Waddling Zombies and Dancing Babies - Due Feb 2008

[Pk616]

Hiya ladies,
Thought I'd start the new thread, hope you like the title! Best I could come up with I'm afraid!

Egg, I totally sympathise, lethargy is so frustrating! I've piles of stuff to do but I can't summon up the energy to keep my eyes open let alone housework. I'm gonna go and post some xmas cards (A mission in its self!)I'm just hoping the winter air wakes me up a bit so my poor fella hasn't gotta come home to a tip and me sleeping!

I had been exhausted, too tired to do anything, but found out I was anaemic. When I started taking iron pills, it was amazing how much more energy I had.

But I guess if you're not anaemic, you just need to make sure you get plenty of rest; if you're tired, your body must need you to slow down a bit. it's frustrating to have to, though.

Hi mutha.

Achy sides could be from holding a lot of urine but i'm not a medical person so i can't say for sure. I only know that its bad in the morning but better if i wake up during the night to pee.

LO was quiet yesterday which scared me - but is back moving today (kicking now in fact).

DH cleared out the room for the nursery. I really want to buy baby stuff now but am restricting myself to buying toileteries for hospital (eg, maternity pads LOL!).

Am also feeling lethargic. Only 3 more weeks to go at work - don't know how women keep going till 35+ weeks!

I was feeling great up until last week and I seem to have hit a brick wall of lacklustre and daftness. Keep having dizzy spells and losing my balance. Got really hot at work today and my colleague said the colour had drained out of me - thought I was going to pass out! Can't concentrate at work and hae no interest in anything other than how many working days I have left (32 - yay!). 24th Janu seems a looooong way away. Very excitable tonight asve growth scan tomorrow morning, then antenal appointment with consultant - feel like I haen't been seen by anyone in ages so it will be good to know everything is okay. Big hard belly today and lots of wriggling in there. back is bloody killing me. Not reassured by people telling me that 'I have a long way to go yet, and a lot of growing to do.' Chrikey - how much more will my belly have to stretch!'

On breastfeeding again cold savoy cabbabe leaves are good if your breasts become engorged in the early days - it does help when your boobs feel like they're going to explode!!! You also don't need to wash lansinoh off before feeding and it's great to put on your nipples before going in the shower as it stops them from stinging when the water hits them! (Can you tell I've had problems bf in past!!)

I'm not struggling with tiredness too much at the moment but am only 30 +3. Really stressed at work and a little bit stressed about money but trying not to think about it too much. Think lo is having a bit of a growth spurt because my stomach has been so itchy the last few days.

Hope everyone else is coping!!

Egg - a hold in the middle of your nipple sounds horrific! I'm hoping to breastfeed and trying to be brave even with all the scary stories - Might lurk on the breastfeeding thread a while and see a bit more about what tp expect, I suppose it will help if I'm more prepared. I already have a pot of lanolin which I had before I was pregnant and DP loves to watch me smooth it on my nips of a evening - not sure he'll feel the same when I start leaking everywhere

I've always been relatively flat chested and now have only gone up a cup size (altho admittedly this maternity bra which I was fitted for at 16 weeks is starting to feel a little tight...) I'm struggling to think that these little puppies are going to be able to sustain my baby. I'm sure I have a lot to learn.

Tal - don't worry about having small boobs. My friend breastfed two babies successfully and she was an A-cup before she got pregnant.

Please mention the dizzyness to your consultant. I get dizzy when i'm hot (eg, in a shopping centre), try wearing layers, like a t-shirt under a cardigan.

I think in a way, us 1st time mums find it harder being pregnant in a different way to mums who have been thru it before. What i mean us, we don't have other children to look after but we do have 1st time nerves, "is this normal" and "is that normal" type thing.

Hi all. Well have had such a shit few days!! Obviously trivial in comparison to birth dramas etc but shit all the same!! Dp is being a pain in the backside at the mo. I had to do a law exam today which was a real slog so have been up to my eyes in revision. Also been trying to help out work even though I'm off on study as well as keeping the house going bla bla bla. Went on a revision course on fri/sat which was hard work and got stuck on the m4 fri night for 2 hrs!!! Bloody miserable when I got in but had to go back out to pick something up from somewhere I didn't know - obviously got lost and sat in a pub car park sobbing my eyes out. God knows what they made of me when I finally got there. Anyway on the saturday I'm on a course, dp on the other hand has had ds looked after by my mum to play footie which then gets cancelled. Now what do you think he chose to do - the 101 great jobs we;ve got to do or sit in the pub??? Well it was clearly the latter so I was not impressed. He was really rude and ended up crashing out drunk on the sofa. This left me working till 9 then lugging all the xmas stuff out so I could put the tree up as I'd promised ds. So went to bed with a raging headache and backache at midnight. Really tearful the next day which didn't help and to top it off I have a bloody horrible cold!!!! Just in time for my week of social engagements!!! Work appears to have gone into meltdown in my absence and I get the impression noone's talking to me!! All I want to do is tell everyone to get knotted, finish the nursery and then sit down and enjoy xmas!!!

Right, now I need to have another mince pie!! Sorry just feeling really hormonal and low at the mo. Plus everyone keeps telling me I'm really small for my dates and giving me odd looks even though I feel the size of a small planet!!! I don't know!!!

On a different subject I just wore a cheap night dress to give birth in. Then showered and changed into some really comfortable pj's. I recommend cheap big pants rather than disposable, 100's of sannie towels with all the bells and whistles, and lansinoh and cabbage leaves!!!!

Sorry about my whinging!!!

doh - mean 'hole' in your nipple

Thanks for the the reassurance LMM - and I'll be sure to mention to the dizzy spells to the doctor. Can't wait to see my baby again tomorrow - woo hoo! And hear the heartbeat (it always makes me cry - affects me more than seeing LO on the screen for some reason) First time that DP wont be able to make it a scan with me - boo hoo! Glad to hear your LO is back wiggling today - I have days when he is really really wriggly and then goes quiet for a couple of days - I think he just wears himself out or turns so the kicks are aimed inwards. Why don't you treat yourself to one baby item am week whilst your working up til your leave? If you order online on a Monday you could have delivered to work on a Wednesday and it will break the week up....?? (get the impression that's what I do??)

Just watching Triny and Susannah - adverts are on and if I see that bloody advert for M&S 'it's the most wonderful time of the year' again I'm going to start getting unreasonable..... he he - you can tell I've not had my dinner yet - waiting for fish and chips to come back with DP.

Hi count.

You're not whinging IMO - you've got every right to be completely pi**ed off!

You've had a lot to do and your DP hasn't been pulling his weight.

Hope the post made you feel better.

Is there any way you can get rid of any responsibilities (not incl your DP!)?

Thanks lovemymum!! I'm finishing work in a couple of weeks so have only got a little bit longer to hold on and then I can just concentrate on being large!!

My dp just doesn't think in the same way as normal people. He'd had a nightmare morning with ds and housework was the last thing from his mind. Cause juggling work, study, toddler and a 7 mth bump with a cold is obviously a doddle!!! He did make me laugh cause he came out with that classic line of well if you'd have told me they needed doing.......!!! I've now remedied that with a list on the fridge!!! I shall now be delgating him tasks on a weekly basis and stop trying to do everything myself!!

christ, i am in a foul mood

The title of this thread should have been 'Don't mess with me man, I'm an incubator on the edge!!!' You ok tyaca?

Hi all, didn't want to clog up the thread with daily updates, the short version is that the twins are still in, still getting daily scans and monitoring, and any day could be 'the day'. Have become much better at taking it easy, although I'm partially still in denial that they're gonna come before Feb...I'm not one for jumping the queue, you see!

Thanks for all your kind thoughts - something's helped to keep 'em in this long!!
My goal is for Thursday, when i hit 28 weeks, beyond that will be a bonus.

Mini - hoping that you're still baking, how far off the 32 weeks are you? We may well meet up at the NRIE, bed space providing, if our wee ones come in the next coupla days......

DP has been instructed on how to post when the time comes...i'm hoping that this is a long time off.

ladle, so glad to hear all's ok and ty for the update. gl making it to thursday and make sure your DP holds good on his promise.

take care of yourself.

countto10 - yeh, i'm ok. ty overworked and being a bit of a nightmare , but ladle's post brought me back to my senses. its all about knowing what's important, isnt it?

DH has been playing Jay-Zee thru his big headphones on my stomach. i cant dance and i think he;s hoping to instill a bit of rhythm in her thru other methods.

'fess i posted earlier without reading everyone's news over last day or two, so am off to catch up.

Good to hear from you ladle - almost at 28 weeks - that's fab!!

Countto10 - I think I'm quite like you at the moment. Things that wouldn't usually bother me are really getting me down - in particular work. Really quite hormonal!!

Morning ladies,

Just had a bit of a read of what was going on yesterday...
...It seems we are very much as Count says, incubators on the edge! That's me included. Talk about hormonally imbalanced, my neighbours were arguing in persian outside my window last night, and I stormed out there all ready to read them the riot act but when I got out there all I could do was stand there and cry at them! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Mind you, it still had the desired effect! They realised they'd upset me and they left to argue else where, appologising as they went!

Tallulah - Good luck with your scan and appointment this morning. I hope the dizzy spells get sorted out.

Rozzy - Please don't stress over money lass, it really isn't worth it. A little bit of juggling here and there and everything will be fine. If you need a bit of advice you could have a look at this website

Count - Get well soon. I'm with Lovemymum, IMO you have every right to be bloody peed off! Sounds to me like your Dp needs his wrists slapped AND a motivational kick up the backside! I'm stealing you list idea BTW I think my DP could use a good list of chores, there are certain things that I just can do at the moment!

Ladle - glad to hear that your still hanging in there and the bairns are still baking away. still crossing everything for you!

I hope everyone is feeling better, more energetic and happier today. hugs going out to all of you 'cause we all deserve one

hi everyone.
All the knackerdness and stress from other people's posts are very familiar at the moment and I am not even working. I don't remember it being like this last time, am sure I flew through the last trimester but hey it might have something to do with my 3 and a half year old who despite usually being an excellent sleeper has suddenly decided that night time is party time and sleep is unnecessary, not sure how she manages it but she is as bright as ever but I am a walking zombie.

The fact I have seen my dh for only 36 hrs since the beginning of November as he is working away and is not back for another 2 week hasn't helped, my car has broken down and all the other annoying things of life have just compounded the tiredness.

Anyway I will stop moaning. On the up side my back ache has gone and the heartburn is a lot better.

I hope every ones babies stay put as long as possible and that everyone gets some rest and relaxation and gets the opportunity to take care of themself.

Hi everyone,
ladlemonke and mini: Glad to hear your little ones are still cooking away - here's to getting to the next milestone for both of you!

God, the tiredness and hassle is familiar for me as well. I'm coming up to 29 weeks now and have started to feel really tired in the evenings now. Think it's the commuting (40 mins each way on the tube in London) that does it, not necessarily working itself. I plan to work till the end of Jan (37 weeks) so am very envious of those finishing soon!

Also thinking about changing hospitals from the Whittington to UCH as long as my antenatal care doesn't get disrupted. I like the idea of the birthing centre at UCH, and I was also slightly wary about the midwife from the Whittington telling me that they can't guarantee 1-1 care during labour whereas that seems standard at UCH. I am also quite taken by the idea of a water birth, which also seems more likely at UCH. But, at both hospitals they don't let partners/mums etc stay with you overnight! That just seems archaic to me - who best to relieve busy midwives of routine tasks than someone there to help the mum? Seems crazy to me. Anyway, I reckon I'll be aiming for the 6 hour discharge... (realistic for a first-timer, do you think?).

Have a good day everyone,
xxx

Morning.

I would be grateful for an opinion from you lot; I think I may be overreacting and being a bit hormonal, so your views would be appreciated...

I usually have to commute to work 3 or 4 days a week for about 3 hours per day, although sommetimes less if I'm lucky. the other days I work in a closer office, which is about 1 hour commuting per day. Months ago, work agreed that after xmas I could stay in the closer office, to avoid the commute and so I'm not stranded in the back of beyond if I go into labour early. This morning, they have decided to change their mind and they want me to commute to the further office at least 2 days per week until I go on maternity leave. I feel really upset that they have suddenly changed the agreement we have, and I feel like if I refuse the extra commute they will see me as being 'difficult' and not a team player.

Do you think I'm overreacting and if not, what do you think I should do?

Bessie: No, I don't think you are overreacting at all. Seems to me that they're just shooting themselves in the foot as the extra commute will make it more likely that you'll need to go off on maternity leave earlier or get ill from the exhaustion.

You could maybe try posting this on the employment issues board, perhaps, and get some feedback from people who work in HR, etc? They could then advise you how best to deal with them?

Oh, that's a good idea, Violeta; thanks.

How many weeks are you doing after Christmas Bessie? I'm due a week before you and stopping on the 11th Jan so hopefully you're not later than the 18th!
I think it is pretty out of order for them to change their minds, you should really be getting more support than that. I wouldn't find it at all easy to do but it should be possible to talk to them and let them know that you have concerns about it without straight out refusing, maybe just point out the physical difficulties you will be facing which people might just not realise. I hope you manage to get something sorted out, because as far as I can see, if you're planning to go back to work after maternity leave, and end up starting your leave early due to knackering yourself out, you will be the loser not the company, given that you only have a set amount of mat leave..... Good luck!
(Just found out that Victoria Line not stopping at Victoria station over xmas and until 7th Jan now I am REALLY looking forward to those last few days struggling into work )

I was planning to work till between 38 weeks (25 Jan) and 39 weeks (1 Feb) if I could manage it, but not so keen on that now. If they make me do the commute, I will stop at 35 (4 Jan)or 36 11 Jan) weeks, but 35 weeks will make things difficult for work because my cover doesn't start till the Monday after. I don't want to make things difficult and I usually enjoy my job but I am really upset that they are willing to go back on our agreement, regardless of how I feel, because it's a bit more convenient for them.

Bessie - I think you're right to be upset. Surely they can see that you wouldn't have negotiated staying at the closer office with them in the first place if you didn't think you were going to need to! I think you're a real star for trying to stay at work as long as you are doing anyway and to be so concerned about leaving them in the learch with your replacement etc just shows your loyalty to the company if you ask me! At the last job I worked at one of the ladies there was pregnant and she worked from home from 32 weeks because she was too tired to feel safe driving back home at the end of the day so with that in mind I don't think that asking to stay at a closer office is really too much to ask. Plus the fact that they already agreed, it just seems really inconsiderate of them to change their minds on you like that, you could almost understand if they'd said no in the first place!
I don't know what would be the best way to go about talking to them about it so I definately agree with Violeta's idea of posting on the employment board to see if anyone in the know has any tips. If it was me I'd be off to my union office but I always was a trouble maker and not very skilled at the tactful approach to things!
This really got me wound up so I'm afraid the above waffle may not make any sense but I hope it does!