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

Yes, I had seen that Disco and Count had some happy news. Hopefully they will be over once they have confirmed that everything is ok and properly located!

Talking to midwife running antenatal class Tue night, and she said they've got a birthing pool on delivery suite, they have a wireless CTG if they need to monitor Peanut while I'm in it, and gave me the name of the person to talk to who would have the deciding vote, so to speak...

Don't know whether to discuss this with midwife on Monday, or just let it lie and not let myself get excited again- DH was researching online about water births and found a load of info about why they're bad- risk of drowning, infection, etc- and I know he was only trying to be helpful, but I couldn't help feeling that he was having a dig at me for wanting to do something risky to Peanut.
Guess I'll enquire, but not get my hopes up.

In other news, was counting kicks Tue night after getting back from class & Asda, and Peanut was going utterly batshit in there. Normally I'll get 0-14 movements per 10 min slot, but these were 55, 69, 72... I was really worried, because that is so not normal, but then sometimes she does have these busy times like she's had 12 espressos, and I've never counted the movements during that before, so couldn't honestly say it was abnormal... she didn't feel in distress, just sort of manic.
I then realised that on a normal night by that time we'd have been in bed for an hour, and she'd be having a massage and a story from either me or DH- and then I twigged she was having a FUCKING TANTRUM!!! I was sat up instead of lying down, in clothes instead of undressed, nobody was talking, as we were on laptops/counting, and the light was coming from the wrong direction. She must have got an epic shitty on because we messed up the routine. What have we let ourselves in for? Lol...

She's been fine since, but WHAT a madam.

DH has been off sick for a few days, he's run down from being the only section manager in while one has swanned off to a new job and the other's been on hols for 2 weeks, but he's in tomorrow and then off for 2 weeks himself, so hopefully it'll clear up before we go up to Norwich.
Going to go to my favourite chinese restaurant for my birthday, really looking forward to it as I haven't had any chinese since right at the beginning, and this is really the only place I trust as I've never had stomach issues before (just wind). Drooling at the thought of all that all-you-can-eat buffet! Weight loss out the window, methinks.

Right, off for another day of computer games and looking after DH. Maybe he'll make me a cuppa if I'm lucky- will have to catch him on his way to the loo though, he's more likely to make it if he's already up, lol.

Hope things are well with all of you! x

Yay! made it to the summer holidays! Looong lie in this morning and feeling very chillled. DH is home too as he's not been well and doc has made him take some time off :)

Sun is shining, all the windows are open - lets hope it lasts.

Weirdest present from the kids yesterday - nipple cream but sure it will be one I will use

Rus hope your DH is feeling better. at baby having it's first tantrum!

Hope everyone is enjoying the sun

Well done lil - must be a relief! I am adjusting to having a full house. At least the weather's behaving so they can go out to play. Feeling slightly panicked about how to fill the next six weeks though, particularly as I feel like a knackered beached whale!

Love the present from your kids! Obviously a Mum who knows her stuff there! You got much planned for the hols? Sorry your dh is ill, though it must be nice to have him at home!

How are you rus?! Still putting us all to shame with your gardening, nesting and DIY!?? Hope things are ok, anyway.

I am well and truly counting down to b-day now I've gone past 30 weeks! Hoping the holidays go quickly as they are usually wont to do! Then I'm really on the home stretch!

Hope everyone is well! xx

Hi ladies, glad to hear Lil is chilling out now it's summer hols, even if that means more stress for Festie!

Back from a relaxing week with my parents, managed to get out every day on the big dog walk so feeling really pleased, although with the amount of chocolate, sweets, crisps and ice cream I've been eating I fear twil all be for naught...

If Peanut is likely to come any time from 37 weeks, as someone at the hospital said, then I can expect her any time from a week on Sunday.
Eep!

Better get on with hand-washing the last blankety bits, and re-pack my hospital bag in a small case, and get the moses basket ready.

Have done sod all for anyone to be proud of me for, sorry.
Had a hiccup with the electricity before we went away- there's a socket under the sink where the cooker and boiler are plugged in (!) and I'd stripped the manky sealant off the back of the sink counter, and DH had washed up and thrown water everywhere, and... I think we can all guess what happened, lol. So we had to run an extension from upstairs for the fridge and freezer, go without hot water, and after a couple of days, reseal the counter, and left the socket hanging off the wall to air and dry while we were away. Just put it back on and touch wood, all ok so far.

New internet and phone package from talk talk which was sorted while we were away, much better than Virgin and doubtless those shitty £50-odd monthly bills will now be a thing of the past!

Can't really do anything now. 8 months and I'm officially useless. I can still carry shopping, but feel cream crackered when I get home, and today for no apparent reason my ankle feels sprained- but it's ok when I wear wedge flipflops, bizarre. My hands and feet, wrists and ankles feel swollen, and my stomach feels like a tight barrel if I eat too much. Peanut is enjoying trying to wedge her feet in between my lungs and ribs which is uncomfortable to say the least!

Worst of all, because our toilet is wedged between a wall and the bathroom cupboard, and my tummy being so big.... I can't quite reach to wipe my bum properly. Sigh. How do I tell the people around me that's the one thing I actually DO need help with? Typical!

Have a lovely summer hols, if you can, and I look forward to occasional updates if anyone does anything particularly exciting, silly, or pops. x x x

Just popping in to say hi!
My gosh I can't believe you guys are on the home stretch and not long now that you will be holding your babies!
So happy for you!
Although i got the all clear I'm my last scan baby in my womb still early days so keeping a low profile of it all, and have not joined any march thread or anything like that! Need to feel all is well before I can talk freely about this pregnancy!!!!!
Thanks for all the best wishes and I do hope all is well with you all x

Hey count - thanks for dropping by! Glad all is well with you and bubba!

I know, it's mental that we're getting so close. I was really shocked to hear that rus is quite so near, but should have realised that she's about 4 weeks ahead of me and I'm coming up 32 weeks now! Madness!

rus and lil - have you heard the fantastic news about mooley?! Yep, she's pg!!!! Must admit, my big old hormonal self was quite tearful about that bit of news - bless her!

Well, I'm still massive and knackered and have spent a lot of time crying over The Midwives on BBC2 (distressed baby in scbu); 24 hours in A&E on Channel 4 (31/2 month old with heart condition) and One Born Every Minute repeats on More4 (baby's shoulder stuck in birth canal)!!! Dh thinks I'm truly mental and can't understand why I'm doing it to myself, but it's a compulsion, even though I know it's going to make me blub!

Hope you're all getting on ok. What is your official due date rus?! Enjoying the holiday lil?!

xx

Hey ladies.

Thanks for popping in Count hopefully will see some more of you soon.

And yes Festie I cried everywhere too after reading Moo's news.

Haven't been watching too much TV recently, so haven't been affected by anything that way.

This week I have had my appointment with the anaesthetist, 6th midwife appt, 36 week scan, and breastfeeding workshop. Madness!

All good news to report- I have a nice big gob for intubating (we all knew that anyway) and despite the high BMI, a nicely bony lower back, so if I need an epidural, it's easy to put in. Urine tested normal, no evidence of the nitrites that were there a fortnight ago, and Peanut is 1/5th engaged, or was on Tuesday. Got to see Peanut's little face on the scan, she has such chubby cheeks! DH said she winked at him. A little concerned that they're estimating her weight at 6lb 13oz with feasibly 4 weeks to go, although this is only 10oz more than the average, and still within normal range. If I go overdue I'll have a minimum 9lb baby! :S
Breastfeeding workshop was really useful, and got me thinking now that I don't need to bother with lansinoh nipple cream, provided I get the position and latch right. Might buy a tube just in case I cock it up at the beginning though, to give them a chance to heal. Going to get it from JL as it's cheaper there than anywhere else! (£8)

Official due date from scans is the 28th THIS MONTH eep!
Over last couple of days have had braxton hicks, but as they've been regular and close together, it's more like false labour... kind of impatient for her to be now. Also she's been thrashing around in there like she's trying to escape, so I'm thinking sooner rather than later.
With that in mind, I spent yesterday doing all the things I hadn't done so far- the moses basket and stand are cleaned, and her bedding is in it ready, her clothes are all hung up or sorted into piles, I've handwashed the woolies, got the hospital bags properly ready... just need to get some more snacks to go in, and try to do the perineal stretching exercises- I attempted it while away and it was disastrous, my nails were too long and my arms were too short with my belly being in the way...

Have given up on the idea of a water birth for this one. Read somewhere about someone in labour playing scrabble with their partner, and me and DH are such big board game nuts we thought it would be the perfect way to keep us busy during the dilating bit. And I won't be able to do that in a pool!
So just going to accept it for now, and try doing my own thing and playing games, then maybe I can attempt a water birth next time. Then I can try and get my weight down in between, and maybe I won't be met with such fierce opposition!

Had some sad news in that DH's grandmother died last Sunday- she'd been in hospital about a month and wasn't eating enough, but it was her lungs that gave in. Such a shame as FiL wasn't able to get there in time to be with her- he was spending the day at ours when he got the call to go up, and it transpired she'd died before they hung up. Funeral is next Friday, FiL and DH holding up well, but SiL in absolute bits, bless her. I'm dealing with it ok, not many tears, feel a bit detached about the whole thing really tbh, which is for the best I think. Apparently one of the things that can affect an unborn baby badly is the mother going through a bereavement, so I'm trying to cope for Peanut's sake.

Anyhoo, I've written an essay again, whoops!
Going to walk into town and have a mooch, maybe buy ingredients to make brownies to test out my cake maker I got for my birthday, although I put on 5lb in the last 2 weeks so maybe not!

Take care x

Sorry this had dropped of my 'I'm on' and I lost track of you.

Came on to share the fab news about moo but see you have beaten me to it. So pleased for her.

Loving the holidays thanks, not managed to achieve much apart from a horrible sick bug but over it now.

I can't believe it is so close now for Rus and Festie. Does it feel real yet? I still can't get my head around the fact we are going to have a little person her full time in a few months.

Sorry to hear about your most difficult problem Rus but it did make me smile. My belly feels like it can't stretch any further already so think I've got an uncomfortable few months ahead of me.

I've started making lists for my hospital bag - any tips? Think I might have 2 - one for labour/baby and one for after which will stay in the cara initally incase I stay in for a bit.

Nice to hear from you Count and glad things all seem ok and I'm sure it will continue the same way.

Festie I love all the OBEM / midwife programmes too (and DH seems to have caught the bug too. Have never cried over OBEM until this week when baby was stuck, actually found it quite traumatic and was blubbing about how I don't want that to happen (I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have chosen it either). Still doesn't feel like I'm actually going to have to do it myself though!

Wow Rus it sounds like you're ready to go! Glad you have got your head round not having the water birth a made a positive from it - playing board games sounds like a great way to pass the time, sadly DH hates them :( so not sure what we will do.

So sorry to hear about your DH's gran. Hope the funeral goes well and you, your DH and family are ok. Take care x

Hospital bags!

In mine, which are divided into my changing bag for labour and a small case for afterwards, I have the following:

Snacks & lucozade for labour (carbs recommended for slow-release energy)
Puzzle books, portable board games to keep me and DH occupied
Toiletries, mostly free samples from pregnancy packs or trial size whatsits
hairband and bobbles for keeping hair back
philips avent breast shells, which I got free with a boots voucher
3 x trial packs lansinoh breast pads
old vest for labouring in (might just whip it off)
5 x pairs primark cheap pants
comfy thick socks
handful sanitary towels (for monitoring waters leakage)
3 x packs maternity towels
nursing bra
nightie
travel towel
flannel
breastfeeding vitamins
1 x pack huggies newborn size 1
bag cotton wool balls
17 x nappy sacks
huggies pure wet wipes
travel changing mat
3 x short-sleeved babygrows
3 x sleepsuits
1 x cardigan
1 x hat
1 x pair scratch mittens (got some built into sleepsuits, so don't need 2 pairs)
2 x pairs baby socks
high contrast lamaze panda rattle
cellular blanket

... and in my handbag will be my pregnancy notes, pregnancy diaries, phone & charger, purse, keys, ipod and charger, camera & spare batteries.

Oh, and the car seat will be on standby ready for when we can come home.

I'm planning to go home in the clothes I go to the hospital in, and I'll just have a big comfy wraparound cardigan rather than a dressing gown. I'll walk around in flip flops.
Haven't bought my nursing bras yet, hence why it's in bold. Looks like there is only one nursing bra in the whole world that will fit me and I think it's bloody ugly. Currently trying to find a way around that one...
Also wondering whether to pack a book to read to Peanut. Been reading some of the Dr Seuss and Hairy Maclary ones to her, so thought it would be good for continuity and she might find it soothing.

Hope that helps Lil!

Thanks Rus, knew you would be super organised with lots of lists

Have had some lovely things donated by friends and family now so getting there, just need to paint and put up the furniture so I can get all the bits put away.

How are you feeling? Hope things are ok with Dh and his family.

Hello ladies, sorry I haven't posted in here much. Been sticking to non pregnancy chats as been going through a lot at work etc but things seems to be settling down now thank goodness.

Can't believe Rus is due this month so we'll have our first mattress baby!

Glad you're all doing well, and so pleased for Moo, Disco and Count what a hat trick!

I'm 20 weeks now and had my scan yesterday, baby was breech and shy so I needed to go toilet, eat some sweets and it did work thank goodness as i was desperate to see a lovely face!cI'm having a boy and saw his little winkle! Everything is measuring well and dr was happy so I'm over the moon xx

Congrats on your baby boy Chips so pleased everything is ok and you got a good view.

Rus how are you doing? Hope you are not doing too much cleaning/DIY/gardening and taking it easy. Can't believe you only have 3 weeks left.

Keeping busy Festie?! Hope all the children are getting on and helping you out (and it has stopped raining long enough for you to leave the house occasionally)

No real news here. Going to paint baby's room today and furniture should be arriving this week so I can finally organise all the clothes etc and put it all away. (I think nesting has finally kicked in )

So pleased Moo Count and Disco will be joining us soon.

Hey chips! A little boy - how lovely! And you're over half way now!

Isn't it mad that rus is due so soon?! It's so exciting! Brilliant hospital bag list as well rus - went and got some bits for mine, on dh's insistence. He's twitchy that we're not ready, but I'm only coming up 33 weeks, still think there's a while to wait!

Summer hols is going well, thanks lil. Luckily my kids had a week at their dad's last week and we only had dh's kids for tea on weds; so it was practically a kid-free week! Very restful! I'm hiding upstairs at the mo; we have dh's kids for the day today and it sounds like bedlam. It's not fair though, poor dh is trying to work! I shall have to steel myself and go down and join in soon! :o

I am getting thoroughly pissed off in the evenings now, heartburn, restless legs and really uncomfortable movements from Cleetus. I'm sure I feel like this every time by this stage, but it still feels like a long way to go. I know it'll go quickly though (it will go quickly - I insist!)

Glad all your appointments went well rus. Sorry you won't get your water birth. Just stay upright as much as you can is my tip for the top! I laboured lying down with ds and it was long and arduous. I laboured standing up with dd2 and it was much better! Trust your body though, it knows what it wants! I was that Treliske has no birthing pools and no birthing balls or other comfort aids available! This is the hospital that covers the whole of Cornwall!!! The more I hear, the more I don't want to go there, but as they won't even consider me for a homebirth, I don't really have a choice!

Anyway, hope you're all doing well. xxx

Hey ladies, been a mad week or so with sorting stuff out.

Congrats on your little man Chips, and nice to hear from you again.

Festie I don't blame you for hiding upstairs, lol. On the hospital bag front though, get your arse in gear! On my thread one lady popped at 6 months, one at 34 weeks, and now it seems like someone is popping every few days... and they're all due after me! Guess it's just got to that time I guess. But don't delay on the bag- better to be prepared too far in advance than not prepared at all, and if you've had kids before, they fly out quicker, right?

Lil glad the hospital list was useful. I've got everything ready for Peanut now and am impatient for her to arrive, although it would be nice if she gave us til the end of the week so we can get the funeral out of the way and sort through her flat.

DH and family seem to be coping well, been up to the flat in London to sort through stuff on Sunday and yesterday, one more room and the hallway & cupboard to go. Such a lot of stuff... they kept all DH and SiL's stuff from when they were little, so there's board games and toys, hell, even the original Thundercats vehicle is there somewhere, lol. Drawings FiL did when he was at school... and of course DH can't bear for anything to go, so it's taking a long time. Hoping to do a little more sorting and packing up before the funeral on Friday, then we'll go up to do more sorting out on Saturday, and see how we go- if we need to do any more, we'll go up Sunday too. Then Peanut can officially come whenever she wants, and I'll tell her so! Not saying it out loud til then though...

Peanut gave me a fright this morning, had been moving stuff around here and having a tidy, then realised I hadn't felt her move all day- recently she's been like Jackie Chan on crack, so I was really worried, especially as yesterday FiL came across an old bottle of smelling salts and said 'sniff that' so of course I put my nose too close and couldn't feel my face for a while... only occurred to me afterwards that it could affect Peanut, so this morning was feeling pretty rubbish- have had some chocolate though, which always seems to get her going, and it seems to have worked. Phew! Had some cake as well, just to be safe...

What else... haven't really been up to much, wanted to just sort of knit and enjoy the rest til she's here, but I'm worried that I won't go into labour by myself- my mum had to be induced with both of us, and I think DH's mum did too. I don't want her to be late, I don't want her to be a September baby and be a year older than everyone else in her class like my sister was. I want an August baby! (preferably a leo, my sister is a virgo and we clashed like hell)
If she's born before the 22nd we'll be ok, lol.
Think she must be engaged now as I can feel what I assume is her head really low down, and when she moves it, it feels really wrong! Like a big nobbly rock twanging off bits of my lady insides.

Oops, essay.

Well, better go interfere with pollinate the lime and lemon trees.

Hope it's sunny where you all are! X

Finally the sun arrived here yesterday and had a lovely day meeting friends that I haven't seen for ages :) Friends little girl finally seemed to work out that there was a baby in my tummy and looked at me very seriously saying 'you're going to be the Mummy and Dh is going to be the Daddy ...' (ah how cute) 'and then you will have a wobbly belly like my Mummy.' Err well yes, thanks for reminding me

Picking up the nursery furniture tomorrow and can't wait to have it all set up now.

Dad has just emptied his roof and found the big yellow teapot and treehouse I had when I was little so is keeping it for baby I think he's getting soft in his old age.

Festie glad you are getting a few child free days and I would have hidden too!

They don't have any birthing pools or balls?! I though Barnstaple was bad with only 2 so my chances of getting one were pretty slim but I think they do have a ball in every room. Can you hire one for the hospital like you can at home?

Sorry you are feeling a bit grotty, evenings are my worst time too with acid reflux. You haven't got long to go now, I'm sure it will go really fast and you'll forget about this bit again.

Rus hope the funeral goes well today and all the organising is done.

Peanut has a tight schedule to keep but if she takes after you I'm sure she'll arrive right when you want her to!

Lol at your friends' little girl Lil.
...and screamingly jealous that you still have your big yellow teapot! I loved mine. Wish we still had it... but unfortunately because we moved around a lot (forces family) we sort of jettisoned anything unnecessary at regular intervals. Wah.

...just looked on eBay and people are selling them for about £50+!!!!
Never mind.

Funeral went ok thanks, got to meet some of DH's family I hadn't met before, albeit only briefly, as we were chaperoning his grandma's elderly neighbours so had to leave in the limo with them. Never mind.

Just got to sort through the flat this weekend, and then hopefully I'm commitment-free.

Better go check tea- well deserved pie, chips and beans for the hungry and tired men.

That is so lovely lil (not so much the wobbly tummy bit - bet her mum was really grateful that she shared that with you!). How fab that your Dad's saved those toys!

No. Not one birthing pool! Tbh, I wasn't after a water birth; I've never had one, so it's no biggy. It just seems representative of how out of date the delivery suite is iyswim?

Anyway, as long as they're nice to me and look after my baby, I guess that's the main thing, right?

Glad the funeral was ok rus. Hope you get the flat sorted soon. Remember what a relief it was once we'd done my Dad's.

You must be pretty much term now? I'm 33 weeks today! And... I've started sorting out hospital bags, and put the crib up. Ooh, it all feels a bit real now!

And I've finished baby's cardi and now am embarking on a blanket - hope I get it done in time! Really just feel like slowing right down and preparing for baby now, so guess the best thing to do is listen to myself!

Hope you're all having good weekends. xx

Wow you guys are like the Jamaican relay team and I'm like team Japan way way behind everyone!!!!!
You guys getting bags and nursery and blankets ready and I've not
Even had my 12 week scan yet!!!! Have such a long way to go and still feeling unsure about it all!

But it's so nice to say today I'm pregnant and do many are still waiting, I guess after dealing with things not working out 3 times it's hard to go on like everything is great and there's nothing to worry about as all I do is pray that I get to the finish line receive my gold medal ( my precious baby) and just cry( to the soundtrack of God save the Queen)

Big hugs to you all x

Spell check on phone - not " do" it was supose to say " so"

I still feel abit like that Count but every day is a little closer. It still seems surreal that I will have a baby in 3 months and seems very far away. Lovely to see you - when is your scan?

Festie agree the main thing is they look after you all (and I would like it if they weren't too scary!) Enjoy slowing down and having some you time. I'm a bit worried about having to wind myself back up ready for school in Sept but keep telling myself it's only for a couple of months.

I was really pleased he had kept the yellow teapot Rus, can't wait to see my LO playing with it. Hope you are now commitment free and having a chilled time counting down. How do you feel about peanut coming soon?

Hi count, nice to see you! When is your 12 week scan? Think it all feels a bit more 'real' once that's done!

I know I'm really close, but it feels like the next 7 weeks are going to DRAG! That said, I gave myself a fright yesterday. I've been having lots of braxton hicks and yesterday after dtd I got loads of them, very tight ones and this immense pressure down below. I don't really want to give birth at 33 weeks if I can help it. It went on for about 12 hours after the event. Me and dh have decided to abstain until I'm nearly due when I'll probably be begging him to get it started!

It was a bit scary though, and it's made me feel a bit on edge!

How's things with you rus? Nesting hit fever pitch yet?! :o

I can imagine your apprehension at having to go back to work for a while, lil. When will your mat leave start? I'm guessing it's a case of making it to half term and then you're pretty much there! Those last weeks can be arduous though, it's definitely a case of doing as little as you can get away with!

Xxx and to all!

Hi Lillian and Festie - glad all is going well for you and yeh I guess it's the beginning when you just don't feel pregnant and the end feeling too pregnant that it really drags!!!!
31st August is my 12 weeks scan! And I'm so very scared, my last 12 week scan was just the worst news and the thought of something going wrong is just haunting!!!!!! Good thing is I'm off work till then and so just can focus on me and ways to just not think about me being pregnant although constant MS and the onset of spd is a constant reminder!

Festie - wow well done on the dtd as I can't even think of that right now feel bad for DH as he has to put up with my constant moans about the strong smells, and him prepping good food for me, I can't even stomach!!!

Hey ladies,

Count nice to see you! FX the wait for your scan flies by and the news is good. Great that you're off. I find my SPD feels better if I sit on soft surfaces and don't lean forward too much.

Lil things are ok here, trying to get the house tidy but not really succeeding or got my heart in it.

Festie I'm not nesting at all. Have no desire to. Can't even work up the energy to make a cake and brownies, even though all the ingredients are here!

Had my last consultants' appt today, and got the shitty nurse who said I couldn't have a water birth last time. So I was already tired and grumpy and didn't need her! Then she said Peanut wasn't engaged at all. In my midwife appt 2 weeks ago she was 1/5 down, and I've felt her really low down right in my pelvis so I know that can't be right. The only thing I can think of is that the last few days of backwards and forwards in the car with me tipped back have unseated her.
The nurse person asked what my birth plan was (!!! They all seem to expect me to have done it independently!) and when I said I didn't want any pain relief apart from gas & air, she made some remark about how I wouldn't get a certificate for abstaining, so there was no point bothering, or something. Thank fuck it's the last appt there, I'm sick to the back teeth of them...

Came home and googled getting Peanut engaged, (spinning babies website was useful) and it basically said that if she's lying posterior, ie. with her back to my back, which she is, it's much harder for her to engage, and if she can't engage, then I probably won't go into labour naturally. Feel really depressed. Actually tried having sex earlier in the hope it might encourage things to get going, but nothing doing. (opposite to you Festie!)

Going to spend the rest of the time leaning forward as much as poss, hoping to keep her in the right position, and I read that climbing the stairs helps her move down. Got to tidy the house, so I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of that!

On the plus side, I've managed to do that perineum stretching exercise 2 days in a row- it's bloody awkward, but I'm determined to keep at it. Hopefully getting a nursing bra tomorrow as well.

Hope you're all having a better time of things than I am!

Had a panic yesterday- well, DH did-
Was doing my stretching exercise and when I finished I was covered in blood. Hmm. Cue DH demanding I ring the hospital straight away.
Cleaned myself up and investigated, but nothing higher up, so assume I was just too vigorous- rang hospital to shut DH up and they confirmed my suspicions. No further issues during the day.

So it looks like I won't be doing those exercises- I can't today, and it's been bloody awkward and I've hurt myself, so I'm just going to take it as a sign that I'm not meant to do them. If I need an episiotomy, I need one. Wanted to avoid it, but if I can't do the stretching then I don't see how.

Spent a lot of time yesterday leaning forward to try and shift Peanut, but am starting to feel like she's never going to engage, and I'm just not going to go into labour by myself. Sigh. Going to get some raspberry leaf tea, which if no help with bringing things forward, will at least be good for my uterus- apparently it tones it so contractions are more effective when you are in labour, and it decreases the amount of bleeding afterwards. I'm all for that!

So mostly feeling depressed and rubbish.
Not looking forward to the expected barrage of constant calls from family asking if anything's happened yet. It's bad enough that FiL has started ringing me nearly every day 'just to see how I am'. Think I told him to sod off from memory. And SiL hasn't been much better. Every time I see her she anxiously requests that I text her- I will won't I? Please? Want to bang their heads together! So far MiL hasn't stuck her oar in but I can see it only being a matter of time... Thank god my parents aren't like that! They were out in Germany when they had me, no family or friends around, so just got on with it. They assume I'll do the same.

Going to go make brownies.
DH was unscheduled late night last night so is finishing at 3 today, thought I'd make him something cakey to make him happy. Then we'll play some games and chill out. Sod it, I'll buy the tea tomorrow.