May 2016 babies - baby clothes, maternity leave and all the rest!

[GrouchyKiwi]

Here's the next thread!

Army I know exactly how you feel, I've had your nag dh for 3 weeks to get some baby blankets down from the loft "for me". If I'd just gone out and bought a load brand new I doubt he'd have been very happy! It's so frustrating when you can't find things for yourself which I don't think they understand. Its also so boring! I mean I am bored stiff and feel like just have no life at the moment.

Everything What about pethidine? (Is that diamorphine by another name?)

Utterly exhausted today. Have done very little, got stuck lying on the ground again (forgot that I can't do that) and DD1 had to help me roll onto my side to get up. DH has to sort meals tonight. Not sure whether it's 35 weeks catching up with me after a busy couple of days or my whooping cough jab making itself known.

Parsnip Glad you're ok after your fall. Are there weedkillers that are safe for dogs you could use? I definitely think we're all at a point where we need to take it easy!

katie and army me three!! I did SO much sorting and major cleaning last week and needed him to move a King-size mattress back into the spare room ("for me") for his sister to sleep on and he got really angry! To say nothing of the baby research, planning and preparation which he barely listens to! I think it's pretty normal (sadly...)
I went into central London.m today to go buy fucking ugly Primark nighties and have a massage and really didn't enjoy being in town!! The massage was great but then when I came out I saw that DP had text me an hour earlier to say he couldn't concentrate at work and was coming home, so now instead of eating biscuits and watching more Netflix chilling a bit before he came home I'm sat here with him working and asking me what's for dinner!

Morning everyone!

Just checking in. Nothing new here, plodding on with the toddler trying to enjoy the sunshine. DH goes away with work tomorrow (for a day!) and he's convinced I'll go into a rapid labour (it won't happen!) he's very funny at this stage. Every twitch for the next three weeks will have him asking, "Is this it?!?"

More speculation this week as to whether it's a boy or a girl. Not long till we know....

Hi ice! Checking in too - had a other shit night's sleep (up at 1.30, hurrah!!) and spent up until 6 on the sofa, feeling a bit wrecked today! Thus far i seem to only be capable of spending my maternity leave either watching Netflix, in the bath or looking at crap on the Internet and eating toast - IS THIS NORMAL??!! Going to attempt to head into the outside world now...

I spend my days on the sofa cant. When it's sunny I move to a garden chair so DD can get some sun and fresh air. I feel really guilty but anything else exhausts me.

Scan showed baby is head down :) not sure if the midwife was wrong or if he's moved since, I have had some big movements that I told DH felt like him moving round.

Sounds like a good way to spend pre baby mat leave cant. I would love to be doing that!

Lots of braxton hicks last night and 'is this labour' paranoia which, combined with DS sleeping on my face and DH sleeping like a star fish left me with about 3hrs sleep which was only in short catches here and there. YAWN!

Had 38 wk midwife appt earlier. Baby is 3/5 engaged apparently, although I'm not sure how much that means 2nd time around as I think 2nd babies pop in and out.

Having a lot of pain right now (tightenings and period-type cramping) so decided to pack my hospital bag. Turns out I still have to wash my "giving birth" nightshirt, nursing bras and pads and comfy clothes for after birth so this had better not be the beginning of anything significant! And you'd think with the third one I'd know what to put in the bag: nope.

One of DH's bloody cats has decided he likes sleeping in the carry cot so now I have to clean that too.

I had the same. Lots of contraction-like pains yesterday. In the panic I waddled around and threw in last few remaining things into hospital bag. I had to laugh when my App told me "you are experiencing false labour".

So back to the sofa and feeling frustrated with not knowing when and how this baby is going to make an appearance.

I'm starting to wonder what's going on with me too this afternoon!! Feeling super nauseous and having weird sensations (how do I know what contractions feel like or is that a really stupid question??) so I'm marooned on the sofa now (feeling like I should be doing something more useful, though that didn't seem to bother me this morning...!)
Keep us all updated you two!

Not a stupid question at all. Contractions start of feeling like bad period pain that comes and goes. Can be in the front or the back or both and often feels like it is going into the legs. The coming and going and progressively the intervals getting shorter is the real tell tale sign active labour is imminent.

It can be a literal and figurative pain in the arse too. With DD2 I had latent labour for two whole weeks before she arrived. Did not enjoy that at all.

In fact, I was so miserable that my MW did a sweep on the day I was (officially) due even though in my area they don't do them till you are overdue. Labour started properly late the next day and DD2 was born on my due date (two days after the scan date).

They like to tell you you'll know when it's real labour, and that's sort of true. But false labour can be very convincing.

Hmmm, not pain as such, and now the baby is moving around a lot, so probably just normal/uncomfortable stuff. It feels a bit like a stitch all down the front of my belly but with something else going on too, and I think it was the intensity of the nausea that made me wonder if there was something really happening - but maybe it was just overtiredness!

Managed to get my niece to pack my hospital bag for me a few days ago. Made it into a game which involves me sitting on the bed telling what goes where. She loved it and I got to lay down and feel productive at the same time!

No niggles or pains here today. Saw the midwife this afternoon and baby has turned so now back to back which has made me a bit nervy. Fingers crossed he turns back around and stays that way.

cant Productive contractions generally are over your whole bump. IME, at least, BHs tend to be just the lower part. Proper contractions can be described as feeling like a wave of pain and you'll often feel it in your back as well as your abdomen. And over time they become more painful.

If you feel like you might be having contractions it's a good idea to get up and do something before sitting down again. If they continue then they might be the real thing; if they stop then it's unlikely to be time.

Of course, everyone's different and if I'd followed the NHS advice (and the midwife on the phone at the unit...) with DD2 then I'd have had an unplanned home birth. So it's always a good idea to at least call the unit if you think something is happening. And if you go in and things settle so you have to go home again then that's no big deal.

Daisy - Back to back - there's still time for baby to turn, even into labour. My DS was correct right up until birth then flipped to back to back (which we both enjoyed )

Oooooh lots happening tonight ladies! Pains and niggles, it's all heading one way....

Biggest event of my day was being swoop attacked by a giant seagull as I tried to waddle across a busy main road, pushing my pram, carrying a bag, fielding my walking toddler.... STRESS.

My BHs from last night started at about 8pm and didn't ease off until about 11am this morning. Never got regular or more painful though so I figured it wasn't for real.

I think it was due to the baby moving down a bit and midwife confirmed she is 3/5 engaged so I reckon that was it.

Never had this with DS. He just floated about until I went into labour. It's very uncomfortable though.

Ironed the last few bits of baby stuff including a giant adult size cellular blanket. I'm so chuffed with it as it means I can cosleep without worrying about duvets. Wish I had discovered it when DS was tiny as blanket/duvet logistics took up as much time as actually feeding and getting him to sleep in the early days. Also finished DH's all important snack bag for the hospital today so I'm completely ready Doris baby to arrive.

and completely finished packing

For this not Doris. How odd!

I certainly hope so, ice.** I'm absolutely terrified of seagulls so would not have been happy in your shoes today!

I think that may be a sign that you should call your baby Doris, 0dog. Regardless of whether you have a boy or a girl, it's clearly meant to be

Well it is a girl and we are struggling for names. Always an option!

We had loads of trouble deciding on a name this time, mostly because this is our third girl. We wrote a list each and there were only three we agreed on (I'd put down about 30 names)! We've got something lovely sorted now, though.

Aches and pains are happening here too. Have had period type pain over the past few days and it now seems to be spreading to the tops of my legs, combined with the odd waves of nausea. I haven't had any tightenings though so I don't know if it's Braxton Hicks or not. No back pain either.

Baby wasn't engaged on Monday and still doesn't feel engaged now so I've been madly bouncing on the birthing ball! Can't believe my second week of maternity leave is almost at an end!

Baby Doris it is then

We really struggled with names too (and this is our first so it's only going to get harder).

Hope you're not too uncomfortable, frozen. Keep us updated!

We couldn't agree on a name for DS. However as soon as he was born and I said so what are we calling him DH burst into tears and said I can call him whatever I like. Hoping for more of the same this time!

Ooooh exciting goings on... Shall be checking in

Lots of BH and top of leg pain here... I know he is 3/5 engaged but I don't think anything will happen any time soon

Bouncing like a nutter on my ball

All a bit weird as I didn't go into proper labour til I was at the hospital and they found him breech last time so I don't really know what I am expecting