Due February 07 - New Thread!!

[Tommy]

there we go...... that wasn't painful at all

CB if when you go from lying to sitting, sit-up-style, then your belly kinda goes into a point in the middle because the muscles are no longer together to hole your womb in. If they have separated then you have to be careful not to engage the muscles as this seems to make it worse. Also after the birth you must wait until they've come back together, usually at about 6 weeks, until you try to strengthen them.
Mine have separated with each pg, and they were pretty strong to start with. Just the way it goes, I count myself lucky because it's not permanent, not like stretch marks etc, but even that's not that bad.

Mine separated when pg with DS. I didn't know (that pointy tummy thing makes sense though!) but when DS was 8 wks I tried to do sit ups, tummy muscles didn't do their job and I did my back in. It was only my osteopath who said that they had separated. Incidentally, at 8wks they still weren't right back to sorts and were very weak so don't try too much too soon!

Anyone got hyonobirthing CDs? Are they any good? I was thinking about the natal hypnotherapy ones but I'm sort of past the 'pregnancy relaxation' one and I'm not sure about the postnatal one.

I think mine have separated in that case! Hadn't noticed the pointy belly thing when attempting to sit up, but the other night I was lying on my back on the sofa and DH and I were in hysterics about something, and I noticed then that my stomach had gone kind of pointy - which just made us laugh even more!

My stomach muscles were really tight before and I had a taut, flat stomach so am quite disappointed about that, but then maybe that's the only way for my body to accommodate the growing uterus.

I think there's some way of measuring/feeling using your fingers to see whether they've gone back afterwards?

Yes CB you're right. The way to check if they've gone back is to feel with your fingers from your sternum area down. If you can get your fingers in a dip in between then they aren't fully back and you shouldn't exercise them. If you do exercise them like I did when there was just about a 1cm gap then they strengthen in that position and they don't knit any tighter together.
Someone may well correct me though.
With my 1st, I noticed the pointy belly thing in the bath when getting up and me n Dh thought it was a cool trick, doh! Then the m/w told me off for not getting off the couch via side lying and said my stomach muscles could....blah, blah...you know the rest.
I thought all the running I did would have prevented it but alas no.

Hi all I'm jsut catchng up and whilst reading am saying yes yes!
My inny is on it's way out and my belly does the pointy thing in the bath.
I can identify buggies at 100 paces too but at the moment am thinking about a silver cross 3D.
My bump also seems to have grown suddenly too I had to stand up in singing practice to do some signing and I felt very front heavy!
I have been looking at the John Lewis sleep suits too although they didn't have any white/ neutral new born sizes in Oxford St when I went in.
I think Me and my parents are going to brave Bluewater at the weekend so will look there. I love John lewis!!!! They keep saying we are going to get on in Croydon but there seems to be no hurry in the decision being made definite.
How many clothes should I get for my new born so far I have 6 sleep suits, two velour toasty warm ones and the rest cotton. I was going to get a pack of white ones too which will make about 12, is this too many? Also vests short sleeve or sleeveless??
Sorry if this seems a really silly question!! But I know one of you wise ladies will tell me if it too many.
Thanks
babydriver Spamalot was good, If your FIL likes the film he will like the show. It is quite panto like. We sat in the balcony and paid £20 for seats but I would pay more as they view for us was terrible. A man with a massive head and lots of curly hair sat in front of us blocking our view (how inconsiderate!!)
I saw The Producers last year and that was a much slicker production as was Guys and Dolls but I did enjoy it and it was very funny.

I don't think the buggy excitement has ever left me... I still tell DH to slow down the driving as we're about to pass a Mutsy or something lol.

I think I had about 6 sleepsuits for DS peachy. Then I ended up buying loads more the first few weeks. DS was a really sicky baby and was going through a few a day (at least!) and my washing wasn't exactly top of the agenda. The only advice I would give is to not spend too much on the newborn or 0-3 months ones as they're out of them really quick. DS was in 3-6 months ones at about 11 wks. But equally don't buy all the same brand. We discovered that the ASDA ones shape was awful for DS and he kept pulling his legs into the tummy bit and getting tangled. M&S were too short in the arms. But Tesco were a good fit. I have heard that Matalan do really good cheap ones with little pull over scratch mitts - ideal if your baby won't keep normal scratch mitts on!

Vest wise I don't think it matters much if it's sleeveless or short sleeves. I guess if your little one has really fat arms sleeveless would be better lol. I'm going for some wraparound ones this time as I hated pulling things over DSs head for some reason. Also, if you plaan to use long sleeve vests at all (like for under sleeping bags) buy them during the winter months as they're really hard to get hold of in the summer.

Thanks for the John Lewis sleepsuit tip BTW - might need to get DS some as he's so tiny that he wears his for months and wears holes in them!

Here's a challendge for all those who are now pushchair experts ! We spent our second afternoon this week trawling through pushchairs / carry cots etc at yet another pram centre.

Trouble is, we have a Ford Ka (and no money to get soemthing bigger) and everytime we ask what might fit in the assistants nearly laugh themselves sick.

We have tried an M&P pramette (too big), a wee Silver Cross prammete thingy (also too big), a Loola, just about fits if you take it to bits but DP doesn't like the handles or the height and thinks it's all fiddly, also tried a Quinny Buzz which did fit if you took it to bits, wheels off and everything, but both the models we tried in the shop wouldn't work properly when trying to put it back together, so we are put off that. Only other thing suggested was a bugaboo and if we had the cash for that we could have afforded a bigger car in the first place.

Any ideas ?

plumpbump - well it is not quite full blown gestational diabetes I have at the moment - only impared glucose tolerance (or something like that!). Been to hosp today and came back with the blood sugar monitor and the stabbing sticks and a booklet to record my levels in. Got todo them 4 times a day and then the nurse will speak to me next week to see how I am going - they seem quite insitant that I will end up on insulin at some point in the next month, but at least I don;t have to go back to the hosp for another two weeks!! Spent half an hour at the docs to order a prescription for the bits I need for the monitor - the receptionist, as lovely as she is, didn't really understand, so made loads of notes, etc - I then found a sheet in the monitor box wheich gave the exact re-ordering info for prescriptions - I'm sure the doc will work it al out!!! Then went to the chemist to get them to order the stuff in for tomorrow as it is not generally something that they have in! Happy days!

Will let you all know how I get on later in the week!

suis you can get a maclarentravel system which may be a better fit as they fold quite small
here
I hve no idea what the online store is like.

being number 3 I already have a pram so am a bit out of this convo! Feel for you with the car situation suis and have no advice. I thought we did badly with the Focus when DS1 was born trying to get stuff in the boot. We have a Berlingo now which has had a double pushchair, 2 Tripp trapps, a travel cot and weekend luggage for all of us in and with room to spare

Have found out today from MW that I have anaemia even though I have been taking an iron supplement since the day I found out I was pregnant. She has advised me to double my dose. Also saw the physio again for my back - great this preganancy lark isn't it?

Snugglebum, looking in my notes it says LO beside RBC - 3.36, HGB - 10.4, HCT - 0.299, LYMP - 1.14. MCV says 89.0. Do you know what they all mean? I often do get anaemic at the best of times and regularly take ferrous sulphate - at the moment I'm taking 600mg a day and have been doing since about 3 weeks. I'm not feeling too bad at the moment but when I don't take enough FS I get feeble, light headed, breathless, very aware of my heartbeat, and strangely, very forgetful!

The pointy tummy thing is rather odd, I had it with DD but didn't know what it was, then got it very much when I was about 12 weeks this time round, I did the finger pokey thing and found I could fit 3-4 fingers in the gap! I went to the doctor because I thought I was falling apart He said not to worry until I've had the baby then they'll keep an eye on how it goes back...

Oh, and yesterday I mentioned to the mw the fact that I haven't put much weight on and she said she'd keep an eye on me and that I ought to be putting on about 1lb a week from now - ha!

suis - I would suggest an umbrella fold pushchair such as a maclaren (techno suitable from birth). I wouldn't fuss too much about a travel system or pram style buggy as they are generally bigger. And really you only use the car seat on the pushchair for the first wee while. The other thought is something like a Micralite newborn. I think it can take the maxi cosi cabrio car seat - obviously you'd need to check the car seat fitted your car too. has the Ka got 3 seats across the back or 2?

Peachy / Suzi2 - Not too fussed about fitting in a car seat, although we were hoping for something that could go long walks (DP loves his long long walks) and apart from that just anything that does from birth. Ka is only 2 seats across the back because of where the wheel arches go.

Thanks for the tip on the Maclarens, I'll have a look at them. Could be the answer we are after !

Hi Suzi2, I have the natal hypnotherapy birth prep cd (for homebirth), felt like giving it a go this time as although I din't need any pharmacological pain relief last time, did use water, I was ver uncontrolled and am hoping that this will help me be a bit more in control! Bought them ages ago but the CDs say to use from 32 weeks which is the New Year for me so can't really comment on them yet.

MoosMa, will post some more on your FBC results later but they all seem fine, rushing off for a mum to be pampering session at a local spa, had one booked for last time but had such awful SPD I couldn't face trying to get on a treatment table and missed my appointment so am really looking forward to it this time. Feel like I need it as it's DS's Christmas party at school this evening and he tends to be hyperstimulated by the noise/people, so if I am relaxed prior to this it will be good......actually counting my blessings as he also has one a week on Mon for the group that provide social/recreational activities for him and parents are banned, a group of autistic spectrum pre teens at a Christmas Party may just have started me into prem labour!

Suis - the Britax Zeta fits in my little Peugeot 106. It can lie fully back so is suitable from birth, and you can buy a car seat to clip on it as a travel system. We just bought the pushchair though.
(just had to try the Christmas one!!!)

Anyone else getting (what I think are) Braxton Hicks thingies? Past 2 days in a row they've started at about 4pm and lasted all evening - tightening and pain intermittently - mainly on lefthand side - hurts to go over bumps in car! When I wake in the morning it feels like I've been doing too many sit ups (ha ha). Is this normal or something to worry about?

suzi2, I've got the natal hypnotherapy CDs and have just started to listen to the birth prep one (was doing the relaxation one before). At the moment, as I'm still working, I can only listen in the evening and I've fallen asleep part way through both times so can't tell you all about it. I figure even if it helps me relax during pg then it's helpful. After Christmas when I've stopped work I intend to try and play it a lot more and actually listen to it!

Alocin, not noticed the braxton hicks yet, but I gather they're pretty normal. I don't recall getting painful ones much last time either - just from time to time would feel my tummy getting very tight for a few moments.

Peachygirl, glad spamalot was good. May go for it for the old man.

MoosMa, I have my last haematology report in front of me so can explain what your figures mean.

LO beside RBC - 3.36: LO means 'low' - the range they're looking for is 4.00-6.00. However don't worry about this; it's likely to be slightly lower in pregnancy because you have increased blood volume and so in any sample there are likely to be less red blood cells. RBC = Red Blood Cells.
HGB - 10.4: this is your haemoglobin level and as long as it's above 10.0g/dl you're OK. It will always be lower during pregnancy than at other times, again because of the increased blood volume.
HCT - 0.299: don't know what this is.
LYMP - 1.14: not sure but would imagine this is the amount of lymphatic fluid in the blood.
MCV says 89.0: this is 'Mean Cell Volume' and is probably more significant than the HGB level. Anywhere between 80-100 is fine.

Had my 28-week appointment this morning and all is fine. Avoiding anything sweet yesterday and drinking water as though it was going out of fashion resulted in a NAD urine sample so I was able to avoid having to have a random glucose blood test. BP is fine and fundal height is 28.5cm at 28+4 which is bang on target. Midwife took blood for routine iron level check.

suis... i liked the graco mosaic thats tiny and fits in my car (saxo) and really modern lots of different faberics too

Alocin I've had Braxton Hicks for weeks now. Nothing to worry about. Had them with DD too - so much that didn't even know I was in labour as I thought it was the usual BH.That was a positive though as by the time I got to hospital I was 8cm!

All of you who are buying babygros and vests now - my advice is don't buy too many! You don't know what size they will need - as there is newborn, tiny baby and premature (or some kind of sizing like that). My DD was 6lb10oz so not tiny tiny but the newborn ones we had bought were huge on her. we had to whiz out and buy her the smallest we could find once she was born. By the time they grow to fit the next size (admittedly only a few weeks) you will probably have been given so many presents that you won't need the whole cupboardful you originally bought.
Plus, I know its great to be organised (I am not at all yet I hasten to add!)but don't forget you can still get out when the baby is born! You don't need to stockpile for the first few months now. I remember with DD I was just so excited to get out into town and show her off!! And to really feel I 'belonged' in mothercare! SO I kept going shopping and buying a whole lot more. Oh its all so exciting!

lol flowertot - my BHs were the same. I had them regularly and they were uncomfortable and I was 7cm by the time I went to hospital to ask them to please stop the false labour! For anyone who has been told "you will know when you're in labour" don't believe them! It certainly wasn't obvious to me that it was real labour.

Agree about buying too many vests etc - not a problem if they're cheapo ones I guess. But I bought the cutest little newborn outfit for DS coming home from hospital and he wore it once (not coming home as I couldn't bear to wake him to change him!) as it was too small.

I appologise for gatecrashing your thread, and I realsie you havn't had your babies yet but, I urge you all to look at this article about the risk of cot death in car seats for young babies.

Having seen my baby go blue in a car seat (she was awake at the time, and is fine now) I urge you all to use car seats for their purpose - safely restraining your baby in the car. A travel system may be convenient and it may mean your baby can see you in their pushchair, but it is nowhere near as safe for them as laying them flat in a pram or pushchair. Please think about if you use your travel system on each occasion and I don't deny they can be very useful at times.

I am sorry if it sounds like I am shouting but seeing a baby go blue is scary. There is another thread which also has some other comments on .

late morning sickeneses???

have had a really easy pregnacy so far, didn't have monring sickness etc. but now at 29 weeks the last two days i have thrown up my breakfast....felt fine after that and went out for dinner last nite and was fine..should i be worried? anyone else been sick at this stage??