter on incessantly about our pregnancies!

20 week scan today and it was soooo fantastic! I'll post some pics on my profile later. The sonographer wasn't 100% sure, but thought that it was probably a girl, due to lack of visible meat and two veg!

Hope everyone's doing well! xxx

Hey ladies!!!

Rusulka so so pleased that everything went well at the scan. Can't believe that there is another mini you growing, its fab!! Is this going to be your final baby or do you think you will have more? I really miss being pregnant, despite the rough time i had with Elly, but I think we are going to wait a few years before trying again. My clomid runs out sometime in 2015 so might start trying for no. 2 then.

And go as quickly or slowly with the room. Far better that it's exactly how you want it rather than rush it and be a bit disappointedf. Plus, you need to look after yourself and take it easy now that you are expecting again.

Can't believe Phoebe is almost 1 where has the time gone!?!

Wow Lil thats fab news about Lily, well done you. What's your secret for day time naps though, as Elly will rarely go down in the day and if she does it's only for around 20 mins - half an hour. That butterfly cake sounds amazing. We are having Elly christened next month and I was thinking of baking a cake for it, but she's still at that age where it's quite difficult to do much so think we will just get one made for her instead. Maybe try to do it for the 1st birthday instead.

I don't blame you for keeping the party a quiet affair. Think we are planning something similar. Finger foods (maybe a BBQ as it is in April), drinks and chat - nothing too extravagant, as you say there will be plenty of time for big birthday bashes.

Can't believe my little munchkin is 5 months now. Time really has flown by. She has come along so much over the last 6 weeks as well. She is now rolling over from back to front (has not quite mastered front to back, she knows what to do but just can't seem to do it and gets very frustrated!) and goes down most nights by 7pm (in the last week though it's been more like 6pm) and only wakes up once for a feed, which is great.

We have also started weaning her as she was really interested in our food and trying to grab stuff from us when we were eating. She's really enjoying it and has now tried baby rice, banana, pear, carrot and sweet potato. We are on holiday next week so going to try her with proper breakfast. It's all very exciting. Only issue i have is that her bowel movements have decreased (yesterdays were minimal and very stodgy, not the normal breastfed consistency). I can only assume this is normal, but did any of you go through something similar?

Right, can hear the little munchkin waking from her nap so best pop off.

Will catch up later in the week,hopefully. :)

Hey ladies,

Lil starting to wish I'd done wall stickers now! Might be done by Christmas... DH is horrified at having her in our room that long though, lol.
Great that Lily has started sleeping through the night, maybe the tiredness is just the last 9 months of sleep deprivation catching up with you!
I wish Phoebe would nap in her cot, she only seems to want to sleep on me! Grr.
I'm just doing a family buffet. Wanted to make her a dragon cake, which then escalated into wanting to do Smaug the dragon from the hobbit on a big pile of chocolate coins, with Bilbo holding up the candle as his sword, which naturally I couldn't do as I had no time from doing the room. Ah well. Like you say, they'll be more demanding of spectacular cakes when they're older, so I've got her a lemon giant cupcake from asda with daisies on it. That'll do!
And yes, we are going to find out the sex... roll on end of October!

Moo I can't believe you're telling me to take it easy! It's like you don't even know me!
I think we'd like a third, if we're able. Actually dreading the 'this is how many we're having, so now we stop' thing, I really enjoy being pregnant and will be really upset when I have to not have more... unless we win the lottery and can buy a farm so I can have as many free range kids as I want...
On the solids front (or back would be more appropriate :D) I found the same with Phoebe- basically the minute anything solid goes in, here come some nice proper poos! What helped with us was we could give her cooled boiled water in a beaker with her meals, don't know if you can do that with Elly, but topping up with boob will probably help. but yes, the poos go from yellow and sweet smelling to brown and foul smelling. I know immediately she's done one, which is fair, considering someone's just poo'd on the room you're in, you would, wouldn't you? Lol.

Room is progressing slowly.

Tomorrow is epic cleaning day to prepare for my parents arrival on Sunday, and hopefully making Phoebe's birthday card. Tea's already done because I made too much stew tonight!

Boobs are starting to hurt a bit now, must be fuller. Also my cheese tastes funny, I'm off my usual tomato-based cooking sauce and I'm back on goat milk, so steering clear of sundried tomatoes as a precaution.

Picked up my emma's diary and bounty packs while out today, they've vastly improved since I got the ones with Phoebe!
The emma's diary one had a jonhson's newborn sample pack with allsorts in, and 2 sample packs of the aldi nappies!
And the bounty pack had a leaflet to get a free toy from fisher price, and a pack of 3 muslins (exclusive to asda)!
Also the usual sudocrem/cocoa butter/ovaltine/fairy samples, but bloody hell, what a difference!

Have to go, it's DH's bedtime and he wants his story. Currently reading Lloyd Alexander's chronicles of Prydain (the black cauldron series). Very good and highly recommended, some good baddies and a fair bit of sword fighting, a sarcastic princess and a bard whose harp strings break when he lies. On the last book now so feeling a bit sad, but they've been really good.

Hello everyone.

Congratulations on a good 12 week scan Rusulka! I hope things are getting easier with your SIL now. How's are they now? Wow, so Phoebe's 1! Amazing! End of October for the 20 week scan...it's funny how the time goes. We just had the first anniversary of our 12w scan, probably in my top ten of happiest days of my life...it was so good to get good news after all the hard times we'd had earlier. Ah, reminiscences!

Trying to get anything done with a baby is a bit of a nightmare, so you've got my sympathy with trying to get rooms finished and the like... My latest task has been to write thank you letters and try to keep Alexander amused at the same time, not easy!

Lil, two weeks of sleeping through!! Alexander is on one night feed (as well as a dream feed) now, it looked for a while like he was going to drop it but he just seems to be getting hungrier and hungrier. When do you go back? Are you going back full time? I've found out which three days a week I'll be working next year. They clash with every baby group I go to, sigh...hopefully I'll get pregnant again so I can be back at home with Alec! Is Lily crawling etc etc?

Moo, Elly sounds like she is coming on a treat! How are you otherwise? Enjoying maternity leave?

So yes, I'm now Mrs Disco! The wedding day was gorgeous, the sun actually shone and nothing much went wrong at all. Alexander was the star of the show (when we were announced into the reception, DH walked in holding him aloft like he was in the lion king or something!) and yes, it was just a really memorable and lovely day. I like being married. We've been arguing more since getting wed though but I think it's just a natural reaction to a) returning to normal life with a baby b) post wedding slump and c) DH has been a bit more hungover than usual (ahem).

Also Alec has just gone through a three week sleep regression/teething episode which was taxing to say the least. All my mum friends have been away on their holidays and all the baby groups have been on hold for the summer except for one, but the people there are quite cliquey so I've been a little bit lonely. Should be back to normal next week though!

The day after the wedding Alexander...sat up on his own for the first time! He still topples over from time to time but is getting better and better at balancing. He will also stand up holding onto your legs but again, will let go without warning. He's 26 weeks today so we've been doing a lot of firsts with him over the last week...

1. He's started weaning! The first time was hilarious, I thought he might not know what to do but as soon as he got the broccoli floret in his little paw it went straight in his mouth. He seems to be a good eater (like um, Mummy and Daddy who both enjoy their food too much) and this first week he's had carrot, cauliflower, lots of yoghurt, green beans, avocado (pretty difficult with BLW tbh - gave up and mashed it in the end) and yesterday in the cafe he saw us eating and was clearly outraged that he hadn't been offered anything so he had a bit of tomato which kept him very quiet . This morning he had asparagus (a hit), baby corn (mostly ended up on the floor and was snaffled by the dog) and his first sweet fruit, nectarine. He managed 3/4 of one, I was amazed! Are other babies eating that much? Not sure how much he should be having. He's still having his normal breast feeds. I think he's hungry actually, he's dropped half a centile so I think he really needs the food. I think I'll give him some more yoghurt in a little while. Moo his poos have become more solid in texture too, but like Rus we are giving him a little cooled boiled water in a sippy cup (even if most of it makes a fun puddle on his highchair tray). I think it's normal - they're using their digestive system in a more grown up way after all. The downside is the poo smells so much worse!

2. We've converted the pram into a pushchair and he much prefers it (after the first weep at being strapped in) as he can look about now.

3. He's just had his second night in his own room. The first night it took 70-80 minutes as during the sleep issues I"d been lying down to feed him and then rolling away after he'd fed to sleep. Last night only took 45 minutes and he was wide awake when I put him down so it's getting better. DH reports that he settled within five minutes after last night's night feed, as opposed to an hour the night before so that's good too. I feel a lot better with him in a cot, i think he's safer. I've put him in the travel cot for now in case it doesn't work out as I have to dismantle the cot bed to get it out of our room! I'm looking forward to getting all the baby stuff out of our room, it has to be said...

What else is new in my world? Well, I was getting some funny fluttery sensations on wednesday so I immediately thought, oh cripes, pregnant! I POAS the next day, negative...but later in the day my first post-partum period started, totally out of the blue! It explains my over wrought and somewhat emotional state over the last couple of weeks, and also a week long bout of nipple soreness. I just assumed that it was a result of poor latch...I never even associated it with ovulation! It's all a bit weird really, nothing has altered lately with longer gaps between bf or night wakings...oh well, I'm quite pleased really as I'd like a shortish gap between Alec and (fingers crossed) his little brother or sister., so returning fertility makes this more likely. I think I'll give it another month before starting temping though :) esp as I have the hurty nipples to give me a clue when I ovulate!

Anyway, that's quite an essay, hope you are all ok (inc Festiemum, when will you ever come back to us? and Count)

xx

Finally ...................................... Crikey I'm back it's been mad trying to find time to be on here!
Firstly congrats Rusulka - on your pregnancy!
I'm so happy for you and just enjoy it all!!!!
And Congrats to Mrs Disco- welcome to the Mrs club! It's a nice club to be in and everything will settle back and as you found something else to focus on you will get on much better!
Well Princess is 6 months refuses to take a bottle and just about opens her mouth to take a little bit of baby porridge before she flat out refuses!!!! She's also doing well with sitting up!
Although we discovered that both hips are dislocated!!!!
So that was quite a shock!!!!!!!!!! And although they attempted to put them back they wouldn't as they have been out too long!!!! So she will need a op sometime after her 1st birthday but knowing these drs more like her 2nd birthday!
She is a lovely baby very happy smiles all the time! And loves blowing spit raspberrys!!!!! She is so much my focus right now making sure that although she can't move as much as she should she still is developing well! Grabbing and holding things and putting things in her mouth including her fingers!!! So guessing teething is happening!

Bloody hell Count!!!

How come they didn't pick that up during newborn health screening in hospital?
That makes me so angry!
And what a time to find out too, just when she should be crawling.
I'm sure she'll catch up quickly once she has the op, and I really hope it's sooner rather than later for you.

Disco hope married life is settling down for you a bit now. Things are a bit stressful after getting hitched, especially with a baby to look after too, but I'm sure everything will be fine. Biggest pain in the arse will be changing your name with your mobile network- orange have been a massive pain in the arse and I still haven't got it done, lol.
Great that Alec is doing so many new things, they do seem to be like buses... nothing for months, then everything at once! And great that AF is back (bet you never thought you'd be pleased to see it!)

In news our end, we've had a stressful fortnight or so, as SiL tried to kill herself twice and has been admitted to Bethlem's Mother & Baby unit in London. After the first time we were all just trying to share looking after her, but the intrusive thoughts she was getting were worst in the early hours when no-one was there, and there was nothing we could do. At least she's somewhere she can get the help she needs (and not be allowed anything pointy)...
All of which has been really horrible on me and DH. Going over and over it again is like dragging myself over hot coals so I'm pleased someone else is looking after her so I don't have to. The stress has been just unbearable, and I'm really worried about the effect it's had on Phoebe and Pickle. In fact, my bump is non existent and I don't think I've grown at all, so I'm really worried Pickle's died. If they have, it will be SiL's fault for putting us through all this shit instead of getting proper help in the first place, and I will not forgive her. I know that sounds unreasonable, but I'm sick of having to fix everything for her and having my life get messed up in the process.
I currently have a nagging persistent thought that she is doing all of this to get attention...
She said the first time she tried that the knife wasn't sharp enough, but her partner takes cooking really seriously and keeps all his knives razor sharp, so it just doesn't make sense. I don't think she wanted to actually kill herself, she just either wanted the attention, or felt people weren't taking her seriously enough so did something about it... the second time she first tried to hang herself, which didn't work because she didn't know how, then she ran a hot bath and tried to slit her wrists with a box cutter. I think she did more damage than she meant to, because she went and got her partner for help. He's a mess, understandably.
This is probably sounding like I'm jealous or something, but there's a long history of her copying me- she had to have redbush tea, like me... she had to change to goat milk...when I got pregnant, she got pregnant within 3 months of Phoebe being born... I discussed my post natal problems, she developed pre-natal ones... and when I talked to her about the possibility of having OCD, she ran away with that too, getting her counsellor to help her with it, before it's even on my record, and without any past history of ANY ocd-like behaviours other than obsessive thoughts, which I am convinced are more to do with her anxiety issues than anything else. We went to see her in the unit, and while DH said it was like it wasn't his sister, and he's worried she's putting on an act to get out asap so she can do the job properly, my overriding impression was that she seemed very pleased with herself.
Sigh.
I'm beyond knowing how to deal with this. I'm just angry and defeated... and the angrier and more stressed I get, the worse I get about things being in their proper place, or needing things to stay how I left them.
And I've got no work done on the jungle as I can't mix colours when I'm in this frame of mind, I'll just throw paint everywhere and scream!

I have finally been to the doctor's to ask about being screened for OCD- she was completely baffled about how to do it, but I think is referring me to a psychologist at the hospital. Apparently the consultant appt I have on Tuesday probably won't help me with regard to the OCD. I'm just worried I won't get taken seriously because it's the same guy SiL was referred to, and he'll take one look at the surname and assume I'm copying for attention. ARGH!!!

Although me and DH did manage some sex the other night, first time in bloody ages, he's been under a lot of stress with work, and then all the shit with his sister... we've been trying to make an effort to make time for ourselves as a family and a couple, and relax more.

My bum hole (not that one, the other one) is healing nicely- DH says it looks like a dent, with a mark the size of 2 pin heads in length and half a pinhead wide- like an old cut. There's not really anything to dress any more. REALLY hope that means it's all healed. Can't believe it's taken over 13 months.

Enough ranting, going to go stick my head in a bucket of cold water and calm the fuck down. Hope you're all more relaxed than I am!

Count oh my, dislocated hips? Crikey. I hope it doesn't affect her physical progress too much. It sounds like her being-an-adorable-baby progress is going well though! How are her big siblings with her? I bet they love her :)

Rusulka wow, that sounds like a tough time for you and your family. I think you need to concentrate on looking after you, Phoebe and your tiny little baby for now. Let other people like her parents take up the job of caring for her. I know it's hard but you should try to find some compassion for your SIL - she is going through a very hard time and even if she is annoying and copies you I don't think someone who is mentally well in the first place would feign an illness to that extent. Even if she does just want attention then that is a mental illness in the first place. But as I said, it sounds like it's stressing you out immensely so let others deal with it. I remember going to visit my DS in a psychiatric unit and the whole time she was there I felt anxious and just visiting her was horrible (it was not a happy place).

What are the symptoms of your OCD?

Great news about your ahem bumhole, glad it's clearing up!

In my life my little baby is getting bigger and fatter and bigger! Still between the 25th and 50th centiles but he's getting closer to the 50th which is good after he dipped right down. The only problem is an allergic reaction he had to dairy (despite eating it problem free for two weeks). He just came up in hives after eating some butter...then the same with yoghurt...then the same with more yoghurt. So he's nearing the end of an exclusion diet, on Wednesday we reintroduce it and fingers crossed the reaction will have gone. Trying to get protein into him is hard!

I'm still getting those fluttery sensations. Maybe I should do another test. I just don't know! If I hadn't been pregnant before I wouldn't be giving them a second thought...

Disco maybe it's just not showing up on pee sticks... if another test comes up negative, you could always get a blood test done at the drs to get it settled either way.

Feeling a lot better about the whole SiL thing, because something is finally being done about me!!! :)

Spent the whole day at the hospital more or less- went in for my consultant appt, explained everything, then ended up there for over 6 hours while they over-reacted AGAIN and eventually got to see the psych people who said basically what I wanted- this happened before, you don't want it happening again, let's set up some help for you so you've got some coping mechanisms in place.
I should hear something tomorrow.

I don't think she's making it up any more, but she just doesn't have ocd, and I think that's what's annoying me. Having the same thought over and over again is not ocd. Which leads nicely onto all my crazy stuff I do:

Thoughts pop into my head (intrusive thoughts) which are horrible, or involve me/family/Phoebe being hurt.
Sometimes I just go oh, I don't want to think about that, and brush it aside. Sometimes I can't, and they keep coming over and over again, especially when I'm stressed.

I'm very particular about things being where they're supposed to be or where they've left them.

Things have to be done a certain way, and I get anxious I guess, if they're not done the 'right' way.

The TV volume has to be on a prime number, my clothes are in spectrum order, books are grouped by subject, computer games are in alphabetical order, and DVDs by subject and then alphabetical order.

I can't leave something half done, I have to finish it before I can do something else, even if that something else is having a wee or changing Phoebe, which can sometimes be disruptive.

I don't like it when I've decided on a course of action and then things have to change, which is why I think I handled it so badly when things didn't go according to plan when Phoebe was born.

There's more stuff, but it's basically obsessing when things go wrong, and compulsively having to do things. Most of the time they're quirks, like the TV volume, but when I get stressed and upset, they become stupidly important and I really lose the plot.

Anyway, we're going to try and have a relaxing evening in bed. Will keep you posted with regards to any progress that's made.

And on the plus side, I got to hear Pickle's heartbeat, and they're absolutely fine! And not dead like I'd convinced myself. So that's something. :)

Count so sorry to hear about the hips - my friend is in exactly the same situation and I couldn't understand why they hadn't picked it up in all the checks but obviously it is more common than I thought. Hope you can get it sorted soon and glad that everything else is going well.

Disco fx that the dairy problem is short term - I'm not sure what Lily would do without cheese and yoghurt! Have you done any more tests?

Moo I miss nice milky poos! Hope all is good with you. We're going to wait a few years before the next one too although atm Dh is saying he is happy with one.

Rus glad you are getting some help.it sounds like you have a lot to deal with and can understand how SIL issues are not helping. I think you need to have some space and just smile and nod when you do have to be with her (easier said than done!) but you don't need to be the one supporting her - you need to put that energy to looking after yourself.
So pleased your bum is better - weirdly it was thinking about you and your bum that made me get the computer out and come and see how you all are (a chap on embarrassing bodies had a hole in his bum in case you were wondering why I was thinking about your bum!!)

Lily is gorgeous. She is now walking and is so funny hiding behind the sofa and peaking out when she knows I want to change a nappy or something.

Dh and I are finding we are just watching crap tv after Lily goes to bed and need some quality time doing different things. I'm thinking about a games night and thought who better to ask for recommendations than Rus :) (and anyone else who has any ideas).

Oh also have you found out the sex yet Rus?!

Hope all of you and your babies are doing well. Does anyone know if festie is still about or how Berries is getting on? Take care everyone!

Hey, ladies.

Lil as far as games are concerned, there are some great ones out there. Apples to Apples is a fun party card game, cheapest on Amazon, but you need at least 3 people, and the more the better. Dixit is also good with a group. DH and I particularly enjoy Ticket to Ride, Smallworld, Bohnanza, Bananagrams, Blokus, Once Upon a Time (also good in classroom!), mapominoes, Fluxx, Gloom, Kill Doctor Lucky, Tsuro, Yahtzee... all of which are prefectly good with 2 players. Ticket to Ride is a particular favourite of mine. Check out the descriptions and reviews on Amazon, a good website to buy them from is www.gameslore.com, they do 5% discount when you spend £100, which pretty much covers the postage, and the games usually work out cheaper than Amazon. :)
Because mine and DH's birthdays are a day apart, we tend to have £100 worth of games from that website... and do the same at Christmas. :)

Well, we've been busy.

I've had an initial assessment with mental health, been assigned a community psychiatric nurse (seeing her again tomorrow), who is liaising with everyone on my behalf (at least I think that's what she does), and I've just been sent a massive pile of questionnaires to fill in and send back about how I feel about things.
No actual counselling or therapy yet, and getting somewhat anxious about whether I'll even get any CBT before Pickle is born (because of the massive waiting lists) which is crap because that was kind of the whole point!

Before all that happened though, social services got involved again (of course they bloody did) and this social worker is a total arse. The last we heard from the grumpy cow, she said they'd be contacting the people helping me to make sure I was receiving the support I needed, and do a report, which would take 3-5 working days... and that was 4 weeks ago, so efficient she bloody well isn't. Grump.
Hopefully they'll decide I'm getting the help I need, and f*k off and stop interfering; most likely they'll come back and visit once Pickle's born to check up on me, hoo-f*king-ray.

I've got a different consultant now, who is the proper mental health person I SHOULD have been paired up with in the first place, and he's awesome, as in doesn't think I'm nuts, lol.

My health visitor came today- I thought it was for Phoebe's 1 year check (bit late, but oh well), but no- she was here to see me because of the social services referral. Argh! So we never got a letter for a check up for Phoebe. She's said she'll do it before baby group on Wednesday for me though.

What else... had anomaly scan last Thursday, Pickle seems to be doing great, asked for some quite specific pictures, but just got printed the same standard baby on its back, legs in the air pics. Quite annoyed. And... it's another girl! So we know her name, but in our time-honoured tradition, there won't be any bean-spilling any time soon.
A little disappointed it's not a boy- we kind of hoped the middle one would be, but then if it had been a boy, I'd have disappointed in case we couldn't use the girl's name we like so much. Now I'm worried we can't have boys, too! Minefield.

Saw my midwife today, and got the pretty devastating news that she's being moved to cover maternity leave, and expects not to come back- which means I don't get her for the rest of this pregnancy, and feasibly not even for the next one. :( Really gutted. She gave me a big hug before I went (and did me a referral for physio because my SPD is back again already).
Apparently the replacement I'll be getting is perfectly good, but I'll miss her dirty mind and easy manner. She's almost like a friend after everything we went through with Phoebe.

And on THAT subject...
I read an article saying that in women who have IV fluids during labour, once the baby is born it excretes the excess fluid, so they should be measured for weight gain against discharge weight, NOT birth weight. So because of the IV antibiotics I had during my hospital stay days before induction, I might potentially have got all that flack for not providing adequate milk when I was doing perfectly fine. Grr!

This time it will all be different!

Oh, and I'm still painting Phoebe's jungle...

Oooh, thanks for all the game suggestions, I knew you would have some ideas! Will have a look and hopefully will be able to get DH to play with me.

Glad you are getting some help and hope it won't be too late. SS have a lot on their plate so hopefully they'll bog off as soon as they see there are other places that would be a better use of their time.

Congratulations on having a girl :) My SIL had her baby on Monday - a girl after 2 boys so don't worry about that! Also you won't need to buy too much stuff (although I'm sure you'll still be super organised with your spreadsheets)

Lily has been really ill this week - think it must have been a virus as no symptoms apart from a slight rash all over but she has most definitely not been herself. Cue sleepless nights for me and DH checking her every 5 mins and a very grumpy baby. She is now back to normal, just in time to go to nursery and catch something else

Anyway 10 days until her birthday - I am in denial; she is still my little baby and not a toddler despite appearances and the very cute wellies we bought her so she can go outside!

Hope everyone is ok

Glad I could be of assistance, Lil. :)
Sorry to hear Lily has been ill, it's just that time of year really, isn't it? Phoebe had a really ugly red rash in the summer, frightened the shit out of me, but she was carrying on as normal, so we were told not to worry. Hmm.
Phoebe gets a rash from certain bath products, could that have been partially it? Although I guess if she was off as well it was probably all connected...
4 days til Lily's birthday!!! We will be in Norwich visiting Nanny & Grandad and dumping off Christmas presents while I still have the car, so you will have to pass on our best wishes for me. :)

Got a care review tomorrow morning (wtf- haven't had any yet, grumble grumble) to which my doctor has been invited- they've invited the one I went to see about the OCD, but I'm shitting bricks it's going to be the crap one who fucked everything up originally, and I'm just going to be sat there in misery. :(

Weighed myself for the first time in 5 weeks and I've put on 7lb, fuck.
It's Asda's fault, they've been doing massive bars of galaxy for £2, and I've eaten about 5 or 6... plus countless sweeties, oops! Maybe when the car goes back and I actually have to walk everywhere again, it'll fall off. Miracles happen, right? RIGHT??!?!!?

Phoebe has discovered the joy of opening brand new packets of wet wipes and pulling them all out, so now I have to find a new place to keep them. Running out of storage that's more than 3 feet up!
Hallowe'en decorations finally came down yesterday, only just got sick of them, didn't want them still up after we got back, dribbling into December is probably a bit silly... hoping to get DH into the attic tomorrow to put them away and get Christmas ones out.

What else?

Oh yes! The rats seem to have gone. We had a week with no sign of them, so I screwed an L-bracket over the hole, still another week with no movement or any tracks, so we've finally stopped barricading the kitchen off, which means no running round hefting a portfolio about before Phoebe pulls all the game controllers out from under the TV... aah, bliss.

Looking at getting a quilt and pillow for Phoebe's cot, as they seem to think that's why she's not sleeping in there (still bare sheet) but I thought she needed to be two... oh well. Feel pretty conflicted as I'd rather she just slept in bed with us (much to DH's annoyance).

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the stuff the HV told me to do with her, it's all a bit much at once-

out of our bed and into cot
into her own room
drinking from a cup
learning to go down stairs
reading more...

Think I might ignore the bed bit. HV wants her climbing down stairs by the time Pickle is here as my hands would be full, but I pointed out Pickle would be in a sling so I'd be hand-free... she just said I had an answer for everything. I was serious though!

Seriously intending to refuse induction this time around, read a really interesting article saying average pg is 40-42 weeks, assuming they take YOUR dates into consideration, which they didn't with Phoebe... will have to see how I feel nearer the time, but I think that will increase my chances of going into labour naturally, which apparently is a lot less painful!

How that goes down with the consultant and midwife remains to be seen...

Hello all congrats to you Rusulka on another baby girl!
I can't imagine a age gap like that I can just about cope with Princess now 9 months and her 3 year old brother! At least he doesn't mind watching baby tv with her! And her adores her and shares his toys and lollipop with her!
Although I have tried and tried she doesn't seem to like eating solids in any form finger food gets crushed and porridge and foods gets all over face and not in mouth as she's shuts her mouth tight! And gags when I get some in her mouth! Sob 9 months on 4 teeth and still bf!!!!!
No news about hips she will need an operation when she turns 1! But she's sitting up and is trying to crawl and can flip from back to belly and back again if she wants! She makes loads of noise and is doing the whole copy thing!
So I wave she waves, I stick out tongue she does! I shake my head she does and claps!!!!! Although baby4 I'm still amazed at it all!
Moo, Lillian,tired and crew all the best from me to u!

Big wave to disco and festiemum and everyone else too!
Ps - no Christmas decs in my house flying out again with the babies so not much point!!!! My plans is too never be here for Christmas it's so much better and stress free!

Hi everyone!

How's everyone and their babies doing? Rus how are things progressing with your pregnancy? Count how was christmas? And how are Lil and Moo?

Things are ok with us. Alexander is crawling, cruising, into everything and cannot be left alone without causing havoc of some description! As I type he is trying to grab a shell off a windowsill that is higher than him... he's gone from being a titchy thing who had to be admitted to SCBU to a great big fat thing now (love him). Since weaning he's gone from between 25-50 centile to 50-75 and last time to 75-90. He's still between 25-50 for length so I'm hoping he;ll catch up. Sorry for bragging but it's a nice end to all the worry about his weight and breastfeeding!

He is mostly a happy little soul who likes mooching around on his own (as long as you are in the room too). He had his first session at nursery today and didn't miss me at all, I'm happy he's happy but hey, a pretence at missing me would've been nice!

I'm back to work next week on a part time basis...it's going to be strange to emerge from my maternity leave bubble. I have mixed feelings about it tbh, mostly around the fact that being a teacher at the moment is bloody hard work and whatever you do, you are doing it wrong. My school is struggling and there has been a massive staff turnover since I left so a lot of people aren't even going to know who I am which is weird. I'm ok with leaving Alexander (he'll only be in nursery for 2 days which I'm comfortable with) I think..we'll see!

What else? Well, we begin TTC this month. I hope I am not going to get quite as obsessed with it this time and am settling in for it to take at least 6 months. I'm charting again when I remember but I've been keeping notes of ovulation signs since my periods began again. Luckily it seems I won't have to give up breastfeeding just to ovulate which is a relief.

Right better go, he's attacking my stereo with a stone from the beach and has emptied the contents of my bin on the floor. Stop it you!

Disco, how many days are you doing? I have found it a lot less stressful going back 2 days and having a much more important distraction in the evenings helps me not to dwell on things! Hope it goes well for you.

Rus a lady on my ante natal refused induction and gave birth at around 43 weeks iirc. It is your right but they will prob want you in for monitoring every day if you go well over. She is a mid wife and there was no way she was going to let them induce her! Hope all is going well with pickle and phoebe. Go with what you're happy with I say.

Count I have no advice re food but she sounds like a happy little lady so wouldn't worry too much. Lily bf till 13 months and gave up on her own if that helps at all.

Either one, two or all of us have been ill ever since the beginning of January. It is now ridiculous. We've had a combination of Chicken pox, sickness, nasty colds and now copper poisoning from the pipes :( Only dh was ill but feel terrible that I've been giving it to Lily :( :( Bottled water from now on!

I'm getting broody too, especially after watching obem last night but going to wait a while longer before broaching it with dh. It will probably be that last time I'm pregnant and want to enjoy Lily while she's so little and then have another go so it lasts longer! That sounds mad I know but don't want to rush and have the baby bit it all over too quickly!

Hope everyone else is ok xx

Oh Lil I'm so sorry that's awful but I do hope all is well now!
I do miss coming on here but with such a busy day to day trying to find time to update and get on here doesn't always work out! Lil miss is still BF she don't want to eat but HV is concerned about her a little bit and is going to refer me to a speech clinic as to see all is well with her throat blah blah!
I think she's fine just real stubborn! And loves milk!!!!!
She's now 1 and had a great princess's themed party with pink and glitter and crowns everywhere! And although she had a house full of guests she decided to sleep through most of it!! No word on her hip issue and I have been told this will delay her walking and crawling on her knees at the moment she does the seal crawl and pulls herself along!
Upsetting to watch but I'm use to it now! And I'm trying to focus on the great things she can do like saying No, Daddy, mum and wheeeeeeeeee!!!!
I have decided to extent my Mat leave without pay! As not ready to return to work it's dipped our income but we are coping!
Enjoying the few limited peeks of the sun can't wait to see it more!!!!
Hi to everyone - big hugs to our not so much babies!

Bloody hell it's been a long time since I posted!

This is what happens when I get told off for not shutting down my laptop properly and just closing it, I lose all my sodding tabs...

Well, hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and New Year, lol. Can't believe I'm saying that towards the end of March.

Here we are at 41 weeks today and still no sign of Pickle. Induction booked for a week tomorrow (1st April, ha!) but hoping she'll come of her own volition- she's getting a week more in the oven than Phoebe did because the dates are more or less the same this time, so I'm hoping for spontaneous labour because... drumroll... somehow I've managed to wangle a home birth! ... Which will all go to shit if I have to be induced, but woo, go me anyway. My midwife said I could have one of my consultant said yes, he said no, I went to see the supervisor of midwives, who I had to see on the ward where they put me after I had Phoebe (and where I burst into tears when niece was born as I couldn't be in there) and I promptly freaked out again. I was hoping she'd let me be on the midwife-led unit, but she agreed to a home birth, provided I had 2 midwives in attendance.

I think I've got it sort of agreed as well that if I have to be induced I can be moved to the MLU once they've got me going. If I can't even keep my act together on the post natal ward, f**k knows what I'm going to be like on the induction ward where all the horrible bit happened, and If I have to go into delivery suite from there I think I'll be just as bad.

Have had one sweep last week, another this Wednesday, so far nothing doing. I ate 8 pineapple cores last week, managed 2, then had to make the others into smoothies with ice cream and force the bastards down, it was revolting. Woke up the next morning with promising periody cramps and lower back ache- got really excited, but it turned out to just be some epic diarrhoea. Arse.
Read somewhere that all these different 'natural' ways for starting labour will only work if the baby is ready to come out anyway, so if they're not, all the curry and pineapple and sex and evening primrose capsules up your hoo-ha will make absolutely bugger all difference!

On the old mental health front, I got a date through for a psych assessment at the beginning of December, and when I got there he wouldn't do it because I had Phoebe with me, which is always a good way to start, don't you think? Apparently it would be emotionally traumatic for her to see me in a state, or whatever bollocks it was he said. anyway, got another appt through for beginning of January, so considering we only had the rest of the pregnancy to work with, that effectively lost me 1 of the 3 months. Knob end. Anyway, he did 3 assessment appts, and I only cried once and it wasn't even for long, Phoebe could have totally been there, so I think he just doesn't like kids and was being an arse. Grump. Fast forward a bit, and I got 6 'therapy' sessions where they basically tried to help me with my intrusive thoughts (which I haven't really been suffering with) by apparently letting me talk for an hour and occasionally interjecting. I came out of them having done one mindfulness exercise (which I could have found on the internet) and absolutely no help whatsoever with my inability to control my emotions, which I consider to be a much bigger issue. All of which meant I spent every Monday being apart from Phoebe and DH for a minimum of 3 and a half hours when I didn't want to be. I haven't heard from my psychiatric nurse, presumably because the previously mentioned pillock hasn't told her we've finished our sessions, so I feel a bit like I've been dropped, but hey, f**k 'em.

The good news is, I've been feeling a lot better, not because of the therapy, but because I finally pulled my finger out and made plans to empty the house of all extraneous shite. We've spent pretty much every long weekend DH has had off (poor bugger) sorting through stuff, putting archive things in the attic, taking unwanted stuff to charity shops, putting things where they're supposed to be... the upshot is, the house looks a hell of a lot better. :)

It does mean I haven't spent as much time on the jungle room, so no, it still isn't finished (I know you were all dying to know, lol), but it is getting there- recently I've been trying to get the low bits painted so Phoebe can't stick her fingers in the wet paint, and I have all the greys mixed ready to paint the rocks, waterfall and temple, I've figured out how I'm going to do the river, and that just leaves the creatures, features, and drawing in some more detail. DH is taking a month off for paternity this time, using some holiday, so I'm hoping to get a fair bit done then. Aiming to be done by the beginning of June, and then it's taken me a year, which gives us 3 months before Phoebe is 2 and could potentially start wanting her own space.

In the meantime I'm trying to keep busy in this limbo!

My parents will come down to look after Phoebe while I'm induced, although I really don't want to be away from her, especially as I don't know how long it will take. Apparently they use different stuff now- it's like a tampon that can be left in up to 24 hours, and when your contractions start it just drops out. It should work quicker than the prostin gel I had last time, and I hear second babies are a lot quicker too. So if I stand up the whole time, you never know, I might be back home in time for tea, lol!

Fingers crossed for a spontaneous outcome, or at the very least, MLU after induction... either way, you'll know within 10days! :D

Lil sorry to hear you've all been ill, maybe having got it all out of the way you'll have a madly healthy 2014 and not even get colds. :)

Count sorry you haven't heard anything about getting LO's hips sorted, but glad she had a nice birthday.

Disco hope the ttc is going well! We have to keep our bin on top of a bookcase, lol. Hope work is reasonably unstressful too.

Update

...nothing to report. Lol!

I had a deliciously thick snotty bit of mucous on the toilet paper this morning- if it had pink streaks, I would have assumed it was the plug. But it didn't, so I guess that leaves option 2: my cervix has caught my cold, lol.
Have had contractions pretty much every day, some regular, some sporadic, some while sitting, some while walking around. And plenty of cramps which later on turned out to be diarrhoea. Sigh.
I have never been this pregnant before. 42 weeks today (Mon) so she's had a week longer. I've had 3 sweeps, at the last one she said it was soft and thinning, but nothing so far.
My parents are here, induction is looming... eep!
Hoping to just go into labour at home tomorrow or Tuesday morning and avoid having to be out all day away from Phoebe. Really don't want to leave her, and we'll both be gone... If she's born on Wednesday, she won't even see DH before bed. She'll be so confused. And if Pickle is born on Tuesday, only daddy will come home. I don't want to do that to her.
Feeling horribly guilty about doing this to her when she's too little to understand. :(

So exciting rus! I'm hoping that you are currently having a lovely home birth. All the signs sound good. I had nothing before I was induced so you sound much more promising. I had the 24 hour tampon thing which worked in 24 hours even without any labour signs beforehand so hopefully if you do have to have it it will be quick. I'm sure phoebe will be fine if the worst comes to the worst and you both have to be away. Been thinking of you lots and looking forward to hearing about your new tiny baby oh obem is on tonight, time for some broody-ness!!!

Hope everyone else is ok. No news here! X

Any news?! Im hoping you are having lovely newborn cuddles now one way or another. Hope all is well with you and pickle x

Done. Home. Ow. Update later!

Congratulations!!! X

Hope all is Going well rus, been thinking of you x

Right, ok, sorry it's taken me so long!

Got the phone call on Tuesday morning (1st April) to go in a bit earlier, so off we went with our bag of goodies, bag of games, oh yeah, and stuff for me and Pickle, lol, and left poor little Boo with Nanny & Grandad.
Usual induction bollocks of my best friend the monitor (not), and they gave me the propess. And yeah, nothing. So it's getting into the afternoon and evening, I'm getting increasingly pissed off and stressed, it's not working, can I have something else, it's a waste of time. But everyone is saying no, leave it, no, leave it. And more of the monitoring. And I'm very much aware of the fact that all of this sitting doing nothing and being on the monitor is how Phoebe ended up being back to back, so not happy!
Since it is clear we won't be seeing Pickle any time soon, DH goes home for a shower, to restock the food, and to bring me in a jigsaw- might as well keep myself busy or I'll be baying for blood...
After begging the latest person to take it out because it's a waste of time, I'm in the loo at about 9pm, and trying to clean the bastard string because it's all slimy, and I pull a little too hard, and oh bugger, it's come out. And nobody is going to believe it was an accident, lol. Came out really easily though, like it wasn't in properly in the first place. Maybe that's why it didn't work.
So I'm sitting around and waiting for someone to come and hopefully just let me have the bloody prostin like last time, and eventually they come back and say they have to put in a new propess, and we have to leave it the full 24 hours. Groan. I eventually get a new one at midnight. And guess what? Fuck all.
So DH is asleep in the marginally comfier chair than last time, and I'm up in the small hours writing a tear-soaked letter to Phoebe apologising for not being with her. It was gut-wrenchingly awful not being with her. And by that point I've put together all the straight edges for the jigsaw (world's smallest 1000 piece, about A3 size, of Sydney Opera House if you're curious- did it on a tray).
Next day, waiting waiting waiting til 12, ringing my mum to piss and moan and check on Phoebe, who's having an awesome time and hasn't even noticed I've gone. :(
So they come, and announce it hasn't worked (DUH!) so we will have to try the prostin... but they can't give me it for 24 hours, because they don't want to overstimulate the cervix, and make my womb explode or whatever. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!
So I spend the whole of Wednesday just sat there like a complete numpty just doing nothing. Monitors, jigsaw, games with DH. And a whole lot of pissing and moaning. Some doctors are supposed to come see me at 10pm to confirm whether they'll go with the prostin or not- only I find myself waiting waiting waiting. And they never came, because they didn't see the point. But nobody told me. And meanwhile it's monitoring for hours on end because Pickle's heartbeat is too slow and they wan't to see some activity because she's been asleep, or she's too active and they want her to settle down. Grump.
Thursday. They know how completely fucked off I am with the whole thing, and get everything sorted for me as quickly as possible. The whole time I've been in my cervix hasn't moved or softened. I think the bishop score actually went backwards at one point. So I finally get my prostin, and... yeah, nothing. A few sort of contractions, but nothing. And now that I'm intimately acquainted with the monitor and what all the marks mean, I can see it's not working. Roll on second lot. By this time I've been on my back a lot on the monitor because they didn't get the readings they wanted with me on my side, despite my protests. I get the 2nd lot of prostin at some point in the evening (I've forgotten now) and same again, at which point I'm thinking 'oh fuck'. But a couple of hours in I'm getting the crampy contractiony things, and I know it's working like last time. Huzzah! About fucking time.
Some doctor is coming to see me at whatever o'clock, so I work my arse off to get the jigsaw finished before they come, since the intention is that they'll check my cervix and drag me off to manually break my waters in delivery suite. And I do it just in time! And by now they're proper backachey crampy contractions, every 5 minutes-ish. I voice my concerns with the midwife on duty that I really don't want them doing a manual rupture as I don't want the drip or for Pickle to be distressed, she says it will be ok because the doctor will listen, and take that into account.
So the doctor swans in at midnight (much later than expected, shock) and I should mention at this point that during the exams my cervix hasn't got further than 4cm, and is still high and posterior. By now I'm feeling like a sex worker on a busy shift, things are pretty raw and getting swollen down there... Mr Doctor basically tells me that my cervix isn't favourable for rupture, but they're going to do it anyway. I say I don't want that, and he basically tells me it's tough titties- she's been in there to long and she has to come out. For once I'm not the only one with a face like a smacked arse- the midwife isn't happy either. I will be dragged kicking and screaming to delivery suite THE MOMENT a bed becomes available. Gulp.
Fortunately about 10 minutes later the woman in the bay next to me has her waters go, so that takes the heat off for a bit. It's hours, we haven't heard anything, and I'm getting to be in a lot of pain. Oh, and the doctor said she's back to back. Not happy! The midwife is in and out, reassuring that they haven't forgotten about me and my name is up on the board, honest.
In the early hours it gets so bad I need pethidine. They suggest a bath, which doesn't really help, so pethidine it is. Feel bad for giving in again, but reassured that regardless I would have needed it last time, and DH not being there had nothing to do with it. I got maybe an hour and a half's sleep on and off between contractions before it wore off. Cervix still high, posterior and 4cm (FFS!)
I managed to spend pretty much all of the time standing or bending over- there was no way I was lying in bed again, I didn't want her coming out back to back if I could help it, and I couldn't believe how much more painful the contractions were if I laid on my side, and they were even worse on my back.
So we get to maybe 8:45am and I'm yelling by now. I need gas & air, yikes! So they bring me a portable cylinder and I'm dragging on it like my life depends on it, but it makes absolutely. no. difference. whatsoever. I buzz them at 9 and tell them it's not working. Exam- 7-8cm they think, but they can't actually feel any cervix. Wheelchaired to delivery suite- can't go to MLU as Pickle is still not engaged- have to be on delivery suite in case cord comes out first when waters break. DH is running along behind with all the bags, and nearly loses us in the corridors!
They take me to the pool room- they were planning to do me a water birth or whatnot, but I get there and stand with my hands on the bed- can I climb on for them to do a doppler? NO! So there's midwives all over the shop, one holding me up with DH, one still with the wheelchair, and one with the doppler, they can't get a trace because of the position I'm in. And then I need to push, so they tell me to go for it.
I get a little spatter of fluid on the floor, which seems insignificant after the bucket of water that I had with Phoebe, but on the next push out comes the rest, all over everyone's feet. DH didn't know it had happened, he just noticed everyone looking at the floor. And then pushing and feeling the burning stretching of her crowning, and then her head was out (apparently), and then I think one or two more pushes and she was out and being passed to me through my legs- 9:26am- about 9 minutes after getting into the room! She was red with blood from head to foot, which was a bit of a shock, and they said I was bleeding a lot. They wanted to cut the cord because she wasn't breathing yet, I vaguely remember turning her over and rubbing her back, and then she was crying, and they took her over for a bit of oxygen I think, but by then I was on the bed, and she was on my chest shortly after. I had a few tears, from where she'd just shot out- her head hadn't even changed shape- but apart from that pretty unscathed. she looked really skinny compared to Phoebe, but weighed the same- 8lb 5oz.
They stitched me up, I had a bath, and off we went- they took me up to the ward, and they put me in a separate place because they knew I didn't like the main ward. :)
The midwife there was the one I'd been to see, and I got settled into a lovely crisp bed and just wanted to sleep... then she came in, and said they could get the newborn checks dome within a few hours, and then I could go home if I wanted. (!)
To be honest, by that point I was so shell-shocked with how quick it had all been that I just wanted to stay put, but DH convinced me to go home, and my mum came with Phoebe at about 5pm.
We've called her Lyra Elphaba Moon, after the main character in Philip Pulllman's 'His Dark Materials', and the witch from 'Wicked'. :)

... and now she's 5 weeks old, I don't know where the time's gone! She's slept in bed next to me from the beginning, and I think we've only had 2 nights total where we've had really badly interrrupted sleep, and one of those was because Phoebe was sick.
She only lost 5% of her birth weight, is exclusively breastfed (YES!) and we're all signed off from everybody.

And right now she's screaming for boob, so I'd better feed her. Still struggling with painful latching and misbehaving nipples, but getting there. :)