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

[YompingJo]

Shiny new thread!

Ready?
Steady?
Go!

Angelico my DH did come on here once to look for baby name ideas but came flustered saying "i can't understand it, they all talk in code. what does DD mean!!"

Thanks Yomping and bella and Beccus for your nice comments. I feel very supported here

Hugs Kyyria I have been to those patient participation groups, what a load of whiners they are! Hah! to you getting out of it. No suggestions for the sleep sorry, mine got a bit better when I stopped work so some of it was stress, but last night was a shocker! Half an hour one hip, half an hour the other... ouchie. My hips don't even remotely hurt in the day (not that I'm complaining about that).

Anyway am sat here waiting for midwife appointment at home "sometime between 9 and 12" so just doing pottery things like paying bills and buying dresses off asos, naughty.

Here's a weird thing. I want some advice on which sling to get, so I thought I might go along to one of these "sling-meets" that people talk about. Found a local one on facebook, will prob go on Thursday. However am slightly disconcerted that every single one of the women who are going has as a profile picture a photo of herself using a sling. I mean... I'd like a sling... but it's just an object isn't it! I don't plan for it to symbolise who I am! Hmmm........... feel wary about going now

which
dress
should I
buy

Yikes, hip pain all round by the sounds of things and some of you having lots of it :( for you for struggling on! Ironically got an email this morning from 'What to expect' - and it was all about 3rd trimester insomnia - thanks to (yes you've guessed it) hip pan, leg cramps, heartburn etc etc.

Kyrria you are so nearly there!!! Hang in there!

Squid the sling thing - we have 2, one a donated Baby Bjorn one which is quite cool for when the bean is up a bit, the other a second-hand 'Kari Me' which seems better for newborns but is like some kind of puzzle to put on Found a video on You Tube and think I have just about cracked it Really cool that MW comes to you, am jealous probably better I don't have to clean :o And the dresses are all lovely

Morning all! I'm shattered today too. Mostly cos there were foxes shagging/fighting loudly outside my window for 30mins at about 3am, I had to wee 3x, and DS woke at 5am. Argh. He's still poorly, poor mite. No sign of pox though...

Big sympathy to all those with hip pain at night - I had that last time but seem to be escaping it this time. No idea why. It's blardy awful though

Heartburn's been bad for me recently but it's cos I've been sneaking the odd sip of lovely chilled white wine. It's so unfair that in this weather just the smallest sniff of yummy white wine makes me feel like I'm going to spew fire. Boo.

squid tell your friend if she doesn't want all the post-preg food I'll have it! Seriously, what exactly can't you eat when bfing except some prescription drugs and excess booze? Or did I miss something whilst scoffing shellfish and soft cheese and bfing DS? How would anyone bf beyond about 5 mins after 9months of denial?!

And re. slings, I reckon the moby wrap is great. It's a lot of fabric and it's worth practising before the baby's born, but it's lovely and cosy and supportive for the baby. I think when they're out of that Ergo slings are good - it's handy to be able to put the baby on your back. Check out ebay for ones with minimal use (but watch out for brand new fake copies). THey hold their value but still cheaper than brand new.

Beccus your last post about your DP listening to music did make me laugh! That situation sounds so like something DH and I would enact...

yomping I'm also hating this hot weather. I feel like summer Scrooge at the moment. Bah sodding humbug. Although DS has a new word - "bumblebee" - and he sounds so unbelievably cute when he says it that it's worth having a bit of warmth to see them bumbling around and have him say it.

I've got an appointment with my sourfaced cow of a midwife this afternoon. I know you've all given me the right advice to request a different one, so I shouldn't moan, but I'm hopeless at making a fuss and I just keep hoping that this time she'll be nice. Chances are she'll be on holiday anyway so it won't be her. I met someone with a 7yr old who had her as her mw, and apparently she said then that she was retiring imminently. Obviously something went wrong and now she's stuck in a job she doesn't want to do. Marvellous.

I'm pretty confident the baby's still breech so am currently on all fours on the floor typing this post (beats scrubbing floors innit). My shoulders and arms are fecking killing me so I'll sign off for now!!!

Mickey, LOVE IT!!!!! Chuckled at crossing out "teen" and writing "baby"! Well done for painting it

Squid, the first dress, definitely. Very cool. And what Bell said, your friends are probably more conventional and think you need all the stuff just cos that's what everyone tends to get. People who go against the flow are often seen as "flying by the seat of their pants" because most people find security is stuff and can't understand how you could feel secure without all the stuff.

Angelico, hiccups? Yes, seems to be bean's favourite pasttime at the moment. I think I'm meant to find it cute but (whispers) I find it a bit annoying.

Kyyria, so sorry you are feeling so exhausted. This is a bit controversial, but I had 2 glasses of good red wine last night and slept like the dead - 9 hours solid, no waking up, no toilet trips, nothing. Maybe as a last resort? Good score with the NCT class!

Beccus, ROFL at the DIY with headphones, how funny that it was just coincidental. Maybe don't leave him after all

I'm also giggling at Crazy on all fours, typing. My homebirth book, which can be a bit whacky in places, seriously recommends focussing your thoughts on a breech baby and issuing the command "TURN" in a very firm inner voice! Let me know if it works!

Since our trip to the Fat Duck, DH has gone crazy... we bought the Big Fat Duck cookbook, but it turns out you can't really make any of the recipes if you don't own a water oven, nitrous freezer and all manner of weird expensive gizmos (DH: Can we buy some of these? Me: NO!). So he bought the Heston at Home cookbook which is a bit more down to earth and last night made a couple of the dishes from it. Oh My God. The steak was nice, but the carrots were orgasmic. Carrots, for goodness' sake.

The weird thing is, when I met DH, 3 and a bit years ago, the only thing he could cook from scratch was an omelette. No joking. His dinner most nights was a pizza, or sausages and chips done in the oven with maybe some frozen mixed veg if he was feeling ambitious. He smoked 20 a day, did no exercise (apart from rock climbing - no CV stuff anyway), drank tea and coffee like it was going out of fashion and was generally pretty unhealthy (hmm, it's a wonder we got together really!). Now, he has given up smoking (a year next week!), is training for a triathlon, has started eating fish and brocolli (he would have run a mile from these before) and is developing a cooking obsession. What on earth is going on? I mean, I love the changes, but I didn't instigate them, I loved him madly just as he was when I met him.

Have a lovey day everyone, I wish you minimal heartburn, hip pain and hormonal outbursts

Hmm, shall practice my firm inner voice. My firm outer voice isn't particularly convincing tbh so I don't hold out much hope...
TURN!!!
turn
turn?

Yomping - I found it annoying too sssssshhhhhh! :o And dying to know what Heston does to those carrots...

Crazy good luck down there :) PMSL at the 'firm inner voice'! :o

Ha, love this thread

Angelico & Yomping yes to annoying. And shhh. This baby seems to have had daily bouts of hiccups since about 20wks though, enough already!!

yomping am seriously tempted by the wine idea...as long as a down gaviscon to counteract the heartburn!!

One of the nurses at work has suggested a mattress topper, or lying on a single duvet on my side of the bed - might give the duvet idea a go...

Might as well have been levitating last night with all the pillows!

Had a bit of a freak out yesterday as realised 30wks next week and then the countdown gets into single figures!! Not sure if now is the appropriate time to be thinking is there any way I can have the baby but without the labour!!

32, 29+1, #1

Hello all! So glad to read lots of posts to make me giggle, thank you!!! Laughing too at the firm inner voice....... I keep willing my baby to be good, go right way round and notice when mummy sleeps!!! Can't say it's a firm inner voice, possibly just me losing the plot.........

Funny, just said to DH this morn that no hiccups in ages....! Thought maybe they stopped by now but will possibly return by sounds of it!

Here's an odd one. Anyone hav a square bump any time??? Told that to MW this morning and got an odd look!! Being tall, think still lots of somersaulting room in there and twice yesterday my stomach looked like a cube!!! Judging by poky long bits, baby must be transverse when it happens and feck me but it feels uncomfortable...... Today MW had a good feel and said head down, so hopefully it stays there more often than not!

Hello to all, have read all your posts and loving them! Sorry I hav not energy to reply to...... Bad lady, really is not easy with a phone :-((

Love the dresses squid! All nice and pretty! I hav wedding in 2 wks, bought a maxi dress in new look in multi blue colours but afraid I look like a mountain in it......... DH assuring me I don't but not sure of his honesty there! Just after buying a stretchy faux wrap type black dress from Gok Wan in sainsburys for £20 in sale in bigger size....... Black much more me and might just fit!!!

Oh Plankton thank u so much for sharing NCT info, partic pleased to be reminded to get DH to wear a shirt, never even occurred to me.

Thank you all, take it easy, xx

haha!! TURN!!

Well my midwife appointment was lovely, I really like my midwife, she's friendly but also the right amount of authoritative/no nonsense. We talked through my plans for the home birth and she was very supportive. I am only 5-10 mins from the hospital so I feel very positive and safe about it all. She said the main reasons women planning home births end up going in to hospital are

1. meconium
2. bleeding after delivery
3. fetal distress (ie slow heart rate)
4. failure to progress
5. baby cold after birth and hard to warm up at home (didn't know that one!)
6. retained placenta
7. tear too large to suture at home (they can do small ones)

That was good to know.

I can have a pool, gas and air, morphine (declined that, not keen), mobilise as I please, will only have vaginal examinations as needed, going to deliver the placenta naturally if all is going well, vit k for the babby, breastfeed straight away. She said the midwives stay for about 2 hours afterwards to help and then come back again later the same day. I am also very lucky in that I am likely to have a midwife I know for the birth (it's not like that in most areas).

I feel much more positive and supported about it all now though, she seemed to think it was a completely reasonable thing for me to do and liked my thoughts on breathing/massage/viewing labour as a marathon, ie hard work but for a reward. She said if I do end up in hospital to be careful not to let people assume I know stuff as I'm a doctor (people are forever omitting to tell me things because I'm a doctor - I've never done an obs & gynae job though!) SO my birth plan is written in my notes and I feel better now. She said any time after 37 weeks if there are no problems it should be fine to have a home birth and told me when to call them (contractions every 5 mins or waters breaking).

If anything goes differently that's fine too, I'll have a baby at the end.

Baby is not only head down but engaged! Also measuring a wee bit small (31 at 34 weeks) but she said not to worry and it might just be because she was examining me on my sofa rather than the usual couch. So I have an extra appointment next week to check. If the poor thing is small I am so blaming fucking work. I have been measuring a touch on the small side throughout. I swear my bump has grown loads this week though She didn't seem worried though.

ps. MICKEY! I meant to say how awesome your belly was last time.

Oh and Kyrria have you thought about rescue remedy?? I kno a lot of people think it rubbish but helps me when stressed and I find one of the biggest factors in not sleeping can be winding myself up as I can't get to sleep!! And no shame in sleeping in spare room if u not tried it yet. Especially with all the pillows, piling all that up in the middle of a bed much easier than in half a bed....... I sleep in spare at least once a week, gives us both a break. X

Squid that all sounds lovely. I hav never known anyone who has had home birth. Think much less popular in NI. Wish I had confidence for home birth. Sounds much less stressful and relaxing!

Oh and Mickey totally love the Nirvana bump!!!!

oh and midwife said if baby's head is engaged it is EXTREMELY unlikely there is any problem with the placenta still, so that's good news! I still have a scan to confirm in a couple of weeks. I don't think it means he/she is likely to come early - does mean very unlikely to be breech though, yay.

Mickey love the bump painting, truly fab!
squid hurrah for engaged head, lovely midwife and plans on track for homebirth. Very impressed. And don't worry about feeling cross after all your efforts for friends earlier in the week, I would have felt just the same!

I survived my weekend away in tiny cottage with 3 couples and their toddlers (all under 2) although I didn't get much sleep, due to a combination of screaming kids (theirs), wriggling kid (mine - keeps shifting way over to the top right each night, leaving bump totally lopsided), my bladder (avering 3 loo trips a night) and discovering quite how uncomfortable bunk beds can be when 7 months pregnant (as DH couldn't come, I got the room with bunk beds and even though I of course stayed on the bottom one, it was tiny and seemed to trigger all sorts of extra hip/leg/back/bump cramps). However it was lovely to catch up with people (all good friends from uni) and see their different approaches to parenting (from routine-led to anything goes), and of course gather up all the advice. Although one of the boys kept asking if the weekend was making me change my mind.... bit late for that my dear!!

Lots of and sympathy to everyone not sleeping. Kyyria good luck with getting through this last little bit, one day at a time. Do you have a bed-time routine that might help with the insomnia? I find that a warm bath with nice smellies can really help unclench my back before I try bed, and reduces nighttime pain for me.

I'm back into disaster-dreams mode. Tornadoes are a particularly recurrent theme at the moment. Horrible.

On the subject of emotional rollercoasters, did anyone else cry their eyes out at the closing ceremony last night . Especially when Gary Barlow came on, that broke my heart . And if I'm honest (whispers) I was also genuinely crying at prospect of no more sports-fest on TV. That's appalling isn't it?!

Right, better get ready for my next meeting. Counting down the weeks now...

33, 31+5 (yikes that's getting close to the point where I'm meant to be 'ready', ARGHHHHHHHH), DC1

Well the Olympics is over so I am back. Knackered from the closing ceremony poor taste in acts but visually stunning and so glad to be there. Didn't get to bed until 2am and then the dreaded hip pain so sympathies to angelico and Kyria and everyone else suffering - I feel your pain, quite literally. Like you Squid they are fine in the day just hurt at night. Not got to the gym much this week and the leg cramps are back too - really must make more of an effort now the Olympics are over - I find regular exercise seems to keep them at bay. Mrs C I was so paranoid that I would sob in public that I had to really try and control myself. I did cry a few times and luckily I couldn't see Gary Barlow close up, or I would have sobbed my heart out - just the thought of him being there so close to loosing his baby made me ball. Funnily enough the worst bits for me where when they took the Olympic flag down and the flame going out - I found them both really poignant - probably because I will miss it so much - London has been transformed these last few weeks and I love it!

I am feeling the size of a house and find it terrifying that I have 2 months to go - how can a midget like me house a beast like this for another 2 months? Pretty much everyone seems to think I am due any minute now.....

Good news on the home birth squid makes sense to me and was always my choice before preeclampsia took the decision out of my hands with DD. At least you know you will get a midwife unlike my shit experience where the cleaner had to help me master gas and air after induction Good news the baby seems to be playing ball with all these commands to turn. I find it a bit that they offer to give morphine at home. An opiate that passes through the placenta seems a weird choice of drug to offer someone wanting a home birth. And they can make you feel really pukey not that I have ever taken an opiate for recreational purposes . You are wise to pass on that I think.

Crazy Hope that baby is listening to your inner stern voice and you aren't having to spend too long on all fours. How was the bitch midwife? Cracked a smile yet? I may have to have a word in a commanding voice to get mine to bastard well stop growing so quickly.

To Angelico and all others feeling the rage and the moods - god I hear you. I feel really touchy again - like I did in the first trimester. People are really annoying me, my road rage is off the scale. Got an insane urge to get everything ready all of a sudden - after doing nothing for my entire pregnancy. I painted the back of the house this weekend - a job that I have ignored for 3 years. And it nearly fecking killed me but I stubbornly refused to leave it. Scared the living daylights out of my neighbors seeing a 7 month pregnant midget up a ladder in a bikini wielding a masonry paint brush. I also Started all the prep for decorating DD's new room and the nursery. Getting quotes for loft conversions, built in wardrobes and generally turning into a mentalist. I am unsure what has possessed me. Nesting crossed with hideous PMT, poor DH and DD. And I have a sudden realisation that I will be good for nothing if I get much bigger so have little time left where I will be useful.

Huffle yes to weird shaped bumps sometimes - I think the Olympics has inspired the unborn generation and my little boy is a gymnast. Peculiar shapes and mexican waves are the order of the day at the Midget house on regular occasions.

Plankton Thanks for the list - I also used an old button up shirt of DH's for labour and for most of my hospital stay. Nice to feel close to him and easy to pop a boob out or get off for skin to skin like you say. Don't do what I did though and wear a really bad 1990's design one for some of your photos. They will never look good . Re epidurals - I had one, really late into my labour and had I had a midwife with me I may not have needed it, but alas I was pretty much flying solo so was terrified by this stage. I could feel my contractions still - I still pushed the baby out, I felt all this but without the intense pain - there was still feeling and you decide when you top it up so you are in control. I was no longer very mobile at this stage because of other complications but you can also get mobile ones these days in good hospitals so not always true that you can't move around either. To be honest I would have probably ended up EMCS without my epidural - it can be a girls best friend. And with the back to back labour I had the anesthetist could have stuck a knife in my back and I wouldn't have felt it - honestly never even felt a little scratch from the needle - just blissful intense relief and the desire to snog the person who did it. There are side effects but they are statistically very unlikely - I had none at all. I met an anesthetist when I was about 33 weeks for a full discussion which I found really useful and strangely shed a lot of light on the negative info I had about them. I would really recommend doing this if there are people still not sure about pain relief options. They just gave me the facts and the stats so I could make up my own mind. It was a woman and I asked her what she did for her own children - always telling I think. From what I can tell they remain up there as one of the safest (for the baby) and best forms of pain relief a woman can have. For me the most important thing was avoiding something that would cross the placenta to the baby and this really did the trick. If you are having to have a medicalised birth anyway they can be a life saver. If you don't need one - smashing, if you do the biggest downside for me was weeing in a bag but kind of good as you can't be arsed to get up for a wee anyway if things go a bit pear shapedI hope I won't need one this time but don't be put off them - they can be amazing. I wish women could get a trial of pain relief to help choose - I mean some people puke from certain drugs, some feel itchy, some feel awful and it seems a bad place to find this out when you are already in pain, obviously not very logical but also seems daft to just have to suck it and see when you are needing it the most. God that was a bit of a monologue - ignore me and I will stop.

Right this is an essay, and it had taken me hours so I will have cross posted with loads of you. Heres to a peaceful, hip pain free, heartburn free, mood free day and night x

Midgetm I am insanely jealous of your house painting abilities!!! Waiting on some kind of energy or nesting to kick in so I can do anything!!!! Must be about to hav another growth spurt, I am now predicting one because despite a good night sleep last night I am totally and utterly mega zonked today!!! Thankfully off work today and after early MW apt and grocery shop I have literally sat on sofa ALL day!! And I had great plans for wardrobe sorting and cooking for freezer.......

Thank u for your insight in to epidurals. I'm so afraid of it deadening me so much I hav no idea what happening! Hoping antenatal classes in hospital really help me decide, thus far I'm naively hoping to do it all myself!!

X

Huffle don't be jealous - I can barely move today.

Ah so today it seems I have been crazy pregnant lady who got so cross in a meeting that she sighed audibly in frustration (didn't realise I was doing it til the person talking turned to me and apologised for getting off the point!) then in this afternoon's meeting, was talking so animatedly I burped. loudly. mortified! Luckily it was a one-to-one with one of my team leads (the nicest one) so we could laugh it off, but oh my word, criiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinge.

Hoping I get through to home time with no more incidents....

midget am in awe of housepainting. It's all I can do to try to construct a list of things I should be sorting out/doing, then I generally collapse again before doing any of them. I'm very much hoping my efficiency comes back (ha ha like I ever had any) now olympics are over. Like, we need to buy a car in the next couple of weeks before DH has to travel away a lot more for work and I get too big to test-drive, but I have no idea where to even start on such an enterprise (still currently driving the car I my parents bought and I stole aged 18 - hence the need to replace the clapped out old rust bucket with something that works and that you can get a child seat into). ARGH.

Crazypaving at you being on all fours typing- hahahahahaha! TURN!!! Hope the inner voice commands worked, i'm in hysterics here

Midget Also laughing RE: "Scared the living daylights out of my neighbors seeing a 7 month pregnant midget up a ladder in a bikini wielding a masonry paint brush." Love this thread, it makes me giggle so much.

MrsConfusion Don't worry, I also have developed a terrible under-tolerance for rude customers today. Usually I can be really quite cheerful to piss them off when they are miserable and act as if everything is no problem; today? no no. After the man had finished shouting at me for something that was his mistake I kindly (albeit under my breath, i so wish i had guts) said "don't f*ing trip over the door on your way out, would hate for you to smash your head on the concrete!!!" I think a valuable lesson for all other people to learn here is, do not piss off the pregnant woman.

Thanks for all the bump comments, my aunty did it for me outside the pub... she had great fun but im sure that was precisely what DP wanted to see- pregnant girlfriend with her belly out for everyone and the passing traffic to see; thankfully he doesn't mind and thought the bump looked awesome too!!

Well the appointment went much better than expected! It's the first time I've seen my mw without students present and she was much more relaxed and actually spoke to me properly! Maybe she just doesn't like students! AND....she reckoned the baby was head down!! My inner voice must be well stern!... but wasn't sure enough. She said if it was the head it was very big and squashy - hmm, purty baby?! - but the heartbeat was in the correct place for the head position. Anyway, I'm having a scan at 36wks so she feels confident to book me for a homebirth. I quite like the idea of another scan - another opportunity to see my weird fat-headed-squashy-faced baby!

Mickey loved your bump too! the link I clicked took me to my profile page, which confused me, but then I clicked on yours and saw it. Doesn't take much to fox me atm.

MrsC why do people test the patience of pregnant women?? I think I'm being nothing less than a saint atm. DH may disagree slightly Cracking up at the thought of you belching at your team lead!

I'm VERY excited tonight because my lovely Dad has rung to offer to take DS for a WHOLE weekend on the weekend of our wedding anniversary. It's about 10 days before my EDD but as I've never ever had a night away from DS it's very exciting for me! And it's a good dry run for DS for labour (who knows...maybe I'll go into labour that night - erk). We might actually book a dirty night away! I doubt it'll be very dirty though - DH will be lucky if he manages to fit into the bed with me at the rate I'm going!!!

Watching the Olympic closing ceremony I recorded last night (I go to bed too early to watch it live!) - loving it!!

bwhahahaha at turn! Will out! work during labour? :)

Thank u,midgetm for sharing your epidural experience - i was the only one at preggo yoga yesterday and i was encouraged to rethink my fixation with getting one.....guess i better go googling :)x

Hi all,
I've missed you. Slept 12 hours last night and a 1hr nap this afternoon and feel human again. I've enjoyed the catch-up.

CWest/Smiley re bonding. Another one here whose first meeting with DS1 was a bit of an anti-climax. Baby would not make eye contact, he kinda stared past me. Then when we went back to the ward the nurses wanted to take him away, I still don't know why but I was terrified something would happen so I sent DH after them warning him not to let baby out of his sight. I was distraught when he came back alone after a few mins saying he thought the nurses did not want him there. I demanded that he go back and keep an eye on the baby (I think I thought they were going to swap him or something). Anyway an hour later with DS tucked up beside me in the room I pleaded asked the nurses to take him away as I could not sleep. It's an emotional rollercoaster, not a Mills & Boon moment

Yomping re the photos - I think I'm in the no camp. That link looked so wholesomely American in the bad American way. I have some photos immediately after the birth of DS and there is lots of blood in them. They are special to me, really really special but not for public consumption.
Re the DH - well done for seeing the diamond underneath. He is much better father material now . I am a total pain in the a* about smoking.

Squidkid Stick to your guns re the buying - from one who bought loads... Babies don't need it. You are right. All the toys and dangly things are nonsense. I will be keeping DS2 in babygros much longer - they are cute and babyish and comfortable.
Re the 'following on'. My brother and SiL had a baby 8 months before me. I visited loads after baby was born. They visited me once (when I was up for the weekend and close to their house) - for 10 mins. It was like they wanted to tick a box, 'visit done'. I was hurt at the time, but have since gotten over it. Other friends with and without babies have traveled miles and had lovely visits. In their defense I think they took on parenting like your friend did, almost a military procedure. There wasn't much room for giving to anyone else.

We had a student MW in for the early part of my labour. She was lovely and kept DH occupied as they chatted away. She left because of her schedule and I would not have minded if she had stayed. I would not like a student instead of qualified staff

My labour was a really positive experience. I used TENS and gas - it seemed to be enough. I had a V delivery with a small episiotomy. It is too long for this post but it was a very emotional positive experience. I walked twice a week and swam, for about 40 mins each, coming up to the end. I am not seriously fit. My BMI is about 24% - the high side of healthy. I was 43. Your optimism is not misplaced. I did try a little yogam maybe 3 classes but I think what helped me was the swimming - I seriously sucked in that gas to the depths of my lungs

On the epidural debate. I did not have 1 with DS but liked to know I could. Pain is so psychological, if they had said the anaesthetist is going home you have to have it NOW if you're having it, I would have had it in a flash. Knowing I could have it at any time put my mind at ease. All of my MW friends strongly recommend it and I am open to one. I did meet a girl in the ward the day after DS's birth who was really pale and unwell. She had had a negitive reaction to an epidural, no pain relief and massive headache for days after.

Crazyp DS has had CPox. He was unwell before the first 'pock' appeared. They are a very distinctive water blister. CP was in the creche and they were on the alert to every skin mark and sent him home early, earlier in the week but the GP said it was nothing. The first pock appeared on a Sunday and there was no confusing it.

End of long post - off to bed now

Agree with midgetm about epidurals. You just don't know how long you're going to be in labour and how much it is going to hurt. I utterly respect women who do it 'naturally', but when women all did it naturally, quite a few died. There is no way I shall ever feel guilty about the drugs or c-section I had (paracetamol at home for 30 hours, gas, diamorphine, finally epidural) because DD was stuck and if they give you syntocinon to speed up the contractions too it really is a lot to cope with. I have a colleague who had an eleven-pounder at home with only gas a few weeks after me, and I really did not appreciate her boasting about it on Twitter. (And not mentioning a fourth-degree tear at the time, btw.) It's not the childbirth Olympics.

That makes it all sound ghastly, but I bonded fine with DD and was just ecstatic to hold her afterwards. I was also very reassured by the knowledge I was in the care of people who were going to make sure it was all right.

I had a student midwife sit with me for a long time during labour, when I was just contracting and failing to dilate. She was lovely. I remember telling her how boring this must have been for her, but of course she pretended otherwise.

OK, I promise NOT TO BRING OUT THE BIRTH STORY AGAIN because it will be different for all of you - else where would OBEM be?

squid I agree about STUFF. Much of it is just pushed at you by companies who want to make you think it's indispensable. Stuff we bought that was a waste of space:

Huge, heavy travel system from Mamas and Papas, incorporating pram, pushchair, stand, drink holder etc
Small Baby Bjorn (she grew fast and BBs pull on your shoulders, though I did use a stronger one during the rush hour on the tube)
Cage (ahem. Playpen)
Toys (before 6 months)
Ghastly Tommee Tippee electric pump (go for quality, like a Medela)
Outfits at less than six months (which people give you anyhow)
Baby monitor
Big changing bag
Inflatable ring in which to float reluctant baby in pool WAAAAAAH
Talc, baby comb, baby oil, etc

Things I used all the time:
Activity mat - useful just for putting her down on
Sling (Baba, but trying a couple of others this time)
BabyBjorn bouncing seat
CityMini Jogger. Doesn't fold quite as small as a Maclaren but has a lie-flat position you can use from birth
Changing pouch for nappies, wipes, cotton wool etc, which I put in my handbag
Breastfeeding pillow
Nappy bin (cartridges expensive, but sadly worth it)
Changing mat
Breast pads
Gel-filled teethers for fridge

33 weeks tomorrow and I have a scan in the evening... If all is well I can go on holiday to France for a week. If not, well, I'm not thinking if not. He's squirming quite a lot and gets excited when I drink cold lemonade. Surely a good sign? I think I had Braxton-Hicks last night, which I don't remember last time. It felt as though half my stomach was being painlessly sucked in every 30 seconds or so. Does that sound familiar?

Had to abandon our deckchair on Sunday, not because I couldn't get out of it, but because the bump's moved upwards and it puts too much pressure on my ribs. DH happy as he pretends I hog it on rare sunny days.

DD, every day: 'Is baby coming out today?'

Me: 'I hope not. Baby needs to get a bit fatter, so he doesn't get cold.'

DD: 'LOVE my baby sister!'

Oh dear. Perhaps we can just pretend he's a girl for a few months.

Arrrggghhh growth scan today at 9am, (can't wait to see my lil princess again!)
Then a morning of being poked, prodded and various tests....not so keen on the thought of this.......bit nervous overall in case they say she's getting too big and needs to come out soon.....wish me luck....