January 2014 (thread 9) Pregnancy half time is over. Fast growing bumps, braxton hicks and we thought we would worry less!

[Frizz1986]

Hope its ok me setting up a new thread.
Couldnt see one, but if I am just being blind please tell me.....

For anyone interested in hypno birthing and pregnancy relaxation (particularly for those who like me have insomnia, or cannot get to sleep after a night wee), then I'd recommend Maggie Howells Pregnancy and birthing CD. You listen to one of three CDs in the run up to the birth, each one aiming to get you into a state of hypnosis to the point that when you go into labour you just need to play the background music and you should be able to relax / go into a trance. Must admit, it wasn't effective in my first labour, but that was a back to back horror and no amount of hypnosis was going to rescue the situation, but it was a great aide to DC2s water birth.

I'm also planning to start in the midwife unit - I'm hoping that it will be much more private and calm than the main hospital. My local unit is also attached to the hospital, so if something doesn't go right, there's always the emergency option.

The problem for me is that I was diagnosed with a low-lying placenta at my 20wk scan and need to go back around 15th December (34 weeks) for another check-up. If it hasn't moved enough, then all my birth prep goes out of the window anyway.

When would you guys pack your hospital bag? I haven't even looked into a birth plan yet, but I think at 23 weeks it would be a bit premature. Are there forms we can use? Does the hospital/midwife provide these?

mythree I just ordered that at lunchtime

Can't mn at work anymore as stupid cuntpuffin I work with has moved into my office and I know they would be all judgy pants and tell on me!

Baby is doing something very peculiar at the moment. What felt like a kick right under my rib and now baby is down in my lower abdomen having a rave it feels like!

mrsv - my local midwife unit has also had a big refurbishment, while the main hospital hasn't. we might actually be giving birth at the same hospital!

Lalunya we went for the uppababy vista too! Ticked almost every box for us and we got it through kiddicare with a £100 discount, so were pretty chuffed!

Extra am loving your "will just fall out this time" positive thinking! Am wondering since I have been so slack at doing pelvic floors if this one will just "fall out" or if it's just pee that does....!

Toby you are still doing well! Not surprised you are taking it easy for a bit after a trip to the dump!

Ooh I think baby has just started doing proper kicks for the first time... While I'm sat at my desk! I've had the gentle pushes and tickles for a few weeks, but I've spent the last 15 minutes jiggling in my seat as I keep feeling big "muscle twitches" low down in my tummy. It's WEIRD

angel that's wonderful!! Congratulations! Does it feel like having a little alien inside? How many weeks are you? Still waiting for my first kick... I'm sure (I hope!) by the end of it we'll be wishing for them to stop kicking us!

lalunya 23 weeks tomorrow... Ooh it feels quite odd. Yes a bit like an alien inside! Eek! Who knew something so little could be so powerful?!

Yay angel, enjoy the movements! I've been a bit anxious all weekend because the little bee has been almost motionless, after quite a lot of rumbling around and twisting last week.

This morning has been more active though so feeling quite relieved.

extra i had an excellent dream last night where bubs literally fell out after a short labour and it was great. Bubs was even 9lbs so i must have been cave like down below lol.

I wish my mw unit was attached to the hospital. Sucks that it is 20mins away.

I think i should maybe get a book or something with some relaxation techniques. Might be something i can ask for as a gift with money being tight.

On a positive dh has only got a bloody interview next week. So happy. Its a 12 month maternity cover at a school about 30-40 mins away.
Got my fx big time as it would such a relief knowing he had something. It starts Nov too so it would be fab.

Oh a mil has told dh that she doesn't think we have the right pram. Bearing in mind it is a loan from my sister and she has no idea what it is and hasn't seen it. She is going to annoy me if she judges everything we have. Its our baby and the last time she got a pram was 25 years ago. If she wants to buy us one at £600 thats fine by me, but id rather stick with this pram and get something else with her money if she is offering it.

Woohoo for mr frizz will keep all fingers crossed

Oh & angel yay for kicks too

I love the 'belly' kicks and the somersaults but pootle has a habit of either kicking or punching quite low so I end up with twitchy cervix, sphincter, or worst of all a sharp kick to the bladder all rather unpleasant if I'm being perfectly honest!

Evening all,

Nice to see peeps are getting some big kicks today. Last night there was a hard sticky out bump one one side. Figured it might be ToothJr sticking their head to one side so got DH to have a feel. And he gives them a good squidge, which makes them move! Not sure if that's naughty or not?

On the perineal re-education classes, I seem to recall spotting a device which tells you if you're squeezing correctly. Will go look see, but has to be better than someone's finger surely?

Oh and I'm not sure about where to give birth either. Was gonna go for the birthing centre on the hospital campus, as MW tells me I'm low risk. It's all so confusing!

Oh and forgot to say good luck to mr frizz

And....squeeeeze!

Hi - Mythreeknights do you find Maggie Howell's voice at all annoying on the cds? I find the "this is such a special time for yooooo and your baaaaaby" particularly annoying. I keep trying but not sure I can get very relaxed with it. Wish it was like satnav and I could try different voices.

Anybody had any Braxton Hicks? I thought it was too early before 30 odd weeks esp if a first timer but had a weird tight painful bump when my husband was trying to hurry me up a hilly street on Sat. Went away quite quickly but I did start to wonder if that was what it was. Only 26 weeks though so not keen for ureterus to be getting "practice" in yet...

I have the Maggie Howell cd too. I have always been asleep by about minute 5, although I think she says that is ok. I'm not sure it did anything for me during labour with dd. Maybe in the early stages. I'll be honest the epidural was much more effective pain relief . I find it relaxing to listen to though and it can't hurt so trying to put it on at least once a week now. frizz I'd recommend it for relaxation practice. My preg yoga DVD had some good tips but I can't tell you what it is called because I can't find it.

puggle I've been having BHs for a while now. I think I had them early last time too but didn't recognise them until they showed me in the monitor at hospital. I'd just assumed it was the baby moving position.

Good luck to mr frizz! Fingers crossed!

Yay for all the kicks and super yay for your DH Frizz. Will keep everything firmly crossed for him!!! Ekkk!

Don't think have had any Branston Pickles yet, but not sure what they feel like being a first timer.... I may have done as had a few odd things happen, but went away quickly and not a regular occurrence yet....

Really have NOT done well food wise today - hectic at work so basically grabbed bits to munch on - bagel with peanut butter, an apple (the only healthy thing available), some chocolate, some crisps, some malt loaf and a yoghurt! Good job am still taking my vits! It's not gonna be much better tomorrow I don't think either....

Called the GP surgery again today and they still didn't have my blood results back - it has been over two weeks. So I called the hospital, managed to get the right department, BUT they couldn't give me any details for data protection, but said if my practice phone up they could give them the details. So I asked my GP practice to call on my behalf which they actually did! They now have the results (so thankfully at least they haven't gone missing) and I have to call again tomorrow once a GP has interpreted them to get the results. So am hoping this is all good news and the GTT results are negative! Can't wait to finally know for sure so I can move on!

100 pelvic floor exercises a day, wow I will have to start doing them on the hour. There are pelvic floor exercise systems you can use to develop the crotch of steel if you are worried about post-birth recovery.

MrsV

Fingers crossed for your DH Frizz. Your dream sounds great :)

Like toby and Lalunya I am playing a waiting game to find out if my placenta will move. If it moves enough I am on for a VBA2C in hospital, if not another CS. No MW led unit for me, but if I could I would go with that option over hospital, but then the MW lead unit is upstairs from the labour ward at my hospital. If transfer time was too great I would go with hospital as with dd1 once they had tried all the options to try and get her out they only had 7 minutes to get her out via EMCS based on her stats. Like mythree I was very fit and was walking 6 miles a day right up until the day I went into labour, you just don't know with birth what will happen.

Angel it is lovely to hear you have been feeling kicks :)

altered definitely check out EBay, you get great bundles on there. I myself am going to be getting rid of a heap of baby girls stuff soon once I have removed all unisex stuff and things that can pass for boys once dyed the right colour.

Been out all day so absolutely shattered, but had a lovely meal at a South African burger restaurant with DH and the kids, he goes back to work tomorrow after being off after his hit and run injury, so he wanted to treat us, yum. Also bought loads of toys for the girls too including a bubble machine, so I don't have to spend half an hour blowing bloody bubbles for them.

Right off to soak in a well deserved bath :)

Oh and fingers crossed for good results tomorrow sultana

Have just read all your news, and totally forgotten everything...

Had a lovely couple of days in Liverpool seeing old friends, getting baby cuddles and helping with a very stubborn three year old who is not a fan of potty training. I did one morning (one hour twenty minutes to extract one wee), I can't imagine how hard it is for her mum! She was fully trained, then her wee brother arrived and blam - back in nappies. Lazy little tyke

Hope everyone's well, and had lush weekends.

Evening all...

I have major rage today. My fuckwit employers have continued their cuntpuffinary by reneging on half of the things they told me verbally. There's still no mat policy and they have moved the goalposts with my annual leave. I challenged them on it and have come to a compromise but it's really upset me and I had a sob in the work toilets. I feel like a child stomping around saying "it's not FAIR" and it's making me feel like they think I'm scrabbling for as much money as I can get... when it's not about that it's about me needing to be clear so I can plan.
Then whilst ranting to DH about it after work he was also a cockwomble. Is it just me or do other people's DHs think that the entirety of sacrifice around career, income etc will be down to you... and just haven't even thought about making any changes themselves when it comes to childcare/ flexible working/ taking some leave. He's very well intentioned and open to discussing things but it pisses me off that it isn't even part of his consciousness unless I bring it up. I'd understand more if he was paid way more than me but we earn roughly the same. And I've already turned down a better paid job because of being pregnant and it meaning I'd lose some mat pay.
Sorry everyone... Just feeling annoyed and sorry for myself

Forgot! The friends I was staying with looked out a black sack full of gorgeous, neutral newborn and 0-3 clothes for me to borrow. Some are brand new, including a knitted newborn onesie in red fairisle pattern. I love it more than life itself. I think I might have my 'going home' outfit! People are so generous.

Oh, MrsA what a bunch of fuckwitted cockwombles. Your employers, I mean. Do you/could you belong to a union? Is there an HR dept? I can't remember what kind of a company you work for? That sounds so frustrating and irritating.
You poor duck. Have a hug.