Summer holidays are over, the PESH are bringing their bumps and baybees back to school

[TheOriginalWinkly]

Pack your giant pants in your satchel and maternity pads in your pencil case, it's the antenatal thread for BESH graduates

CRESH

Faith - pinky faithlet arrived 14th April 2013
Pinkr - suitably pinky one arrived 25th August 2013
Jethro - blue one arrived 23rd September 2013
Noks - pink one arrived 12th January 2014
Frankel - large pink one arrived 10th March 2014
Merks - pink one landed safe and sound 21st March 2014
Sinky - Stubborn blue one arrived 26th March 2014
Driz - blue one arrived 12th June 2014
Kat - pink one arrived 21st June 2014
draf - pink calf on 1st July 2014
winks - a pink one dragged out kicking and screaming on 4th July 2014
euro - a pink one in a hurry to see the world, born on 17th July 2014
dor - a pink one born at speed on 28th July 2014
ginge - completing the ESH Summer of Pink on 23rd August 2014

PESH
Buggerlugs - Buglet due 20th October
Fankle - ESHlet expected 4th January
Cunty - Minichops expected 7th February

Evening all

Well, adventures galore in my world. Spent yesterday afternoon in a random hospital maternity triage ward after (as it turns out) pulling my intercostal muscles on my left hand side. Apparently this can be a thing in pregnancy...and you can actually break a rib by simply coughing.

I'd been having pain in my side since Sunday night when I coughed a bit (but not a lot) but tbh the pain in my arse was bothering me more over the following days. Lying on my left side in bed was a bit uncomfortable but I just continued with my week as usual as best I could - work, walking, pilates, yoga, housework and a trip to join MG for 2 nights as he was working away from home and I planned to just work from his hotel yesterday and today. So as I sat at my laptop and slouched a bit in my chair (as you do) my rib felt like it had just snapped! It was so painful it made me cry, yet crying and breathing made it worse. Phoned my midwife who is off this week, so phoned the emergency triage number and the midwife I spoke to said she'd want me to get a medical assessment to rule out a pulmonary embolism. WTAF! Being a hundred or so miles from home, I had to find a local maternity triage unit and get MG out of work to come with me...whilst I hobbled into a taxi and held onto my ribs for dear life. 4 hours later and after a lot of poking and prodding and an hour of monitoring Fanklet's heartbeat (who was thankfully oblivious) we got to leave. Basically it's a pulled muscle and nothing much I can do apart from rest.

Am soo achy, feel like an old lady. Was really enjoying pregnancy until a week ago

Bugs my mum has always been very involved but we were close anyway so it was welcomed (although even then there have been a few stressed and strains). It is very difficult when you suddenly have all this interest when you have been let down so much in the past. Particularly when the interest involves lots of 'advice' - that can be very stressful. If you are happy she's in your and P's lives then tell her so but still make it clear you are the parent and you do need the space to do what you think is best - you'll ask if you have any questions!

I had a bleed today so am feeling a bit fragile. It was worse than the bleeds I had with L but seems to have stopped again since. I spoke to the doctor and she is arranging an EPU appt for Monday but in the meantime said just to take it easy and see how things go over the weekend. She was so kind I cried.

Wow Fankle that sounds horrible. Glad Fanklet is ok and the diagnosis is not more serious but still, not a fun afternoon for you.

Bugger. The Little Miss has become a bottle refuser. She doesn't like the Medela now so are trying her with the Avent Classic, but when she starts screaming she forgets to suck.

Jupes hope you are ok x

bugs well done for being assertive!

Fank I was admitted with abdo pain on the right hand side that they never did get to the bottom of....glad you're ok, take it easy.

Dor Faithlet went through a really fussy phase with the bottle, we just kept trying and got past it.

bugs well done for putting your foot down.

fankle that sounds awful.

MsJ I know that you have a stressful couple of days ahead. Will you be able to keep busy (without overdoing it of course) until your scan?

MissJ sorry you've been bleeding, scary times. I hope it settles soon.

Ouch fank, not good. Hope it heals up a bit.

Scary stuff MissJ, hope its ok. Early diffment is a stressy nightmare :(

MsJ - How'r you doing? Has the bleeding stopped? I hope you're taking it a bit easy, if the day's as nice where you are as it is here I really recommend a gentle walk, really helped me in stressful times!

Hope you're doing ok now MsJ and no more bleeding ? Hope Monday's appointment is a big reassurance.

MissH you can be officially excited now, yes?

I'm feeling a bit less achy when sitting doing nothing but getting up and lying down is still painful. I need to remember not to bend over, twist or stretch too much. I'm going to miss my prego Pilates and yoga classes until this heals up.

I've just washed the newborn bodysuits and a couple of babygros I'd bought. The aim is to begin packing my hospital bag and maybe write my birth plan. Seeing midwife on Monday (will be 31 weeks tomorrow) so will ask for her advice. Open to ESHly wisdom as always on birth plans and newborn/ hospital bag essentials. Have got some lanisoh cream and breast pads, disposable pants, maternity mats and a tens machine that my friend lent me. Need to get some maternity pads, a couple of cheap nightshirts, dressing gown that fits (still wearing normal one and it's totally ridic) and a few bags of sweets/chocolates. Should I get some enormo pants?

Fanklet is actually causing me much discomfort with all the thrashing around!

Enormo pants are essential if you end up with a section and mine are so comfy I can't quite let them go .

Slippers
Flip flops for shower
Towel? (some hospitals provide them, some don't)
Socks
Nappies, hats and scratchmits for baby
Lots of snax

I can't help with the birthplan. Mine was basically "lay on table, let surgeons do their stuff". I know what I would have put on a birthplan for a VB but I have no idea whether any of it would have been helpful!

Birth plan time already Fank! Other people's' diffment a go so quickly from the outside. Mine was simple:
-active birthing
-start with paracetamol, G&A, diamorphine
-prefer not to have epidural I read it can slow labour down, ha ha!

• H doesn't want to cut the cord
• skin to skin immediately

Only the last two actually applied because she came out like a rocket!

I bought nighties that still haven't been worn! I preferred loose pjs. Also recommend joggers a size bigger than your norm so post-birth (whichever route) you can feel 'dressed' but essentially like you're in your pjs and comfortable!

Ooh good tip re the joggers Faif. I'm usually a pjs girl but figured nighties for easy access
Thanks Euro

What did you wear to leave hospital? Something as comfy and fuss free as possible I expect? But in January warmth will be my top priority. Tights, leggings or jeans will be out of the question I suppose? Hmmm....that jogger idea might be the answer!

I left the hossie in my pyjamas. It was 5am mind you. I figured i was going to bed when i got in anyway.

Big pants a good tip and I wore soft maternity jersey trousers to leave the hospital. I also found soft pj bottoms and maternity tops with secret support were the most comfortable things to sleep in.

My favourite thing I packed was my own mug! I was in for a week so prob not necessary for a shorter stay but even so it is so much nicer than polystyrene cups. I also took some small bottles of water & nutri grain type things which were great the night after he was born.

I had some brown blood this morning and then more red this afternoon but clear in between. Really don't know what to think so I will have to wait & see what happens.

I waddled out in one of my maternity dresses and some flip flops. I was only about 42 hours post section so I couldn't have cared less what I looked like.

Thinking of you MsJ.

18 months on I have no idea what I left in!

Would any of the differs like a packet of 14/16 disposable pants (box is ratty but pants are unopened) and/or 3 size 14/16 cotton nighties (unworn). Been tidying through Faithlet's stuff and even if I do persuade MSB to go for another I don't think I'll use them!