Pop pop pop We're all about to POP! - July 2014 thread

[ismarah]

Hope you like the title - like inside us, there was no room on the other thread!

haha auntie I love it! we should all do it for badness!
is the tiara thing still a go? think OH would tell everyone if I wore one, also dont think he'd be happy puttinga boob hat on sons head.
have nhs bf class on 30th - its 2hrs long, hoping it will be worthwhile/baby doesn't appear before it.
have got the raspberry leaf tea today - maybe too late for it to be beneficial tho? also need to start sitting on gym/birth ball & start the perinial massage thing to help prevent tears - any tips on what lub/oil to use?

Went to B&Q with DH and had a ready meal instead of doing the thing. Quite happy with my decision to be honest...so hot and bothered and puffy and achy.

Honestly admire those of you doing this for the second or more time - I could probably do the pregnancy bit again but don't expect me to cope with anything else, such as other DCs...

Mummy there's an actual product in Boots for this! Freaked me out when I saw it earlier, such an icky name too: Gynofit

Thankfully there are alternatives!

Hi all, haven't posted since the very early days but feel like I need to drop by and say I can't believe we have the first of the July babies!
Baby boy is still expected 5th July(not sure if I updated post 12 week scan). So excited to meet him! Does anyone have any good links/quick lists regarding what to pack for baby when I go into hospital?

Thanks in advance

Arrrrrrrr I am desperate to sleep I can't take much more! It's not even baby keeping me awake tonight (apart from the usual 5 wees) it's dam hayfever and the heat. Got to sleep at 1am and woke up at 1.30 have been awake since

Have been convinced I was going into labour today. Lost some jelly early afternoon and have had more than a normal amount of energy (this happened when DS was on the way). Also TMI alert, but I decided to attempt to mow the lawn this morning - something which iv never even done not pregnant. Once done my underwear was quite wet to the point I had to change it. Put a pad on & have had nothing since but has had me wondering all day.
DP came home for a few hours and we waved him off to Canada at 11pm he's worried I'm going to have the baby before he gets home - kept saying I looked different - whatever that means. He's left the longest list of Army emergency numbers on the fridge. It's all well & good but 1) when labour starts I'm not going to want to be on the phone to corporals and captains and half the bloody army to track down DP and get a message to him, and 2) what would be the point it's not like he'd get home in a few hours anyway. (Assuming & hoping labour is quicker than DS at 4 hours - 2 active).
I'm thinking if things are happening quickly and he's away to maybe not tell him & call when I'm done & baby is in her Moses basket :).
I'm not even due till July 24th and he's back in 2 1/2 weeks but starting to think I may not have toooo much longer left.

Anyway it's started to thunder storm here and it's suddenly got a little cooler and my eyes are dropping out my head. Iv also taken a benedryl for hayfever which has kicked in so I'm going to attempt to go to sleep before DS wakes in 3 / 4 hours Hoping tomorrow Is a cold rainy day that me & DS can spend snuggled on the sofa in PJs #wishfullthinking.

Night all xxx

Ps Collie will post a list in the morning - baby centre and mothercare have good ones.
My only things I couldn't have done without last time in labour was straws - I was on hands and knees most of labour and it made drinking possible. And a flannel - used cold on tummy during late stages on contractions, on head to cool me down and to bite on when pushing - it was my only form of pain relief and my saviour highly recommend both.
Also freezing 2 big bottles of water and taking them out when you go in. I drunk some as it melted very quick in hot labour ward and also hugged it when I was sweating - things that army necessarily on proper lists but that no women should labour without!

blue and hayley also struggling with heat here...need a good storm to clear away humidity!

Fingers crossed baby stays put until dh back hayley do you have an alternative birth partner if he's away? Dh keeps saying I should if hes too far with work and comes early but only person would consider is my mum and she's 2h away anyway! Would rather just have mw if dh can't be there...

mummy my friend recommended massage oil from ann summers as at least you know it is made for 'down there' she had 2 huge babies and hasn't torn with either so is the reason I want to try but can't face it at the moment! Also my breastfeeding nhs class was 2h - looked at a few other things in addition to bf but found it very good

On perineal massage - any vegetable based oil should be suitable - This NHS leaflet suggests olive, sunflower or sweet almond. I've not tried any of this yet but guess I may have to bite the bullet!

Morning all. Would it be wrong to send DH to the shop and bring me an orange ice lolly for breakfast?

Perineal massage - we used ky jelly because we had some, I knew it wouldn't irritate and it didn't feel wrong like veg oil! Really struggling to do this on my own now dp isn't here but terrified my big baby is going to make me tear! We only did it a couple of times but it was quite amusing esp the look on his face... I giggled most of the way through it which I'm not sure was the point!

No itsalways in fact I'm craving a lime one but ran out yesterday.

Morning all :) slightly forced smiley face as there isn't a sleepy one! Just so tired! We had a tropical type downpour at 4am but still feels v muggy just with grey skies instead of blue today! So glad DH home all day (though he's shattered too) as i would really struggle with another day with DS on my own today!

collie if you scroll upthread there's lots of discussion and tips re hospital bags

justhayley I suspect (TMI) you may have just sweated a lot with the lawnmowing-i was soaked through after walking between bus stops and then home in the heat on Thursday

Re perennial massage I couldn't face it last time and can't this time either. DS was 6lb9oz and as he shot out because MW was useless at helping me with when/how to push except 'push harder' I had a 2nd degree tear, borderline 3rd degree as it weny quite far back. Yes the stitching was uncomfortable but gas and air is amazing stuff and it was uncomfortable but I healed pretty quickly and gave me a good excuse to have a relaxing tea tree oil bath twice a day! So don't panic-plenty of people have larger babies with no tears. A lot of it depends on MW helping/guiding helpfully IMO - which mine didn't!

36 weeks today-come on baby just a week til you're classed as term and we get past my birthday and then you can arrive as soon as you'd like!!

Hospital bag...

Mine:
2 nighties
pants
socks
breast pads
maternity pads
nipple cream
flip flips
ear plugs
bra
towel
flannel
wet wipes
tablets
toiletries
hand cream
pillow
dressing gown
phone charger
kindle
ear plugs
ipod
pad and pen
tens machine
snacks
money for machines
water bottle straws
clothes to come home in
contact lenses/glasses
tissues

Baby:
5 vests
5 sleep suits
hat, mittens, booties
blanket
muslins
nappies
cotton wool
nappy cream
Vaseline (though this is in my bag to double as lip balm)
nappy sacks
cardi

extra bag incase of pre/post birth stay:
2 pairs PJs
towel
toiletries (just because my others are minatures and also means if i go in pre birth i don't have to touch birth bag)
socks
pants
tissues
mug
2 maxi dresses/track suit bottoms and vests (so i don't have to sit around in pjs during day)
earphones and ipod
dressing gown
pillow

in car:
extra nappies, baby clothes, hairdryer

snacks: mixture of fruit, crisps, choc, squash (plenty of food in case you don't like the food on the menu!)

It looks a lot but once packed its not so much!

Collie my list is based on stuff i've seen on here and an unexpected overnight stay this week. Oh and two of my bags are big open shopping bags as opposed to over night bags as it makes it easier to chuck things in if/when you move rooms.

I've bought one of these portable bidets as i thought it would save me getting in and out of the bath when i wanted to soak bits post birth...

My advice regarding hospital food is to also bring snacks for in between meals. I have found the food in various hospitals to be OK, especially if you get to pick what you want to eat, rather than being handed a tray and told eat this. However, mealtimes have often been quite far apart and either no snacks (or for me, no suitable snacks) available other than what you bring / buy.

I'm one of those people where if I have any kind of upset stomach or pain, or take pain relief, it's much better for me to eat lot of small things rather than the 3 squares hospitals serve.

Also one thread mentioned lactulose and other wind / bowel aids in case of C sections or tears...not sure I'll bother about that as after my last surgery which was keyhole abdominal, I spent 2-3 days throwing up and so discovered very quickly that those muscles all still worked!

Auntie's list is very good - I'd add post-natal vitamins to it.

Hayley - hope that your baby stays comfortably tucked up until your husband is back.

Ismarah makes a good point about hospital meals - we had our hospital tour last week and meals are served 8am, midday and 5pm. I suspect I'd be rather hungry not having any snacks between 5pm and 8am!

I'm officially on maternity leave now, hooray. Last week at work was tough with a boiling office and being shattered from constantly interrupted sleep. My husband is away for the day today and I'm without the car so planning on a very relaxed day around the house. Still slept rubbish but at least I could doze and read in bed - didn't actually get out of bed until 10 which was bliss and now having a cuppa in the garden.

So for me it's 4.5 weeks max assuming I'll only be allowed to go 14 days over. I'd much prefer to be a few days early or at least on time but trying to expect to go over and anything else is a bonus.

Midwife appointment yesterday, all looking good but no signs of this one having plans to get moving yet. She guesses it's a girl from the heart rate (we don't know what we're having), we'll see as everyone is saying boy from the bump shape. My husband was really annoyed that a midwife would guess at all though - I did explain it's just an old wives tale really!

mrsA2 I agree with your DH v unusual for a MW to speculate on gender. Everyone seems to think I'm carrying a girl from bump shape/carry but we'll see!

I'd just hung all my washing out when it rained just hadn't got the energy to bring it all in again so it's now just super wet!

DH has popped out with DS so enjoying a few moments of quiet :) and reviewing my list of jobs to get done today before set off with the nesting again! I feel very fluffy like a bird with all this nesting, the instinct/need seems much greater than last time though our flat was all sorted whereas the house (where we are now) is still mid DIY/in need of work so trying to make the best of it! Which is probably why we haven't heard from zing for ages-hope all's ok?

My MW has been playing guess the gender too but I think mainly for her own amusement.

Just been out to get moses basket and stand... was going to put the stand up but I think it needs a drill... should I wash the moses basket?

Hospital meals - in ours there was a choice of 3 options but with meds making me feel queasy I asked for a sandwich instead and got crisps from vending machine but you're right it can be a while between meals. (It was pork casserole, fish in sauce, or bean casserole or salmon sandwich...) Breakfast is self serve between 7 and 9, lunch at 12:30 and dinner at 5:30. Also helps if your meds are better taken with food if you have a snack to hand - mine were due at 8:00 pm. And as I didn't get much sleep I was starving at random times.

auntie we were given a Moses basket by a friend before DS was born-i don't remember washing the liner then but have this time around as it had got v dusty where we'd stored it. I've also bought a new crib for this time (not keen on Moses basket so will just use that for daytime naps downstairs) the crib is all fabric but I haven't washed it.

So this morning I woke up feeling queasy and have had 3 dizzy/v lightheaded episodes since then, all while sat down so not due to me standing too long. Just spoken to triage who want me to rest, drink lots and eat something sugary. She thought it was the heat but it's actually much cooler today than it has been for last few days! I don't feel right though! It maybe that I've just done too much for last few days?! Just had another dizzy moment. Will send DH to get me a snickers bar I think!

blue if it doesn't get better give them another call. It's cooler here today but much more humid. Is baby moving ok and everything?

auntie forgot to mention they said to call back in 2 hours anyway. Baby still busy wriggling and kicking away which is good. If I don't feel any better when I call then I will push for them to let me pop in (hospital only 5 mins away) and get my bp etc checked just to be sure. DH in a strange mood, probably worried about me, but with an odd way off showing it at the moment! Humidity levels are high here too now you mention it. Just lots to organise if I have to pop over to triage, eg sorting out ds's dinner so DH can sort it etc. DH also got friends coming over for BBQ for football tonight so he won't be best pleased having to sort everything out for DS on top of that...though of course he would prefer me to get checked out, it just has a knock on impact on everything else

I'm light headed and queasy too.... Hoping it's just down to not eating enough, I seem to have forgotten lunch. Baby is still beating me up so not overly concerned.

what are people doing about sheets? I bought cream fitted sheets for crib/moses basket/pram but can't find any flat ones... do I need them?