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

Hey everyone, I hope you're all well!

Kerri at the treatment you got at the labour ward. Lets hope they were having a bad day!

dal - great to hear the growth and blood flow is ok for your LO. he/she's still breech though. I've just been to my mw appt and she had a thorough feel. She could feel something in my pelvis which she thought could be the head, but thought it was too squashy and wide to be his head. She then tried to find his heartbeat, and although she could find it lower down, she could also hear it quite high too, about 2 cms above my belly button, which if he was cephalic wouldn't be possible. She then called another mw to have a feel and she initially thought he was cephalic too but then decided what she thought was the head was too wide as well. There was further confusion cos they couldn't find his head...eek!!! Either I'm having a headless baby or he's in a very strange position. She did say my tummy muscles were very good so it was hard to feel properly. So I'm booked in for a scan tomorrow morning at 10. We'll have to see then if I'm still on the breech watch!

MrsFish, so sorry ds is poorly I hope he gets better soon.

MMooMar - I hope your mum's op goes well and they find the cancer hasn't spread. Keeping everything crossed.

canadianmum - good luck with the baby turning. Such a great opportunity to clean those skirting boards (bleurgh!)

Kyala - this is my recipe for a 1lb light wholemeal loaf... with the kneader thingy in (the blade bit that turns) put in your pan 310ml water (not too cold, lukewarm is best) and 15ml lemon juice (3 tsp). On top of that add 150z wholemeal bread flour and 3oz white bread flour (the flour should float on top). Then put in seperate corners add 4 tsp skimmed milk powder, 1.5 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, 1oz butter (one in each corner iyswim) and then in the middle make a tiny well in the flour and add 1.5 tsp easy blend dried yeast. I then use a setting that takes about 3 hours 20 mins so if you've got one that's similar try that. Sometimes I swap a bit of the wholemeal flour for some granary flour, but only a couple of ounces cos granary flour is very heavy and doesn't rise so well. Good luck!

emj - I hope your somersaulting baby settles down!

Nice fantasy Jemima, that's my one too!

I'm off for a nice sit down now, I'm shattered from this morning's strenuous activities. Don't tell dh, cos he'll tell me off, but I went round the nursery with a paint brush going over the scratches and nasty marks left by the carpenters, and then I spent ages going through all the junk dh seems to have accumulated and throwing most of it away (!) and finally putting up the curtains in the nursery! That's enough for today, I'm too tired to even cook and that's saying something!

Have a lovely afternoon

xx

Hello everyone!

A big Congratulations to Kinki and baby Liam and it's nice to have Amyclaraeloisemum back!xx

HIWBB - so pleased your kitchen was finished in time

Welcome Lauraloo25 i'm due 16th sep with DS2 DS1 is 2.9

MrsFish - i hope DS recovers quickly it's the last thing you need at the moment!

Jemima/MrsMar - It wasn't a fantasy for me i was only in the delivery room 10 mins and on first examination they saw The head! Hope your dreams come true! This time i'm worried about getting to hospital in time

Loopyloulisa - I'm happy to be a txt buddy for you and my info is on the original email! I'll send the updated one to you too! My dad lives in Clifton, Bristol and i was born at BMH! Where abouts are you? maybe we'll even meet up at some point!

Dal - the last email from you seems to be lacking an attatchment?

Hugs to everyone else xx

Kerri - how are you doing? Any update? I hope you get to see a better midwife at your next visit!

Dal - sorry to hear that your lo is still breech although happy to hear it is obviously well too! Take heart as he or she may still turn. I had a look at the c section thread yesterday. All I can say is that such negativity is not constructive at all. You sound far too sensible to worry about it too much but really, some people need to stop rushing to judge others. If it makes you feel any better an aquaintance of mine has just had her second baby by c section on Friday because it was breech and was at home by Sunday and Mum and baby are just fine and dandy thank you very much.

MrsF - glad your boy is feeling better - hope he is not wearing you out too much.

MMooMar - best of wishes for your your Mums op next week.

EmJ - glad to hear your appt went well and that your lo is growing well, if a bit fidgety!!

JemimaP - am so with you on the "8cm dilated without realising it" fantasy. I think most of us probably harbour that one!!

MrsMar - good luck for your scan tomorrow - I hope it gives you a conclusive answer as to your lo's position!!

Well I had my 39 week visit this morning and all is well - lo has started to engage a teeny bit but not that much which is what I thought. The very top of his/her head has dropped down but he seems quite happy where he is. Lots of walking and sitting on my birth ball this week!

We spent a long time discussing home birth - have booked one so that I can at least labour at home which is by far my prefered option rather than having to go to hospital and get sent home again. DH and I are still not 100% decided on actually delivering at home - given the timescale we need to make up our minds as we have to source all the plastic sheeting, birth pool etc. The midwife was really nice and set my mind at rest a lot - I didn't realise they took all the detritus away with them afterwards! We are only a 10 minute drive from the hospital so in the event of a problem it isn't like we are hours away from civilisation. Anyone got any words of advice for or against? I promise I shall take it in the spirit offered and not have our lovely thread descend into a row like some of the passenger door/sunroof, breast v bottle etc. debates.

Have a lovely evening everyone

(((hugs)))

Dal (and anyone else who's currently breech for that matter) have you written two birth plans? I'm just sitting here thinking of writing a few notes in advance of my next mw appt, and currently I've got to think of two scenarios. Even if I find out the baby's breech at my scan tomorrow, I still won't know for sure until I see the consultant as to how I'm delivering this baby. So I was thinking of writing two birth plans, one for cs one for vag birth. Is that what everyone else has done?

I'm not writing a birth plan, I didn't with ds either

Congratulations to Kinki! Lovely name!
MrsMar, I haven't bothered making a plan - we had to forget our birth plan last time round because events took an unexpected turn from the start. The MWs asked about skin-to-skin, feeding choices, etc. anyway.
Good luck with scans and appointments all you breech and non-breech ladies, Dal and Pennypops!
Waves at everyone else!!!
Things are not peaceful at home right now - DD is half-way through the biggest tantrum she's thrown in 2 years after days of upping the ante. It's all obvious - I've been a virtual stranger in her home for 6 weeks, I can't do more than shout at her from my chair, the baby is looming, DH is exhausted with doing everything solo, we're about to relocate... I feel sorry for her but my goodness she's behaving like the most unpleasant, spoilt brat on this planet ("I hate you! You are treating me like Cinderella! You are all poos!") Lurvely. Sorry for rant - it's just seeming like a VERY bad idea to introduce a 2nd LO into the equation!

Hello everyone! Sorry - resent email with attachment. Was obv half asleep still. It is the hunger that wakes me up - but I did manage to get back to sleep and had a good couple of hours.
Thanks also to you all for your reassuring words on the csection front - helps to balance out the other thread!

MrsM - fingers crossed for your scan tomorrow, at least you will know for sure! And i will be writing 2 birth plans for sure - have a run through with MW next tues, and want one for VB and csection.

MrsF - you wont regret ordering it, I promise!

Hello to everyone else, hope you are all feeling ok.

Mrsmar - good luck with scan tomorrow, hopefully your lo is just trying to fool you all and is really beautifully LOA .

jemima - can I join your "8cm dilation" fantasy too???

Just another voice re: the c-section thread, the negative stories are seriously disproportionate. Thousands and thousands of women have c-sections every year in this country with nary a complication, including me! Don't worry about it, the doctors and nurses are incredibly skilled and your bodies will heal beautifully .

Having said that I am still keen to have a VBAC for several reasons: I would love to give birth "naturally" just once in my life, I believe the recovery time will be quicker and I want to GO HOME (I hate hospitals, don't we all?) and I want to be able to run around after my 2 boys as quickly as possible, especially as they start big school in 1 week (sniff sniff).

Saw doctor at hospital today who said that for me to have a VBAC I need to be continuously monitored during active labour. I tried to talk him around but he was adamant, so basically if I go into labour I am planning to spend as much time at home or in the independent midwive's birth centre as possible (current fantasy is that everything goes beautifully and I give birth there ).

Haven't written my birth plan yet, can I just write "I want it to be lovely and easy" or is that too succinct?

congrats to kinki!!!!!!Can't wait for all the baby pics
jemima - i am getting the period pain stretches as well.
hiwbb - of your kitchen and dog! Mine would be running around instead of gazing adoringly at me!
Really tired again as had to go to school today. Did sleep better though. Going to try and have a quieter day tomorrow. Still haven't done any food preparation but the intention is still there. Does that count

Hello all!

Belated congratulations to Amyclaramum on new arrival, gorgeous name and well done!

Thanks to Canadian mum for info re St Georges consultant, hope you are right! Do they have any idea if you will get pre eclampsia again? I do hope not. Also thanks for info re st georges birth centre ? come on those workmen!

Good luck to all those with Breech babies, and those going for ECVs, I really hope they work. I?m seeing midwife on fri and really hoping that it?s ceph?

Sophus ? so glad you managed to give your mum a happy birthday, thinking of you.

Re clothes ? lots of mine look awful now I?m bigger and jeans are a no no ? too uncomfy. I too am in the same sad old skirts (I have two) day after day after day.

I?ve only just managed to catch up to sunday with the posts so apologies if I?ve missed out something crucial ? been in Cotswolds for a few days having a final holiday pre baby! I?ve missed not catching up on baby news though!

And hurrah! I am finally on mat leave, love it!!

36 + 5

Hi all, hope you're all well and happy.

Thanks for the email dal21, I am working on trying to download the right thing to allow me to open the attachment, I'll get there in the end. Can I email you to add on my mobile number and location? I forgot to send them in my original one and if everyone's doing this texting thing I'd like to join it if poss.

I went shopping today to buy the last few things we need for the baby and came home with bog all. Is anyone else having a problem finding nice things like changing mats and bedding? Everything I see in shops is either really boring or overpriced. I can't seem to find a normal bouncy chair anywhere, they all have vibrating bits for some reason! I suppose it's not really a necessity but DS loved his.

I dreamed last night that my waters had broken, I was quite convinced I was in labour for a few seconds when I woke up... That what I get for reading MN right before bed!

Evening ladies, thank you very much for all your reassuring words regarding caesareans. I had a scan today and LO is still breech so I've been booked for a c-section on the 19th. So all these positive stories are much needed!

dal, glad you managed to get back to sleep this morning. I did too, but could have done with sleeping in until midday! Let's not meet same time tomorrow huh! It's annoying being woken up by your tummy grumbling isn't it.

toadstool, sorry to hear about the tantrum!! Did make me giggle what she said though, children have the most perfect way of putting things don't they! 'you are all poos'

MrsMar, I agree with what others are saying about the birthplan, I wrote one with DS1 and the midwife didn't even read it, I didn't bother with DS2. If there is something you feel quite strongly about then I would jot it down, but also make sure DH actually tells the midwife who is looking after you. Also, glad you've got your scan for tomorrow, then the head mystery will be solved well done on the ruthless chucking away of junk, I love a good clear out!

Pennypops, there was a thread started recently about the benefits of homebirth, have to admit it did get quite heated, but all the same there was lots of info packed in there. Think it might be on the pregnancy board.

MrsFish, hope you enjoyed your walk earlier.

EmLouT, any news for us??????????? Exciting stuff!

Well not only did my scan show that LO is still breech but it also showed that this 'L'O is going to be in fact a rather big one! Hmm, why am I not surprised! At 36+3 the scan estimated bubs current weight to be 7lbs, but that could be out by a lb, therefore she could already be 8lbs

Pennypops, I have been given a birth pack complete with plastic sheeting, would you receive the same or similar, even for the 'just in case' scenario where you feel the journey would be too much or you decide that you want to go ahead at home etc. Obviously I am for home births in the right situation, and you sound fine to me, although your m/w will tell you yes or no if there is any concern.
The only things I have got myself are dark/old towells and an old dark sheet to put over the plastic one they provide. With dd I used an old shower curtain as well, perhaps get a cheap one from a diy store?

My m/w came to see me on saturday to discuss what I want [ideally] to happen, I have never really had any hard and fast rules about what I want, just as little of everything as possible, with the possibility of adding to it as I go [ie epidural etc] lol.
Something I did ask for with dd and this one was to let the cord remain attached until it stopped pulsing [again if possible] which was done with dd and was a lovely quiet time for us both before being finally seperated and her taken and properly checked and dressed and me to be cleaned up and the placenta to be removed.

In regard to the quick delivery fantasy, its actually quite frightening and my ds2 needed to be checked by a consultant just in case of shock [he was fine btw, but it meant we had to stay in hospital longer than I wanted]. Plus you are more likely to tear at high speed!
In fact I have started a thread asking how to slow it down a bit lol.

Sorry for the long post, I hope everyone is feeling ok and getting some rest, luckily my ds's have gone to stay at my mums now, so its just dd and me for the time being.

ok, yup, something crucial! Congratulations Kinki!!

So now you know hopey. Grrrr I am very jealous that you know when.
Ah well, back to the fingers crossed and waithing game lol

Hiya twit, yes that's definitely the upside having a csection, knowing when it'll be. Makes life a bit easier when you need to plan what to do with the other children!

Heard from kinki today, she's doing so well, had a restless night with Liam, and she's determined to make a success of bf, she's a star

Signing off now, we've just put a DVD on.

Night night lovely ladies, sleep tight, all night pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

Hi all. Congats to those of you who have met their little ones already...I'm so envious!!
Still hanging in there like most of you. Went to doc yesterday and he mentioned inducing me at 39 weeks....am both excited and petrified at the thought of it!!!!
It would be great to have a date but am nervous of the unknown ,as went into spontaneouus labour on DS....anyway he will make final decision next tues!
Hope ye are all well...I never get to read all the thread as you lot are quick movers!!

HIWBB - I had a lovely walk thanks, followed by an even better afternoon, when ds managed to sleep for 3 and a half hours, so I got loads done, and he has gone to bed with no problems too

Anyone else scared about the birth now that the time is getting closer? I'm shitting it mainly because I don't want an episiotomy and forceps again, it took me two weeks to recover from that properly and I can still feel the scar tissue (tmi?) Ds1 arrived in 5 hours from first sign of labour to delivery, god knows how quick this one is going to be, hope its long enough to be able to get to hospital

I'm getting quite worried about it too MrsFish. The breech thing complicates matters since now I don't know whether I should do anything to encourage labour (in a few weeks, not now obviously!) I wish I could tell which way up LO is but I have no idea. I'm a bit nervous about it all, the ECV appointment, whether I might end up having a CS or even if I have to deliver her normally but while she's still breech... I don't know whether any of that made sense.

I'm quite of your fast labour of your DS, they do say second labours go even quicker - just make sure you get to hospital in plenty of time anyway!

Evening all! Hope everyone's doing well, I'm going to do my best this time to actually read and reply to all the posts (I was a bit lazy yesterday, I know LOL)

Jemima: Wow! That must be a really weird feeling "like the baby's going to fall out!"

Dal: Thanks for the update, my documents are now covered in files that say "mumsnet" LOL Must learn to clean up the one's I don't need

MrsFish: Glad your poor DS is better today and glad someone got some sleep last night! Looks like there was a little gang going on here and I was in the spare room tossing and turning all night :P
Yup, am constantly saying things like "I've got to push this thing out of my Vagina!!" LOL Giving DH an obvious giggle (or getting slightly annoyed at the fact that I'm always saying it now )

MrsMar: Thanks for the recipe Will try that one out tomorrow HaHa at you chucking out your DH's junk, I've been putting mine in a plastic bag and lumping it on his dresser (he does intend on sorting it out, it gets put on the kitchen side though, so I'm moving it into HIS way instead of mine )

Pennypops: IMO Home birth is an amazing experience as my MW's were so relaxed (which totally relaxed me) and they obviously didn't feel "on duty" (like they had to stand to attention if a higher authority came in or something)! My DH made me Gingerbread and I could move around my house so freely, it was lovely!
We just bought some plastic ground sheets from DIY store and in the end I was in the bathroom anyway, so all wipe clean
I'm really upset that it's not really an option to me this time round (Have got GBS and decided not to risk going without antibiotics)
Apparently having a water birth at home is a bit trickier as the water has to be kept at quite a constant temp and this means topping up constantly with hot water (and if it's a long labour this can get tiresome, whereas hospital birthing pools are mechanically able to keep constant temp) but if your DH/DP has got the stamina then go for it! Hope that's of some use, just my opinion/expierience and my MW's were just two people you may end up with someone completely different! I got to meet the On-call's before hand and was happy with all of them, see if it can be arranged that you can do the same and then you'll have a friendly face appear at your door

Rin: Try wrap trousers, I've been living in many pairs for 2 1/2 years (since preg with DD) but then I'm a big hippy so they tend to go with everything I wear You can get some plain one's from M&S apparently, get the next size up and then you can always get them sized down for you after LO comes along!

Hopey: Or she could be 7lb?! Think positive

Ooh I didn't do too bad with reading posts tonight!
My day's been a lot busier than first planned but absolutely wonderful all the same Went swimming this morning with DD for the first time in about a year (due to the fact that the pool is the other side of the city and there aren't any buses that go close enough to it!!) and she loved it (didn't want to be in the inflatable seat though and was constantly telling me to let her go! LOL Was tempted to make her realise that she doesn't actually float! LOL)
So, from swimming on to granny and granddad's house, lovely, nice and relaxed, didn't have to do too much
Spent all day watching DD run around and generally being a happy bunny (no naps! But was practically a little angel!) And DH managed to get a bit of feet up time too!
So, tomorrow is going to be even less exercise with any luck not planning on anything in the morn, but might have to pop into town in the a'noon (but not for too long, want to get back and put my feet up quick before having to make dinner )
Righty-ho am off again to see if I can get some sleep tonight, good luck to all those who are having troubles with sleep atm too, and to all those who aren't, well, aren't you just the lucky one's
night night
xxx

I can't sleep at the moment so am browsing, I love your hair kyala, and your dd of course.

[whispering to mrsfish]

yes I am a bit on the chicken side about the birth tbh, but feel I shouldn't say so to anyone [including here]. Actually I fluctuate between being, get the baby out now and I don't want to give birth lol.
Just don't tell anyone.

morning all. hope you are all well!

just been catching up on yesterday. spent half day asleep after sleepless night then realised hadn't felt lo move so had fruit juice..still nothing so went to hosp after lunch and was all fine. baby started tumbling around as soon as i was hooked up. cheeky lass! and then went out last night with friend and was lovely and relaxing and took my mind off 'waiting to pop'.

but now. er. well. i think this might be it. getting pains like i haven't had before. they might be [whispers] contractions [looks over shoulder] but don't tell anyone.

eek!

plan at mo is to ignore them until they demand attention. dd has extra day at childminder today so she is taken care of until 5 and then grandad is around to pick up and can put her to bed if needed so we're ok for a wee while...

the only thing really worrying me now is how young the little one will be when she goes to schoool! it's really bothering me suddenly.
still, i expect childbirth will take my mind off that once it's in full swing!

ooooooooooooooh there's one now......

is this it?!

ps kyala have found a 'breadmaker tips' book while putting books on new bookshelves. we have got rid of our machine - do you want me to stick in an envelope for you? not sure how good it is, one of those little books people see by tills in bookshops and buy you....

will sort out email and contact dal (is it dal doing email?!).

and if any readers out there i need to lose a lot of paperbacks. not that we're exactly 'group most likely to be reading lots in weeks to come'. ho ho.