October 2013 - insert witty, worn out, nearing the end thread name here

[PseudoBadger]

New thread :)

Pricsi bravado seamless bra also has padding. I haven't tried but look at them online.

I took a long vest for last labour. Kinda the style that was around last summer, almost dress like, long at back n shorter at front. Covered my bum. While I was being induced I wore DH pjs for walking around ward.
When they cited my epidural I had to put on a hospital gown. Which I then kept on. Which was fine n comfy n I didn't have to worry about washing it.

After labour and shower I put on yoga pants n nightie (from mothercare but very similar to tesco one linked to earlier)
At home I wore yoga pants with nighties for first few days. N a big black "waterfall" style cardigan (I think that's what it's called where they deal down kinda like a shawl style)
I then progressed to yoga pants n t shirts when popping across road to the shop or when ppl came over.

Blood results came back. Bile acid is normal. But me still wants to check me weekly I think it's proof that its in my head. But she said no its not.
On the good side is my iron level is back to normal woop woop. I'll continue to take them , just incase , as it dropped after my last birth.

Thanks Honeymoonmummy I think we're going to need it

I was wondering the other day whether MNHQ err look at these threads and say to themselves "ah yes, they are all approaching 32 weeks, we'll have our first baby soon and then they'll all start panicking about their hospital bags". Does all this sound very familiar to you?

A couple of things....

I didn't give birth in the water but, almost unintentionally, laboured for the most part in water. I was induced and was having mild contractions at 2cm dilated. A lovely midwife (I was still on ante natal ward at this stage) ran me a big bath with lavender oil and said it would be relaxing... Anyway, after about 45 mins / an hour in that bath, I was 9cm dilated and DH was called and told to arrive pronto!! DD was born just over 3 hours later though as I had almost 3 hors of pushing stage... Not sure I would have wanted to push in water - I liked the stability of the different positions "on dry land"! I would day go for it though - you can always get out for the final bit..

Re post birth/post hospital clothes, last time I lived in either long black jersey dresses from H and M (they still do them now - non maternity but they fit me now!) with the kind of chunky strappy sleeves, with a drapy cardigan or huge scarf or loose jumper for bf (the dress neck line could easily be hooked down under my boobs, but I am not huge on top); or black maternity leggings (over the bump so fine post cs) also from h and m plus the vest top/loose top combo I've mentioned before for bf. Personally, I really hate being in my pyjamas in the day,and that was just as comfy.

Flyer - poor you, hope you feel better tomorrow.

GT, that's good about the results.

MoN - are you any closer to getting your cs date...?

Can't remember who asked, but I did get guesstimate weights yesterday - twin 1 is 5lb5 and twin 2 is 4lb9... Not bad for 34 weeks (actually 33+6 then). My goal is to get both to 5 and a half, or even 6lbs.... Both are breech (and unlikely to budge) and are giving me painful kicks in my groin and throwing the craziest shapes. I am ALL tummy and sometimes its literally like a triangle outwards!!! So unlike DD which was much more "all over" and rounded.

Legally - funny you should mention the shape of your bump. I find that baby is either on one side or the other, leaving me distinctly lopsided! I don't remember being like this with DS. I think this baby might be the kids who sleeps curled up in the corner of the cot!

Legally it's so exciting not only are you having twins but they will be here very soon and you don't know the sex either. I bet you can't wait to meet them now.

I know Flyer, I am getting excited... But also worried as I so, so want them to be alright (I was also irrationally worried about DD) and I really want to get to the c section date.... Y'ouch - daggers in my cervix from tiny heels right now...!

Aww so cute, they'll be just fine I bet, they have fab birth weights already for twins and another 3 weeks to go. A friend of mine from school had her twins at 25+3 and they are 2 now and really healthy little kids...you'll be just fine

Whoop whoop!! Just managed to go an entire night without leg cramp!! I think I may have cracked it! I realised that I was drinking gallons of water a day and it may have been upsetting my natural mineral and sodium balance by diluting it too much. So yesterday I ate lots of salty things, drunk a couple of lucozade sports drink, that claim to replace lost electrolytes etc, had a dyralyte rehydration sachet before bed and...........no excruciating leg cramps!
I hope to god that is wasn't just a fluke that I didn't get them coz they were waking me 3x a night and affecting my walking throughout the day.
I hope everyone is ok?

Wow Legally they are a great weight already! Bethan's for the water birth tips. My boss told me that his wife had planned a water birth, got in and loathed it so she got out within 10 minutes. I think that's what appeals - much more than something like diamorphine where, if you don't like it, you've got another 5 hours til it wears off.

The movements I am feeling now are a lot more swirly (I don't know how else to describe it) and are more obviously baby shifting position than kicking as such. I have to say that it's not always an entirely pleasant sensation - I've heard having a CS described as someone washing up in your stomach; well that's quite like what this feels like too!

Just quickly popping in to say hot milk bras are on sale with zulily this morning. I've just bought two and matching bottoms woo hoo!

Thanks shooting, just invested in a pretty bra- makes a change from my 6yo Elle Macpherson numbers that are looking rather grey tired.

It's amazing hearing about babies weights in-utro already- makes it all sound so real and imminent! With DS he seemed to always have something slightly amiss so I had buckets of scans, but this time I'm being left well alone. Scan this Weds though, so hope to hear that all is still ok & she's still a girl! For those being told you've got a 'big head' to deal with, they said that about DS and his was perfectly normal size when he came out.

I'm in the low-energy club too. Time to hit the iron?
Anyone else suffering from acute sense of smell? Body odours and marmite are really getting to me.

favellio Fingers crossed you've cracked it with the cramps! Calf stretches before bed seem to help too I've found. And pulling my foot/toes up towards me and stretching the calf if I feel the earliest sign of one coming on.
What's everyone's experience of diamorphine and pethadine? I've been reading up about them and don't really like the sound of pethadine as I hate the feeling of being out of control, like when you've had too much to drink; but I've had no experience of either drugs.... Like you say comtesse it can take a long time for them to wear off.

MrsO that's exactly how it was described to me - like that stage when you're really drunk and you know it, but you just have to wait to sober up. Apparently it can make you feel quite sick too.

My mum had it and said that it helped her sleep. I think my sister and a friend of mine also had it, but they both had forceps deliveries because of shoulder dystocia.

I might see what my sister thought - I'll report back.

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the shopping links! Really really useful, as I've been angsting about hospital wear and breast feeding wear. I have very few breast feeding friendly tops.

Clapham - you asked ages ago, but I'll hopefully be at the Royal London.

Honeymoonmummy - thanks for popping by!

I absolutely hate that feeling comtesse which really puts me off! I also found a really old thread on here which discusses pain relief which is quite useful- www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/4291-pain-relief-in-labour-pethidine-or-diamorphine/AllOnOnePage

In nursing bra sizes do you buy the size you are now? As my rib cage seems huge I was a 32C pre pregnancy now a 36E but wondering whether to buy a 34E as my rib cage will hopefully go down after giving birth?

Diamorphine - well it depends how you feel about hard drugs. The other name for diamorphine is heroin...
I've no experience of either pethidine or diamorphine myself, had an epidural last time.

I had pethidine with DS and made me so so sick will be avoiding at all costs this time. Saying that it took me a good few hrs to just get the hang of using the gas and air properly (I wasnt taking direction well) so hoping will cope better with that this time, and also hoping for a water birth if am allowed at the MLU. Hadnt even thought about taking a sieve though!

flyer I was wondering the same thing. I seem to remember hearing that you go down one in chest size but up one in cup size so most maternity bras roughly fit you both pre and post birth. I gambled and bought a bra based on my current size anyway. Will probably have to send it back

I have a bra-fitting question too, Flyer - also about rib cages...
My bra is riding up at the back, which is meant to mean the back size is too big, but it feels tight and uncomfortable under my boobs
I do have a very short back (hip to shoulders), I'm under 5'2" with a 30-31" inside leg, so my bump is very much squished into a small space, right up to my boobs, meaning bra is practically on bump and has been for weeks.
Only really comfortable option is bra free (impractical) or bandeau strapless ones - which give a mono/square boob look.
Help?!

sanji I think I had diamorphine when in labour with dd (can't fully remember) and I have to say I wasn't aware it is the same as heroin and the thought of that has really put me off having it this time round, I wish someone would tell u these things when offering them to u instead of just would u like some diamorphine to take the edge off!!

I think your back size might go down when the baby drops, so they recommend shopping for nursing bras at about 38 weeks. I've just ordered a couple of the bravado ones (not the lovely body silk ones which don't come in my size sadly) in the hope that they are stretchy and forgiving enough to wear now and also afterwards.

shire, I feel your discomfort. I'm 5'1 with 29" inside leg so similarly proportioned. Bras are not comfy just now but the bravissimo lady reckons I've got the best fit I can just now. I'm placing a lot of hope in these bravado ones that are winging their way to me!

I'm grumpy this morning. Suffering acid reflux and feeling a bit queasy so had a battle with myself about whether to go to yoga or not. Decided to (wo)man up and stop moaning only for the sodding bus to sail right past me because it was full. Bloody Edinburgh festival! No way for me to get there on time so I've come home.

To be honest, there is a tiny part of me that thinks I'd quite like feeling a little drunk, but most of me would prefer to avoid diamorphine and pethidine as I don't want to make breastfeeding any harder than it already will be and am keen to avoid medication as much as I can.

ShireHobbit- have you tried sleep bras? I have a pack of 2 from Mothercare that work really well when my maternity bras are in the wash. A lot if people have said sports bras are really good too- but if I remember correctly there is a mono boob issue!
Re pethadine, I'm a first timer so I can't offer a personal experience but my sil who is a student midwife & my NCT teacher have said one thing it's good for is getting you some sleep if you've been in labour for a really long time but aren't even close to being fully dilated yet.

Thanks twvare, I have been wearing my pre-pregnancy sports bras as they are quite comfy, only their is the mono-boob issue, and they are a bit small given how much I've grown.
Glad it's not just me, soup - I've found myself looking enviously at taller pregnant ladies with long backs, who have that glorious scoop/slimmer bit below their boobs and before bump

Re nursing bras your ribs will go back in once baby has come out. I'm normally a 32d but am now a 34dd so have bought 32dd so my normal back size and one extra cup size- same size I was when I was feeding ds so hopefully they'll fit.