March 2016 Babies #9 - we're on the final countdown!!

[Paperblank]

Thread 9!!

welcome to the maternity leave club paper! Just done my first week and it's been very nice although the days don't pass that quickly and getting quite uncomfortable now. Wish baby's head would engage properly as he's constantly in my ribs.

I'm joining paper and maybe on mat leave today! Four hours and a leaving lunch to go. Woke up wanting to vomit but didn't - if this was any other day I'd be working from home, feel like such crap.

Cant wait to join your club paper Mship maybe and the rest of you who are already off, only 44 working hours to go ha! (finish at 2pm next Friday) Hope you all have a lovely day

Another crap night's sleep - I'm actually a little jealous of youme I would do anything to have our bed to myself for just one night so I can roll over without crashing into DP.

I have such dreadful heartburn at the moment, especially in the mornings, it's gross. Anyone else find that gaviscon does nothing?

Have good final days paper and mship!

maybe only ranitidine works for me, I'm taking 75mg once or twice a day.

I find gaviscon does work for me. But it's calmed down a lot in the last few weeks for me.
34 week midwife app today.
6 more working days left but spread over until 26th February and it's dragging as I know I only do a couple days each week seems to make the week slower.
Terrible restless legs yesterday evening but they stop as soon as I get into bed. So strange. Really scared it'll stop me sleeping though one day. It's fine as long as I knit do something with my hands etc in the evening as it's more an overall restlessness feeling but it's my legs that kick and jerk out. It's getting me down though. Found my self crying at 10pm last night when I just couldn't sit and watch television.

I've got crazy heartburn too maybe. I'm in the tricky position of trying not to use gaviscon and rennies as I'm on iron and apparently they can affect iron absorption (and are probably why I'm on it in the first place), but I don't know how to get past the heartburn now. And I think the iron is making it worse!

Sorry to hear so many of you have been feeling rubbish recently. The last few weeks are always the worse. But yay for those starting mat leave (and not long to go for everyone else ).

My own mat leave has so far been crap. I'm onto week 4 of The Cold. It suddenly got a lot worse on Sunday and I've been completely wiped out ever since. The stress incontinence has also stepped up a gear due to the constant bloody coughing and sneezing. Gah! Had enough now!

I really liked raspberry leaf tea last time, I had the Clipper one. Not sure if it did anything though! My mw suggested I do perineal massage but I'm a bit squeamish about it. I think there is evidence that it helps in first labours, but I can't find anything on its effectiveness in second labours. Boots sell a naice massage oil specially for the job.

one week left of work here - excited but starting to panic about all the things I need to get done (err and yes procrastinating on mumsnet is very helpful for that)

I quite like the taste of raspberry leaf tea. have been having one cup a day for a couple of weeks but mostly as I like the taste and have a stash in my cupboard my friend gave me after she had a baby. I've actually just bought some tablets online as I think they are supposed to be more effective.

I don't have any qualms about doing perienal massage - I assume we've all got experience with touching ourselves down there in other ways . With DD1 I did it every now and then, but I just kept forgetting to do it. It didn't hurt though - you just have to go gentle and make sure your fingers are well oiled. This time I've been meaning to but again keep forgetting. I'm don't think there is a huge amount of evidence it helps, but since I had to have an episiotomy due to birthing on my back with DD1 after having an epidural, I am a bit concerned about scar tissue tearing so am trying to remember to massage the area a bit to soften it up. expect it will make no difference.

Had a visit to CSC last night as DD1 has had a cold this week so has been up, poor DP was up with her for two hours last night, and I kept waking up when she would start crying again. I think she was demanding more medicine even though she'd had her dose of calpol and was upset DP wouldn't give it to her [sigh]. then she woke up again at 4am and I went in to calm her down, she fell asleep after a bit of back rubbing so wasn't too bad. we completely overslept this morning though, DP was supposed to drive DD1 over to his mums to look after her and usually leaves at ten to 7 to avoid traffic, DD1 woke up at twenty too! so mad rush to get everything sorted.

sorry for those suffering from heartburn - I've avoided it this pregnancy (and did with DD1), but only as I carry really really low. and because I carry so low, my stretch marks under my belly are awful! I can't see under my belly now and am dreading what they look like... so - swings and roundabouts I guess!

Sorry to hear about your crap sleep marmite, it's somehow worse when it's your child and not even your pregnancy keeping you up. Hope you get a chance to recuperate after the weekend.

Anyone else getting the fanny daggers again? I think the baby is sitting on my cervix, ow! I'm working at home today though so can't complain too much - slippers on, Dinner Date in the background, something nice for lunch

RE: the perineal massage, according to my NCT lady and my midwife, if it doesn't hurt you aren't doing it right. They both said it should feel similar to how it feels when your baby is crowning . God knows whether it makes any difference really - there's so much conflicting advice isn't there.

Perineal massage does not seem for me haha.

App went like this
Baby head down but head still free. Had my hopes up she would start engaging and felt a bit sad for some reason.
Filled out some of my birth plan sheet. I basically said my birth partner is my partner, I'd like to try with the pool and gas and air but if I really can't cope and their is time left I'd consider stronger pain relief, undecided on third stage, vit k for baby, skin to skin straight away if both of us are well, partner would like to cut the cord, would like to try and breast feed but if really struggling after support would use bottles. That's all I really know at the moment.

Mentioned that my blood pressure was 120/82 and normally it's 120/60 or 70 and she mentioned the bottom number was higher than every other time. She asked if I'd had head aches etc and although the bottom number is still normal I'm now worried about developing pre eclampsia for some reason :S it's normal for blood pressure to vary some isn't it?

Marmite- sorry to hear about your crap night. Hope she feels better soon and you can catch up on sleep.
Suz- fanny daggers- all the time. It's like she's head butting me down their, feels so uncomfortable.

it should feel similar to how it feels when your baby is crowning

^ I'd really have to put some force in it to feel that level of sting haha. I generally find it quite uncomfortable when I do it, and there have been times it's stung a bit, but yeah... nothing like the ring of fire that is crowning pain! I don't remember much from my first labour and certainly not much of the pain but I do remember the sting when DD1 crowned! and how weird it felt when the rest of her came out after her head!

scared it's quite early for your baby to be engaging so I wouldn't worry. DD1 didn't engage properly till labour - some babies don't - but I think it's more common from 36 weeks i.e. before then it's pretty early.

I wouldn't worry about your BP too much at this stage as it can be high if you are feeling stressed, or if you've just been moving around etc etc and 82 isn't that high anyway. if it's (slightly) elevated again at your next appointment I'd ask them about it just to be on the safe side.

as for third stage - in my birth plan I'm going to ask for delayed cord clamping and will try to have an unmanaged third stage, but once cord is cut, if I'm feeling too knackered would happily have the injection. I did with DD1 and I don't even remember the placenta coming out, was too busy looking at my baby at that point to notice!

Oooh I remember the placenta, they even showed it to me when I asked. So cool that I made a baby AND a whole new organ!

And... I'm free! Work is done!! Oh such a relief, I even cried a little at my leaving lunch. So many people came, and there was a lovely card and a mothercare voucher, and my student gave me a lavender bath oil to help me sleep, he knows how tired I've been and it was just so sweet.

Yay MShip!

I've just been inspired by a thread on people making birth announcements for other people over Facebook to lock mine down so people can't post. Seems like just the kind of thing my dad would do, he recently posted some stupid baby naming thing on my Facebook which drove me nuts - it wouldn't be polite to delete it but I didn't want it there and have everyone who I don't see in person knowing about the baby before it's here. I can just see him posting something when it's born before I get a chance to announce it myself, and I feel angry just at the thought! So now he can't and I feel much better Sorry for the mini-rant. Anyone else bothered by this?

Suz I pinned this the other day in preparation for that moment! I won't be overly angry if someone announces before us but it would be nice if we were the ones to tell the world. Thinking of putting this up on Facebook

Turns out I have a chest infection, which explains why I feel so rubbish. On antibiotics for a week then hopefully I will be back to normal and can start enjoying my maternity leave!

TheMShip your colleagues sound lovely! Really sweet of them to give you a present.

I didn't even think about fb announcements. It wouldn't bother me much if someone else got in there first with a birth announcement but probably only because I'm not on fb so I'd be oblivious to it all!

Hello all, happy Friday! And happy maternity leave to those starting (I've got 6 weeks left, if I don't include half term. though I hope he comes by 38 weeks!).

You've all made me think more about the raspberry leaf tea. I've just added the clipper one to my tescos order. I like the Twinings raspberry and cranberry one, so if this one is a Nice Drink then that's good enough for me. If there are any added benefits, then that's great too. (Interestingly, it does carry a warning to avoid in the "early stages" of pregnancy... maybe there is something in it?)

Re birth announcements - we have really good family & friends who are unlikely to do anything daft. But even if they do, I don't think I'll be too put out.

I've got nothing else to add today I think. I'm knackered, but just the normal Friday amount. I'm gradually becoming increasingly physically incapacitated, but only what's expected. (I can't wait to be able to stretch my back out!). Feeling quite lucky really.

I finished reading The Martian last night (after DS woke up for a tantrum at 2am). It was ace! Need to look back at what OhWool recommended for next.

Oh, I have found myself opening the thread wondering if there has been any babies arriving during the night/day! If I'm 33 weeks I guess people are coming up to 37, and it's becoming a real possibility!

Yes how far along is everyone? I'm 35+3 today. Feels like ages to go still if I'm honest!!

I'm 35+1 today, it's going quite fast now though!

Sorry about your chest infection trinpy, hope you're better soon and get a decent rest over the weekend.

I've done something to my hip, it really really hurts when I'm walking, occasionally to the point where I can't move it. Could this be spd??? I think it might be the baby sitting awkwardly, it's ever so low down.

I'm 35+5 today. Will find out next Thursday what date I go in for induction. I can see the finishing line

Have been a right dozy bugger. I did a Tesco Click and Collect shop to pick up todayat 12.00, been adding to it throughout the week and yesterday and I discussed when would be the best time to pick it up....6 pm he said. Okay I said. I'll change the slot. Went into the order. Fannied about changed the slot. Didn't save it so guess what? Shopping order has been refunded.

DH has a good sense of humour thankfully and is now going to collect the shopping tomorrow morning.

I am a tit.

I'm 36+0 today! There's quite a few of us due at the beginning of the month so we could well get a few 37 weekers very soon! I don't mind if baby me wants to come early but I'd like him to hang on until I finish work at 38+0 thanks. I'm sure he'll be late though, just because I so desperately don't want him to be!

I'd be very annoyed if someone announced my baby on Facebook! I doubt they will though - all my friends are pretty good, I didn't put anything about being pregnant on there until after we'd had our 20 week scan and no one else mentioned it, my family are all very discreet too. It did happen to a close friend recently though - she hardly used Facebook and her sister announced the birth of her DC with a photo before my friend had even had a chance to text anyone. We sent congrats by text and she was mortified that we'd all found out from her stupid sister on Facebook!

Indom I've got the Martian to read next when I finish my current book! I am hoping to get lots of reading done in my 2 weeks of mat leave before the due date.

May I have a moan? I'm going to anyway...

So - context - I'm having a totally can't-be-bothered kind of a day. Coupled with trying to eat well as I realise I'm a pig and am bulging all over and I'll be miserable when the baby's born and I'm the size of the house.
So I made some soup for myself for lunch and then it was so spicy I could even eat it. AND dd has been driving me a bit potty and not stopped chatting all day, and also being pretty defiant to any instruction. AND DH will be late home so I'm doing DC dinner and bedtime solo, which also includes the swimming lessons. AND here's the icing on the cake...some fool has blocked me in so I'm sitting in the car with 2 tired hungry grumpy children waiting for them to come out. Can't decide whether to laugh or cry. Coming down more in the side of crying. Argh!
And I'm thinking the large bar of fruit n nut in the fridge is likely to go, putting an end to my 8 hours of successful healthy eating...

I'm 35+6 today, but also hoping to make it to 38 weeks. DH's parents are going away next week so will not be around from 36+4 to the morning of 38+1. We've arranged an on-call nanny for DS to cover that time and will be paying the retainer fee regardless, but I'd still very much prefer DS to have his grandparents take care of him. We met the nanny today and she's lovely.

I am so impressed at everyone working past 36 weeks. I know I could do it if I had to, but it would be a struggle and I'd be worried that the quality of my work would suffer.

Poor DS has been having a bout of diarrhea today and DH has been home with him and literally up to his elbows. DS is getting really good at knowing when it's happening, though, and is tearing off to the toilet, so I guess that's one silver lining!

magpie Go for the fruit and nut bar. It's all about survival at this point, so do what you have to do.