Due in October 2012 Part 6 - Third Trimester Trials and Tribulations

[YompingJo]

Shiny new thread!

Ready?
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Go!

Hi all!

crazy sorry your mum wasn't able to understand your choice. It must be hard for both of you - hang in there.

squid outdoor Shakespeare? Are you in Cambridge? I am, we've got an outdoor Shakespeare festival on at the moment.

Who had thrush? I had it, canasten is fine apparently (thank goodness!)

And who had a sore back? best thing I ever learned about back pain - its often/usually caused by muscle knots, and you can't stretch them out, you have to actually break the little bastards up with force. More annoyingly, they cause refered pain - you feel the pain somewhere different from where the problem is. Problem: you can't actually reach your own back with the level of force required! Tip: get a small hard ball, like a tennis ball (I have ones about half the size of that, hard foam from the pound store) and roll the ball between your back and a wall. If you find a spot that hurts like nobody's business, keep rolling - that's the spot.

Obviously this only applies if your pain is from muscle knots - mine sure is! It's worth a try because if it works, it's a cheap fix.

A few months ago (after waaaaay too much upoer back pain, i gosh darn hate upper back pain) I actually even bought this dodgy-looking but it turns out very good Ebook about muscle knots and how to fix them: saveyourself.ca/tutorials/trigger-points.php

hth!

Planktonette nah, I'm in Sheffield. It was only here for a week, was in this spectacular park overlooking the whole city. More outdoor plays next week and end of the month though - I love the summer.

Lovely weather here, going swimming with my mum, there is an amazing outdoor pool in the Peak district I love, not far from here. Have decided my maternity swimming costume makes me look dumpy and hideous and considering reverting back to bikini in moment of madness/ bump exhibitionism

Hope all teachers and others who are off are enjoying time off - and endless thoughts to those still working. And lots of and and maybe to the poor sods moving house - hope it all works out brilliantly in the end, and you have all my sympathy in the meantime.

hi all

It's so difficult to keep up with everything!! londonlivvy love love love weddings! apart from the one I've been invited to next weekend as I'm like a whale now and outgrown the maternity dress I bought

Londonmrss I'm watching your thread re:birthing partners with interest and was talking about childbirth with DH this morning...I tend to make a lot of jokes & things sometimes hugely inappropriately when I'm nervous so really hoping to keep my sense of humour for as long as possible while labouring and not become a banshee!! But I have warned him not to take it personally if I start being a bitch, it's just the hormones, ya know?!!

My FIL stupidly said at the weekend that he hoped I wouldn't be swearing during labour as he didn't when he had root canal the other day...my response was too rude to print here but along the lines of, you shit out a pumpkin and tell you wouldn't swear, smart arse!!

kyyria I've got another scan at 33 weeks to see if the ole placenta has moved or not...anyone with other dc's had a low lying placenta? Did it move (I'm aware that in 90% of cases it does between 20-33wks) & if it didn't, when do they make that call to give me a CS instead?

midgetm love the thought of your daughter's room, sounds very fetching & regal!!

And a mini-rant if I can please? I'm really frigging fed up with SWEATING all the bloody time, it's so embarrassing!!! Can't wait to finish work (9 looooooong weeks to go) just so I don't have to sit in meetings where I'm drippy, shiny & uncomfortable for hours on end, even in an environment that's air-conditioned!! It comes out of nowhere so not even triggered by heat, tea, spicy foods, etc and of all the symptoms I'm going through, it's just the worse!!! ARGH!

Oh and another thing! I wish people would stop telling me to 'take it easy'!! Why would I??? I'm mobile (although not quite in the same league as squid!), have no pain in the day to complain of, still need to go to work, commute, go grocery shopping, do housework, etc. I'll keep moving until I physically am unable to, if that's ok?!? Plus I do have the times I want to relax, with in the garden but frankly I just can't sit on my butt all day long, I get bored too easily. So there.

Ok, that's all for now, glad to have got that off my huge hooters

35, dripping with sweat, anyone got a towel handy?, 28+2, dc#1

A quick hello as realised it's ages since posting, but I've been reading regularly and thinking of you all. Lovely to hear all your news, this thread really helps to convince me I'm not alone!

Londonlivvy I'm sure you'll meet people as time goes on, but definitely share your fear of 'what if no-one likes me/I don't like anyone/who can I call about all this baby stuff'. There will be groups where you'll meet other mums as you say, and we'll all be here too I suspect!

LondonMrss I've started trying to have chats with DH about birth plan etc, as much to get his brain into it as mine - he keeps saying 'it's your choice' on each element, so I'm trying to point out that it's my body, yes, but our baby and he's a key part of the team! We went to a yoga birth-prep class on Sunday which was very brave of him, and he came back a bit wide eyed and said 'I think we need to practice some of that stuff'. Bless! I have no idea how i'll react when the time comes, sometimes I really withdraw into a little bubble and other times I need lots of loud music etc to get me through (based on past medical/stressful situations - not sure if being in a plane is a good comparison for birth though!).

Ladies who've been trying out the hypnobirthing DVDs/CDs, any comments on how it's going?

Good luck vibes and to everyone struggling with house moves and tricky discussions with work/relatives/DHs.

6 more weeks of work to go here... mat leave cover saga continuing, they've finally found someone to take it on, but she can't start til January, leaving 3.5 months with no cover :( So now I'm running another recruitment round (boss is away for all of Aug) to create an interim acting-up position from within the team. Grrrr.

One quick question - anyone else got a real tightness at the bottom of the bump, just above/around pubic bone? It feels really weird, not really worried but very aware of it, especially as i've got to get into London this afternoon so will be walking around more than usual. Maybe baby has shifted (s/he spends most of the time trying to climb up my right ribs at the moment)??

Love to all you amazing bean-ovens
33, 31 weeks tomorrow, DC1

Loopy I'm suffering with sweats/hot flushes too! Complete nightmare! Got 2 fans on my desk and the windows open and still it's pouring off me!

I'm in agony today. still not sleeping well (3hrs last night) although still can't pinpoint what is keeping me awake. That said, today my lower back and hips are killing so that may have something to do with it. Pregnancy pillow ordered! Have now also got a cranky DH as kept him awake all night

32, 28+2, #1

Oh and Loopy yes yes yes to being too hot all the time - I'm consistently wearing at least one layer fewer clothes than anyone else and still red and hot and sticky and yuk.

LondonLivvy, you look lovely in your dress. I imagine that the person who said "are you sure" was (misguidedly) trying to be complimentary, as in, wow, you are tiny, but they just misjudged it fairly badly. It would have pissed me off too!

Squid, didn't you have a low lying placenta? Has it shifted?

Mickey, lovely compact bump . And I've got that underwear too . Well done for dancing.

Smorgs, don't hate me, but I was pleasantly surprised by those photos of your place - from what you had said, I was imagining far, far worse and it actually doesn't look too bad - is it possible it's not quite as awful as you think and it's just pregnancy hormones making it seem worse? I lived in worse than that when I was a student. Then again, I have quite a high scum tolerance compared to lots of people. You can get stuff from B&Q that cleans up grout, or you could just put new white sealant over the top of it. My thoughts are with you though, having no hot water is horrible, expecially if you're finding that you're extra sweaty, - I'm the same, Loopy and Kyrria, and I was pretty sweaty pre-pregnancy anyway! TMI alert but I'm getting through 2 pairs of knickers a day because I just don't feel fresh even with a daily shower

Angelico, congrats, hopefully she is feeling better now.

Re the optimal foetal positioning, LondonMrs, my doula said that sitting back on a sofa is bad as it encourages lazy baby to lie the wrong way round, so sitting upright, or on a birthing ball or something is better as that encourages the head (heaviest part) to tip downwards. I'm on a mission to get an exercise ball this week! Also, you're banned from looking at anyone else's bump photos until you have bitten the bullet and stuck your own up . Also (lots for you today!) I have a Special Technique for putting on socks that doesn't involve help from neighbours! I sit on the bed with feet on the floor hip width apart then plonk left ankle on right knee (as if I'm about to go into the lotus position but for god's sake don't try that!). This means I can get the sock on my left foot - then do the opposite for the right foot. It felt weird for a while but I'm used to it now.

Midget, lol at shelling them like peas! That's what I'm hoping for, or the sneeze birth from the "What to Expect" film . Glad you're enjoying all the Olympic action!

Cherry, your kids sound lovely, Enjoy Seoul! We've gone for a BabyBjorn sling as I have a dodgy back and needed one with lots of support. Tried one out in the shop with a pretend baby and it was really easy to get on, get baby in and get fastened by myself. Got it cheap on eBay like the rest of our purchases so far as I am a total pikey who refuses to pay full price for anything ever

Beeble, to satisfy your DH's curiosity there will be DH and our doula - plus hopefully 2 midwives (planning a homebirth). I'd be completely and utterly horrified very self conscious at the thought of any relatives being there. Like Mickey, we are having a doula mainly to help DH support me and to help him feel comfortable that everything is OK as otherwise he'll worry about seeing me in any discomfort and I'll worry about him worrying. Also so that if the birth doesn't go as planned and we are whisked off to hospital, there is a familiar, constant and reassuring face there for both of us even if the midwives come and go.

CWest, happy 30th and congrats of the early mat. leave, and the house, glad it is all working out for you!

MrsConfusion - re hynobirthing CD - bollocks, must remember to actually listen to it!

Hey peeps, just a quick hello and thanks for good wishes for sister and nephew :) He is gorgeous but my sister isn't keen on the whole putting names online so won't tell you the name - it's very traditional, nothing 'out there' :)

Was holding him on Sunday night and thinking, "We're going to have one of these in about 7-8 weeks! How is that even possible?!" Found him much more fascinating knowing we were going to have one soon, looked at the cord clip thing which was fine - compared to the ancient, horrifying pics MW showed us in AN class! Missed the meconium nappy as would have liked to be ready for 'the horror' :o Sister said she had to use half a pack of wipes to get it off him, sod the recommended cotton wool, that stuff wasn't for budging :o

Will have a proper catch up later, friend visiting and taking her to airport, she is packing stuff up - her visit flew in! Love to all xo

Ooh this is busy today! Just going to shove my oar in as usual to any ongoing debates

loopyla Yes I do/did have a low lying placenta - they are re-scanning me at 36 weeks. I was initially worried about it. However now I figure if they let me go to 36 weeks and don't tell me to take it easy (I specifically asked if I had to stop doing anything and said I was quite active and they said no, carry on as normal) and I haven't had any bleeding at all and am now 33 weeks... so am not worried about it any more. Would rather not have the scan as find them worrying/stressful but it will be ok I'm sure. At my hospital they scan at 32 weeks if they're covering/very close and 36 if they're within 1cm so I guess I wasn't that close anyway. If it hasn't moved I will be asking them to scan me again as many still move in the last few weeks and I am very keen on a vaginal birth. But you could decide to have a section at that point if you prefer, I think. You should see a consultant to discuss it, anyway.

To continue in that vein... providing placenta is ok... Yomping yeah I am planning a home birth. I wasn't that fussed with the idea of a pool (I see myself standing/kneeling/pacing and wasn't sure I'd like it) but EVERYONE has told me how wonderful they are for pain relief so I am hiring one from the midwives. I have a very big front room with laminate floor so I can deal with a bit of mess/wet!

Hypnobirthing cd - I have listened to mine about 4 or 5 times now and usually fall asleep. Apparently it doesn't matter if you fall asleep, the whole plan is to make the connection between labour and relaxing. Some of it seems a bit crazy to me but again have heard really good reports. I think like many things if your labour is straightforward it may help.

birthing partners - am having boyfriend and one of my mates if she can get here (she lives in london). She is a midwife so it will be sort of like having a doula I suppose.

mrsconfusion I get odd bits of tightness in the bump at times, yeah. I am still not sure if they are braxton hicks or not. Usually all over or sometimes down low.

I am also changing my knickers a lot and showering more than I used to. Niiiice!

I am a bit fed up with being pregnant today and even though I am lucky and I know I am more mobile than some and not as big as some... I miss my waist and I am a bit sick of being big and slow. I did wear my bikini out in public this morning though and felt ok. Boyfriend says I look lovely, says nice things like "I had no idea you would still be so attractive at 33 weeks!" (he's well trained). I just, meh, well you guys understand, don't you....

Yomping thanks for that, have been trying to sit properly with my knees below my hips etc. Shame really as I love a bit of time with my feet up on the sofa.
MrsConfusion, re hypnobollocks, I've been listening to my natal hypnotherapy CDs a bit. They're nice, but I do always fall asleep when I listen. What I'm actually doing more of is using the 'birth music' natal hypnotherapy CD as my yoga music and doing lots of stretching and breathing to that. It might be enough for me to associate that music with relaxation so that when I put it on in labour I can get into the same relaxed state. My own interpretation of hypnobirthing I guess.
In other news, we've just bought our first tumble dryer! I'm so excited. Promised I would never get one because of how terrible they are for the environment, but the thought of all that baby laundry just using clothes airer brought on a 'screw the environment' attitude.

Hi all,

Now who was it that was asking about names?

I'm very superstitious about names, don't want to tell ANYONE what we're thinking about, but you ladies are always upfront so please do stick your oar in and tell me what you think of the final three candidates for our boy, squidgy (squidgy has been squidgy since long before I met you, squid!)...

Selection criteria:

DH and I are both skinny wee things, waaaaay below normal on the BMI front, with a predisposition to awful teeth/skin/pallidness (and what a sexy couple we make ). So if we give the kid a 'tough' name, it's unlikely that he will 'grow into it'. Our squidgy is likely to have a nerdish physique.

Similarly, we're cleverclogs - DH has a PhD and whatnot, I do technical computer-y things. We are, I guess, a bit over-educated and Guardian-reader-y. So we're steering well, well away from names that sound posh or I-eat-organic-food-y - no 'Tarquin' or 'Jasper' type options (even though actually, I quite like 'Jasper' ;) ).

...and lastly, squidgy needs a name that will suit him no matter who he turns out to be - squidgy might be a friendly-but-not-bright, or a bit of a rough-and-tumble type, or an introspective bookworm, who knows? A kid called 'Miles' who grows up to be an electrician will always sound like he has the wrong name, I want squidgy to be able to be an electrician if he wants.

My aunt has this theory - 'never give a child a name that will sound out of place if they become Prime Minister.' I think she's right.

It should also sound nice with DH's surname, which is Guilfoyle (which we pronounce, incorrectly as it turns out, as GILL-foil. Apparently in Ireland it's gill-FOYLE.)

OK contenders at play are...

Josh
Zach
Tom

...what do you think?

Oh, and -

Had my first pregnancy yoga today! Why didn't I start earlier? It was fantastic!

Plankton, oddly enough (and I'm very name-critical), I really like all of those. Zach definitely sounds like a cool cat, clever, trendy. Reckon that's my favourite. Josh is similar, he sounds a bit more shy. Tom is my least favourite of those, but only because it's so common- still a lovely name.

We've named our little girl and call her by name all the time. It was a struggle to find something that worked in both languages (hubby is French), but we found a name we're happy with and that now feels like her name.

If the sonographer was wrong and we're having a boy, not sure what we'll do! She did seem sure it was a girl.

Those of you who know the sex- are you finding a name of the opposite sex in case a surprise pops out?

Thanks everyone for your info on who will you have with you at the birth. I figure that I'll stick to my guns and just say me and DH, and if anything complicated comes up, his mom is really only 30 minute drive away 5 min walk down the hallway as will probably be waiting biting nails in her office in post-partum anyways and we will call her to come in, and spell off DH if he needs it. I visualize myself internalizing a lot during labour, as i do when i'm really sick and not feeling well. I'm a leave me alone and don't touch me, but check on my once in a while to see if i need a drink/soup whatever. We don't have the option of pools here, so i will be in the shower likely for a lot of the time.

re: BH - I'm thinking that is what i'm having but i'm really not sure. Mine also mostly across the bottom of my belly and just feels tight, and if i were to poke my belly feels like it might pop. It seems to happen most often if I stand up to quickly from sitting or have been walking too fast... anyone else noticing this?

plankton oooooh prenatal Yoga. Went to my 3rd class this week isn't it fab! I'm really enjoying practicing some labouring positions. Our prenatal class isn't until september and i'm not sure how much they will cover, and would hate to go early and have missed the important stuff. Oh and GREAT names! Zach was on our initial list... not sure why it dropped off somewhere along the line as I still like it. COuld have been DH's "I've taught too many of those" names.

yomping I'm really enjoying being pregnant during the day but HATING it at night. I was up at 12 to pee and 2 to pee and then woke up at 3 and couldn't get back to sleep. Changed bedrooms/pillows etc. Tried with a blanket and without, and thought i was thirsty so i had a drink, then i had a snack, and then i said screw it and played on the computer for an hour then tried to get back to sleep. I feel like i have swallowed a bumble ball and although the kicks do not hurt it is enough now to wake me up and keep me awake. Ended up with a warm compress on my forehead propped up with pillows wrapped in a blanket with a teddy bear yes a teddy bear to get back to sleep.

Oh and i got DH to watch one episode of OBEM this weekend. One of the midwives was having a baby, so all the other midwives were soooo excited! Funny to see that she did not have ANY doctors in with her at all... that goes to say a lot I think. I wish i could get more episodes to watch, but they are really hard to find for download here in Canada. A lot of the streaming sites are "blocked for my viewing region" oh well.

Ok... i'm sure your eyes are burning from all thaaaat reading now so signing off.
and remembering my stats for once!
Beeble - 30 - 29+4 DC#1.

I can't remember, but do we have a due date list on this group?? Perhaps it's getting near enough the end to start one? What do you think?

I like all those names plankonette - in fact all were suggestions I made that we're vetoed by DH - we are also your over educated Graunaid reading types with PhDs

I like hearing everyone's names! :)

Pretty certain our boy is going to be Toby, that's what we keep calling him! Might also be Xavier but it doesn't feel quite right to me. As for a girl (if it turns out both scans were wrong) my current fave is Delilah. I may or may not have decided that after seeing Tom Jones at the Jubilee concert.... I'm not fussed about telling people our name choices, doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

Lying on the couch eating chocolate & watching Olympics after coming home early from work sick. Just sore throat and feeling run down.

Freaking out slightly today because DH and I spent all of yesterday preparing his application for a job in Sydney that we found out about on Friday. A great opportunity for him, and good salary (even considering how expensive Sydney is) - plus a bit closer to home for us. He has a good chance of getting it.

Although now I'm thinking WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING?!?!?! If he gets this job, it's going to mean moving to the other side of the world (and getting our cats back over) with a newborn baby. We don't have family or friends in Sydney either (DSIL is in Melbourne). Plus I have DMIL coming over in October and baby and I are meant to be in the Antipodes anyway for Dec & Jan....

I'm telling myself it'll be fine whether he gets the job or not, but I'm still freaking out. We haven't told anyone except one friend that he's applied.

28 + 4 ....

beeble tell unwanted birth-crashes your hospital has a one birth partner only policy for infection control reasons (mine is very strict on this).

And that if they weren't at the conception, they're not invited to the birth

I like all 3 Plankton! Sorry if that's no help.

Am currently feeling baffled - how am I meant to keep my ankles higher than my hips to stop my feet getting swollen, whilst simultaneously keeping my knees below my hips to encourage baby to be head down? Surely these two positions contradict each other totally?

Hi all,

Must be that time where we all find it hard to believe that there is going to be a baby at the end of all this. I keep thinking about labour but I don't believe that I'm actually going to do it...

Am just having DP in as birth partner. Am not sure if Mum would want to and I do feel it should be quite private. Am going to have to prep him a LOT though, as he is pretty clueless. He was very shocked that you can have meconium in your waters when we went to the birthing centre.

LondonMrs Know what you mean about the Royal London, they do seem a little bit slow. Once we had an scan at 8.30, got there at 8.20 and there was no one there to let us in!

Must be nice to have a new baby to 'observe' Angelico . I read that putting vaseline on baby's bum before that first poo helps with the meconium situation.

Zara That's exciting about the job, though can understand your hyperventilation! I love Australia and think it would be such a fantastic place to bring up children. Hope you get the result you want. I really like Toby and I LOVE Delilah, haven't seen that one crop up very much at all.

Plankton I think my fave is Zach, but they're all really nice, definitely the type of boys you'd want your daughter to marry .

Beeble I remember that ep of OBEM as I'm completely obsessed with it. She was so funny when she got the injection and was totally out of it. It seemed like she managed to get some kind of morphine option and I don't remember hearing about that as an option so wonder if she got some kind of extra special MW bonus!

Londonlivvy I'm also worried about meeting other Mums as I don't have anyone near but I figure I'm just going to have to force myself to go to Mother and Baby groups and try and look normal and friendly!

Thanks for all the advice, especially Midget re the pessary. I popped in on the off chance of seeing the MW and she sorted out a prescription for Canestan for me.

Re names, we're thinking of Elliott for a boy and Amelie for a girl. I know Amelie is pretty popular at the moment but we have had it down as THE name for years and I just can't imagine anything else.

Oh dear so much for a routine appt!

So the nurses did their usual (wee sample, bp) and it turns out bp was ridiculously high 152/100! The Dr came in and ordered a GTT, some bloods to be taken and said I would need to stay after the growth scan next week to be monitered and have steroids injections to strengthen babys lungs.
Not too bad I thought although I was worried as when I had the steroids injections last time, my c section was booked for a couple weeks later. However the Dr said its just a precaution, and whilst baby may have to be born earlier than 34 wks, if they can keep her in til 36 they will.
They took my bp again (still high) so said they wanted me to arrange for my midwife to come and see me tomorrow to retake it. They also hoped the dosage of my bp tablets.
So I phoned the midwife when I got home and she said she wanted to come and see me in the morning. I said I was working an early shift and she said "working? With bp that high u shouldn't be anywhere near work!" So I took her advice and called in sick for tomorrow. They asked if I'm being signed off so I phoned the midwife AGAIN.
This time she said basically if my bp is ok tomorrow I MAY be allowed to go back on Thursday, but if its still high, there's every chance I will get signed off and taken into hospital!!
So my earlier maternity leave may start even earlier!
I know they will do all they can for me, but now I'm really really panicking that they will have to get baby out in the next couple of weeks.......not helping my bp at all I shouldn't think... ..

shall we dance yes she kepts saying "i'm off my face" which i take it is some UK term for feeling very drunk and "i love you even though you did this to me" which made me giggle. Seems anyone i have seen on that show take the morphine seems totally out of it mentally, really groggy/sleepy passing in and out of conciousness and I'm not sure that I'd want to be like that. Think if anything did go wrong you would NOT be in the mind frame to make any decisions.

Anyone else afraid of throwing up throughout the whole labour?

yomping your last post made me arf with the whole hips/ankles/knees thing. Very true. My favourite position is prone on the sofa preferably with tasty snack to hand.

smorgs do you think it's worth your while looking at another place, if you're potentially going to be miserable in the one you've paid the deposit for? I can see why it's thrown and upset you, but it sounds to me like your DH is just wanting to do the best thing for your growing family. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll all work out. And fwiw, like yomping, I thought the pics weren't as bad as I was expecting. You can get grout cleaner which'll make the bathroom look a million times better (and his 'n' hers sinks - ooo, posh )

zara WOW re job- what a decision to make, and what a time to make it! Very exciting...all the best with trying to figure it all out.

Plankton I like all those names too! And zara we're also thinking of Toby for a boy - it's our 2nd choice behind current frontrunner Charles (nn Charlie), and for a girl Emilia. I'll prob do the same as I did with DS though, have a total meltdown and not name him/her for a week. Fecking hormones.

Londonmrs just to freak you out, they do more often make mistakes saying it's a girl rather than a boy! It's happened to a few friends of mine! Having said that, I'm pretty sure they get it right more often than wrong...

I've also been told the vaseline trick for meconium nappies. Last time I was so out of it and struggling to stand so badly that DH changed all the meconium nappies - I still have never witnessed meconium! Reeesult. Wonder if I can get away with it again this time...doubt it!

Loopy at your FIL. Excellent response! I'd've been tempted to stick his knackers in a vice and twist and see if he swore. Root canal vs labour?? Pffft.

londonlivvy NCT classes are funny old things, aren't they. I remember looking round anxiously each week, wondering who would be my next BFF Don't worry too much about being soulmates with anyone - it's partly a platform for meeting wider groups of friends. Everyone ends up with their fingers in different pies, and you network with a big variety of people as a result. It's useful - just keep up the links. I've ended up closest to the person I thought I had least in common with whilst at the classes - funny how life pans out. I did the whole moving-out-of-London-to-procreate-thang, and it wasn't always easy, but it was so worth it.

CWest happy 30th!! And congrats on the early mat leave, what a total result. Really pleased for you.

Work tomorrow and Thurs, and I so don't want to go in. I'm the only one in my role covering the entire hospital this week, and it's going to be total and utter murder. I'm too pregnant to do my job at that level now, realistically, and it's going to be so stressful I don't want to go!! Still, the end is in sight - last day is at the end of this month! 8 working days to go!

Feels to me like the baby's still the wrong way up, with his/her head jammed right into my right ribcage. Fecking uncomfortable today. Really hope he/she flips in time - can't deal with the thought of making decisions around breech birth. Getting loads of kicks and stretchy movements - think the baby goes transverse every now and then and stretches out. Ouch!!!

Also starting to worry about DS when I'm in labour. Our one and only option is an aunt who has offered to take DS, but really he hardly knows her. Because we have so little family and we just don't have the opportunities, DS has never been put to bed by anyone but me, ever, and I have no idea how he'll react. We'll give it a go hopefully between now and the actual birth, but if he reacts badly I'm going to worry about him so much. I'm already starting to feel that these are our last weeks together, and his little world is going to be rocked fundamentally. I just feel a bit helpless and like I'm failing him about the whole labour thing, and I don't know what to do to make it better. Argh, garbled rant. I know it's a small thing in the grand scheme of things, but my mind is struggling with it.

Wow, another epic post award here pls!!

X-posted Cwest - oh no!! Will keep everything crossed for you that your BP comes down and that everything is ok. Thinking of you.

Blimey! 6 pages to catch up with and comment on again must try harder! Got back late on Sunday night from my 'holiday' but it's been a bit of a whirlwind since. I'll start with my news then read up on what you all have been doing.

Had a docs appt end of last week (my 28 wk checkup at 29+5!) and was found to have 'creeping up' blood pressure (130/88) but no protein in my urine. Had to go back this morning for repeat urine and blood pressure. Blood pressure was the same, still no protein in urine, but sugar in my urine. Saw my consultant this afternoon who scanned the baby, although he found it difficult to get a good view due to my fibroids. He said she is now measuring big and is hanging out for my GTT test/result (Thursday) and wants to take over my care exclusively and see me once a week. It's all seeming very serious now. I figure, best case scenario, I am nearly 2 weeks further on than my consultant thinks (I was thought to be so after 12 week scan but he put me back due to baby 'measuring small' around 20 weeks) and I don't have GD. Worse case scenario, I clearly have GD . Haven't had the guts yet to read up on the implications as I don't want to make myself stressed or anxious. Baby had a Doppler/ECG thing and is fine, dandy and in robust health, which is a big phew! It's just me that's the problem now.

I'm otherwise busy trying to nest and sort our lives out when I'm not (as I mostly am this week) permanently hopping between docs appointments. DP and I have talked at length about DSD2's difficult behaviour of late and he now acknowledges changes are needed and has stopped being defensive and started trying to make positive change in the way he responds to her - and I'm really proud of him for that. She seems to have a problem with glucose; getting hyperactive and disinhibited when she has more than a very very little. We have stopped access at our place to anything sweet that's non-fruit today and the difference in her mood/behaviour is marked. Seems I'm not the only one potentially having an issue with sugar although apparently if mine is GD, it will 'disappear' as soon as I give birth. I'm not 100% sure I believe that, after cases we had in the renal transplantation unit I worked in...but hey...

On the upside, my usually particularly crap mother has decided to send me the money to pay for ante-natal classes and to have my hair done - 2 things I wouldn't have been able to have otherwise. I'm very grateful to her but she's the kind of mum that has only ever been able to throw money at me, never love or understanding but hey, at least that's something eh? :) I mean, she's said she'll never come to Norway to see where I live or to see the baby. I just wonder how heavy the guilt trips will be to get me to go over there with the baby when she wants? Now I'm just being cynical and negative although whenever she bank rolls something she thinks she's bought a 'right' to it somehow so I'll shut up and go and read your posts... :) (smile plastered on face...)

41, 30+2 (or perhaps I'm actually 31+5?), own DC#1

Flip!! Prolific posting or what ladies!!!! Sitting waiting on a podiatry apt when I should actually be in bed!!! The joys of Irish people, stop bloody talking mr, I can hear u out here, half hour behind!!!!!!

I do not kno where to start responding, not read much for days and totally overwhelmed!!!