December 2012, 'Christmas rush' has a different meaning for us this year!

[StaceymReadyForNumber3]

Thought we should have a shiny new thread.

Cashmere Those birth stories were just lovely, thank you. Athough they did make me cry as they were so nice! I had a cuppa with my neighbour downstairs the other day who has two little boys (youngest born in June this year) and she also had such positive experiences, it was so great to hear. I don't get the compulsion to tell birth horror stories....aren't we (women I mean) all supposed to be supporting each other?! Last time I checked we were all on the same team!

Spotty Glad you got to see DD, although not glad that you aren't getting enough rest...:( As everyone else has said, can't believe how stoic & strong you are being - I would be a wibbly, crying mess, even without the sleep deprivation! At least you've got MiniSpotty in sight now and we are all behind you.

Clarella That's good about the carpet being done soon, although not so good about your sicky tummy :(

FOD Hope yoga does the trick, if not, do call the MW - I think they are always happy to reassure & check. My movements are more like squirms now too, not so many big kicks.

Pidj Rafa is adorable!! That picture is just so cute. I love their wee sticky-out bums and how scrunchy they are. Re: winding, at my breastfeeding class the MW said that BF babies didn't need winding, so thank you for letting me know otherwise!

I'm pretty sure at least some BF babies do need winding, as I know friends who BF'd their babies and still had nightmares with colic etc (which is basically trapped wind, isn't it?).

I also have a friend who bf and you could hear her dd gulping down air at the same time she was a right piggy!

Well I'm off the sliding scale for now and I've had a shower (finally!). Apparently sainsburys don't sell maternity pads or moist toilet tissues bless dp! Oh well I have some bits and I know friends will happily get me stuff.

Poor lady down the corridor had been in a very vocal labour fora good four hours now

Just been to a nearly new sale and wandered round in a daze really. I did get the play tray for the bumbo (that we were given) and a lovely Oi Oi change bag (for a fiver! ) DH was very as we were given a change bag but it's navy blue and pretty boring. This ones a lovely pattern and as they are £65 new I thought it was a bargain!

Basically had no idea what I was looking for/wanted though, brain is mush!

spotty I'm glad to hear you got to see dd.

clarella that sounds rubbish. Try and sip fluids little and often.

Re breast feeding and winding, at my class yesterday we were told that breastfed babies may still need winding but it's not as likely to be needed as for bottle fed babies where they can take in more air when feeding.

Oooo lucky Stacey I really miss shopping I'm going to go on a big spree after Christmas!! I always say that actually but I hate sales!

Pidj I need your help. Because I hadn't started hand expressing yet I've hardly got any colostrum. I only got some out of one boob and it's such a small amount I'm not sure they'll be able to do anything with it most if it has just dried round the edge of the syringe any advice?

Oh spotty i feel for you being able to hear someone else. I guess it's pretty likely but I'd not considered it..

On a positive birth story note, although it was 30 years ago, my mother swears that for her it was 'really really hard work but not what you'd call very painful'; she's had kidney stones too and said that that felt exactly like being gutted, so it's not just that she has a high pain threshold!

clarella hope the sickness abates soon? If you can take little sips of lucozade it will help...

Marking my place, still no baby, I am starting to dilate though but very on and off and knowing my luck it'll still be weeks!

Apologies in advance for TMI but does anyone else have a really sore fanjo? I would describe it as feeling like I've pulled the muscles around the sides. It's sore whilst walking & when I get up.

cod we were all wondering how you were doing. I hope you're able to rest up ready for when it really kicks off!

I hope dated is doing ok and just very wrapped up in new-parent-dom.

My bump clicks, I thought it was my pelvic joints, seems not though.

Hang in there spotty weren't you waiting until 36 weeks to Express? Do the hospital have someone who can help you now things have been moved up?

clarella feel better soon or good luck having your baby!

I hate the scaring of first time mom's, why is it necessary? My mom still hasn't shared the stories of my brother and I's births as she didn't have a great time. For me giving birth was ok, it hurt, but I think everyone knows that it will. But it was a good pain, I could feel it doing something, it wasn't pain for pains sake, like when you hurt yourself. No scary stories from me to first timers.

Hope you get going soon cod

ooh you're making me all sentimental about breastfeeding DS1 - it was not exactly pain free at the beginning but was such a lovely experience - I was quite sad when he gave up at 6 months! I'm definitely going to try and feed this one for longer - especially as it's probably going to be my last newborn.

Pidj - Pidjchick is gorgeous! and so fab that your DP is helping so much.

My DH was very hands on with DS1 and they are so close now it's really lovely - he was very funny during the first few weeks - he would take over at night if I couldn't settle DS, disappear downstairs for 10 mins and came back up every single time with a fast asleep baby - he flat out refused to tell me how he did it - turns out he'd been letting him watch the food mixer going around and around... worked everytime! (DS does love cooking now .... I wonder if there's a connection?) - I totally agree that it's silly to think that they know any less than we do - we're all new at this the first time around whether you've carried the baby for nine months or been the one satisfying the middle of the night cravings! .... can you tell I'm very very glad to have my DH home!!

talking of fanjo pain Weejo - I've been getting it too - it's not fun! I'm hoping it's not a sign of anything too imminent - reckon it's just hormone overload as I do sometimes get it around pmt time too. I also had some serious stomach pains last night and this morning (and a terrible nights sleep as a result!) but I think I'm fighting whatever bug DS had the last few days - they never got regular so think we're ok. My whole pelvis is in pain at the moment (that will serve me right for thinking I didn't need to see the Chiro!!) and I can't get comfortable anyway, sitting or lying.... though the bath this morning was a massive relief. I hope this is just a passing phase - I've still got over 4 weeks until DDay!!!

Oh spotty hope you manage a little sleep tonight though i know its doubtful. Hope dd is ok and casts are stsrting to get easier?

All the best cod - you never know!

Things got pretty grim here, thanks for bits of advice - extremely painful cramps all inside but all to do with sickness and sorry if tmi an extremely painful poo - its basically a tummy bug and my insides are contracting to get it all out both ways but it seems to include my uterus and sets off bhs! I do get very painful cramps with a tummy bug but never sickness. Im bringing any fluid up each hour which is stsrting to worry me know but mid w at hospital said keep trying if i was happy to. Water is easiest but just trying some diluted tepid ginger beer n a bit of a rich tea biscuit. so hard to be sick with this huge bump! Didnt know i still had any tummy muscles but boy do they go for it! I feel for baby, i must be pushing him right down when i go!

BUT im in my bed with carpets down :) much easier on the knees ;)

Small snag; somehow a radiator pipe got cracked so no heating till plumber on monday lol! (Banned dh from trying anything and plumber here anyway)

Dh sadly in a real panic to fix a broken water pipe outside im really testing his patience ordering ginger beer etc. Sorry a bit me me but it keeps my spirits up to view this as quite a black comedy and sods law (as my mum has helpfully texted!) In the grand scheme of things its really ok just an arse!!

Guess there will have cut off point with the puking though

Love the food mixer tip soapnuts!

We found hours of hairdryer and hoover footage on youtube the other day! Worth a shot in middle of night eh!

Oh Clarella that all sounds horrendous :( I hope you start being able to keep down the fluids. Is the house very cold? Maybe pregnancy related heat surges will come in handy for you!

A friend of mine's niece could be made to stop crying every time by opening and closing the cutlery drawer over and over...

clarella sounds awful, like the big I had a few weeks ago. And I found that it does give really strong braxton hicks too, which is confusing really. I hope it passes soon.

Hot curry (phal) for dinner tonight. I'll get this baby out one way or another. 37 weeks tomorrow! (still can't quite believe we've finally got here tbh, it seemed so far away for so long!)

I do hope dating is ok.

It was very confusing stacey esp as im so close to due date and never done the labour thing! Well ginger beer going well so far trying not to gobble cos im pretty thirsty! Though feel utterly shit and very achey so glad its not labour as that was a really grim way to start and im glad i have a lovely dh and im glad i dont have another child to look after - it could be so much harder. Hats off to mums with dcs already. Plus i have carpets on which im dancing on in my head. (Age 35 and never had own carpets!) Its a shame i cant cook dh a lovely meal as a reward plus possibly our last weekend as a couple and i def cant do some vanilla ice dancing to get baby going!

Now utopian if its that easy ill not be complaining!

Thanks dd can walk really well on her casts now!

Yeah I was going to start at 36 weeks I think it's just too late now I feel really sick and I'm being induced at ten in the morning. Last steroid injection done and vile dinner sort of eaten.

Hope you feel better soon Clarella and it's nice to hear from you COD!!

Aw well done dd (Spottycupcake?!) and we're rooting for you spotty xx thanks no more action just grotty achey bump back and pelvis think lo has been worn out.

Prep for things to come eh?! Made us realise we dont have hospital phone number for dh!

clarella is it not on the front page of your notes?

spotty im glad dd is doing well with her casts! Good luck for the morning. I hope it all goes smoothly for you.

clarella you make an excellent point about phone numbers. Mine are on my notes but I should take a photo of them for my husband in case we get separated (hmm that came out a bit wrong but you know what I mean).

My husband has put the cot together all by himself (well with a little help from me at the end). This kind of thing is so out of his skill set so I am very proud of him for managing it without too much swearing or scaring the cat.