March2013 New year, new trimester, old symptoms but the finishing post is in sight!

[Oodsigma]

And confuddled has passed it!

So will this one be our last before we move to post natal?

And who is next?

Thanks sarah & jojo for the thread title. :)

Ladies, I have achieved a miracle. Last night I slept for NINE HOURS without waking up for a single wee. If only I knew what prompted it so I could share the secret with you all!

That won't make you any friends around here Stormy [bsmile]

3 times for me! Did sleep pretty well in between though and didn't drag my ever-expanding arse out of bed until 9.30 when PuppyMonster was getting very annoyed with the lack of attention!

Aching like hell today but did trek to park for some snow play this morning which probably hasn't helped, off out for delayed birthday dinner with DH tonight, probably with cheeky glass of red!!!

Starting making a list for the dreaded hospital bag this morning but slightly concerned 1. I have very few of the items on the list 2. It looks like a lot and I'm a little concerned of looking like a tit going down the corridor dragging suitcases full only to be told I have a closed cervix and need to go home again!

Hi lowenna

at 9 hours. stormy
I got very little as I couldn't settle due to pain/wriggly baby and dh got stuck at work so I was aware that dd3 might wake. Result was 2 v tired parents today ad a lively toddler !

Hi lowena welcome you are due just before me I am the 17th
Sorry you've been feeling emotional I had a hit if a breakdown on thurs was so fed up and felt like baby was a mistake a semi decent nights sleep and getting official news from my accountant that I can actually take maternity leave has helped bring me to my senses.
Havent experienced the bubbles but def weeing myself I have developed pregnancy allergies just more sensitive to dust and pollen etc but every sneeze and big cough brings a little tinkle!

Started to wear pantiliners early on for this which have come in useful as since I lost my plug after Christmas have had so much discharge I have been soaked (sorry tmi) they checked today that my waters weren't leaking it is so much - yuck!
Speaking of them checking today I had another bleed at 5am so am back in hospital don't know how long as bleed has gone to spotting but not stopped completely just hoping this isn't my 3rd strike and they keep me in till delivery as threatened before!
I got a lovely steroid injection in my bum and baby's heartbeat is going up with tightenings but still lots of lovely movements.
I will be 33 weeks tomorrow.
It is typical as after being a hermit my mum was going to treat us to an early dinner tonight and my friends were coming over to see us from Wales and deliver DS birthday present- little madam obviously decided I was not to have any fun!
Funny how they have personality already I still recognise traits in my DS (2 years old) that I saw in that wiggly bump and on scan movements.

That is to soyo about feeling emotional obviously trying to type in a phone with baby brain x

Stormy please tell us your secret! Very jealous, am currently managing about 3 hour snatches of sleep before needing a wee takes over.

Hi, Lowenna. Not long to go but this thread is a good place to pass the time. Is this your first dc?

Emmsy I hope everything's ok and baby stays put for a few more weeks! Sounds quite stressful for you, but I presume they've been monitoring you and baby is fine? Hope you can go home soon!

I'm starting to lose the plot. I feel huge, my feet are so swollen, my clothes don't fit...I've become an awful antisocial moaner. I'm nearly 36 weeks and so close to the finish line that I'm starting to will baby to come at 37 weeks! We've got pretty much everything we need, finished the last few bits and bobs yesterday. I've had so many aches and pains really low in my groin that I'm praying my mw will tell me he's engaged when I see her on Thursday.
Meanwhile, dp is begging me to drive him to a party at his bosses house 45 mins away, hang out for a bit then leave. Aaaargh! He wants an excuse to be able to leave early, but I'm already in my pjs. Maybe if threaten to wee myself I could get out of it?

SoYo i know what you mean about the hospital list - unless one plans to move in there it seems ridiculous!

Hi Lowenna, I did the same as you and just didn't figure out this forum was here until late

I only got up once in the night at 5am but I've been not gulping loads of water in the evening on purpose, bit of a double edged sword because I feel all dried out and yuck in the morning, especially with the central heating on. Had a weird hour last night where bubs was doing something really uncomfortable and pushing much lower down than normal, had a momentary panic thinking maybe he was trying to come out but I stayed calm and bounced on the ball for a bit and he settled again.

Just saw a friend for her pre-baby gathering, she's got lupus and spd and is now injecting morphine for the pain?! I feel very lucky in comparison. Made me wonder if the baby would withdraw from all the opiates... Hopefully not. Despite all, her baby looks on course to be big and seems to be doing fine

Hi Shield glad you are doing well, haven't been on mn in awhile either, I've had a few appointments lately and always wonder about you

Hi everyone - thanks for the welcome. Yes plonko this is our first so we're
terrified a bit clueless and excited in equal measure! Congrats on getting your final bits in place...not long now hopefully since you're feeling a bit uncomfy. I spent yesterday at the hospital as something seems to be up with gallbladder, so painful, never had pain in that area in my life before, so back for an urgent ultrasound tomorrow. 'Nougat' is doing well though (and gives it a hefty kick occasionally which lets me know it could be hurting much more than it is!!). But Emsy this is nothing to a bleed and being kept in...hope things are calming down for you x

Oh poor you loweenna my friend had a problem with her gall bladder in her first pregnancy at least they have you in the best place she had to have hers removed a few weeks after she had her baby.

leni your poor friend, every time I feel sorry for myself I give myself a shake as there are plenty of people going through worse complications and so many of my friends would give anything just to be pregnant. We are lucky!

I am out of hospital with antibiotics and now on strict instructions to put my feet up and scan has been moved to tomorrow to see if placenta has moved. I am now really nervous as I get before every scan.
After being in hospital I have to recommend again the lip balm as my lips have been so dry!
Also my hospital is only doing 1 proper meal a day the evening meal is a sandwich dunno about you ladies but a lot of food I have gone off and a dry sandwich is not enough to feed me and this baby so you may want to look at DH/DP bringing in food or takeaways for that meal. Breakfast is pretty standard cereal and toast and lunch is ok you usually get a choice but evening I was starving!
This is definitely a cut back in our hospital as when DS was born I eat like a king and they even had extra meals for my mum or DH whoever was keeping me company at the time x

No idea what prompted the big sleep, so I'm attributing it to the cream bun I had right before bed. If nothing else, investigating this theory is an excuse to eat more cream buns. Haven't been peeing nearly as much as usual in the day either, so it's probably actually just that she's found somewhere to wedge her head that isn't on my bladder. Why, I don't know.

Emsy I've been on the pantyliners for months too. Not leaking much, just a tiny bit with sneezes and coughs, but when it got to needing to change my underwear half a dozen times a day I decided enough was enough. Worst part was always getting out of bed, putting clean pants on, then sneezing halfway to the loo. Total time pants remained dry: about thirty seconds.

Leni opiate withdrawal for a newborn sounds like it'd be unpleasant. Guessing the doctors know what they're doing with it though. Perhaps it'd be a case of coming off the morphine a week or two before the due date? Much as I'm going have to go cold turkey on the nicotine replacement products soon enough, because I refuse to have a newborn going through nicotine withdrawal, it's hellish enough for adults who can take themselves away to grind their teeth in a separate room until the worst is over.

Lowenna sounds like you'll fit in! I think quite a few of us are first timers. Hope the scan goes ok tomorrow.

Perspective's a great thing eh? So lucky to be in this position at all, I really shouldn't complain about aches and pains!

stormy I think you're onto something. On nights when I've eaten a small snack around 10.30 I've happily slept until 7.30ish - although still waking up for 3 or so wees a night. I think my sleep was worse if my blood sugar dropped during the night. I will seriously test this theory over the coming month. Also, hope coming off the patches isn't too nasty. I quit the day I poas and I still think about cigarettes everyday.

And hey, positively spring-like weather, complete with lovely warming rain instead of yucky orrible snow!

im 35 weeks tommorrow and feel great , apart from my hips being sore during the night and having to keep turning onto opposite side.
Midwife on thursday asked if my husband was tall i said yes hes 6ft4, she said....... oh i thought so as baby is long !
Husband at this moment is picking up shetland pony that he bought last week as a companion for my horse / pony for baby to play with in due course :-)
Is anyone else scared / nervous of giving birth?

christilas long baby that sounds healthy! My friends baby was 11lb2oz but she is about 5'11" and her DH is about 6'7" the weight was because he was soooo long so not as bad to birth as a short fat one like mine

leni good idea to try to come off but maybe the midwife can offer some advice about coming down gradually or your doctor? Wouldn't want you going cold turkey then going into labour your DH may not survive

stormy let us know how the cream cake trial goes if you need a bigger test group I can volunteer my services - all for the good of research and a good nights sleep!

Sorry if I don't address everyone or get people's names wrong using phone and still getting to know you all

I am scared sh!tl355 about a c section having had a birth I was sadistically looking forward to do it again it was amazing if not very painful I had a few issues after the birth and before which meant I was induced at 39 weeks which is supposed to be more painful.
I was nervous before but I think everyone seems to be getting good antenatal care and our bodies can do it - if we need help the UK has excellent procedures and lots of lovely drugs.
Funny that I am more scared of a c section than a vaginal birth but I am odd.

Emsyboo ..... im only 5ft 4

since my 32 week appointment baby has been head down

this is our 1st baby so hoping all goes well , im going in with an open mind and take whats needed to keep baby and myself safe .
Husband being a farmer seems to like comparing animal births with human births , hes driving me crackers in the nicest way :-)

i hope everyone else is feeling well ........

Emsy I am exactly the same I would crap myself if they said I needed a section, I think it's the fear of the unknown and also I think I have built up an epidural to be something its not and gave myself an irrational fear of it.

Waves to everyone new and old, remember there is a stats thread so you can see whose due when and update your details

Well I've evidently reached that - uncomfy can't sleep well stage. Only 32 weeks, so rather hoping = temp blip rather than here to stay. Had grand plans to work & bake today. Instead eyes propped open with match sticks, concentration span of a gnat and can't even manage to pay attention to trash TV. So having a soak & have booked a massage & reflexology for the week in hope a little tension easing from muscles etc does trick.

Sorry to hear so many other ladies are also suffering. We're on home strait now of course, so to be expected. I can honestly say though that a good nights sleep basically makes all the difference in world to me so if same for you here's hoping tonight's the night we all manage an uninterrupted 9 hours. :)

Gummy - so many women say epidural was like heaven.. So I think go in with open mind.

I've gone from - give me every drug NOW - birth plan to a slightly more zen, hope to get by by moving about, let gravity, tens machine, gas & air do its trick and if its not working wheel me off for an epi please.

I'm avoiding NCT & ante-natal classes though. Decided reading some good solid biology info is best approach for me, strip the emotions out & stick to rational info (not that if doesn't still point to hurting like buggery) I'm looking into using the services of a doula or private MW for support pre & during birth. I really am not at all sure about having friends or family with me, although if MrM wants to be there he should - this is after all our baby, not just mine. I do like idea of support from someone without a personal connection to me though. Prob not for everyone, but its appealing to me.

For the rest - heck, women have coped for millennia & without drugs or hospitals. Ok so it's not easy and drugs & hospitals are clearly a step forward (those who think not - are you mad?!), but I can't see why I should be any more or less special or different than any other woman. And there are many women managing to give birth with all sorts of ailments that I don't have. If they can etc...

gummi I'm sure you'll be fine if you need an epidural I didn't have one with DS although was high on gas and air bloody brilliant after 9 months sober lol they had to take it from me to concentrate on pushing!
Everyone tells me ELCS are a nice experience quick and simple but I loved the feeling after birth and the drugs (diamorphine) really did make it a lot more comfortable. But you don't get medals for delivering a baby the reward is the safe baby no matter how it comes out

christilass if your quite small you must be getting big not much room for a big baby in a little tummy so might be deceptive you'll do great. I have friends who are farmers wives they've said the same things comparing birth to animal births I know he's trying to help but can imagine being compared to a cow or pig isn't ideal when feeling fat and hormonal. My DH would have got a punch to the face (joking) but I am particularly mardy this pregnancy.

Emsy - not me on the morphine - my friend who is due 2 weeks before me and has SGP and lupus... poor lady

I'm scared of epidurals too, I think because once it's in you can't really control things until it wears off. I've had a fear of c sections since having a few ops with local and finding it terrifying that a surgeon is doing something I can feel but can't at the same time. The weird feeling of them banging nerves around was worse than the pain! I want skin contact straight after, not to have to wait to be stitched and whatnot.

Obviously I'll have whatever they say if it's the best for LO though.

Tramp I had an independent midwives for my first birth with DD1 and it was amazing having them there with me, even though in the hospital setting they can only act as birth companion and cannot not provide medical input. I am having independent midwives again this time. They are absolutely the best money I have ever spent on anything. It really takes the pressure off DH too.

I know everyone experiences labour and birth different but I am a good experience story that you rarely hear about. In my first labour I did not experience pain in the way that I have been led to believe by pretty much everyone that I would. At no point did I want any form of pain relief because although it was hard work it wasn't actually pain in the way that going to the dentist or breaking a limb is pain. For me pain relief had absolutely no place in my labour. Just as well given that I absolutely would refuse any form pain relief offered anyway. Gas and air make me sick and I hate the drunk sensation (tried it once when I tore a ligament in my ankle), opitate based pain relief is also a no no as it also makes me sick and there is no way I want to miss a second of the experience by being out of it in any way (and it crosses the placenta) and epidurals just plain scare me largely due to the massive increase in the chance of other interventions being required. Very much hoping that I experience the same kind of labour this time round so this does not become an issue - however you never know!

emsy I think its natural to be more scared of csection than natural birth because our bodies are designed for the latter but not for major surgery. However I have heard to many positive stories from people about their c-sections which is always encouraging!

rainbow thanks for sharing your experience really encouraging! I was hoping this time round I could have a water birth as found a bath really helped the pains and hoped without forced contractions from induction I may be able to do more without pain relief but labour is different for everyone and you do what you have to.

I'm up at silly o clock my water infection is setting off braxton hicks so can't sleep and in pain just hoping the antibiotics work and it doesn't spread to my kidneys when I get water infections 9 times out of 10 they are resilient to penicillin.

But seeing consultant today.

I have turned into a very paranoid mum to be especially since its my 2nd and have a very long list of questions for the consultant feel sorry for her! I think it's because I am scared of a section but you never know if scan says placenta has moved in the last 5 weeks I may be able to scratch half the questions off

Hello all and big welcome to lowenna it really isn't that long to go is it? I'm 35 weeks now and sharing the sleepless discomfort a bit...but it's all worth it and I hav to say that, having taken time out before the birth, I am coping pretty well with it as I can sleep when I need to, have reflexology and, of purse, not have to put up with external pressures if I don't feel like it. Less nesting, more cocooning going on in the flamingo household. Must really sort out birth plan and hospital bag... Now where s tha temp,ate that courgette kindly created :-)

Have been attending NCT classes which seem to help DH but I am veering a bit more to tramps method... Pure facts no feelings seem to make me calmer about the impending experience. I'm viewing labour as an important journey with every contraction a step closer to meeting my child so am strangely quite looking forward to it...mind you I am hat happy person on the long haul flight who 17 hours in is still enjoying the mini portions of tasteless food and hasn't sickened of the inflight movie selection!

Hope y'all have a lovely day xx

All 3 of my births have been a great experience, but I have always feared having to get an epidural the last one I managed on gas and air only.

Must agree loved gas and air