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

[Planktonette]

On your marks...
Get set...

GO!

Lord, I don't remember getting through ten pads a DAY. Maybe they clear out more stuff when you have a c-section... I do remember being told off by some midwife for not bringing big enough pants into hospital. And I was still bleeding at my six-week check-up, though not much.

Yes, you can get pregnant again quickly but it varies from woman to woman and is unlikely until 6 months if you're exclusively breastfeeding. Took 22 months for my periods to return... but then I'm a bit hardcore, I suppose.

Thanks to the people who recommended Spatone for the iron. Bought some today. It is expensive and like drinking rust but it is better than iron tablets and for that I am immensely grateful.

I only meant 10+ in the early days - the first 2-3 days were heaviest for me, was having to double up pads and change pretty much every time I went for a wee. And because you're up so much in the night with the baby, I needed to change then too. But I know some people don't have such heavy loss - I just was so unprepared last time, and would've appreciated knowing how mad it can be! DH had to go out almost every day to buy me more and we were both

I seem to remember the quantity tapering off within about 2 weeks but bleeding ongoing for 6ish.

Holy moly, thanks for the advice crazypaving I was wondering if I'd over done it with two packets of super Always and one of night time. Best see if there is anything else in offer in the supermarket here. Is it worth getting a waterproof mattress protector too do you think? (I mean for our bed not just baby's!)

I had bought some pampers disposable changing mats for sake of leaks in own bed for me. Was in pound land last week and they had larger disposable waterproof type pads, pack of 3 for £1. Worth looking out for those ladies (as long as they cheap and cheerful as opposed to cheap and hideous :-# )

On the antenatal tour, the bedside cabinets are filled with sanitary pads and bed pads to use while there. I thought was being v generous!! But I suppose helps with clean up and washing!!!

Lovely conversation we having this evening.....,,,!

Night all! XO

mothercare do huge packs of mat pads. It is annoying having to buy so many packs of 10! huffle i used to put winged ones underneath the mat ones which worked well.

Constipation after birth is not fun either (while we are sharing thoughts on the unpleasant bits) particularly as on every contraction they say to you 'I want you to push like you are trying to have a poo'. Because then you are terrified to replicate that kind of pushing! Someone told me to press a mat pad onto your front bits while you are doing your business and it stops the feeling that everything is all going to fall out! Good advice.

Last bit of sharing. I wish someone had told me how much your fanjo all swells up afterwards. I couldn't believe how swollen and bruised it all looked. Sorry if this is TMI, but at least you can be prepared and know that it will go back to normal!

Well, I went back to work today-extremely stressful and tiring. My new HOD introduced my mat cover lady to everyone in the dept. Describing their job. He got to me last and said... 'and Rachael is...babies'. That is how he defined me. It was said in jest and he is Croatian with a rather broken command of English. But I still left the day feeling totally undermined.

Well DH had an amazing time at the rugby-it was a pretty historic match for the Quins by all accounts so he was v. Glad to have seen it and we had a lovely heart to heart last night which made me much happier. Sadly, he has just phoned from work and I am miffed with him again. It is my baby shower on sat arvo (although we are ditching the shower part as I don't want any presents-we are just having tea and cake and gossiping instead with some baby related tat knocking about) and he has just said 'ah does that mean I can't play rugby as I will be looking after DS?' If I hadn't seen DS all last week for work, all weekend and all this week, there is no way I would want to be away ffrom him again on Sat! And I can't believe he would make me feel bad about a couple of hours with my friends after all the fun he had last weekend. So upset. He has apologised but I think he can be so thoughtless sometimes. What a shame when we'd had such a lush time together last night. Men!

Rigt, I am going to go to bed and read a possible year 8 playtext now, oh the joys! Will have a proper catch-up tomorrow.

Big love to you all x

re maternity pads/tena pants - NCT lady also said to train DH up so that he knows what to buy if you need to send him out for more - nothing worse than running out and sending him off for new stocks, only for him to return with panty liners or Tampax (ha ha ha, like that will cut it just after giving birth ) or normal pads or something else unsuitable - take him to supermarket/Boots and show him exactly what to buy, a couple of times. He will probably cringe but he will need to know.

Not looking forward to all this bleeding, hated periods at the best of times - is it too late to reconsider having a baby?

And just to make you all , I got a bit confused a few weeks ago when reading about all this stuff (obsessive reader of pregnancy manuals!) and read that you can use the Pampers disposable mats if leaky after the birth - I somehow misread and got it into my head that they were suggesting you use actual nappies, and I got really scared!

(hoping I am right that I was wrong, as it were, and not still misunderstanding - please tell me I won't need to use actual nappies, on myself?)

Gosh - I get in from an ante-natal hospital visit where we snooped round all the birthing rooms finding different sizes of pad (some as big as changing mats - must have been the ones you're talking about Yomping) and you're all talking about it here too! :) Had a rather dramatic day so am shattered. Had a visit to the MW this AM. Everything was ok except ketones in my wee (well that will be as I'm super-low carbing to keep my blood sugars down! Figuring I'm on the way to Metformin...) oh and the LO decided to get all distressed after some heavy pressing on my pubic bone or what the midwife said was my pubic bone (it hurt like hell) and her heart rate was zooming between 170-190 and wouldn't settle in 10 mins. Cue me going straight to the hospital maternity unit for CTG. Luckily, after about 20 minutes on monitoring, she started to simmer down but was 'cycling'/Riverdancing her way through the entire visit. Got home, feet up for a couple of hours, then back there again for the ante-natal visit thing. I must try and work out a way to stop her getting stressed during labour so they don't rush me to a CS. Could be my fault however; despite ketones earlier, my blood sugar's been whack all day, despite keeping to all the rules . The major upshot of today is that everyone agrees I have an exceptionally active baby. Thank god I got her a bouncy chair! Not sure who on earth's genes she's getting that from. Perhaps it's my karma for being an 'older mother'?

Angelico - thanks for the thread - good one. Will comment on there when I get a chance. However, my days of managing on diet may be over later this week as the ketones are taking over. I'll know more after Wednesday's dietician visit and Thursday's endocrinologist check.

Weight-wise, I haven't been weighed recently either but seems likely that I have lost some weight in the past few weeks. The only weight gain I know about is 8kg between wk10 and wk29. All they seem concerned about now is measuring the baby and estimating her weight rather than worrying about mine. Oh and baby baths - we had to get one (but got a freebie) as we don't have a bath and the majority of Norwegian flats don't have them. I miss having one a lot and will be insisting my birthing room has one (just seen them today - they're lush, labour or no labour :))

Am with you all on the bad nights. Perhaps it's par for the course at this stage? Lots of difficulties staying comfortable, tossing and turning, and minimum 3 wee-runs per night. Starting to feel perpetually tired but can't nap because as soon as I lie down on the sofa, it's (apparently) time for Riverdance! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz (hope all of that made sense)

yompingjo Definitely no need to use nappies on yourself! You'll have something like a Pampers disposable mat underneath you on the hospital bed and could get some for home as well, in case of leaks. I think the flow seems even heavier because you can't use tampons for a while, though (possibly tmi) I haven't been able to use them since before birth. Something about the pressure that I don't like any more... and towels are so much better than they were. May try to reconsider when I have time to swim regularly again in 2015.

Hmm. The things we look at ......
www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Feme-Pads-and-10-Gauze-Covers/381844,default,pd.html?cm_sp=ProductFeatures--Category%2520landing--Mothercare%2520Feme%2520Pads%2520and%252010%2520Gauze%2520Covers&q=Maternity%20pads

Wonder did that work?? Never tried linking before.....

Mothercare Femme pads. Gel pads which u keep in freezer then cover in gauze to help with swelling and soreness after?????

Anyone any experience with such items? Right now sounds rotten but thinking might actually be v helpful, tho the thought of washing the gauze covers given blood loss not too pleasant...... .

Off to diabetes clinic here... But a quick note to Fjord to send a hug! A girl on the other thread had the same problem - she was trying to avoid all carbs and then they told her GD is very different from ordinary diabetes, the beans NEED carbs so if carbs send sugars up you must eat carbs and have insulin rather than just avoid carbs. I have carbs at every meal and haven't had more than a trace of ketones but I'll be interested to see if they think I can manage without insulin to the end... 3 weeks today for CS!

Sending you all a good morning hug :o

If we're sharing tips, for about a week after the birth I found it really painful to wee, after a few days of that torture my midwife suggested leaning forward and touching my toes while on the loo. Very undignified (make sure you lock the door!) but it instantly worked!

Those Tena pants are pretty sexy. Thanks for the detailed post-natal bleeding descriptions. It's good to have it bluntly stated so I don't freak out when it happens! You ladies are the best- better than any book.
Also, for those struggling to get any exercise, I went swimming last night and it was absolute bliss. I'm generally moving pretty slowly now and can't walk that far, but swimming is the first thing I've done which felt the same pregnant as not pregnant. Just a slow 20 lengths, but I felt great and would thoroughly recommend. I only really went because I miss lying on my front so much and thought breast stroke would be the closest thing I would get to that position!

As predicted, today is a new day, and last night was a grim night... Baby was kicking ten shades of crap out of me from 9-12, which made me panic that maybe it was coming early (the night before DS was born he went properly mental - both DH and I thought he was going to perform his own alien-style c-section) and I had everything we haven't got yet running through my mind (e.g. nappies!!!). Got less than 4hrs sleep...shattered, just counting down the minutes to DS's nap. Poor little chap

Oh crazy you should have come online, I was up from 4am UK time after being kicked awake (and then kept awake by dh telling me I was snoring). I haven't got nappies yet either, or washed any of the hand-me-downs.! I have however spent 40 minutes chatting to the neighbours, also our landlords, and had a nice cup of tea and a biscuit, which I think is a productive morning.

londonmrss swimming sounds bliss, think that might help my back pain. Just need to find my in one of these boxes...

Can I share some non-pregnancy news? Just had a telephone interview for a permenant freelance job and it went really well! I've been doing a bit of freelance over the summer but nothing much so this would be great - only a few days each month and working from home so practical with a baby. Excited!

Hello lovelies

thanks for the reassurance. It's so helpful to have others to talk to who are in the same boat!

I had an awful night's sleep again, but feeling ok today. Just did my old running route along the river... it's about 4 miles I guess... walked it in about 2 hours, hah. It was nice though, took advantage of a bit of cloud cover. I am washing reusable nappies now and emailing a mate who I have just found out has TB (!!!) (think he's doing ok though)

Will attempt further clearing/cleaning later.

I was just wondering, as a bit of a distraction from third-trimester-woes really, what people's getting-pregnant stories were... I feel like I know you all but I have no idea who's been dreaming of a baby for years, who's had a happy accident, how all that came about! (I do remember midgetm has had a very long and difficult time getting this baby and am so happy for her.) My own story is not very interesting - came off the pill in September I think, had a couple of periods straight away and then got knocked up. My last period was on Christmas day! (Well timed - I went and got drunk immediately!) Loads of my work colleagues assumed it was an accident because god forbid a doctor would dare to get pregnant before becoming a consultant etc. But everyone who knew us well was really happy for us. I never checked when I was ovulating or anything like that (had sex with boyfriend very regularly so figured why bother) though I do remember a strange smear of mucusy blood which I thought was too early to be an implantation bleed, but when I had my 12 week scan they amended my due date by 6 days, so I think I was exactly right.

I've always been quite in tune with my body and was a bit worried about how long it would take to get pregnant after being on the pill for 17 years (!), but I was pretty lucky. The day before my period was due I cried for no reason all day, and the day it was due I felt crampy and strange, and I don't normally get period pain. I had always told myself I would give it a week or two before testing... but ... there are pregnancy tests in the cupboard at work! moment of weakness, I tested. Nothing for a minute, then a faint line. I think this was late january. I was so happy and excited and boyfriend was over the moon, and then we were both shit scared for the next few weeks and I hated that I'd found out so early. I was crazy tired and had to do a giant 6 hour professional exam at 6 weeks and interview for a job at 7 weeks - really really hard. I joined the forum shortly after that, I think - didn't feel secure enough before.

Well. that's my getting-knocked-up story - not that dramatic or anything! Seems like so long ago.

I am full term today - 37 weeks. Really strange and exciting to think if I go into labour now... this is it... I'll just have the baby at home, I'll not expect any complications, though of course they may arise. It's nice - I feel more secure.

Not had bump pics in a while have we? anyone care to share? here's mine excuse terrible quality. I keep trying to tell myself I don't look THAT big, but this does not correlate to how heavy and exhausted I feel!

angelico I had a read of your diabetes thread... really think you are doing so well despite the hospital not actually giving you any advice on how to keep your sugars low... not massively impressed with that to be honest. Your section date is my due date... it feels so close doesn't it! And yet also... ENDLESSLY FAR AWAY, or to me anyway.

Planktonette I got stressed about my hospital bag but managed a fairly smallish one in the end, just a medium sized holdall... possibly I need WAY more stuff but I've always been a go-away-for-the-weekend-with-a-handbag kinda girl... I can send you my spartan list if that's helpful? I think Yomping also produced a list she was happy to share (I expect it's FAR more comprehensive than mine!!)

beeblebear ye gods, that doesn't sound like fun. I thought my nights were bad but it's all hip/pelvis/insomnia... not had any heartburn at all. Yeah it's all your oesophageal sphincter I'm afraid - babs is presumably pushing hard against the stomach and you regurgitate stuff into your oesophagus - nice! In time you can look forward to baby dropping into your pelvis and it getting somewhat better, in exchange for relentless pelvic pressure/pain - isn't pregnancy fun! Have you tried gaviscon?

londonmrss Yes, I'm just the same! I"m not so upset with how I look but dear god I'm so unsexy how I shift around in bed like a beetle stuck on my back! Really turns me off. Couple this with boyfriend feeling quite protective and sex is not exactly the passionate thing it used to be! I'm sure we'll get it back!

Yomping thanks for your reports on the NCT classes I am too lazy/tight to attend... funny I thought they really had a reputation for being very pro-natural-birth, whereas the NHS ones were supposedly banging on about complications all the time. My NHS one mentioned sections once and had an hour long session on how to maximize your endorphins in early labour!
Cannot face the idea of nappies and was living in naive ignorance about maternity pads, I have four packs... hmmm... thanks ladies... may stock up on some more!!

hufflepuffle chin up chuck, you must be exhausted with all the work stress as well...

And for all those stressing about too much/too little weight gain... I still go by the philosophy that weighing yourself causes more trouble than it's worth! My boyfriend has been on a health kick for the last few months before baby comes and is visibly inches thinner and more toned... yet he weighs a couple of lb more and is demoralised about this - it's just not a very accurate gauge of what's going on in your body! Add this to pregnancy it's just anyone's guess what weight is you, the baby, fluid, blood... I think this is why midwives generally don't weigh us any more.
Hope your soup was nice!!

thanks smileyhappymummy your post cheered me up. I think of you often still at work! Are you still planning to go to 39 weeks? Sounds like you did loads of lovely stuff with your daughter and seems fair enough to do a bit of TV too!! Take care of yourself hey.

Right I am very sorry for everyone I've missed but seriously I need to stop typing now and find some lunch. Take care all. xxx

Congratulations Squid for reaching full term! Very happy for you (and a wee bit jealous).

Today I'm considering using my natal hypnotherapy cd to help me do a poo. Would that be ridiculous?

I have 2 and a half weeks more at work... yippee!

londonmrss - I often "visualise" a poo to help it come out now, haha! I tell you what works even better - sitting on a gym ball. I poo every time!

Hey ladies! Proper catch up time...

Beeble sending major sympathy you poor chick SPD and heartburn = more than one person should get! :( The only things that have helped me with hip pain have been sleeping with folded quilt under sheet and keeping pillow between legs. If pillow escapes will have a sore hip next morning. Girl on another thread recommended sleeping on a sofa with your back against sofa back to take the pressure off - might be worth trying?

London and anyone else still having nookie of any description - am in awe. Can't even contemplate it now. I get into bed and fall asleep in seconds But am :o at the 'squishing me' comment - DH would be blue in the face by the time I lumbered off him lol!!! :o :o :o

Yomping have to say I'm quite impressed that your NCT class mentioned CSs at all - like Squid I thought they had a rep for being very hardcore and hippy. Our NHS one was absolutely shite - 2 minutes total on ALL interventions, even though a third of the women in my hospital end up having CSs and another 20% or so get induced or have forceps. No reason to think you'll need one - sounds like all is going well - but just please don't beat yourself up if you do, can happen to anyone. That Leigh East book does stress that the more you really hate the idea of a CS the more distressing you will tend to find it if you do need one - so best to hope for the best but just go with the flow. You'll be grand! (___)

Squid, not ON the gym ball, I hope? Congrats on being full term!

LondonMrs, my Natal Hypno book, which I have been glued to for the last few evenings, tells me that if you relax your lips and jaw, it helps relax your sphincter muscles, so breathing out with floppy lips like a horse, and making horse noises as you blow the breath out (can't think of a better way to describe it) can help you poo. I tried it. It actually works . I didn't realise that I was making the noises when I first read that section of the book though (this was before trying the technique when pooing), leading to an embarrassing moment with DH wondering if I was OK...

Elpis, phew, thanks for the reassurance!

Crazy, sending you a . Hopefully tomorrow will be a new daya agin but tonight will be a better night.

I'm posting from work, naughty girl. It's so weird being in school but not teaching. I like having something other than pregnancy to focus on after a relentless 6 weeks of what felt like doing nothing but being pregnant (sorting nursery, stockpiling clothes, nappies, wipes, etc), but equally... working sucks! I have an enormously long to-do list but no motivation to actually DO any of it. And the baby keeps wriggling around and distracting me. Ah well. 2, maybe 3 weeks to go before I stop.

I did an aqua aerobics class at the gym last night. Never. Ever. Again. It was me, my preggers friend and lots of older, far less mobile women in a section of the pool. Next to the jacuzzi. Which was full of blokes laughing. Including our DHs, mine was in so much trouble when I got out. It just wasn't me, I wanted to shout to all the people watching "I ride a motorbike and go rock climbing you know, this isn't all I am". I guess I should get over myself, swallow my pride, all of that gubbins, but I already feel like I've lost a big chunk of my identity as those activities are not possible whilst pregnant, and bouncing around in the water was just a step (bounce?) too far. I'd so much rather have just swum lengths.

It's like a jacuzzi in this office, I'm melting. Grrr.

I have now been at work for nearly 11 hours and need to go home!!! Very bad mummy and not even a mummy yet!! There will be tears before bedtime!!!!

GO HOME HUFFLE!!! And get your feet up and have a nice cup of

Had a "moment" today - decided, in my sleep-deprived state, to take DS swimming this afternoon. He LOVES swimming and is very confident (he's only 22m so obviously needs holding/supporting), will jump in off the side etc. He usually does swimming lessons with DH so I haven't swum with him much. Anyway, he was climbing out of the pool up the steps and I took my eye off him for a second to look at a baby swimming, turned around to see DS's terror-filled eyes staring up at me from under the water, where he was rotating from his back on to his side with no control. It was just a moment or two, but I go cold and sick just thinking about it. And it seemed to knock his confidence too It took him ages to get his breath back, god it was scary.

Sorry to off-load randomly here. Just had a bad day - tired, bad SPD, bad reflux (although thank you cherry for the chewing gum tip, it does work!), bad mother, DH is being useless and unsympathetic at the moment. I feel a meltdown coming on

Hello everyone,

We finally exchanged contracts on my flat so provided that we can sort out a few legal negotiations, I should be able to get that done and dusted next Friday. Yay for that. The house is pretty much ready (it?s a modern box), just need DF to put some curtain rails up. He has a race on Saturday so I?m hoping he?ll do it on Sunday.

smorgs you are AMAZING. I have no idea how you did move + wedding. Impressed. I hope the new home is lovely and you enjoy the nesting part of proceedings. If your back is sore, do try to make sure you do crawl or backstroke. Breaststroke curves your spine more and can make it worse.

I?ve also been busy with Yomping?s awesome lists and with a Tesco and a John Lewis order in, we?re on the right road to sorted. Unfortunately I still have to find the mojo to drive 6 hours down to my parents to collect the cot / buggy / baby bath etc that?s currently cluttering up their garage. Rats. I did debate asking them to come up but they are old & suffering various health problems and it just isn?t on. Ah well. At least as a bonus I get to be there for my mum?s birthday and wish her well.

It seems very odd to hear of folk like squid and crazy and angelico being so close to D Day when I?m not due for AGES but I?m sure that learning a bit more patience now will stand me in good stead when the young lady finally gets here! I?m also (just in case we ran the risk of getting bored) just about to start a pregnancy and post-natal yoga teacher training course so reading lots of anatomy, theory, philosophy etc. I think my fellow commuters must think I?m barking. Just wait til I start practising the various breaths inadvertently? (yomping chuckling at your DH and your horse breath)

Thank you to all the mums who?ve shared some crucial details re post-birth gore. I definitely would rather know in advance and maternity pads and cheap cotton granny pants are on my list! Will also get something to protect the bed.

bella feeling for you re your boss. That?s thoughtless and undermining. Meanwhile, my boss has asked me to schedule our big annual client review meetings (both) in my last week when I?ll be 37 weeks. Awesome.5 hours of presenting, being tactful, persuasive and so on, at 37 weeks. FFS.

Fjord glad you have an active bean, though I?m sure it?s pretty exhausting having one in your tum. Good luck at dietician tomorrow. And whilst on the diabetes camp, well done Angelico to have managed your levels so well, particularly in the absence of any proper info/ advice.

huffle GO HOME. You poor thing!

Sorry to anyone I?ve missed. I do read you all. And you?re fab ? I don?t know what I would do without you all. Genuinely.