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. :)

Ooh congratulations Stormy! You must so pleased with yourself, I'm amazed you managed to stay at home so long, wow.

I'm sure it'll have an effect soon, Christilass. How are you feeling?

I'm bouncing away having mild ish contractions every ten minutes...

Congratulations Stormy, you did brilliantly! What a legend. I spent the entire time before my epidural was in wondering how anyone did it without one.

Christi try to stay as calm as possible. I got induced in similar circumstances & cried for the first few hours because it was such a shock but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd feared. If you're not tightening just get as much sleep as possible & trust that the propess is softening things up for a gentle start. If you're tightening get on a ball & bounce while reading trashy magazines & have a couple of baths. If you've got a TENS put it on early once the tightening a start & if you can't sleep because of discomfort ask for some painkillers, so worth it! Best of luck.

Plonko, sounds promising. Looking forward to hearing your news.

Congratulations on all the other new arrivals (cant scan back for names, comp playing up). Hope you're all getting more sleep than we are here!

Congratulations everyone on their new arrivals, hope there are more arrivals soon for those overdue

Shield I was admitted after you seen me and I'm still over with a wriggly baby that won't settle in one position so looks like a section at start of the week.

Going to catch up on everyone's birth stories later incase and see who we have left

Wow, congratulations to all with new arrivals.

ood was a boy a surprise? Do you have a name yet? (I loved your name for dd3). Hope all is well and the hospital stay is not too bad.

stormy well done! Good luck with the bfing, but don't expect it to be straightforward at first; both you and the LO need to learn techniques. The important thing is to relax and not to worry if it takes a while to get established. ds and I took days to get feeding sorted (I expressed and cup fed him in the meantime) but then he turned into a boob monster who couldn't get enough!

bb, tiddley and peanut great to hear your good news.

plonko hope things are well underway now.

christilass Good advice to get some rest while you can. Good luck.

gummi at least you know it won't be much longer now. Hope you are ok.

Well, 40+2 here and nothing exciting. Had another sweep on Thursday, and was 2cm dilated, which at least shows some progress, but I know I could sit at that dilation for days and days. Unfortunately it appears the baby is back to back so cue lots of bouncing on the ball, sitting on the edge of uncomfortable chairs etc.
The dr said not to lie on my back (for example on the sofa) and I just laughed at her; chance would be a fine thing! I've done lots of housework today, yes, including floor scrubbing, but so far it's had no effect. DH is doing his part in going to a badminton match this evening, but even the prospect of my hospital lift being some distance away isn't working.

You are all starting to make me jealous. Not 38 weeks til Tuesday so nothing doing except majorly uncomfortable here (good thing really as still sorting house out!) but there's a part of me who'd be well up for a little bit early now. (There was a whole pineapple in the reduced section at Waitrose yesterday which did come home with me, much to DH amusement!).

Amazed by how much shape of bump has changed in the last 10 days or so. He's seriously dropped. It's now all tear drop and there is some room under my ribs although bending is almost impossible now due to all the baby in the way!

Biggest niggle (and I do mean niggle) is my itchy stretch marks. I am moisturising them about 4-5 times a day and spraying with cool water in between to try and get comfy as they itch worse when hot. Any kind of trousers except leggings are purgatory. Any good tips for this out there?

That and my feet refusing to fit into any shoes at all - bought a new pair of fake crocs for £4 which now have to go with everything - even my mum said to bump "look what you've reduced your mother to, she likes shoes!" ha ha.

Still, hoping to get a coat of paint on the nursery today, maybe even 2, which would be very exciting and see us suddenly making big progress. I reckon any time from about Wed next week mini can make an appearance and it'd be OK.

Good luck to all of those rather more imminent than me (and there seem to be loads!). And for others hanging in there for now, then hope dealing with the uncomfortable last stage isn't too awful. Good vibes to all...

OK, me again. Wondered if I could request your help in identifying a lovely gift we have received.

A parcel has arrived from a friend's mum, she has been knitting and it included a gorgeous blanket, hats in 2 sizes (tiny and toddler) and 2 small squares... but I'm not sure what they are for! They are about 6" square, and look like blanket squares although obv aren't as there is already a blanket (not made out of squares!). Can any one tell me what I should refer to them as when sending a thank you note (and indeed what I should use them for when mini arrives!).

Thanks in advance...

pud could they be comforters? For baby to carry around and for you to attach to yourself for now so they smell of you??!

Pudtat for the itchy stretch marks you could try either some moisturiser that had menthol in....midwife can give on prescription but sure supermarkets/pharmacies must have. We prescribe it in hospitals for itchy bumps & apparently is very soothing! The other thing is witch hazel. You can buy bottle of distilled liquid or gel form in boots & it's very soothing (plus the distilled is good on maternity pads afterwards if you hxve tears/episiotomy).

Hope that helps

Pud, depending what type of yarn they are made of, are they a face washer?

Pud I feel your pain! I need to fast forward now, had the worst night's sleep ever last night - even bending my arm to wipe on the toilet feels like slipping a disc?! Had a terrible upset tummy for two days and fainty feeling when I even lean back a tiny bit. Can feel baby's outline all the time and ditto with the bump changing shape.

Not very itchy luckily, sounds annoying. Got permanent period type pains and feeling that old ligament pain where I hope may e baby is engaging and stretching me out lower with his head?

A big mirror in the living room fell off the wall on to the sofa where I sit during the night - the cord wasn't broken or the hook in the wall lucky escape! I also had to buy new curtains to replace the stupid shrunken one in the bedroom. Feeling very cooped up and have put on 42 pounds now, really worried that it's been going on super fast the last couple of weeks.

How much weight did you all put on/lose after birth??

Birth centre prep class at 4pm today, OH pretended to have forgotten which almost made me lose it...

pud could they be burping cloths, maybe?

Feeling for you still pregnant ladies, hope you've not got long to wait, especially those of you who are overdue!

shield didn't know I was having a boy. He's called Felix. We are home (today) BP a bit iffy but it was felt I would be calmer at home , stomach sore around stitches but otherwise just tired. Am in bed now to stretch stomach out as I've been curled in a chair all day, don't do this post section as you don't want to stretch out.
Ds feeding well, coping with his sisters and getting to know daddy. Did a long feed this afternoon with ds then dd3 then ds again. Helped dd3 but it wiped me out!

George born 5.08 pm Saturday 9th of march. All begin well then despite strong contractions failed to progress. Waters popped and I went from 5-10 in 75 minutes, completely lost the plot, meconium in waters and heart rate dipping. People flooded the room, episiotomy, ventouse, pushed for bout 10 minutes I think. He's absolutely gorgeous! I'm very pleased with myself (if a bit sore)

Yeah plonko. Clara Mary was born at 7.37 on Friday 8th March, international women's day. Weighing 8 pounds exactly! She fed brilliantly from recovery. The bf is so much easier this time but the aftercare for me shocking. odd so impressed you got home, stil not walking well ... In agony but love her to bits already!

Eig congratulations, lovely name! Make sure if you need anything you ask. Sometimes you just have to be really pushy but don't worry about that, your care is just as important as anyone else's & you don't want to do too much.

Plonko well done you! All sounds a bit familiar, loosing the plot after waters going, ventouse & episiotomy! I actually felt like the world was going to fall out of my arse for the first 48hrs but that feeling did settle (was also terrified of opening vowels but nowhere near as bad as expected...although worth asking for laxatives as getting bunged up is worst thing). Also, when you go for a wee takes jug f warm water & pour over you...very soothing on the stitches & stops pee stinging.

wow! so many new arrivals and lovely names. well done to all new mums - heroic efforts by all.

Congrats plonko & eig :)

eig better care at home that's the incentive! I think my crutches are helping me walking more upright than the other section mums were, I'm also used to taking painkillers so not so reluctant in asking for more.

Bf going well here, managed dd3 & ds together this am which I'm quite impressed at myself for!

Congratulations to plonko and eigmum

SoYo you're not kidding about the world falling out of one's bum. Had no trouble pooing but coughing's horrific. I've needed a big cough to clear my throat properly for about a week now. Couldn't do it pre-birth and daren't try it now lest I lose internal organs.

Baby slept for ages, then wouldn't wake up enough to open her mouth properly this morning. Cue massive attack of hormonal weeping on my part. But we're getting there.

We're going to need a post-natal thread, aren't we?

leni I gained just shy of three stone; fifteen pounds down already. That made me Most of it went on in the last couple of months. Mostly cake related (whoops).

Right, I need tea. And possibly clothes. Who'd have thought having a baby would involve so much time spent topless?

post natal thread

Ood - what painkillers are you on, and do they work with BFing?

Happy mother's day to all the supermummies here - I hope us ladies still waiting will catch up soon

I'm in so much pain today... Urgh!

Paracetamol & voltarol/ibuprofen (not both together) yes fine with bf
If you've a smart phone get the lactmed app and check out breast feeding network for bf/medication advice if you are worried about any.

That's good, my bf support worker said we can take anything which I'm sure isn't right. Thanks for the info, I'll definitely check that out.

Can't believe there's already a postnatal thread...

Eig & Plonko how's it going? Everyone enjoying first days I hope

Bad advice for a breast feeding support worker
Codeine is an iffy one as some can pass into milk and some women hyper metabolise it which can kill a tiny baby. When I was taking it in pregnancy & feeding dd3 I waited 3 hours after taking it before feeding again plus she's a toddler so not as at risk. This was suggested by the cons.So there is a balance of risk in using meds. Medication isn't tested on pg/bf women so its only when people have used it they can say. Some GPs are also over cautious.

That's exactly what I thought. Have been so confused by all the conflicting advice!

There's where not to go for advice then!