Due in October 2012 Part 7 - towards the finish line, going for Gold!

[Planktonette]

On your marks...
Get set...

GO!

Argh there's 2 new threads, the complication is going to make my head explode!!

yay - more space for chatting!

I had a very dull and frustrating afternoon waiting for a charity to pick up my unwanted furniture from my flat. Lots of "we'll be there in 20 minutes" and then 2 hours later nothing. GRR. Anyway, it's now gone and just one friend to pick up a wardrobe on Saturday then it's DONE and (hopefully) we will be exchanging contracts soon. Man I will be glad when it's all over.

Eek, can we amalgamate?

Hi we have deleted the other one
GOOD LUCK ALL OF YOU

Does a wee in the corner to mark place.

Aargh!! There was nearly tears there!!!! I had to do all sorts of searches to find this....... Link did not come up on last post!!!! Phew!!

Just marking my place, off to bed!

AnyOne for some cheesy Europe singalong....
"it's the final countdown......... La la la la"

Night all!
Xx

Just marking my place ladies.

Hope everyone is ok

CWest30 It's tough not having a date for your CS, but I guess at this stage they want to keep the baby inside for as long as possible, don't they? By 33 weeks the lungs are readier to cope, I think. Good luck...

Had a very energetic day yesterday by 35-week standards - midwife appointment, bloods, long wait at hospital pharmacy, trip to Hamley's so DD could choose a doll in effort to curb jealousy (DO NOT GO TO HAMLEY'S WHEN HEAVILY PREGNANT), lunch out, tube home, all with DD in tow. Then we went through DD's baby clothes to pick out the dresses for her doll and so I could start packing my hospital bag. Is a plain deep pink babygro OK for a boy? Hell, why not? I realised rather belatedly that DD was born in the spring and I have very few really warm clothes for her brother. Fortunately I visited a friend today who had two winter babies and gave me lots more stuff. Then we had lunch with another friend who's due on Sat and has been having on-off contractions since Mon. Argh. The conversation was... well... one-track. By the time I got home I felt ready to beach myself and call Greenpeace. I swear the bump swells every three days, rests, then resumes.

I think someone mentioned here or on another thread that chewing gum seems to alleviate reflux. It's definitely helping me. Imagine it stimulates digestive/gastric juices, or something. But it is disappointing, having trained DD to bring me a chocolate biscuit in bed each morning, to find the word 'digestive' cruelly misleading. Do hope her 'I will fetch anything for Mummy' phase continues for a while yet.

Hahaha elphis, laughing at the thought of DD bringing digestives in to you- i am also insanely jealous!!

I am an absolute hero. 30 weeks pregnant and i managed to survive all day at a funeral without breaking down into a hormonal, hysterical mess (i didnt know the person that well, before you all think i'm heartless!) Dear old farmer alan would've been so proud. I did choke up when "fields of gold" came on though...

Thanks for thinking of me squid! Like i say i didn't know him awfully well, but he was a huge local figure and always gave a friendly wave when he saw me- was standing room only (though fortunately a friend gave up his chair for me :-)) and just about half the village turned up. It was quite touching to see how many peole respected him and knew how much his farm meant to him.

Anyway, enough rambling. Yikes to those that have had their CS dates- you are superheroes! They are so close and just wow. The thought of one terrifies me really but in actual fact i have no idea why it scares me so much- must remember that if things go tits up i may need one... Must do some research.
Is it ok to just wing it though? Everyone seems to have so many ideas and whatnot and ive just been taking the approach that i'll-cross-these-bridges-when-i-get-there... Do we think thats maybe paving the way for a more traumatic birth? Or is being in the know about all the things that could possibly go wrong preparing ourselves a-bit-too-much and maybe cause more stress about things that won't necessarily happen?

Blimey you can tell I can't sleep. Had the most successful shopping day ever yesterday, although my sister had to drag me out of hobbycraft before i'd spent my life savings in there! Moving in starts today, and im really excited but a bit nervous at the same time. FIL really doesn't want us to go and I am a bit worried about leaving him (he's 82) with just his son who contributes nothing towards the house, who is on a massive downward, drug spiral and is on course for rock bottom. He won't look after his dad and yeah... Just not entirely happy with the situation. But we have to do whats best for our baby, which isn't living in one room and having its dear uncle staggering in at ridiculous times of the morning, right?!

Stress stress stress. Is it sad that i am so excited to buy a new washing machine?!?!?!

Mickey, 30+1, raving and rambling at 2.45 in the morning.....

Wow thread number 7, we've come so far, doesn't time fly! Cheers to us!
I wonder what thread we'll be on when the first baby arrives?

Excited for all of you with CS dates, must be getting very real for you now. Sorry you're having to wait CWest, perhaps they're hoping that nearer the time it won't need to be so early?
And YEY! for Squid and your perfectly positioned placenta, all go for home birth!
My due date seems so far away compared to most of you.

I also have a traveling husband. He doesn't really have much choice as to if/when he goes. Most of his projects take a couple of years, so when they're ready to go he has to go and can't really change the dates.
He's going to France twice in September, the first week and the last, then he has a trip in Japan in the middle of the month (but I might go with him as I have holiday that week and have never been to that city), THEN he may have to go to Malaysia the week before the final trip to France.
Phew, it's not normally THAT bad. But I'm not due til end of Oct and I refuse to have the baby anytime in September! So should be fine.
He's going to try very hard not to go anywhere in October or November.

Bella, it was really kind of you to say your husband could go to the rugby. totally understand why you're upset - I've definitely got a feeling that I'm running out of time. Bloody typical - these two great, hardly-ever-happen events occurring on the same weekend . Could you cancel some of your September things? You're pregnant - perfect excuse not to do anything you can't be arsed/don't want aren't physically able to.

I'm definitely crossing bridges when I come to them Mickey, I get stressed otherwise. I think if it works for us we should stick with it

I'm happy the chewing gum is helping with your heart burn Elpis, it definitely works for me. I just wish I could chew it a night! I've not been able to figure out many triggers for mine, but have now realised that orange juice (which I used to drink loads of) is an INSTANT trigger, at least I can avoid that.

Londonmrs thanks for the link on posterior babies. I think mine is on the right, head down but facing to the left a bit, (dont know the technical term) which I think is probably ok for now, but I can be a bit of a sofa sloucher, so have become obsessed with getting baby in the right place, and not letting it go back to back.
I tried to lie on the ball without squashing my tits, and it's difficult. If you just put your head and arms on its ok, but I don't think that supports the back enough. So I guess "squashed tits" are just another thing we have to suffer/endure/give up/moan about to obtain our little bundles of joy. As if there weren't enough already!

Glad my question about bouncing on balls helped others too. Huffle you're a hero!

Thanks for the perineal massage info Yomping, quite graphic but very useful and clear! You must be an awesome teacher

Had my doc's appt on Wednesday - measuring 26cm at 31 weeks, so asked her about it and she did admit that it was on the small side but she checked the baby's size and it's still huge (2.1kg) and very active. Also, she stressed all these weights and measurements are just estimations and not exact. So I'm happy enough for the time being. Will start to get a bit worried if baby continues to grow at this rate.
She told me that at 36 weeks I'll have my pelvis measured and scanned to check that it's big enough for VB! Have you ever heard of anything like this? I wonder how reliable it is?

Who was it that loved Great British Bakeoff? The tart episode was fab! Those final tarts made me droooooool. I need to go to France and eat nothing but tarts ASAP!

Sorry, this is possibly my longest post yet

Happy Friday y'all!!

Oh no! Did I ruin everything? Bad me! Sorry if I caused horrible confusion to everyone!

Serves me right for staying off the thread for so long!

Hope everyone finds this ok...

elpis

I know you are right, the consultant said after my scan on the 11th, I may be given steroid injections to strengthen babys lungs. I know the longer she stays inside me the better for her, but I just want to know so I can emotionally prepare for it. I have to go under general anaesthetic as well, so its more like having an operation than the birth of my child, and Im just so scared. Dreamt about it twice last night, arrgghh!

Oh well, 11 days and counting......

Checking in.

Had a fab day yesturday, took DS to a nature reserve and they did a Doctor Who, time travel adventure thing. Lots of following maps and trails, figuring out clues and collecting crystals in order to save the universe. Even more climbing up and down steep hills, over fences and across bridges (i.e. a narrow plank of wood over a river). Not a thought given to Health and Safety (or the very pregnant lady at the back), it was brilliant! Then onto the fair, where DS had his first go on the Bumper Cars.

I then came home and burst into tears because my SPD had gone past coping point. It was worth it though I am good for nothing today. I am supposed to be packing and cleaning the kitchen today. What fun!

5 days til moving day!

Cherry I'm not sure about a baby being too big to deliver naturally. My great grandmother was 5 foot nothing and very slim, and she had a 13lb baby! That was a long time ago so all done naturally! I'm no medical expert though.

Morning chucks

Thanks for the new thread. I'm pretty sure this is the one where we're going to start seeing BABIES!

Well, I am officially nesting. My mum is up with me, we cleaned the bathroom, defrosted the freezer, wrote lists of freezer food to stock it with, cleared out the kitchen cupboards, cleaned the floors, emptied and sorted the drawers of random things you never use... all that. Was very satisfying! Then I cooked tuna and had v small glass of wine and then it was 8pm and my entire pelvis hurt from the effort so I had to go horizontal. We might do some more today, or we might sack it off and go to this Italian market instead and eat/buy fun things :)

When I spend too long on my feet it feels like the baby is falling out of me. I am getting a lot of braxton hicks too, they're not painful but they often come so suddenly they take my breath away.

My midwife friend sent me a nice email which said the more uncomfortable I am now the less work I'll have to do in labour - nice way to think of it.

I got a bravado silk nursing bra through the post as lots of people online were recommending it - I think it's a little too big but I'm going to grow right? (I am about 1-2 sizes up from pre-pregnancy currently, but that happened at about 7 weeks so I've got totally used to it and haven't grown since!) It is very... technical... with all its clips, arrgh! Comfy though so hope it will do the job. I might buy a couple more cheap ones from town today, and get properly fitted for a nice attractive proper one in a month or two when my body has decided on a size, is that sensible? TOO MANY THINGS TO CONSIDER.

I still haven't packed a hospital bag, I think I'm in denial. Boyfriend is getting very twitchy and went off to work muttering about fitting the carseat. He is excited though, he keeps getting on his knees hugging my belly and shouting SQUID I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU! (He is a large bearded man so this is really hilarious.) Still it could be 5 and a half weeks yet.

OK more cupboards to clean
squid, 36+3

Wow, thread 7?

Having done a bit of thread analysis total geek, the previous threads have lasted this long:

1. 3 weeks
2. 2 weeks
3. 4 weeks
4. 7 weeks
5. 9 weeks
6. 6 weeks

So the average thread length so far is about 5 weeks, they took longer to get filled up in the middle but I reckon that the beginning and end bits of pregnancy are most talkworthy so I think the downward trend will continue. So lets say this one lasts us 5 weeks, that takes us to... 4th October. So Squid, you're right, we'll definitely see some babies this thread.l Maybe even mine, eek

Also, LisbethsOpposite asked for the EDD list on the first page of this thread so here it is:, tidied up a bit OCD compulsive tidier

Sometime within 3-6 weeks: CWest30 ELCS DC2
Sept. 25: Squidkid DC1, Angelico DC1
Sept. 26: Elpis DC2 by ELCS
Oct. 2: Firstbubba DC1, Velo DC1, Milk DC2
Oct. 5: Yomping DC1, Lisbethsopposite DS2
Oct. 7: crazypaving DC2
Oct. 10: WantAnOrange DC2, MrsConfusion DC1
Oct. 14: Hufflepuffle
Oct. 17: Smorgs, DC1
Oct. 18: Bella2012 DC2, Beccus DC1
Oct. 19: Shellwedance DC1
Oct. 21: dosomethingmutley DC1
Oct. 26: Londonmrss, DC1
Oct. 27: MidgetM, DC2 but more likely to be around 6/10
Oct. 28: Kyyria DC1, Loopyla, DC1
Oct. 30: Cherrychopsticks, DC1
Nov. 1: Londonlivvy DC1
Nov. 8: MickeyTheShortOne DC1

Morning all, glad we're down to one new thread! And the thread we'll be on when NEW PEOPLE START ARRIVING IN THE WORLD, EEEEP!!!

This might be quite long - a lot's happened here! Some of it may be vaguely interesting...!

Yesterday was my last day at work. My goodness I feel like I've taken a big leap into the unknown, with no job to go back to. It makes a huge difference that the NHS maternity policy means that my contract has effectively been extended by 52 weeks to cover a full year's mat leave, so I don't feel totally adrift. But still, having no plan at the end and not being able to make one is a bit scary. And also not knowing if I'd want to go back to the job I just left if it was available, because the manager is so unbelievably crap and unprofessional and the team so fragmented and difficult to work in. I suppose the key is to bury my head in the sand

I've gone Ebay crazy and have been buying left right and centre. DH has a fixed grin on his face whenever it's brought up as I think finances are scaring him a bit. Still, we need the stuff and I'm managing to save a small fortune. Latest purchase: travel cot for new baby. Precisely the same as DS's, cos he loves it and sleeps so well in it. Highly recommend the Little Life Arc 2 if anyone's interested, it's bloody lightweight and compact.

Still have to buy cot, mattress, autumn/winter clothes for DS, and rearrange the rooms upstairs so the baby actually has somewhere to sleep, but that's not urgent as he/she will be in with us for a while. We'll save that upheaval for later (more head in sand, ahh, comfy).

I did a "crafty" type project yesterday, which I was v excited about, but should've known it would end in disaster because I am totally and completely useless at that kind of thing. I bought some cheap (but effective) blackout material off ebay and some velcro stickers, cut the fabric to size (in theory, ahem), and stuck it to DS's window and a funny little window in our spare room which will be his room at some point. Who knew cutting fabric was so tricky! Straight lines abandoned me. It looks effing ridiculous but the light is blocked...sigh. DH was smirking excessively and making snide comments. He's stuck with it though, so he can effing well put a sock in it.

And I spoke too soon about DH staying away - he announced the other day that he has a night away on 18th Sept, 4 hours' drive away (v important work meeting)! I'll be 37 weeks... I'm sure it'll be fine, but if I do happen to go into labour, it is likely to happen faster than last time (8hrs from start to finish) so he is likely to miss it. And if I do go into labour I will not be held responsible for the things I say to him down the phone.

squid well done for the nesting. Can I borrow your Mum?! I could so do with doing that - I've been eyeing up cupboards and drawers and itching to clean them out (very unlike me), but struggling to muster up the energy. So much to do...and limited time, because there's no way I'm doing it with DS around. Chaos. I wear the Bravado Body Silk bras, and absolutely love them (not exactly sexy, but oh so comfy, especially when your milk comes in and your boobs are like excruciating boulders). The bands are being stretched criminally by my fecking enormous bump so I've bought some new ones for after the birth.

wantanorange ((hugs)) for the SPD

cherry I have a friend who is built like a twig - seriously, her hips are about as wide as one of my thighs - and she has delivered 3 ten+ pounders naturally.

Bella another one cheering you on being so nice to your DH. What you really wanted was him to say "no, our time together is more important" I would imagine... I hope he does appreciate it. Well done you, and I hope you do something nice for you this weekend.

My DH is working this weekend and I haven't been organised and booked anything in for DS and me to do. Empty hours loom...at least the weather looks ok...

Michael McIntyre was funny last night but on reflection, travelling 100 miles to find a car park and arena in a city we don't know, getting there very early (DH gets panicked if we might be late which to him means if we might get there less than 2 hours before the start of something ), entertaining ourselves for 2 hours, sitting in a hot, crowded arena for 4 hours (we got to our seats very early, thanks DH...), laughing a lot, walking up 5 flights of stairs to the car, sitting in a 40 minute queue to get out of the car park, driving 100 miles home again, getting home at 2:30 am... all whilst 35 weeks pregnant, was maybe not my brightest ever plan. Apart from being obsessed with getting places early, DH looked after me really well and I was as OK as I could be, but it was so bloody HOT in there, I was trying not to touch DH on one side and some random girl on the other, and I was so sweaty by the end. Feel pretty tired today. Tonight we have tickets to see The Wurzels!

Ha ha, glad peri massage info was clear. Tried again today - doesn't get any less dignified. Working up the courage to graduate to using 2 thumbs instead of just one...

LondonMrs and Planktonette, thank you for the new threads, and for coming up with much better names than I did!

Midget, clear that up right now, it will make the thread smell!

Elpis, your DD sounds great, and very well trained!

Mickey, well done for holding it together at funeral. Someone at my prenatal gym class said that she was glad she did not plan anything, birth-wise, as nothing went how she would have planned it anyway - so there's a vote for winging it. Something I'm categorically not capable of doing but am envious of those who are. And yes, moving is DEFINITELY the right thing to do, can understand your worries but you are right, you have to put the baby first. Washing machines are very exciting, surely everyone thinks that??? (I have just ordered a heated clothes airer as our washer/dryer only has one (high) drying temperature so no good for reusable nappies and we don't have radiators to dry them on, or sun to dry them in over the winter - so I now think heated clothes airers are also very exciting!)

Cherry, I have also heard that the measurements are a bit random and unreliable - and have never heard of having pelvis measured! Think I'd rather not know if mine is deemed small . Saying that, I recently found out that my mum was induced 2 weeks early with me because she was deemed too small to give birth naturally if the baby (me) went to 40 weeks. Gulp. So maybe getting it measured is a good plan?

WantanOrange, that nature reserve Dr Who thing sounds AMAZING!!!!! Things like that are the reasons I can't wait to have children! DH and I were saying yesterday that we're really looking forward to all the silly stuff - bath toys, making baby giggle, etc. Sorry to hear about rubbish SPD though, hope you feel much better very soon.

x-post Yomping, last night sounds tiring but I bet it was amazing - I'd love to see Michael McIntyre. I seem to be one of the only people on the planet who thought he was absolutely brilliant as a judge on britain's got talent, but then I think he's brilliant generally. I'd love to see Dara O'Briain too...one day maybe!

Hola!
Tis Friday thus work v busy but hav been sneakily catching up........
Cherry at our antenatal class on Wed night MW was talking about pelvic size and the need for ECS. She said that in the past MW and obs tried to estimate space in pelvis by looking at hip size, feet size etc. However it is now deemed pointless as the space in your pelvis is dependent on many things and amount of movement during labor is an unknown quantity so it is a matter of seeing how things go! Once you have had one birth they can give advice on subsequent ones. (!!?!)
She said that most ECS are due to baby being simply too big or head at wrong angle of descent.
I am wondering if things are different in JApan because anatomically Japanese women are quite simply smaller than many all over!!! Certainly their hips can be tiny.

Must go, next person waiting!
x

Oh I too must be nesting because I had given myself a late start in work this morning and what did I do?? Sit on sofa or ball?? Nope, cleared out my underwear and tights drawers! How many bally pairs of black or brown opaque tights can one person have??????? Less now, that's for sure!
Now hopefully this wknd I can actually tackle back bedroom

Off now to look throught desk drawers to remove embarassing or 'should not be seen by others' items before new girl does her first full day on Monday!! Lunch?? No time!! eat while I sort!

Oh and thank you Planktonette and Londonmrss for new threads! x

Yomping It was fun, and the kids loved it. I get to do quite a lot of forest school type things in my job but I usually have Early Years children, so it was nice to do something with DS that was for bigger kids.

Nesting is driving me insane. I want to make everything beautiful but I'm stuck doing the opposite, taking this house apart for the move. Can't wait til next wednesday is over and I can nest properly.

I am bored. DH has ordered me to rest due to SPD and my head says he is right, but I am fed up!

Squid. Well done on the nesting! My version of that this week has happened at work. Also, I finally got pictures printed and put in all the lovely frames I bought in sale 6 months ago.

Wntan orange that sounds amazing, byt far too much walking. wantI went to the mall last fri with my mom, walked around slowly for about 2 hours and caused an spd flare up that lasted until wednesday, despite attending my yoga class in sunday.

Could someone please add me to the list? Oct 20 dc#1

So overheard dh on the phone to his buddy over the last couple days planning a trip out if country for next weekend. Finally asked him what.s up with that last night. He said it probably won.t happen, because his friend is so wishy washy... Ok but still... Don.t you think yu should mention that to your wife??? Funny because that us so out of character for dh. Even if his parents or friend ask him to come to the cjty for dinner he always tells tgem "he better check with the wife first" whichi alwats give him a bad time about because he makes me soynd like this controlling b¡@$# . But seriousl, a trip either 8 hours bt car, or if destination #2 (vegas) 4hour flight and $$$ maybe it.s something we should discuss?? Oh well if he does go I.ll invite my mom over and we will clean and hide all of his nice things

Ok best get ready 4 work.

Sometime within 3-6 weeks: CWest30 ELCS DC2
Sept. 25: Squidkid DC1, Angelico DC1
Sept. 26: Elpis DC2 by ELCS
Oct. 2: Firstbubba DC1, Velo DC1, Milk DC2
Oct. 5: Yomping DC1, Lisbethsopposite DS2
Oct. 7: crazypaving DC2
Oct. 10: WantAnOrange DC2, MrsConfusion DC1
Oct. 14: Hufflepuffle
Oct. 17: Smorgs, DC1
Oct. 18: Bella2012 DC2, Beccus DC1
Oct. 19: Shellwedance DC1
Oct. 20: Beeblebear DC1
Oct. 21: dosomethingmutley DC1
Oct. 26: Londonmrss, DC1
Oct. 27: MidgetM, DC2 but more likely to be around 6/10
Oct. 28: Kyyria DC1, Loopyla, DC1
Oct. 30: Cherrychopsticks, DC1
Nov. 1: Londonlivvy DC1
Nov. 8: MickeyTheShortOne DC1

Adding you, Beeble x

Hello chaps,
CWest hugs and hope you get your date soon. Can I ask why you have to be under general anaesthetic?
Mickey, I'm really frightened of the idea of a cs too- I've never had any kind of operation before and am assuming I won't need a CS. But obviously this birth thing can be unpredictable so I should think about the 'what ifs' because I think I'd find it emotionally and mentally quite difficult, having spent the last 6 months regularly visualising my 'perfect birth'.
I would like to share my news for the day. I've been having a lot of rib tenderness for a few weeks- all the way around. Assume it's still my ribs moving out of the way. I just bought a Bravado bra to try as a comfy bra for breast feeding, but thought I'd slip into the loo at work to try it as my Mothercare granny bra was feeling a little uncomfortable.
Rib pain gone! Honestly the most comfortable bra I've ever had the pleasure to lay against my skin. It's made my day. They're expensive and not that sexy. But I'm so comfortable now. I'm almost too comfortable. www.boots.com/en/Bravado-Bodysilk-Seamless-Nursing-Bra-black_1206765/
How are all your fellas doing with preparing for labour and birth etc? Mine has started to think about it more, but only because I forced him to watch a couple of episodes of OBEM to remind him that this is, at best, going to be an incredibly intense experience for us both and at worst.... well I left the room when there women lying on their back screaming, but I insisted he watch it. I think he assumed that we'd pop into the birthing centre, have a cuppa, pop the baby out, celebrate with a glass of bubbly and be home in time for him to invite his entire extended family round for photos and cake.