First timers due in Octoberish

[Kittiwake]

Hi this thread is for any first timers or anyone really who wants to chat about their imminent arrival and general lack of idea of what to expect!

I realise that there is already an October thread but there seems to be quite a few people who have come a bit late to join in the discussion on there. Hope this doesn't offend anyone

Mine - Don't get me wrong, even though I'm happy to wait for a bit longer, that's not to say I don't have trouble sleeping. I feel like I haven't had a decent night's sleep for months now! I'm permanently exhausted. I just get so uncomfortable. It's mainly sore hips and needing to wee that keep me up at night.

WMWG - I'd heard that about the oral prostaglandins too! I'm not planning on telling DP that though!

hmmmm don't think i'll tell my DH that either!! My midwife said that sex is the only thing that it really effective too and also that actually having sex as opposed to just the affect of the semen is doubly effective as it is in effect like having a sweep

I'm kind of thinking at this point that the baby will hopefully come when it's ready and am feling pretty chilled out about it but maybe by this time next week I will be frantically eating pineapple and curry etc. who knows

I haven't bought a baby bath and am planning on using our bathroom sink to start with as its kind of big and square but maybe it would be a good idea at some point.

Hope everyone is okay it's a horrible rainy day here so am going to curl up with a good book this afternoon.

Happy birthday for yesterday Stefka hope you had a good day.

Hi there ladies

Hope you had a good day yesterday Stefka!

Welcome Mine! - I've got a foam mould bath from Mothercare (cheapest option I think). A friend with 3 kids and who is also a childminder swears by hers - she simply uses it in her big bath. I'm planning to pack mine when I travel back to the UK (when LO is about 6 weeks old) and use it in my parents enormous kitchen sink LOL.

WMWG - thanks for your reply to my cord blood thread. Its such a difficult decision to make - we've reason to think we'd ever need it but, then again, I know someone who died waiting for a match to come through on the bone marrow donor list. Cord blood can be used to treat LO, any siblings (if they are a match), DH and I and even has the potential to be used on our parents too. It would be easier to decide if I was in the UK and could discuss it properly with everyone but being out here I'm the one who has to decide what to do.

I'm also generally sleeping well, getting up for the loo 2 or more times per night but getting straight back to sleep. Feeling shattered today though - DH wanted to know why as I was in bed early! Doh, doesn't he realise that being 37 weeks pregnant is tiring?!

Just had a lovely call from DH, he's in my good books today! Not only has he bought some newborn toys at lunchtime, he's also bought LO some warm, UK friendly clothes & scheduled our flights back to the UK There's just one flight left before Christmas 20th Dec so our new little family will be able to spend it with everyone. Funny thing booking flights - travel agent needs name, DOB and passport number for LO... Told them its TBA as we really don't know yet!!

Right, got to go and get chicken in the oven - treating DH to a roast chicken dinner tonight for being so lovely!

Jo
x

Morning everyone,

Is anyone else feeling totally exhausted? I slept for 12 hours last night (on and off...obviously lots of trips to the loo and the usual tossing and turning trying to get comfortable) and I'm still really tired and feel like I could happily go back to bed for a few more hours kip.

Kitti - The weather is grim isn't it? I'm not planning on going anywhere either. I made an apple crumble yesterday so I might just spend the day working my way through that on the sofa . I feel the same way about waiting until baby is ready to come out...we might both change our tune when the 15th has been and gone though!

MrsJoJo - Well done on getting your flights back. Getting a passport for your LO when it arrives will be fun! I want to get one for my baby too. I want to make the most of the fact that babies travel for free. Apparently kids under 4 travel for free on Eurostar.

I wonder how LackingNameInspiration got on with her sweep? Maybe she's had her baby!

Hi All

Well, I'm feeling very self-satisfied. Yesterday I discovered that the mice are back in the under stairs cupboard, which we use as a pantry as the kitchen is so small. They even got into vertical plastic boxes which we thought would be mice proof after the last invasion! So, I have taken all the 'dry' goods off the shelves and re-arranged them, and the kitchen cupboard and also rationalised... including rice with a BBE date of 2001...!!! The (live capture) trap was bought yesterday, so I will work out how to set that this afternoon.

Right now, I think I need some lunch and then on with the baking for my NCT chums tomorrow. A work friend is popping in for a cuppa after work today which will be nice.

The weather is sooooo horrid and depressing. The cats all scarpered outside when they saw the hoover - they must be really frightened of it to go outside into the pouring rain instead!

Have a good afternoon!

Blimey WMWG! You're a hive of activity...you're making me feel really guilty. It took me about an hour to manage to get dressed and make some toast . I'm feeling really tired and lazy today.

Where did you get your mice traps from? Mum's got mice and she doesn't want to kill them. Her cats don't seem to understand that it's their job to deal with mice!

Yes it's making me feel tired just reading about all your activity WMWG I think I heard some mice in our attic last night may have to investigate traps too.

I want some of your apple crumble MissB! will have to settle for a cup of tea and some chocolate digestives instead. Also feeling very inactive today.

Hey all,

no news from LNI? I wonder if it has all kicked off for her. I went for another walk today to see if I could do the same although from what everyone is saying it sounds like sex is the best thing. I feel like a big whale though so it doesn't appeal that much.

Does anyone else hate the way that the reply bit is at the bottom - I can never remember what people have said and get annoyed having to scroll all the way up and down all the time.

Well, I didn't get up till 10 and I didn't have a shower for about another hour, so I was a slow starter! And I have been envious of all your activity when I have been having lazy days, so I guess we're all even!

But...one cake cooling and another one baking

I got the mouse trap from B&Q. Last time we borrowed the ones the neighbour had - I couldn't believe it - I was very embarrassed and told them we had mice (terraced houses) and she might like to get some traps and she said 'oh yes - we've had them for a few weeks'... well - thanks for the heads up! But we get on well and she feeds the cats when we're away so I guess I can't really complain too much! I got one which can trap 4 mice at a time and had a see through top so you know if you've got any! Last time, I thought the trap must have been sprung by mistake so I opened it to re-set it and a tiny head popped out! I was so surprised, I nearly dropped him! I was running late for work so I just had to put him in the garden - I bet it's him back with his family! B&Q have lots of different traps and repellants. I wanted to get a plug in sonic whatsit, but we have no sockets under the stairs.

And yes - wouldn't it be easier to have the message box at the top...?!

Sorry Senga, don't live in London so can't help out with your study.

Good to hear that I'm not the only lazy one. My excuse is that my midwife has put me on bed-rest, but I still feel guilty lying in bed all day and yet not having the energy to cook dinner.

WMWG - you are positively inspiring at the moment. I guess you've got the nesting bug. I have some baking plans for tomorrow after my midwife's appointment if I'm given the thumbs up for coming off bed-rest.

Stefka, I also feel like such a whale at the moment. Even my maternity clothes are starting to feel tight. Happy Birthday for yesterday, hope you had a good one. Another October baby, my birthday is next Friday and I've been telling everyone all I want is my baby.

Kittiwake - I was also hitting the chocolate biscuits today. I'll have to bake or buy some more because the packet I ate was supposed to be for labour.

MissBumpy - getting dressed and making toast was about as active as I was today. Your apple crumble sounds lovely, I've been thinking about baking one too with all the delicious apples around at the moment.

MrsJoJo - I've also been looking into travel arrangements lately, we're planning on taking our LO back to New Zealand in the new year and need to sort out all that stuff. Good on your DH for getting it sorted.

Welcome to Mandler and Mine, it's nice how this thread has been taking off.

Hope everyone has a good night's sleep, although it's probably a bit much an ask for the achy hips, constant toilet trips, and racing brains which seem to accompany the end of pregnancy.

Yes - sleep well all and spare a thought for those of us who have downstairs bathrooms!!!

Tomorrow is another exciting day with a trip to the cardio bods to be fitted with a 24hr heart rate monitor as my heart rate is constantly 110-120, the midwife, scones to bake and then NCT tea...oh - and my friend and I ate some of the cake that was meant for tomorrow too...

This whole heart rate thing. I don't know whether to worry at all. It has been racing since I was poorly in August. I first saw the GP who has now referred me about 5 weeks ago and he hummed and ha-ed about it and decided to wait for 2 weeks till my next ante-natal appointment and refer me to the cardiologist if it was still high. The next appt was with the mw who was happy that a high pulse is just one of my 'symptoms'. However, the following week, the GP sent me for an ECG, which was fine. Then a week and a half later, I get a call from the cardio unit asking me to go in for this 24 hour monitor to be fitted. It comes off on Thursday morning, and we'll see the cardiologist for the results.

If anything needs doing, they'll have to get a move on as I'm due on Saturday! But what can they do? What might the risks be - for me and for LO? In that sense, I'm not too worried, as if they thought there was a big problem, they'd have had me in much faster.

I guess that the heart rate goes up during labour, but I'm not sure by how much and what is considered to be a safe maximum (I'll do an internet search I think!). My only 'worry' is that they'll want to do a cs and presumably that would have to be before my due date and I'm not ready for that! I'm geared towards 'Saturday or later'. Also, I want to give birth naturally, as I think it will make me more physically, emotionally and psychologically ready for parenthood - I think part of me would feel cheated out of an experience I've been building towards for 9 months.

Sorry - this was meant to be a quick goodnight post. But does anyone have any advice and share my feelings about a cs?

Hi,

Top tip: If you go to 'flip this thread' at the top of the page (just underneath where it says the subject title) it turns it the other way round. Annoyingly you can't make it stay that way but I find it helpful if I'm trying to respond to a few posts and I can't remember what everyone's said...saves you scrolling up each time.

WMWG - Sorry to hear about the racing heartrate. I'm afraid I don't know much about these things but I do know that at the 1st hospital I was at they made all pregnant women see a heart and lung doctor as routine just to check that they would be strong enough for labour. I think they said that if I had a weak heart they would only let me labour naturally for a certain period of time before they'd intervene. Does that make sense? I don't know much about it because luckily my heart and lungs turned out to be fine (I was a bit worried because lots of people in my family have a heart murmur and they thought I could have one too but it turns out I don't). Hopefully it's just another odd pregnancy symptom for you and it won't affect labour or the baby. Good luck. Oh, and thanks for the mouse trap info. I'll pass it on to my mum. She wants one of those sonic things but according to my DP they don't work.

Primi - Sorry to hear you're on prescribed bedrest Hope your DP is looking after you and waiting on you hand and foot! I'd send you some virtual apple crumble and custard if I could!

Stefka - I know what you mean about feeling like a whale. I wasn't expecting to grow much in the last few weeks but I feel heavier and more whale like every day!

Anyway, I hope you all get a good night's sleep.

Hi all

well i have just pulled myself together after having a good long cry. I'm putting this down to being almost 39 weeks gone and the lack of sleep and heavy weight of my darling bump is taking its toll. I almost feel as though it has finally dawned on me as to what is about to happen. It may also be that i couldn't lift my right leg up to get my socks off.

Once i did i noticed my once slender calfs looked hideously like elephants legs. Where have i been these last few months.. clearly i haven;t noticed my body changing under the maternity clothes.

well, i have pulled myself together, and almost stopped feeling sorry for myself. DH is fast asleep and completely unaware of my mini breakdown!

Am i the only idiot here who has had this kind of last minute panic, and realisation??

well, good night to those that are going to sleep, and a shout for help to other insomniacs.

x

Morning all!

Mine - I hope you're feeling better today and that you slept well. Men are a bit hopeless at divining our feelings at the best of times, never mind when they're a bit preoccupied with baby worries of their own!

Miss B - heart and lung referral for all pregnant ladies? Wow!

I am now hooked up to my heart monitor and feeling a bit bionic! It's hardly discreet! I have wires all over my bump and an Ipod sized thing round my neck! So stylish! So, off to find a top which will hide it a bit more and then...scones!

Have a good day!

Hi everyone

Also feeling really whale like here too today. I can't wait to be able to turn over in bed easier and to bend over to pick things up of the floor! what things are you looking forward to?

WMWG I don't know anything about the heartrate stuff but can totally empathise re; The CS. If that's what has to happen in the end for me due to complications, so be it and a healthy baby is the most important thing, but on the other hand I do kind of want to go through the process of labour now after reading so much about it and anticpating it for so long sure I won't be saying this at the time though!!!

My house has never been so tidy! have been clearing out cupboards this morning in a slightly manic fashion maybe it's a sign

Hi ladies

Think I spoke too soon about sleeping well - was awake between 2am & 5am this morning. DH had no idea...

When I woke again at 7am to use the bathroom (no intention of getting up)it was to discover a pool of water had crept into our room. I was still half asleep so has to really think if it was my water's breaking or not LOL!! Turns out our water purifier had been leaking in the few hours sleep I managed to get - leaked all the way through the floor to the carpark below us. It was a swimming pool here and I've had the fan on all day trying to speed up the drying process.

Its times like this living in Thailand is a blessing and a curse. I didn't have to do much mopping up as we called our maid to help clear up (although its her day off), however, its the second time this month the engineer's been here to fix it and I don't speak Thai well enough to complain.

WMWG - I want some apple crumble... I LOVE cooking and can't buy cooking apples here - I indulge in that sort of baking when I'm staying with my best friend or my mum in the UK!!

MissB - I doubt the heart rate is anything to worry about but at least being monitored helps put your mind at rest. Mine was 120BPM for ages, is now averaging 100BPM which is about normal for me. Even though I've practically instant access to all sorts of medical treatment (because the hospital is a profit making enterprise) no-one's ever mentioned it to be a problem.

As for the c-section - I've been dreading this too and know that I've got to be really stubborn and insist on a natural birth unless its an emergency because this is NOT the norm at the hospital I'm going to. My birthplan is so strong on this and my obstetrician is very clear about my wishes.

Mine - I've been emotional too! I'm not scared about giving birth as I know it will hurt and I know the drugs generally work... My tears have been fear of the future - I haven't a clue about babies, have hardly changed a nappy and am miles away from my close friends and family for the first 6 weeks. I'm hoping a chat with my best friend (who had her first baby a month ago now) will help ease my mind as she was as clueless as me!

Right, I've got to get dinner now!! Off to a British Women's Group Coffee Morning tomorrow (such an ex-pat thing to do LOL) - it should be interesting & will be the last I can attend without having to think about what to do with the LO. Its full of older women who are desperate to be honorary grannies so perhaps I can pick up some of the support I feel I'm lacking!! There's not been a birth in the group (the age group was too old, its getting younger now) for over 5 years so you can imagine how excited they are.

Speak tomorrow

Jo
x

Hi - can I come join you guys? I'm due on 22 Oct with my first baby. DH and I decided not to find out the sex - although he's convinced that he saw 'something' on the scans and so thinks it's a boy! He's so sure that he's pursuaded me too!

Although I still have 12 days to go, the waiting game is already starting to get to me...everyday I wake up convinced that this will be the one...to be honest, I'm glad it hasn't come in the last week cos I've been laid low with flu and still feel rotten. I think that LO is taking all my vitimins and I just can't shake the slightest little bug

Anyway - good to know that there are others out there going through the same things!

wow WMWG, sounds like you have soo much on your plate. very brave lady. I hope you feel better soon.

I'm still reeling from my crying episode from last night. I actually wore me out enough to sleep for 5 straight hours!!

Feet and calfs are still so swollen i can't tell which part is my thigh and which part is my ankle..... off to the doctor later to find out.

Why is it though that i feel i ought to paint my toenails because the doctor is going to be looking at my feet??!! crazy pregnant paranoia i guess.. tee hee!!

off to raid the fridge for something for lunch.

x

Welcome Collywobbles Here's an updated list:

LNI 29th Sept
krc 30th Sept
Pinkdelight 12th Oct
WMWG 13th Oct
Stefka 14th Oct
Miss Bumpy & Kittiwake 15th Oct
Mandler & Mine 18th Oct
Primigravida 20th Oct
Collywobbles 22nd Oct
Mrs JoJo 30th Oct

Oops managed to press 'post' before I'd finished the message.

Mine - Sorry you're feeling weepy. I know how you feel. I've had a few really weepy days recently. I think it's natural at this stage what with all the hormones flying around our bodies as well as the perfectly rational fears about labour and motherhood etc. I'm sure the swelling will go down as soon as your baby's out.

Kitti - I can't wait to be able to turn over in bed either! I can't wait to sleep on my front too. I really can't wait to be able to wear nice undies again but I don't think that will be happening for at least 6 months (all of the nursing bras I've got are hideous!). I know it sounds vain but I'm looking forward to getting my old figure back (or at least something vaguely like it!). I can't believe today's the 10th and we're due on the 15th. In some ways the last 9 months feel like the longest ever and in some ways it feels like they've just flown by.

I'm very jealous of all of you who are in nesting/cleaning/cooking mode. Apart from my apple crumble I've been so lazy. I can barely manage to get showered and dressed before 2pm! I wish I had a bit more energy because there's plenty that needs doing round here. In fact, if any of you nesters run out of jobs to do round your houses you're welcome to come round here and sort this place out for me !

I wonder how LNI and KRC are getting on? Haven't heard from them for a while and they were quite overdue so maybe they've had their babies! I'll check out the birth announcements board. Haven't heard from pinkdelight for a while either...

Hey all - just a quick note to say I am still here but am having some internet access problems so if you don't hear from me much over the next day or so it might be that. It's very annoying!!! I managed to get on line just now but don't know it if will last.

Sorry I've fallen behind a bit with all the posts but I hope that everyone is well.

Morning everyone.

Hope you all got a good night's sleep. I woke up with strange, crampy, period pain type feelings. They're not at all regular and they come and go so I'm not sure whether this is the beginning of something or whether it's just one of those things.

I'm feeling quite knackered one way or the other. I was planning to walk down to my yoga class this morning and then meet a friend for lunch and then get a lift to the supermarket with my brother in the afternoon (the busiest day I've had planned all week!) but now I'm not sure if I should just go back to bed and take it easy.

Anyway, I might go and have some breakfast and then see how I feel.

PS. Hope you get your internet connection sorted Stefka.

Hi there everyone

Hope things are OK! My coffee morning today was fun, they can't wait for me to attend the next function with a tiny baby. Today they all wanted to rub my bump which is not something I mind if the person asks first and has clean hands!!

Had my landlord in to inspect the damage following our leak/flood yesterday. Suddenly the maintenace I've been chasing for weeks happens (light bulbs changed - our ceilings are so high you need high step ladders) they've also managed to sort some other niggly problems too. Wish the landlord did inspections more frequently now as it takes weeks, sometimes months to get them to sort things out.

Welcome Collywobbles!I don't know the sex of LO but DH does (I closed my eyes at the scan and they communicated it to him somehow!)I was convinced its a girl, now I'm not so sure... We've selected lots of girls names but hardly any boys names - makes me wonder if he's trying to tell me something!

Mine - at least crying helped you sleep! I've been ok again for the last few days but we'll see how I fare when I go through my birthplan with the obstetrician & doula again (at the hospital on Saturday, seeing the doula on Tuesday).

MissB - I'll keep my fingers crossed that this is the start of something for you!

Stefka - Hope the internet connection is restored soon! I go stir crazy when mine's offline as its my main way of communicating with people. My skype headset's broken at the moment so I'm banned from making too many calls, just when I'd like to be chatting to my friends and family in the UK.

Nesting - I hope I get the bug soon! I've heaps of paperwork to file and just keep looking at the piles around our apartment. I've also got cupboards that could do with a sort out - I started it a few weeks back but havne't got round to finishing them yet!

Have a good afternoon peeps!

Jo
x

Hello all

Well, breaking news...after saying I was sleeping well I had the most awful night! But I did have the pulse monitor strapped to my boobs so I might have been unconsciously aware of it, even though it didn't really bother me. It's off now and has been handed back for the results.

Interesting mw appointment yesterday. She has made me an appt with the Obs Consultant on Tuesday - she couldn't understand why I haven't seen him, given these heart tests. I'm glad someone else has gone through this too (can't remember who or find the relevant post now - apologies!). And then at my next mw appt, I'll be 4 days overdue, so they'll make an appt at the Post Date Clinic, at which I'll have an internal scan to see what's going on, and be offered a sweep. And they'll book me in for induction on 41+4 or 5.

What does everyone think about induction? I'm really not keen. I want a water birth and of course I can't if I'm on the induction drip (and I HATE needles...!) and I'd have to be in hospital overnight beforehand and in for the whole process, whereas I really want to be at home as long as possible. I asked if I have a choice and I do, but refusal of chemical induction would mean regular monitoring at the hospital after 42 weeks as studies have shown that the placenta starts to become less effective after 42 weeks, and of course would see the consultant. As with my thoughts on cs, I want a natural birth and with induction, you miss the early contractions so the pain takes you much more by surprise, therefore epidural and pethidine are more common.

I just don't feel the need to be induced as I am coping fine, not too uncomfy, (was) sleeping ok (hoping last night was just a blip!) and don't feel whale-like...arg!

Needless to say, I have now bought a stash of raspberry leaf tea and I think a curry will be in order tomorrow night too!