Due in Dec 2007. Enough already, bring on the babies!

[suey2]

hellloooooo?

If your hb is supposed to be 14-16 then no wonder im worn out all the time, mines 8.2

BH fifi! no wonder you are needing the transfusions. 11.4 - 15.0 normal range BTW- I was wrong off the top of my head.

fifisworld, are you on iron supps?

Pecka- I have been on ferrous gloucanate and folic acid and they werent doing anything so i was reffered to the hospital to see what they could do and they monitored me for a few weeks and i want improving, in fact i was getting worse so i now have to go in every week for iron transfusions, they told me to stop taking the iron tablets while im getting the iron drip.

gosh fifi - is that even after your transfusion?

claraq - in my dream you looked like a foreign correspondent - a bit like that Orla wots-her-name from the BBC who's always in war-torn somewhere-or-other (though less skeletal and more attractive )

insy - great your mw was so laid back about the homebirth and that she will bring a receptacle for any unwanted poo!!

Ive only had the one transfusion so far, got my next one on friday. Atm im going in once a week on a friday to get it done and they are taking blood each time and monitoring it, then in a couple of weeks ive got to go in twice a week for it done.

suey2: sorry to have worried you. I'm OK, but now under consultant care and I've not been wanting to post until I got my head straight about it. No point coming on here and going whinge-whine-pewl.... Then my waitress phoned in sick, so I was working Fri/Sat evening too and got a bit behind.

Warning: Rant/self-pitying whine follows. Please skip if you're not in the mood.

So, the gist of it is:

1. I'm still dealing with lots of swelling, but no sign of protein and no elevated blood pressure so "just one of those things" to put up with.

2. My GTT was borderline normal, but the diabetes team have got their knickers in a twist and spent about an hour last week telling me that I'd probably be on insulin within a few weeks, and induced at 38 weeks. They generally upset me rather badly and basically refused to believe that I'm following a sensible healthy diet. I'm testing blood sugar twice a day (ouch) and now that they've explained properly what they were looking for I might get some figures that make sense. Numpty nurse didn't bother to specify that 'after a meal' means '2h after a meal' so last week's tests were a waste of time and sore fingers.

3. My consultant (thank goodness I requested him and not the misogynistic female who does our local area!) then requested a scan and the baby is fine but big (90th centile or more!) but no sign of any other problems and amniotic fluid levels are normal. DH was huge (12 lb) as are all the babies on his side of the family and the consultant is willing to keep a watching brief and only interfere if there are signs that the baby is in trouble or suddenly starts growing much faster/slower.

Back to the diabetes clinic tomorrow, then consultant next Tuesday, and so it goes. I only get Tuesday afternoons off, and losing that to sit around the hospital and be poked & prodded has hit me quite hard. If the dafties would only understand that asking me what my routine is is a completely pointless exercise! If they tell me I can't go on holiday in a fortnight I suspect I will sit down and howl. Then I'll go anyway . There's a maternity unit at Huddersfield isn't there????

hello all!

Just had a quick read through everything I've missed, glad everyone is doing well. Or as well as can be expected at this 30wk plus stage of aches and pains!!

I would also like to join the very painful right rib club - what is that all about?! It seems worse when I'm sitting down, like I need to get all stretched out again to give LO some more space!

I have now ordered a few bits and bobs from Boots, exciting things like breast pads and maternity pads, also got in some plain babygros, so feel a little bit more organised! Has anyone else been getting told horror stories re premature arrivals? I always thought that the general old wives tale was that 1st babies were always late, but recently everyone I meet tells me how they were 3/4/5 weeks early! If that happens to me I will still be at work!

It will be interesting to see when we all go, compared to our due dates.

suey i think your nursing chair idea sounds great, you could make a fortune! I go to a Pilates/posture in pregnancy class and the teacher has the same view of all these chairs etc as you do.

Are some of you meeting up in London? Have a wonderful time if so!!

Oh, crossed posts thelady. Must be a Scottish thing, mumsnet at this time of night!

Actually I am normally on at this time as it is when I am meant to be working and I am skiving off instead.

anyway, just to say poor you thelady, what a nightmare. I think you should def take your holiday, take it while you can unless they completely advise you not too. good luck.

Claireybee - My old student friends are the same. Only 2 have kids and the rest are just the same , out pubbing and clubbing all the time.

The Lady - Poor you, what a lot to cope with - and all that hard work. I'm sure going away would help.

Insy -great home birth tips, thanks. Have got some plastic sheeting and a plastic fitted sheet for the bed and old towels. Have put stuff in a bag for the baby and in case I have to go to hospital.

Neuro - I live near Finsbury Park! But I get my brows threaded at Fenwick in Bond St. Its near my work.

Thanks for the sympathy! I'm working too - waiting for anyone to come in for dinner tonight (nobody yet) and munching ice-cubes. Not sure why they've become so appealing, but if that's the weirdest craving I get it can't be all bad.

Oh well, ice cubes must be better than rusty nails or coal. I'm only craving chocolate, so no change there then.

thelady - sorry to hear about how things are with you, you deserve a break unless they really really advise against it
(i'm mad on ice cubes too! those and rocket lollies!)

Thelady - sounds like things are very tough... and you need a new waitress, the one you have seems somewhat unreliable!

Another new member here. I'm nearly 34 weeks. Due 6th December, 3rd baby. Living in New Zealand so in touch with some of the kiwi mumsnetters. Have come down with a tummy bug today. Anyone got any good advice apart from fluids?

Thelady - sorry to hear you are now under consultant led care . Hopefully you will be fine to go on your hols. I guess the only way you can think of it all is to know that the 'medics' are doing their best to make sure you and your LO are fine and healthy (although it is a pain for you).

Had a bit of a shock tonight at work, one of the managers who was due on 4th December had her baby last Tuesday! Baby weighed over 4lbs and is doing well but I was very to see the birth announcement!

Also big welcome to Shells and the other ladies who have just joined (or re-joined) us - Piglet, Ticks and Poppy!

Welcome Shells!! Great to see you here. Sorry to hear about the tummy bug. Ginger beer? Panadol is OK if you have cramps.

Neuro - I have my blood results to hand from last week. The Hb level should be between 100-125 g/L. Mine was 125 so happy about that. If yours was well below 100 may take a few days to creep back up again.

However the other thing that can make you feel tired is low Vitamin B12. They don't always test for this but in my case was 8.4ng/mL and should be between 15-150 so not quite so good!

The up side is that I've been told that a bottle of beer per day might not be a bad idea as B12 is found in yeast!!

O and for those of you about to indulge in pampering, might pay to tell the therapist that you shouldn't lie flat on your back for long periods. I did this the other day when having massage and sure enough after about 5 mins I had to turn on to my side as was feeling decidely queasy/faint. She took it all in her stride.

thelady so sorry to hear about the gest diabetes etc. Have been putting off getting tested myself after finding out about the high amniotic fluid levels. Bad buzzy! But am optimistic it should be OK as my random glucose blood results were pretty low. Are there any other symptoms?

morning all,

thelady - sorry to hear about the GD and everything. I hope you get your holiday, as you definitely need it and I think they should see it as medicinal anyway.

hey to newbies and everyone else.

had a very sleepless night last night. woke up at 12.38 (yes i did check the time) and felt as if i was choking on my saliva, could hardly breathe. very disconcerting and was still there a little this morning. took me until 1.45 to get back to sleep and that was on the sofa due to DH snoring.

Hello all, nice to read through your msgs-welome to shells, hope you're feeling better soon.

The lady - you HAVE to go on your hols, you deserve it, you are working so hard...

Neuro, I hope you're resting young lady [stern face emoticon]

Sorry you slept badly mm, I tend to get one bad night then one good night at the moment. I'm lucky last night I was log-like

Ok, I must not buy anything more on the internet-its just toooo tempting.In the past week I've ordered a load of stuff from spirit of nature (btw really good price on disposable but biodegradable Moltex nappies) Car seat from ebay (new). Bugaboo from eu baby traders (totally recommend them btw, Dutch company but delivery was in 5 days and you get 50euros off your 1st order and free delivery, taking the gecko down to £400) Silverette breast feeding healing cups from breastfeeding heaven (Heals cracked nipples really quickly, and I suffered badly last time so am taking no chances!) Phew, the list goes on, I must stop!!!!!

I'm in the painful right rib club too [waves]

Last day of work on THURS!!!!!!

Sorting out dd's room today and packing up, ready to move house next wed, wish me luck, I'll need it

ok MM. DH needs to go to the sofa! unless you ahve a supremely confortable one

i hear you suey, but i just get so pent up and annoyed i just get up and go... it is in fact very comfy tho... more so than bed at the minute.

he needs to start wearing those snoring patches again - otherwise i will not be responsible for my actions.

hello shells - only thing that works for me is banana and flat coca cola, hope you feel better soon

a sleepless night for me too, ds is ill again or maybe he hasn't recovered from other week, am starting to suspect chicken pox as doesn't that take a couple of weeks to set it? got to work at 7.30am only to have dh call and say ds was getting a rash on his face, luckely my mum is on half term so she's got him today, could be at home for rest of week tho if he's realy bad, am so tired and keep thinking its only going to get worse when baby gets here starting to panic about how I'll cope

lizzer - you've just reminded me I need to order motex nappies!... and a tens m/c before I forget! I haven't had a chance to look on line for a few days but am cracking on with the xmas shopping, almost all of it is ordered now, stops me buying too many baby things!

hello everyone else... right off to find a strong cup of coffee and some match sticks