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

[Planktonette]

On your marks...
Get set...

GO!

Angelico YANBU to be upset and stressed with DH. It's the first big decision you have to make together as parents!

Loopy I've not packed hospital bag or written both plan yet either. Know I need to crack on and do it but think it's my wayof putting off acknowledging that I have to go through labour...

Would also like to say a big thank you to everyone on here - would have definitely struggled without you lot.

The first of our NCT group has just popped - due in 2 weeks but induced Friday as she is diabetic. Had a boy (9lb1oz) last night.

I'm starting to freak out that this is really happening gulp

Morning all!

I'm having the loveliest weekend Dropped DS off with my Dad (who's staying with the family member who has offered to look after DS when i go into labour) and headed into town with DH. Pottered about, had lunch sitting in the sun (hottest ever jerk chicken burger - no labour though!!), came home and pottered some more, went out for a really lovely dinner, came home to the best night's sleep I've had all week. Currently lying in bed watching TV and MNing - haven't done this in 2 years!!!! It feels amazing!

A weekend of bliss before the storm. Was panicking about going into labour whilst I was so exhausted so I'm grateful to have got more than 4hrs sleep last night.

angelico LOTS of sympathy about names God it's hard isn't it. I found boys' names so tough last time, and when DS was born I had a massive hormonal meltdown and couldn't bring myself to go ahead with the name we had, as my Dad hated it He wasn't officially named for 5 days, and in the end DH put his foot down and we went for it. If your DH has put you off the name you love, I don't think that will necessarily last - because the name quickly becomes part of this new person. I do sympathise, so much though. She will be named! And whatever the name is, it will be hers, so you'll love it. Bop your DH over the head with something for me though, for being a massive nobber.

huffle don't overdo it today!

loopy you've reminded me, need to pack my just-in-case hospital bag too! Hmm, maybe I should get out of bed...

lisbeth that made me feel all warm inside!

yomping I'm so sorry but the image of you in changing rooms putting your boots on the wrong foot made me giggle. You poor thing, I'm glad you found some clothes to get you by! At least you know you can wear them again if you decide in a fit of madness to go through this again one day

mrsconfusion your back sounds grim. Hope it somehow improves.

squid glad you're feeling a bit better. These last weeks are tough aren't they? It's funny, I've pretty much blanked them out of my mind from my last pg. Honestly remember very little about them - apparently I spent most of my time on the sofa eating tracker bars . Think I watched a lot of ridiculous TV like Grey's Anatomy and House. God sounds like bliss, how do I persuade DS to let me do that?! So no advice from me I'm afraid - but sounds like you're doing brilliantly, as ever.

Elpis funny isn't it how changes can come about so quickly in little ones - it seems preschool = independence! I hope you manage to hang on to your patience. Mine abandoned me this week, am hoping this weekend is recharging my patience battery!

smileyhappy I'm also getting mildly crampy tightenings. Didn't get them last time - just went from zero to labour to baby in one day. So am just trying to ignore them....that's the right thing to do, right?!

A big wave to everyone else - apparently lyiing in bed to eat breakfast is a bad idea, now where's that gaviscon...

You don't need to do a birth plan if your don't want to Kyyria. I would get that bag packed though!

DS is driving me INSANE and I know it's me that is being unreasonable. He does this thing were he holds his breath for a few seconds and then breathes out really heavy! If I tell him to stop it, it just draws attention to it and he gets worse. I know noisy breathing is fairly small when it comes to challenging behaviour but I think I may strangle him anyway.....

He's not naughty. He never hits or kicks. He rarely throws tantrums. He doesn't swear. He's just so bloody annoying but it would be out of order for me to tell him off, I'm supposed to be the parent FFS! Someone shake me!

Crazy, zero to labour to baby in one day? I was assuming from first twinges it would be a few days, giving me plenty of time to get my head round it. Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!

Yomping that's why I had an unplanned homebirth! Be prepared for every eventuality....hmm, like that's possible...

wantanorange and breathe....(quietly!!!) Amazing how the smallest things can make you want to inflict pain on others...

Lol. Don't get me started on DH...

YompingJo my first labour was 8 and half hours from start to finish. My waters went first, like in the movies . Had no signs beforehand, other than the baby's head was engaged, but this one has been engaged for 3 weeks now!

I've changed my mind. He is naughty! He keeps throwing my birthing ball around the Living room!

My DH keeps launching himself at my birthing ball and trying to balance on it on his knees, like he was shown at the gym as a core strength exercise. It is bigger than the balls at the gym though and yesterday he rolled straight off it again, nearly kicked the TV screen and nearly nutted himself on the corner of the TV unit. sigh. WantanOrange, when you manage to stop your DS, can you let me know how you did it so I can see if the same thing works with my DH?

Ha Love the way we're all panicking about "how are we going to cope with a baby" when in fact our other halves are all just big kids!

Thank you all for the sympathy strokes ladies, it means a lot I had been feeling like I was the nobber. Basically I knew a meltdown was inevitable at some stage but had hoped to hold it at bay till tonight / tomorrow night so I could enjoy the last couple of days of freedom. Instead the whole name thing made me miserable and negative and tearful... which by bedtime last night had me sitting on the loo sobbing, thinking, "Holy fuck, this gigantic baby is coming out of me and I can either get cut open or try and squeeze her out (ending up incontinent in the process because of medical history!!!). What sort of options are those?!" Lay in bed and cried last night, then woke up this morning and cried a bit more.

And now it's gone. Thank God. I think that's the meltdown and terror out of the way now, feel calm again, helped by the fact that there is a name contender which we both like with a lovely meaning, not too popular or Irish (because yes Huffle only people living in this mad bastard country could understand that - the meltdown name was rejected by DH on grounds of being too Irish and 'labelling'!!! In fairness he has a name like that himself.). We literally lost the name we're going for because had scribbled out all the names around it and then saw it and remembered it was there and that we both really like it. 'D'H has been warned on pain of mortal injury not to say a single negative thing about it or I'm pulling rank and going with the Irish name.

And breathes! Hang in there ladies, especially MrsConfusion - massive sympathy on the back pain. And to everyone who is tired and fed up and uncomfortable (poor Yomping, I laughed at the boot thing too because I might have actually cried at that point lol). Lisbeth so excited for you!

DS occupied with DH so here goes. Orange aren't they are great/annoying in the same moment? Actually that includes DCs and DHs

CWest & Angelico Good luck with CS this week. CWest I cried at your DS1 story
It was ALL good!!
Angelico - the name might come to you after the birth. I find it hard, particularly for boys to match a baby name to an adult name. I think DS has quite an adult name so I often call him 'baby' or 'pudding'. He was named for FiL so I get the main say this time - or so I tell DH, but I still haven't settled on anything.

Velo I hope you are OK

CrazyP I think I've swum my last too. I'm scraping the bottom for energy, and generally feeling fragile.

Mikey Sick lots here too - but only a day left for me now.

Bella On the work late debate, I'm afraid I quit early - at 32 weeks I think so I'm afraid I can't advise. I have no regrets as I was quite unwell but everyone has to see how they can manage themselves. I worked to 36 weeks, no problem, with DS, and that was only 2 years ago. I feel about 100 years older, if age is the cause of feeling crap.

Beccus Love your nudist approach - When I was BF DS I used to have an audience of children at my window occasionally so I wont be as liberal as you, but I like the spirit. I definitely stay a mile from perfumes with a newborn.

Breastfeeding Yes it is all in the latch - getting as much of the areola into their tiny gob as you can. Oh yes and keeping the little feckers awake at 2AM when they are all cuddled up and comfy in your arms and then they nod off at a few swallows! You can't put them back to bed or they will be crying with hunger in 10 mins... minor details, once the famous latch is OK they are ways around the rest (like cold flannels).

WantanOrange I've also been wondering what to wear for the event - glad the old me is somewhere inside. I'm also looking forward to buying and wearing non maternity clothes (Although BF is restrictive also...)

Elpis I read your post last night before bed and was sad that people would behave in that way. My emotions are very fragile at present anyway, but to be targeted anonymously like that is spooky. Are you in law enforcement or legal services? Is this kind of thing rare? How could we be harmed by what we have shared here? I feel like little Miss Naive.
I really hope all goes well for you post birth.

Planktonette Mum arrived here yesterday also. Not clear what we need her to do or how long this induction will take (My last one was

Lisbeth you just reminded me of something - question for the second timers. What did you wear to breastfeed? Did you buy special 'nursing' tops? I ordered one off ebay, also saw a couple of others on a website (www.mamafeelsgood.com) but didn't know if you can really just wear anything. Some of the nursing tops are quite dear. Anyone know where you can get decent cheap ones in size 16??? Or better just to get some cheap men's shirts?

Angelico I swear by breastvests then more or less whatever you want to wear on top - a stretchy pull-up top and a cardi and voila, you're pretty covered ime. Some people don't bother at all, just wear a stretchy vest to pull down under a top to pull up, but when my boobs got engorged I found that uncomfortable and preferred the easy access of breastvests. It takes a while but you'll get the knack!

I also got one of those big bf covers, like an apron, but it was a waste of money. DS hated being hidden away and we fought like hell!

FirtBubba Glad to hear news from another (ahem) older mum. Today I am THRILLED to be facing induction so glad I am older more mature.

Liege the extra monitoring is scarey. Obviously there is something there to alert them. Can you look at the extra monitoring as a positive? Good ante natal care?

Squid on the emotional meltdowns - aren't we entitled to them? They seem to come and go like a storm, dreadful while they are there but then they seem to pass off. I often felt with IVF that I was like a passenger at a bus stop waiting helplessly for MY bus to come along. Pregnancy is like travelling in the back of the bus. It happens to your body and you are not in the driving seat, just along for the ride. The baby is actually a parasite with mother nature prioritising it's needs e.g. low calcium - baby gets all, mummy none. Is it a wonder we are feeling so trashed in the end? My ObG says if you want to have babies with no difficulty, have them when you are 19 (bit too late for me ).
No matter what, though, there are only a few weeks left now.

Angelico I have that seahorse for new baby - comes highly praised.
To you and Huffle, I live in RoI but have ILs in NI. I know of some of what you speak - they are mad to pigeon hole you. Things are better but will take more time. I do business with a guy called Stephen from NI - he says he gets asked how he spells it as that would help to categorise him in NI (Think ph would be Catholic and V would be Protestant, but perhaps other way round ). These nuances are taken seriously - I don't know what religion he is or how he spells his name, and I care less. I have to say I grew up with a steady diet of sad stories coming from NI so all this seems like small stuff, and hopefully our children will just be disinterested and slightly sceptical of how things were 'long go'.

Yomping Lately I like Alexa (Chung) as a boy/girl name, because I admire her style, but I know I wont use it - reminds me too much of 'smart alec'

To be continued....

Angelico Crazy is right, a pull up and pull down layer is most discreet. Perhaps a shirt to open and a vest to pull up - I have lots of those mamlicious one size vests. I also bought some of my mat tops to be mat and feeding.

I often wear a scarf anyway so you could just drape a bit of that over things - we are getting into Winter.

What wont work is anything like a jumper - too restrictive. Anything with sequins/beading or stuff sewn on doesn't work either.You will be afraid baby will swallow.

CrazyP I had that sore throat cough as well. Normally I wouldn't take a bit of notice, bit of Vit C and a night's sleep would cure, but what's a night's sleep???

Anyway woke at 5 with raspy cough last Thursday morning. Fit of coughing brought on fit of puking. I ended up puking green bile, I was sooo ill (and sorry for myself) , I went from shock/horror at having a delivery date to Thank God, 'cos I can't do this any more.
Then on Friday I met a friend for coffee who told me I was looking great!!! I am getting off this roller coaster.
I am looking forward to the delivery now.

Quick story - met a girl the other day who put on 9ST in her pregnancy - almost exactly doubled her body weight. It was twins, born early (CS) because of complications but they are 2 now (and well) and she is back to 9.5st - her normal weight.

Made me think 'this too shall pass'

Ooh LisbethsOpposite, thank you, that was a timely post. Haven't dared to weigh myself but gutted at how much bigger I am so it's good to hear it is definitely reversible.

New preg. jeans are great but they are too big round the waist (story of my bloody life with jeans - comfy on thigh = too big at waist) - I can pull them up the bump but they don't have a bump band so just fall straight back down - and none of my belts are long enough to go round me and not even any of DH's will fit round! Gah, now I need a new belt. Does it never end???

Angelico & Huffle I am sorry if sounded patronising - I do not mean to

lisbeth i shall be checking this thread regularly tomorrow for your news will be thinking about you and take encouragement that you have done this before. I cant stop thinking that something will go wrong having waited this long it doesnt seem real.

I withllisbeth elpis and found the comment re the sharing of babies names quite strange/concerning tbh. i have no problem being outed no interest in trying to find out more about the ladies on here in RL and i dont mean that in a bad way, I just respect pepoles privacy. No problem sharing here but we have not picked any names yes with a week to go

Just weighed myself.

I am nearly 13st.

OMG.

Hi all,

Sorry have been out all weekend so no time to post but I have been on regularly reading all your news.

Firstly lisbeth all the best for tomorrow! I will be thinking of you and look forward to your story ;)

Has anyone heard from velo yet?

angelico I hope things are sorted with DH now? There is something up with these men, remember the hassle I had with mine last week? I'm pleased to say he finished work Fri night and is now off on his 2 wks paternity. He's been lovely towards me, very reassuring and comforting, even when I was a complete bitch all day yesterday (panicking)

I'm still suprisingly calmish even after my own mini meltdown the other night. The excitement is kicking in a little bit now, although I'm still bloody petrified too.

Made up the Moses basket yesterday, and today I'm over my sisters for the day. She's given me 7 cardboard boxes full of clothes she got second hand for £25!! Sizes range from tiny baby to 6 mths, there's absolutely TONS of it!! SOOOO exciting we won't need to buy anything for ages!

The only other thing iv had for the last few days is bizarrely heartburn! That's a new one for me!

To everyone else suffering with colds etc I feel your pain, only just getting over mine.

You all know by now but sod it - 1 FREAKING DAY!!..............................

Oh and may have said before but LO is called Naomi Louise :) xxx