sleeplessness, toothache, hip pain - the joys of being due August 2007 !!

[tokentotty]

Now that's all out of the way in the thread title we've all got to head down the "things can and will only get better now" ok?? All ailments stop and nothing but good things will befall us all.

Right.

Morning everyone. Thanks for posting Betty's list TT. I am sure everyone will find it helpful. How are you finding life out of the office?

Sorry you had such an awful time at the hospital mumtogeorge - must have been so worrying for you. Hopefully it is behind you now and you will know for next time that baby is just enjoying a game of rugby tackle with your innards!

Conker, let us know what your parentcraft class is like. We start our hospital classes later this week and I am tossing up doing another active birth centre class on early parenting. Apart from learning our nappy folds as far as I can see the first couple of months will be lots of love and breastfeeding, wind after feeding, watch out for signs of colic or other feeding problems, sleep when you can and attend to what comes out the other end. Is this really simplistic? I like to think it will be rather instinctive.

We had a fab weekend with a natal hypnotherapy teacher and six other couples. No pencils dropping to the floor in this one, but lots of work on our self belief and confidence in ability to give birth naturally, and to stay calm whatever happens. I thought it might be repetitive, as we already have the set of CDs but it was in fact really inspiring and practical. We learnt techniques for birth partners getting you "back" from being strung out or forgetting to breathe properly and did lots of practice self-hypnosis/relaxation sessions. We are really looking forward to the birth now, so if anyone is thinking about doing this but is a bit sceptical I would say go for it. Incredibly, my DP really wants us to practice for an hour a night for the next few weeks.

Any more exciting purchases by anyone? I know katybird had her John Lewis personal shopping trip on Saturday. Anyone else? I did laugh at your story Babylovesmuffins!

Happy monday ladies.

Had an Ok, if uncomfy weekend. Baby feels like she is much lower in my pelvis and is very uncomfy now when I need to go for a wee- which lets face it is most of the time. Feel like I am getting a pregnancy waddle now although this does go away when I've been to the loo. DH is being lovely though and keeps checking on me, rubbing my tummy and talking to the baby - very sweet.

Only 32 weeks today as well so feels like a long haul ahead. Scan and consultants on thurday afternoon so am looking forward to seeing baby again - really interested to know what she weighs already and what they anticipate her weighing at birth which might cut doen on the baby clothes in my hospital bags as I have newborn and 0-3 in there at the moment.

Had tickets for Wimbledon on saturday - first time ever got decent tickets in the ballot and thanks to the bloody rain we saw just an hours play - bah!

Feel tired and grumpy today - think the last two weeks of getting no more than 90 mins sleep at a time at night is getting to me. Also have woken up on my back the last two mornings which I know is a big no-no and am feeling dead guilty about it.

First weekend for ages which didn't include buying a single baby thing - although postie did deliver light shade for nursery on saturday morning. It is beautiful and I love it and has already been cooed over by MIL. cgi.ebay.co.uk/MILLIE-AND-BORIS-BARNABY-BEAR-PETER-RABBIT-LAMPSHADE_W0QQitemZ180135093699QQih Z008QQcategoryZ20428QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem we got the Peter Rabbit one to match the stickers we put on the walls - click on the last photo to see it.

Hello all.

Thanks for that list TT. Good to see I haven't gone far wrong. Still a few things to get though. How is maternity leave treating you so far??

Have got lots of breast pads in too, thanks Mum2George. Anyone know what the Kamillosan is for - is it nappy rash? I think I saw some in boots at the weekend and I'm sure you can use it for nipple cream as well. Got some Lansinoh anyway and tested it out as I'm very allergic to lanolin. No nasty reaction and actually the instructions say that it's such a pure form of lanolin that even people with sheep's wool and lanolin product allergies can use it. Great news!

Conker - how brave of you to go to Dunoon with a group of disadvantaged kids at 35+ weeks. I can barely manage walking round the shopping centre without completely losing the plot at the moment!! My hands have swollen up in the last few weeks too, which I wasn't expecting as I have very long, thin fingers and my rings used to slide on and off quite easily, although now my fingers bear close resemblance to a pack of sausages. Nice.

Kite - I'm so glad to hear that you found Hypnobirthing/Natal Hypno really useful. We start our 4-week course this Sunday and not sure what to expect. Poor DH will be spending most of this month at Hypno, NCT and the NHS ante-natal classes!

Hersetta - I can totally relate to the tiredness and grumpiness atm. I have good days and bad days atm and it's all down to how much sleep I've managed to get the night before. I've been waking up on my back too and, like you, have felt a bit guilty about it but apparently it's better to get some sleep in any position, rather than none at all. Our bodies let us know if there's a problem, which is probably why we're waking up at that point. That light-shade is fab!!

BLM,

Just been to boots to buy a couple of bits and the Kamillosan is used for cracked nipples and nappy rash. Didn't bother to get it as already have the lansinoh and sudocreme in my hospital bad. Did pick up some gripe water and some bibs though.

I too am puzzled why you would need soooo much savlon - can you fill us in TT.

Glad I'm not the only grumpy one BLM - think baby knows my mood as well as she has been fairly quiet for her today. Will have to tell DH to keep out of my way as well I suppose.

hi everyone - i've had an eventuful day so far. saw midwife this morning for my 34 week appt - and ended up at day care as baby's heartbeat was very high - fortunately after lying down and getting monitored for 30 min all was fine (though getting lots of braxtons hicks - which i can't always feel...). i've also got loads of sugar in my urine so off for GTT tomorrow. they did random blood test today (no results yet). i really hate getting blood taken as it's always difficult for them to find veins. they joys!

conkertree - i've been getting sore hands for a few weeks now - feels like they are quite swollen and sore to move them.

TT - i too am intrigued as why savlon disinfectant is needed nevermind 2-3 bottles!?

Hi everyone, thanks for the list TT! Also puzzled about the savlon. A friend told me about the vaseline last week - smother baby's bum in it for the first nappy and you won't spend two hours trying to scrape off the meconium with cotton wool and water.

Glad you're ok myweegirl, hope the GTT goes ok too. I'm the same with blood tests, my veins are very elusive. I thought I'd had my last one at my 28-week appointment but the blood clotted so I had to go back again, v annoying!

As kite said we went to John Lewis for the nursery appointment on Saturday and it was fab, really helpful. I was completely against getting a trendy buggy but now I think we're going for the Bugaboo Gecko, which was a bit of a revelation! There's a newish one on eBay so fingers crossed we won't have to pay full price. I've just ordered paint for the nursery too so I finally feel like I'm on top of things.

Kite, how was the osteopath? Forgot to ask yesterday.

I'm taking disinfectant too just in case the showers/ sinks are dirty in the hospital. Oh and gel handwash from Marksys! Perhaps the savlons for that?

I've bought some Flash wipes for the bathroom in the hospital. Don't know where I got tip from, might have been Bananabump.

The other things I've packed today are Lavendar Oil, for my pillow at night. I always have difficulty sleeping in hospitals and hopefully it will help, and some of the Nivea Lip Balm that is coloured, I've had the browny one.

Think after Saturday night I ought to be a bit more prepared. They were talking of keeping me in at one point as they thought the baby was in distress.

They were really nice though and said about 3 times that if it happens again to go straight back. Apparently, when you get way too many movements the baby can be in distress.

Myweegirl, sounds like you are having a fun day too! Hope everything calms down soon.

Hope everyone's having a good day, I've been naughty and went back to be "for an hour" at 10am and woke up at 3pm, so haven't done anything round the house at all, what a lazy arse!

Hey that vaseline tip for the meconium is a good one, myweegirl, I'll do that!

I think I have almost everything for the hospital bag now apart from some lansinoh and arnica, my nightmare is going into labour with no clean clothes to wear on the way there or back, since I have so few which fit now.

Oh, TMI alert by the way: we tried that perineal massage thing yesterday, and I think we did it wrong or something cos it kinda hurt and dp kept saying "how am I sposed to get both thumbs in there? my arms down bend that way!" LOL

My arms don't bend that way, even. Gah, was laughing as I typed and my writings gone all weird.

We've been doing perineal massage for a few weeks and we've found it tricky as well. The diagrams we have don't involve thumbs though. Calling it massage is a bit misleading too, it's bloody painful!

bananbump - sure i read that it was meant to hurt to start with as bits get stretched so you are probably doing it right. havent had the inclination to try it really - am uncomfortable enough as it is these days without another thing to add - although i suppose it might make it better in the long run.

will report back tomorrow on this class tonight. am quite looking forward to it now.

isn't it meant to feel like when you put your fingers in the corners of your mouth and pull to make a frog-face?
any more painful than that and I'd worry...

(am too lazy to bother yet, also too tired - never mind a BadgerCub, it feels like I have a pair of cats fighting in there )

Haha - that's exactly what it feels like, MrsB. It did occur to me that maybe they tell you to do it so that you're already familiar with the weird stretching sensation and don't get freaked out.

Went and saw my consultant today - was meant to be my last scan - and baby still breech . I know it sounds pathetic as the most important thing is that my baby is healthy (and it's spot-on for growth, so hooray) but I don't want a c-section, I want to give birth. Already they're trotting out the 'studies have shown it's best' lines at me. Makes me feel a bit tearful I keep thinking it would mean 5 days in a hospital without my DH, having to try and breastfeed with other people's visitors around me and then having to contend with recovery from a major op. Anyway, rah rah, am going to do everything I can to help it turn. Good news is that the baby has hair which is just what I dreamt the other night

Sorry you had a scare Myweegirl - hope all seems calmer now.

How many weeks are you now, Annie? Seems mine is breech too at 32 weeks.

Hope they turn soon!

Annie, one study, only one study ten years ago which has since been disproven, stated that natural deliveries were not safe. The reason it is not safe now is that in the five years it took to disprove the study no midwives were trained in breech deliveries and now there are barely any midwives or doctors trained to deliver breech babies.

I take on board all the stuff about the head coming last, but to be fair if you have been in labour for a while delivering the rest of the baby's body, your birth canal has had plenty of time to stretch and open up enough for even a large head.

If you don't want a c-section why don't you try talking to people about where you might find a breech experienced (really experienced) midwife.

Sorry to sound so grrr - especially as I have never given birth before - but this same statistic has come up in both my ante-natal courses so I know that they opt for c-section to protect themselves rather than because it is really the only option.
It is obviously your choice and if you feel safer (but sadder) with a c-section go for it. But the other thing is why book it - the baby could turn during labour and if it doesn't you can still go for a section after a first stage natural labour couldn't you? It is not like that option disappears during natural labour.

Hi Ceolas. Am 34 + 3. Really want a home birth too, which is why I think I'm feeling a bit miserable about it as it means considering another way of having the baby. But, just posted on the pregnancy board asking if anyone's babies turned after 34 weeks and it seems that quite a lot don't turn until 37 weeks! That's quite comforting.

Here's the thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=49&threadid=349297&stamp=070702172905

Thanks, Kite for your nice posting I've read the same stuff. When I started quoting the study back at the doc with the percieved probs with it, she practically rolled her eyes at me. I do get fed up when they get all pissy with you when you show you've done your research too - I asked her what methods I could try for turning the baby naturally (though I know because of MN) and she said there wasn't anything I could do. Can you believe it?!

I'm game to labour naturally and see how it goes should it be breech, but DH is getting twitchy. I might also see if I can find out if there's a really experienced midwife round here in breech deliveries. Seeing usual midwife tomorrow, to assess my home for a home birth. Wonder what she'll say...

A girl at our yoga class had a breech and her midwife was happy for her to have a home birth, although in the end she had to go into hospital because the baby stopped moving down the birth canal. It's definitely worth finding someone who is experienced in breech births, the hospital can't force you into having a c-section when you don't want one and it's much better to prepare for the birth you want and be relaxed about it, then make a decision once labour begins.

It makes me angry too, women had been having breech babies for millennia before the c-section was invented!

Take your DH to hypno classes. Mine has gone from "what if ....goes wrong" to being really excited and contemplating a home birth.
Men are naturally twitchy about birth because they can only spectate I think.
If there are breech midwives at your hospital, you could request one with a view to going for a c-section on her advice only - maybe your DH would go for that??
I heard a story on another thread about a head midwife actually switching rotas around so a breech midwife would be on when the lady was due to come in.
By the way, I don't like the sound of that doctor. You are entitled to know as much as you can if you are faced with a decision about major surgery. How arrogant!

yes, also what kaybird said. We have had a few breech presentations in our yoga class.

oh ...g iven up - too much here..

made it back from mum's with car seat, and bump still in the right place!
Had such bad cramp on friday night, in both calves, i couldn't stand up, as both feet were dead in line with legs - my GOD that hurt!

DS good as gold - but got stuck on M25 on way home today - DS needed a pee. 5 miles of solid traffic away from Clackett Lane... pulled onto hard shoulder, and waved him in the air to get him to wee...a long comes Police Car, sirens blazing..... Dirty looks all round - good thing they didn't stop - just realisd my tax disc has expired..... !!

1 st proper mat leave, boy free, day tomorrow.....hurrah!

Just survived an eventful weekend, sorry if this goes on too long...

Saturday: Tour of hospital I plan to give birth in, all lovely and lots of positive vibes.

Sunday: NCT antenatal class, very informative and not at all biased as some people had warned me it may be. Covered birth options, pain relief and lots of other useful things DH more knowledgable than I had been giving him credit for - think he has secretly been doing his own research!

Drive home is where it all went wrong... we were driven into from behind at low speed. No damage to cars so went home just a little shaken. DH called midwife for advice and she suggested going in to be monitored.
Once on machine the midwife said that my uterus was contracting and it wasn't BH. Cue panic mode! The strangest thing was that I couldn't really feel it - hope all my contractions are like that! They kept me in over night (partly because of my placenta previa) and luckily this morning things had calmed down enough for me to be discharged.
Have now arranged to finish work on Wednesday rather than Friday, would like to start maternity leave now but have too much still to arrange for my cover (she is still working in the US until the end of August)
So things are starting to feel a bit real now, and have decided maybe it is time to pack my hospital bag.

Here's to a quiet 5 weeks please!

Glad you're ok augustbride.

Well, I've just spent a day batch cooking veggie stew, spag bol, chilli and shepherds pie, now have about two weeks worth of frozen dinners there with the addition of microwave rice/pasta/mash etc

To be honest our freezer isn't massive but I'm sure I can persuade dp to scoff all the ready made pizzas and crap in there before baby is born so at least I'll have some healthy homemade food afterwards.

I might do some more tomorrow, quorn curry, quorn "chicken chasseur" and maybe a quiche or two but I don't know whether you cook them and then freeze or freeze the raw eggy mixture in the pastry case.

Morning all !
First proper day of maternity leave yesterday and started it as I mean to go on - sleeping ! Everytime DH called to say hello and ask what I was up to etc I had to keep saying I'd done nothing due to being asleep. Pleased to say it didn't stop me sleeping last night either. My problem at the moment is some seriously painful ribs . Lying for any length of time on my left hand side has gone out of the window as I end up in agony and unable to move so have grabbed more pillows and am sleeping propped up in the hope that it's not as bad as just being flat on my back. Seeing Betty on Thursday so will get her to check me out and I'll ask about the savlon !!!
Thinking of going to Bluewater today to try and make a dent in all the stuff I need - anyone fancy going for me......?