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

[Planktonette]

On your marks...
Get set...

GO!

Planktonette good freezing knowledge! Thanks! I've been freezing lots of sauces with a view that I'll be able to cope with making pasta/mash/rice/whatever. If this baby's anything like DS was I might be being a bit optimistic though. I can hope... God how to feed a toddler and myself??

Angelico mmm nice dream! I spent last night in various surreal dream scenarios (including the deepest part of the sea, which, for anyone curious, looks like a basement ) looking for something. The whole night, different dreams, looking for something. Weird. Sure it's terribly meaningful.

Well I had my meltdown last night at DH. Tried to sit and have a sensible conversation but inevitably my mouth turned into an upside down distortion of a smile and my eyes leaked a lot. He was very apologetic and explained that he's been feeling incredibly stressed about the birth. Not a huge surprise given his only experience of childbirth (where he came very close to having to deliver the baby alone and we were both terrified), but what is it about men that makes them shut down and turn into complete robots when they're stressed about something so emotional?? TALK TO ME DAMMIT!!! Duhh. Think we both feel better now.

lisbeth I can so sympathise with the unbelievable lack of energy. Swimming when you're already in a mess would've been a bad idea - I find swimming exhausts me. I did about 30mins on Sunday, and yesterday I woke up wanting to call in sick. Dream on with a toddler, eh. It would be so nice to have grandparents around to use... So glad your DS likes his new childminder, that's a result and must be a relief.

Yomping going back a bit now, but I think the physical and emotional benefits you'll get from finishing work a week early will enormously outstrip any financial difference. A week is bugger all, really, but every day is such an effort at this stage, isn't it. Well done you for making the decision. And don't tell me where you live because I may come and steal your Lakelane airer [lives in tiny damp house with crap washer dryer emoticon]

Well my mw just cancelled my homevisit today, and she can't come next week, so it looks like I'll be 38wks when someone comes to see me This is not bloody filling me with confidence, especially after everything was fumbled so badly by everyone at my last birth. Starting to get quite worried - I don't want another terrifying experience And DH is away a night next week, and I'll be 37wks, and I'm blatantly going to go into labour

Still a fast-moving thread I see so a few days away leads to massive Fjord-comment output ? sorry! Sorry for all those having sleepless nights. I?m going some nights from getting up every 2 hours to pee to every hour (and it?s always just a bloody teaspoonful) so I feel like I?m up half the night but I do manage to get back to sleep. Our bed is bloody uncomfortable though and will be impossible to feed in so I?m rallying on DP hard to see if we can?t get a new one ASAP?

Jealous of all the prolific poo-ers . I?m struggling to pop out one a day but in a lot of pain a lot of the time which seems to be emanating from that sort of area ?cos there?s no bloody room to store anything down there anymore
Talking of poos, was rather delighted to find out that I will be offered an enema on arrival in hospital in labour so am looking forward to getting that out of the way and not having to worry so much about pooing on the MW?s hand?

In awe of all the cooking/freezing going on. Our freezer is b*g**d so I?ve presented DP with some cookbooks and told him I will need good nutrition and I?m hoping he?ll just step up to the plate .

crazy - It wasn?t so much that I was laughing at the fact that a ?guide? existed for men to deliver their babies at home, more that, if most men are like my men with Ikea furniture, it is a hilarious concept to think they would be willing to read instructions for anything .

Interesting stuff about the ?orgasmic birth? Beccus - funnily enough, my ante-natal teacher was banging on about all this same stuff and lecturing my DP (we were having private sessions with her) about how he?s got to be snogging me and playing with my boobs (when the MW is out of the room of course) and all this to encourage the oxytocin ? especially since I?m going to be induced and want to avoid the syntocin drip. He nodded and all but I?d like to see it happening. Still, he is currently surprising me by being super-supportive and helpful so I?m prepared to have high expectations of him.

Had another bit of a scare today: started having what I now figure must have been a ?run? of BH after lunch. Was having definite ?contractions?, about 7 minutes apart, lasting 40-60 seconds each and this went on for about 45 minutes. Also felt like I was housing a tennis ball in my right thigh (baby must be engaged?surely?) and had waves of backache and nausea. Before this was constant pain however and I did need a bit of a poo . Anyway, it all calmed down and LO is back to furious tennis with umbilical cord and herself as the ball (from side to side ? Spinning babies? Didn?t know they meant every 10 mins!). Have a feeling, the way things are going that she won?t wait until my induction so I may beat CWest even after all and be the first! . Kind of hope she?ll wait until at least the 25th but boy did it feel like she might be coming today and by my original London estimates, I?d be 36 weeks already and she is fully developed (inc lungs) and 6.6lbs! Going to have to hurry with the hospital bag that is barely at the ?thought through? stage . Think DP and me will have a busy few days trying to get things sorted ASAP. LondonMrs - mine did one of those moves yesterday. Feeling bulges both sides and kicks both sides (although an absence of the usual light kicks into my upper right ribcage ). She seemed to move back to her usual left anterior after I lay on my left side for ages watching the US Open final but I hate it when she moves and I ?don?t know where she is?. I said to DP it?s like losing sight of your child in a busy city (I know that?s a bit pathetic?). I had been told her head was probably engaged so the amount of side to side movement is a bit befuddling.

Btw CWest - do you have a solid date yet? ? oh and feel better soon btw :)

Absolutely second Yomping for getting a Post-natal thread set up for us. Sorry about your meltdown though. I strangely felt a lot calmer and better about labour after 2 x 2 hour sessions about it but I know some of the other girls went quite the other way. I?m just weird we knew that.

Kyyria - sympathy to you! I know exactly how you must feel as I?ll admit (big admission coming?) I?ve never held or touched a baby younger than 6 months before. Ever. Just hoping it all falls into place .

More coming...food break...

I would like to say that I've been reading Ina May Gaskin's childbirth book because it's so frequently cited as an amazing text on natural childbirth. Personally I think it's a big pile of big hairy bollocks. Firstly it's all over-the-top woman-power... like when a woman goes into labour, she should be surrounded by lots of other women and they should all take their clothes off and menstruate over each other, that sort of thing.
Secondly it goes on and on about the dangers of C Sections and epidurals (horrible statistics etc) and how breech vaginal births are preferable blah blah. Basically it aims to make anyone who needs or wants medical intervention feel like a failure. The whole thing has pissed me off, to be honest.
Personally I still love the Natal Hypno book which teaches that your body is capable of giving birth, and that birth is a natural procedure rather than a medical one... but at no point attempts to preach that medical intervention, where necessary is a bad thing. It's about feeling in control of what happens during the birth of your baby.

"menstruate over each other"

I may have exaggerated that a tiny bit, but there is definitely one story of some women all naked together in a bed 'experiencing' one woman's contractions together.

Sounds like drug trips I had in my teenage years.

Hi all,

Have been awol while working at the Paralympics but now it's all over I can finally catch up!

Fjord The BH session sounds fairly intense! Glad things calmed down a bit. Chuckling at MW advising snogging and boob grabbing during labour, can imagine the pain will be a bit of a mood killer!

Crazy That is rubbish about your MW, sorry you're feeling so stressed, and to you.

Plankton Hope scan goes well and thanks for the food science info!

LondonMrs I'm also worried about baby position, I feel like it might have gone transverse. Also, when I look at the bump from the side it looks a tiny bit flat at the front. I'm sure the MW said something about a square bump at antenatal class last week but can't remember what it meant so am going to have to ask her tonight.

Have been fairly lazy this morning and feeling very uncomfortable like you all for the last few days. I do have a good recommendation for a birth book - it's called Juju Sundin's Birth Skills and gives lots of information about what happens in birth but also ways to cope with the pain, that seem fairly sensible. Feel quite empowered after reading it.

Sorry not to namecheck everyone but jealous of all the baby clothes washing, food freezing and general organisation so best go and get dressed and do something!

LondonMrs your teenage years sound much more interesting than mine

I am going to have to do baby clothes washing now! :) A little at how much you?re all paying for clothes airers (are they heated like radiators?). Here in Norway they?re the norm as almost no-one, ever outdoor dries so it?s tumble dryer or airer. Quite complex ones go for about £20/£30 (and this is an expensive country). Must admit I?m making rather free use of our tumble dryer these days. Makes the flat hot but frees up room in our otherwise tiny space.

Liege - good to hear from you! Try the spinning babies website that crazy suggested for ways to try to flip baby from breech if you haven?t yet ? I?ve found it invaluable for positioning stuff. There?s lots of ways to encourage babies to turn and you can be proactive about it. I second LondonMrs however in expressing caution over anything involving flat on back lying ? that was apparently how my LO got distressed (the MW thinks). Hopefully you won?t be diagnosed with GD. Watch for sugar/carb binges just in case. If they?re checking your urine regularly and you?re still ok at 33 weeks, I?m sure you?ll be fine! :).

Cherrychopsticks - at your baby also managing to break the cultural ?code? and embarrass you!

londonlivvy - hope the course was great! Sounds like you did all the right things to cope with it after the first day!

Beeblebear My stepmother in law announced on Sunday that my bump had dropped and I must be ?ready to drop?. I was hoping for another few weeks? In other news, DRINK MORE WATER! (and also, please stop talking about brownies and breakfast cereal ? thanks, Fjord the deprived x).

lisbeth - ObGyn does sound old fashioned in his attitudes. He does sound like he knows what he was talking about however and I?m glad he makes you feel reassured. Funny about your DH ? someone in my ante-natal class said she would rather have a big baby ? as she thinks it?s less ?scary? than having a tiny one and feeling you would ?break? it. I never looked at it that way I guess. Figuring no matter what mine won?t be in the ?tiny? camp?

Bella - the baby shower sounds lovely :).

Huffle - I?m not fit! I?m sure you?ll find a comfortable position! Hands and knees? Backwards on a chair? Yomping?s suggestion of a birth ball is also a great one. I?m a convert after my ante-natal classes and off to get one today! It is strange after the classes isn?t it that you have these sudden moments where you realise that will be you, for real, and soon x

squid - hope you enjoyed the theatre. I?m strictly an ?end of the row? girl at the cinema these days but have ceased going now as the LO is so responsive to sound that the cinema is a bit much for her ? I fear another distressed episode . She got a bit hyper last night when a particularly techno song came on the car radio! Know what you mean about the whingeing for sex! Finally my DP is getting more up for it and now, despite wanting it (and the fact I have a feeling like a tennis ball sitting inside my right inner thigh), I?m so scared LO is READY and it won?t take much to bring on labour, that I?m determined not to have it again until the hospital bag is packed and all the stuff is here

In other news ? my slightly hippyish but wonderful ante-natal teacher instructed DP that he must commence perineal massage on me. And he agreed. I mentioned it to him last night and he admitted to not knowing what ?perineal massage? or a ?perineum? were. Ha! I told him, he didn?t back out and we?ve ?made a date for it? on Wednesday night when the kids have gone . Feel a little weirded about letting him do it, but if left to me it won?t happen at all, as I can barely comfortably reach .

Lots of love to everyone having meltdowns. It?s a lot of pressure and stress waiting for something to happen ? especially when you haven?t any experience of it before. I?ve not had a meltdown per se but I do get teary at almost everything on TV, especially if a baby or child appears, in any context, so the hormones are there, waiting for an application . I?ve got the stepkids coming today and I?m more worried that they?re going to have shocked meltdowns when they realise it could be any time now (and see the newborn nappies we bought yesterday). DP seems to be putting off having ?the conversation? with them about how their lives will change in this flat and how we all have to pull together

Hugs to all xx

londonmrs can you name the natal hypno book please?

fjordmor yup, it's a heated rail clothes dryer/airer. I can fit about a load and a half's worth of laundry on mine at a bit of a stretch :)

Here is is Plankton: www.amazon.co.uk/Effective-Birth-Preparation-Practical-Better/dp/1905220596/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347367308&sr=1-3

Fjord, I am so sick of fibre especially in bowl form. Had dh clean out the fridge on the weekend and have now stocked up on some lively veg. Yes must go put on the kettle.

Yay kast night finally sleot through the night! other than the 3 trips to the loo good thing cause I was such a space cadet at work yesterday, got nothing done! Was nice not to have the usual 3am 1-2hr wake up call.

Sadly no luck so far with me on the poo font.tt oday. Think planktonette should get a star on the pregnancy poo walk of fame! 4 poos!!!! hangs head in shaame

How was your scan, by the way Plankton? Hope all is fine.

i quickly pop back on to retract my previous statement about no luck in the pooh dept, gee I feel 5lb lighter noiw!

lisbethsopposite Had membrane sweep at 40+4. I don't know: I suspect it gives MWs something to do.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGGGGG!!

I HAVE A DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spent ALL morning and most of this afternoon at the hospital, scan went well, babys head is down in my pelvis, and she weighs 4lb 2oz :)

Went up to the Fetal Health Unit to be monitered, and they said that actually, the Drs were in clinic today, and they should be planning everything. One of the nurses took me back down to the clinic and went and spoke to my obstetrician. After another long wait I was FINALLY taken into an examination room.

My obstetrician said they had decided that tomorrow and the next day I need to go back and have the steroid injections for babys lungs. Hopefully on one of these days I will also be visited by the anaesthetist who will decide if I am OK to go to the date the obstetrician has booked, or if it needs to be sooner. If all is ok, I have another obtetrician appt next tuesday, and my pre-op assessment next wednesday.

AND MY ELCS DATE IS .....................TUESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha, soooooo relieved to finally know what is happening, but OMG 2 weeks today!!! (I'm sure someone else is this date too?)
Oh, and DS starts school full time on Weds 26th September, and we will get the keys to our new home on Friday 28th September......what a week that is going to be!!!

30, 32+2 (but very close to the end (!) DC2

Angelico just looked back, I think its you who is also having a ELCS 2 weeks today? Want to be CS buddies? Also, if you are on the FB page u can inbox me as we get nearer to the big day and we can share fears etc. If not good luck!!

Wow CWest that's so exciting! You know your baby's birthday! Sounds like it's going to be an interesting week .

Had my positioning scan today, and HOORAY the baby is head down, and slightly engaged! Just keeping everything crossed he/she stays that way round. Also did measurements which have filled me with The Fear: head circumference and biparietal diameter are completely off the chart - by quite a long way - and its weight is estimated to be 7lb already I'm going to be pushing a toddler out!!!! DS weighed 7lb9oz...looks like this one might be a total monster by comparison. Yikes. Afraid for my bits.

CWest what a relief having a date! Wow that's soon but it's amazing knowing the birthday as Shell says, and to have a confirmed date to plan towards!

Yippee CWest! (For a second I was thinking 'bloody hell, late pregnancy is a brave time to go on a first date with someone')
You must be so relieved! Great to be able to plan, and amazing that you've hung on so long.
crazyp great news. How come you have a positioning scan? Is that standard where you are?

Londonmrs no the mw wasn't sure if the baby was breech or not, and definitely wasn't happy to do a homebirth if it was. Phew! Last time she palpated she said if it was head down it was "very squashy". Have been alternating between worrying about giving birth to a potato head and having to have an ELCS due to breech. Looks like it's potato head after all.

Holy moly..... No keeping up with u lot!!!

Just to update on the airer.......

Just put baby stuff in tumble drier for 20 mins cos despite it being left on through night last night and sitting all day today in hall (off today) defo not all totally dry in extremities! Hmmmmm

Lakeland site has lots of reviewers who cover it with quilt cover but think that might annoy the life out of me!!!!

Will try once more but might be taking advantage of Lakeland wonderful returns policy!!

My bump is moving loads but doing loads of flatness at front. Worrying that is back to back Me no likey!

Sorry, no energy to properly digest your posts, brain drain course today!!

Xx

I have missed this thread so much! Living without the internet for a whole week should not be allowed!

The move went well. This house feels enormous and I don't know if I like it yet. Doesn't feel like home at all, and ended up crying to DH that I wanted to go home. I hope that's the hormones! Feeling better about it each day, as our stuff is unpacked.

Had midwife appointment yesturday and baby is the right way up and engaged! Only got to hold on one more week and then I can have my home birth. I'm only measuring 32cms but midwife is not worried, I'm jusy going to have a little one apparently!

I had a moment yesturday of blind panic because I thought my waters had gone but apparently it was just a lot of, ahem, discharge (TMI, I know ). Made me realise how not ready I am yet! I have work for college to get done, babies room is full of boxes, I haven't done any batch cooking! lol. I have dug out the newborn clothes and nappies though, and gievn them a wash. The cot's up and hospital bag is packed (had it done in time for moving day, so as not to tempt fate!)

That is great news CWest. C-section must be nerve racking but nice to know when it's going to happen.

re meltdowns I have one every few days anyway, I think you're entitled to a few when you have a baby!

Cheers for link londonmrs :) Scan was 100% fine - baby is abnormally normal, spot on average in every way. I'm 38 weeks tomorrow and he is very VERY engaged - right down low. Thats why the bump is small (currently 33 cm when it should be 38):

a) I am a very small person (currently rocking 67 kilos, heaviest I've been in my life!) and
b) all the head that should be making the bump big is tucked away in my pelvis.

Oddly, it's only since he engaged that I've really noticed my rib cage expand... Surely that's not right?

cwest I got a little flutter of excitement for you! VERY exciting. I'm due the 27th - wanna race?

Anyone else watching one born every minute? I am and it's making me all tearful! Hormones!

Greetings to my due date buddies Firstbubba and Milk, as of today we have reached the 37 weeks mark and are officially full term!! I can't quite believe that this stage has finally been reached so lets enjoy the moment (before the sleepless night, sore hips, heartburn etc kicks in again).

So excited for CWest somehow you having your date confirmed makes it more real for the rest of us. Can't wait for the first births to start rolling on to thread.

I've got a scan and monitoring session tomorrow so hopefully the little own has had a little bit of a growth spurt over the last couple of weeks (unfortunately I'm pretty sure that I've grown as well!!).

Hope we all manage to get some rest tonight xx