August '07 - One down, one on the way and still waiting for the expected mass POP !

[tokentotty]

How's this for our new thread ladies....??

and pillow is a great idea, but it won't fit in bag.. I just realised yesterday i haven't got anything to wear during labour but I guess if it is c-section I'll be in hospital gown

TT - did your MW advise you to call ambulance once in labour, because of prolapsing cord etc?

Well to be honest I've nothing to compare this to so not sure what's normal and what might be because of the fluid. Am feeling very relaxed about everything as I really don't want to focus on any of the not so good bits. Having said that I swear I've got elephantitis - my ankles are just feckin' huge ! This really is making me uncomfortable and probably what's distracting me from noticing other things.

I'm not taking anything to wear in labour either as was planning on putting a hospital gown on to be honest. Spoke to my midwife and she said I really didn't need to worry about the cord business as although I wasn't engaged at last check, the head was down so there wasn't any way that the cord would get past it so just to call her as previously arranged.

Itchy - do you find that the stretched areas are really tender? I do. I only went a little bit with DS, but some of them are really bad this time. The skin is so paper thin in areas I can't believe it will ever loook half way decent again...ggrrrrr.

DH is very supportive, and says it will be fine, but the longer I go, the more bad it gets.

aww, you poor thing, I remember you referring to your cankles some weeks back and it made me laugh as ds keeps laughing at mine.

but everyone's noticing i'm losing sense of humour now!

oh bagpuss exactly! the skin around navel and under bump on sides is so stretched like tracing paper. it's very tender too, even rubbing oil on I have to take care not to pull the skin as it's painful on the underside.

I'm really scared of the aftermath, can't see how this overstretched thin skin will snap back into shape. dp keeps trying to be positive but I just keep seeing the 3 month after photo of the triplets mum!

do you think some kind of girdle/ support knickers postnatal will help?

I have no idea - I plan on wearing support tights as much as possible to help my veins -which in turn has a godd effect on tummy holding! I think big tight pants might well help - and psychologically it does too, as it holds your tummy in a bit!!

I still put oil on, but same as you - v v gently, and have to be careful what I use - Cocoa butter makes my tummy itch - which is even worse! Bio oil seems to be the best stuff - I'm almost out of it, but I think I will go for it in earnest once LO has arrived.

Whats even scarier - is you have a reason for an extra big tum - the fluid...... not sure what my excuse is? Huge baby I fear!

Don't worry about what to wear in labour- i must have devoted hours of time to the subject and bought various chep nighties. Ended up in the strappy top I wore to the hospital that morning and didn't give a toss!

Congrats Treacletart and BabyMad. Can't believe you were posting while in labour. I guess it gave you a bit of a distraction.

Thanks for all your comments about my pictures. I was really pleased with my dress and dd was so excited to be wearing hers.

Finished my last job which was cleaning dd's old buggy. Just waiting for dh to finish the bathroom. He has taken some time off work so will hopefully get it done in time.

Sorry to hear about your noisy neighbours JSer. When I was pg with dd and up til she was 1 we had an awful neighbour who used to have parties all day and all night so I couldn't even catch up on sleep when dd was sleeping.

Sorry to hear about the swollen ankles TT. I had a taste of it on Sunday when it was really hot.

I was only wearing my bra by the time dd was born as I was so hot. I'm normally quite a prudish person but I was just so uncomfortable that I didn't care what I looked like or who saw me.

BTW - am I the only one who isn't desperate to have my baby. I've still got 12 days to go and, at the moment, I'm quite happy to wait. Not sure if it's because I wan't dh to finish the bathroom at the weekend or if it's because I'm really feeling quite well. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad though.

CONGRATULATINS _ babymad and treacle - great births!

Nothing here, as itchy said losing sense of humour now! I took ds to the Cinema today as he is a lot better and i walked home which took about an hour! so going to have lavender bath tonight and Sex !!! wishful thinking!

Gill - I think we're due the same day and I'm with you on hoping the baby stays where it is for at least a little while longer! We're also decorating frantically and will hopefully finish at the weekend. I'm also still working (last day on thurs) i hope that LO doesn't show up on Friday and deprive me of any relaxing mat-leave!
Congrats to treacle & babymad. You all make it sound so easy. Posting during contractions a few hours away and then a birth announcement!!

Yeah, I've waited 3 years for dh to finally start working on the bathroom again (he understandably stopped when his mum died and never got the motivation back). He's booked Thurs and Fri off so will have 4 days including the weekend. As long as this lo hangs on til early next week I'll be happy.

I hope you do have at least a week to relax. I was originally intending to work up to 39 weeks but, having dd, I was just so tired and had to leave at 35 weeks. I'm pleased I did but it does mean I can't have as much time with the baby.

Congrats babymad - can't wait to hear your new DD's name.

What a fab birth it sounds and another quick one!

Hope Annie our first breech goes well too.

Pink - does Annie have a text buddy?

Midwife has just visited and dropped off my home birth pack - yay! Just got to wait for something to happen now.

Banana's quiet this afternoon. Wonder if she's in labour.

Well I went in this moning to be induced as arranged and ........ nothing!

Midwife felt his position and decided he had disengaged (not sure if that is the right phrase?) so wanted to check with consultant before giving prostins.
Consultant came and did internal and said my cervix was so far away that it wasn't worth starting me off.
So am booked back in again for Friday, by which time he will have had chance to grow even more and they said the chances of c-section are now even higher.

Very frustrated as I had pysched myself up for labour and bringing LO with me when I came home. DH and I are now at a loss for what to do for the next 2 1/2 days!!!

You must be so disappointed Augustbride. Might be worth going out for some walks and boucing on a yoga ball to try to get the head back down. Fingers crossed for you that you don't have a cs. You never know, you might even go into labour naturally in the next 2 days.

Hi, no sorry wasn't in labour, just went for a nap and to read the funny "fatherhood" book I bought for dp which he hasn't even flicked through

Still getting painful contractions now and then though, I have a funny feeling he'll be here in the next 2 days.

August that must have been so disappointing but at least they are taking good care of you, some of them are quite happy to induce when conditions are completely unfavourable and end up with the woman having loads of interventions that would have been avoidable given a few days for the cervix to ripen. Try to fill the next couple of days with nice things to keep your mind off it.

Hi everyone - congratulations to Babymad (no bump) and treacletart. It was lovely to see such happy photos treacle!

I have nothing to say. Not sleeping very well which I take it is normal at eight months but I need my sleep as I am still "working" (that is to say I come into the office each day). Last night I woke at three am and despite best hypno techniques could not get off again until 7am so today has been a blur of exhaustion.

Augustbride - can you get hold of the homeopathy remedy Token is using - caulophyllum? There are some others recommended as well I think.

Here's hoping for you that it all happens before Friday.

oh, August, all that psyching up for nothing!

try going to the cinema - it may not bring on labour as well as baths or sex, but it may be the last chance you get for a while!

Contractions are getting closer together and stronger but still not 100% regular- the last one made me go "ow ow ow aaargh!" but I'm still doing fine so a long way to go yet. Getting a teeny bit excited but don't want to be disappointed again!

ooh sounds exciting bananabump!

Thanks for all your kind words everyone. At this rate I will be giving DH a son for our first wedding anniversary on Sunday!

Have tried a few of the natural induction methods but walking is limited as SPD / PGP is troubling me and sex is still off the cards due to my borderline low placenta (Not going to mention to DH that the other version may work just as well )

Always fancied being the 1000th birth announcement, I should be more careful what I wish for!

Go go bananbump!! I hope this is it, where's your dh??

augustbride - you totally have my sympathy, have you tried the lavendar baths? seems to have done the trick for banana and babymad

there's only a shower here i would love to wallow in a bath

He's here don't worry, watching the simpsons!

I'm off to see if copious chocolate icecream speeds things up.

Hope things are moving on for you BB xx