Due Aug 08 - Round and Proud with the Little One Kick'n About

[TwilightSurfer]

DUE AUGUST 2008 STATS
[TSupdate01MAY08]

GROUP TOTAL: 73 [BOYS (11) vs. GIRLS (9)]

23JUL Voodoococonut is 29 and lives in Manchester but moving to West Midlands asap. She has a DD, 19M. Expecting DC#2, a SURPRISE.
28JUL IlanaK is 35 and lives in Central London. She has 2DSs, 6y & 3y. Expecting DC#3 via CSec, a BOY to be named Saul.
29JUL Miamla is 32 and lives in North London. Expecting DC#1, a BOY to maybe be named Theodore.
29JUL Bigboydiditandranaway is 36 and lives in Midlands. She has a DS, 26m. Expecting DC#2.
30JUL Dizzydixies is 31 and lives in Fife. She has 2DDs, 4y & 1.5y. Expecting DC#3 via VBac or CSec, guesses it's a girl.
31JUL Merrydaisy has a DD 2.6y. Expecting DC#2.
31JUL SassyLou is 33 and lives in Cheshire. She has 2DDs, 7y & 5y. Expecting DC#3.
01AUG Dutchindo has 2DSs, 8y & 14m, and a DD, 7y. Expecting DC#4.
01AUG PhilB is 31 and lives in SE London. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE.
01AUG Pertelote is 30 and lives in East London. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE.
02AUG Vintagegardenia is 35 and lives in Ireland. She has a DS, 9y. Expecting DC#2, a SURPRISE.
02AUG Mum2b1 is expecting DC#1.
02AUG Shazza2002 is 27 and lives in West London. She has a DD, 5y. Expecting DC#2, a SURPRISE.
03AUG Alittlebitshy is 28 and lives in East London/Essex. She has a DD, 4y (turning 5y before Aug). Expecting DC#2 via CSec, a SURPRISE.
04AUG Littlebeezz
05AUG ChaCha is 32 and lives in Oxford. She has 2DCs, 2y & 10m, Expecting DC#3 via CSEC, guesses it's a boy.
06AUG Kittenpaws is expecting DC#3.
06AUG Sweetiesandcakes has a DD, 2.5y. Expecting DC#2.
07AUG BraveNewWorld is 31 and lives in London. Expecting DC#1, a GIRL.
08AUG LadyOfWaffle is 21 and lives in Berkshire. She has a DS, 2y. Expecting DC#2, a SURPRISE.
08AUG Mummypud is 28 and lives in Wiltshire. She has a DD, 2y. Expecting DC#2, a GIRL.
08AUG SKYTVADDICT is 40 and lives in Lincolnshire. She has a DS, 8m, and 2DDs, 7y & 11y. Expecting DC#4, a SURPRISE.
08AUG Bealcain is 21 and lives in Kent, She has 2DSs 2y & 1y. Expecting DC#3, a GIRL.
09AUG BirthdayBaby is expecting DC#1.
10AUG Lcy is 30 and lives in Wales. Expecting DC#1, guesses it's a boy.
11AUG Sarahnh is 32 and lives in West Midlands. She has a DD, 2y. Expecting DC#2, a GIRL to maybe be named Tess Alexandra.
11AUG Carolbrad lives in North West. Expecting DC#1.
11AUG Foghornleghorn is 23 and lives in Northampton. She has 2DDs, 3y & 1y. Expecting DC#3, guesses it's a girl.
12AUG Thinking has a DD, 15m. Expecting DC#2.
12AUG MagicMonkey has a DS, 17m. Expecting DC#2.
12AUG Buckets is 31 and lives in Southampton. She has a DD, 4y, & a DS, 3. Expecting DC#3 via CSec (01-07AUG?), a BOY to maybe be named Rex.
14AUG TheApprentice has a DS, 1y. Expecting DC#2.
14AUG Hardygirl is 36 and lives in SW London. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE.
14AUG HazieDazieandBaby is 26 and lives in Aberdeen. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE to be named Cole or Gabriella.
14AUG CaptainCaveman is 35 and lives in Nottingham. She has a DS, 3.11y. Expecting DC#2 via VBac, a BOY.
14AUG Gigglegirl is 32 and lives in Stockport. She has a DD, 4y, and 2DSs, 2y & 1y. Expecting DC#4, a GIRL to be named Imogen.
14AUG Lewisham lives in West London. Expecting DC#1.
16AUG TwilightSurfer is 37 and lives in Tennessee, USA. She has a DD, 4y. Expecting DC#2, a GIRL to maybe be named Maggie Ethelyn.
16AUG Longwayfromhome is 29 and lives in Argentina. Expecting DC#1, a BOY to named Tomas.
16AUG Pregnancy1 is 31 and lives in London. Expecting DC#1, a GIRL.
17AUG Iliketosleep is 24 and lives in Wolverhampton. She has 2DDs, 7y & 6y and a DS, 4y. Expecting DC#4.
17AUG Poppysocks is 30 and lives in St Andrews. She has a DD, 23m. Expecting DC#2 via CSec or maybe VBAC, a GIRL.
17AUG Warthog has a DD, 21m. Expecting DC#2.
18AUG Kezza7779 is expecting DC#1, guesses it's a boy.
18AUG Browncat has a DS, 18m. Expecting DC#2.
18AUG Expectant is 31 and lives in Singapore. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE.
18AUG Cheerfulvicky is 24 and lives in Cornwall. Expecting DC#1, a BOY.
19AUG SazzlesA is 35 and lives in Cheltenham. She has a DD, 17m. Expecting DC#2 via VBAC or CSec, a GIRL to maybe be named Emma.
19AUG Karney is 39 and lives in Glasgow.
20AUG HelzBellz is 36 and lives in Nottingham. Expecting DC#1, a SURPRISE.
20AUG MillieMooMoo is 29 and lives in West Yorks. She has a DD, 26m. Expecting DC#2, guesses it's a boy.
20AUG Ejesmum is 38 and lives in Exeter. She has a DS, 4y. Expecting DC#2.
20AUG Stillhere is 36 and lives in Yorkshire. She has a DS, 2.5y. Expecting DC#2, a SURPRISE.
21AUG Jennylee is 30 and lives in West Lothian. She has a DS, 8y. Expecting DC#2.
21AUG HalfFrench is 32. Expecting DC#1.
21AUG Pinchypants is 34 and lives in Guildford. She has a DD, 20m. Expecting DC#2.
22AUG Frances123 is 27 and lives in London. She has a DD, 5m. Expecting DC#2.
22AUG Buddhababe is 32 and lives in South West London. She has a DS, 14m. Expecting DC#2.
23AUG Stickybean is 27 and lives in North London. Expecting DC#1, guesses it's a girl.
23AUG Mum2go is 34 and lives in SOLIHULL B HAM. She has a DD, 6y. Expecting DC#2.
24AUG Libbyssister is 34 and lives in Oxfordshire. She has a DS, 2.11y. Expecting DC#2, a BOY.
24AUG Cyteen is 32 and lives in Leicester. Expecting DC#1, a BOY.
25AUG Petitfilou is 35 and lives in S Oxfordshire. She has a DS, 4y, & a DD, 2.6y. Expecting DC#3, a BOY.
25AUG Oopsacoconut is 32 and lives in Wiltshire. Expecting DC#1, a GIRL.
26AUG Ellasmum1 is 30 and lives in North Staffs-Newcastle under Lyme. She has a DD, 5y. Expecting DC#2, a BOY.
26AUG Dancerandprancer is 31 and lives in Devon. She has a DD, 28m. Expecting DC#2, a BOY.
26AUG Graysongirl is 31 and lives in Yorkshire. Expecting DC#1.
26AUG No1putsbabyinthecorner is 30 and lives in South Yorkshire. She as a DD, 1y. Expecting DC#2.
27AUG PennyBenjamin is 30 and lives in West London. Expecting DC#1.
27AUG Lucamom is 32 and lives in Warwickshire. She as DS, 13m. Expecting DC#2.
02SEP Sunshinemummy is 37 and lives in South West London. She as a DS, 22m. Expecting DC#2.
??AUG RACHG08 is expecting.
??AUG MARX is expecting DC#2.

Don't work too hard dizzy! I've done minimal lifting and sorting for this move, and even that has tired me out.

Re. heavy breathing, our current next door neighbour is a chain-smoking ape who snores like a bandsaw. I can hear him quite clearly through the bedroom wall when I wake up in the night! His poor missus.

Crud My revised AL entitlement has been slashed, so now I can only finish work at the end of June. Which is still great, don't get me wrong, but I am a bit sad nonetheless as I think I'm going to have to suspend my studies earlier than planned. If I'd been able to take June off there would have been no problem producing a 7000 draft chapter by the end of the month, but as it is there's just too many things going on for me to give it the time it deserves

Am a bit confused as to why they gave me a full year's entitlement originally when my contract only ran to the end of June

Great news Cyteen & Shazza. Nice to know all the babies around here are doing well....and their mommies too.

Dizzy, when you're done I've got some things in my garage that need tossing out as well.

Tired is the universal theme today. Glad we're all enjoying the same pregnancy symptom.

Hi everyone, I'm behind as usual.

cyteen sorry to hear about your leave situation. I am intending to leave work mid July, perhaps a week earlier with hols, but I wonder now should I just have left it at the end of June? What is it that are you working on?

dizzy and all the other movers - cyteen and miamla I think - take it easy on the shifting and lifting.

Good news on all the scans etc.

Trying to think what's been happening here. Went to look at buggies, we both got a bit overwhelmed & backed nervously out of the shop, me sweating, from having tried to unclip carseats, brake and fold buggies one handed, understand the specs, make comparisons, etc.

I applied a couple of months ago for a copy of my hosptial notes from DS's birth (ten years ago in July). They arrived yesterday and I felt strangely emotional reading them. They're quite detailed - much better than I'd expected - all the charts and exams and the times of dilation and what was administered when. Strangest of all for me to see was a photocopy of the consent form for the epidural (yes, ladies, I did ) - my signature is scarcely recognisable and I remember being in an absolute state at the time (distressed, they write in the notes). I also found out I'd had a 2nd degree tear, which I hadn't known before - I mean I knew I had a tear but I didn't know what or even really where. But I am glad to have the notes, I must say, no matter how surreal it was reading them. I recommend it.

I've been doing blissful pregnancy yoga, just wish my instructor could magically appear in my house every night to guide me through a practice. Have had odd, heavy pressure in the sort of centre/bottom of my pelvis (?) I am not sure how to describe it but feels as if the baby is about to come out! OK which obviously it's not but that's the closest I can come to describing it. Also back pain back, but yoga is great for it. Also nosebleeds! God I sound like a complete crock, actually I'm feeling very well all over & what with sunshine and whatnot things are good, though as usual just frantically busy.

A tweeny bit self absorbed, this post, forgive, best to all xxx.

cyteen I mean what are you working on study-wise / dissertation-wise rather than worky work.

No problem VG, it's good to hear your news I wish I'd sorted out pregnancy yoga classes, but by the time I looked into them the course was halfway through and I was struck with defeatism.

The thing I'm working on is an MA in English Literary Research. Because I'm doing it part time, I am coming to the end of my first year and it would originally have been perfect timing on the baby's part, as I would have just finished at the end of July as usual but then suspended my second year till the following September, i.e. restart in Sept 2009. So far I've met all my deadlines and that, but the final deadline for this year is that I have to hand in a draft chapter of my dissertation by the end of June. Due to a combination of bad time management on my part, moving house this month, driving theory test at the end of this month, NCT classes next weekend and so forth, I just haven't been giving it the time it needs and can't see myself being able to for the next few weeks.

I can tell I'm giving myself a lot of negative pressure: about learning to drive, learning about the pregnancy, needing to learn about birth and beyond (haven't even started that yet!), getting to know a new area, and also feeling guilty because DP is doing so much to contribute to our family life (working full time, doing all the house move stuff, generally being brilliant) and I feel like I'm not doing much. Plus I'm still grieving for my brother and trying to set up this charity, which I feel like I'm neglecting...basically I don't want to get into a situation where I end up making myself really stressed and sad, so something has got to give and my MA is the least essential part.

It isn't really a problem to suspend earlier - if I suspend mid-June all it means is I'll pick it up next June instead of September, and I can still work on things, read, research, use the library etc., just without the pressure. Also I would rather suspend now than turn in something I'm not happy with, as I know my project has the potential to be great if I put the work in. But I still feel a bit sad and angry at myself for not being more organised

Sorry, guess I needed to get that off my chest!

VG I suspect that pressure is the baby head down pressing into your bladder - ds2 is still head down and I get these sudden bouts of pressure and HAVE to go to the loo as he forces it!

Cyteen I learnt to drive at 8 months pregnant with dd - best thing I ever did. Getting public transport with children is not to be recommended. Just about manageable with one child, bloody nearly impossible with two.... I did learn in an automatic in the end as I was never exactly a natural

Dcs are driving me insane this afternoon - I think I must have worn them out swimming this morning. God knows what I am going to do in the holidays. Ho hum

And Cyteen lose those perfectionist tendencies!, suspending early definitely sounds like the best idea at this point. Good for you for making the decision and knowing your limits.

wow - cyteen, you do have a lot on your plate!

good luck with the driving test, it really is worth getting it done and i think the early suspension is the way to go. if you're grieving for your brother, you also need to give that time. don't be too hard on yourself and try and relieve as much pressure as you can. sounds like you've got a very supportive dp, which i'm sure helps, but don't feel guilty for accepting help.

Good on you for even attempting all of that Cyteen. They say the most efficient people are the busiest.

Really interested to hear about your medical notes VG. I'm haunted by DD's birth and what on earth went on. I don't think I have a low pain threshold, but I really lost it and remember very little other than that I didn't cope. I wonder whether it's because she was breech/induced/something else or just that I'm pathetic. Can anyone get their notes? Wondering though, whether as much as it may help to slay some ghosts, it may confirm my worst fears about myself... Might be best to leave it until after this DC has arrived though!

were you induced by a drip poppy? (syntocin?)

Didn't get that far. Had started on my own when I went in for the induction. Expected to be sent home to carry on, but was given the pessary thing. All fine.

When they examined me a few hours later, the mw broke my waters accidentally in all the rummaging when she realised DD was breech. It was at that point that it all goes blurry and all I know is that it was beyond any pain that I could ever have imagined - def. none of this "just really bad period pain" that a few people have described it to me as. All I could think was that I couldn't carry on like that for another god knows how many hours. As it was mw announced that I needed a c-section asap as DD was breech and she was born not long afterwards. I just remember the wave when the epidural/spinal was put in and I felt normal again. DH found the way I was scary too. Said there was no sense of me at all. Would love to know whether there was a reason for it to be like that or is that just normal labour and I'm just pathetic? Maybe that's why I'm doubting the recommendation for an elective c-section as I know this is a chance to prove that I can do it... On the other hand, if that was just what labour is and I can't cope or I just fail again for some reason,then it's just going to reinforce things. Maybe it's best not to know...

Sorry for the huge ramble.

poppy the best way I could describe it to dh was like a pain within your body that you would've tried to climb out of your body to get away from - am sorry you had such a hard time with dd1

evening all, just back from visiting beautiful baby Rocco at hospital

all a bit too clear in my mind whats going to happen now though

Cyteen....I had to take a nap after reading about all you're involved in at the moment. You blow me away.

VG.....you just reminded me of an item on my mental to-do list. I want to get my records from DD's birth too. I'll be at a different hospital this time so the doc won't have them to refer back to.

Hello everyone. Any night owls still around and on-line? I am adding myself to the feeling tired list (TS in case you want to start up some more stats). And yes, TS I am finding it really difficult as well to find a comfortable position to sleep in. It's rubbish, until being pregnant I ALWAYS slept on my front and however I try to sleep now my bump kind of gets in the way.

And Expectant, sounds like you had a nice trip - yes I am putting my weight gain this pregnancy entirely down to the fact that I am quite a bit bigger than average Argentine women to start with (hum)

Poppysocks, sorry to hear that you had such a tough time with the birth of your DD. It does sound like you are unsure about whether you want to read the notes. But in answer to your question, yes, in the UK anyone can access their own medical records although I think that you have to pay a small fee for photocopying.

My DH was very sweet last night. I cooked a slightly odd meal of lentil curry and sweetcorn on the cob, and afterwards was feeling really tired so he took me to bed and then did the washing up - not very much, but enough to make me feel touched.

Oh and my Spanish lession of the week (for those of you buying baby equipment in Argentina) is that Butaca, which I had been using for "car seat" is in fact a car seat for an over 1 year old, and a newborn car seat is a huevito - literal translation - little egg.

Well I guess that no-one else is awake ... so I'll head off now to cook a tomato sauce with either rice, ravioli, spaghetti or potatoes. Hmmm. Maybe spaghetti. Morning all for tomorrow ...

PS I bought loads of vegetables at the weekend hence the slightly odd menus of the past few days.

hi poppysocks,
surely if your baby was in breech that must be more painful? your labour sounds very difficult. but as comparisons in this instance don't really help when it comes to birth no. 2 i would ask whether they can check the position of the baby before you go into labour to avoid this happening again?

Aww you girls are all so lovely You have made me feel much better about everything. petitfilou you've got me pegged with 'perfectionist tendencies' - I've always had the habit of setting ridiculously high standards for myself and then getting angry when I fail to meet them (why? WHY?? why do I make life harder for myself?). Anyway, as much as I love my course and would choose that as my priority if I could, I think you're all right that the practical stuff needs to come first right now.

It would be so great to get my driving license before the baby arrives; I've had lots of lessons and am actually doing okay, although I do still find the thought of someone giving me carte blanche to drive alone very scary If I can pass my theory test I think that will give me a big boost of positivity for the practical.

I also would like to try and see a Cruse counsellor before the baby comes, to try and sort out some of my feelings about my brother's death. I'm handling things ok but kind of feel like I need to be as healthy as possible emotionally as well as physically in order to be a good mum.

Anyway, am putting in my MATB1 form today so will be officially finishing work at the end of June!

longwayfromhome hope you enjoyed your meal. 'huevito' is so cute! I love Spanish, learning to speak it properly is one of my goals in life. Is your Spanish very fluent now? And are you going to bring your little one up as bilingual? I think it's such an advantage in life to have more than one language.

poppysocks I think it might be a good idea to get your notes and have a good talk through with your midwife (if you get on with her) about all your concerns. She should hopefully be able to go through everything and maybe help clarify your thoughts about it all. That's just my first-timer's opinion though, obviously I don't know what I'm in for yet!

Hey everyone,

Feeling more positive today. Been trying to eat really healthily but bizarrely(sp) think i am losing a little weight??- note to self eat more junk!!

Very envious of you Sazzle going to the baby show- is anyone else in the same boat as me not done a thing for this new baby??!!

Its miserable here today so just trying to stay warm and give baby lots of positive vibes to grow, grow, grow!!

Oh by the way, if anyone is struggling to get their lo moving, soda water and lime works a treat. Everytime i have some, lo goes mental!!!!!!!

cyteen sounds like you have an awful lot on your plate all right. I think you're right to suspend early and resume this time next year - if you do by some miracle get any free headspace over the next year you can still be reading and thinking and writing and have advanced a bit - but if you haven't it won't be a disaster? Plus don't underestimate the toll that emotions and stress can take - to have lost your brother, be having a baby, be moving house - these are all big enough things to cope with one at a time, but to have it all buzzing round your head at once must make you feel at your wits' end sometimes. Re. your DP he sounds like a lovely fellow and I think it's probably enough for him at this stage if you acknowledge to him that you know he's pulling more than his weight and you appreciate it - I don't think you have to get stuck in any more than you are, make it your business to get your head around everything else. And get your licence! My world expanded when I learnt to drive (with DS in the back seat for most of the lessons!), one of the most practical things (along with learning to touchtype) I've ever done!

poppysocks I absolute understand your need to know. It was not knowing properly about DS's birth that made me want to see the notes - it wasn't for DP or the consultant or midwife or anyone else. I had a completely false impression of lots of things - for example, I thought my labour was 12 hours, it was 6! I thought I couldn't have an epidural topup for some reason but the anaesthetist had written that I could have one if I asked for it - I didn't know I could ask. (Bear in mind I was 25 and clueless!) I don't know how it works in the UK but here in Ireland I made the application under the Freedom of Information Act - which sounds complicated, but it wasn't. I went to the hospital website and followed the Freedom of Information link from the homepage. It detailed what to put in your written request and who to send it to. I thought there would be a fee but there wasn't. They acknowledged my letter after about 2 weeks and sent me the good stuff after about 6 weeks. I don't know whether to say to you - do it, if you are wondering about your first delivery you ought to know about it before your second - or don't do it, you might not get the records in time, or very close to your next labour day and therefore won't have time to process the information yourself. All I can say is I am glad I did it, and I'll do it for this one too, afterwards, even if I never plan to have another baby.

lwfh I love huevito! It somehow seems to suit a name for the bump as well! Though mine is more huevo by this stage. Good for you with all your veggies, if I could just stay away from

1. Jaffa Cakes
2. Penguins

I'd be doing a lot better!

sarahnh mine likes icy fizzy water (getting plenty!) and the odd cup of (instant) coffee.

Pressure in pelvis has moved off, thank heavens, feel practically symptomless today unless you count being the size of a dinosaur and about as nimble as a chocolate labrador picking her way across a Brio layout - which is what I am currently witnessing & better go & rescue.

And PS to poppysocks whoever said that about it being like a bad period pain - mine was nothing like that (after induction), it was absolutely excruciating, and I think of myself as having a high pain threshold. If they were lucky enough to have a bad period pain only, how wonderful for them, but that doesn't mean that yours would have or should have been like that. As for "confirm your worst fears about yourself" or something about you being "pathetic" - that is such eyewash. You found childbirth painful, hard to cope with, frightening and nervewracking - what exactly is so bad about that? Your DD was breech, you were induced, you had a rummagey midwife and were nearly sectioned - that is a lot, and it makes sense that - especially on a first birth - you found it traumatic. Your second birth with probably be completely different - everyone says that - and you will cope, and pull through, and might even enjoy it but no matter what your reaction you will not be pathetic.

SO THERE!

Harrumph.

VG just post your jaffa cakes over here, I'll take care of them

I should've been in your neck to the woods this weekend as always over for my godsons birthday on the 17th but of course am grounded, well I was until Wed when I got the all clear and now its too late

he's going to be 8 though so am quite sure he'll not miss me in the slightest, I do love the food at a kiddies party though

how are your mum & dog btw?

Poppysocks, it's not about failing or not coping. Some labours are just more painful than others, whether you've got your head in the right place or not - plenty of smug earthmothers unexpectedly find their 2nd or 3rd ones far worse than their first. Don't mean to be discouraging to others but it really is a lottery, not to mention incidental NHS factors, you can only keep your fingers crossed and hope!
My own labour attempt was totally unbearable, I was so grateful when they gave me a general! I ordered my notes later too and found DD had been back-to-back which is supposed to be more painful for some. The notes themselves bring it all back but it's good to let it all out and grieve for the 'wonderful, natural experience' you never had.

Hmm huevito, sounds yummy.