Due April 2008 - the food porn thread for expanding waistlines!

[SantasGotABigFatEllieG]

Hello

Good plan tlsm! I want to have the baby at about 38 weeks too cos then gives me more time to prepare for wedding and lose some baby belly

Sorry tlsm - please don't laugh - how do you mean 'insert' evening primrose oil?

Wouldn't worry too much TLSM, ds1 was induced early but I ahd one at 41 weeks and one at 39, one late doesn't mean all late.

Am mightily sick of being PG myself now though- had to use the disabled lift at uni today as had to walk up a steep hill for 15 minutes in a hurry to reach Uni- and practically collapsed!

LOL TLSM, I see the oral route isn't on there for you

FWIW, I tried curries and whisky and jumping down the stairs and all sorts when I was pg with DS cos I was desperate not to have a cs, but 39 weeks I had one.

I havent tried the niple stim or raspberry leaf tea, though I did drive to about ten chemists christmas eve lookign for castor oil only to be told that under no circumstances should I drink it

I drank gallons of raspberry leaf tea from 37 weeks, ended up being induced at 42 wks, dd actually born at 42+2 so can safely sway made no difference whatsoever. Was also eating curries every day and a whole pineapple every day by the last week and going for daily walks. All to no avail. I have a friend who swears by the castor oil method but it's not generally recommended.

VS - I only put the heels on for the photo as I though they make me look a bit slimmer ;) Although I did manage to wear a pair at a Christmas party a few weeks ago. A girl can't give up all forms of glamour! The secret is to have a pair of flats in your bag to change into the minute you get out the door ;)

SuzM: Thanks for saying I don't look massive but I insisted that my brother take at least 20 photos before choosing those one's in which I pose strategically so as not to look so massive By the way, SuzeM, is it you that live is London SW? we might even ross paths at the NCT classes, you never know...
I have heard that post natal doulas are great. They might have lot of tricks up their sleeves especially with the breastfeeding that your MIl and Aunt may not but then it all depends... Apparently you have to book doulas well in advance also so it might be difficult to find one if you wait... but then a breastfeeding counsellor sounds like a good idea too.

Elli G: Don't listen to your friend. I have a friend who commented when my niece and nephew were born how expensive they can be having to buy them presents etc. In the grand scheme who cares. New life is so amazing!

By the way I thought raspberry leaf tea was supposed to strengthen your uterus or something? Should we not drink it until really late in the pregnancy?

Raspberry leaf tea is less effective than the capsules I think, certainly my experience (emphasise the capsules you can get from Holland and barratt, not bizarre who knows whats in them capsules from dodgy internet pills r us LOL)

(and yes the capsules evicted DS3 sharpish- regular dosage until inlabour then whole bottle LOL)

lol Peachy capsules it is then!

Molly you should only take Raspberry leaf from the earliest 36 weeks (well that's what I have read and been told)

Ellie / VS I have heard that taking it orally doesn't really work but if you can get it up near the neck of the womb you have more of a chance so a sterilised chicken baster is the way forward

My sister and my mum took caster oil and it worked for both of them in fact my mum was told off at the hospital as I came out shiny she says didn't work for me with Max though but then again I think i tried it at 37 weeks with him

Peachy, please be careful! Get doctor's notes, put your feet up. Not easy, I know but spotting isn't good! Dh's are for lifting things out of cars, that's why they have muscly arms!

I got some raspberry leaf tablets from a local health food shop last time and started taking them at 36 weeks - DD arrived at 37+1.

My sister also took them from 36 weeks and went into labour with her DD at 38 weeks.

So I'd definitely recommend giving them a try - I'll be using them again this time. Apparently the tea tastes awful so tablets get my vote for being easier to take as well!

For those of you planning a homebirth, if you already have a lo are you getting someone to come and look after them at your home or take them away? I know it sounds silly but I'd like to keep DD close if at all possible but I'm not sure if the noise might scare her (and my mum would then be in the house while I'm in labour and I'm not sure that's altogether wise).

I haven't posted for ages, but went for my boy's heart scan last week and everything looked fine as far as the doc could see. AND he was normal size so far, which means my diabetes has been pretty good. Just need to keep it up for the next 3 months so he doesn't turn into a monster size!

30 March: Peachy, 34, from Caerleon, S/Wales, a boy. 4th baby (already has 3 DSs (8, 7, 4.5)).
01 April: Doingitallagain.
01 April: lulabell79, from Edinburgh. This is her first baby.
01 April: siameez, expecting a boy.
01 April: vacaloca.
02 April: Redmonster, 29. This is her first baby.
02 April: Sara74.
02 April: Sheds75, from Cheshire, expecting a boy. This is her first baby.
02 April: V1KK1M, from Hertfordshire, expecting a surprise. This is her first baby.
03 April: eeyoreuk.
03 April: hpsaucey.
03 April: NoMoreHighHeels.
04 April: CeylonSapphire, from Twickenham. This is her first baby. Next scan 23 November.
04 April: lemonaid, 35, from SW London, expecting a girl. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (2.9)).
04 April: lorisparkle, 33, from Cotswolds. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (15 months)).
04 April: Springflower.
04 April: TheMaskedPoster, 35, from Ham, Surrey, expecting a surprise. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (3) and 2 DSSs (13 and 15)).
06 April: micegg.
06 April: paranoidmummy, 24, expecting a surprise.
07 April: Daftmoo, from South Hampshire. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (8)).
07 April: Fleecy, 30, expecting a surprise. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (14 months)).
07 April: Piccalilli2, 32, from Sheffield, expecting a girl. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (2)).
08 April: Denny185, 33, expecting a girl. This is her third baby (already has 1 DD (5) and 1 DS (14 months)).
08 April: Elfsmummy.
08 April: KnitterInTheNW, 32, from Warrington, expecting a boy. This is her first baby. Next scan 13th February.
08 April: Rainbowdays.
09 April: egyptianprincess. This is her first baby. Next scan 30 November.
09 April: Humphries, expecting a surprise. This is her first baby.
09 April: mummyofaprincess, 21. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (2)). Next scan 22 November.
10 April: Gangle.
10 April: MathairNua, 29.
11 April: scorpio1, 23, from Cornwall, expecting a girl. This is her third baby (already has 1DSS (5) and 2 DSs (5 and 2)).
11 April: shanks313, 31.
11 April: VictorianSqualor, 26, from Bicester, expecting a surprise. This is her third baby (already has 1 DD (6.10) and 1 DS (2.9)). Next scan 23 November.
12 April: gemprincess, 29, expecting a boy. This is her fourth baby (already has 3 DDs (7, 3, 16 months)).
12 April: Velbels, 28, expecting our first baby.
12 April: positive, 38, from N Ireland. This is her first baby. Next scan 23 November. High risk baby has Down's.
13 April: MassiveMollyfloss, 32, from Ireland but living in London, expecting a girl.
13 April: RachelPross.
14 April: Jaq39, from Edinburgh.
14 April: Kel01.
14 April: SuzeM, 35, from London, expecting a girl. This is her first baby.
14 April: Edinburgh too. First baby
15 April: Bainmarie, 30. This is her third baby (already has 1 DD (almost 4) and 1 DS (2)).
15 April: Lunachick.
15 April: pad.
15 April: PippiCalzelunghe. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (2.4)).
16 April: amyjo.
16 April: kirbo.
16 April: Mum07.
17 April: babywhiting, 30.
17 April: EllieG, 29. (already has 1 DSD).
17 April: Mirry, 33.
17 April: soph28, 28.
18 April Pixieboo (Christmas Pixie), 32, already got 1 DD,nearly 3yrs, expecting another girl
18 April: bunyanvillas, from W London. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (2.9)).
19 April: Aninha.
19 April: dolly1, from London, expecting a boy. This is her first baby.
19 April: Milco.
19 April: Mrsgaskell, from South London. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (16 months)).
19 April: northeastmummy, from Aberdeen. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (16 months)). Next scan 06 December.
19 April: AttillaTheHan, from Preston. This is her second baby. Has ds 3 1/2.
20 April: Ayomi. This is her first baby.
20 April: bumpkin32, from Hampshire. This is her first baby.
20 April: mumzyof2, 21.
20 April: munchkinmum. This is her second baby.
20 April: Toastaddict, 31, from Nottingham. This is her first baby. Next scan 30 November.
21 April: Annieroo. This is her first baby.
21 April: littlemissturquoise.
22 April: BabyBratt, 30, from Manchester. This is her first baby.
22 April: rdk, from Manchester. This is her second baby.
22 April: Soph73, 34, from Gran Canaria. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (5)).
24 April: navymummy.
25 April: loisstella, 33.
25 April: scampmum, 29. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (18 months)). Next scan 07 December.
26 April: eva07, 29, soon to be from Cardiff, expecting a surprise. This is her first baby. Next scan 19 December.
26 April: Sagitta, 34, from Suffolk, expecting a surprise. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (21 months)).
27 April: ShellySara, 30.
27 April: TLSM, 29, from Surrey, expecting a boy. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (3)). Next scan 17 December.
28 April: Beeper. This is her second baby (already has 1 DS (8.5)).
28 April: honeybee10. This is her third baby.
28 April: Motherbird.
28 April: Woollymummy. This is her second baby (already has 1 DD (17 months)).
end April: chipmonkey, 38. This is her fourth baby (already has 3 DSs).

Glad to hear the diabetes is going well Knitter. I'm off for a check up this morning and will have my glucose test done. I hope I don't have gestational diabetes (my brother, Aunt & cousin all have diabetes so I am slightly more at risk). I don't feel like I have at all but apparently you wouldn't realise you had gestational diabetes. Fingers crossed

Hi knitter - good to hear all well with you and your boy x

I'm tired. I wish I could stop work now.

Me an' DP had a 'discussion' last night - he was moaning that we wouldn't be able to have a honeymoon because of the baby and then i felt like it was my fault and suggested we could try to get my Mum to have baby overnight so we could stay in a hotel at least and he suggested 2 nights and go to France but I don't want to leave the little one for that long! And I said I wasn't sure it was a good idea - tbh I don't even want to leave her overnight and I certainly don't want to leave the island just encase anything is wrong. So we compromised on a night in a hotel here, but I don't know if I want to because it seems like a lot of hassle and will involve expressing pints and pints and the baby might miss me.

Baby should be 8 weeks by then - is that too young for them to be looked after overnight?

Sorry for long post and lack of punctuation

Morning ladies

Knitter - glad your diabetes is under control

Molly - good luck with your testing, cant believe how good you look in your pics

Ellie - Could you have a postponed honeymoon?

I took raspberry leaf capsules from 36 weeks with DS and went to 41 weeks, not sure if they are supposed to bring labour on but rather increase the strength of your uterus for good strong contractions - if that is the case they worked!!!

Ellie we had a week away at 12 weeks, but I really only did it to please DH- and as I ahd been so ill I suppose I was persuadable that I was due a break. I personally would have one night away, and then book now for a delayed honeymoon, so its at least there to anticipate and you can still have the fun of planning it.

MW appointment tomorrow. Growth tests for baby (hte one factor needing a tick for my home birth) so fingers crossed.

Ellie: You hear so much about the mother being torn between the DH and LO after the baby is born. Sounds like it's already started for you! I think one night in a hotel and maybe a honeymoon in September & October would really give you both something to look forward to. We went on our honeymoon 2 months after our wedding and it was brilliant to look forward to it and not rush off after the wedding. I also had a miscarriage between the wedding and honeymoon so the honeymoon was very good for me. You will have time to get used to the baby and decide to bring the baby with you or leave it with someone. It's cheaper to go away in Autumn also

Right, i'm outta here. I'm off to my check-up.

Morning All - Happy New Year! I´ve missed you all. It seems like I´ve been away ages. Hope you are all well, will catch up on all your messages at some point. I am now the size of a small shed - but had a brill Christmas

Ellie could you not take baby and your mum or someone with you somewhere??? Then you can get a bit of a honeymoon as LO won't be far away but you can still have a break?

Not the same I know, but we've been looking at holidays etc and have deicded to book a villa in the Algarve this year, and take dp's mum, that way we can get to clear off without the kids a few times and she gets a free holiday (she cant go abroad otherwise anyway as dp's dad refuses to fly).

I'm back. All went well at the doctor's. Will get the test results back tomorrow. The doctor could feel the baby's parts. The head was down low and the bum was sticking up so we could give her a little pat on the bum. Amazing!

That's sweet molly!

I've eaten too many biscuits and I feel a bit sick.

I was thinking I might go away when DSD is at her granddad's for a week later this summer - could leave baby with Mum for a couple of days as will be a wee bit older by then. Depends if my Mum is willing really - not sure she'll be that keen. She's happy to have DSD any time at all but a little baby is a different matter. I can't be bothered to worry anymore, it'll work itself out.

Great to hear Mollyfloss. I had a scan at the hospital over the hols & no mistaking it´s a boy According to the hospital though I was only 1 more week pregnant on the 21 Dec than when I went for a scan on 30 Nov!!

Peachy, sorry you aren't feeling good.

Happy new year Soph!

Molly, yes, I am in SW6 now. I will listen out for another Irish accent at the NCT class. Glad your appt went well.

I had my 26 week GP visit this morning. The GP thinks that I should stay at St Thomas' as it may be difficult to get me into Chelsea & Westminster at this stage ... if St Thomas' will keep me! I just phoned them to check but couldn't get hold of a human. I also missed my midwife appt at 22 weeks (and the glucose tolerance test) as we moved. I actually haven't seen a midwife since 12 weeks, so need to ask the hospital about that too. I think I was supposed make an appointment to see the midwife at my old surgery. Ooops.

My dh decided that he would come to one or two NCT classes with me. I didn't give him a hard time about not coming and I think it made him feel even more guilty!

I am meeting a post-natal doula in a couple of weeks, I was going to cancel the appointment but perhaps I'll just see how we get on.

Hello all, hope things are well. Peachy, hope DP is more reasonable today. Mine has days like that too - new year's day was one! We had such a lovely evening staying in and chatting then the next day he decided to be an ornery old bugger all day. Labour-inducing methods - I tried them all but wouldn't recommend curry (won't say why - TMI EVEN FOR MUMSNET...) and the only thing that worked was a sex and the city box set! Although I should have watched it on all fours as DD was OP and that caused no end of trouble. Serves me right for being a couch potato!

My friend had a baby girl at 12.45 this morning! Home birth (in a pool), 9.5lb and no stitches!! Came out in three pushes, half an hour after a midwife declared her 4cm dilated!!

DD is obsessed with her other daughter (Lola, 2.1) and we are going to show her pics tonight to help explain about the baby (she knew LolaMummy had a baby bump too). On the prostaglandin front, my friend was totally unamused by my text at 10.15 last night (she'd had a show that morning and sporadic contractions since 11am but was getting despondent as nothing concrete was happening) suggesting that she ask her DH if he fancied some oral pleasure!