April 2013 Part 8: Welcoming our Easter Chicks & as Alex & Evan hopefully go home!

[toobreathless]

Over here Ladies!

I hope you don't mind me starting this thread too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/1689714-April-2013-Part-7-As-our-miracle-Alex-continues-to-grow-the-one-that-sees-us-reach-TERM

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

Wonderful news for today as we welcome babycandy and little Charlotte and hoping that this thread sees little Alex and Evan home very soon.

How many more babies will this thread see?

Huge congratulations giddy and bona! So lovely to hear about more new arrivals.

mama, congratulations on going home. Amazing!

Faith, good luck with your scan.

Jaq, I'm sorry the situation with your sister is so difficult. Stay strong, you and your family will get through this difficult period.

I'm very much into the swing of maternity leave. So far I've been picking up final bits for baby (bedding is sorted now, phew!) and spending some time with DH while he's had some holiday.

Today I'm starting on the batch cooking. Mac 'n' cheese and banana bread on the list to make today. For the rest of the week I have brunches and lunches lined up, I could get used to this!

I think we have finally cracked our name choice which I'm really pleased about.

37+0 today, I'm officially term

Just popping in to say, baby is in fact head down! Lump is a combination of bottom and legs :) so we're on for VB. will catch up properly later.

Good luck with your scan faith.

Congratulations bona!

mama if you like crumpets, and there's one nearby, i can highly recommend ALdis! They are fantastic. So much so they are the only ones ill eat now. And stupidly cheap at 30 something pence for 6 :).

I'm so tired today. Been awake most of the night worrying. The car is due its mot but money is really tight. There's no way it'll pass without work on the brakes and new tyres and there's no way we can be without it either. We have a small amount of money put aside for emergencies and I think the cars going to need that plus more. A few weeks of frugal living and essential journeys only until we've saved back the emergency pot I think.
Non sleeping doesn't help with the bh's either, I feel like they haven't stopped in days.
My mw is visiting later so I'll ask her to check everything's ok baby wise :).

That's great news faith!

Take it easy fluffeh and try not to stress, somehow these things usually work out in the end.

bonadea such a sweet name! My grandpa is Ted, great weight too for 37 weeks. Hope you are recovering well from the section?

faith great news baby is the right way up, if you can feel a hard lump at the front that is a great position as baby isn't going to be back to back.

mama glad you & your little family are getting on so well :)

I am so tired, DD had an awful night up with a nasty barking cough (croup?) to my amazement she was fine this morning so we went to soft play with a friend & I spent 2 hours racing around. All the 'big kids' were in school so we were a big naughty and went on the 'over 5s' section (would never do this if older children around) including the huge slides. I was secretly hoping they might bring labour on DD is now napping & I am sofa surfing!

Physically I feel pretty good, my only real complaint is that I am so swollen by the end of the day- fluid up to my thighs. This morning I woke up after lying on my arm with a hand so swollen you couldn't see the knuckles & I couldn't make a fist. Going to pop to MW tomorrow to get BP & urine checked to make sure it's not PE. I strongly suspect it's just due to low blood count, huge bump and being on my feet all day though.

38 + 5

Hello, I have been lurking on these threads for ages but never seem to keep up or get around to posting properly.

I am 37+3 today and getting very impatient, want baby out now! :)

I have 2 DS's who are nearly 9 and nearly 7 so am making the most of these last couple of days before the school holidays as it could all be badlam when they go back! Am due 14th April and it can't come quick enough.

Congratulations to all you lucky mums who have already popped!

Question, does anyone on here have step-children, if so how are they responding the the imminent arrival of a half sibling? My OH has a 10 year old that we have 3/4 weekends, he's looking forward to his half brother arriving but I curious whether anyone else has experience with step children

Rabbit I'm also a step parent - dp has a 14 year old who I do tend to get on with most of the time but unfortunately I think we came along at a difficult pre-teen stage for her and the announcement of our new baby and half sister for her was quite difficult - she had been used to being daddy's only child and spoilt rotten since she was born. It hasn't helped either that her parents were never together since before she was born and I am sure she wishes that she has what the new baby has - in terms of both her parents together.

I have tried to reassure her that her and her dad's relationship will not change at all and if anything will improve as he is no longer a single man and will have more time for doing family things and I think that has helped. Plus the baby being a girl as she has 2 siblings at home with her mum that she is not particularly keen on!! It is constantly a work in progress though - adding into it my two boys as well.

He's a great kid and is loving the fact that he's getting his first sibling but he's a bit closed off and its difficult to know when he's having problems as he doesn't talk about it.
I don't view him as my child as I believe that no one can replace a mother (I do care a lot about him though), but I worry that he will feel that he's being sidelined by the baby when it does arrive and won't understand why I might treat a child of my own differently to him . We increased our weekends with him so that he feels more part of the family, and he was showing signs that he needed more male attention from his father. But I worry that he'll feel left out. I guess I can't predict what will happen but I'm really hoping that he talks to us about how he's feeling if he does start feeling leftout.

River and Rabbit I imagine it is especially difficult to settle a new baby with a stepchild so I hope things go smoothly for both of you. DD1 is particularly anxious about all the attention that Evan will get when he comes home. I think having already had two weeks of overhearing almost every conversation start with 'How is the baby?' already whenever I take her to school or pick her up is getting wearing!

I have explained that he will get a lot of attention from other people the first few times they see him because people find new babies fascinating and he has already dragged out his 'first appearance' but that generally DP and I will continue to give as much attention as possible to all three of the DC!

Still, we will have to wait to see what happens - she took time to settle when we brought DD2 home and they are the best of friends now...

Hopefully we will find out soon as Evan has had his NG feeding tube removed today. He is 36 weeks gestation so now they are 'testing' him to see if he can demand to be fed. They will leave him for up to 5 hours - and at the moment he is taking pretty much that time to sleep off a bottle and be ready for the next one - but as long as he wakes up and makes some form of demand then he gets a tick in the box

Of course, no one will give us any idea about when he can come home yet but we are hoping it will be in the next week. He has to keep up independent demanding for 48 hours and then they will talk about sending him home. It will be so much easier having him home rather than spending all day at the hospital and watching the clock to make sure I don't miss the school run - which I did today as he pushed his afternoon feed right to the 5 hours and then had two dirty nappies and wee'd all over the sheet too!!!

Dysgu-great news that the tube has come out! Fingers crossed Evan is ready to demand feed. The first time Alex did it was such a shock his little screech as he realised he was hungry.

Fluffeh- thanks for the crumpet tip there's a aldi near so will ask my mum to stop by there.

The health visitor came today and everything is great, she checked Alex over and weighed him he has gained unofficially 2oz but they cant do a proper weigh in until Friday. He also peed all over the scales
so far ds1 has barely taken his eyes off Alex. He starts every conversation with my brother did this or that. He is wanting to take him outdoors but we have to stay in for at least a few weeks, aside from the fact I can't walk Alex needs to be as protected as possible from bugs. It just feels like I am waking from a long nightmare and everything is gonna be ok.

Hi us4 can't believe the April group is still growing! The thread does move very fast but I am an avid reader n it's lovely to hear everyone's news. Feel the same bout dc3 arriving. Have both dd's home nxt wk (youngest is in private nursery) so sod's law says this one will make an appearance to join the mayhem!!

Great news about Evan dysgu and lovely to hear how ur family are fussing over Alex mama

Jst watched obem, very emotional tonight. Makes me count my blessings tht I have 2 fit and healthy dd's and another on the way. Can't imagine what tht couple or anyone in their situation goes thru.

On a positive note, it's my last day in work 2moro, thank god! So tired!

36+5

Mama - I am so pleased for you that everything is going so well. I ended up in hosp for a week with teddy as he lost a bit of weight and had jaundice and I found the whole experience quite traumatic - so many different points of view about what I should be doing for him, the constant noise and bustle of a busy hospital, the simple yearning to be in my own bed! You and Alex have had to deal with it way longer than i did so hats off you, really!!

My tips for those still to come - if you can, try to express some colostrum any time from 37 weeks onwards. I did this in case my baby had low blood glucose (as i am diabetic) but actually ended up using it because Ted had a poor latch and initially wasn't getting enough from the breast. This allowed me to completely resist any formula being thrust upon him which I didn't want. There were plenty women on my ward who I think would have really benefited from having a stash. There is loads of info online, videos on you tube Etc. You just need to collect in a plastic syringe and freeze til you need it!

Teddy now feeding well, hence my posting at this time of night!

Do love catching up on your days especially those that have not had the easiest starts, but now are.
Hoping these great stories get me back to sleep...

rabbit my DP has two teenage boys from his marriage. They are lovely and the youngest is excited for a new sibling because it means he won't be the youngest anymore! It's a difficult situation though as their mum doesn't like them seeing me, she hasn't accepted the break down of their marriage and we haven't told her about the pregnancy. I can't totally understand her but I do sympathise as my DP and her were together for 18 years and raised 4 children together. It must be hard after all that time to move on. But she sends text threats to my DP's phone for me almost daily. I really wish we could get along for the boys sake but I don't expect it to happen.
As it is right now DP spends weekends visiting them and I stay away as I don't want to inflame things but I hope once the baby is here they can be her big brothers and visit and spend time with her.

dysgu fab news! I hope he does well with the feeding and is on his way home with you soon :).

Had my mw visit yesterday and my BP was perfect at 90/60. The best it's been since my booking appt! Probably as I spent the whole day resting as my pelvis was agony. But yay for the perfect BP :). She's still going to visit every other day but it makes me feel better to have it fall back to normal.

Caitlin Margaret Nicholls entered the world with a pretty loud cry at (Perth time) 11.44 this morning. She is 7lb 11 (3.5 kg) and it looks like she's got her Daddies dark hair!
She is currently in special care as her first test on her heart was inconclusive either way and the cardiologist feels it is best to have her on monitors until they can clear her with more tests. I'm hoping to be able to go down and see her shortly - as soon as I have a bit more control over my legs.

Congratulations! I hope she's out of special care ASAP.

Congratulations mumofwombat- she's gorgeous :) I hope she's out soon xxx

Congratulations Mumofwombat!

I'm just back from midwife. All looking good, baby is head down and in the pelvis 'abit' but as I'm having a section that doesn't really matter!

She reminded me again to go instraight away if anything starts happening labour wise and they'll do the section straight away. Hopefully he'll stay where he is til 22nd, so not ready yet!

Also nothing to do about the piles that have developed this week except use anusol, which I've been using. They did start bleeding last night though which was abit worrying. Anyone else suffering from them?

This pregnancy lark is just so glamorous!

Hope everyones feeling well today.

35+4

That was long, shitty!

Ahh shitty=sorry! Autocorrect fail!

Congratulations mumofwombat!

Got MW again today as my BP was high yesterday. Just working my way through a giant pile of ironing (DH usually does it but the poor chap has been working in the evenings to be organised for paternity leave). I'm hoping two hours of ironing will chase this baby out!

Fluffeh sounds like you have more of a nightmare than I do, I think DSS's mother is trying to compete (as soon as we told her that we were expecting she announced that she was trying with her partner (she also told DSS's which I thought was completely inappropriate, but he's her son so her call). She hasn't told us that she's been successful so I'm guessing that it hasn't happen for them yet but I hope they manage it as I think DSS would be thrilled.

Wonderful news momofwombat and such a gorgeous name! I adore Margaret in particular & we would have used it but surname is similar to Mason and it doesn't go well. Hope LO is out of SCBU soon & you are recovering well.

Dysgu hope Evan's trial without the feeding tube is going well. Love the fb picture.

Feeling terrible here, have had 24 hrs of vomiting. A little part of me hopes this might be the start of labour? I started vomiting with DD before contractions started but I suspect just toddler plague, sigh! Have been good and spoken to MW.

38 + 6

Having sharpish tummy pains quite low down sometimes accompanied by dull back ache every 2-15 mins.painful behind pubic bone too. Did have two in the bath though much less intense. Also come more and faster if I sit or lie? Ideas?
Last one at 57 min past, and one just started now at 2.08

38+6