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

Oh bugger rus - listen; I've never had an episiotomy. They tend not to these days unless the baby is stuck/they need to do forceps/ventouse. I did tear both times, but with dd2 didn't even need stitches and it healed really well. So don't assume the worst!

Sorry you're miserable though. I have been so uncomfortable the last few days, I feel pre-labourish already at 33+5. Obviously I'll mention it to the midwife next week, but I don't know what I'm more afraid of: going into labour too early, or this discomfort going on for another 7 weeks+!

The hassling from family isn't good, but people can't help themselves in my experience. Glad your folks are a bit more sensible about it all though.

Jesus, that nurse sounds shitty! OK; pain relief should be there if people need it, but you'll recover much quicker without the heavy duty stuff if you can manage it... It never ceases to amaze me that people like that work in the healthcare profession!

Remember with regard to peanut engaging, there's still time right up until you go into labour for her to do so all by herself. All that sitting forward you're doing will encourage her to do so too...

I really understand your apprehension though, it's so imminent and everyone has hopes of how their labour will be. I learnt that the hard way with dd1. I was desperate to have a natural labour with no intervention/ minimal pain relief. As it turned out, I was in hospital for 2 weeks being monitored with Pre-eclampsia and they discovered she was breech; so she was born by elective caesarean! I was gutted when I found out, but ultimately it was all ok and I had my gorgeous healthy baby at the end of it.

I'm really not trying to play down how you feel though, I completely understand and I think it's mostly borne of anxiety of the unknown. Just think, in a few weeks time you'll have your lovely baby!

Ha ha, count - there was no good lovin' at all in this house during the first trimester!! I felt far too rubbish! I got my mojo back at some point during the second. You must be counting down to that scan now. I know you've been in the worst of positions, but you've already had a scan this time, haven't you? I'm sure you know the stats as well as I do, and that won't stop you worrying, but you are in a really good position and the ms is a brilliant sign! We will all be keeping all our digits crossed on the 31st! (which is also my birthday, so bound to be a day of good news! :o)

Hope you're well lil. Blimey, I appear to have written a dissertation! xxx

Thanks Festie, that's reassuring.

I have no qualms at all about labour and the birth whatsoever, I'm looking forward to it! I'll just get on with it- just don't like being forced into something I don't want. Obviously I'll do what's best for Peanut (contrary to DH's opinion!) but it's frustrating when there's something you can do to avoid a situation, but you can't bloody do it!

The midwives at the antenatal classes said that they're very good at telling whether someone is going to tear or not, and they'll tell you in good time, so I will wait and see on that front- but I have problems with that side of things, so suspect I will need it... Only thing I can thing of doing to relax that area is to lay and fiddle with my clitoris with some o gel, but don't that'll be easy in a room with midwives when she's crowning! Unless I'm on all fours and they can't see...

First lot of brownies in the oven. Don't know if I can be arsed to make the second batch as my scales have just packed in and they need silly flat batteries. Will check recipe though and see if I can get around it... did want to see what effect beetroot would have on them...

Been away for a few days seeing friends who have both just had their second (7 and 9 weeks) They both seem very chilled and sleep well so I am hoping mine is the same!

Rus that souds scary but glad all is ok. I really don't want an episiotomy but going to try to go with the flow as won't be able to change much at the time I'm sure.

Can see my MIL etc are going to be the same, they rang about 5 times when we had a MW app so god knows what they will be like when we are waiting to actually give birth.

Festie sorry to hear you are uncomfortable, hope it is easing for you. Were your other DC early?

I can't believe our first flying mattress babies will be here soon. Any chance of live birthing updates?!?

Lil I'd love to send live updates, but don't believe in internet on phones unfortunately. Hoping to be in and out though, so I should be able to let you all know when I'm on my way in, and when I'm back- hopefully less than 24 hours later!

Made my brownies, weirdly the beetroot ones are more chocolatey than the other ones. Hmm.

Drank 2 cups of raspberry leaf tea today, (got DH to get some on way back from work!) going to check recommended daily amount and stick to that.

Meantime, whenever I'm feeling her back at the front, I'm doing a deep squat and massaging her downwards in the hope it'll help. Lol.
Guess I'll find out whether it's worked at midwife appt on monday... but hoping I don't make it that long!

Me either, my phone makes phonecalls and sends text messages but I seem in the minority!

Brownies sound good, might have to do some baking today.

How much raspberry leaf tea are you supposed to drink and when are you supposed to start? (Too early now - I don't want to have baby yet, just want to be prepared)

Hope peanut has engaged again, there is still time so don't panic.

Going to finish painting the nursery today (now I've told you guys I'm going to have to do it) and then can start putting together all the flat pack boxes.

How are things going Festie? Hope you are feeling ok.

Count I'm like festie - towards end of 1st and 2nd tri I had plenty of mojo, sadly I now feel more like a beached whale which isn't attractive!

Lil I think they recommend drinking it from 32-34 weeks, and starting with 1 cup a day then building up to 3- it takes a few weeks to build up in your system and do any good, so I've probably started too late, but I'll give it a go anyway. Apparently they did a study and the women who had been drinking the tea had a shorter second pushing out stage- worth it as far as I'm concerned! You do need to check you don't have any medical reasons why you shouldn't do it- it mentions high blood pressure and some others, and consulting your midwife before embarking on it- but since the things mentioned didn't apply to me, I thought I'd give it a go anyway.
The ones I got were from Holland & Barrett- in store they have a box of 50 teabags for £3. They taste kind of like old socks (so same as every herbal tea ever made, lol) but I'm getting used to it and it's not awful.
They do say that if you have strong BH after drinking it, you should cut down how much you're having, so bear that in mind too.

Sounds like the nursery is going well! Once Peanut is born and I've recovered, my next project will be painting her bedroom to look like a jungle. I've got til she's 6 months old, but would like to finish it sooner than later so I can take her in there regularly so she can play with her mobile- by the time she goes in her cot she'll be able to pull the bits off, so I clearly haven't thought this moses basket thing through properly! I have a single bed in there already, and the cot fits in too, so hopefully will be able to manage with 2 kids in there up to a point...

Festie hope you're feeling a bit more comfortable than you were the last time you wrote!

Right, I've done the washing, I'm working on making jewellery for my mum- ordered the clasp I need from eBay, so now I think I'll go run a bath, and sit and have a chat with Peanut about how I think 17 is an awesome number for your birthday because it's a prime number... and also it would get daddy out of his late night!

Hi guys,

I'm still hanging in there. Still tremendously uncomfortable, but nothing serious, the kids are driving me nuts and I'm tired and big - that's it really. I've been monitoring my blood pressure at home too (dh bought himself a decent monitor last year after his heart attack) cos it's been creeping up and as I had Pre-eclampsia with dd1, I'm a bit paranoid about it. I also read that if you have a baby with a new partner that can be like a first pregnancy from a Pre eclampsia point of view, because there are new genes involved. Anyway, my bp was 146/85 this morning, so not scary, but a bit raised. Trying to chill out and not get stressed about it, but kids WILL NOT let me relax!

Anyway, enough moaning- won't do me any good! Raspberry tea is supposed to be very good for toning the old uterus. I used it for my first 3, but as my second stage was only 5 minutes last time, I don't want to encourage it to be any quicker this time! Very effective for first labours though, I believe, although, you're right rus, it does taste like old socks!

So I'm going to be the only one sending a live video stream from my labour bed on B-day then?! :o No, don't worry, that won't be happening, though I may be grateful for a bit of mumsnetting if they insist I go in as soon as I begin contracting.....

Hope you got that nursery done lil. My two youngest have been banished downstairs now, but 8yo dd is still up here withering about God knows what! Poor kids, I am so intolerant at the moment!

So, do you think peanut has been listening to your theory about prime numbers rus?! I hope so! xxx :)

Had an exciting evening last night.
Contractions as follows:
16:10, 16:30, 16:50, 17:10- after drinking 4th cup of raspberry leaf tea, also had backache when leaning over the table which didn't go away.
17:30?, 17:50?
17:55- quite tight and uncomfortable at front, Peanut active.
18:05- as above, but only brief.
18:10- felt rock hard
18:15- as above, got up from sitting and brought in washing I'd forgotten about then put pots away
18:25- only brief
Then about an hour's rest.
Had a 5th cup of raspberry leaf tea (it's getting addictive!)
19:20, 19:40, 20:00, 20:10, 20:25- quite tight and uncomfortable at front.
20:30, 20:35
Started timing- 20:40, 20:44- lasted 1min20secs
20:50, 20:57- lasted 1min30secs-ish, maybe longer- by now I can feel they're tightening and building to a peak, then relaxing.
21:08- lasted 1min10secs
21:15- didn't time as was on phone to hospital to find out if I should come in! They said it sounded like I was coping ok, and to keep monitoring- they said to ring again when they got quite painful or if my waters broke. This was frustrating, as I imagine what's painful to one person is just about tolerable to another, but whatever.
At this point we rang my Father in Law to warn him we might need a lift to the hospital.
21:23, 21:28, 21:34- lasted approx. 1min10-20secs
21:37- another one? Hard to tell.
21:42- didn't time.
At this point came up to bed- I didn't want to in case it stopped them, lol.
21:58?- halfway up the stairs, so hard to tell.
22:11- fairly short, low intensity
22:22, 22:29- lasted 1min
Then I was getting a bit bored with nothing to do but wait expectantly so for a laugh I tried milking myself like they showed us in the breastfeeding workshop and managed to get a watery fluid out of both nipples- how exciting! Felt like I achieved something there, lol.
22:45- lasted 1min- kneeling on floor, not as intense
23:23- lasted 1min- not as intense- sat in bed
23:37? Hard to tell.

They seemed to be tailing off, so I had a little 'what the fuck's going on?' cry on DH, then tried to get some sleep, and although I woke up on and off, I slept through til about 7am this morning with no more contractions, though I am having AF-type cramps. Peanut is having a good old jiggle in there.

What the bloody hell?

Think the raspberry leaf tea probably had something to do with it, but especially frustrating considering the chat I had with Peanut- I honestly thought that was it and we'd be holding her today.

They were a lot more intense than any BH I've had so far...

Feeling quite pissed off now, but I guess she comes when she comes and I shouldn't try to force the issue. Daren't leave the house though!

Oh rus - I can understand your frustration, but that is brilliant! I had exactly this with dd2 and by the time labour kicked off properly I was already 4-5cm dilated!

It won't be long now lovey!!! xxx

My blood pressure seems to have settled down again, actually everything's settled down a bit. Think I probably just stressed myself out a bit tbh!

No lil - neither of mine that came naturally were early. Ds was 40+2 and dd2 40+1 - pretty damn prompt as it goes. I think it was just the sex, so we'll just have to abstain for a few weeks till I'm term!

How exciting Rus I'm off to London for the weekend so typically it looks like I'm going to miss all the excitement. (for once I'm wishing my phone did do all the internet stuff) Hope it all goes well and when I get back you have a lovely cuddly baby.

Festie yy to a blow by blow account as it happens - I'm sure you won't have anything else to do Hope the blood pressure stays ok, it can't be easy to relax with all the kids around.

Nursery painted so can make up the furniture when I get home :)

Well done on painting the nursery lil. Have a great weekend in the big city!

Hope you're ok rus, any more contractions?

I was all geared up to get last hospital bag bits and kids' school uniform this afternoon, but then realised it's a Friday afternoon in August and the Asda I was going to is on a major tourist route. With three kids and 34 weeks pregnant..... Nooooooo! Lucky escape there I think! It can wait till Monday! :o

I appeased myself by learning how to put the car seat in (it's a new one - the old one had done my three and ex's one, so felt it deserved retirement!) It's now fitted so baby has means of transport home!

Mine and dh's first anniversary today! Can't believe it was a year ago AND I was pregnant then too! (chemical pg). We're chuffed anyway; dh's last marriage only lasted 9 months, so we've already broken his record! :o

No more excitement today I'm afraid, couldn't get DH out of his late night, despite drinking 5 cups of raspberry leaf tea which DH specifically made me promise not to do.

I've given my downstairs a shave with the old sheep shearer so it's looking less unkempt- have a feeling Peanut is doing now what she did at the beginning- ie. waiting for me to get my act in gear before I get any results...
Wanted to shave, get a photo of me with bump, photocopy all antenatal notes so I have a record in case they nick them off me, and I guess get the rest of DH's grandma's stuff upstairs and out of the way (came today) and her fridge freezer cleaned out and in place.

I bet once I do that she turns up!
After all, she insisted on waiting for me to get cracking on the bedroom and go have a smear test before she appeared the first time...

Trouble is I don't want to sort all the crap out! I guess it wouldn't be hard to get it all upstairs though, and cleaning the fridge is hardly a monumental difficulty. Will have to take the pics myself while DH is working. Hoorah for self-timers.

DH went and told Peanut to aim for Monday because he's off. Silly sod. I want her here now! Why does he always go put his bloody foot in it, ruining my plans and intentions? Because he's a man. Grr.

Festie sensible decision on Asda, I think!

Lil well done on getting the painting done! But don't hold your breath, bet I'm still sat here muttering when you get back, lol.

Bleeding heck, rus - she's ruling you with an iron rod already! :o

Seriously though, I cursed dd2 for all the early false alarm contractions, but once I went into labour proper and was already 4-5 cm dilated, I was punching the air.

I've been completely shit today, hung out in bed; hot, uncomfortable and weepy . I don't know why I put myself through this repeatedly - I really am the world's worst at being pregnant.

Still 34 weeks today - there is light at the end of the tunnel, there IS. xxx

Festie not long to go now, and it will fly by, honestly- I'm 39 weeks today according to the hospital! And if it makes you feel any better I was also hot, uncomfortable and weepy yesterday, and unfortunately decided to take it out on DH when he got home from his late night.

Had a massive row, lots of yelling and crying, me accusing him of all sorts, him pointing out that I wasn't so shit hot either... and this went on til midnight!
We sorted it out in the end, but went to bed with no tea, which wasn't so bad for me as I felt sick anyway, but poor DH... and only 2 weeks after his Grandma died, as he rightly pointed out. What a cow I am.

Still, we're ok again now, though every time it happens I suspect DH loves me a little less and wonders what the hell he's done to deserve the abuse a little more.

Have had a productive day so far-

coloured wash
washed up (it's an achievement for me!)
finally cleaned out the under sink cupboard for the cleaning products (only lived here 15 months!)
emptied the beech bookcase, am in process of finding homes for all the crap that was on it
Took all our DVDs, videos, CDs, tapes and LPs off bed in bedroom 2 and put on aforementioned bookcase
tools upstairs and away in cupboard
poured unblocker down all the plugholes
sorted through all the piles of paperwork all over the living room and filed them away
finally sorted out the last 2 shelves on our epic storage system
found a home for the chandelier boxes until I get my act in gear and put them up
cleared off side table and the top of the piano (and filled it with more attractive-looking mess)
and had a cold bath as a reward!

just need to sort out some of the paperwork on my computer, clean out the fridge freezer with bicarb & get it in place, and try to clear the last random bits of homeless stuff off DH's sofa before he gets home at 7:30.

FX it gets done, but I'm pleased with my efforts so far. Lots of exercise!

Thanks rus. Sorry your day ended up with a row. I feel really sorry for my dh too at the moment; he is being lovely and I am a horrible, miserable harridan!
What makes it worse is that his ex glowed through pregnancy, so it's been a shock to his system putting up with me! I'm sure, although bewildering for them, they do understand that we're less reasonable than usual for good reasons!

I think the baby has managed to kick itself round into a transverse position today. I'm very uncomfortable and all the movements seem to be at opposite ends of my bump horizontally iyswim. I hope it's not planning on staying there!

Well done on getting all your chores done. Maybe now peanut will feel ready to make an appearance! It's funny - very soon, she'll have a proper name! I wonder about how confused my 3yo is going to get once my baby arrives; I'm sure she's going to want to carry on calling it Cleetus! :o

Hi everyone! I'm ten weeks today so won't be heading over here properly until my scan at 12+2 but am furiously lurking waiting for Rusulka to give birth!

I'm being grumpy too and I can't even blame advanced pregnancy. PiL arriving today for a three day stay, wish me luck!

Right, back to the Conception board. Don't want to tempt fate!

I'm back! Popped in hoping to hear about peanut, sorry to see you are still hanging around Rus but she will come when she's ready.

Hope all is ok with DH now, it's going to be a stressful time waiting and I'm sure we'll have similar bust ups. I'm impressed with your list of jobs done though.

Festie I'm sure you are not horrible and you're nearly there now! Hope baby moves back soon.

Lovely to see you Disco can't wait to have you join us properly!

Had a lovely weekend in London and came home to find that Dh has put all the nursery furniture together and it looks lovely :) However clearly that has taken priority as the rest of the house is a state! I can't believe I have only been gone for 2 days. Not complaining though as he did have to work too while I was swanning around a VERY hot London.

Thanks Festie, lol at your little one wanting to continue using Cleetus. We're still going to be calling her Peanut, I suspect. DH wants to name subsequent bumps after other kinds of nuts...

Hi Disco! [waves furiously] nice to see you, FX for a good scan! I'm furiously staring at bump, my eyes must be burning holes in her bum willing her down and outwards...

Lil that's great DH put the furniture together! I had to do all ours (grump).

Yep, Peanut's still behind bars so to speak, on the plus side had midwife appt today, and though she said she wasn't engaged (I had expressed concerns), she said 'let's play a game' and got me to (try) and sit up while she had her hands there- and she said the good news is, her head does fit in my pelvis! Whoop! I said I'm not surprised with my fat arse and she did headshakings and it doesn't work like that explainings.
I told her I'd read online that if your baby didn't engage, you wouldn't go into labour naturally, and she pulled that 'what total bollocks' face I find so reassuring.
I also expressed concern about her facing outwards rather than inwards, and she said she was facing inwards while we were in there, so more good news.

Other than that, not much doing. Cleaned DH's grandma's old fridge freezer (filthy) and got it in place, but due to steps leading down into kitchen, the freezer bit can't open unless we put it on brieze blocks (sp?) so will have to find some somewhere!

Trying to come up with labour-inducing schemes... DH being in London today with his dad didn't work, so will have to come up with something else.
Thinking of cracking out zumba and my rabbit (not at same time, obvs)- one of those has got to work, right? Or even better, plan a family meal out, lol!

If this weather continues I'm going to remove all the babygrows from my hospital bag as it'll be too hot for anything other than a nappy!

Hi disco - 10 weeks! Yay, you're getting there! Won't be long before you can join us properly!

Glad you had a good weekend lil - wouldn't have fancied London in the heat! Glad your baby furniture is all sorted though.

Lol at Zumba/rabbit option rus! Hope it doesn't come to that!

I'm awake at 5am because my baby is definitely a troll. Think I've had a couple of mild contractions and just generally feeling backachey. Got a midwife appointment later, so will see what she says. Reckon it's just my body preparing for labour, but never had it start this early before so it's freaking me out! Know the prognosis is good at this stage (34+4) but would rather hang on a couple more weeks!

Cripes Festie!
Let us know what your midwife says, ok?
Thinking of you.

Well, mowing the lawn didn't work. The rabbit didn't work. Haven't tried zumba yet. Last day for a leo today though, so looks like she'll be a virgo regardless. (DH thinks astrology is nonsense and I'm kicking up a fuss over nothing). He pointed out that being this tense about it is probably stopping it happening, just like when we were trying to conceive... so if I just forget about it and get on with stuff, she'll be ready to make an appearance. Can't fault his logic!
In which case I think I'll accompany the boys up to London at the weekend for a mooch in the shops. I really want to go, but was going to say no in case anything happens, but I can't live my life like that, so sod it.

Might also make some plans for over the next couple of weeks... and actually start venturing out of the house again! I'm so pathetic...

Off to treliske for monitoring - blood pressure 170/100! And now we've got a flat tyre! Bollocks! Will keep you posted! xx

Flat tyres always happen at the worst times. Hope you got there Festie and everything is ok. Keep us posted, thinking of you. (Also glad you seem to be the only one of us who has a poshy phone so you can update us. May have to work out how to use DH's for when I go in)

Rus unless you are in hospital atm I guess you're not getting your leo, I am impressed at the lengths you have been to to get her out on time though. I agree with your DH - remember you kept telling me when we were ttc that I needed to focus on other things / complete projects and RELAX and it will happpen then.
Agree also that you can't keep your life on hold (although while on the train I did think it would prob be the last time I took that trip for a while) Have a good time in London and peanut will arrive when she is ready.

Not feeling very productive today. I went and filmed my dance exam last night (exams are officially the end of sept but won't be able to get near my parter by then so nice exam lady said she would accept a video.) Think maybe I overdid it as shattered today and hip is really hurting.

Finally managed to wash and dry all the baby clothes so going to sort them later and have ordered some stuff for my hospital bag so don't feel I've wasted the whole day!

Just got home. Blood pressure calmed considerably once I got there and traces and bloods all came back ok. Got to have another bP check with my midwife on friday. Just hope that's it now. Only 2 weeks and I'm officially term so got to hang on!

xx

Glad you are home and things have settled down. Now rest for the next few weeks and look after yourself x

Hey ladies,

Festie glad you're ok. I'd love to say 2 weeks will fly by, but coming up on 39/40 weeks, and the last 2 have crawled for me!

Lil what kind of dancing have you been doing? I'm picturing some sort of latin if you need to get THAT close to your partner, lol. And well done on washing all the clothes and getting them ready, that and the hospital bag are good achievements to have under your belt!

Well, I'm still here, so no Leo Peanut for me. :(
I just hope that she's an August baby still, but due date is 28th, so she might spill over...

This morning she's been beating me up- honestly, duvet monster is no fun when the duvet is your own skin!
I keep saying to her (quite crossly) "If you want more room, there's plenty out here, and you know damn well where the exit is!"
DH says she's being just like me- all stubborn and "I'm not using your stupid exit, I'm going to find a different way" which does explain all the poking in my right side (she is so not coming out there!) and eventually she'll sit and have a whinge, and say "I can't do it, it's too hard, there's nowhere to go" and we'll have to say "Ok, don't be upset. Come out this way and have a cuddle" and then she will.
I think DH has been thinking about this way too much! Lol.

London isn't happening on Saturday now, which is a pisser, but I guess a good thing. Not meant to be at any rate. Me and DH are going to go to Bluewater instead and use my pizza express voucher I printed off the net- 3 courses for £12.95! We haven't had a meal out in ages, and it's not expensive, and it is our anniversary, so what the heck.

Today I'm going to actually leave the house (gasp) and walk to Lidl as apparently they're doing giant sacks of tulips and daffodils and we have sod all of either in our garden. Also I might mooch in the charity shops... not that I can bear the thought of washing any more baby clothes, but I could just stick them in with the next mixed wash, so not too much of a chore. Just need to remember to use the right wash stuff!

Have a lovely day ladies, thank god it's cooler now!