October 2013 - swollen hands, puffy feet and we all need a decent sleep

[roxvox]

Time to start thread #17!

Spreadsheet here

haha - I'm another one who can no longer pee in a pot. Last time I gave them a drop - literally. I bet they are used to it. I can't see where I should hold the pot and seem to be peeing in strange directions.

warlin and roofio that's a lot of walking. Should keep you fit!

Somehow I doubt we will have a baby on this thread... but we will definitely have at least 3 babies next week! Two from legally and another one from the newbie who is getting induced next Tuesday. Sorry newbie, completely forgot your name... can you remind us please?

Back from my midwife appointment. Bump is measuring fine now (although I got the impression that she kept running her hand down the measuring tape until she got the measurement she wanted).

With regards to my bad back, she said that if it's bad then source private help (i.e. a chiropractor or osteo) because by the time they could get me an appointment with an NHS Physio I would probably have a 1 month old baby and my problems would be gone. Although it is upper back, she said it would be because my pelvis is changing shape to accomodate baby, and that will affect my whole torso.

Baby's head is one fifth engaged ... I am pretty sure that he/she can still become un-engaged again, but it is still nice to hear.

I decided to ask her about strep b, and she said that the reason why the NHS don't test for it is because about 1/3rd of expectant Mum's would come up positive, and so would be given antibiotics at the birth, and for the vast majority of those women it would be a case of giving them drugs that they do not need as the baby is highly unlikely to react to the strep b anyway.
She also said that I may screen as negative this week, yet be positive for it next week.
Basically she tried to put me off taking the test privately, but I am still thinking I might (but will now leave it until 38 weeks or so to do).

I agree Clapham... Don't think it'll be this thread! DD has been exhausted all afternoon since school this morning! No nap though, do early night... Yay!

• so early night....

Sorry for that last me post.

JellyCurls I am slowly losing the ability, it's so easy for men who don't have to look to see where the trickle is coming from! I managed to fill a pot earlier, but if I struggled I would probably cut a small corner off of a sandwich bag, and put that corner in the pot, then wee into the bag (I read your post whilst in the waiting room and had lots of thinking time!) ... Also my midwife gave me what was pretty much a disposable shewee that clipped onto the sample pot at one of my very early appointments to use (which I then disposed of, not considering I might need it in the future). I wonder if they could supply you with one so you can fill a pot?

I'm not the only one getting bugger all sleep lately then. I got about two hours last night then had my first antenatal class first thing. The midwife there ended up taking my bp because I mentioned the fainting (I did say I was going to the drs) and its a bit low. She then sorted me a bloods form because she thinks I'm anaemic :( lovely! The antenatal class itself was a bit useless to be honest, nothing I didn't already know. Anyone else had their classes yet?

Clapham - round here they give you a little cardboard jug to go in. I'm very grateful for these jugs because I can't aim either!!

Had some pretty shocking news today, my dh lost his job. I think it's the worst timing possible really :( they knew he was about to have a baby too :( at least we have already bought everything for the baby. Any money saving tips for the future would be much appreciated?

Hope you are all having a better day than me.

Oh no Heffalump, sorry to hear that :( Do you meal plan and shop online already? If so then my tip is useless.....

Oh dead heffa does he have a notice period to work? Or any holiday pay he will be owed? And isit the kind of profession/job that's relatively easy to take a position up else where? Xx

I hope your increased dosage of medication manages to tide u over for the next 2.5 weeks tarlia

As for the wee pot, I've never been able to pee in one I've had a designated cup to wee in and then pour it into the pot lol

Thanks pseudo. I don't shop online, but I write exact lists before we go so I have the right ingredients for decent meals. Then I make more than we need so we never use ready meals. Is that what you mean by meal planning?

Natalie he's being paid for the next week, but they aren't making him work it. He's getting a bit of a payoff, but it will only last us about 3 months :( Unfortunately he's a specific type of engineer and there is only one place round here that he could work at :( he's going to have to take any old job until the company starts hiring again :(

heffa im very sorry about your dh's job. I hope you're not worrying too much.
I'm not doing any antenatal classes, apart from a breast feeding workshop. to be honest I just can't be bothered! ! haha

Sorry to hear that heffa, such terribly bad timing. I am afraid that I am not that great with money saving other than meal planning like pseudo suggested and buying stuff second hand/on eBay rather than new.

roofio I would have loved to do a bfing workshop! There isn't one round by me. That's really the only reason I'm going to the classes, to get bfing info.

Just popping out to see my nan, check back later.

That's it basically Heffalump, and the rationale behind doing it online is to avoid impulse buys. I hate online grocery shopping tbh but I will be doing it for a bit once baby arrives.

Jelly I had the exact same peeing experience and got wee everywhere because I couldn't see the stream past my huge belly!

Sorry to hear your news, Heffalump
We've been through the mill in the last five years with DH's work, multiple redundancies in a three year period, which is why we waited so long before ttc.
It would be very tough for that to happen again, now. Our back up plan, if it were to happen, is that he'd become a stay at home Dad and I'd go back to work full time before SMP ran out.

Awww. A lovely member of my first ever Year 7 form came to see me today at school and gave me a teddy for baby. She's 21 now and in her 3rd year of uni. I felt old!

Oh heffa sorry to hear that I shop around for food a lot sometimes things that would cost you 2 pound for it is £1 somewhere else invest in a big freezer if you don't already have it. Do not be afraid of basics some are hit and miss but some are fab its a bit trial and error.

Saying that i would fit into jamie oliver stereotype tonight sold a bike that was lying around so we are having an indian take away but its a treat we won't afford in future as DH is not working anymore he went back to uni at the start of the week and is on his 2nd year. I don't work atm so we are on half money this year we don't claim benefits other than child tax credit and child benefit so it will be tough but worth it in the long run we hope! His degree is in web development we are hoping for a well paid it job at the end maybe that is wishful thinking but its our only hope out of NMW positions

heffa I'm so sorry, that's really awful timing :(

badger yes I do. How's yours today?

Thanks, Nat, fingers crossed at least another week anyway.

bridget I'm not sure what they call it in the UK, it's the thing where they strap monitors on your tummy to graph baby HB and contractions, you also have a button to mark movements.

clap I think you are right - it was skull being induced Tuesday. Not Polish? Amazing you have do many languages - though you revert back to Italian with family language as English with the baby or does DP have another MT?

peeing ladies :P Buy yourselves a stack of disposable plastic drinking cups. That's what we use here as they don't give out pots to do at home.

Heffa I'm so sorry about your DH's job. I was made redundant a few years ago when the recession really hit and it's an awful experience. I'm sure he'll find something in the meantime.

Heffa that's awful news. I guess the up side is that he'll be around to help with the newborn. Good luck with the cutting back. I guess we could all do with some of that this next year.

Apologies for not name checking but... re: missing the wee pot. I do this too. It's even worse due to the fact I have to recycle the pot every time and it's got a label on the outside so I have to wrap a bit of toilet roll around it to avoid a soggy label!

Re: bump measuring. I'm measuring small although I'm sure that if the midwife didn't know how many weeks I was before she measured, she'd come up with any old number!

Can't remember the other thing I was going to comment on. Oh yeah. Anti natal classes. NHS ones weren't great. Did some private ones which were better but I didn't really learn anything I hadn't already googled/read on here. Was useful for husband though.

I'm in a hrrumph. Just back from WC jab- ouch! Now I understand why our 3yo's cry when they're given it!

I had to have a repeat wee test done and I got ++ on sugars, raised Ketones and +protein (but blood sugar fine) so I've got to report to mw tomorrow. I don't want another GTT I hope it was something I did/didn't eat- I always forget to be on bestest eating duty when I have a pee test.

Oh and on wee tests- in Oz I was given a red drinks-cup style sample container to use. DH almost drank it thinking it was orange squash Was def easier to use than our silly containers.

Heffa that is absolutely awful. I hope your DH finds something again soon. I guess the best thing I know is to write down all your expenses and go one by one, making sure you're on the cheapest rates for utilities, deciding what are luxuries and what are necessities, seeing where you could cut back (like using the car less or trying to live with one car if you usually use two). You'll get lots of tips on how to save 50p on household items (which are useful) but in my experience it's big things like bills and car expenses that make the biggest difference.

Ok so I've properly started packing a hospital bag and instead of putting this in the comments of GT baby's list on fb maybe the thread can answer my questions:

1. Are cotton pads for anything other than wiping bums (ie same uses as wipes?)
2. Do hospitals not provide compression stockings if needed and also towels?
3. I assume t shirts, yoga pants, nighties and pj bottoms are for when you're not actually labouring, like around the ward and going home?
4. Is the bikini top for water birth?
5. What do you do with witch hazel and tea tree oil?

Sorry I'm thick.

Heffa that's awful news I can recommend the Money Saving Expert site and email's if you don't already use it. If you do up a budget/list of expenditures there're some helpful people on the forums there who'll have a look though it and give you a money makeover. For utilities and insurance etc there was some people with big savings.

I don't know if I'm having a boy or girl but I get 5/5 for a boy for those questions! I'd better start thinking about boys names just in case! I'm convinced it's a girl for some reason until next time I change my mind

I had my midwife appt today and according to the bump size chart the baby is about 5lbs which I was surprised by, it seems big for 33-34wks. She had a bit of trouble finding the baby's head at first and said I had very strong stomach muscles. I wish I'd got her to put it in writing, it's probably the only time in my life someone will tell me that