April 2013 Part 7: As our miracle Alex continues to grow & the one that sees us reach TERM

[toobreathless]

Over here Ladies!

As the title suggests our fore runners will almost certainly hit 37 weeks this thread.

And the wonderful little Alex will hopefully continue to go from strength to strength and edge closer to the door home with Mama

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1658011-April-2013-part-six-what-does-the-third-trimester-have-in-store

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1560543-April-2013-stats-thread

Sorry I've not been able to keep up with the thread-I do read regularly just struggle to participate much at the month...on final stretch to mat leave (less than 3 weeks!) So will try and do better then!

Meanwhile hope you're all doing ok. Sorry not to name check everyone, but trish just wanted to say all the very best for tomorrow...enjoy every second...getting married is awesome!

And hello to everyone else/welcome to new people. Xx

33w

At the mo (stupid autocorrect)

Thanks for all the well wishes!!! Struggling to fall asleep! Xxx

Have a wonderful day trishstar! Sending much love and

Thanks Mama! Sending positive vibes to you today too!! Xxx feel better hunny!

Hope it's an amazing day, Trish. Can't wait to see pictures! x

Karen, sorry to hear you had such a horrible experience with your last birth. At least this time you are fore-warned, so to speak. I hope everything is good at your scan and you can start to relax a bit and enjoy unpacking everything.
I know what you mean about Frank Bruno though - I think baby has moved this week and he did not stop moving on friday. I was trying to write a big strategy document at work and couldn't concentrate and kept having to stand up - it really felt like he was trying dig himself out southwards! By last night I was feeling really bruised inside!
But at least we can feel them move - hope everyone else who is feeling less movement is just moving into that phase where the baby runs out of room.

Mama, hope your day is ok today. I love your updates. Must be hard not being able to see Alex but at least you know you're on the mend and hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon.

31+5

hello everyone, I am new on this thread.

Hope y'all having a lovely ride, I for one can't wait till I see my baby...

wishful great seeing u here, I'm certain we ve been on a thread together b4.

Hugs for y'all.

Oops forgot to mention I'm 32weeks now.[Smile]

Welcome bananas - I can't believe the April group is still growing! July was obviously a good month for it!

Karen & bext me too, sometimes Baby Candy moves so much / so vigorously it makes me audibly 'oof'! Kicks in the ribs have been happening for weeks, but this week I'm also getting punched in the sacrum / cervix too! Saying that, I'm not complaining, I love it! She has the occasional 'quiet day' and I hate them.

Trish so excited on your behalf! Have the most amazing day. Don't worry about anything, don't sweat the details and enjoy every minute!

Our pram arrived this week and MiL is visiting today and dropping in our resusable nappies! So all we have left to buy is cot matress, crib and mattress, bouncey chair, and play gym. Oh and for me nighties, slippers and a dressing gown for hospital, nursing tops and bras.
And I need to pack a hospital bag...
Ok that sounds like quite a lot still!!
Have a great weekend all!

(35+3)

Trish I hope you have a wonderful day today :)

goingbananas welcome! Lovely to "meet" you. When are you due? Add yourself to the http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1560543-April-2013-stats-thread Stats Thread and jump right in! :)

cheese thinking of you, I hope all is well.

Welcome bananas! So you're due at the end of April?

like ours was conceived the first week of the olmypics! Actually I was a bit and when someone last week asked when I was due and said Oh Olympic baby eh? TV was crap then! I explained we'd gone on holiday to see the sailing.... :)

Karen yes I've found some movements since baby has been head down have been very uncomfortable, quite squirmy! Not just 'oof' at the kicks but grimacing at the sensation.

Happy wedding day Trish! I only got about 3 hours' sleep before mine, went to bed at 7.30pm on the day after!

Yesterday I found the Moses basket mattress outside (dunno if I missed the doorbell?) so that's in place so we have all the essentials. Dreamt I have birth again last night! Brain is obviously trying to prepare me!

32+4

hoping Trish has a great day.
Hey bananas I'm 32 weeks too - when u due?

baby is getting super wiggly but agree with candy I prefer this to quiet days! seriously though if anyone is concerned baby is quiet go and get checked out, it's probably fine but better to be sure.

Maybe tmi but anyone else feeling a bit swollen downstairs? Is Not painful but maybe like I've been riding a bike all day .

Making the most of Saturday and still in bed but why does my MIL call at 9am (twice in case we didn't get to it the first time!!)??

photo I have that swollen, puffy downstairs feeling too. From what I've read it's due to increased pressure down there, coupled with the copious amounts of extra blood we have flowing round us. or it could be vaginal varicous veins, but I'm too scared to investigate closely!

Sorry for this next bit: majorly TMI but does anyone else have increasing amounts of vaginal discharge?

Just skim read to try and catch up!

I'm (sort of!) glad to read about other people having Braxton Hicks - I've been getting these more and more, and they have been quite uncomfortable - I don't htink I had them to this extent with my first pregnancy. Does anyone know if they can be stress related? The advice I've read is to drink water, move around gently and have warm baths, which settled them last night. But they're making me feel worried - mostly because I've been feeling a lot of stress and anxiety to do with work.

Thanks if you have any advice/reassurance for me.

Likecandy - just seen your question - yes, I do! I see it as a way of keeping everything clean and safe! But it's a bit gross ;)

Yes, lots of discharge here! Pant liners have become an essential TMI?! But last time we had sex DH asked if I'd been using cream....Er, no! That's just natural!

fact I've definitely found my Braxton hicks are worse when I'm very busy/stressed (worst at work!). Baths, lying down in bed, just stopping all seen to ease them off.

photo I've had quite a lot of swelling on and off. I understood its just increased blood flow like candy says.

I need to take things easier at work then - it's definitely related to that. I've been getting anxiety symptoms and insommnia too. Do you think I could hide under my desk if Ofsted come?

Is it just me, or does the Postman Pat theme song make you slightly anxious? You know, "special delivery service"

Bori although I always think that Postman Pat messes up his deliveries so don't want him in charge of mine!

Likecandy yes to the discharge; in fact I was only thinking about posting about that when I was in the shower this morning. The hormone pessaries I take increase the discharge, on top of the natural discharge so it seems I either live in the bath or shower these days...

Linked to that, and possibly asking for TMI here, but what are people's plans for their lady gardens? Getting to mine is tricky already so wondering if it is worth 'taking it all off'

And yes to the swollen nether regions too. Glad to read it is just all the extra blood; I was beginning to think I had put on weight there which seemed an odd place for weight gain when I haven't gained a huge amount elsewhere (apart from this lumpy thing in front of me!)

Mama wow to think that Alex is nearly 3 months old already; where has that time gone? He seems to be do so fabulously well and it is always lovely to read your updates. Hopefully you are able to see him today - it must be so difficult not being able to see him due to infection. Of course, I know you know it is only to keep him safe but still, knowing he is close but that you can't see/cuddle him must be so hard. Fingers crossed today is a cuddle day.

Rosie i thought I would be reading about a new arrival as I have been off the thread for a few days/week but no news? I hope things are okay and that you are looking after yourself.

Jacqueline yes, it is odd. I am on almost constant alert in case something happens as we have already past the arrival stage of DD1. we were in such denial tat DD2 could come early too (she did!) but this time everyone is telling me to expect DC3 to arrive early but, as there has never been any cause found, it is simply a case of wait and see what my womb does - according to my consultant!

Welcome to Glossy if you stayed and are lurking and also to bananas - I am also 32 weeks so we must have close due dates...

And hi to everyone else, sorry if I have missed you out...

Oh and happy wedding day to Trish are you a Mrs yet? Hope you are having a lovely day.

I AM ON MATERNITY LEAVE!

I have never before made it to the start of maternity leave as it has always been a case of DP calling my boss the day the baby arrives to say I won't be in work the next day - and that triggers my ML - so this was something of an occasion!

I was so laden down wit gifts for the baby and flowers for me at the end of the day; it was a good job I had already brought home most of my personal stuff from work as there was very little room left in the boot (although the travel system is in there too). DDs were very excited to see everything and got really excited about all the little baby toys and rattles and then, this morning we have had a bit of a flower-arranging party on the dining table so all the flowers look lovely (rather than being plonked in the sink from last night as we got home late).

I got a huge flower arrangement from the staff - presented in assembly of course which took two children to carry. Then I struggled to hold it and had to sit it on my hip - it is in a cardboard base with the water inside - so was like practising carrying a baby when it gets bigger! Holding it in front of me was too hard as I couldn't see over it and had to have my arms stretched out to get past the bump!

And I saw my DMum and DDad for the first time in 6 weeks yesterday (they had been on holiday since January) and the first thing my DM said when she saw the bump was "My God, you're huge! I hope that's not planning on dropping any further yet!"

I don't know if I am huge but I knew my mum would be able to see the difference over the past 6 weeks. My bump does seem to grow in spurts - there was nothing for a long time, then it appeared, got bigger, stayed the same for ages and recently seems to have grown again! Colleagues at work say they can often see the difference over a weekend when it happens! Mostly I am still wearing the same clothes from before my PG though along with long vest/t-shorts or belly bands. Most of my trousers sit pretty comfortably under the bump and I have a pair of jeans that I live in when not at work as they are so much more comfy now than before I was PG when they were big and I had to use a belt.

Seeing MW again on Monday and Whooping cough jab on Tuesday and Diabetes clinic on Thursday - and DD2 home with me on Wednesday and Friday; hoping for some quiet time amongst all that so I can finally pack my hospital bag, sort out playroom and bedrooms, put baby clothes in chest of drawers (and watch daytime TV and read a book in the bath without a child wanting to climb in with me!)

Morning everyone

Trish hope you have an amazing day, enjoy every second and make sure you get some quiet time with your new DH to reflect and soak it all in.

Everyone else a big fat yes to swollen nether regions, it started about a week ago and some days feels like my vagina is turning itself inside out

I've had the opposite to lots of extra discharge though as I appear to have become very dry!

As far as the lady garden goes, I'm going to get DH to give me a close trim with nail scissors soon and then keep it nice and short until D day. I can't see what's going on down there and I'm not taking it all off as the thought of itchy re-growth just after birth when you might have stiches in etc is not at all appealing.

Tips for post birth

Just another quick reminder for everyone to get whitch hazel for your pads.

Also you should all try to wee in the bath or shower after giving birth as it may sting a bit.

Also have a jug in the bathroom to pour water down when weeing normally if you are particularly stingy still.

and finally

A couple of drops of lavender oil in your bath after will help calm and heal.

Oh and if you can remember start taking some arnica supplements.

I'm sure loads more will come to me but I've just been remembering and thought I had better share now as some of us are already set to pop

33+2 (6weeks 4 days to go eeeek)

Quick update from me, thanks for all the good wishes, hospital confirmed yesterday I had OC so need to go in twice a week for monitoring, once a week for liver function tests, and will be induced once I hit 38 weeks . This was after I had been chatting about the new water birthing pool the hospital has now.... Am glad they have picked it up though, am in tablets now too for the OC. Today I am struggling with a cough that doesn't stop until I'm sick and a headache dorm coughing so much, and slightly weeing every time I cough. And yes to swollen lady bits. Will catch up with you all later. Off to feel sorry for myself for a while

Aw cheese, sorry to hear you have oc, is 38 weeks soon for you at least?

Re lady gardening, going to go for all off I think, since with all the (tmi!) extra discharge I feel a bit less gross that way!

Measuring 36 weeks now... OH is 6'4" and fairly broad so am having big baby nightmares... I'm only little myself!

I get braxton hicks mostly if I bend down and up again, not too badly though.

Midwife here seems nice, having a home visit next week and they are arranging for me to go hospital for bloods/consultant/ look around and possibly a scan as am new to the area

34+1

cheese you poor thing, how far along are you now? Get some rest, eat some chocolate and be as down in the dumps as you want to be. It will all be a distant memory once you have that baby safely in your arms.

Please do all think very carefully about going bare re-growth with stiches/neat tear left to heal naturally as it can be very uncomfortable. A neat short crop is imo the best option.