April 2007 - Ladygarden? Ladytropicalrainforest more like

[Katy44]

CFK - I couldn't resist!

Sorry - that was an epic!

MIABTM - go out to soft-play! I don't usually, but I copped out last week and took DD to the sports centre one afternoon and it was fab! She spent an hour in the playzone, I drank tea and ate biscuits, and wrote my Christmas thankyous in peace!

Thanks Bramshott - I did read that yesterday but it went in one ear and out the other as it were!
I will definatley try it tonight
x

morning folks! it is a blustery day up here in scotland but did you all hear on the news the fab prediction that this summer is to be a scorcher!!

nuttygirl - GRRRRRRRRRRRR at PIL. strnage how people can have such different values and try to force these onto others. yr dp sounds a sweetie tho' and i thought yr own family sounded great. thank heavens for them!

this first timer is well and truly freaked by what all i am reading and hearing. i was never so niave to think that it was going to be the best day(s) of my life being in labour but jeez - now i am kakking it! i have amorbid fear of needles and my mum had a truly awful time after an epidural so i really dont think i will be going down that route.

opinion - u r were askign about alcohol? i havent had a drop since i found out i was pg and given that i loved my gin and white wine - it feels like it has been a LONG time. cant wait to get a glass in my hand again post birth.......... (wistful dreaming)

When I had sky installed a couple years ago ds started screaming so had to bf him, all very discreetly with cushion on lap and top covering everything but poor man waas so embarrassed he didnt know what to do with himself, specially when it came to asking me to sign the form, he sort of held it out in my general direction without actually looking at me or coming too close!! I was always waiting for someone to complain about me feeding in public so i could get all indignant but noone ever did

Nuttygirl i would be livid I cant understand what it is with these wicked old bitchy witches. Its her grandchild you're carrying if she insults and isolates you ultimately its her who's gonna miss out.
My exps parents were a nightmare,Im sure his mothers interfering played a large part in the problems i had with bfing dd. There was a lovely moment though after xp and i had seperated and he'd taken an overdose (thats not the lovely bit btw! And it wasn't really serious) and i rang his dad, told him and he said he was in the middle of shopping and would ring me back Rang back half hour later and said if he thinks they're going to drop everything and come rushing down then he's got the wrong parents and I snapped and said i think he has got the wrong fucking parents! He hung up on me!! The mother actually rang me back later that night saying she didnt know what to do to help him then started crying about never getting to see dd and what she was missing out on. I told her that whatever happened she would always be her grandma and could visit me or ring me whenever she wanted.That was over 5 years ago and ive heard nothing from her since and xp hasnt had any contact with dd since may 2004 but we're well shot of them! Im so glad i got my little moment though, it may not have been much but it felt soo good!

Oh blimey ive gone on so much again and not said any of the things i meant to and cant remember what they were now!!

Quick post (am spending so much time reading to catch up, I never seem to have time to post):

Bramshott - I'm a TENS user anyway, as I have arthritis of the spine (which weirdly improves massively in pregnancy ), and I used it in the early stages of labour. After that, no pain relief at all until my emergency C-section, so I think it must have relaxed me and made me more confident.

weeonion - my birth experience was lovely, until the point when it wasn't, and I can honestly say I don't feel traumatized in the least by it. I said to my community MW afterwards, 'It was such a shame I had to go with the C-section, as if I hadn't, it would all have been a positive experience' and she quite rightly said, 'It was still a positive experience.' And I got my gorgeous DS from it (am besotted still, almost two years on). Please don't be afraid; as more than one poster has said, if it was really that bad, which among us would be doing it again??
xx

GMM - sorry about father/fil thing Don't think will go back to being an advisor - but do have plans to start my own SAHM business soon...have name and idea but thats it! Want to be one of those women who are millionairess by age 35 (gives me approx 11 months!) Also need to make prototypes etc...may try them out on you lot

I have a tens machine too from when hurt back - have just bought some new pad things from babies r us - hoping it will help and can stave off hospital for as long as poss. Last time went in when contractions were 2 mins apart - but was only 1cm - they kept me in overnight - gave me pethidine - when woke up in morning was 3cm and waters broke.

Have no idea what my plan is this time but will involve more active labour, breathing, poitions, tens, massage, baths, birth ball....

Sorry, I didnt mean to make you feel bad, dp's dad is a crook, hasnt seen him since his sisters wedding 20 years ago where he was passing around dodgy £50's and mine's is a twat who I chose not to have anything to do with when I was 18.... we are both better off without them!!!!

Nuttygirl - your MIL is a witch and fgs don't let her get to you! Oddly, my stepmonster is a bit like that (although in a more subtile, insidious way) and I will shortly be telling her exactly what I think of her little comments and ways. Just light the fuse and see what happens...

I'm really not thinking about labour yet. I had a nightmare first birth (but lovely baby) and a really easy second birth (but horrible baby - he's lovely now!) and I just can't get worked up about this one. I am aiming for water with just gas and air at the midwife unit but I may not be allowed to give birth there as I am one year over their upper limit . Also the brand new hospital maternity unit in Exeter has been delayed until June so I may well be giving birth in the hideous old unit that we went into after DS2 was born. Don't really want to think about it yet, tbh!

I found TENS really helpful though I know it doesn't work for everyone. The best bit was getting into a big warm bath, the pain seemed to melt away (for a little while!).

I tried to prepare as much as possible & took rasperryleaf capsules religiously and did lots of exercise. I think there's a huge element of luck involved - size of baby, position, intervention etc etc.

Been to soft play this morning so it'll be play-doh afternoon I think!

Right - what an epic catch-up will see if I can match!

From the top:

Babygro's: Ds will 22 months so we'll be joining the terrible 2s club too. To this day hates blankets and we've a cold house so babygro's all the way, if exceptionally cold with fleecy sleepsuit, in summer he was swaddled in a cotton sheet (torn up pillowcase) Did some dream feeding when very little in a bed in his room/spare room, but he was in his bed from VERY early on.

Sex - no way. Too painful at mo - bump's just low & achey ALL the time, bar serious wiggle times. Poor dh - totally opposite to last time when I got my drive back in 2nd trimester.

Leaky boobs - Ohhhhh yes - in an itchy painful "Touch those & I'll punch you" kind of way. Remembering they get worse dreaming about baby and if achy /sore try expressing/squeezing a bit - as it also helps keep them supple/stops infection - as a staph aureus carrier (skin bateria) I've to be careful!

V Annoyed with dh - having asked for a bit of a trim on the old tropicalrainforest he has proceeded to trim me almost bare so now have irritating stubble to itch on top of everything else! Gah! He likes it - I don't have to look at it - but it does itch!! And I'm not too sure of the pre-pubescent look of everything IYSWIM!

Looking forward to Southampton meet up on Sat!

Have just booked a cottage in Pembrokshire for last week in August - right on Newgale beach with parking and big garden - really pleased with myself . Nice to plan something for after the birth!

Sorry guys still not keeping up.

Just noticed WaspElly you said about Southampton meet up on Saturday. I thought it was next Saturday 27th?

Hiya ladies, a load to catch up on again I see!
Nutty, I must echo everyone else, in that I am stunned by your mil and fil - what a bloody cheek. Makes my blood boil. This is a great place for ranting though isn't it! I try not to bitch about my in laws too much with my own parents, as tempting as it is!

GMM, lol at the description of yourself. What was it - hairy, leaky troll! Hilarious!

Really hope all the first time mums are ok. It really ain't all that bad, and as has been said, no pregnancy or birth is the same.

With the TENS machine, I kind of wonder whether it was the fact that I had the distraction of fiddling with that, that helped me block out the pain? Whatever it was, it was good!

MIAM, sorry you are coldy - it is so hard isn't it when you have an active toddler that needs entertaining and you are feeling under the weather. I am finding it really hard, esp in the afternoons, when I could quite happily go to bed! Dh says I use the TV too much, but I am at a loss sometimes. We do painting and play doh, but dd is only ever interested for about half an hour, and then it's like, what now? To be fair, it's really only Thursday afternoons that we have as free time, but still tough to fill.

Better head, as again at work, although boss has gone out now. xx

The cottage will be lovely, especially if we have the summer that is predicted. Have been looking at UK holidays myself over the last few days. Fancy going abroad but probably wont due to new baby and not knowing how things will pan out.

I used a TENS machine and managed with that and gas and air right through to being fully dilated. I probably could have done a good job except for the fact that ds got bloody well stuck!! I will be using a TENS again this time as it definitely worked for me.

Nutty, your MIL sounds like a nightmare. I think there are several of us on here with the same problem. I think mine just says things to spark a reaction from me sometimes. She told me the other day "well, you dont look very pregnant". Oh yeah, the beach ball I have up my jumper is Christmas overindulgence isnt it! She is infuriating

Ange, waspelly, et al it is Saturday 27th Jan at 12.30 that we are meeting. It is at Piccolo Mondo.

OMG so much to catch up on.
All these posts plus ER last night is making me a tad nervous. But what has really been in the back of my mind is that about 8 years ago i went to a clinic to have the coil fitted, and the dr could not fit it in - too tight apparently. If I can't put a coil in, how are they going to get a baby out?????????????????

Nutty - Was well and truely peeved off with your MIL, but glad that DH is on your side and you are not isolated. As they say you can't choose your family.....

Opinion - i haven't touched a drop of alcohol since finding out I was pregnant and I am gagging for it. I just feel that if i have a glass then i won't be able to resist another and then another just like in my pre pregnancy days

GK - Also have Fibroids - but they don't seem to be doing much or causing me any problems. Cousin has one that is so painful as it is degenrating???????

Yay! I can go to the rugby this Sat then!
Had completely written into diary wrong.

Thanks for all the postive votes for Tens - think I will be trying that then.

Elly - I think the Southampton meetup was originally going to be this Sat but I had forgotten (or blanked out!) DD's birthday party so we changed to to Sat 27th. Really looking forward to meeting some of you in a couple of weeks!

My god I am sooooo tired, had the morning off as dad took DD to her play group, thought I would try and get some sleep but the DT's had other ideas. How is it they know when i am trying to sleep so start battering my insides

DD hasn't had a nap yet and doen't seem to want one either

haven't really read through the posts but at nutty's MIL and anyone else who has a nightmare with theirs, so glad mine lives in Malta!

Hello!! Am at work this afternoon, so perfect opportunity to catch up on MN!!

Someone mentioned the lady across the road who has just had her 6th - Well my DH's cousin has just had her 7th!!!!!! She is the Uber Mother, she is just incredible. She broke her foot about 2 weeks ago, so they had to induce her even though she was only a week over her EDD. Baby was 11lb 6oz Got shoulders stuck, but all is ok now - All Hail!!

Mmmmmm, pain relief - only had Gas and Air with my two and thought it was incredible - want it pumped into my hosue permenantly!! Too scared to have epidural and pethidine's side-effects look evil to me!! Never got round to trying TENS, always though it didn't look "enough", iyswim!!? May be I will this time as I'm having a homebirth (hopefully...)

Nutty - Your MIL is a Grade One Super Monster Bitch!!!!!!! How dare she says those nasty, untruthful things to you honey!!!!?? Just ignore her, she is talking out of her bottom, imho!! [[hugs]]

Geordie - My boobs have been leaking loads , so don't worry!! Perfectly normal at this stage, I'd say!!

Sorry we've scared you weeonion honey - It'll be ok, keep positive!!

Glad you can go to Rugby now WaspElly!! So glad you won't be standing at Southampton Station waiting for everyone in the freezing cold - I am muchly looking forward to the meet up, I must say!!!!!

nuttygirl, at your mil like everyone else. really hope you manage not to let her get to you; no-one deserves those comments at any time, let alone during pgcy.

as a first timer, i appreciate the birth stories. it helps to prepare mentally but also am trying to remember that everyone is different too. am going to try TENS too and will now be very wary if ventouse mentioned. it's hard when you are a naive first timer though to be 'assertive' isn't it?

I loved your comment though runnyhabbit..as you say, the best thing to have during labour is surely one's DH/DP?

Hmm, my DH wasn't a lot of use. Would rather have had my mum there .

Yes, DogHouse, I think it is very difficult to be asertive as a 1st timer, I know I was v.sared and just let them get on with it - which in hindsight, there's no way I would do now!! Write a Birth Plan and make sure you are v.explicit in it about what YOU want in particular - If you are v.worried and have the cash, I would thoroughly recommend hiring a Doula - fabulous empowering birth partner who can care for you and make sure you get what you want (within reason, of course! ) You will be ok!

Like someone said before, if it was really THAT bad last time (or the time before etc etc) then none of us would be doing it again!! I LOVE being a mummy and giving birth was worth every second!!

Yes, definitely do a thorough birth plan. The M/W went through mine with me as soon as I got into the labour room and it was very reassuring to know she'd read it.