December - yet another final thread!

[Loulou000]

The last one was getting too long again. There's just no stopping us!

OK, so its me, Jabber and Spina at work for 2 more weeks and Gloria for 4. Gloria- poor you! . Can't remember your due date Gloria?? How late are you leaving it??!

Yep, i'm very lucky with my boss. I told someone in RL how cool he was about my pg in general and how happy he was when i told him I was expecting(in a REAL way, not in a "that's nice,s*t I've got to sort out cover then kind of way".) Person in RL said well he's obvoiusly got kids himself then and has being through it all himself. Well no. He's a 28 yr old guy who not in a stable realationship, isn't interested in having kids,who goes out clubbing in London lots and has the same taste in boys as me! Some people are just nice and my last boss was the same(Now my bosses' boss) in terms of niceness! So it's easy to stay at work for another two weeks (five whole days and counting) cos I'm not having to deal with s*theads!

Gloria, don't we have the same EDD-Xmas day?

VMS, you can come to mine too to stock my freezer if you like. I got so lazy on THursday that DS and I decided (at breakfast time) that we'd get Fish and Chips on the way home from nursery/work that evening!
I'm not coming across as "Mummy of the Year" am I?

We did bake cookies last tueday if that redeems me at all!

Oh Shit, that comment on cooking has reminded my awful pregnancy brain that I promised to put casserole in the slow cooker

EDD is Boxing Day for me (sure i'll go early for no other reason that I WANT TO!) Just working as long as possible 1. cos maternity pay is so cr*p and 2. to make sure maternity cover is up to the job! Control issues, moi??

Stereo blasting out Rick Astley and the sun is shining - all is well with the world!

Just had e-mail from work, which is why I ams till here. Appraently my replacement is hating my job - or rather my boss! So I wont be surprised if she's not there when I go back. Well he did mislead her when he said what the role involved. then again I thought it would be at least a month before she hated him as much as the rest of us do! But it;s only taken two weeks -

Getting cramps in my lower back now as well as the spasms. DH felt my belly yesterday while I was having a BH and got all worried - is now making me sit on towels everywhere.

Dont think it will be anytime soon yet as bump is still kicking me to pieces and they are supposed to quieten down a bit just before the event are'nt they.

Poor thing I was washing up yesterday and dropped a huge metal spoon in the sink, against which my bump was pressed, I have never felt bump jump so much. It's really odd having him/her react to noise as I never recognised any reactive movements when PG with DD - mind you it's bumps sister who makes it jump the most with her squealing.

Got last OB apt reminder today for Thursday - am seriously thinking of skipping it and will check whether I can when I see MW later today.

Right, at least I should get the laundry from upstairs to down if nothing else this morning.

Speak to you all later.

I s'pose if I'm at home I could also go and cook something for my family. Now what do I have in the fridge?

Must go and take a break from MN. Otherwise I'll just when I spend all day on here. I know it's being pondered before, but time does go at a much quicker pace on here!

Might just watch "homes under the hammer" first. Ah, houses that are in a worst state than mine!

before I actually settle down and so some work and whilst we're on cooking, can I recommend steamed puddings? I made one for the first time recently and they are so, so easy and yummy. Jam at bottom of pudding bowl, simple pudding mix (which you can zap in the blender) on top, (think its fat, eggs, flour, sugar, baking pwdr)bung in saucepan of water and ignore for an hour and hey presto, your family think you are a genius and you can all pretend you are back at school! right, must do some work I suppose. bye

I was feeling guilty for a bit there but I'm due on 08.12 so don't feel so bad now. Am I the only one here with no other LOs? Hmm, perhaps you're all laughing at my naivety! I'm thinking I've got at least 2 weeks to get everything else ready. I'm going to do some cooking this week and freeze lots. We've decided to put the Xmas stuff up on the weekend of the 3rd as not sure we'll have a chance after that.

My work Xmas lunch is on 15th so if I'm overdue am I mad to be even considering going? Will I be so fed up that I would hate being there? Resentful of the free flowing (and free!) wine? On the plus side, the works do will be closer to the hospital!

Glad you had a nice weekend, judemum. Sounds blissful apart from MIL and the door! Sounds like something my MIL would do! Glad you're having a duvet day, spina, sounds great. I had one or two and they were much needed sanity breaks.

Anyone else here not have their mum around? My mum died when I was at uni and I think other than my wedding day this is one day when I'm really going to miss her. My MIL is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but she's not my mum. My dad is still around and is overjoyed at becoming a grandfather but it's not the same.

Beaker, I'm a first-timer too - am constantly amazed by all the work the others do with multiple children to look after AS WELL AS being preggers!

Need some help......

I've been to the consultant today and after a couple of weeks 'arguing' with idiot SHO's and Registrars, have been released back to midwife led care.

Turns out that not only did the last consultant (SHO) not have a clue what he was talking about but there are some errors in my notes - no wonder everyone keeps looking at me funny when I say how lucky we were to get pregnant quickly - my notes say I had fertility treatment....which I didn't... thank goodness it was nothing more serious they had wrong!

Anyway, so the good news is that I now get a full choice of where to have the baby - but then he offered me a sweep - today...or said I could wait until the mw appt on Friday...I know there are those of you who would like this done but I feel a bit lost - I'm not desperate to get it out yet (still don't feel ready) and don't know why they're offering it...how effective are they? how quickly do they / can they send you into labour? is it the same day - or up to a week later? As you can tell from the fact I'm writing this, I elected not to have one today - I'm only 38+3...though fundal is measuring 39.5....

What next guys? Do I have the sweep? As its a form of induction, does it make labour more painful? (this is #1 for me btw)!

HELP!

Calsworld, no practical advice as am a first timer, too. From what I've read though, I wouldn't have a sweep done just yet unless there is a reason you're being induced? A friend of mine was induced and had no sweep - just the gel - and her labour was not prolonged at all - 2 hours from start to finish.

Beaker, there's no reason they've told me of....I measure more weeks than I am but the 36 week scan showed that baby's size is average...I'm hoping for a home birth and wondered if that's why they'd offered it to ensure baby didn't get too big...but there's been no explanation and consultant confirmed that baby is average size - he said that IF baby continued along same growth curve it would come in at between 7 and 7.5lbs.

Made me feel very nervous about the imminent arrival though...do you feel the same?

I always feel rushed when they're telling you all this stuff, don't you? A few weeks ago the midwife felt she heard a heart murmur in the underbunny and I was rushed off to the antenatal day unit. I was panicing. Turned out to be nothing but spent the next few days being monitored every day for 2 hours. Talk about boring. Obviously glad it was nothing but during that time they didn't say much about what would happen. You just get this pressure to do as told without asking questions or so is my experience.

Could you call your mw to discuss this? I think that 7-7.5 lbs is an average sized baby so certainly not "too" big at all. I'm getting increasingly nervous about it all but have resigned myself to the fact that a) it's going to hurt and b) as much as I like to plan everything I can't and it's pretty much going to just happen as it does.

When are you next due to see your mw?

Beaker, MW is coming round on Friday....when I had my last appt with her - last Tuesday, she said she felt that baby and my pregnancy was more in line with my original dates - which put my EDD at 24/11 not 01/12 - only a week in it though.

I think I could be tempted to let her do the sweep on Friday, I'll be 39 weeks then...(or 40 by my dates)...only thing is my mum's coming to stay for the weekend and DH is not too enthusiastic about me going into labour whilst she's around...can't possibly see why . Probably alot to do with the fact that she'll be organising things left, right and centre!

Also, find that I have moments of 'clarity' when I agree with your points 1) and 2) and feel that I accept them and can cope...then others I start feeling all panicky coz I haven't washed everything in sight and scrubbed and polished like some mad woman...so much for a nesting instinct...the only instinct I have is too hibernate and sleep until the baby wants too arrive.

Goodness only knows how people that already have kids cope with being pregnant...there must be some special knack you learn after the first!

Calsworld,I had a sweep last time and I went into labour two/threes later(at 41+6 weeks) so don't know if sweep had any effect. sort of I want a sweep at 38 weeks but don't think one will be offered until I'm overdue. Can you confirm with someone why you were offered one?

Beaker, my mum died during my last pg and it is really difficult sometimes. I know what you mean exactly. My poor dad wasn't even able to be excited about my last pg. Without seeming cheesey, I actually think my mum's memory helped me through my labour. I focused on her calmness and strength(she had terminal cancer so we got to do the goodbye bit) when she was ill. I also asked her for a baby as my birthday wish this year(after ttc for just under a year) and she loved Xmas,soo...I know very cheesey

I talk to my ds1 about her. I found it especially difficult seeing my DH's mum doing the Granny thing(and especially if she does the "i never get to see him" guilt trip!)

I've posted on the bereavement threads a bit.It's amazing how many of us there are IYKWIM. I know I'm not the only one on this thread alone.

Judemum, I made a fantastic steamed chocolate pudding yesterday with huge lumps of G&B in it and a glorious chocolate sauce. (For the iron, obviously ). Enough left for tonight!

I, too, have 2 weeks left at work. Luckily, I can work from home a few days a week. The 70 mile commute (140 return) is doing my head, and back, and pelvis, in!

Cal,the thing I leant after the first was to sleep as much as i can while I get the chance, so you're ahead of us,oldtimers on that one. I did a lot of sitting up late at night when I could have slept(before the real insomnia kicked in at 37 weeks)

I promised myself two days after ds1 was born that next time(ie now) I'd get as much sleep as poss!

BP, at your pudding! I'm just going to cut out the middleman and eat some of the g & b that's lurking in the kitchen!!

Beaker, Spina, sorry, I didn't mean to ignore your comments about being without your mums . I'm sure they are looking down on you and your LO's and I hope that you each have lots of people around you to support you at this time.

C

Someone needs to post a recipe about these steamed puddings. I haven't the first clue how do it but it sounds yummy!

I'm still sleeping reasonably well but am up at least 2 or 3 times a night. I think I'm going to learn the art of napping over the next few weeks if I can!

Spina, I'm glad it's not just me and whilst I don't get maudalin about it much these days, this is one time when I am.

Off out with my friend now for some retail therapy!

Calsworld, unless there is a specific reason for you to have a sweep now, is it not best just to leave it to nature and then have one when (and if) you are overdue. Why don't you post your concerns on the "Pregnancy" board - there is a MNer called Lulumama (amongst others) who has great advice. I think she must be a m/w or doula.

Re steamed puddings, Waitrose ones are great for those wanting a quick fix, especially if you are feeling lazy. Chocolate & sticky toffee pudding are current faves, only 1 minute in the microwave too

Spina/Beaker (and VMS I think), sympathies for you. It must be hard not having your mums around at times like this especially as they sound like they were great mums.

Hi all, glad to hear I'm not the only one with a very uncomfortable bump. Ever since my awful day at work on Saturday i've had more BH and bump feels hard more and more often. I'm going in for a check this afternoon and have decided to push for OB's blessing to drastically cut my hours

Dh has finally shown a bit of interest after I told him about BH's. The man just cannot get excited about babies until he holds them in his arms. At least this time around I know that he does fall in love with bump once it's out!

We're taking ds into the city (Nashville) today to see a children's show. Dh was a bit sceptical but it is geared towards pre-schoolers and I pointed out it will be our last chance to do something special with just him for a while. Makes me a bit wistful. I'm excited for bump to get here and at the same time a bit nervous about how it will change our family dynamics.