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

bext rant away! That sounds awful! Zero helpful advice but this isn't your problem! & feel free to rant away.

Still not feeling 100% :-(

But I'm not going to moan. Other people have more to moan about xxx

Had a bad night yesterday, cramps & tearyness till finally fell asleep about 4am. I feel terrible for OH putting up with me. It doesn't help that I'm still worried about money and haven't really been communicating it properly to him, so he tries to arrange things we need in advance, but I get snappy & stall it without really saying why, then at the last minute I arrange a cheap rubbish alternative then get over sensitive if he questions my choice.

I hope all those with cuddly babies are doing well & getting settled. Dysgu you sound like you are coping amazingly and its so good to hear Mama going home soon!

Having haircut today, really looking forward to it!

37 weeks today!

Cheese I've made myself a nest of pillows (with one between my legs) and found that being slightly elevated helps me sleep (I have both indigestion and hip pain), also I find that sleeping on my left hand side results in less indigestion than on my right and when my hip starts to hurt I either lie on my back (but sitting up slightly) or roll to my right til the indigestion kicks in again and I have to roll over again (I also have a bottle of gavascon to glug from if it gets too bad) . Don't know if any of that will help you but it seems to be working for me.

Oww! It feels like I have a knitting needle stuck in my cervix. I've been getting shooting pains for a few weeks, but this is constant. I've been cleaning today and think I've overdone it! The baby was 4/5 engaged yesterday, so maybe he's shifted a bit more. Anyone else walking like John Wayne?!

Wahoo I've officially finished! will post more later but just wanted to share that!

Afternoon ladies

User try to not be too hard on yourself you are heavily pregnant and probably exhausted, add to that money worries and you are bound to be a bit on edge. I'm pretty sure your DH forgives you for it all. Look on the bright side you have made it to term today

Sneezy I'm getting this a lot at the moment too, I had to get a seat in Boots today because of the lightening bolt shooting up my vagina and I too am sporting an impressive John Wayne swagger

Lots of aches and pains accompanying everything I do at the moment but such is life, the weekend is here and I plan to relax with the children and enjoy some time together before the lump decides to make his entrance!

Yay to finally finishing faith!

user and jaq time to put your feet up for a bit , hope you have very relaxing weekends.

Ok, I need some advice on bedding. I've been putting off buying it as I don't really have a clue but I really can't put it off any longer or baby will be sleeping in a sack.

How many and what sort of blankets and sheets should I buy for the moses basket and for the cot? I have a Bloom Alma cot but I'm thinking I can buy any mattress that fits.

Moses basket mattresses seem to be very thin, is there anywhere that does thicker ones or would it be ok to buy two and use them both so it's double the thickness?

Also are people using mattress protectors? These seem like a great idea but any tips/recomendations would be welcome. Finally, are people using cot bumpers? I'm not sure whether these are needed or not and prices seem to vary huge from £10-£50+.

Any advice would be really welcome as we have a limited budget and I don't want to buy the wrong thing.

Sorry for all the questions!

Teapig-just quickly typing with one hand so apologies for any typos. I can't really help with bedding as I co sleep (not even getting a cot for alex) but a leaflet I've got says they are no longer supporting or recommending the use of cot bumpers.
Will update properly later

Teapig
Yes cot bumpers are definately OUT due to SIDS/suffocation risk. If you really want to use bumpers you can get ones which allow air flow like these:

www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/sp+airwrap-4-sided-bumper-in-bumpers+b6654

Or similar, we didn't bother, just another thing to buy.

Moses basket and cot sheets. I would go for no more than 2 Moses basket sheets, you can always use a pillow case if you have a bad sicky night and get through both! I would go for 2-4 cot sheets.

I wouldn't personally double the Moses basket mattress as I would be concerned that they have been tested and approved as safe using just the one. That's a personal thing though.

We have always used baby sleeping bags, some go from birth (or 8lb) and gro bags do a 0-6 month range. We use Merino bags, both the newborn & 0-2 years ones, they are VERY pricey, but last longer than the gro bags- you don't need multiple sizes and you only need one weight for 17-27 degrees so u don't think they work out more expensive.

gro.co.uk/

www.merinokids.co.uk/shop/gogobag-baby.html

You can get own brand baby sleeping bags from just about anyway including Sainsburys/Tesco but the Gro ones carry the FSID seal of approval. They look quite expensive online but are almost always on offer somewhere and TK Maxx often have them for about 60% upwards off.

If you don't use sleeping bags or not initially then 1 or 2 lightweight blankets, assuming baby is already in best and sleepsuit. Be careful big to let them over heat and do not cover their heads indoors.

HTH

Hi everyone - sorry for not writing in ages although i've been following the posts! Firstly, many congrats to all the mum's who have had their babies - hope u all are doing well.

wishful I've been quite itchy down there too and my GP told me to use E45 cream down there - it has helped me a lot.

As for heartburns, warm milk does wonders for me. if u can't have milk try apple or 1 spoon of honey that too helps. I've heard apple cider vinegar and honey in water really helps but never tried.

Hypno birthing CD - effective birth prep hospitals or birthing centre is great!!

One question my baby hiccups twice or thrice a day - is that normal?

BTW, i tried joining the FB group but no one accepted my request :( can someone please add me?

34+3 xxx

Notting I think the Facebook group set up by ratbag who has had her baby a bit early so is probably a bit snowed under! I have tried to add you & don't think I can (is anyone else a bit better with fb & can do this??) otherwise hand on and I'm sure ratbag will add you as soon as she can!

Toobreathless thanks for trying to add me :) Hopefully someone might be able to help :) x

Wishful, what did the mw say about the itching etc? I gave exactly the same....

notting mine gets hiccups that often too! I think it's normal in the latter stages.

I'm watching Knocked Up for the first time, hah!

urgh still awake as don't feel like my dinner (which I ate over 4 hours ago) has gone down yet!

teapig I bought pillow cases for the moses basket. I got a new mattress from amazon. It has a lovely soft removable cover. link. It's better than the one I bought for the spare moses basket (also off Amazon sold by linens and co).

Regarding cot sheets I bought some lovely flannel sheets in a sale which I cut in half.

Interesting about cot bumpers. I was thinking the baby won't be near it if putting baby in feet to foot of cot but then if that's the case its pointless anyway! Oh well it looks nice for now!

photochick there are a couple of concerns about cot bumpers: suffocation, over heating and strangulation from getting caught up in the ties. Newborn babies can be surprisingly mobile around a cot as Dysgu knows from Evans attempts to escape from his incubator!

I just had a quick google and they are not recommended either by FSID, NHS or in America where they have attributed 27 deaths over 10 years to cot bumpers, so admittedly the risk appears very low!

Morning ladies! It's the weekend yay!
Yesterday was a really rubbish day. I had an appointment with my endocrinologist and managed to work myself up before getting there because the nurse always weighs me. I have a semi controlled ED, that has gotten much better during pg but I haven't been weighed since the BFP. I was terrified is have gained loads but when I explained how I felt to the nurse she decided it was better not to weigh me - thank god!
But when the endo did my BP it was 150/89 and there was a trace of protein in my urine too.
He didn't seem too concerned just told me to get it rechecked mid week.
Fast forward to home and my mw rang, decided that my BP was too unstable and wanted me to go in and get it properly checked.
We got to the birth suite around 5pm and didn't leave till near midnight.
They had me on the monitors and the BP was in the 140's and contractions were showing on the monitor too.
They took a huge amount of blood and did a test to check if I was in labour. I didn't think I could be as I couldn't really feel anything. The test came back fine. But the bloods showed a high white cell count so my mw has to repeat them mid week and I have to have my BP checked again by the me this morning where she will either send me back or decide how often we monitor.
Ugh Friday was not fun lol hopefully my BP will lower today without the weighing thing on my mind and I can go back to how it was.

I really hope everyone else had a much better Friday night :).

Just packing hospital bag, do you think I have everything?
So far I have:
For baby- 6 vests (3 small 3 larger)
6 baby grows (3+3 as above)
Hat, socks, scratch mits. Going home clothes
12 nappies, DH can bring more nappy bags sudocrem, Vaseline.
Dummies, blanket, wipes and cotton wool.

For me:
Toiletries, hair ties, make up

Bra, paper pants and big pants, 1 pack pads, socks
Slippers, dressing gown
2 t-shirts
Breast pads/cream
2 nighties
Book.
Phone and charger.

I'm having a section so don't need any of the labour type stuff, do you think I have everything?

aw Fluffeh that sounds awful, at least they monitored you though, I think you would have probably felt a bit iffy worrying at home last night without the extra care.

re bedding, I don't have much yet but hoping to get a few sleeping bags & maybe a swaddle bag to try out. I have 1 cellular blanket & a few normal ones, plan to try swaddling with cellular one if I don't get special swaddle bag in time.

My hospital bag is packed, I have same things as Giddy except no book yet as can't find kindle charger since move and I don't think I have nearly enough pads yet. Oh & no dummy, but will probably grab some + nipple shields & hide in a secret place that the unbelievably prescriptive health visitor may never know about.

Had a call from MW yesterday, my iron level is low at 14 (hb is still within normal range though) so am being prescribed extra iron, hoping that some of my tiredness & moods might be down to the lack of iron & so improve a lil bit.

giddy
I would suggest adding:
Supermarket bags for dirty laundry.
Pens and paper/small notebook to make notes of presents given etc
Soft trousuers to wear with the T Shirts?
Sports water bottle type or straws for easy drinking post C section
Tissues- I just have a couple of those mini packets with 10 in.
2 Muslins- in case you have a sicky baby (also useful for discrete feeding)
Baby hats; I would take at least two as baby will wear one post section and it WILL get covered in blood so you will want a fresh one to take home!
Flip flips for showers? (they are not always that clean!)
Your own paracetamol (I probably shouldn't be advocating this but just in case MWs are busy obviously not if they give you painkillers too!)

For DH I would pack:
A button up shirt (or make him wear one of the day) so that he can do skin to skin if you can't/don't feel up to it.
Camera (or use your Phone)
Some snacks, you will be Nil by mouth but there will probably be emergencies and your section could well be delayed by hours. I would definately MAKE DH have a snack and a drink prior to theatre (something high energy) eating is the last thing he will feel like but you don't want him fainting. Something like Capri Sun pouch plus cereal bars.

Hi

Just wondering if anyone here taking Raspberry leaf capsules ? I like the idea of something that might shorten labour but not sure what dose or when to start taking. I am 34w4d today. I asked the NCT teacher today at antenatal class but she seemed clueless.

Is all getting very real with all the new babys on here. We have almost finished decorating the nursery yesterday. Cot is up and now need to buy some storage/drawers, plus wash all baby stuff and finish hospital bag ..oh and must not forget pelvic floor exercises.

jorich - thanks for the reminder!

squeeze!

Thank you username and too plastic bags are usually the things I forget, never thought about DH doing skin to skin, I don't think he owns any button tops except good shirts for work, so he'll just have to go topless
Will take some paracetamol too, but I was hoping for codeine this time as well is it passed over in breast milk?
Will dig out another hat, and some muslin squares.
I didn't know I had to go in fasting, no one mentioned this, but will probably be too nervous to eat any breakfast anyway.

Hi all - hopefully everyone has had a good Saturday (and fluff I hope you have had a much more relaxing day than yesterday). How many of you have snow? I keep seeing friends on FB with lots of the stuff - have to admit to not being at all jealous as it would be too difficult right now as we need to be able to get out and about easily. I also wouldn't want the DDs off school right now as visits to Evan are much easier (and longer) when they are in school.

Not sure who was asking about cot bumpers... I agree that they are not recommended due to SIDS risk (which might be very small, but still..) We did actually have one with DD1 (and I cannot remember if we used it with DD2). As we have had to start all over again with buying stuff for Evan, we have not bought one. Partly due to the risk and also because, let's face it, it is just something else to spend money on!

Anyway, after Evan already demonstrating just how mobile he already is when he wants to be, there is no way I would be putting one on his cot! He is still only 35+3 gestation wise and is a real little wriggler when he wants to be so who knows what he will get up to when he gets more space to explore!