October 2013: The Fourth Trimester - the bit no one warns you about!

[roxvox]

Stats sheet here

New arrivals here

Key:
SC - still cooking (pre EDD)
SFW - still f*ing waiting (post EDD)
OWT - on way to theatre (CS)
IP - induction in progress
SWIL - somewhere in labour
LIT - lost in transition

I hope this is it for u clapham!! Xx

Good luck smitten and sparkleigh xxx

Fingers crossed for babies today!

"Tumble outta bed
And stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawnin, stretchin, try to come to life
Jump in the shower
And the blood starts pumpin"

Yes ladies, today for one day only I will be DOLLY PARTON

Despite only having baby (boy still has no name ) on Sunday morning my milk is in! Knew it was coming last night, he has been working so hard at my boobs to get it in bless him!

Really hope things get moving for all of you still SFW I went 8 days over and had given up chances of things happening naturally, having people over and my tidy house getting a hammering did the trick, contractions kicked in an hour later! I'll be back with full story later.

Anyone got any tips for severe piles? Buggers are causing me massive discomfort, mum bought me some cream but it's not strong sticky enough to do anything but relieve a little,

Also at our paed check they couldn't find babies testes, so I have to see gp on a few days, as balls boys are new to me, anyone else have this?

Thinking positive contraction and dilation vibes Smitten, Spark and Clapham!

Quick update. Went to hospital for them to check the waters, didn't really need confirmation as I was on maxi pad number three by the time I went and my leggings were soaked from the journey there, but wasn't going to argue. Been tested for all sorts, wrist tagged and sent home. Have to call back when contractions ramp up otherwise I have to go back in 48 hours to be induced, hope it doesn't come to that.

Just got back into bed so going to try and have a nap and preserve some energy.

I'll keep you all updated.

Good luck to my other contracting partners. Fingers crossed for three more babies later!

thanks everyone - PLEASE keep sending the contracting vibes... 41 weeks today...

bronze sounds so similar. It was very strong and long, not what I expected. And now I don't know... definitely achy down there but managed to sleep for the last two hours hope it's not just upset tummy...

Ooo, what a potentially exciting day! Good luck smitten, sparkeleigh and clapham! Please try to keep us updated. Clapham get bouncing if you've got a gym ball, else pace up and down those stairs! My contractions were very erratic at first (including a 2 hour break where I thought it was all over), but some walking and bouncing soon set them off again! Good luck!

Bounce Clapham!! Go for a jog? :o

yes rox got both - the ball and lots of stairs

erratic is the word... last time my waters went and nothing really moves for me fast enough for them to be happy. Then went on the drip and from 0 miles per hour to 100 miles per hour, so I don't really have any experience of early labour and the build up... so good to hear it can be very erratic and still lead to something!

pseudo jog... perhaps NOT

Oh what great news!! Go sparkle/smitten/clapham never thought I'd be wishing pain on anyone, but Bring on the contractions!!

Clapham I'd forgotten how like intense indigestion contractions are. In the throws of having Thea I really thought I had a tummy bug and kept whispering to the MW that I thought I was going to fart

lion congratulations! Very enviable birth well done you

flyer I'm so glad you've seen the Doc. Go easy on yourself xx

Haha pink, when I was lit, but everyone thought I was in early labour I shouted at my lovely student midwife 'I can't sit down, my arsehole hurts, I need a shiiitttttt...' - not the calm dignified water birth I hoped for

Oh, lots of ladies in labour!! Fx for lots of happy updates later. Smitten hope you get the birth you wanted in the MLU, at least you will have avoided my horrible situation.
We won't overlap at the Rosie though as I was discharged last night (a day later than I could have been, as they cocked up Eloise's blood test and had to repeat) after 6 nights in hospital.
Sending dilating vibes to you all!

We had the fun game of trying to get Eloise sleeping in her Moses basket last night. Feed to sleep. Try to move. She wakes up. Feed to sleep. Try to move. She wakes up. Repeat x 10. She won in the end and slept in our bed. I remember this with DS and it took a while but we did get there in the end.

Oooh have we got backseat babies on their way?! Exciting!

Remember girls, don't tire yourselves out trying to keep the contractions going - gentle bouncing but make sure you get some rest too. It could be a long few days...

all round - I can't keep track of who's had babies, who's SWIL and who's SFW. And for those of us who were struggling to settle babies in the night and .

C currently v distressed by hiccoughs. Not much I can do to help, unfortunately

Anyone else's baby hate being held upright, like when you put them over your shoulder to wind them? Have a feeling the slings I've bought/been donated won't get much use at this rate.

C has a cold and didn't sleep between 1 and 6.30 am Thankfully DS is at the childminder today so C and I are snuggled on the sofa watching Boyz N The Hood wholesome television.

Ha ha bowlful, I said to my midwife 'oh no, I need a poo!' And she said 'no, you need to have a baby!' And she was right to be fair.

Welcome home sanji. You must be thrilled to finally be home, and with a baby!

Bounce bounce bounce Clapham.

Smitten, my contractions really ramped up. As soon as I got home from getting them checked, I hope you are the same and have your baby soon.

oh good luck to those SWIL
sorry for my whingy post last night. Had a good night last night. got two chunks of 2.5 hours sleep. (who would have thought that meant a good night!) and H seems a bit less cranky today. he's had a blocked nose for a few days but sneezed out the biggest boggie I've ever seen this morning so hopefully that'll help!!
flyer how u doing today?
hayley how's j's skin? pics of him and ur dd are gorgeous.

Good luck to clapham & smitten - hope all progresses well but I am just a bit worried that I'm going to be left on this bus all on my own (sniffles). I'm off to do some star jumps!

Orange, contractions seem to be every 6 and a half minutes so far lasting about 45 secs. Only had some paracetamol and they're bearable at the moment. I'm waiting for them to get to the agonising stage.

Hospital said to call when they get to 5 minutes apart and last 60 seconds.

Are you supposed to use a tens from the start or wait till it really hurts?

Good luck sparkleigh too - sorry I missed you out!

Smitten it takes a while for the endorphins to build up so stick it on now unless you fancy a bath/shower first.

Also, mine never became regular at home (no idea if they were once at hospital). DH was trying to time them on an app but there were some that were 30 seconds, some two and a half minutes, sometimes 5 or 6 minutes between, then maybe three back to back with no gaps and I wasn't sure when one was starting or finishing. We called when there were a few long ones two minutes apart and were told sometimes they go away, to call back in 20 minutes if still at that level but they had reduced a bit. I didn't follow the diagram of how contractions should progress from our nct class! Go when you feel it is time.

We went to hospital at the point where I reached the maximum on my tens and I though I might not make it to hospital if I stayed much longer. (I shuffled down the stairs on all fours taking several breaks hanging on to the banister, then shuffled to triage from the car with regular contraction breaks holding on to DHs shoulders) arrived at 4cm and as 9cm by the time I shuffled hunched over to delivery suite.

don't worry don't panic just yet - haha

mine seem to have completely disappeared today...

Noooo! Clapham