Due in July Part Five - The Final Furlong

[Caroline1852]

We have run out of space on the other thread.

Stigaloid, if the pram was bought new then it should be fit for its purpose (purpose of pram is to wheel baby and purpose of hood is to keep out rain/wind - if it does not popper up it is not fit for purpose). It is best though if your mother takes this up with the shop where she bought the pram as she was the one who bought it and legally therefore she is the one with whom the shop formed a contract.

Melissa.......IRONING BABY CLOTHES?

Had an hour long down pour this evening and so hopefully tonight will be a little more comfortable than last. Saw a couple of frogs hopping across the lawn to sort out my slugs.

Also had a massive barney with Debenhams online. Had ordered a 4 seasons duvet from them Saturday 2nd which had a 'usually delivered within 7 days' post on it. Great I thought, except this morning I received a letter saying I SHOULD have it by 30th June! The top and bottom of it is, it is in stock at the warehouse, the couriers haven't picked it up so I WON'T get it tomorrow, but they still can't guarantee when I will get it! Oh and because the invoice has been attached (?) I can't cancel the flipping order. WHY THE FLIP NOT. Spoke to my local shop who DO have them in stock, they are half price because they are in the sale next week, and I can come and pick one up tomorrow at half price, even though the sale doesn't start 'til next week. Even crying and saying it's too hot, I have a 17 month baby and am 18 months pregnant didn't help when speaking to the online people. Dh rang back later and worked out that if we don't sign for it and send it back with the courier, then we will get a refund anyway....SO WHY THE FLIP DIDN'T THE STUPID WOMAN TELL ME THAT WHEN I WAS TRYING TO CANCEL IN THE FIRST PLACE.

JennsterFroglover (love the name ) Sorry to hear you had all that 'aggravation' with the online store! I had a similar situation with a garden store online and got so stressed out over it I cried!

Hope you manage to work it out and I hope after all this you like the bloody duvet!!!!

Jennster, am to hear you are 18 months pregnant...

I feel 18 months pregnant this morning.

Good morning- I'm home
Spent most of evening/night at hospital while they did lots of tests but am still officially PE-free- yey! BP is a bit all over the place but got a fair few 'normal' readings so they let me go. Told to rest more with feet up! I am my own worst enemy as not very good at sitting still.... Have to see midwife again this afternoon for yet another BP check but am glad we got properly checked out...Hopefully we will still get past 36 weeks which is my next goal!

Jennster- hope the duvet issue is resolved- don't you HATE 'wasting' so much time trying to get companies to do simple things...

Hope the heat is subsiding for those in hot parts of the UK... It's cooler here finally but really want some proper rain to clear the air (& my head!).

Glad things went well at the hospital MadMumNika.

If any of you are thinking of taking raspberry leaf tea/capsules, I've just been to Holland and Barrett and they are doing the capsules at 50% off. Worth a try I guess! Told me that I could take them from 35 wks.

Glad to hear it's good news mmnika! Get your feet up and get your DS fetching and carrying for you, they love it - my DS was sweeping the floor for about half an hour this morning, not sure he picked any dirt up but did move it around very effectively.

Have seen the midwife again this morning and baby's head is fully engaged! Think my DH is in but I've suddenly got very excited and can't wait for LO to arrive...

Good news MMNika.

Giggling at your DS moving the dirst around Abgirl. Sounds like me!

Agree with the advice about your pram Stigaloid. I would expect M&P to be pretty decent about such an obvious error.

Thanks for the tip Catz. I am thinking of doing the raspb tea thing - read about research done in Australia where it seemed to mean shorter labours... at least one part was quicker I think.

Anyone here doing perineal massage? I keep meaning to, but.. well... keep finding other things to do!

Keep well everyone.

Glad things are looking better for you Madmumnika and catz. LOL at your ds sweeping abgirl, my 21-month-old ds was sweeping up for ages this morning too - until he realised it was funnier to poke my bum with the handle end while I was making his porridge!

I read somewhere that it was 34 weeks onwards for raspberry leaf tea. That's what I've got lined up for tomorrow which is when I hit that time. Also the first appointment with midwife for 6 weeks...

Yes I'm feeling 18 months pregnant too, getting really uncomfortable and tired. And still really hormonal!!! Can't wait for that bit to be over with now. I spent the weekend struggling with tears and being really depressed, because I'd read a chapter in a novel about two little boys being deported to Auschwitz. My poor dh was really stumped at what to say to cheer me up from that one.

Cyee I tried perineal massage last time round, not sure how good it was as I still needed stitches, but who knows how many more I might have needed if I hadn't? It did feel a bit weird and I haven't felt quite the same about the smell of olive oil ever since then! (Sorry if that has put anyone off...) I might give it another go, as long as I can get some peace and quiet to do it in - bad enough trying to go to the loo with a little boy pointing between your legs shouting "Poo?"!

Thanks Groveregg! Hilarious about the poo pointing. I got some almond oil which smells ok actually... so maybe I'll have a go!

DH keeps nagging me to do perineal massage. Have tried a few times, but finding it awkward to reach and really don't want to have to ask for a hand

Debating whether or not to (try to) see a doctor. Have had UTI for a few weeks - no one believed me for ages that I really was having problems and it wasn't just normal late preg urge to wee frequently. Got antibiotics yesterday and feeling a little better today (though off work again as is worse moving around). But last week noticed a swelling on my tummy which was tender to touch. GP noted it yesterday when I saw her re UTI but didn't say much about it. May or may not be related to UTI, but is still tender. Not sure if should tyr to get appointment or give it a bit longer adn see it it subsides?

Debenhams schnebenhams. Duvet turned up this morning with courier who hadn't picked it up yesterday and couldn't possibly deliver it today. He was mighty peed off when I said they told me not to sign for it and send it back. Anyway got to the store having tackled 3 lifts to get to the top floor with push chair, only to be told that it wasn't half price afterall! Started crying again. Have got sciatica really badly in left leg. When I explained everything, they gave it to me for the price they quoted for goodwill. Was also having a major chargrilled steak craving so spent the difference on the steak for lunch with dh and dd. The garlic butter it came with was fabulous. Made it all worthwhile, but how I am going to manage my last 3 days at work with sciatica I don't know. Last time I had it I used a heat pad which was fabulous. In this weather though I don't think it will be quite so helpful.

18 months pregnant! 8 I meant.

Did perineal massage last time and got no stitches. Was only 8 hour labour too. Not got round to doing this time coz I used to do it before I got in the bath, which nowadays is shared with dd who charges round like a lunatic until she gets in. I used the raspberry leaf capsules and tablets too.

I used the raspberry leaf capsules last time from around 37 weeks. Took it mainly in the hope it would induce labour - I was still 1 week overdue. Not sure it shortened my labour, but it is meant to help get the uterus to contract afterwards too, so worth taking it for a few weeks before and after.

I also tried fresh pineapple, a membrane sweep and lots of sex to induce labour but to no avail! The sex was enjoyable, but the membrane sweep was very uncomfortable!

Didn't do any perineal massage last time, but maybe should have done as had episiotomy plus 2 tears!

Baby had finally moved from being breech to being 3/5ths engaged- I feel a bit sorry for him really, as he's making all this effort to get into position (and is now unable to do his somersaults) and he will suddendly be pulled into the world via my belly! It might be a bit of a shock for him...

Hiya to all you July mums!! I started off with you and then was in REALLY bad form and couldnt face the internat or the world in general, and then got out of teh habit of MN. However, desperation for other suffering pregnant people has driven me back!!

Just to remind you - Im 34 weeks, 2 LO (DD is 3 and DS is 1), and I live in N Ireland. Hey Madmum - are you also a fellow N Irish mum? Where are you from taht takes you 1.5 hours to go to the hospital? I live in the sticks but Im only 45 mins from mine!!

Im swollen up, cant WAIT to have my body back, feel v hormonal and emotional adn also v isolated. ANyone else feel like that?

Hi dewmeadow- I'm up on the north coast & only 15 mins from Causeway Hospital but due to previous complications got booted down to the Royal Maternity Hospital...hence the 1.5hrs (hate the Westlink!!). Glad you have come back to join us in these last few weeks! Hope you are doing ok! I'm English but moved over here 5.5 yrs ago for work, met DP (who's from here) & never left!

Re. perineal massage, a midwife friend really recommends it, she said to try sweet almond oil so going to buy some next time I go into town...In the hope I get my VBAC!! She also said raspberry leaf tea in tablet form can be taken from 34 weeks- it doesn't induce labour but should shorten it by making your contractions more effective. As I missed all this with DS I'm willing to give anything a go this time if it might make the experience more pleasant!

Welcome back dewmeadow, I was wondering about you the other day! I remember that early on we were both suffering with our hormones really badly - hope it hasn't been too hideous for you. I keep consoling myself with the fact that it's only a few weeks to go (and forever for me, never again!), we've done 34 weeks of this so we're nearly there!

NEVER again!!

Im dfinitely going to try the raspberry leaf tea and almond oil, in the hope I get my vbac. I had a normal with no 1 and emergency with no2 because he was half reared when he came out - 10lb 2

MM - I live in South Derry, so my antenatal is in MAgherafelt but I have to go to Antrim for the birth - they (the b**tards) closed the maternity unit in Magherafelt last summer.

Anyone else have cramps in their legs or restless legs at night? Im SHATTERED and yet when I go to bed I cant sleep, and when I do, I wake up to go to teh loo (or Rory - DS - wakens)

(NEVER EVER EVER EVER again)

Glad you got your steak Jennsternewname Mmm... steak. Sounds like a right palaver with Debs. Grrr....

Welcome back DewMeadow - been wondering where you got to and glad all's well. Welll... as well as you can be when you're swollen up, knackered, massive, hormonal, running around after your other wains... siggghhh.

Right - will get my sweet almond oil going, along with some raspberry leaf stuff.

Have a good evening all.

well you have all been chatty..

Hope everyone is ok.

I have suddenly become really tired again.. and really starting to feel 8mnths pg.

Take care all
xx

Dewwmeadow if I so much as tense my foot at night I get cramp yuk you ahve my sympathies. I had really fond memories of being pg with ds but it is not fun this time with a toddler and I have been thinking never again aswell (but .. well ... maybe who knows ... once more might not be so terrible )

MadmumNika I was looking at those tablets today but got put off because it said from 38 weeks on the label maybe I will get some after all. I had the tea last time and went over and had a long labour but app my uterus contracted 'nicely', they all commented on it lol.

Hmmm Jenster you have inspired me I always wondered if the oil was supposed to be left on. I always have morning showers but it would give me a good reason to ask dp to run me a bath each evening while I read ds his bed time story

sorry thats as far down as I got hope I havent missed too much and hi all x

And you can add rose essential oil to the oil, but didn't add it until the last couple of weeks. Will look into the proprotions and when you can use the smelly one when I can find my book.

As for cramps, all those careful manoeuvres to get in and out of bed like your midwife tells you, and then you get cramp and are hopping across the room with the duvet like a flash of lightening while your dp/dh is lying their groaning.