Due December 07 - The end is in sight, or is it just the beginning!

[Wizzska]

Hello everyone. Will you come and join me?

Hi Caz10 - yes it is me, thanks for asking! So far I've been really well, was v. concerned before I got pregnant how I would cope but I've been very surprised my symptoms have pretty much gone away and I've felt really good most of time. I am concious that the actual labour may well really take it out of me and that i may have a major crash after it all but I've also met lots of ME/CFS Mums who have been fine and have found their health much improved after birth so here's hoping....
I've made sure that I'm going to have lots of support for the first couple of months after the baby arrives just in case I do become unwell, so at first my man will be off, then when he goes back to work my Mum will come for a few weeks then my MIL so hopefully this will help if I'm suffering.
How are you? Have you been ok?

What is ME and CFS (sorry for my ignorance)

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it is an illness that is still quite a mystery in some respects, overwhelming tiredness, muscle pain, headaches, memory loss are but a few of the myriad of symptoms sufferers experience, making it really hard to diagnose.
Some people just seem to "get" it, others believe it can be triggered by stress or be a post-viral infection.

There is no cure, but it can be managed successfully, some people recover completely while others will go through cycles of illness and recovery.

Wow, you guys have my upmost respect for managing pregnancy so well with all that to contend with. Cant imagine having to deal with anything else other than being pregnant.

people looking for emma jane nursing bra's follow this link prices start at 10.99

www.more4mums.co.uk/allprods.php

Thanks for the info friends. The clary sage sounds a bit scary. Think I'll stick to the other methods until I'm a bit closer to the time.

Nothing to report.Pains still come and go but looks like lo is staying put which is good as builders still finishing off...

8 days till due date!!

Melly and Caz - I have a friend who has ME pretty badly. I think she has other problems too. She got ill when we were 13 years old at school together, she's still in bed most of the time and she's now 33. Glad you don't seem to have problems like that!!

Ah Wizz, i so feel for your friend, it can be so harsh. I was diagnosed at 19 and spent most of my Uni days in bed instead of partying like everyone else. But gradually I improved and was able to manage my life through regular sleep patterns, diet and gentle exercise, the hardest thing is not being able to be spontaneous and just stay up all night or party or just disrupt your routine or if you do you know you'll pay for it for a couple of weeks at least because you'll be totally wiped out.
But that's just my experience, some people do better than me some way worse it's a tough one that's for sure and so individual. Stress def. plays it's part for me as does too much booze.
Pregnancy has been wonderful because I have felt almost "normal" again after years of no energy.

Long may it continue Melly (your energy levels I mean).

Beckle ? the panic was very funny ? not getting many BH tho, its ok cause dh away till next sat so am happy with that, hoping lo will arrive soon after he gets back, have booked dentist, first aid course and hair dresser for first wk of mat leave so that should make sure baby comes!

Fifi ? no birth plan as yet ? dh out tonight so just about to draft something out, on plus side discussed a few things with my mum and she is now on board to be my birth partner (she promised she won?t get upset if I told her to f**k off whilst in labour ) she said she just panicked a bit when I first asked but she thinks she?ll be ok now
Skid ? given up on idea of doula as mum will be fine (I hope!)

Also got dh?s xmas pressie from ds and baby, went a bit spending mad but could resist getting him a scaletrix set he?s such a big kid I?m sure he?ll love it.

Hi furry ? after horrible pg at times you deserve a good birth! Come back and tell us how it was!

Mememummy ? good luck with walk ? pineapples half price in Tesco btw

Looking forward to the pineapples, except for the heartburn - anyone else find that they can't face fruit? Thinking about eating it gives me heartburn - think this baby will be born with scurvy! DH has had his last night away with work so I feel safe to start the RL tea capsules now (nearly 35 weeks) - won't touch clary sage unless I get to 38 wks. Might consider the pineapples if I can stomach them.

MW appt today - like many of you, head is down there - was interesting that she seemed to remember me - she actually said "oh, that looks a lot lower" before I'd even got round to asking. All measuring fine, I'm now getting impatient, except that I haven't finished knitting the pram blanket yet. Perhaps if I get a move on and finish it the baby will decide it's time?!

Still not sure if I'm exactly nesting or just being practical - big splurge today - cleaned the loos, the kitchen floor, hoovered - also sorting out huge pile of old photos - have filed all the negatives from 1983 - 1996 in big new folders, thrown out some old photos that were crap or were of people I hardly remember and will never see again. All the decent ones are in albums except the last couple of months which I haven't uploaded to Snapfish yet to print off.

thelady - "liquor" refers to amniotic fluid. If you have too much (like me) its called polyhydramnios - this is often associated with GD. Main risk is prolapse cord (cord caught under baby's head) if your waters break and the baby's head is not engaged. Sounds like this may be what they are looking for in your case. However, my experience tells me that you would likely already have high "liquor" levels now if this was going to be an issue.

The opposite is low liquor levels which is often a problem with twins. My friend had this and had to have an elective C/S at 35 weeks as fluid was getting very low.

Shells my friend at work swears she walked up Mt Kaukau (the one with the TV aerial on the top) when she was overdue and this brought on labour!! Sounds a bit like seriously hard work to me...DD dragged me up a small hill at Khandallah park the other day as she saw a sign which said "Lookout 5 mins" and I was exhausted. Mind you it was a lovely view which I'd never seen before and that was on Tue when it was gorgeous weather so it was actually very good for me

She also brought me breakfast in bed this morning, bless her (because I have a cold). Muesli and a large glass of banana flavoured milk (Nesquick) - "because bananas are healthy"

oh good insy - glad you have sorted it out with your mum

great news that all is well with your babies as well dundee thelady and suey

Had a mw appt today and my baby seems to have barely grown since two weeks ago. In the last eight weeks I have only grown three weeks (i.e. 3cm in fundal height). I am going for a growth scan tomorrow and the mw kept saying, don't panic yet, don't panic yet which obviously made me panic.

Am going mad imagining what it could be and praying that he is just a small baby or else very squashed. The thing is DD was 8lb5 so not small at all, and I was measuring a bit big for dates until 30 weeks when growth massively slowed down. Anyway scan is at 12 tomorrow so please cross your fingers for me . Hopefully will report back tomorrow that all is well same as dundee

Skidaddle - I'm sure it will be fine, fingers crossed!

Your fluid levels have probably been reducing (this is apparently normal after about 32 weeks) which could be counteracting baby growth? Also maybe LO could have dropped? I think all these scans are supposed to reassure us, but they seem to have the opposite effect! I measure 115cm round my tummy now and was 114cm 6 weeks ago - not sure about fundal height tho.

i saw mw today and she didnt measure me, but before i was measuring four weeks bigger than i should be, i dont think the fundal height measuing is accurate at all,the scan at 35 weeks showed lo weighed 5 lb 2 ish, which means approx 7.5lb at term not 9lb 6 that the growth chart said

thanks buzzy and meme - think it is more the slow down in growth that is worrying rather than the fundal height itself - I suppose the baby could be growing fine and my uterus isn't but I don't feel very constricted or anything - no rib kicking etc. anyway will try not to worry - at least I only have until tomorrow to wait

i thought second children did slow dwn alot more to, i wouldnt worry, i think u wud no if somethin was wrong, mternal instincts an all that. an dont forget the position counts a lot

Hope scan all goes well for you Skid, if you were measuring ahead at 30 weeks and now behind then could it just be dodgy measuring by the MWs? Or LO changed position? It is all very inexact! Still a worry though, will be thinking of you tomorrow x

Skidaddle: good luck with the scan.

buzzybee: thanks for the info on liquor - that's what I thought but it's been normal all the way through so I don't know why they should be checking it now...? I'm starting to get the feeling that they are looking for excuses to interfere

DH has had an entire bottle of wine tonight (most unlike him!) so I'm under orders not to go into labour any time soon. No sign of anything, but it would be just typical wouldn't it?

Agree with Meme - I'm a great one for maternal instinct!! In fact it's what's got me thru this PG with all its ups and downs. I'd even extend it to knowing that I was PG almost immediately - to the extent that I didn't have the flu jab offered at work when I would have been roughly 3 weeks PG (i.e. before I even missed a period) as the guidelines said it wasn't safe for PG women!!

Also understand completely where you're coming from thelady - I find the attitudde of constant checking almost in the expectation of finding something wrong very frustrating. Which is why I was so relieved yesterday when the consultant told me he didn't think I needed to go back for another check now and just to wait til I go into labour. Remind me, I thought they had ruled out the GD in your case? Or is it just "not clear"

Have changed my name on the due date list, should have done that ages ago. Had my 8th and hopefully last scan yesterday, shes still bang on the 50th centile ( her tummy anyway, head too far down to measure) and the consultant doesn't want to see me again (unless I go to 42 weeks!)
And shes 3/5 engaged which is good to know too, with 4 weeks still to go. I must get on with getting everything together for hb and packing just in case.
Getting close now for everyone, I think were all pretty uncomfy these days, roll on lots of LOs.

JARM 26/11/07 2DD's - Expecting a BOY!!!
Nbg 28/11/07 1 DD and 1DS - Expecting a BOY
BunnyBaby 28/11/07 - Expecting a baby
Littleoldme 28/11/07 - Expecting a boy
Beanstermum 30/11/07 1 DD - No idea - except a very wriggley one!
Cazzybabs 30/11/07 2dds - Expecting a baby, but wouldn't mind a horse or a puppy! Suspect a girl.
Claraq 01/12/07 1DD - Expecting a BABY (I hope)!!
CHOCOLATEPEANUT 01/12/07 1DD Expecting a BOY
Wizzska 02/12/07 - No1 - expecting a BOY
SarahPT 02/12/07 - First baby (eek!) - don't know if it's a boy or girl.
Mad4girls 04/12/07 2DD's - Expecting a BOY!!!
Ambi 04/12/07 - No1 - Expecting a GIRL!!
thelady 04/12/0 - no kids - Expecting a BABY!
Shells 06/12/07 - 2DSs, expecting a baby
Mellymooks - 07/12/07 - no idea!
FirstyMe 08/12/07 - Expecting a baby
Mememummy - 10/12/07 - Expecting a girl
Lizzer 10/12/07 - 1dd - Expecting a BOY!!!
Suey2 10/12/07 don't know but suspect boy
Claireybee 10/12/07 - 1dd- expecting a baby!
skidaddle 11/12/07 - 1dd - Expecting a BOY!!
Caz10 12/12/07 - no kids - expecting a baby!!
bambino1andbump 15/12/07 - 1dd - Expecting a baby!
Fifisworld 17/12/07 - 1 ds - Expecting a BOY!!!
Lucy 17/12/07 - 1 DD - Expecting a Baby!
Insywinsy 18/12/07 - 1 DS - Expecting a Baby!
Dundeemarmalade 18/12/07 - Expecting a baby!
Poppy10 20/12/07 - Expecting a baby!
peanutbutter 21/12/07 - 1ds - Expecting a BOY
Thingamajig 21/12/07 - No 1 expecting a girl
Buzzybee 22/12/07 - 1 dd - expecting a GIRL!
Bouncingturtle - 23/12/07 - Expecting a baby! (now thinkig boy?)
Curlygirly 24/12/07 - 2ds's - Expecting a Baby!
Peckarolloveragain 26/12/2007 (GIRL!)
Macdoodle 26/12/07 - 1DD (5) definitely a girl
Becklespeckle 27/12/07 - 2 DSs - Possibly a Girl!
Tabimum 27/12/07 - 1DD - expecting a GIRL
Housemum 29/12/07 - 2DDs - (probably) a GIRL!
Amani 30/12/2007 - 1 DD - Expecting a baby!
Ozzymoomoo - 30th Dec 1DS (3 half yrs)
Awen 31/12/2007 - 1DS - expecting another boy
Mixedmama 31/12/07 - 1DS - EXPECTING A BOY
imawurzel 31/12/07 - 1st timer- NOT SURE YET.

Babies

3littlebears - BOY 5 Oct (due 27 Dec)
Beachbunni - BOY end Oct (due early Dec)
Kerioke - Logan Vann 5 Nov, 5lb, 7oz (due 14 Dec)
Kitsilano GIRL, Lana 19 Nov (due 6/12) 7lb 11oz

Oh and am at home today - did take the day off, although have had 2 work calls and promised to read and check a doc (will do next promise!) that needs to go out to a client today.

Bouncing very bad recommendation about the chocs though - I didn't think I had any then found a box of choc covered almonds lurking in my pantry (purchased on special for Xmas) and scoffed the lot!!!

Ohhh thingamajig, we're almost date buddies!! Around 20/21 Dec would suit me fine - hopefully out in good time for Xmas at home (really don't fancy in hospital )

Morning everyone,

Skid - thinking of you - hope all is ok.

I love this post it's so great knowing we're all out there, rooting for each, it feels like a whole extra support network of friends - thank you everyone for being so lovely. Think I'm feeling a bit over emotional and sentimental this morning - but i don't care, I'm a great believer in letting people know they're great - and you're all great, this week on here has made me laugh and has made me nod with understanding and empathy so many times, I'm not sure how i ever got through without it and only wish I had discovered it earlier in my pregnancy.

Big hugs to you all and here's hoping the LO's are coming soon!!