Due July 08 - Third trimester - we're on the coundtdown YIPPEE!!!!

[minipinkscottish]

Couldn't fix the title so thought I'd start again - hope this is okay now!!!

Another SPD tip. I bought some silky pj bottoms and I find it slightly easier to slide out of bed and turn over. When DH was in Singapore recently he bought some silk sheets (thinking the more slippery the better) - they were so effective that combined with my silky pj bottoms I managed to slip right out of bed - which was not really useful because then I had to try and get up!!!

It is amazing I have found no one in any of my ante natal classes who has suffered SPD. I thought I was like 1 in 1000. Good to know I am not alone...but not so good so many of you are suffering.

At my neo-natal physio appointment they actually gave me 2 different belts to use and I did not have to buy one. Last time I did, so worth making the appointment if suffering to get a free belt.

A tip for SPD I got from a friend is to sit on a plastic bag when getting in and out of the car, same principle as the silk sheets, much easier to glide!

Physio told me to do that....DH put me off by saying that people would think I had wet myself!!

Oh yes I have the plastic bag in car too! Forgot about that as I keep forgetting my recycling bags when I go shopping so end up actually having to use it! So in a way it has been helpful on two levels - for my foggy brain and my SPD!

Does anyone know of a product that I can use on the very small roof window in the nursery to block out light? We cannot find a blind that fits! Any ideas?

Never heard of them tips will be putting them to the test ASAP..

LO's and ME had a nap OMG feel a little better for it and so do they DP rang to see how i was aswell so it's good to know he cares even when i bit the head off him!

Hi everyone

Haven't been chatting for a while as very busy at work. I run my own business so not much maternity leave for me. Now 30+2, doing ok- just some lower back pain and feeling like I'm 90 years old!

Went for a tour of the maternity unit- dorchester in Dorset and was very pleasantly suprised. We get put into a nice big room with a sepatate birthing bed and an afterwards bed, complete with ensuite bath, birth ball, mats on the floor, cd player etc.I was expecting far more basic.

I've read the Marie Mongham hypnobirthing book and am going to pay for a course- hoping to combine this with a water birth. Has anyone else set plans about how they want to give birth?

Another question to experienced mums- I'm hoping to breast feed but want to get some formula in just in case- is there one formula that is recommended above all others or does everyone have different opinions?

Hope everyone is feeling ok. I'm off to mothercare to buy a tankini as I've got a spa day booked on Wednesday!

hi bebejones how about looking in Halfords for the things you can stick on car windows to stop glare? Alternatively just buy some blackout material and some velcro tape, stick one side of the tape to the edges of the blackout material and staple the other to the windowframe. It's not elegant but it will keep the light out.

I have just realised I need blinds for four fairly large windows in our house. Our living room is at the back of the house but currently has no window covering at all. I need blinds for the two bay windows so that our neighbours don't get a shock when I'm in labour . Then the boys' room, and the room my mum uses when she comes to stay, are both west facing and get hugely hot in the summer so could do with some blackout blinds for hot afternoons. Eek more expense. Roller blinds would be good but I might end up doing the velcro thing myself instead.

Bebejones I think it's perfectly natural to feel unprepared, and fed up towards the end of pregnancy. I've felt the same in all pregnancies. Every baby is different anyway so I suspect it's always a learning process when they finally come out and you can never fully prepare yourself for the reality.

Disney sorry to hear about your spd on top of everything else. My midwife suggested the 'pelvic connection' website which has lots of useful info on spd but as others have said a lot of it boils down to taking it easy... which is hard to do when you have so much else going on.

Jodie I have a newborn Tigger outfit, would you like it? I was going to get rid of it anyway as it's far too hot for a summer baby, but you could always just stick your little one in it briefly in order to take a photo. That's what we did to show the person who bought it for us!

Similarly minnie I have a black velvet strapless dress that I wore when about 8 months pregnant last time for a black-tie wedding reception. I was looking at it the other day and thinking I probably would never use it again. Don't know if it is appropriate for you though, if it's a daytime do.

Oh I have just managed to achieve very little with the time that ds2 is at nursery. I'd better call the dentists just to feel I can tick something off my list.

Hi Jocesar I was told Milupa Aptamil was the most like breast milk. My hospital had SMA and I know most of my friends used Cow and Gate.
My DD had some reflex and was breast fed but when she finally agreed to take a bottle at 11 months she took to Milupa Aptamil the best. Seemed to settle in her tummy best.

Having said that I have also learnt that all babies are so very different. A good tip I have given friends is to keep to hand a few little cartons of pre - made formular for those first days as you just do not know what will happen and can not plan for everything. A baby at midnight crying for breast milk (but your supply is still coming through) can be scary and stressful so the little cartons are very handy as a back up.

Try out one and see how it goes. Also saves you in those very early foggy days of making up the milk and also prevents you having to throw away entire tins that were either not used or not liked.

Enjoy the spa day - DH has booked one for me in 2 weeks but it seems sooo far away!

Hi Jocescar, that's exactly how I want to give birth, we are not taking the course but have got the books and am hoping to have a water birth if possible.

bebjones, I know you can get blackout material to line curtains with, maybe you could buy some and make a blind?

Minnie1, glad you are feeling better and that your husband is being supportive!

DS I talked to the midwife, she immediatly said SDP and referred me to physio (month wait however!) so mention it to your GP when you see him/her this week.

Also asked midwife about hayfever and she said I would have to see the GP. Also said that I had ketones(Sp!) in my urine and needed to eat more - I have NEVER been told that and my DH is going to find it hilarious. Apart from that baby fine! A (very) little part of me wanted the baby to be too little or too big (nothing wrong of course!) so I would get sent for another scan!

bebejones a friend of mind has her DD in an attic room with roof windows. She used plastic contact - the stuff used for coverng books etc. Eventually she found someone who made little blinds but I believe they were quite expensive. A good interim measure...and I think she chose a style with pretty pictures!

bebejones - I second what someone else has said have a look on ebay for some backout material, DD1's room is west facing so gets really hot from 4pm onwards. I lined her curtains with blackout material and although it doesn't black out the light 100% it really does make a difference.

On the formula front from the experts around MN there is very little difference from one to the other, one is not closer to breastmilk than another it's all a marketing ploy TBH. I think it's a case of finding one that agrees with your LO and sticking with it.

Minnie - I found a dress on the topshop website, they don't stock it anymore, for a friends christening, theres a few here http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=19551&storeId=12556&categ oryId=42395&parentcategoryrn=42391&langId=-1&top=Y topshop maternity am planning to wear it in the summer when huge with some sandals

If you can get to a New Look they have some nice plain black dresses that you could jazz up with some funky accessories. I could do with some more maternity jeans and a few tops but am loathed to buy anything for 10 weeks now.

try that link again
topshop

Hi all,

Thanks for the offer mummypig but MIL and FIL have already bought us one, thats very nice of you!

jocesar I was also told by the MW that Milupa Aptmil was the best, and DS stuck to that all the way through, but some of my friends babies got poorly tummies with it and changed to Cow and Gate, I decided to go for the Milupa as it was what the MW's gave DS as top up feeds in the hospital, and he didn't seem bothered with it.... I agree with Cilc though, instead of buying expensive tubs, just buy a few cartons just in case, they are so handy, esp. when you haven't a 'routine' established and you might get caught out!!

jocesar - I would avoid buying any formula (and the other stuff like bottles etc) if you want to breastfeed. See how bf goes first. If you feel down etc it will be hard to resist that carton of ff and that could potentially begin other problems with supply etc. With DS1 I started giving one bottle of formula a day at 6 weeks, and in retrospect wished I never started it.

If you decide to switch to ff then you can make that decision less hastily.

IMO bf is much easier and less hassle!

Hi everyone,

Sympathes to everyone suffering

isaidno- I too wondered about that. Wondered if it would be too easy to give up BF if it was there looking at you in the cupboard. So many friends gave up quickly and i really want to carry on as long as possible.

bebejones- What about something like
this
or what my mum did on her roof window... attach some net wire across the top and bottom of the window frame and then run up a peice of fabric with black out on the back with hems top and botttom to thread the wire through. can be pulled across when you dont want it dark.

We bought new balckout Roman blinds for the nursery a few weeks ago.

jocesar- I like the idea of a waterbirth too. My hopistal only has one pool and its first come first served so have to see if its free at the time.
I know you can hire them to use at home but dont think im brave enough for that first time round!

Had a hectic day at work and after our busy weekend im knackered!!

Sorry isaidno but I really do not agree. In the first week my milk took a little while to come through fast enough so I was grateful I had a couple of cartons to use late at night when shops closed etc. If I had not had these I would have been quite traumatised as DD1 was desperate for food and quite distressed. A good friend gave me this advice and I recall using 2 cartons at night in the first week. Once my milk came through everything was fine and I bb until DD1 was 18 months old.
However like you have friends who resorted to cartons later on - from about 5 weeks and they had problems with supply and the fact their babies wanted formular instead.
I really think in your first week it is all about survival, keepng stress levels down and trying things. Be prepared is my motto! You may not use them, but just incase...

fair enough cilc; obv it is up to you if you want them there just in case. Just my opinion!

Hi All,
so much to catch up on!

HAYFEVER - you can use this:

www.worldwideshoppingmall.co.uk/body-soul/pollenna.asp

also eat local honey if you can.

FORMULA - aptamil is the best IMO. I ended up doing bf and ff when DD was 3 weeks old as I had terrible probs bf and she was starving - lost loads of weight and the MWs aren't allowed to suggest you give formula. I feel really guilty about it now and wish I had given her it sooner! I did both until she got her first tooth at 6 months and had no probs with confusion or anything else - she was quite happy with both. I am hoping it will be easier to bf this time though.

MUMMYWANNABE - thanks for that. My Mum is such a strong woman (stubborn too) so we'll just ned to see how the angiogram goes.

Finally got my essay finished - hurrah! Hopefully I'll pass the 2 of them and thank God Uni will be finished - I can enjoy life for a while!

DD is a nightmare just now still wakening at 2-3am finally got her settled at 4.30am - I feel knackered and my face is falling off!!

RE LABOUR - I found it the worst pain imaginable but you sort of lose track of time - time passes and you aren't really aware of it. I am hoping it will be a bit better this time but won't feel a failure if I need an epideural. i am sure we will all be discussing it more nearer the time.

PREMMIES - I know what you mean but my friend's LO was born at 28 weeks and they are so fragile and tiny. You can't even cuddle them for ages and feeding them etc is awful so although it is rubbish being pg it is best for all of us.

Bought DD some new reins today. She is so fast now - and I am not! The reins we have are too short for DH and I - we are stooped over with them. So we got a cuddly horse backpack, with a zip and reins. Very cute. Also bought her one of those snack trap thingymejigs.

Well I am off to bed to relax and read as I am needing to rest. SPD symptoms rearing their ugly head here too but not too bad as yet - clicking like mad when I stand up though.

DISNEY - good luck at GPs tomorrow - let us know how you get on.

SWEETKITTY - hope you are feeling better soon. Have you tried steam inhalations yet for your snoz? Also the ear candling thing if you can get DDS looked after for an hour.

Take care all
xxxx

Well the holiday is all systems go. MW gave me my certificate to fly, so this time next week I will have been on the beach and will now probably be in some lovely taverna having a fantastic meal.

I'm off to Kefalonia (one of the Greek Ionian Islands) and it will be my 5th time there. Can't wait.

Hopefully I will have been on Antisamos Beach (the one in Captain Corelli where the Italian Encampment is based. My favourite beach of all time. Just love snorkelling there in the clear blue seas with loads of fish swimming around. Fabulous.

Jocesar whereabouts are you? Dorchester is just down the road from me, although I'll be having LO at Poole.

Didn't realise we had so many Rugby fans on this thread. I follow Ospreys at club level although my cousin plays for Gloucester (and Wales) and of course my big passion is WRU. Had some fantastic rugby outfits for DS when he was little so they will be passed onto this one. Although my husband is English, I refuse to buy anything with England on it. Have decided that is down to my DH. Needless to say DS didn't have anything with the red rose on it. Now as far as DS is concerned, he supports Wales and when we were watching the Six Nations, if the England games came on telly, he said he'd rather watch Boomerang! Good Lad

P.S. Despite everyone saying how small I am (even though I am a bigish girl) and the fact that I haven't put on any weight yet (still 3lb under my pre-pregnancy weight) my MW got the tape measure out today and although I am only 30+6 I'm measuring 32 weeks. Had great delight in telling that to MIL as she is trying to scaremonger me!

With regards to Formula, DS was readmitted to hospital at 4 days because he wouldn't feed and turned jaundiced. The paediatrician recommended we started him on formula to boost him up whilst I continued to express and we could use the breast and then top up with formula. We used SMA, purely for the fact that my DH said if it was good enough for his nephews and nieces, it was good enough for his son.
Unfortunately, my milk supply never really got going, despite medication and once on formula my DS never looked back. I am intending to give breastfeeding another shot this time, but I will not beat myself up about it if it isn;t possible. Have already bought an electric breast pump in anticipation, but no bottles at present, as they do say, to give milk frokm a cup or a spoon rather than a bottle if you are trying to breastfeed and wish to continue to do so.
HTH

My experiences FWIW are slightly similar to libraladys, DD1 was born 2 weeks early and was very sleepy for the first day, she just wouldn't latch on and her blood sugar was dropping. We both got out of hospital the next day but were readmitted the day ater that, I felt terrible like a failure the MWs were threatening to tube feed DD1 but I said I would express instead, they got me an industrial pump and I got about an oz out first go and bottled fed her that. That was a horrible night we were in a room by ourselves, DD1 was under her sunbed for her jaundiced and I had to bottle feed her EBM eery 2 hours, then express afterwards for her next feed. It worked though to get BFing back once she was over the jaundiced I offered her boob before bottle and she got the hang of it. Hard though.

DD2 maybe I was a bit more savvy maybe she was a natural but she latched on before the cord was cut and never stopped.

Personally I don't plan to have any formula in the house but I can understand why you would do. My advice to anyone with a newborn is get them latched on correctly as soon as possible and spend the first few days doing hardly anything apart from BFing, even though you won't be prodcuing much the colostrum will be enough and more importantly the action of the baby sucking will bring your milk in, I missed that with DD1.

Sorry isaidno, did not mean to sound harsh (just re-read my post!)...just think it is good to have all bases covered especially with first child because you can not plan or know what will happen...But must admit I like to organise and plan things. Just remembered 2nd night DD1 was home she was starving and not getting enough milk and so terribly distressed. Have always been so grateful we had the formula as back up. Forgot to say feeding by spoon is a good idea too if planning on bfing.
My MW's were concerned my DD1 was not putting on enough weight and came around every day for about 2 weeks to weigh her. They advised me to give formula...maybe my local MW's do not follow policy? I got so annoyed with them as DD1 seemed fine to me that I told them I was going away for 3 months to Australia to get them off my back. I found those weight charts do not really account for bf babies as I have since learnt they do not always put on weight as quickly in the first few weeks. DD1 was 9 pounds when born so she never looked small or starving. I suppose it all boils down to where you live, your local PCT and MW's etc.

Wow I looked at the old thread yesterday, and since then we've got a new one with 75 messages! It's obviously good to talk

Because of the size of the thread I've not read all of it just the last few posts- and wanted to add my 2p worth about formula. DS was bf until about 18 months and never really took to a bottle when he was a baby although ashamedly he has one at bedtime still now at 3.5 . (I shall persevere with this one and some ebm when bf is properly established though as I would love for someone else to be able to feed it occasionally!) But we had some cartons of aptamil and a bottle in the cupboard just in case- and I'm really glad we did as although I was absolutely determined to make bf work and was fortunate that it did, I also am glad I had the peace of mind of a back up plan, just in case.

jocesar I grew up in Dorset, in a little town near Bridport. Lots of family still live in Dorchester and I've got lots of fond memories of playing on the steam train in the playground at the bottom of town! It's such a beautiful area, you're v lucky.

libra aaaaargh is your cousin Will James?!!! We are Gloucester fans here ds has been wearing a Gloucester shirt since he was 18 months old! (Obviously not non stop...) My mum and my step dad are Welsh though and so I know that there is nothing as fanatical as a Welsh Rugby Union fan . Have a lovely holiday.

Have been having BH's all day- well it actually feels like just one long one, my tummy is rock hard and feels so odd! It doesn't hurt, but sort of feels like it should tingle but without the tingle itself if that makes any sense at all!

Saw my good friend yesterday who had a lovely son 2 weeks ago and it dawned on me all of a sudden when I was holding him that I am going to have one of those soon

AAAAAAAARGH

Minkus

No cousin is Gareth Cooper. He himself became a Daddy for the first time last week. Unfortunately his wife lost one earlier so it's good news that he has a lovely little boy called Louis James now.

Another little one to be brought up with the WRU embellished on his brain!