July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

[glitterglitters]

He's from my city and they named this little bus road after one of his books.

I'm a huge Sandman fan... and Constantine .... and the rest.

I'm dying to watch American Gods as well!

[mynameisntLinda]

Had growth scan today and shes grown! Wahooo. Shes got to email senior mw to "ok" a home birth or birth centre but ive told then if they wouldnt accept me on birth centre id be staying at home anyway as i feel that a labour ward wouldnt be good for my labour to progress.
Ah well see what they say. At mw on thursday anyway and work finally aknowledged that im finishing on friday!

[glitterglitters]

Yay that's awesome news @mynameisntLinda

[Twixes]

Happy Monday everyone!

All good here, I've been pottering away putting little girl clothes into her chest of drawers and putting the final bits into my bag and extra bits into my back up bag.

37+4 weeks and pretty much symptomless...my bump definitely hasn't dropped; It's right "out there", looking kind of pointy if anything. Not that it matters a whole lot as I'm having an ELCS in 9 days...starting to get quite nervous about it all now. Got emotional a couple of hours ago, I think I'm just a bit overwhelmed by the thoughts of having two children and also the worry about how it's all going to go. Anyone else nervous about it? it's the whole unknown that gets me.

Best of luck tomorrow @Wildone81, update us as soon as you can.

@SelfObsessionHoney he's gorgeous, what a fine healthy boy! Congrats

[Twixes]

Nice one @mynameisntLinda success on both fronts!

[mynameisntLinda]

@twixes yes 100% im wondering what the hell ive let us in for. I looked at sleeping ds this morning and thought the poor lottle guy has no idea how much his life will change in a few weeks. My head just keeps thinking about what will i do about returning to work, will i bother, how will i handle having 2 kids. Then i try and remind myself that que sera sera and people manage on less than me so just roll with it.

[Spindelina]

People keep asking me if DD is excited. Well, yes she sort of is, and a bit apprehensive, but she has no real idea of the reality of it all. And nor do we tbh - it's five years since we last did this, and no two babies are the same!

DH has been sorting stuff out onto the shelves that I finished painting last week - all the 0-1 and 0-3mo clothes are sorted into teeny piles. Just needs a baby!

[ButterflyFree]

Yaay great news @mynameisntLinda that's the best way to get your week started.

Bless you @Twixes - it's totally normal to be emotional! There are SO many unknown quantities when it comes to giving birth and bringing a new baby into the world, even if you've already done it before, and it's human nature to find such uncertainty unsettling at the very least.

I've been having a cry every day since DH had to travel, and it's more because of the fear of the unknown than because I'm missing him (obviously I'm missing him like crazy, but usually it's not the kind of thing that I would cry daily over lol). It's the whole sensation of being in limbo and not having control over something so major and life changing.

Embrace your emotions, let them out, and then reward yourself with a nice big bar of chocolate or an ice cream (or both - nobody's judging ☺️) to get the oxytocin flowing.

[glitterglitters]

I'm feeling super rough today. Been very sick and (sorry tmi) poorly tummy. Dh is at work till 7. Fil is working till 10pm. Sister is working till 8pm. Mil is looking after her partner's son's gf who I hate/don't want dd to be around.

I really don't want to call dh and get him to come home but I'm so tired. I've shoved CBeebies on for dd but she's not interested.

Just want to sleep

[Twixes]

Just realised I missed a whole page of the thread with @Notyetthere's birth story and also @Imaginarymenagerie's news! Congratulations girls!

@notyetthere thank you for sharing your story, you did fantastic girl. What a marathon but worth every minute I'm sure. Have you tried nipple shields? I have Nuk ones that I found v good. I was using them on and off for months in fact.

@mynameisntLinda snap, that's exactly how I feel - I then pull myself together and tell myself I'm going to have to cope no matter what. No going back now! I found the newborn weeks very tough with DS but I'm hoping I'll have a better perspective on things this time as I know what's coming and that it only lasts such a short time in the grand scheme of things.

I also think I'll be kinder on myself. First time mums put themselves under so much pressure... I've a tendency to be a bit of a perfectionist but I hope I'll be more confident in my choices this time around. Please god!

[Twixes]

@ButterflyFree Thank you...heads to cupboard to get choccies and stuff myself guilt-free...

any updates on your DH's situation? I cannot imagine how you're feeling. I'd say you're feeling quite vulnerable without him around

for you too @glitterglitters, does your DD take a nap at all? Roll on 7pm!

[glitterglitters]

No such luck @Twixes I tried to get her to have one and she stuck loads of stickers on me I stead.

[nat2311]

@mynameisntLinda that's brilliant news a great way to start the week!

@glitterglitters I'm struggling today without a little one to look after! You ladies with kids already I really don't know how you're all doing it!

@wildone81 I hope all goes well tomorrow and you're managing to get some rest today! Look forward to hearing all about it when you're recovered.

I feel like I've 'dropped' when I move it feels like his head is literally in between my legs- walking is now even more fun! But hopefully means he's heading in the right direction!

[ButterflyFree]

Yes @Twixes vulnerable is the right word! And also heartbroken at the thought that he will likely miss the birth of our first-born and be robbed of the chance to be the first one to hold our son. That's a once in a lifetime moment. I get tearful every time I think about it 😥

No updates as we're just waiting for everything to reopen after the looong Eid public holiday - things will be back in business next Sunday (2nd July). But the worst case (yet highly possible) scenario is that I won't get to see my DH until mid-September and he will miss the first 2 months of our son's life 😭 something that fills me with absolute despair.

Sorry to hear you're having a rough day @glitterglitters - hope your little lady calms down soon enough to give you a chance to rest even before DH comes home from work. But on the upside, perhaps the tummy troubles are a sign that something is about to happen...?

[Notyetthere]

Twixes thank you for the advice. SIL bought me the boots nipple shields which I started using last night after the soreness got unbearable. I will also check out the nuk ones. Do the nipples ever get to a point when they stop hurting?

[mynameisntLinda]

Yes fab start to the week, and my last week in work wahooo! Off to go pick up my birth pool after work now I know baby is ok so that we can be a bit more prepared at home. Might even have a trial inflate and check the tap connectors work etc (dh was a bit stressed trying to get it all up and filled last time because labour progressed so quick haha).

@glitterglitters sounds to me like baby and uterus are just teasing you! all these promising signs then nothing : ( DS doesn't nap at home either (although has an hour and a half at the childminders )
He says he's excited to meet Tilly but I doubt he has any idea, i think he thinks i'm going to birth a fully grown 2 year old that he can play cars with

butterfly limbo is the worst. It's probably zero consolation but baby won't remember who was there and maybe you could arrange something nice for DH is due home to make that first meeting special. My nan says she can remember the first time she met her Dad at just over 3 years old! she was put in her best "frock" and sat on the chair by the window to wait for him coming back from WW2. and i'm sure her Dad would remember that special meeting eve if it wasn't at the birth (although I don't think in them days dads were at the birth anyway, not sure when all that came about although I do find birth history interesting so might have a google later)

[glitterglitters]

lol you're right @mynameisntLinda hopefully they aren't setting a precedence for their behaviour in the real world 😱 I can guarantee I'm going over now. Too much trolling from them now to be early or on time.

[glitterglitters]

Also @Notyetthere get as much air to them as possible and put breast milk on your nipples along with the lanolin. The pain will subside.

I never knew the relevance of the term "toe curling" until the first few weeks of bf.

Later on I'd get bitten and all sorts and it was nothing in comparison!

[LuciBee231015]

Glitters sounds like more positive progression your end. I'm still having nothing but Braxton hicks so I've given up now

[glitterglitters]

No pains with it here though. Eased off thankfully.

@LuciBee231015 they will come though! I promise. You've obviously made it lovely in there! They don't want to come out it's so nice

[Spindelina]

Not have you had input from someone who knows what they are talking about re feeding? Bf counsellor or lactation consultant?

[HaichM]

Congratulations on all the new babies and thank you for the birth story. It sounds a bit like my experience last time, though I didn't breast feed. Well done for all your hard work. I can't wait to have snuggles with my baby though I am nervous about breast feeding for the first time.

What is bump dropping exactly? Also, when you guys discuss 'show' is that the same as the mucus plug or is it something different.

[glitterglitters]

It's when baby engages so your bump goes down. Usually alleviates all that nasty heartburn

People use it as a sign that baby is imminent but it's old wives tales. I "dropped" at about 36 weeks (mw put it in my notes)

Has anybody got any crazy in laws/family members that are getting in a flap?

I've had a call from dh saying "are you ok?!" Apparently his mum has left him this crazy message saying she's worried about me, is everything ok, is the baby ok, she had phoned his dad (they're separated) etc etc

I forgot how crazy she got last time and she's been on holiday for three weeks.

She didn't try and call me or text me or anything though 🙈

[LuciBee231015]

Glitters, yes!!! My aunts my phoned me the other day when I was in the shower... twice. Then phoned my dad and my sister...!

[Mawita]

Haha! @glitters yes! My mum got super worried as I had monster feet last week and kept telling me to go to the doctor to get my BP check in case of preeclampsia. Google is awful for new grandmothers... feet back to a normalise size today....