Due in August thread... Part 7!

[MrGeresHamster]

We're on safari with the labour spotting signs... How long till the next baby arrives?

Pull up a birthing ball, sup some raspberry leaf tea and tuck into the 'big boy pineapple balti'. We're on the home straight!

Hi Gan - good to hear from you!
Not sure about how best to bring it on, nipple tweaking and sex are other tactics apparently. When I tried to express the other day, my whole bump went for a huge BH and left me undecidedly wary of doing that again for a while, but then perhaps I am a wuss?!

Sympathies too miaboo. Don't feel bad about not being able to do things as you will soon. I know how you feel about pain though.
I've been unable to walk and move much for the last few weeks, but it feels like longer. I think mine is pelvic girdle pain and the rubbing in front is so sore that sitting gets hard too. I think my knickers are too tight sometimes and seem to all gather there and then it all becomes too much and I have release them from under the bump. Wow I am so sexy!

ffscatmove wow, you can get your thumb there?! I might try later with some oil and get into a contortionist position somehow...

From what I've been reading for some women getting grumpy and fed-up can be a sign things will happen soon whiteangel! However, I bet most overdue women are fed-up so perhaps that's no help.

Marmite I haven't bothered with perineal massage because I am normally very unbendy and now, even less so. It's something that I just couldn't ask DH to do. Also I knew mine was back to back at 36 weeks when in the morning I was feeling my tummy and it felt squishier in the middle and with a harder ridge off to the right. And then midwife confirmed the ridge was the spine! However from my reading (as this is my first) about 87% of babies turn in labour. My midwife gave me a sheet of positions and things to try to encourage baby into face to back like getting on all 4s and rocking, crawling on all 4s, lying over your ball or resting your arms and face with your bum out. So I've been doing that when watching TV but figure what will be will be. No point worrying about it too much.

Miamoo hope you get relief soon!

Finally finished the windows after starting again. Used the newspaper tip which has worked a treat and now Yodel have finally delivered I can relax.

For those of you with questions on swaddling, this is available from the FSIDS website. www.fsid.org.uk/document.doc?id=145 It makes interesting reading.

Afternoon all,

Good Luck for the lady going in today :)

miamoo I replied on a thread u started a few days back, I feel exactly the same as you I have two children at home 2 and 4 and feel so annoyed I cant get out and about. We booked a haven holiday on the cheap for end of september to make it up to them that they have a summer holidays stuck with their miserable mummmy lol.

Hubby off today so manged to hobble round town and go to Primarni as I call it to get big cheap knickers and pyjamas and vests seems as I dont want to wear anything else and got some cute miniature shampoos for my 'just in case I have to go hospital bag' and a big waterproof decorators sheet for my bed (am having homebirth). Lol I cant have my memory foam all messed up i'd be devastated!

Glad u pointed out ham that u had these little gushes of discharge ive been getting these too I thought I was incontinent lol. And weekipper I hope that is true about the moods as I wanted to punch hubby in the face in macdonalds (how very jeremy kyle) he didnt even do anything wrong and then I burst into tears for being such a rottweiler, I am so up and down I don't know if i'm coming or going, the last couple of days I even bark at the hubby and/or kids for touching me?? I just want to be left alone am I really horrible??

Hope the sun is shining where u all are

DH woke me up this morning by gently kissing my neck. Lovely and romantic but I felt like he had poured a bucket of water over me and told him to get off. Poor men. DH is being endlessly patient but I'm just so miserable that he can't think of anything to do to cheer me up! My last friend who was due anytime near me had a little girl 9 days late this morning so I'm officially next! 40+4 (is that all?)

Thanks gere and ishop. I think i might put shawl in car and ask DH to get it from car as we are preparing to leave so LO can "wear" it for first journey home but it won't get messy/lost in hospital.

I asked my friend about music and she said she took in Badly Drawn Boy CD and some other music that she normally relaxes too and it worked well. Thinking about it, I think lyrics would help give me something to focus on, whereas random calming sounds may just annoy me! Any other music experiences welcome!

Thanks for info about swaddling picture - will read that now. My mum bought us a swaddle blanket so want to make sure I know facts!

Welcome tumble and gan

V useful link, thanks picture although I must admit the lawyer in me skim read most of it to find the bullet points !

I think someone said they were taking 2 onesies and 2 vests to hospital - a tip, I'd take 4 as a minimum if you think you'll be in overnight... DS managed to pee over a couple. I've never (well actually DH as I am recovering and taking it easy!) done as much washing as when I've had a newborn!

Justine I love Primarni! Got myself the same (big knickers and nighties) - if you got nighties (useful in case you need stitches / emergency c/s) just make sure they're the button down ones as I forgot( (!) and need the button down ones for bf. THey did some really good shirt style nighties in the pyjama / loungewear section with buttons which I have since bee living in!

Thanks weekipper for the info, I'm going to crouch over my ball shortly. Really not sure how LO is lying but I've done a lot of reclining backwards lately which apparently cause back to back as they settle backwards too. Will wash to floor on all 4s and start in earnest a regime of the ball now.

For music, I think I will be taking some country and western that makes me giggle. DH went to Nashville last year and saw a chap that is very upbeat and so maybe this might work, will look at rest of music tomorrow...

Thanks picture for the info. Must say I'm none the wiser but I see that 3 months is the riskiest time for SIDS. I was hoping LO would be sleeping a bit more through by then and I thought swaddling was only done in newborn stage and not really after 3 months. My aunty is a health visitor and so will ask her asap! I guess not all babies like it too?!

Welcome to the newbies :)

Wowzers Ham, you certainly had a time of it didn't you :( Thank goodness it hasn't put you off though! It's such a shame when you don't get a great mw because it really does make all the difference but glad you got a great one in the end :)

I went to bed last night and had a thorough nipple tweak which really set off some (what I call) proper pains. My bump was contracting and the pain was searing in my lower back and bottom which is identical to the pains I remember from labour but apart from a couple of pains in the night there has been nothing else. It just goes to show that baby really has to be ready for anything (natural) to work. He did seem really low this morning though which I was quite excited about but I now have a rather hard bottom stuck in my rib again.

And so the wait continues..... I really hope the ladies who have gone over have some luck soon!

This nipple tweaking...do you literally mean nipple tweaking?? Does it set off contractions??

Laddies due today or tomorrow, any sign of labour! I am due tomorrow and nothing interesting happening. Only change is I don't have discomfort, backache or pelvic pain.. (which i have been suffering recently)..I feel pretty good

Hey Richmond due tomorrow too and no sign, nothing, nada. This little boy wants to stay put. Really not enjoying the wait.

Frilly erm, yes, actual nipple tweaking is suggested. One at a time though. Apparently meant to encourage the release of hormones which can start labour. Baby has to be ready though. Not convinced it works

Hi mrgere, l have an appointment with midwife on Wed. I think I will ask for membrane sweep... Fingers cross! We might be among lucky 5 % who give birth on due date!!!

Due tomorrow and want the baby to arrive now.

Have been having on/off contractions for five days, show over last two days, back pain, period pain, vomiting and upset stomach today .... Surly it has to come soon! Hopefully it will make a punctual arrival tomorrow!

Mcbaby, it sounds like you will have your baby soon. Best of luck!

Lovely to hear yor story Ham and hope you're recovering ok. Sounds like an ordeal and I guess it really makes a huge difference if you get a nice MW. Fingers crossed.

Now, perineum massage. This is something DH has been telling me to do as I'm phobic about tearing. But I can't reach easily either, and he's not really offered, so kinda stuck!! I've got on my Birth plan that if needed, they're to cut me rather than let me tear, but it all freaks me out (that and going to the loo in labour. I know, I know..!).

Re music, DH has made a really nice playlist with all sorts of soothing, upbeat, and other things we like that may help. There's also some hypno stuff on there too which is good (including some hippy dippy nature sounds too!! What will they think in the hospital, as I'm sure I'm more high maintence than they're used to, as it's a rural place?!). Ishop, I've packed at least that many baby things, as am paranoid about not having enough. We are going to look like crazy people arriving at hospital with our three big bags .

I've got my sweep in a week which is exciting and also scary. Can't believe I'm now into single figures for the countdown to the due date.

Had a busy day today as went up to IKEA to get a new cushion for my nursing chair only to find that depsite me checking their stock list, they couldn't find any cushions left, even though the computer said there were 30! Soooo annoying. But we got some other bits, and pottered about a bit. Came back and made some strawberry jam and am now exhaused and in a bit of bump pain from being on my feet. Planning to have a nice evening and maybe a bath later.

Enjoy your evenings all and am sending good baby vibes.

PS, hello to all the new ladies . x

Hey just wanna say I never did perineum massage with my 1st as never heard of it and only had 1 tiny tear plus a labiel tear that they think was caused by him being born with his hand next to his head. I think there is no proof it works.

mrsmiggins my greatest protest in labour was that I was gonna poo myself lol must of sounded silly but I didn't I don't think a lot of people do and if they do its tiny that's cos your body clears itself out before hand.

Ds was not feeling well today getting his back doubles I think and has fallen a sleep on me several times. Lots of dribble on me too! Hope he feels a bit better tmw. Have capoled up and put to bed. Had spicy curry for dinner and might spice things up in the bedroom later ! 38 weeks tmw!

Gary Barlow
Am pooing myself now. Anyone know exactly what happened?

Also Mrsmiggins I was cut with DD1 as she was back to back and I had 11 stitches after, all I can say is that it was fine and I'm really pleased I had it done, would choose it over tearing. Healed fine and can't feel a thing different during sex than before!

tashaw la la la la. DH looked it up and told me that I am not allowed to look. Please no one else look.

Due tomorrow. mcbaby and richmond who's going first?

i'm also lalalala ing, I can't hear about things like that. Not that i'm not terribly sympathtic i just can't bear to think about it.

I also never bothered with the perenium massage stuff, I grazed with the first and my 2nd one shot out with no midwife there and they were suprised that I hadn't tore to bits, the only advice to give is to listen to midwives if they are telling u to pant it's for that reason, obviously there are some people and situations where it cant be helped, but if the head is born slowly as possible it minimizes the risks. Same as with swaddling One of mine hated blankets and the other always wanted one arm up and one arm up by her head so used to wrap her funny lol. Try not to worry about the guidelines they are forever changing, its just common sense really, don't let the baby overheat or wriggle down the covers etc. My midwife told me I shouldn't co-sleep, but its a load of old tosh for the first few weeks I kick DH onto the spare bed and I have co-slept with both of mine, it's soooo much easier for bf'ing. All I can say is trust your instinct it's a very very powerful thing because if you listened to all the mw's and hv's u would be scared stiff to do anything at all lol. I hope that sounds like I don't just flout all the advice given I just am a firm believer in a mother's instinct especially in those first few weeks :)

Am also lalala ing about the back to back labour, I hope my lo turns i'm terrified after lots of googling!!

37 weeks today and I am off to see my consultant tomorrow to get a date for induction...eek! Then hopefully I can go on my own before that.

I know tasha so terribly sad for him and his wife I hope they get some privacy.

Another one lalalalalalaaaaaaaaARGHing, sorry! It's terribly sad but I won't read about it. Ladies, we have nothing to fear so let's think nice things Strawberries, cream and hot male athletes...ooh yeah...

Re the per massage - I did with 1st pg and ended up with a 3rd degree tear so not sure I was doing it properly or it made a difference(!). Also mrsm was terrified of pooing myself when pushing but as it happens nature cleared me out when having contractions (sorry if tmi!) so no accidents when pushing.

Itching to welcome new babies to the thread....!!!

I've really enjoyed reading all the hints & tips!! Not the stiches bit though....eeeek. Thank you so much and GOOD LUCK to everyone. I'm a bit late on the perenium massaging but even that makes me squirm at the thought, god knows how I'll cope in labour! X