Due May 2008 - ummm, there are are some of us still here sir???!! [hmm].

[goodcatholicgirl]

Not sure if anyone else has started a new thread as our other one ran out of room, but here we go...

bigbad must have met on one of those 'all dogs should be put down for biting/sniffing/breathing' threads. Chickens are great and very easy to look after. Our new chicks should hatch the week before our baby is due. The noise will be appalling!

duchess oh more than likely . I avoid them like the plague now as they wind me up too much!

sending labour vibes to mumblesmummy - hope it's kicking off for you.

otter - really pleased to hear that they're going to let you go to term. shows how much the opinion of an individual doctor can change things .

blobsmummy - are you feeling itchy? if your liver function is coming back as abnormal and you are feeling itchy, they may suspect obstetric cholestasis. i had this with my first pregnancy. no idea what it could be if you're not itching, though.

loving the beanbag idea, GCG, although i'm sure the cat would take up residence straight away. It's all i can do to keep her out of the bloody moses basket at the moment. grr.

took dd to the local toy shop today so she could be the one to buy bubba's first soft toy. brought a maternal tear to my eye, it did. can't wait for her to meet the baby now!!

i've been having contractions all evening but am pretty sure they're just practice ones. how do you know when it's the real thing??

Hello everyone
It's probably the last thing I should be thinking of when I'm about to have a baby, but I'm just so of you all with your animals. I had to leave my 2 cats with my parents when we moved out here, and i miss them so much, they are just part of my family. We would love to get a dog but I don't think it's fair as we travel back to England 3 times a year, but DS and i both yearn for one - the house just feels more homely with furry residents! Also Duchess, where you live looks so beautiful, I am quite jealous! Most of my family live in Lewes/Brighton area, are you near there?

Anyway, what's that other subject..oh yeah, imminent birth! We've done our Hypnobirthing course and are both totally looking forward to the big day. I've had some BHs/practice contractions but nothing that makes me think it will be any day now - I would guess at least another week or so. My mum is arriving on Friday to stay and help for 3 weeks - I think I'm more nervous about that than I am the birth! I just find her such hard work; could be different as she'll be on my turf i guess!

Congrats to everyone whose had their lovely babies already, hope there will be more of us joing you soon! Those with older kids, do you find they're playing up more than normal? My DS (5) doesn't really want to talk about the baby but is being a bit 'challenging' with me at the moment, but good as gold with DH. I wonder if he's 'punishing' me a bit because he knows somethings up. I'm trying my hardest to be patient and understanding, but it's so hard when faced with a permanent sneer and "Whatever" all the time!

DH is working late tonight so will try and be back later for more chat! Take care all

Hi everyone..... How are you all??

Well it's happy induction day for me today. The bed is ready for 9:30am

Hoping that by some small miracle I go into labour before then.

MM really hoping baby OK.

MM - hope your contractions are going well!

Horseshoe - GOOD LUCK!!! Hope it goes well!

Hope everyone else is well.

Horseshoe Good luck xxx

Good luck today, Horseshoe. You're so lucky that in a few hours you'll be holding your little one.

Good to hear from you Wolverina. How are you coping with the heat where you are? It's boiling here at the moment. Lovely, but tiring.

I've definitely seen a change in dd's behaviour over the past couple of months. She's becoming more and more challenging, particularly as she knows that, for example, if she refuses to get dressed i'm no longer physically capable of grabbing her and dealing with her struggles to make her do it. I just seem to be nagging endlessly. I'm sure things will actually be better once the baby is here and is real. It must be hard for her to imagine what it's going to be like, and I'm sure that has something to do with the behavioural issues.

Or it could just be that it's nothing to do with the baby and is a natural part of being a stroppy threenager!

Tightenings certainly came to nothing overnight. Am going to finish my hozzy bag today, just to be on the safe side.

'Threenager" - love it!! I'll have to try and think of a comparable one for a 5 year old (apart from stroppy little so-and-so)!

The heat has been the worst thing about being pg here - now i'm huge i just have the AC on all day and try not to move, else I'm a sweat bucket within seconds - sorry, that's gross but i couldn't think of another description! Have to go get DS from the school bus but will be back later

yes I can agree as dd has been really playing up especially last few days and it's driving me insane, keeps throwing herself on the floor or going limp when on the reins so physically very tiring for me. Also lots of tantrums etc. In fact just come on here as i'm half way through cutting her toe nails and she's been screaming blue murder and refusing to let me, will prob take another half and hour but i'm not giving in! Wondering how i'm going to cope with 2!

Good luck today horseshoe

Still nothing to report here. Stop start stop start, sigh. Had to go to hospital yesterday to have an abscess drained - yuck! Feel about a million percent better today physically so maybe it was affecting me in ways I didn't know...

Have given the bub a stern talking to in the bath. DS has also kissed my tummy and told him he has to come out. MW should call today, and we will be offered a membrane sweep; plan to talk to her about all the possible ways things might go from now on. I feel quite hopeful that if all the contractions/ BH/ whatever do indicate that my body is 'doing something', the membrane sweep might set it all off in earnest and I won't have to be induced. Feel very at prospect of giving up the dream of a home birth - just been planning for it and focusing on it for so long I guess. I know in a few weeks it won't matter to me any more - and others are dealing with much more serious stuff - but can't help it...

Sorry to hear you're still in stop-start limbo asicsgirl. Don't give up your hope of a home birth, though. A sweep may well set you off and, even if this one doesn't, I presume you've got a bit more time before the induction deadline so you could wait and have another. You might also find that, if you've already started dilating a little bit, the midwife will offer to break your waters to kick things off and i think this can be done at home (something to check with them). It might also be worth trying acupuncture, if you haven't already - a couple of women I know have had very good results with this.

Hope this helps. Try to enjoy these last few days of relaxation before bubsy turns your world upside down (that's what I keep trying to tell myself when the horrible late preg situation starts to get me down).

ooo goood luck horseshoe - hope its all going ok...

asics - poor you, hopefully the sweep will start something, im going to make some phone calls re accupunture as that apparently can help?

hope that everyones DC's calm down when babies arrive

blobsmummy - any news on the 'tightenings?'

GCG - how sweet of your DD1, and congratulations on getting proper jeans on again!!

mumbles - have you had any more contractions?

casserole - has anyone accepted that the wasps may actually exist yet? I went for a walk in the park last week and saw loads of wasps, though of you!

I have eaten much pineapple. I dont think i like it very much, baby isnt having any of it.

Urgh I keep getting same old BH tightenings again now and no proper biggies like yesterday. I was so chuffed with my two contraction lol.

Still feel very niggley and periody though, and my backs sore so hopefully I'll get there in the next few days.

Seeing midwife today so I'm going to ask her to do a sweep rather than wait for the crappy hospital doctor to decide what he fancies doing tomorrow. What d'ya think the chances are of her doing it?

Baby has gone VERY active all of a sudden after a few days sort of rest really. Used MILs spa bath this morning so feeling all relaxed and nice.

Casserole and Otter- bloody wasps everywhere. This actually happened yesterday:
me-'DP there's a giant wasp in the conservatory get the Raid spray.'
DP- (smug)'Mumbles we do not need Raid, we can just stand on it....... NO WE CAN'T!!!ARRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhh !QUICKLY!!! Get the Raid, Get the RAaaaaaaaaaid!!!'.

I couldn't get it for giggling.

Pregnabrain- Hope your tightenings turn into full blown birthage soon, too.

DP has just gone off to an interview and we're both secretly excited. I've never seen him nervous about an interview before. I don't want him working at his shambles job anymore because they just don't look after him and they've been so unprofessional. This new job sounds sooooooo good and it's really close to home which makes up for it being a slightly lower wage.

Pina- I know what you're saying about the heat. Good God it's hard to sleep. How's baby Evie doing?

Horseshoe- Good luck. Hope you have an easy (as can be) birth.

D'ya know, it's only occured to me fairly recently that 'MM' is me hahahahaha. What a dufus I am.

Morning all,
have just buzzed through the last few pages and brain is so scrambled I've remembered very little but congratulations Pazza, beautiful girls.

Well after them cancelling my appointment at home twice in a row went into see the midwives yesterday (only a 35 mile round trip, no of course that's not inconvenient. Grr. Just got tired of not being seen). So having a little wander round the unit with DP who hasn't been there before. Had a wee peek into the one labour suite...empty. No bed, no nothing, just a very large waterbirthing pool. Midwife came in and was going on about how brilliant the brand new pool is. It is very clearly not plumbed in or ready for use. I said 'does this mean I won't be able to use one?' and she said 'of course you will, unless you give birth in the next few weeks that is'. I then reminded my NAMED MIDWIFE that I was due TOMORROW. She thought I still had weeks to go. Most unimpressed. So in the place where I am planning to give birth there is now no birthing pool (which I have been so keen to use from the very beginning) and now not even a labour suite! I asked where I would give birth, she looked around thinking about it and said 'in here', that'll be the consulting room. It does have a proper 'birth' bed and I'm sure they'd wheel the other stuff out but all a bit disconcerting. I so wanted a water birth.

And then, more importantly, it turns out that the baby has gone from apparently being 3 5ths engaged (so 2 5ths in, right?) to not engaged at all. He/she is now back to back and I have to try and turn him/her round. Perhaps if they hadn't left it 10 days between appointments and actually remembered my due date we might have known this earlier? It's not like a massive city hospital, it's really small with hardly any births each week, maybe one or two so really, no excuse. Midwife reckons that baby is not engaged because it's back to back and as soon as it's turned around it will start to engage. So happy due date to me. Nothings happening, the house phone, my mobile and e-mails and going mad with friends expecting baby news and I just want to cry as we're getting nowhere. My midwife has made an appointment to see me in NINE days time (is it just me or is that ages?) and they've also made me an appointment to be induced in Inverness on the 19th if nothing has happened before then. That's such a long time and they won't even do a sweep before that (although I'm sure some girls in my antenatal swim class had sweeps just after their due date, my midwife isn't budging).

Sorry, massive rant, just feel so disappointed that nothing is happening. Any ideas about how to turn a baby? I'm walking up and down the stairs sideways but that doesn't feel very effective. Very of everyone who's having encouraging signs, really hope I'll be joining you soon! Thanks for listening....

Bog hugs to all you lovely mums and babies

Hi Baiyu, sorry you're having such a crappy time. Some midwives are amazing, others never fail to disappoint do they? Feel so sorry that you won't get to have your birthing pool. It could be worth hiring/ buying (£70) one, and taking it to the hospital with you? That's what people round here had started doing and so theyr built one because of it.

To turn a baby, you have to spend loads of time on all fours. That worked instantly for me really, the two times he decided to turn back to back in recent weeks. Also, my midwife said to go to the swimming pool and sit in it, maybe lean forward a little, and it allows the baby to turn more freely.

Hope this helps and I think you need cream cakes.. for a few moments, they just make worries go away! xxx

Hello

Right. I've bought all my labour bits now so baby is officially welcome to arrive at any time it wants .

baiyu - i'd second everything MM (that's you, mumblesmummy!) says. You could also google 'optimal foetal positioning' for more information about turning baby.

Sorry to hear your hospital seems a bit unprepared for your labour. I suppose, at least, you'll get lots of attention when you are in there coz you won't be competing with a ward full of other mums giving birth. Taking your own pool in sounds like a v good idea.

Baiyu - mail me at [email protected]; I've got a whole factsheet on optimal foetal positioning I can send you.

Baiyu - don't worry about the baby being back to back. Both my DDs were back to back and they came out just fine - labour took a little longer but that was pretty convenient for us as we have a long trip to the hospital just like you! Sorry about the birthing pool and general crappy situation.
My DDs were engaged fully by 32 and 34 weeks respectively and I think that is why they stayed back to back - I couldn't turn them despite being on all fours due to painful BH all evening for weeks. If your baby's head isn't engaged you might find he or she turns easily. Quite often the head doesn't engage until you are just about to go into labour or while you are in labour so try not to worry too much. here is a link about optimum baby positioning with a bit about posterior babies. All fours is good though apparently.

indigo / wolverina / pregnabrain - my DDs (just turned 4 and 2) are seriously playing up too. It is very likely to be down to the change that is about to happen. DD1 was a nightmare just before DD2 was born - she is playing up and regressing at the moment but then she is also having to get used to taster sessions at 'big school' too. DD2 woke me up 11 times last night and that is pretty common for her right now - she won't be settled by anyone else but it doesn't much matter as I'm usually awake anyway. They are also refusing to get dressed in the morning, have nappies changed (DD2), get in the car, be strapped into the car seat or walk properly . I remember all this with DD1 - she didn;t know what had hit her when she tried to run away from me after DD2 was born and I caught her! Indigo -two is fine, it's not twice as bad as one - honest!

Anyway, must go and stop them fighting - nothing labour-wise happening here again. Small contractions for 4 hours last night but nothing else. At least the labour when it comes will give me a break from the constant fighting between DDs - oh dear!

baiyu - for you - what a bloody mess. I have heard that walking, being on all 4s and rocking on birthing ball all help. Also one of our midwifes at anti-natal said for us to sit sort of leaning forward. she gave us example of spoon in a cup, you lean back, the spoon goes back (spoon being baby) so lean forward... sounds odd but she seemed to know whats she was talking about..the birthing ball helps with that. fingers crossed that baby moves again

MM - rofl - my DP would have done the exact same thing... hope all went well with the interview

well i went for some accupunture... dont think its done anything but I do feel relaxed... I also had a super long walk as well (very proud of myself emoticon)

How exciting - I realise I am a little late in posting here but with baby due any day now I read the other posts here with excitement!

My midwife told me something similar to the advice Otter1980 has posted above. My bubble is "back to back" and I am supposed to sit on the birthing ball with my legs spread (nice) as often as possible to make the baby uncomfortable where (s)he is and want to move.

She also suggested putting my knees as far apart as possible on the floor and leaning my weight forward on to the ball. Apart from looking like a wally everytime I've tried I've started to slip slowly forward & am not keen on giving birth with black eyes!

Sitting on the ball does make a difference though - or at least I feel baby move a lot lower whenever I've been on the ball....

Monkeysmama

Baiyu - What a pain for you, no wonder you are disappointed i think anyone would be. Re back to back I agree with others about sitting and leaning over birth ball, and also trying to avoid lounging back on the sofa - use lots of cushions to keep yourself propped upright.

Mumblesmummy - hope things start off properly for you soon!

Pazza - lovely pics!

Glad I'm not the only one having problems with their dcs playing up, although I don't wish it on anyone obviously! just nice to know I'm not alone!

Baiyu - can only agree with what everyone else is saying. If it's any consolation, I found the first time round that midwives who had been, er, distracted in ante-natal appointments were absolutely brilliant when I was actually in labour. One MW I had actually not liked much in ante-natal appointments - the first time I went in (at 6 weeks) she tried to get me up on the couch to 'have a listen to baby' (of course nothing to hear that early - she thought I was much further on!!!) and spent another appointment texting her son in between talking to me - was completely on the ball and so focused and helpful when I was giving birth, I just wanted to kiss her afterwards! So don't lose heart - I think for some of them it's like the SAS - they live for the moment when they're abseiling down a building (so to speak). Not an excuse for treating you crappily, of course, but maybe it helps a little...

Re. MW not coming again for another 9 days - it might be this is a good thing, as (to me) it indicates that they are not in any hurry to try and 'get things going'. So you will be left for a good time to let your body get on with its job without interference which has to be better for you and the baby IMHO

So sorry to hear about all the misbehaving DCs! Poor you Bigbadmouse - getting up 11 times - like you don't already have enough to deal with.

pregnabrain thanks so much for the encouragement! MW came today and gave me a stretch and sweep. She said the cervix is softening, although she could only get one finger in (so not dilating yet!). But she seemed hopeful that things might now kick off in the next couple of days. Talking to her was very helpful - they are happy to take the date I calculated (5 May) as the due date if I want it that way, and do not even start to think about induction before you are 14 days overdue (which gives me a whole week from now even taking the earlier due date of 1 May). As you suggested, they do offer another sweep if this one doesn't get things going. So I'm trying to relax and think positive...

P.s. everyone who is trying to 'bring it on' - I was reading this thread this morning and phlossie posted this advice about acupressure points to use to bring on labour:

"Acupuncture. It works using pressure points that you can also work manually (but needles are better because they get right to the nerves that need stimulating):
Pressure point 1: Is the tender point just between where your thumb and forefinger meet. Hold them to make an L shape, and then apply pressure with the thumb and forefinger from the other hand.
2: About 4 of your fingers up from your ankle bone is another tender spot. Apply pressure with your thumb. Even better, use a plaster to stick a peppercorn to the point and then apply pressure with your finger.
3: In the top of your foot between the bones of you big and second toes.
4: There are four points in you sacrum. If you have a tens machine, these are pretty much where the instructions say to place it. When you have acupuncture, the therapist runs an electric current through the needles - you can get a similar effect by using your tens.
5: In the depression just along from your shoulder blade is a spot used in Shiatsu massage.
All this points feel very tender to touch, so have a poke around until you find them. When you have acupuncture, you don't feel the needles go in because they're so fine, but when the therapist hits the point they need to stimulate, it feels like a little electric shock. It's amazing. I felt my baby get very active during the therapy, which I had on the Monday night. I had my show the next morning, was in established labour that evening and dd was born (very quickly) in the wee hours of Wednesday morning."

Worth a go I reckon