Due Sept '07 - This Autumn we shall mostly be wearing stripes!!

[Hopeitwontbebig]

Just thought I'd get the shiny new thread up and running. Well done Twit on the thread name

kyala - we had homemade banana bread, baklava and the most over the top birthday cake - and baby got double helpings of everything!

Hi all, glad to hear ye are all hanging in there! God this thread does move very fast.....must try to keep up!!
Ye all sound very busy cooking and freezing..where do ye get the energy from...I feel tired at the thought of it, must try harder to get organised..I'm sure I'll appreciate it aferwards!!
No news here...very hot today and yesterday..swollen ankles for the first time!! Thank God for the cool summer.....blessing in disguise!!

HIWBB - just had a thought - be careful while turning on the crutches! I'm sure I clicked my hip out of the joint last week in the supermarket and I nearly keeled over! Poor DS thought I was going into labour bless him!

Thanks kyala on the ideas for birthing positions Glad you got your fizzy water - I bought two packs of Sprite this evening! I take it you don't like cheese triangles then pmsl!

TOD, have you tried using that cooling spray for your ankles? You can get a cheap version in the supermarkets (I resent paying over the odds for air and water!). The rest of the time I just put them in a bowl of cold water - it doesn't make them go down but it relieves the pain of my skin stretching a bit...

I'm adding pictures in the next few minutes of my awful ankles and also my stretchmarks onto my profile if anybody wants a look. They're pretty embarassing but freakish enough to be slightly interesting LOL!

I take that back - DH has leant the card-reader to a friend so I'll put the pics on over the weekend - humph!!

Morning ladies. What a busy thread. Not had time to catch up yet, but will do so in the morning. I did a very quick skim and seen the news from Lou and amyclaramum. Congratulations to you both - Jasmine and Elouise are such pretty names. Hope mums and daughters are doing well.

I've not been around because I've been in hospital too. My membranes ruptured on Wednesday evening. They told me to come in. What a nightmare - no bag packed, no baby clothes ready (still bagged up in loft), no sitter arranged for the dc. So I had to go on my own with just a spare pair of knickers. Got there at midnight, and they confirmed it was my waters and not just me peeing myself! Had a scan to check position and ctg to monitor baby. All was well, so was told they'll keep me in and wait to see if contractions start. Apparently 75-90% of women start within 24hrs. Gulp. I was only 35+1. Not a lot happened until Thurs eve when I had mild contractions. So was nil by mouth in preparation for theatre (need a cs). They told me that I wouldn't be leaving without my baby and to rest because big day would be Friday. We got so excited and prepared mentally. Freinds rallied round us helping get baby clothes washed and looking after dc.

But, the contractions stopped overnight. I was still passing lots and lots of water though. Another thing I learnt was that you replenish the water every 4 hours. So obviously I was making more as quickly as I was losing it. Upshot was on Friday evening they sent me home. Had I been 37+ they would have proceded, but because I'm still classed pre-term they want to wait and see what will happen. It was such an anti-climax. So I'm home now with ab's and have to monitor my temperature for signs of infection. Any problems at all I'm to go back in.

We went straight from the hospital to the ILs to pick up the dc. But when I was there I had another 'gush'. Since fri moning pads were enough to contain it, but not this time. Also I had a few mild contractions again. So they've got dc again tonight just in case. Dh and I got home at 10ish, had a bit of supper and we've both fallen asleep downstairs. We're both absolutely knackered. I'm sitting on a damp patch (sorry tmi) but the contractions must have stopped if I've been asleep. MIL gave us her plastic christmas tablecloth to use in the car and on my bed. (I've promised I'll give it a good wipe down before I return it in time for christmas lunch. She said chuck it. Can't think why!!!!)

Dh is taking me to town tomorrow, as he finally recognises the urgency of buying the last few baby things. And I need a hospital bag. He says he's going to keep me hostage in places like mothercare and M&S until I leak on the floor. He's heard if this happens you get gifts like vouchers and hampers. The lengths that man will go to, to get some freebies. We'll see. Off to bed now to get more sleep.

Hope all's well with everyone. As I said I'll do a proper catch up in the morning.

Blimey Kinki, I bet you don't know whether you are coming or going Lets hope you can hang on till 37 weeks, and good luck with your shopping. I guess we should all start to get ourselves in order, will try and get my bags sorted over this weekend

Thanks MrsF. Can't believe how unprepared we were/are. But the thing is everything would have come together if it had to. I've got a good bunch of friends who rallied around us. But I'm grateful I've got at least a day or two (or maybe up to 2.5 weeks) to get a few things sorted.

Funny though, because 3 hours before it happened I felt the need to go supermarket shopping, to get newborn nappies, cotton wall, breast pads, maternity pads etc. Also to start stocking up the freezer and cupboards. While we were there, I found some toys that the dc are after that would be good presents from the baby. Bearing in mind I was over 3 weeks before my section date, dh thought I was mad to be wanting to do all this. He knew I had had a long day on Wed, so thought I should be resting in the evening not traipsing round the supermarket. Anyway, waters broke a few hours later. The mw said my body probably subconsciously knew something was about to happen and the nesting thing suddenly kicked in. Interesting I thought. So fortunately I had a few bits, but had no time to unpack all the shopping, never mind pack a hospital bag.

Typical me.

Kinki - hope you're feeling okay and that everything's going well.

I finished packing my hospital bag this morning, I didn't intend to do it for another couple of weeks but now I'm paranoid that at my hospital appointment on Tuesday I'm going to be told that LO needs to arrive much sooner. So rather than run around squawking and panicking I thought I'd put my nervous energy into doing something constructive like packing my bag.

The only things I haven't got are the arnica tablets (saw the price and since I'm not sure I believe in them I didn't bother) and food and drinks which I can't really pack yet. It's actually made me feel a bit calmer.

The Sun has finally arrived in London! Just been for a lovely walk and for breakfast - why does the sun do so much to cheer you up?

Hope everyone is well

kinki, oh my goodness, what a week you've had. You must be all over the place at the moment. Keep us posted if you can won't you!

PLP, thanks for your advice. Think I will dig out those crutches then. I'm not really getting on with the girdle thingy, it's got 3 great big straps and is incredibly uncomfortable when I sit down, it digs right in to my bump. Also, thanks for tip re painkillers, I too have only been taking them once a day, will definitely up my usage a bit. Re birth positions, I gave birth on all fours, that position helps to prevent tearing too. I managed to deliver DS2 who was 10lb 4oz and only suffered a slight graze.

Sophus, so glad you had a lovely tea party with your Mum, it must have felt bitter sweet though, what a relief she didn't have to spend her birthday in hospital. Keep strong.

TOD, sorry to hear you're suffering from swollen ankles. I've always been quite lucky on that front, apart from when I was overdue with DS2, which is why they induced me at 40+5.

Well our kitchen is finally fully up and running, sink is plumbed in, and hob is all connected, v exciting. Frustrating thing is I don't have the energy to properly 'file' things in cupboards, it's just a case of 'here'll do' and dump in a cupboard. I think I've reached that stage of my pregnancy where I get annoyed with my low energy levels. There's still a layer of dust everywhere from all the building work, I bought some polish and dusters this morning...a hum hint hint, but no they're still sitting on the side here. Well I've got my lovely step-mum and Dad coming to stay from London later today, my stepmum loves a good cleaning session, maybe I'll indulge her !

wow, kinki, what a time you're having of it! good to see you've kept your sense of humour though - i like the thought of you all eating christmas lunch off the 'pre-used' table cloth!
good luck with shopping and maybe vouchers...suspect you'd rather have a quiet time than going into labour in M&S!?

Hopeitwon'tbebig we had kitchen completed as i gave birth last time round so dh was visiting me in hosp and coming home and unpacking boxes/cleaning so it was all up and running by the time we got out of hosp. he did a great job but always seems slightly odd that he decided what went where.

ok, off into garden for spot of lunch before i rouse dd from her nap. sun, finally in london. phew. means dd happy pottering in garden.

enjoy your saturday! x

Hi everyone!!

kinki - wow - you must not know if you are coming or going! Keep us updated on the contraction front!

Interesting what you say about the sudden nesting instinct. Since last week - I have been hell bent on getting things in order and am only 35+1. Finshed everything today - wonder if I am tuned in to some sort of instinct? Or whether I will now be sat here til 42 weeks twiddling my thumbs!

I measured my bump yesterday and across widest part am now measuring 37 inches - am relieved it has grown, hopefully the next growth scan will reflect that.

sorry - read all the other posts, but nothing has really stuck. Hope everyone else is ok and enjoying the bank holiday weekend!

Afternoon all!
Have had a lovely day today but bombing round town has made me realise just how unfit I am Oh well, fitness regime after LO comes along, methinks!
Had to sit down every few yards, it's getting harder so , hopefully, this means baby has moved south!

Sophus: Mmmm banana bread, will definitely have a go at that one soon (got loads of bananas and we barely use them, maybe that was the plan all along?!)

PLP: Nope! I'm a snob when it comes to things like that (hard for a hippy to get away with being a snob on most subjects but I carry it off on the food thing ) It's all that fake ingredients stuff, am at it all the time with my friends ("Ooh! Do you KNOW what they put in THAT?!!!")

Kinki: Wow! Such excitement over the past few days! I'd be doing the same as your DH, you'll want all the free vouchers you can get (or a hamper would be great for the first meal(s) after LO comes!)
Spooky how your intuition kicked in only a few hours before eh?!

Well, you lot haven't been doing a heck of a lot either today then? Just enjoying the sunshine eh?! I don't blame you (it's been hellishly hot here today and I decided to go into town? Crazy lady!! LOL)
Well, now I have all the ingredients to make my own bread/jam and cakes and just don't have the energy to do it LOL (Shame DH will be expecting all manner of goodies when he gets home too)
Also, had a good look at the instructions to the breadmaker and most of the things you have to mix up before you put the mix into the thing, and then it takes twice as long to cook than if you bunged it in the cooker (so, remind me, what's the point in this thing again? ) Anywhoop, going to use it strictly for jam/bread making and stick to using the cooker for cakes etc, I can eat the nice warm cakes whilst waiting for the bread to finish LOL

As for getting on and making meals for freezing I'm failing miserably! I think we need to do a shop before I can see how much freezer space is left for emergency food, ooh I'm thinking logically now?!!

Righty-ho, off to muster the energy to make some bread or something, have a nice evening ladies

Congratulations to AmyClarasmum. Fantastic news.

Man, am I suffering today?! Made the big mistake of having fish and chips last night and has given me the worst heartburn in the world. I thought I'd gone into labour it was that bad!

I didn't get a wink of sleep and have been feeling dreadful all day. I feel like I've swallowed a chip pan.

Emalushka: You poor thing, I feel your pain, get that Gaviscon down your neck!! LOL
Would you like some cake to make you feel better?

Hello everyone - hope you have all had a good day, its been baking hot here in Derbyshire, too hot for me to sit out in though. Went into town first thing this morning with dh and ds and then off to see my bro and sil and kids in their new house. Just got in and now relaxing. Ds is v. tired though and keeps whining so an early night for him

Saw my Aunt too and she is shocked at how big I have gotten again in just two weeks, I haven't put on any extra weight though... in fact I am going to go and measure my bump again, as my belly button is starting the journey of poking out, I was 45 inches round the widest part of my bump a couple of weeks ago... nope no bigger, must be an optical illusion

Hi everyone. Like Dal, I have read all the posts, but I'm afraid I'm too sleepy to do individual replies today. Must be the sunshine. Have had a pleasant day pottering around local stately home gardens and then snoozing at home on the lounger. And BIG bonus at tea-time - free Gu chocolate brownies. Sadly you have to buy the wickedly expensive tub of Gu ice-cream first, but it's worth it .

Only individual reply is to Kinki - how exciting!! Keep us posted if you possibly can. Interesting that they might still let you go full term - at our antenatal class they said they allowed a maximum of 96 hours after your waters break before they induce you. But that might just be a local thing, I don't know. It sounds good that they're willing to be more flexible with you, to give the baby a chance to come when it's ready.

Hi lovely ladies,

Hope you've had a nice, chilled Saturday. PLP, did you go to the lido? By the way, sausage casserole sounds a worker to me! I make a version of that too with lots of beans, mustard and stuff. DH and I call it hangover stew as its what we always made when we were hungover to the teeth but knew we needed nutrition of sorts!

Kinki - gosh, you must be all over the place. I hope everything settles enough for you to hit that 37 weeks, although even if anything happens before then I'm sure all will be well.

Lou - glad to hear you and Jasmine are doing so well. Truly gobsmacked by f**kwitted comments about breast feeding, Report them to the NCT, there'll be hell to pay!!!

MrsB and all others with late stretchmarks - am so in sympathy. There I was in John Lewis at 38 weeks getting measured for nursing bra and I noticed them - a neat little clock dial formation across my lower belly. They must have popped up virtually overnight. I was not amused. At the beginning I didn't care too much if I got them or not but as time progressed I thought "oooh I must be lucky on that one" in return for the morning sickness and heartburn. But no. Grrrrrr.

Sophus - I'm so glad you could have a party for your Mum. I hope she can enjoy some time with your lo too.

Hopey - great news on the kitchen. Can understand the lethergy - I really struggle some days. The only thing that gets me out of bed is the fact that I need a wee so badly!!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend! Enjoy that sunshine.....

Hello - sounds like we have had a generally nice Saturday. I was so pleased for some sunshine in London - have had quite a lazy day and am now off to the cinema to see Harry Potter - not sure I will be able to sit for three hours but I feel as though my cinema going days are limited.

Have a lovely evening pregnant people

Glad to hera you all had alovely sunny day. I've been at a christening this afternoon and off to pizza express for dinner with some girls from work, looking forward to catching up with the goss. i feel a little out loop
Just for info - if your waters break preterm, you are given as long really as you need to get to term. The 96hr rule is only if your are already term as long as you have anitbiotics, clear/pinky fuid, no temp and have good movements you can go from as early as 24 wks, cos as kinki has discovered the baby/placenta keep producing more fluid.

kinki - thanks for letting us know what is happening, sounds terribly dramatic and exciting. I guess it underlines just how totally unpredictable this whole baby business is!

kelmcd - thanks for the info, I had no idea the waters kept coming, I thought you got one lot and that was it! I guess it would get rather stagnant though .

mrsmar/rin - finally got DH to go on the Georges tour, we went last week but thought it was at 10am and it was 9.30am . The midwife said that the new birth centre is "lovely" and will be open mid-Sept, that probably means November though doesn't it? DH was pretty non-plussed "all hospitals are the same" etc... but I was glad to see it all again.

It has been bliss having some sun today, got the paddling pool out for my boys and actually didn't have to wear a jumper at any point.

I am very thrilled today because I am 37 weeks, officially full term, which is a big milestone for me. I really never thought I would make it this far.......

have a wonderful bank holiday weekend everyone.....

Hello everyone. I'm still here, nothing much more has happened. This morning dh wanted to take me to town to get some things. (I must tell you ladies about the teddy bear I'm desparate to get, but I'll do that in another post another time). Although I didn't leak too much overnight I was worried about walking around with wet knickers and trousers, if I gushed again - as I know pads won't contain it. So ....... I improvised ....... can't believe I'm admitting this publicly ...... I put one of ds2's nappys inside my knickers. .

We wandered around and there was no leakage, so much to dh's disappointment there was no freebies for us! Next we drove off to Ikea, to buy furniture for the baby's room. Still no leaks, but I've been having some perculiar hip, pain and bump aches. On the drive home, we were no more than 100m from our house when I felt 'something give' inside, and whoosh another flood. I screamed at dh to stop the car, because for the first time today I hadn't put my christmas tablecloth on the car seat. But the good news is THE NAPPY WORKED! I passed a lot (it was as heavy as one of ds pee filled nappies) but I only spilled a tiny bit near the top of my zip, so the car seat was saved. You may all have been laughing at me but you'll see, you'll all be stuffing nappies down your knickers. It really worked!

I'm feeling a bit crampy again, we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Kelm, you've confirmed exactly what I was told at the hospital. If I was beyond 37 weeks they would have given me a few days then suggested induction. But as I'm not it really is wait and see.

Canadianmum, well done for getting to 37 weeks. You did it!

Mrs B, I'm coming toyour place for tea, is that ok! . Hmm, or shall I go to kyala's? Both places sound like a good place to be at the moment.

Emalushka - hope the heartburn settles soon. If only to give you some sleep. Things are so much worse when sleep deprived. Have you tried sleeping in a sitting up position?

Dal, I reckon we're all tuned in to something. Even if nothing happens, you've probably been so busy so that you can now rest. I bet your body knows that is what you need right now. Glad to hear your bump has grown, I remember how worried you were. Sounds like good news.

Hopey, glad you're kitchen is coming together. It's about time you had a break.

Isn't it lovely having a bit of sunshine? Glad we've not had this all summer though. Thank you for all you kind words and good wishes. I've got to get up now to go change my nappy. Don't mock it until you've tried it! Never mind stripes, we'll all be wearing nappies!

Kinki - I have to say right now that I am LMAO at your nappy story! I dont know what i find more hilarious - your ingenuity (i dont think i would have thought about a nappy), or the fact that you didnt have your xmas tablecloth on your car seats!! Thank you soo much for sharing!

Hope the cramps settle a little and your LO decides to stay put a while longer.
I am relieved about the growth - and I also think the baby is trying to turn - its little head certainly isnt jammed into my ribs right now - so maybe it wont be breech on tues either! Who knows.

Everyone else - you have me slavering over the homemade cakes and muffins. Now that I am done with clothes and nursery - next one is food - and think delias banana and walnut loaf will go down a treat! Hmmm!

Hope everyone else is ok.

I had actually thoguht about buying some of those adult nappies Kinki (just in case I'm out and about and get the feeling) so not laughing at you, more with you hun

I'm absolutely knackered at the moment but can't seem to settle enoguh to warrant going upstairs to bed yet, trying to wind down but failing miserably

Have had a bit of a dodgy tummy today and have been generally feeling too tired to do anything since we got back from town (didn't even manage to throw some stuff in the breadmaker ) and tea consisted of a cheese sarnie for both me and DD (DH is at a BBQ), which she didn't even finish cos she was so tired bless her!

Anywho, am now awaiting DH's return, along with the smell of burgers and sausages, not to mention cigarette smoke :P Whcih reminds me, I've discovered that, much to my disappointment, DH snores less after he has a cigarette before bed (he cut this last one out for a few nights and I had to try and sleep on that blooming airbed again!) So, for the time being, I'm putting up with the last one of the night just for the sake of getting some decent sleep (but he's definately cut down his general daily intake, whcih I can only praise him for!)

So, now sat here watching DanceX (What What What?!!!) Trying to wind down, not working!
I'm now unable to have any caffeine after 5pm as it kicks in at about 10pm so am guzzling that fizzy water all night long, and the Gaviscon is now accompanying me to bed!

Glad to hear you're all enjoying the gorgeous weather, my house is baking and we've only really had today's weather to blame so by the end of the bank holiday weekend we wont have a house left, it would've melted!!
Right, I'm going to watch the Vicar of Dibley, then try and go to bed, (yeah will be back here posting at stupid O'clock then?!)

Nighty night
(just realised that was quite a large space of "me me me", yet again, many apologies will say hello's properly tomorrow xxx)

So sorry to but in here trying to get hold of purplelostprincess and she seems to post on here. Need to get her to email me asap.

andrew dot gardner2 at ntlworld.com re metronome, money sent 2 weeks ago still not arrived.