Due in July Part FOUR - gather here!

[Cyee]

Can't believe we need more space... again...

Agnes, it's second time for me and my labour bag is going to be much smaller. Honestly. All the rubbish I took in my first time. Music? Way too distracted to even think of it. Snacks? Threw up my first Jaffa cake as soon as I ate it. Massage oil? 'Don't even touch me...' to DH. But I suppose it's good to have all that stuff, just in case - don't want to put anyone off, but won't be taking it myself this time! Things I really appreciated - facial mist spray, new pyjamas and towels, and nice smelly products for showering afterwards.

For me, I'll have manky tee shirt for labour, pyjamas for after, my own towel and smellies. Also, a bottle of juice with sugar in it. They didn't let me eat before, but I was allowed to drink, and sugar is good when you're not allowed to eat:/ Might take a book too, it gets boring if there's a quiet period.

For the spawn, it'll be a handfull of nappies, cotton wool, a couple of vests and babygros and a cardi and hat. Car seat too, but that goes without saying. Aiming to get everything in one bag this time. Maybe even just dump it all in the carseat

Agnes

Forgot to mention knickers and pads (for boobs and pants).

Can you imagine forgetting to pack those?! >_<

Agnes

Hi all,

Well I've decided to join the sleep deprived club through no choice of my own I hasten to add
DD2 woke up last night at 3.15am after a bad dream I think and subsequently woke up dd1. NEITHER of them went back to slepp
Delivered dd2 to grandparents house at 9am and she was fast asleepWell lucky her !! I've got to work all day today, collect the girls cook tea give them a bath and then to bed!!.... sorry rant over
On a happier note;
I would defo recommend a home birth, I ordered a birthing pool for dd2 unfortunatly it arrived the day AFTER she was born (she was 5 days early) still saved me some money. So i'm planning on having bump3 on dry land as it's worked really well with the other 2.Builders still plodding away at our extension. I'm slightly concerned that it's not going to be as big as I had first hope for but at least we'll have an upstairs bathroom
I'm on leave from next week for 2 weeks then in work for 6 days before I go off on leave until my maternity leave kicks in. It's very weird leaving 5 weeks before I'm due as I normally work up until the last possible minute. Hopefully I'll be able to go swimming to get rid of my awful leg cramps .
Anywya hope you're all well.
Big hugs
saf

Afternoon all!

Twoplusone - So sorry to hear about your ankle. It is so easy to sprain/pull/trip in this condition isn't it! Take care of yourself.

Agnes - Good luck with your phone call.

Abgirl - Glad you had fun at the zoo!

Bilblio - Good tip for the lavender, thank you

Justaboutmanaging - So sorry to hear about your lose it session. I had a similar experience with a Maeve Binchy....long story short the husband died and I was on the train crying my eyes out! Threw the book away on my way off!

I'm pleased to announce that I feel less hormonal today (wooohoooooo!)...may have something to do with the fact that I have booked myself a client appointment this afternoon (which means I am going to get my hair cut!) and I have booked tomorrow off! Trying to think of small ways to make myself feel better and to get through the next 6 weeks of work! Rather daunting thought but going to take it one week at a time.

I feel pretty pleased with myself because we have the nursery ready and I am now thinking about stuff I need to buy for LO. Not going to go mad because it seems that people do want to buy you things! Excellent!

Okay heres a question: When you go into hospital do you need your own gown to give birth in? DO I need an old nightie or will I be given one? Should I take old PJ's for afterwards? Sorry if thats a silly question but haven't done it before and don't want to be turning up with old pj's or brand new white silk ones for that matter

Thanks all and have a great afternoon - albeit rainy!

Sorry, it seems I was writing on an old session and have missed out replying to half the posts! Please don't think me rude!

Love to you all

Myfairone;
I would take an old nighty. When I had DD1 I wore a very cheap HUGE nighty that I had bought for about 4 quid. Remember to take a dressing gown as you might leak as I did and wasn't aware of it until I went to the bathroom and saw blood on the bottom of my HUGE nighty . I was lucky and left the same day so I wouldn't know about having to stay in.
HTH.

Forgot to ask;
Would anyone be interested in buying a double tandem buggy?
I'm selling mine for £35.00 but would have to consider p&p unless local (Bristol)as it is quite heavy.

Had midwive this afternoon and seen one I havent seen before.. she frightened me in a way.. saying I am measuring small..(which I havent until now) and her comment when feeling the position of the baby was.."oh baby is very small when is your next scan.. oh we will leave it till then then!!" Next scan is days away.. I am worrying a bit as this is how things started with DD I measured small.. but they got me in straight away for a ascan.. Will just have to keep an eye on the movements.. and gofrom there..

Myfairone,

I suggest you take some cheap nighties/ big tshirts to give birth in. However, once I'd thrown up and my waters had broken, i'd run out of my own so ended up in a hospital gown.

In terms of hospital bags, I found there was loads I took and didn't need (ghetto blaster/CDs, books (too knackered to read afterwards, and too busy staring at new baby), snacks (couldn't hold anything down). But then each day my DH had to bring a whole new bag with him - lots more pads, clean nighties, bath towels, baby clothes, nappies, snacks, drinks as I was in a lot longer than expected.

I would also recommend packing earplugs or an IPOD etc as you will find it hard to rest if you are in a ward with lots of crying babies. You should still be able to tune into your LOs cries as they don't block out the noise entirely.

Have also just had frightening appointment with my GP. Looks like I've got pre eclampsia and she wanted to ship me off to hospital there and then. I've heard lots of stories whereby once they take you in they don't let you out again so I begged and pleaded until she agreed to let me try 24 hours bedrest at home to see if that reduces my blood pressure and then I see her again tomorrow (my birthday!) for a final decision.

I was half expecting this because both my Mum and my sister had it but am still quite freaked out. I could just about cope with bedrest at home but not sure I can bear the idea of spending weeks in hospital. Obviously don't want to put LO at risk though.

Any tips for getting my blood pressure down would be much appreciated... I guess getting off the computer and going to bed would be a good start although I'm now desperarely ordering baby things off the internet! Have just finished work so was looking forward to leisurely wandering round the shops and meeting friends for luch etc. I guess that idea is out of the window now!

As for books the one that had me in tears almost every night and demanding DH called me whenever he went anywhere to say that he'd arrived safely was 'PS I Love You'. I wasn't even pregnant at that stage so I dread to think what my hormones would make of it now!

Hope everyone else is doing ok xx

weddingcake- please take care. did they give you any warning as to soem sort of symptoms.. (flshing lights) etc that if you get these to go straight up to the hospital.. Please take care of your self hope all goes well tommorrow.. Thinking of you hun.xx

weddingcake sory to hear of your news. i had pre eclampsia with dd1 and if it is that i dont think there's much you can do to control your bp, bedrest would obviously keep it lower than rushing around but i was on bed rest in hosp and it still increased. did u have protein in your urine? how many + did u have if you did? i felt fine when they discovered mine but by the next day had the whole flashing lights, headaches etc and i actually went on to eclampsia in 24 hours. your gp is probably just very aware of the fast onset type. but everyone is different in how it affects them.the midwives and docs are very competant when dealing with PE though so try to stay positive and I hope everything goes well for you.

Weddingcake- try not to worry. Keep a look out for any signs, as it can be very serious, but it may just be a momentary blip in your BP, which is what I had at around 39 weeks. My BP, always low (110/60) went to something ridiculous and my midwife rang the hospital straight away to book me in and told me to take my hospital bag as I could be induced if it didn't go down. My DH had to miss his works Christmas lunch and meet me there, but after a few hours, it had gone down gradually so I was allowed home. It seemed like a lot of fuss over nothing, but better to be safe than sorry, so please go to hospital if you get any symptoms.

I should make it clear, my message refers to my last pregnancy, not this one, just in case anyone is confused!

You're all so lovely you're making me cry! They were very good about telling me what to look out for and apart from feeling tired (but don't we all!) so far, I feel fine in myself.

I don't fully understand the whole blood pressure thing because I always thought it was the top number that they took most notice of so was sitting there quite proudly when I noticed that that had actually come down from my last check (130 to 116!) but then realised that my gp was looking frazzled and the bottom number had gone from 78 to 94. That combined with protein in my urine (but I'm not sure how much and in all the chaos it didn't get written on my notes) was what started them talking about sending me off to hospital.

I'm guessing if it was really really dramatic she'd have ignored my begging and pleading and insisted I go to hospital if only to cover her own back so I just hope that if it stays stable and I promise to stay still and alert for further symptoms, they'll let me stay at home for a while longer at least.

I think the other thing that really scares me is having to spend my entire labour in hospital if I do end up going in or even being induced. I'd so hoped to stay at home for as long as possible but at the end of the day as long as there's a healthy baby at the end of all this I guess I'll just have to do what it takes.

Lots of Love to you all xx

Justaboutmanaging- I couldn't have put it better myself.

Weddingcake- as you may know both Abgirl & I had PE in our last pregnancies & unfortunately the rapidly developing severe sort. The day I was admitted was the day DS was delivered- at 30 weeks. I know only too well the terror. But they have to do what is best for you & the baby- I had dreamt of a water birth etc.... I had nothing ready for the baby... But I know how lucky I am to have my son with me now. I really, really hope if you do have PE that it isn't too severe and with bedrest you have a good few more weeks to keep little one cooking. Trust the doctors and try not to worry. I am sending you huge sympathetic hugs (((((( )))))

I too had bad news today. My LO is measuring 2 weeks behind in growth, and amniotic fluid is a bit low. They too are suspecting the dreaded PE as this can be a very early symptom of something going wrong. They did a pile of blood tests (which you'll probably get tomorrow Weddingcake!) and allowed me home, but if any of the results come back awry tomorrow they want to admit me straight away. I am gutted, and now trying to pack a bag in case this does happen. We live 1.5hrs away from the hospital and the thought of being stuck that far away from DS (& DP!) makes me very sad... But I know we have to do whatever we can for the sake of this LO & my health. Just praying now that this is just a 'blip'.... Only 29wks and want to get further if possible!!

For more info on PE (symptoms, treatment etc.) please take a look at:
APEC website - it is really useful & their helpline too is great. It saddens me so much they still know so little about this scarily common disease.

Really hope the rest of you are having happier days! Big hugs- take care & keep healthy! xxxx

sending you lots of hugs madmumNika ((((((((((())))))))))) really hoping that all goes well for you and LO. I remember the lack of fluid from my PE being the reason my dd1 was born at only 5lb at 39 weeks. I agree with you completely about how scary PE can be and how quickly this condition can take hold. i've got my fingers crossed that your tests come back ok tomorrow and that goes for weddingcake too. try and be strong x x

Thank you Huskygirl & Justaboutmanaging... just packed my bag- hoping in a strange way this will mean I won't need it! Finding it hard not to get really down, not quite sure what to do with myself. ..just hanging on to the hope that this is not PE... The strange thing is that DS didn't show any IUGR...he was born at 30 weeks weighing 1.36kg (pretty good- 3lb exact), whereas this little one is only 1kg at the moment & is only a few days younger gestationally.... Maybe it will pile on the weight in the next couple of weeks! I feel ok and am trying to hang on to that....

Twoplusone- hope when you get your scan your LO isn't too small....seems there are a few of us going through or who went through this before... (((((( )))))

Goodnight lovely ladies & bumps, I'm off to try to get an early night! DP has said he'll do the washing up (though he's back in work at the moment!)... so tempted to just do it but going to take it easy as ordered!

madmumNika, hope everything goes ok for you, i'll be thinking of you xxx

Ladies, just wanted to ask if anyones had contraction like pains recently????
Had severe backache on Sunday, thought i was going into labour, these lasted about 15-20 minutes then got them tonight again, though it was lower back and lower stomache, these were so severe i was crying with the pain, managed to run a hot bath, even struggled to get undressed, but once i was in the bath the pain soon disappeared, anyone any ideas???
I have started packing my bag just incase

Myfairone, im taking a few large tshirts for labour and a few cheap nightshirts for in hospital, last time i bought lovely jammies and they got ruined with me bleeding so heavily.

Hope everyones keeping well xxx

Thinking of you today MadMumNika. I woke up far too early this morning in anticipation of my doctor's appointment and am now trying to think calm low blood pressure thoughts.

Sounds like lots of us are starting to have a few problems so big hugs to all and here's to coming out the other side with happy healthy babies xx

madmumnika ad weddingcake.. just sending you both hugs for today and good wishes ((((((((((()))))))))
madmumnika- The midwife hada me dweeker not own yesterday as feeling more like a 28weeker not 30+4.. Still not very happy about things as Ihavent got my scan till 21st.. just going to keep an eye on the movements..... My Dh keeps saying everything will be fine darling.. They probably will but I just keep thinking of my first pg.. and it is worrying me.. sorry to go on..

Lynnec- the pains could be BH not sure if you can get these in your back though, but would have thought you could depending on how the baby is laying.. as if you can labour theough your back surly the BH is the same..

Good luck all , and take care.
xxxx