Due Jan '07 part 7: Are you ready to do drugs, poo yourself in public and bear your fanjo to complete strangers? Then you're ready to have a baby!

[2HappyNewYear]

This one seems to be the winner, and I can't seem to come up with anything more inventive, sorry!

Raspberry tea makes my baby move like crazy! it definately does something!

I'm about to take down decorations now. Am considering damp dusting all the skirting boards too...can I really be bothered though!? Have just hovered whole flat and can't decide if I'm nesting or just bored!

wilkie - DP reckons we should dump it off at the charity shop as he is not that good a mates with the guy anymore. (they left some brand new toys in the bags they gave us, which we opend up, and then they asked for the new toys back as they wanted to sell them on ebay - we said we had opend them up, sorry. His wife threw a strop and demanded £20 for them!) - they really werent worth that much.
People are soooo odd!

Lizz, if it were me I'd keep a couple of the clothes incase they come and visit and I'd bin the rest. Asking for £20 for the toys, if they were in there my mistake its their fault and if it was me I'd just forget about it, £20 is not much nowadays is it?

happy new year everyone. Didn't manage any social interaction myself, and DH went to bed at 11, I must be wearing him out.

wilkie, have you tried steri strip things on your finger just to keep the cut together? Then if you put a finger bandage over it this would limit how much you can bend it, so less likely to come open.

As for skin tags, the doctor told my DH that you can just tie a bit of thread round them and take them off yourself?

My right hand has been numb for 3 days now, it's doing my head in. Been doing lots of Carpal tunnel exercises, but nothing seems to work. Any suggestions?

Jojo - thanks for the tip, have just been and bought some steristrip which seems to be doing the job!!

Lizzz - cannot believe they asked for £20 for the toys!! CHEEKY B*STARDS!!!!!!!!!! - I hope you told them where to get off!!

If DP is not good friends with them anymore then is it unlikely they will come round when LO is born? Mind you, if his wife threw a strop cos you opened the toys, imagine if you dumped everything then she wanted it back!!! Can't you stick it in your attic or shed for a bit and see if they ask for it back?

Damp washing your skirting boards - hmmmm, anally retentive rather than nesting or bored hee hee hee - only joking, mum is coming on Thursday so we can have a 'cleaning day' - I have such an urge to take down all of my curtains and hoover them

Hi, Just had a call from Urban who had seen the midwife at home. She said there was definitely something happening but it would be hours and hours yet. She said to call her back when either her waters broke or when she was no longer happy with the pain.
She asked me to let you all know. Don't get me all excited she said, or I'll block the hormones. She said she was going back to sleep if she could. Dh had gone to work, but would make his way home in the next couple of hours.

Jojo, I've had carpal tunnel for ages now and its awful. Try putting your wrists under the cold tap it reduces inflammation. Have you got splints? I used to get it just at night but my finger tips have pins and needles permanently now. It makes me drop everything which really pees me off. I was told to try and keep my wrists as still as possible.

Wonder how LTH and Nemo are getting on?

Does anyone know what they 'assess' when you are overdue? I have an appt on 15th for an assessment so they can decide what to do. I don't want to wait til 21st to be induced what are they assessing? Will the fact that I can hardly walk sway them to induce me earlier?!

She'd had one cup of raspberry leaf tea with three tablespoons of honey and it still tasted vile. But it did make her start... coincidence...??

Urbans mum- I was wondering where she was. How exciting! Keep us posted and send her our hugs!

Oh, I'm going to ask my mum to get me some! I was wondering about raspberry leaf tea, its gotta be worth a try!

Thanks Daisy, will ask the midwife about splints this afternoon. It's so annoying - it's a struggle to cut a piece of toast in half!

Just going to put the kettle on for some raspberry leaf tea, fingers crossed! Good luck to Urban, keep us updated!

Happy New Year all. We didn't do anything, just stayed in but then we don't really bother with New Year's Eve since having the kid's anyway. I'm still having contractions on and off and still not sleeping properly (was still awake at 2.30 las night) but thankfully my parents are here and I managaed a nap this afternoon. I'm having some really sharp and achy pains that feel like they're coming from my cervix area and baby s really low so wonder if he's causing them.

Woke up this morning with another sore throat and cough which I could do without, I don't seem to have gotten over the chest infection I had about 6 weeks ago fully. Every time I think I'm better I wake up getting ill again Really hope this baby comes out soon even though I'm still scared of the pain!

Crikey! Good luck UD!

Grrr, ds is refusing to go for nap, 2nd day in a row. This would be reeeeeaally bad timing for him to decide he doesn't need to sleep during the day. He may not need a nap, but I blooming well do!

I didnt realise raspberry leaf tea could actually bring on contractions! I thought it just strengthend the uterus. I've been merrily sipping it for the last few days.
No wonder its just taken me half an hour to walk to Tescos...I've been having BH all day! Maybe they are a sign of the real thing...ooer!

I wish!

Good luck to UD. Hope it all goes to plan. x

Back from the consultants appt.
He said baby isn't going to be massive, high 8lbs and there isn't too much water but has advised me to cancel the homebirth.
He said the birth isn't the tricky bit but with 4th babies the statistics for trouble after the brith are higher. Alot more bleeding for example.
So I knw have to sort out getting to the hosp if DH is at work because of previous fast labours.
AND I have to pack a bag FFS!!!!

I asked him if they would be inducing me and he said no...so I asked again nicely
He did try to do a strectch and sweep but my cervix is still posterior and he couldn't reach it!!!!
"No...sorry, can't reach...my fingers aren't long enough"

Saying my cervix was still posterior means bugger all really because the MW said that when i was in labour with Ds3 "Ohhhh it's still posterior you've got a long time to go yet...it'll be hours yet"
He was born 2 hours later so what do they know???

It felt like he had his friggin arm up there TBH. I told DH he should be proud because he obviously reaches part of me with his wanger that no doctor can.
Awww...my DH the trojan

Anyway, now just have to sit and wait. I did think it was all starting last night because the braxtons are now coming with pains at the same time(rather than just the hard belly) but no.
Have an appt with the consultant on 15th jan to be induced if nothing has happened by then. 15th is Dh's birthday so as much as I'll never have to buy him another B'day present every again if I give birth on that day I'd rather stick pins in my eyes that go 6 days over again.

Better start packing a bloody hospital bag, I suppose

Lizzzombie, I don't think they brought on the contractions, I really think it is just co-incidence. Babies come when they're ready.
2Happy, would your ds sit quietly with you on your bed for half an hour, saying mummy needs some peace and quiet and he can look after you? If you have some nice books/toys etc you can have a wonderful time even if neither of you sleeps.

No more news from Urban

LTH - LOL!!!
You poor thing!

I suggest you fill your hospital bag with loads of chocotlate and biscuits - anything your family havent scoffed yet which is left over from xmas. Then you can stuff yourself full of lovely treats as soon as your baby arrives in hospital!
Plus it makes packing the hospital bag more fun!

I think I have more chocolate in mine than sanitary towels!

Lady TH - sorry to barge into this thread but it made me grrr - of course the consultant advised you to cancel home birth plans, how many consultants are pro home birth??? If you want a home birth just have one - I did with my 4th baby and will with my 5th all being well (not even 5 weeks pg yet!). If you look at the homebirth.org.uk site there's all the stats you need to make an informed decision.

Of course if you no longer want a home birth don't have one, I just don't want you to think that it's no longer your choice. Sounds like you give birth quickly and efficiently (like me!) so why go to hospital?

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

UD's Mum, ha ha! I wish. Unless it involves playing tractors, noisily, ds just isn't interested - he's that sort of toddler . The bugger is, I went up and cuddled him, and he blooming well fell asleep on me so I know he's tired (naturally worke up screaming as soon as I put him in the cot ). Never mind, I think he's asleep now, but isn't it amazing how awful your kids can make you feel, when all you're doing is trying to get them to sleep. Hope UD's doing ok.
LTH - well at least there's some good news on the size thing. Have you a particularly knowledgable/supportive mw you can talk the HB thing over with, get her opinion?

I know, 2Happy, the guilt thing is awfully hard to cope with. And they are so GOOD at it, they have a lifetime's experience. BUT they have to learn that mummies are people too..

TBH, I'm not to fussed about whether it's HB or hospital birth.
I'd like a HB simply to avoid the faff of getting to hospital but then if I have him in hosp I'll get a bit of a break from the mayhem at home(the Ds's are evry excited already about their new brother) and maybe an extra dose of help to sort of breastfeeding.

If I really wanted to do it at home then I would put my foot down but I'm not really fussed.

I'm actually quite looking forward to the night away from home now

I've done a hospital bag now but it seem woefully inadequate. It's just a small sports bags type thing...I could fit it all in a tesco carrier bag and still have room for a loaf and 4pints of milk....what am I missing???
I have baby clothes, nappies, sanitary towels, knickers, PJs/nightie, hair brush/hair clip......what else could I possibly need??
You all sound like you're taking in suitcases worth of stuff!

Text from Urban:" Waters just broke, so far so good."

You need socks! (in case you get cold feet) and flip flops to walk around hospital in - you dont want to catch MRSA via your athletes foot - plus flip flops can be washed clean of any baby gunk stuff which you may get on them. (nice)

And LTH - you NEED chocolate. It raises oxytocin levels thereby promoting the milk flow and making breast milk easier. (its official!)

I'm also taking a towel (just in case the hospital dont have them) and a camera.

And heated rollers, hairdryer, full make up & manicure set, home made massage oils, herbal tea bags, face mask....
...how can you even forget any of those essentials!!!!

Gosh there's a lot of chatting going on here now we're all on maternity leave! It takes me ages to catch up everyday! Actually the last couple of days I've been feeling a bit wierd about not being at work anymore - been doing lots of cooking and sorting out and cleaning, not nesting i don't think, just trying to make myself feel useful!

Tried packing my hospital bag yesterday and didn't seem to have that much stuff either LTH. I have got a wash bag full of stuff for cleaning up afterwards though - flannel, shower gel, toothbrush, moisturizer etc. Someone on here mentioned taking a towel too which seems like a good plan cos i think you get nothing from the hospital. I'm also taking a couple of big pillows, which were recommended by my m/w cos you only get one really thin one in hospital which is probably really uncomforatble on its own. Ummmm..... i was thinking about putting breast pads in too but wasn't sure if you really need them straight away, especially if you're not in for very long.