Due August '07 - Part 4

[tokentotty]

Welcome all !!!!

Are you really not in maternity yet H ? Hmmmm...am beginning to think that all those people telling me how big I am may have a point after all ! Might be time for a bump picture update this afternoon as there would not be a cat in hell's chance of me fitting in anything 'normal'. Can't wait to be sat round the pool with 20 blokes on a stag weekend when I arrive....
Anyone any ideas on my Braxton Hicks question ??

I put it down to me being larger anyway so I'll take a longer time to show. A girl at work is 22 weeks and she looks far more pregnant than me. I even had my jeans on for a couple of hours on saturday (done up and everything) whilst i went shopping. Couldn't sit down in them for very long but didn't need to really.

Am just getting peed off because the previous weekend I had on my maternity jeans and ran upstairs to use the loo to find my jeans half way down my legs, way past my knickers. Am in that terrible stage wher my regular bottoms are too small but maternity trousers in my regular size just drown me. As for work clothes I am wearing a combination of my normal M & S tops I had pre being pg and the smock tops I bought in the january sales. I have resorted to wearing stretchy elastic waisted trousers I got in the january sales and although they aren't maternity clothes, they have been a godsend and I wear them all the time.

Not sure about Braxton hicks to be hoest. I thought they were just practice contractions so if you aren't getting any cramps and tummy pain as well I would say they aren't BH.

Hi everyone, it has taken me almost two hours to catch up on all your news and in response I will just say how pleased I am that everyone is mostly enjoying healthy and happy bumps so far!

Have wonderful holidays Hersetta and TT.

We have just come back from a lovely two weeks in Italy. We travelled from Pisa, through Lucca, Florence, Mantua and Verona before spending four last magical days in Venice. It was by far the best thing we have done for our relationship since getting pregnant - which was by far the best thing we have done ever - with all sorts of candlelit dinners in romantic piazzas and twirling to cafe bands in St Mark's square. Wonderful.

Best of all, our little one started to move and kick while we were away, so we were together when it happened. My BF says it was the highlight of the holiday and he will never forget it.

We bought a few little Italian outfits for him or her to mark the occasion.

S/he has not stopped moving since and it is starting to prove a barrier to sleep. All of you who are due much earlier in the month than I am, I gather you have been suffering mightily from the phenomenon but I must say I am still pleased as punch every time I feel movement.

We were so impressed at how relaxed Italian parents are with their children and that children really were around at all hours of the evening, without any fuss from either parents or children. We really want to try to emulate this but I'm not sure how to brave the inevitable disapproval from English/Australians who treasure child-free restaurants and cafes.

Well that's all my news. I had the occasional glass of wine with dinner while we were away and am feeling a bit guilty about it now. I can't have had more than two or three units over either week so hopefully that's OK. To be honest, it helped with the heartburn brought on by pasta!

Oh how lovely Kite. Am so pleased you had such a wonderful, happy time together and it was made even more special by your lo starting to move around.

Thanks TT! On your shopping dilemma - don't worry too much about it. Make yourself a checklist when you get back from holiday, or get one of the readymade ones from JL or Mothercare and just gradually make your way through it. Stop whenever it gets boring as it sounds like you have a short fuse. If the big purchases are worrying you, start with small ones like maybe building up your nappy collection and some babygrows.

We found shopping for the baby a good way to get through all the first four worrying months but I know that does not work for everyone.

Bizarrely I am starting to think about the hospital bag.

Glad you had a fab time kite.

My LO is playing with my dh at the moment. She's been kicking really hard now for about 3 weeks and whenever I see my tummy move I grab my dh's hand and put it on my tummy. Of course she never does anything and then proceeds to kick once he has removed his had so unfortunately he hasn't felt it yet.

Gosh kite, the hospital bag. Now that is organised!! Maybe when i get back from holiday.

(oh, and the very easiest way to start to shop for the baby is to sling a packet of plain white vests or babygrows in the trolley as you whizz round Tesco... once you've got one thing in a drawer it's easy to add to it, it's getting the first thing that's the hardest)

We did order our pushchair/pram this weekend and am now looking at carseats. Have to go to the hospital tomorrow for GTT. Means I miss the mornin at work so can't be all bad.

Have done nowt to our nursery, it just has some baby bits and bobs in it.

Hahahhaah to be honest Kite it's more the complete opposite and I'm far too laid back to get anything done. Having said that there is a touch of Irish temper that can arise on certain occasions...
Didn't know that those places did online lists - that could be handy indeed, thanks for the tip. Reckon you're definitely right about getting on with things on return from holiday to be honest, will be good timing. I don't want to be leaving it until too late to be running (well, extreme waddling) around in a last minute panic.
I've had the kicking for a good 5/6 weeks now and sometimes it really feels non-stop. I do 'tell it off' but very much with a smile as no matter what, it's very reassuring. One night when he was really going mad DH had a word with my bump and it did bizarrely calm down.

You know what Mrs Badger? I think what you said is EXACTLY the way to start. Little acorns and all that

I agree.

I went to Tesco's yesterday for burger buns and picked up a pack of beautiful white babygros (sleepsuits) with bears on them in size 0-3 months (only £4) as I only have 3 so far and then proceeded to go a bit mad and added nappies, sudocreme, sma gold and nappy sacks to my basket.

Got home without the burgers buns !! Bah !

Babylovesmuffins - am planning on buying the home birth hypnotherapy CD later today following reading around about them. Will let you know what I think of it. I figured it was a good, cheap way to hone my thinking towards the birth and am hoping it'll come in handy! Excellent news about your maternity entitlement, btw. I don't think employers realise what a big deal it is to know you've got that in the bag.

Hi TT - yep, Branston Hicks are when your stomach goes hard. Not sure whether I've had one yet (part of me thinks I'd know for sure) but I had a spreading pain across my side about two weeks ago, which I thought might be it. My 'medical' baby book reckons you usually start to get them from 28 weeks, but my MN book has people saying they've got them as early as 20 weeks. More on babycentre .

Italy sounded lovely, Kiteflying. Aw, glad you had a romantic pre-baby time of it

Oh yes, and re hospital must-haves... There's a good thread going somewhere, which prompted me to write down a just-in-case list (as am planning a home birth!). Following the advice there, I have so far:

Big proper (read granny) knickers (cheap ones will do)
Antibacterial hand wipes
Food - lots
Mineral water
Fruit juice
V soft loo roll
Tissues
Newborn babygrows
Magazines
Pillow from home
Make up and small mirror for photo opps
Nightie
Panty pads
Slippers
Money (for phone)
Sweets
Music
Arnica for bruising
Peppermint teabags
Flipflops (for shower, eugh)
Toothpaste
Dettox (tho someone said if it was gross to demand a cleaner)
Showergel/shampoo
Body oil/cream
Set of going-home clothes chosen by me (not DH)
Camera

Hahahahhaha oh Annie75 I love this one:

You are soooooooo spot on there !

That's because there was a cautionary tale in the MN pregnancy book where a woman said her going home clothes (hastily bunged together by her DH) were a pair of trainers, no socks, a skirt and top. And it was the middle of winter... No way am I going there...

TT - Think I may have the same as you. My bump has suddenly gone really hard and tight as well. Feel as though someone has put an elastic band around my waist! Have tried looking in my baby books and on the internet but no one really seems to cover it. Also do not worry about not having anything done, I am still waiting for our nursery to be plastered before I buy anything. Maybe I'm taking a little too laid back approach to it?

Hope everyones bank holiday weekend was lovely and relaxing!

My doula also strongly reccommends either bottles of lucocade or lucocade tablets. As you'll need the energy from the sugar for that last pushing phase and wou may not feel like eating so need to get some energy from somewhere.

As it's August I'm also adding a battery operated fan and a flannel so dh can did it in cool water and mop my brow and neck.

I didnt even think of that, but your right chosing your own clothes is so impt! Men are hopeless at that! Thanks for making me giggle on a dull, rainy tuesday afternoon!!

Really Ludiloops ? Glad it's not just me. I get them all the time, seriously. Also, when I need a wee it happens. Actually, am now wondering if I get the BH which makes me want to go or the wanting to go which causes the BH...hmmmm.....??

Hersetta, I love your story about the burger buns!

TT, I am not sure about on-line lists. I used the one on the back of the Mothercare catalogue and then cut out all the things named in the MN thread "Things you thought were a complete waste of money" and anything that we won't need in the first six months.

Annie75 I wrote down that list as well! I was intrigued by the thread as so many things came up that made me realise how isolated you can feel in a busy hospital. I certainly don't want my BF to have to go out for real food for example. I want him with me until we all three of us leave for home.

By the way I took away with me the first CD in our natal hypnotherapy set but was so busy and relaxed by other things that I am yet to try it. Time is ticking now though so I am getting it out tonight. I actually feel quietly confident in some of the active birth techniques we have learnt but as a "natural stress head" (my BF's term, not mine), I think the hypno will be hugely useful in staying calm.

Likewise, I also get them all the time. Some people say its normal at this stage but others say its not, so I'm not sure what to think really. I have noticed the baby moving more since I've got them as well. And I understand about it happening when you pee, I get that too. Glad someone else is getting these 'feelings' as well. I will look into it more this evening (only have computer at work at the mo) and let you know 2mrw if I come up with anything!

Well will be very interested in anything you find out Ludiloops. Spoke to a friend of mine (who had to deliver her sister's baby last week as it was so quick and the midwife didn't make it in time!!!) and she said that her sister (having her third) had had them from very early on, something like 13/14 weeks.
Funny you should say that about the things you don't need lists Kite, I put a 'watch' on them as really could understand what a load of useless stuff you might be persuaded you needed and most definitely didn't.

Can I ask a silly question?
All you girls who are stocking up on formula now, have you decided in advance not to bf?
Or is it as a backup plan?

Just a backup, though to be honest I don't want to 100% breatfeed as i want DH to be involved in feeding and I want baby to get used to being bottle fed with formula asap as i have to go back to work at 16 weeks so don't want to be in a position where I am back at work and having to express all the time as baby is refusing formula milk.

Just hope baby goes along with my plan!

TT, I just saw a thread here from a woman due in October who thinks she is having BH. So obviously it is possible.

I put a watch on those threads too, and the thread on the hospital bag that Annie referred to. MN is better than most catalogues.

Mrs Badger, my BF thought we should have some "in case" formula, but I really don't want to even go there as I want to assume I can feed baby myself. What do you think - do think it is a jinx to have some put aside?