February 2014 - is there an octopus in there?

[LittlePandaBear]

Okay I don't like to run out of things, even threads, so here's the new one.

Can't remember who described their baby kicking like an octopus but it's very true :)

Winterflowers High five!

Cam Thanks for adding a dissenting voice to the tide of woe :) I'm hoping I can remain relatively active/ at least continue walking a bit, mostly for my own sanity.

Sorry so many of you are feeling crap. At the risk of sounding smug (and I'm not I promise..I'm bound to have the worst labour because my pregnancy has been so easy) I'm still feeling as I was before being prego, with the exception of a bit extra tiredness. If I didn't actually feel the baby moving I'd be convinced I'd just eaten too much cake!

I just found I was a lot slower. On my due date, I was out shopping in Homebase for paints and screws. And the day before he came, I took the dog to vets for her jabs. I was definitely still active until labour started. This time I have little choice, the only thing I will swap is that DH will do swimming lessons with DS after Christmas instead of me.

Sorry those of you who are suffering :(

Laura you are so lucky! Though I am feeling massively relieved because the third trimester has been the first one in which I've actually felt vaguely human. Throwing up once a day? Easy. In fact this morning I kept reading my book while chucking up into my bowl :)

There's an awful thread on childbirth about how long things take to go back to normal. I wish I'd never looked, I'm scared now!

Don't watch obem, call the midwife or any other program involving childbirth (I don't have a tv so not up on these things). Nor read and take what is written on here or any other forum as what always happens.

Every birth and recovery is clearly different, and you will find more people write about bad experiences than good just like people tell everyone they know of bad service but not good. I was up and out and about within 48hours, and yes I had had stitches.

To lighten this up, having survived a night on the mlu, with the midwives helping, the first thing I did was put ds's nappy on back to front. The midwife kindly pointed it out several hours later...

Giggled at the back to front nappy :-)

I don't watch OBEM or Midwives or similar either. It is going to happen to me, I don't remember the gory bit of birth from last time and am quite happy not to frighten mysel this time!

As for post birth recovery. I had quite a lot of stitches (though the midwife told me kindly it was a 'minor labial tear', it chuffing well didn't feel minor, and despite her enviable needle skills it's never been, ahem, quite the same shape since! Not that it makes any difference, DH claims he can't tell anyway.
I stayed in hospital 4 nights afterwards, and I'm glad I did. On day 3 I hit a teary wall of exhaustion and couldn't stop crying, and DH was just rubbish - only my lovely midwife knew how to help.
It was painful going to the loo for about a week (recommend lactulose and a jug of warm water :-) and I carried in bleeding for about a fortnight, heavily for the first week. The stitches had gone by about two weeks.
I was up and about in a minor way (small shop in Tesco's, etc) within 5 days, more active things (short dog walk on a bridle way) within 2 weeks.
I carried on wearing my maternity trousers for the first week and fitted back in my normal clothes to the point where nobody would have know I was ever pregnant within 3 weeks. Not bras though!

You will read more horror stories (I was in labour 98 hours/needed 600 stitches/traumatised for life etc) than happy ones, because it is cathartic to talk about these things. Don't panic. IT DOES ALL GO BACK.

haha at "voice of reason". I have done some pretty stupid things, although not quite to the same level as one friend including panic in the middle of the night that ds had lost a leg (somehow he had got both legs down one leghole), making my tea in his bottle & his milk in my mug, the list is endless...

3rd tri for me today too! Woo! Baby's been going nuts since about 4pm yesterday... Is too much movement / huge increase something to worry about?

Laura I know how you feel, not so much on the tired front but really struggling to pick things up off the floor. It takes me forever to get in and out of DH's swank car as it's so low compared to my 4x4. And that's it as far as pregnancy goes for me.

You are I are so going to have 10lb babies, tear from front to back and shit all over the midwife.

Shropshire dh is starting to find weird and wonderful objects scattered all over the house because I've given up trying to pick them up... I had to get him to tie my bootlaces today too. I never realised how good it was to be able to bend at the waist. On the positive side, with my short arms and legs my days of being able to do the washing up are numbered - can't reach the taps without squashing my massive bump

I will hold you personally responsible now Shrops if any of those things happen.

Laura if any of those things happen i think you will have other things on your mind, than holding shrops responsible

Ha yes probably!!

Anyone struggling with high cupboards in the kitchen now the bump forces you to stand a foot away from the counter?

Eeeurgh Monday morning :( Only good things are 1) four weeks left that's only 20 working days amd 2) the monty python new live show tickets come on sale and I am determined to get hold of some

A bit of positivity (and promise I don't intend to be boastful) but I had no stitching, could poo and pee fine immediately after birth (homebirth mw won't leave until these tasks are accomplished!) and was in waitrose 48 hours later only slightly walking like a cowboy . I hope this baby is as good to me

I am on operation clear out the dining room this week. Its been our dumping ground since we moved in 7 months ago so it may take a while.....

BabyCentre this week says we should consume foods rich in calcium to aid bone strength. There's calcium in custard, right?

ruey masses of calcium in custard! Also cheese. And hot chocolate. Ice cream.... It's hard to try and eat enough to be sure of strong bones and teeth, but we must strive!

Morning all! Hope the ladies who are suffering find this week easier, and the ladies who are not find normal service applies.

Can't remember who said it on Facebook but I've started waking up regularly with a really painful left arm - like a dead arm but half numb/half toothache (this is how my legs go when I lay down too). Got my whooping cough jab today which I'm having in my right arm, I don't feel like I slept at all last night thanks to legs/hips/bum and now arm ache :(

Feeling sorry for myself.

Hope everyone else with aches and pains feels better soon.

Oh nurse just rang to move my appt for jab on Wednesday. They're doing flu at same time, anyone know which is more sore afterwards? Trying to hedge my bets on the best one to have on my left side!

I think whooping cough is more sore generally Lastnight. Good luck with them x