November 2014 Thread 8 - Bottoms up, we're heading for the big push!

[TwigletFiend]

Afternoon, ladies. Hop, flop or otherwise clamber aboard!

Goodness it's all go now isn't it?? Congrats MrsY87!! Will we see you on the postnatal boards??

Winter Exciting!! Get yourself pacing the room!!

Anna I really hope you get some positive news, and quickly, remember to take care of yourself too.

Loaf I can sleep most of the time (I have an hour or so between 3.30 and 4.30 where I'm wide awake) but it makes no bloody difference, I'm still exhausted in the morning.
I'm 36+5 now and it's definitely getting harder, I'm down to 4/5 swims a week and while I love it, I'm so tired I wonder if I can keep going til the bitter end.
I finish work next Friday when I'll be 38+1, kind of regretting going so late now because I'm so tired :(

Dp's birthday today. Got him some noise cancelling headphones which we might have to take turns with when the other is soothing the baby! Now just got to make it through dinner out this evening when I'd really rather be in bed!

ladydolly we are real due date twins because I'm finishing next Friday at 38+1 too :) I have to guiltily admit that I've sort of already mentally checked out. That's really bad of me - maybe if I'd finished earlier that wouldn't have been the case, but I'm self-employed and need the dosh!

4/5 swims a week is amazing, you should be very proud of yourself! I'm doing nothing like that amount of exercise, just still generally chasing after the toddler and up and down stairs and stuff. Maybe I'll go for a swim tonight!

winter keep us posted...

Greenstone Oh me too! My big event is this week so I worked like a dog in the run up (worked out this morning I did about 75 hours a week for the last 3 weeks - no wonder I'm tired) but now everyone is out in Berlin to actually deliver the event, I'm kicking back and doing the bare minimum inbetween long lunches!

No way, looking after a toddler is MUCH more impressive!! I'm only managing 25 minutes in the pool these days and even that is an effort. I can't imagine bashing out a mile in 40 minutes every morning before work like I used to!!

I was immensely proud of myself for washing up last night. Other than cooking and cleaning the bathroom DP does all the housework now.

I'm all about the small wins these days... :)

Congrats mrsy!!
Winterlover eeeek!!!

MrsY congratulations!
winter... ooh... baby number two, who will be first, you or Maths?

Two and a half more days of work! It's getting quite stressful at the end, everyone has left it until the last minute to ask for my help or to ask me to hand over work that previously had been classed as dormant / finished. Most annoying! Trying not to let it get to me though and just repeating my mantra, x more days, x more days...

Apart from work I too am not managing to do much. DH is doing all the house stuff and cooking this week but I've promised him a few of his favourite meals once I'm on mat leave. He's also painting the nursery, we went for a light spring green. I was planning on doing the woodwork but he's banned me from that too :-D

Anyone doing the delightful perineal "massage" - I put that in quotes, because it's not like any massage I've had before lets be honest! I really don't understand it, despite reading instructions, but am generally trying to give things a bit of a stretch down there when I remember. It's not that pleasant but not outright awful so think I'll try to keep doing it while I can reach!

Moggle I've given it a go but did find it awful so I've been putting it off, must start again really. Agree, 'massage' is really not the correct term!

Spring green sounds gorgeous for the nursery moggle. Hope you can just get through the last few weeks of work now.

Perineal massage...yeah. No. Not bothering this time around. I reckon I am, ehm, stretchy enough. However I did do it the first time around and I think it helped (no stitches), despite me feeling like I was never doing it properly!

Oh honestly, pregnancy is so bloody undignified isn't it.

PS lady 75 hours per week in late pregnancy (or anytime) is nuts. PUT YOUR FEET UP WOMAN!

Oh I am DONE with those sort of hours believe me!! Looking back, it was nuts, DP wasn't happy about it either.

I think becoming a mum might force me to have a better work life balance!

For something that's really the most womanly thing you can do it really is most unladylike isn't it this pregnancy malarky?? I've heard people say leave your dignity at the door of the mat ward but I think you might as well chuck it away as soon as you see the blue line!

pregnancy undignified - ooooh yes!!!!

I think it was one of the things i found so hard last time - your body becomes so much public property with all poking and prodding. I was lucky enough not to labour in hospital last time so avoided all things like internals, examinations and checking dilation etc It is marked in my birth plan that during homebirth i DONT want internals and will ask if i want to know how dilated.

When it came to trying to establish breastfeeding - it was so hard. I couldnt quite resign myself to everyone coming and having a go on the post natal ward with my boobs to get dd latched on. I felt so bloody humiliated last time - it seemed like the world and its aunt could come and have a look and tut tut . At one stage a woman was sent to help me - i thought she was some kind of breastfeeding counsellor / supporter only to find out that she was a domestic on another ward who had breastfed 3 kids and as everyone was too busy - she said she'd give it a go. i still shudder at the thoughts of those early days! I wont even get started on expressing milk and pumping - thats for another day

we did do perineal masage last time - every day from 36 weeks. not pleasant but i really think it did help with no tears or cuts. This time - i KNOW i want to do it but with DP working shifts - there just hasnt been the time in the quick 15 mins handovers we tend to have.. its not really something i want to be doing whilst dd is having her breakfast or sitting telling her dad about her day............. I am hoping that once i finish up for mat leave - we will get at least some chance to do it!

Perineal massage = NOPE!

I'm off work today, just couldn't face going in. I've done a tiny bit of housework and I am wiped! I wanted to get lots done as my poor DH has also been left with all the housework and cooking recently.
8 more days at work. I can make it.

Also everyone should watch the episode of friends where Phoebe is really pregnant with the triplets, and keeps crying and getting angry and shouting about going to te toilet too much and only being allowed decaf coffee.
It's how I feel!!

Hedgehogsong - its all a rollercoaster these days! I find myself either weeping, panicky, angry, frustrated or laugh that a manic eejit! I just wonder what DD will remember from this phase!!

I need to get back on the perineal massage. DH gets RSI doing it (but is gracious enough not to whinge) so he's encouraging me to do it myself. To he fair, I can reach perfectly fine and once I've trimmed my nails it'll be fine. It's just such an unusual thing to want to make yourself do. I just had a good chat with a lady with 2 kids who said definitely do it though so that has strengthened my resolve # off to trim nails!!!

6,3 days left at work, handover goes in full swing :)

Gave an awkward go to p.massage on Sunday, thought about doing it last night but after spending most of the night on all fours to make the madam insight to flip..., I found myself well asleep on sofa until DH woke me up to go to bed properly. . Might do exercises till wk36 and pmassage afterwards, otherwise it feels like too much going on for one person

Wow, congratulations Mrs Y! How incredibly exciting that the first baby of the thread has arrived. I must stop putting off packing a bag and get myself sorted.

I'm definitely going to be attempting perineal massage soonish, I'm actually quite intrigued to see how logistically difficult it's going to be. I'll have to set myself a regular time of day to be doing it so I don't forget. I haven't been listening to my natal hypnotherapy CD as much as I'd hoped at this stage so must ramp that up just now too. Gosh, it's all getting very exciting!

Good luck shifting all those transverse and breech babies. I also really like the idea of talking to your baby to encourage them to move into a more optimal position. I've been talking to mine about my hopes for the birth, and telling it about how wonderful it's welcome into the world is going to be!

Hello all, I have only just found this section on MN. How have I survived till now?
Baby boy due on the 13th November. First baby and everything has been very boring and normal through my pregnancy, just the way I like it. I work in retail which is hard on the back but I finish work on Saturday and cannot wait.
Just had a read through this thread and it is so reassuring to hear everybody going through exactly the same thing and being completely different all at the same time! X

Welcome catg83!

I have no idea how you've managed to keep working on your feet all day while you're pregnant, I had to stand in the bank for 20 minutes the other day and it was like torture (while the bank assistant sat and the desk between us I might add!).

hey catg - welcome to the final furlong

Lasagne anyone? Let the batch cooking begin! One for now, 3 for the freezer! Tomorrow, cottage pie...
Managed the hairdressers today too, just in case baby arrives soon and I don't get a chance for months!

Ha ha petal those trays r my next purchase for batch baking did it with first and really helpful to have done it

Evening everyone! I've been meaning to do the old perennial massages and your posts have spurred me on. Getting home early tonight as so tired from 4 nights of not sleeping properly. NEARLY THERE gang! 6 weeks till edd tomorrow. X

Thanks for the warm welcome. It was a month to go until EDD yesterday for me. Ante natal appointment tomorrow. x

Will definitely be on the post natal thread currently feeling a bit clueless but hospital staff are being great!

One tip I have is to get your hospital bags packed...my DH did an amazing job but it did add to the stress of an already slightly stressful situation! Everyone kept asking me if I'd packed it yet...and I was like no I've got loads of time! Apparently not!

Not long to go until the next babies start to arrive now, such exciting times ahead for us all!