October 14. thread 11?! Will be see any babies in this thread?

[mrsb87]

Plonk your bums down ladies!

Ahhh... I've been pregnant forever! I just want to meet my healthy, gorgeous baby!
Feeling very impatient & bored.

Thanks very much for the new thread. We really are zooming through them.

Carebear I'm so pleased for you, that's lovely news.

Sorry you've had a rough time me, glad you're home and comfy.

Kirsti your day sounds scary, I'm glad you were checked out so quickly.

Welcome to everyone new and rejoining. I'm looking forward to us sharing the ups and downs of the coming months.

Just over 7 weeks to go or up to 9 if this baby is too comfortable. I'm feeling pretty exhausted, I can't wait for maternity leave on 15 September so I don't have anymore commuting on the tube. I've still got to sort out recruitment for my maternity cover, interviews next week, so I can't switch off completely just yet.

I think it was sparkle who posted their hospital bag list in the last thread (or the one before...) but would you mind posting it again? We've been on holidays for the last 3 weeks and while I managed to catch some MN news I can't find that post again and would like to start collecting some bits for my bag (looked at my list from DC1 but that seems rather ridiculous now and despite being in for 5 nights I didn't use half of it so thought a fresh list would be good!)

30 weeks tomorrow (due Oct 26) and feeling OK but getting terribly teary on a regular basis about not being able to give my 3 year old son all the cuddles and attention he likes when the new baby arrives....getting sad just writing it down :(

Welcome to all the newbies!

On the breast pump business my DH generously offered to help me manually pump -like a cow, he said. He suggested I say moo moo to help it along. Muppet!

Laser your milk will take 3 days to come in (and the best thing to bring it in is baby at the breast not a pump) so don't worry about having a pump initially. I was advised not to pump for the first 2-3 weeks anyway as your supply needs time to build naturally and establish before pumping.

I too have had a right shitty night. Cramp, heartburn, dh hogging the duvet and just generally uncomfortable.

fatpony that made me chuckle! That is exactly the kind of thing dh would say to me and I will probably oblige willingly!

Buggerlugs I hope your mind is a little more at ease now?

I'm 34wks on Monday and I'm nowhere near ready yet! I'm not sure if I'm being a bit too relaxed about it all. I'm going to get a few more bits today for the baby bag.

I'm having a 'hmpph' kinda day. Supposed to be doing a big DIY job - on my own, something I really want to have a go at - but boyfriend has gone off hillwalking with his mates. I'm SO JEALOUS. I don't care about the boozing really, or the being able to sit in the pub stuff that he's been doing, but I'm so desperately in need of some walking in hills. Bored of walking up the tow path with aching labia, just meh. I'm so grumpy about it that instead of actually doing the DIY job, I'm still in bed googling skiing holidays for February. Anything to keep me distracted with mountains and fresh air and and and..

I went to asda yesterday with your list sparkle! Didn't have everything I needed so off to matalan today. It's impossible to know what you'll need as first time mummy so I'm overpacking just in case.

Thanks Yellow. I think I'll hold off on the pump for the moment then.

People who've had the whooping cough jab, how long did the dead arm feeling last? Couldn't sleep on that side last night and it hurts to lift my arm up this morning still.

Horrible nights sleep here too but my parents are visiting today and the weather has gone back to being lovely and sunny so I'm hoping for a chilled out day.

Hello all, I've been around since the start but aside from the odd post early on have only really been lurking- these threads move on so quickly! If I'd been posting I'd probably just have been moaning about heartburn, soooo fed up with that! I tried to have a lovely chilled (half) glass of wine yesterday as a treat and just a sip sent my oesophagus into panic mode. Damn.

goats as a fellow teacher you make me feel guilty, I've done almost nothing with my precious time off and we'll be back (albeit not for long) before we know it. Must get off my lazy arse. I did attempt some walking in the Lakes but like you couldn't get up any hills. I really miss it.

yellow could you post the etsy link please? These thin cotton gowns sound ideal but the search I did resulted in stunningly beautiful floaty dresses which I'm tempted by but which would be slightly ridiculous on a hospital ward!

I'm currently at 30 weeks so starting to think about hospital bag etc. Got everything crossed for a lovely water birth but I know anything could happen really. Just hope that a) everything is fine and baby is healthy and b) that I don't end up having to have a caesarean or episiotomy.

Has anyone actually written a birth plan?

Robin episiotomy was on my "refuse to have list" on my birth plan. I had one (it was that or 3rd degree tear and I really didn't want to risk double incontinence!!!!) and didn't feel it at the time and recovered very easily (within a week) so if you do have to have one don't despair xx

Here's the Etsy shop link: www.etsy.com/shop/silkandmore

Lazer I had the post-whooping cough dead-arm for about 3 days after.

If anyone has a birth plan, or had one in their previous pregnancy - what was in it?

Kirsti - there was a really good recent post about birth plans on the pregnancy board - only a couple of days old. I put mine on there, then read a load of stuff that other people had written, that changed my mind. Mine now looks like this:

Preferences/Info
My partner, K
Our doula, E
No students
Nervous about feeling trapped – will be stressed by continuous monitoring or not being able to feel legs or the potential for being in theatre
I like procedures to be explained in detail in order to make a decision
Use of birthing pool if available for both labour and birth
No Keillands forceps
No cutting or stitching without local
K to tell me gender
Cord to be allowed to finish pulsating
K to be asked if he wants to cut the cord
Clean and dry then skin to skin (either with me or K)
Managed placenta delivery/third stage is fine
Vitamin K is fine
Want to breast feed, no formula ideally

Problems
If there is a medical reason for me to be separated from the baby, K to stay with him/her

Waaah third degree tear?!! My god, what are we doing to our bodies?! I'm just chanting 'it will be worth it, it will be worth it...'

The most recent pregnancy related joy I've had (aside from the plantar fasciitis) is that my breasts keep leaking overnight. Any ideas of still being seen as sexually attractive by my partner are rapidly fading as the colostrum stains the bedsheets. TMI?!

I think it really depends on the midwife/team you get as to whether any attention is paid to a birth plan, I'm afraid. And a number of them are pretty scornful of them.
However, I wouldn't disregard completing one, but I would say the most important thing is discussing it thoroughly with your birth partner/husband etc. They are your advocates, your voice, your support and if they're onside and understand your wishes, you can feel more confident about keeping control of the experience.
My DH really had very little understanding/experience of birth and struggled to comprehend that there wasn't a set number of paths/choices/outcomes that we could predict, that actually you have to go with the flow of your particular labour and make choices accordingly; I think he wanted a flow chart, bless him.
I'm so glad we invested the time in talking about it, though he was a bit dismissive/resistant to start with, because we never could have predicted the difficult sequence of events we ended up with. However, I regard my labour as positive and a large part of that is because of his support.

carebear I've thought of you often, I'm very pleased that you are expecting again many congratulations.

kristi sorry you had a scare, I'm glad all is well with you.

The birth plan thing to me seems a little pointless - no one is going to use an intervention you don't need etc, but an independent midwife who runs my aquanatal class said to make one anyway - just don't call it a plan. Call it preferences. She also said it was good to write down stuff about how you deal with medical stuff - so, for me for example, I find hospitals quite scary - my knees go wobbly just walking in the door. I'm not comfortable with medical staff at all, and I'm liable to panic. I thought it was worth writing something down to that ends.

Good lord, I am OBSESSING over baby carriers again today! It was buggies & blankets last time & now it's carriers!
I already have a moby wrap (from DD) & an Ergo with insert (from DD, currently being used by SIL), a Connecta & a Boba 4G.
I am totally lusting after a Tula toddler carrier in Folk Art print & a Lillebaby carrier in kimono print. It is getting crazy, I have been watching videos on YouTube for past 20 mins!
I am also looking at mini handbags & wallets in order to ensure I am most efficient at packing for a day out with baby & carrier and have no need of buggy.
Someone talk some sense into me!

Sorry kirstie about that nightmare yesterday!! ... I would have a shit a brick aswell !! Hope you are ok?

goats great birth plan, very clear on your wishes for you & DP :)

I woke up with horrible thoughts about the baby's health this morning...dont know where they came from :(

Great point re dressing gown thank you. I wasn't sure (assuming it doesn't get wrecked) if I would use it in the house after. I don't normally but then I'm not normally up round the clock and requiring easy boob access! I did see a think black one that made me think it would be good for hiding any stains (am dreading this Lochia thing) although I guess would show up white milk leak and baby sick? I may be overthinking this

Excited that does sound delicious I am excited for you!

Lazer I had that for 5 nights it was v v annoying. (But worth it I'm sure.)

My notes have a question and answer section for the birth plan with a bit of space if you want to add anything. I quite like that approach, it's helpful.

Bit annoyed as my clothes are getting too tight, ordered next size up sale items from New Look. They hang off my shoulders and boobs, but fit my bump. The nursing vests have a double layer that is scarcely big enough to poke my ginorma nipples out of! Think can change that with a bit of stitching at least. Hmph.