Due in Sept '07 - new thread (ish) until we can think of a good thread name, because we didn't notice the message counter and oops we've run out of room for messages!!! Am lost, here alone, come and find me.. HELLLLOOOOO

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Oooh this bad Boxer has just farted and it STINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

loopylou - I had a spinal for my c-section and I don't remember any pain at all, just having to hold really still. Do lots of deep slow breathing while it goes in and you should be fine. It doesn't hurt to tell the anaesthetist that you are nervous, then he/she will be EXTRA gentle .

Hi everyone
it's been ages since I posted on here so I thought it was time to drop in and say hello before September comes and I have totally missed the boat! Hope you are all doing well.
Anyone feeling brave enough to watch the C4 documentary on "overstretched maternity services? just saw the trailer there and can't decide if it is better to be informed or stay ignorant!

Loopy, ditto what Canandianmum said about the spinal. The hardest bit for me was curling up small with a bowling ball in my tummy. I don't remember pain at all.

It took the anesthetist 4 attempts to get my epidural in when having ds, but I was in so much pain from 4 hours of constant contractions I didn't feel it. I am wondering how it will be this time as I am going to have the epidural straight away this time and I have a low pain threshold

tomorrow is meant to be sunnyish so I might do the really english thing and rush to take advavntage before the rain sets in again by scrubbing the carrycot.
I haven't even thought about buying anything, ds1 was born at 36 weeks, which is only 4 weeks away...
Actually all of them have been early...[hmmm]

tbh I would find the idea of them giving me an epidural [the big needle] more of a concern than the pain.
not that I'm against it, go for it if you want to.

I'm on an epidural now for post-op recovery. plus sides: you don't see the needle, they freeze you before they insert it so it's just pushing sensations. the numbness is v v quick and it takes roughly 12 hours to wear off. minus sides (apart from the risks of these procedures): numb perineum for hours = no peeing etc sensations. no strength in your legs, which isn't nice, for quite a while. if worried about needles, i'd say the real horror is the canular in the hand, and that's more difficult to avoid!

That's what I think i'm most afraid of. last time i was only had 15 secs between end of one contraction and start of the next. I have no idea how long it took in the end but they kept hitting my nerves and my legs still spasm now. my mum says 6 people were holding me at the time but this time i'm going to be 'with it' and have to try to get into postiton without much help. it's the needles going in that really frighten me even though normal blood tests/injections don't bother me at all. ok now i just sound weird

Not weird at all - after all you're talking nerve damage here. But the alternatives aren't much nicer, really. It sounds like you had a nightmare birth, 6 people, horrible. I've had a truly dreadful day here, stupid physios drppoed me on the floor and it took an irate phone call from DH to the maternity hospital to get mechecked out. I despair at the way excellent care and treatments are screwed up because budget pressures turn it all into a race. the ward is full of people readmitted because they were discharged too early. You tell the physios the last thing you need at 31/32 wks pgin plaster, with an epidural in situ is a fall... so they make you hop backwards onto a chair youcan't feel because you're too numb, andthen stand and stare at you, like Doh, what happened there? ffs. Sorry, i rambled. Back to needles...

Right ladies - we've got to start a new thread before this one runs out... My suggestion is "Loving this weather - yes WE WILL make it to September!". I'm going to be all assertive and say if we don't have any objections, I'll start it up asap! (PLP runs/waddles away and hides in case she has upset anybody!!!).

toadstool, I can't believe they have done that to you - what a bunch of morons!!! Hope you're more settled now - I take it you've been checked out and all is well with lo?

kinki, you haven't come across as gloating at all. I've never thought about where my pain threshold is up to now tbh! I personally think mine has diminished in the last few months as I seem to be in constant pain whereas I used to be quite tolerant lol!

MrsM, welcome back and glad you had a nice rest. Don't envy you having to do all that travelling but sounds like it was worth it!

hannahsaunt, I've had a sudden pang of 'what if baby comes early' and gone and bought some nappies and wipes!! We've already got all the clothes we need but I'm now thinking about really being ready and might even get my hospital bag packed this week...

thebigsea, how awful you had to put up with a crappy stand-in, hope she wasn't too bad. At least it sounds like lo has turned.

canadianmum, hope lo turns around soon and stays put!

HIWBB - thinking of you and your DH while he recovers - hope he isn't working too much? How's the house going?

Well, I've been majorly uncomfortable today, if not in pain!! Nearly keeled over in the bank earlier - I think I'm having loads of BH but they feel like cramps and can be quite painful at times!

Our phone isn't working and BT can't fix it until Friday (underground cabling or something) so if I'm not around for a while its because it keeps effecting the internet connection - I think its because of the floods. I can't complain as we have managed to get away without any damage or anything and it could be sooo much worse. Just keep thinking of those who are living a nightmare because of all of it!

PLP xxx

Yep, go for that title

plp - no objections to thread title - go for it!

toadstool - i can't believe what a crap time of it you seem to be having - glad DH is fighting your corner and i hope things improve - how long until you can go home?

All done!

NEW THREAD IS READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(please could somebody do a link to it?)

Cheers!

New thread here

Mrs Bumblebee, I wanted to say how delighted I was to read your post that your little baby boy's heart is healthy, what a relief for you all I know how frightening these heart scans can be - they sure like to be thorough, which is a good thing, just a worry at the time. I hope you can now relax and pamper yourself!
I'm moving house on Monday and so not able to keep up with the posts at the mo but I'm hoping once I'm in and settled I'll have lots of quality Mumsnet time!!

Can anyone explain why my effing MIL keeps asking me if I will be "feeding" this baby? I "fed" premature twins FFS, so why shouldn't I "feed" this one? And why can't she say the word "breast"? And why does she constantly have to tell me how much she wants us to have a girl???

She just went all prune-faced when I told her I like the name Alfred for a boy. [In-laws are visiting this weekend to "help" and I have escaped to the computer]. So far their help seems to consist of sitting and drinking tea and talking non-stop while I run around after my boys. I think MIL may have dried a plate since they arrived.

Quick mini-rant there, I feel better already .