July 2013 - Holy Shit, this is IT!!

[dinkystinky]

New thread for us to natter away on as babies keep on arriving. 11 at last count already and not even in July yet.. Who will be next??

Have been stuck in some nightmare cycle of A snacking rather than full feeding, gulping air leading to wind, leading to full on scream, needing a feed only snacking, gulping air etc etc for the past 3 hrs, after my previous 40 min sleep, A has sort if settled now and I have at least half an hour before toddler will be up, exhausted doesn't cover it, not sure how to survive the day!
Sorry brain too sleep deprived to comment on what else is going on with the exception of cheek - good luck x

Morning Cheek - you're doing really well. Remind yourself that each contraction is one more closer to seeing your baby. Do you have a birth ball? If so, what I found helped in early labour with ds2 and ds3 was rolling small circles round seated on it and closing my eyes and really focussing on my breathing - in through nose, slowly out through mouth. When sitting became uncomfortable, I went into a dark room and leaned on the counter to do my hip circles and breathe - basically thats all I did till getting in the car to go to the birth centre. If contractions are more than 5 minutes apart, try lying on your left side to rest if comfortable - I found lying down too uncomfortable and needed to be able to move but some people like it and it helps conserve energy. Put a funny fave DVD on tv OR CD on to distract you between contractions if still fairly far apart. Try to eat something light in early labour - you went want to eat later (with J I managed to finish my bean and bacon risotto and frozen yogurt between contractions at the start, with ds2 all I felt up to between contractions were grapes and a few bites of toast but they were all good). If you need to take the edge off the ouch, try 2 paracetemol. Also warm water - shower as citizen suggested or bath.

My absolute top tip is try and relax into it - I know its exciting and the sensations feel intense, but its just your body doing east its meant to do to get that beautiful baby out for you. The more you can accept that, and relax to let your body do its thing, rather than tense up, the easier and quicker it will all be for you. Listen to your body - if it gets to the point where you need more than you can get at hagfain.o relax into it, head on in again. You're doing great and your baby is on the way x

And I deliberately left in the autocorrect typos in the last post just yo bring a smile to your face Cheek - I believe my autocorrect to be possessed by Chaucer today :-)

How's it going cheek? Hope you are managing to get some respite between contractions. All good advice above, and like dinky said, it's ok to take couple of paracetamol to take the edge off. I found lying on my left side barable which allowed me to get some much needed sleep; also, and I'm not into hypnotherapy and woo stuff at all, but I couldn't help thinking about an old heavy rusty door opening to let my baby out! As a metaphor for my old achy body it was pretty spot on! But did seem to help focus my mind on a positive reason for the pain. Best of luck, hope it all goes smoothly you're having a baby!!!!

NPK I feel your pain. Hope you managed to get some sleep last night. I had exact same trouble with DD. what a nightmare. I'm sure you've tried all the usual tricks of getting babe completely awake for feed - nappy change, remove clothing etc? Anyways hope you find time during today for a catchup nap

Cheek - how exciting! How are you getting on? Have you woken DH yet? Some splendid advice here from Citizen and Dinky (and the spirit of Chaucer). I second focussing on your breathing - try to breathe slowly and from low down in your belly.

MightBe - I'm so glad to hear you had a productive chat and feel more in control of your birth.

I am not allowed to go into labour today as DH has to go to the other side of the country and won't be back til 1am. Clearly this is an almost certain guarantee of something happening (although at this rate I doubt it!). My back-up is on stand by just in case...

40+1 (and feeling aggrieved not to have actually given birth on the 'Holy shit, this is IT!' thread!)

cheek I hope things are progressing well & DH is up with you now.

Sorry you're having a shit night npk

Keep your legs crossed & take it easy, Slouching

I'm hoping last night wasn't a fluke and the jet lag is starting to wear off. Fed Naomi almost hourly yesterday evening, then at around 10:30pm. She slept until 2:30 then until 6:15. Major progress! Fingers crossed we can do the same again....

I wonder if we can squeeze any more arrivals into this thread......

cheeky I hope the night has gone ok and you are maybe in hospital by now- baby must be close I hope

Am trying to get some more rest before wee ones get up but will post more later

Good morning ladies. I posted on here ages ago have been keeping up with things intermittently but the conversation moves so quickly!

Congratulations to all the new babies and hope those over/ close to due date get some action soon.

Our dd Georgia was born on 10th July by elective c section. Hoping to go home later today.

Congratulations, Tash & welcome back! Lovely name. I hope they let you out soon. It felt like forever waiting for the paperwork to be discharged.

Good work cheek, hope you're hanging in there &. Congrats tash!

slouching-I'd have liked to pop on this thread too! Hope you keep baby in now til oh returns

Dinky-I'm putting an online shopping basket together to include savoy cabbage & leave for dh to order until I'm home from hospital!

I'm so hot & dreading another day of discomfort but it's too early for moaning, on the bright side only 2 more full days to go & this is dh's last day at work before paternity leave, woo hoo!

Finished waxing my chalk painted bedside drawers for new spare room last night & this morn plan to sort the piles of clean clothes in DS room & feel good about that small task all day.

It's going to be a day of ice lollies & hopefully no emotional breakdowns!

Hope everyone with little ones has happier nipples & getting some sleep where you can-call in the cavalry to do what they can with other dc-even if someone fairly useless can sit with them & watch tv for a while so you get some rest?

Time for minor productivity & shower then breakfast.

38+5

Looks like DOC has gone into labour, so cheek might win the DOC coin ( if it exists) way to go cheek!

Congrats Tash hope you get home soon, but while you're there enjoy the rest!

Hi all, not been on for a while, but have been lurking :-D
Congratulations to all the new arrivals and well done to you amazing mummies.
I love all the names so far (one is even my dc3's name, so good choices!)
So today is D-day for me, and dh is at work all day and then out tonight! (not drinking and under strict instructions to keep phone on him at all times)
I have been getting pressure pains for past couple of days and some small contractions, but not enough for my liking!! Have looked up some reflexology/ accupressure points to bring on labour and been doing a bit of DIY - just can't reach the feet ones well enough. Going to pop out to get a pineapple later and am spending as much time on my knees as possible today. I want to have a baby:-D

Welcome back Tashtastic ( and congrats on Georgia's arrival - lovely name) and Twirlie - sounds like things are starting up slowly for you too.

Silver - re cabbage - use outer leaves only, rip off, wash, pop in fridge for a few mins, take out, scrunch up, pop in your bra where you have painful swelling - you can leave them there for up to 20 mins. Don't reuse - bin after use - and don't put near nipples/cracks etc. Also remove before venturing out!

Cheek - hope you're OK and snuggling your baby now.

Sunday, npk - J is like that. It takes 4 attempts to get him to do a full feed from one boob!

New thread title - due in July 2013 - newborns to the left of me, big bumps to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you babe! ? Or Holy Shit - this is STILL it!?:-)
V proud mummy here - got ds1s school report and against all odds he got 2 3bs and a 2a in his ks1 SATs and ds2's nursery report which kept saying what a lovely helpful and thoughtful child he is.

Npk hope you're having a c beebies fest today and lying on sofa to chill.

Good morning all. Have posted once before but have just been lurking reading how everyone is getting on.

Congratulations to all those that have had their babies, I have been sat here like a green eyed monster as I just want to cuddle mine now! Not long left for all those still waiting although with this heat and lack of sleep it's hard to think positively sometimes.

I was just wondering if some could share elcs birth stories? I was told two days ago (38+3) that pfb is breech so had to choose between CS or ECV. Very annoyed they had mistook his head for his bum the entire time and position was only picked up on a growth scan that day. I am now booked in for a CS Mon morning and to be quite honest, am terrified!

38+5

Thanks Dinky. Lol at venturing out with cabbage leaves in the bra.

Congs Tash.

Persuasion I've been instructed that Sunday morning is a good time for me to go into labour by various members of my family. Also ironing baby things because I am that bored!!

Icing I'm sorry your chat with your mum wasn't great, maybe ask MIL to be on standby incase you can't rely on mum?

thinking sending sympathies for useless family, I can relate kind of, mine have been fantastic, in laws however is a different matter, they just see me as a walking womb! Maybe drop some clever hints?

Poco your midwife sounds like she really sucks, sorry you're having such a bad time of it, could you try talking to someone more senior?

Hope everything is going well for Cheek!

Agree Slouching I thought this would be the last thread I'd be pregnant for!

Great to hear Naomi is sleeping better Totally!

Congratulations Tashtastic & welcome back to you & Twirlie!

Great to hear on the good reports for DC's dinky, liking the Newborns to the left idea personally!

TopDonkey welcome back, a lot of the ladies on here have had really positive CS's, I have no advice really as still waiting for my baby but at least you'll get to meet your little one soon!

All you other ladies I hope you're off having babies today! Also praying that something will happen for me soon as I'm well & truly fed up! OH will be getting a right treat if I'm not in labour tonight! & I still have just over a week to go till my due date!

38+6

Today is looking like a day of two halves. On the one hand, last night's feeding frenzy seems to have me fitting back in a few more clothes - which is nice, given the weather.

On the other, resorting to coming downstairs at 0130 and feeding one side then the other on repeat while playing a 'relaxing classics' cd then finally getting him to sleep in the pram and me on the sofa, does not have me fixed to enjoy the day.

Nearly forgot, question of the day:

Why does yesterday's delivery of naice patio furniture feel more grown up than having the baby does?

Combination of maternity leave and delivery of new laptop means I am finally able to catch up on this thread - my goodness it seems to be moving fast - congratulations to all the new arrivals and their parents!

Currently torn between really enjoying maternity leave and opportunity to get deliveries/haircut/nails done/lounge around trying out new computer/indulge in random nesting urges and desperately wanting to have a baby!!

So far absolutely no signs that she might be making any kind of move, obviously far too comfy in there (wish I could say the same!). Combination of heat and pregnancy means that I have only one pair of flip flops that my very fat feet can fit into - strong family history of PET so checking BP obsessively, but all fine - just prone to hippo like extremeties it seems. Anyone else waking up with new stretch marks every day??

dinky love the cabbage tips. I remember from last time how uncomfortable it was when the "milk comes in"

topdonkey I had an elcs. It was generally a positive experience. I had to wait around for a long time because there were lots of emergencies so I kept being bumped. Bit miserable being nil by mouth in the height of summer. So remember to take something to read!

Welcome back Top donkey and Waiting. Top donkey - all those I know who had elcs instead of emcs really rate them as calm joyful experiences and got skin to skin as wished etc and some even chose the music the baby was born to, knowing its coming meant they could prep clothes wise (you want clothes that wont rub on the scar) and support wise too.

Waiting - go do all those fun things. I loved my mat leave before J arrived and love it now - but the school run is as active as I get!

Abzs - sounds like a growth spurt - kip when he kips!! I know what you mean re patio furniture - I had that feeling about buying a proper pan set when ds1 was 5 weeks old!

CitizenOscar were you in the Due in June 2011 group on here? We are still really active on Facebook if you fancy rejoining, if it is you... It's a really really lovely group, very sweet, funny, incredibly kind people.

For all of you still waiting, good luck! Is anyone else having an elcs in July?

Have a scan at 4pm today to hopefully fin out why baby has grown 5cm in a week. Was up most of the night (finally dropped off around 5.30am) worrying and making the mistake of goggling reasons why baby would grow so quick... they have already ruled out gestational diabetes and everything else looks worse so am quite scared but hopefully its nothing, maybe baby just has a massive backside and was poking it up. Im very pleased I can vent/share on here as DH tries to be reassuring and says things like it will be fine but I can tell he is worried too.

Hope cheek is getting on ok, and Im pleased the cabbage leaves seems to be helping lots of you, have added savoy cabbages to my trolley on my online shop ready to send for when baby comes, I have some growing in the garden but don't want to be going out there and getting leaves from them, might end up with a caterpillar in my boob as well.

I know its hot and we are all swollen up and uncomfortable but I hope everyone has a lovely day :)