Due in September 2006......nearly there ladies!!

[Coriander73]

New thread...

Cori x

Hi all, glad to hear everyone is ok.
I went to see my consultant yesterday although I didn't see her in the end, just a maternity nurse. I still haven't actually met my consultant but I guess I will if I need to. Anyway, I'm booked in for a scan in two weeks to check LO's foot for Talipes. Apparantly - unknown to me, the antinatal people have written to the Paedeatrics people to let them know theres a problem and this scan should show if its major or minor. Either way, it can be remedied once LO has arrived either through physio or an operation. They're also going to scan LO's hips once he or she arrives because both my sister and I had 'clicky' hips when we were born. Poor little mite, not a great start but at least they're things which can be fixed. Looks like I'll be staying in hospital for a little while though to have all these tests done. I was told that I could find out the sex but as I will then be 36 weeks, I figure I've waited this long and it's not going to affect anything now as I've bought all the clothes I'll need etc so I'm going to hang on and wait for LO's arrival. The good news is that LO is head down, feels the right size for dates and seems pretty active at the moment.

Oh, and my bp was raised (no great surprise there) but they're not too worried about it.

At my class on Friday, the mw took us for a look around the labour and other wards. It was really good to see where we'll be going and the atmosphere was really friendly and relaxed. I've never had to stay in hospital before so I was quite worried but now I feel happier about it.

Sorry for the long post (again!)

Mandaz, is the clicky hips thing the syndrome they scan all breech babies for? If it is, when DS was born, they said treatment was really easy, and he would need to wear 2 nappies to keep his hips the right width apart and it would mend itself. Luckily he was fine anyway.

Norms, sorry you're still sick. Horrible for you. At least now the weeks are numbered..

Compo, don't worry about the potty training - DS is trained in the day now, but my mum is already asking about nighttime - I've said stuff it until he's dry of his own accord in a nappy for at least 2 weeks (so he'll be 18 then!) - if it isn't one thing, it's another, there's always another milestone to hurdle...

DH gets a couple of days pat leave, but has saved quite a bit of holiday as well.

Liquid, I get the floaty spots in front of my eyes quite a lot when I get up - I get it when I'm not pregnant as well, I think it's because my blood pressure is low and if you sit down for a period the blood takes a few seconds to get to your head again. Is your bp low too? And I get the tightenings as well - one night last week I couldn't get up at all!!

Re wheatgerm oil, I did it last time religiously from 24 weeks, then ended up with a section. This time, I've been doing it irregularly (but must start in earnest now...) and I bet I end up with an ordinary delivery... Typical.

Also found raspberry leaf tea hideous, so took the tablets - much nicer. And DS was 10 days early, but I don't know if it had anything to do with it. Doesn't it just soften the cervix (bit like the sex suggestion yesterday!).

Hope you all have a lovely weekend... Cx

Hi all - Just had a bit of blood; Dr.'s office closed for weekend so called hospital and spoke to nurse on OB ward, who said that if it's just a spot it's okay, and unless it's "like your period" there's no cause for alarm. Just thought I'd let y'all know what I was told in case anyone else might have spotted. Never happened with DS1. I have an appointment Monday so I'm going to mention it again then to Dr.

I have officially had it with my mw!!!!

I called the gp surgery this afternoon to book an appointment for Wednesday (I will be 34 weeks) The receptionist (who was v.nice) said she had her fill of ladies and so could I go the following week. I said not really so she said to call mw and let her add me on and it would be ok...

So I call mw and she snaps my head off!!! Saying I should've had the app booked weeks ago and why had I left it so long etc... I was lucky that she would add me on this once and next time she wouldn't. Stupid me appologised and said that I was sorry and it had slipped my mind to book it, usually i'm good with app's. Any how she still ranted on to me and after week i've had with DP and DD and In-laws... I was rude back. I told her that her manner throughout my pregnancy had been stand off-ish. She had failed to test my urine and bp on my booking app because she could be bothered to carry the monitor etc... (her words). She had rubbished my previous mw with DD saying she wouldn't leave me during the birth when that is what I wanted! And she told me under no uncertain terms would I have an epidural if she was my mw... I would like the choice thank you- seens as I am having this baby . She was abit flabber gasted I think and I still carried on ranting that she should realise that her app's are all booked at 12 noon and us preg ladies have to sit waitng for her in a stuffy surgey rather than having app's. I have always turned up and usually have a good record of booking app's. Then I said maybe if she is so het up about regementing times and app's she ought to change her career as babies do not come to a schedule to suit her. I then added thank you for listening to me rant and needless to say I would she her that Wednesday, maybe her attitude may have changed then and she will have found out my blood results that I have been waiting for from 28 weeks.

Felt alittle guilty after I had put the phone down but fed up with her being so horrid. And glad it isn't my first baby or she would of put the fear of god into me!

Hi Marls - hope everything's ok over the weekend. Could it have been a show?

Clairemow - thanks, don't feel so odd now. Suppose it could be low BP, was getting a bit concerned it was a new migraine symptom - have had a low level headache with occasional peaks for about a week and a half. Acupuncture on monday though so hopefully will help.

Time for more informative links:

Raspberry Leaf Tea 1
Raspberry Leaf Tea 2

There's a bit of controversy about when you start taking it but as we're all in trimester 3 I wouldn't worry. I personally don't think it 'eased' labour pains but maybe it did contribute to my quick labour last time? I'm taking it again anyway!

Good on ya pol! Maybe she'll have a re-think about her professionalism (or lack therof).

Pol, I'm really glad you spoke those words; sounds like she really needed to hear them. It's appalling that someone in her position would be so caustic. Sounds worse than the most chauvanistic male doctor, which seems a very strange countenance for a midwife!

Liquid, I do too and I really hope it's not. I am not ready for this baby to come. He'd be nearly 5 weeks early if he did.

(Although admittedly, this waddling around like an oompa-loompa is getting old quick! )

Thanks for info on raspberry leaf tea!

Feeling v.cross about her and feel that I don't really want her coming into my home when bubba is here and scrutinising me and LO. Think i'm going to ask to have a different mw.

GO POL....!!!!

Compo, I'm due the 15th..so got that wrong!!

Any cures for cramp? I was in agony last night with a ball of cramp in my left leg at 1.30am & just didn't know what to do. DH thought I was being a bit pathetic as I lay there sobbing as the pain was incredible....it's not right this morning & I don't know what to do....any advice???

Poor you Cori. Massage the muscle? Cramp's horrible isn't it, leaves your leg sore for ages after.

On a similar note, but more gross, anyone got any tips for piles??? Sorry!! Thought I'd got away with it this time, but no, there they are...

Pol - good for you, I would be tempted to ask for a different MW as she just sounds too horible!!

Cor - you need to keep masaging your leg to get rid of the crampy feeling. Even if it feels sore at first just stick with it as it should help preventing it from happening again. Next time you wake up in Agony get your DH to grab your leg and pull your foot forwards and backwards this should take the pain away quickly.
Poor you xx

Marls - sorry meant to say, hope the spotting was a one off and you can relax over the weekend. Try and just take it easy, lots of resting young lady

Cori - poor you, cramp is horrible. Haven't too much this time but loads with ds1. DH thought I was being pathetic too but I really think pg cramp, and being woken from sleep with it, is worse than any other type I've felt. The raspberry leaf tea is supposed to help and I also found stretching calf muscles before I got into bed for a few minutes helped.

Clairemow - can join you in that call for tips! sorry I've no suggestions

Pol - definitely ask for another midwife if you feel able too. We don't need women like her ruining what's supposed to be one of the most special and important times of our lives do we?!

Marls - keep thos legs crossed!

I ate bananas which gave me less cramp at night, apparently the potassium is something to do with it.

I am def going to say that I don't want her at my birth or handling my baby afterwards. I know how protective I was over DD (neurotic mother!) and so would rather her not doing the heal prick etc... when I don't like her. Also I know that i'll be extra tired with LO and DD so everything is magnified and your hormones are still blazing. I will want someone I feel comfortable with who I can talk to not someone with no feelings at all and I have no trust in her.

DP has got too and says he's coming to my next ante-natal app- I said no because it will just make it worse. I have potentially got this woman until I give birth (approx 6 weeks) so I just want to get through the app I have with her, unless I can change now.

Hope all you ladies are enjoying the cool weather we've been having!!! No one mentioning how hot it is just lately We have even had the quilt back on our bed.

Put up the pram last night as DP went to some beer festival at Earls Court. Felt all real then as I put on the kiddy board too to see how DD would get on although she was in bed by then. Have left it up until today to show DP who is excited too even if he is hungover... Good job I didn't go into labour last night!

Pol, there should be a number in your maternity notes for the head of midwives. It is there in case for any reason you donot feel comfortable with your mw. If you ring, they are obliged to allocate you a different mw although you may have to travel to see her for ante-natal appointments. Sometimes I think they forget that a huge part of their job is to make you feel comfortable and at ease.

Cori, yuck to cramp, hope it eases soon!

Marls, hope you've had no repeat of the spotting and that it was just a one off.

I didn't think the raspberry tea actually brought on labour. I thought it was suppose to soften/ripen the cervix making dilation quicker and easier. Seems there are lots of takes on it. Something worked for me last time anyway so I'll stick with it again.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Thanks all for the messages....spoke to MW this morning who dropped off a list of do's & dont's re cramp which was sweet of her I thought. I've been massaging it all morning which has eased it a little but bloody hell it hurts!!!! She did say it's a lack of salt too so I had 4 pieces of toast which lashings of Marmite just for starters!! DH said "why are your pregnancies so extreme, why can't you just sail through it like other women?"...grrrrrrrrr

Re piles...plenty Germaloide cream & or supositories. I had them with DD but they've been worse this time...very uncomfortable especially as it's not so much that I can't go to the toilet moreover the pressure of lo!!! Isn't pregnancy just great?!!

And just where are these 'other women' hiding?

Cori, perhaps it's just that he assumes that because strangely enough the pg women he works with or sees in the street won't have a tendency to stop him over his coffee and discuss their SPD, piles or leaky boobs!

DH said to me the other day that he thinks God must have created my girly bits after being in the pub on a Friday afternoon as I seem to have so many pregnancy ailments! [grumpy emoticon needed]

Hi All, just been catching up on your chat, I've been too knackered to switch on the computer all week.
Cori bananas are meant to help prevent cramp, although DH can go from deep sleep to leg massaging before I finish my first scream!
Consultant told me I can't be induced after C-section, I can go 1 week over then they will break my waters if my cervix is favourable,or will have to have another C-section. So am starting the raspberry/curry/pineapple/sex diet immediately after DD's birthday.
Clairemow- went to Noah's Ark on Tues,DD loved it, so thanks for the tip, we'll def go again.
And finally after all the moans about DHs, think mine is nesting for me. This week he has done all the housework,hoovered twice, washed the floors, cleaned out kitchen cupboards, taken DD out the way so I got a lie in and done most the cooking.[smug face].May hire out for extortionate rates .

Grrrr! My computer crashed just before I could post my message so I'm going to have to write it all again

Clairemow - I'm not really sure what causes the clicky hips thing but apparantly it's more common in girls and neither me or my sister were breech but we both had it. I know that I had to wear double nappies but my sister had to wear calipers as hers was much worse than mine. Apparantly, the Talipes is more common in boys so either way it looks like my LO could have foot/leg/hip problems. Hopefully we will have a better idea once I've had the scan in 2 weeks.

Pol - Your mw sounds horrid! I would definitely ask for a new one. At least, if you ask now you should have plenty of time to meet with the new one and make sure you're happy with them. I think it probably happens a lot because some peoples personalities just clash but you really don't need that added stress at a time like this. I was told at my hospital that you're well within your rights to ask for someone else if you're not happy.

Has anyone else found an increase in movements from their LO? I thought they were supposed to settle down over the last few weeks but mine seems to be happily practising kick boxing moves, pretty much all day long!

Well I spoke to soon about the heat- it seems to have heated up here today and i'm feeling hot!

Have been out spending again. Brought LO a all in one coat in the m&p shop, I got 0-3 months and hope that'll see him through to feb/march as it seems quiet big. Also brought a beautiful knitted blue blanket in there too. Could've spent a fortune!!! Brought DD some clothes from tkmaxx and she seemed happy with them getting them on straight away when we got home then shaking her bum about and dancing round in circles

Have been feeling fewer movts from LO, but when they come they are BIG-kicks or horrible stretching ones, I think it wants out.
Am starting to really worry about how big LO will be. Friend due on 4 Sept and is 33cm to top of fundus,I was 34.5 over 3 weeks ago and I'm only 5ft3. C-section is looking more and more tempting!

Mandaz just got to say the whole birth in pictures thing in magazines is EVIL. There is NO need to show a head half emerged [cringe emoticon]. i know what happens but i don't need a still picture to ingrain in my mind
And you've seen it before you realise .

My midwife told me to start using raspberry leaf tea at 37 weeks but maybe i'll start earlier.

I do want to do perineal(?) massage but didn't know what oil to use.
Wheat germ oil you say? Where do you get it from pls?

Pol your midwife sounds absolutely awful, i'm so glad you put a flea in her ear she deserved it!

I've spent sooooo much money in the last three weeks or so.
I've ordered my pram, bought a sling, tens machine and car seat.
The internet is a fabulous thing!

Every time i come to this board there have been loads of messages it takes me half an hour to get to post lol! But i like it really.
TC ladies

Pol - wow, glad you gave your midwife what for!! I think it would be a good idea to talk to the head of midwifery like someone suggested.
I've been watching the births on Discovery Home and Health. Some of them make me cross my legs but others make me want to get on with it!!
Not happy about the weather warming up... was hoping that August was going to be grey and miserable
The rathidine has completely taken away the acid indigestion - I'm so grateful to Angleiz as I was really miserable and am now even contemplating getting a bottle of wine next week and mayeb trying a glass again