Due in June - Creme eggs are long gone and our own eggs have started to hatch. Who will be next?

[Upsidedowncake]

We are two down and have another 30-40 to go. Makecakes and Gemma have probably popped by now, then G43! It's all happening!!!!!

GreenFairy maybe I'm a bit slow on the uptake and have missed the point here, but they can turn a breech baby can't they? (Is it that you're trying to avoid a c-section, or wanting a home birth?) MIL was talking about someone who had her baby turned just before giving birth (apparently painful...but then so is giving birth. Apparently!) Anyway, from what I gather this was done in hospital, but like only using the MW's hands, no special tools or equipment needed.
I also read a book recently called 'Call the Midwife' which was a woman's experiences as a midwife in the East End in the forties/fifties. She describes a vaginal breech birth in that. It was a home birth - so 1940s, at home. An experienced midwife can do it (maybe they've lost the skills or something now).

Toe thing sounds good - if a bit funny! Keep smokin'!

Going to bed now, tired and had a bad day with the pregnancy sickness (first time in 2 weeks).

Also, GF, up here I think they try everything before c-section for a breech baby, including turning by midwife (there's probably a term for that). They're dead against c-sections here, and will deliver practically anything vaginally from what I can tell! Maybe you travel north as your labour progresses!

lol thanks ladies i am back now with more news!!!!!!!! no i have not popped upside down cake lol but i feel i will any minute me belly is so big haha!

NEWS!! I found out at me hospital appointment my baby is about 8lb now which is like a good weight but i am going to know about it giving birth to her haha!

I also got told there going to start me off on the 2nd june at 8am for deffinate which is 11 days away and im sooooooooo scared but excited !!!! finally knowing when it will all be over is amazing... She might decide to come before then i just dont know so the next 11 days ill be living on edge!!

I got the midwife coming out every two days to keep her eye on me as blood pressure has started creeping up and got protein in water but it aint too bad but they want me to be kept a eye on with the prospect of these getting worse resulting in her coming before a week on monday! a week on monday it sounds madness oooooooo lol xxxx

Crikey busy night! Have just had a skim read so will come back and read properly in the morning...

Neenz - I'm planning on using cloth nappies. I noticed you said you soaked the nappies - dont know if you did much research on dry pailing vs wet pailing, but lots of people advised me to dry pail. I had a thread on it a while back so will find and link it in case its useful.

Dont think anyone came back to me on the 7pm/8pm (someone asked?) but will read through again in the morning!

greenfairy accupucture sounds totally amazing, I can't believe that your baby is trying to turn on her own! I really hope she manages.

bq I don't know if I can help with the bedtime thing, but originally when ds was born I used to take him up to bed with us and would give him a feed and pop him in his cot when we were all tired (about 9pm). I found when he got to about 5/6 weeks he started getting really cranky at around 7pm so started putting him to bed then, I originally fed him to sleep but he never took a big enough feed at 11pm to get through the night, so I started feeding at about 6.30 (during hollyoaks) and then he started sleeping through (around 11 weeks) I played around with bedtimes a bit as dh works funny hours. He is now 2 and sleeps from about 7.30/8pm to 7/7.30am.
I don't know if this helps but I think you have to take your lead from them a bit and then jiggle it to suit you.

Can't remember who asked but bh are also called 'tightenings' and that's what they feel like. My bump goes rock hard and I can feel alot of pressure.

Good night everyone, maybe we'll have some more babies tomorrow!

Yes, online looking at medical journal articles about breech at 5am. Can't sleep...

essie thanks for the thoughts on turning etc. I did have an ECV (attempted turn) on Sunday night. The baby got to 3/4 of the way round and then her heart rate literally halved so the consultant abandoned the attempt - it was pretty scary. The trouble is, they never know what might be stopping the baby turning - could be the placenta is in the way, could be a short cord, or (my view) she may simply not have enough room.
Rates of success in turning babies for first time mums are not high - about 30 per cent.
Using the acupuncture/ heat point treatment has had some effect, but so far she has turned to 3/4 twice on her own and then very slowly moved back. Last night she stayed at 3/4 for about 6 hours (with me having contractions the whole time) but now it feels like she's just moved slightly. She's all on the right hand side of me and to turn would have to pass even further through my right hand side and I think there just isn't the space.

I am hoping to see a consultant I've heard of in Bath (I live in Bristol) who is open to vaginal delivery of breech because in Bristol, sadly, they will not 'allow' me to have anything other than an elective CS (it's even in my notes from sunday to book it from 38 weeks...) and, while in theory I can do whatever I want, I need sympathetic staff when I'm in labour and not a bunch of people desperate to give me a section, as they will use any excuse and I want more freedom than that...

Hopefully Bath will provide the answer - I just hope the guy isn't on holiday. Should be able to sort it out today - phoning my MW clinic at 8.30am but I've already warned them of my intentions.

Morning everyone

Good luck today TGF - hope you get to see the consultant in Bath.

Hope everyone else is OK, I'm helping dh lay laminate flooring today so will be crawling round on my hands and knees for the day. He did lots yesterday on his own so I don't think I'll need to do too much. We're so busy this week that the frozen meals are being used up rapidly, so far we've had the home-made burgers, yesterday was spag bol, today it's quiche, by the time the baby comes we'll have an empty freezer. Will have to rope mil in next week when she comes, or maybe she could just make cakes for the freezer - I love that idea.

Re BH contractions, I'm getting a few a day now and mine are at the bottom of the bump, whole bump goes tight and I can feel a tighter band around the bottom, takes my breath away but I can carry on with what I'm doing through them so I know they are only BH.

Ernest - hope dh was lovely to you last night .

good morning - just saw the guys out the door for the day and now I can go back to bed...

I never had mat leave with DS as he arrived right after I finished work so I need some tips. What do I do with myself during the day? I can take DS out of nursery but I don't want to do this for a full day as my energy levels aren't up to it. My house is a mess and I'll do a bit of cleaning but surely there's something lovely and restful I should do for the next few days... I haven't had a day to myself since before DS was born, so a long stretch of them seems like madness to me...

greenfairy - good luck! talking to a consultant who's more open to the idea of breech births sounds like a good idea.

dramaqueen - we used to put DS to bed at 8 and he would get up for the day at 8am (not including night feeds). Then when he started nursery we had to move it to 7pm to make sure he was up in time for nursery. Now we love the 7pm bedtime as it gives us some adult time in the evenings, but we both get home from work by 5:30 at the latest (I'm home at 4:15, we've 5 minute commutes) so that gives us plenty of time with DS. I don't think there's a hard rule, you should start with what works best for you and then if your LO needs a different pattern, they'll let you know.

Morning all

Debs take it easy today won't you, don't do too much, have you guests in next week?

aberdeen I had the mornning in bed yesterday and felt guilty but so much better for it, today is a bit busier but have my lovely cleaning lady coming in.

TGF you will really have to fight for your breech birth, but you seem pretty good at doing that , a friend of mine had a breech a couple of years ago, bu was second baby and the MW's were experienced and willing so good luck.

And no sign from G43?

morning all.

My rash has now spread to my breasts, boo hoo. Will collect the cream the 'dermahologist' prescribed today, (pmsl laura)and see if it makes a difference, if not, I'll see about going to consultant. Only prob with that is they can't give me an appointment, it'll be a turn up as emergency and wait it out, which could be hours, and I'd have ds3 in tow, which would be a nightmare. Otherwise, my frauenarzt is back from holiday next week, so I think I'll just try to sit it out till then. But last night was def. even worse.

Neenz, I was also going to say about dry pailing. I wet pailed for my 1st, and it was only over a year into nappies that I learned about dry pailing and it transformed my life! It will seriously reduce smell and work significantly, really. Also, I would proceed with caution re flushing liners down loo, even if it says ok. Not a good idea. I used to just put everything into a nappy liner (or more likely, the empty fruit & veg bags), so the liner, the poo, the cotton wool/wipes, the lot, then out in bin. And outside bin is ideal Of course, when they get a bit older and are weaned, the poo turns more, er poo like, and can be easier flicked into the toilet. I wish I'd learned all this earlier. It used to seriously make me gag to squeeze out those festering soaking nappies, and I think the extra weight of wet nappies can unbalance and be bad for the washing machine.

GF, I really hope you get somewhere with the orher consultant. Fingers crossed you get an answer you're happy with, and even more so, your baby actually turns - it's not too late. Will keep fingers crossed for you.

eb, I like the idea of balancing a bowl of ice cream on my belly, I spent the whole bloody night last night putting damp flannels on it, as cool is the only relief. YOu don't go too crazy with the laminate flooring mind. still, it'll help you baby staying the right position. Maybe paro and GF should pop over and give you a hand.

DQ, I missed your bed time Q - what was it? Mind you, I know sod all, can't promise to help. How my 3 are still standing is beyond me.

Morning everyone. Sorry about your horrible rash Ernest.

I am going to be so disciplined with this baby's sleep. I was organised about the boys and they slept through from 6 weeks. I think they were in our room for a good few months - can't remember exactly.

With DD I was totally soppy - due to losing previous baby, scary pregnancy, and deciding not even to try and get DH to "help" with looking after her. So I co-slept, fed totally on demand, had a lovely snuggly time with her....and I couldn't get her off the breast until she was 15 months old and she still sleeps in our bed . As far as sleep is concerned, she is a total nightmare.

So this time I'm going to make sure I don't forget how I created the monster that is DD. I'm not planning on being terribly nazi-like as I'm too gormless to keep it up, but I will definitely try to encourage the baby to sleep in her own bed before too long.

Essie - As a child I had a v sweet book of saints that didn't go into detail about breasts being cut off. But the one I'm looking at now holds nothing back! Have you read "Millions" - there are some lovely descriptions of mad saints in there?

that's a point, I mean to ask - I've read about a few saints, but none with breasts cut off, do tell, love a juicy story. What a bout Catherine, she met with a tame end! Or who was it in York that was laid down with a big heavy door ( probably with ig spike sticking out) and rocks chucked on it/her? ANyone? It's been a while since I leanrt about saints' demises.

Morning All!
Was just toooo tired to post last night, so need to catch up. [absolutely knackered emoticon]

DH has just done 2 x 16-hour days and was next to useless this am. I feel like I've been herding a baby elephant (DH) and an excitable kitten (DD) around the house this am.

TGF I'm thinking of you, and your babe and your choice over birth. You sound v determined and I think that's most of the battle.

Rolf- I love the name Alice- I think it's fresh (but not right with our surname boohoo). If you give DD this name it will replace the mean old bat Alice with a sparkly nice new one. This is the logic according to PearTart! Essie- I like all of your Welsh names but Meilir best. I have no reference point as it is new to me but I like names that are relevant to a person's heritage IYKWIM. PS. I'm getting cankles!

Ernest- your rash sounds awful- I hope this cream helps. I was wondering if taking some Omega oils (orally) might help too. I'm thinking of things like flax/ pumpkin seed oils- these are natures natural anti-inflammatories and are good for the skin. I take these oils regularly (pregnant or not) as I am prone to sensitive skin and break-outs and I find they really help. There are even some designed for pregnancy- as the baby sucks all the good stuff away from your skin anyway.

Hello to everyone else(too many to mention)- hoping we have good day today with not too many aches and pains (definition includes consultants/ MW's/ DH's/ GP's etc)

Morning all, sorry to hear your rash is worse Ernest, and hope the cream helps.

TGF - You sound really determined to get the best birth possible for you and yous lo, so I am sure that it will all work out for you. Hopefully she will manage to turn and then the hb will be back on but if not good luck with the change in hospital/consultant.

I still haven't managed to buy a hotsling - are they only available from ebay? I think I need a size 2, any thoughts on best place to buy from?

Morning!

Still sat on birthing ball... really willing baby to turn around (still back to back). Have the mw coming round today to talk about my birth - I had to nicely but firmly tell the mw yesterday that no one had called to go through my options - I'm 37wks + 2 days - so I think I have a right to have a little moan at them.

Re all the name talk I love the name Alice I really wanted that for my lo (if a girl) but DH says no as one of his friends little girls is called that! I am now thinking of Ava Lilly for a little girl.... and I love the name Henry for a little boy (although our surname also starts with an H I don't see that as a problem) - what do you think?

I really like saints names too, but DH isn't really having any of it! Re saints' demises I think pretty much all of them had bad deaths or bad pasts!!

Re nappies I think for now I'm going to stick with disposables but they are organic so a little better for the environment - I think I need to get my head around the baby before I think more about nappies - I might give it a try if more people have good advice - like whats dry pailing?

I used some hair removal cream last night on my legs & think I left it on too long - well my DH did (he was helping!) and I've got a rash all over them - very tender, and they hurt last night, oh well I'm not complaining because Ernest rash is like 3000% worse - sorry it's spread to your breasts, I would consider definately going & crying on someone!

St Agatha - virgin martyr, put in a brothel, breasts cut off, stretched on a rack, thrown onto burning coals.

St Agnes - virgin martyr, also sent to a brothel, executed.

Actually, I feel a bit mean now...I get more amusement out of the ones who go to live in a desert alone for 43 years, eating nothing but locusts,no human contact... and then have extraordinary visions (no!).

I REALLY hope I'm not offending anyone here

Some of the saints for June are:

Justin
Erasmus
Pothinus
Martyrs of Uganda
Francis Caracciolo
Boniface
Norbert (PLEASE - someone call their baby Norbert)
Meriadoc
William of York
Columba
Landry of Paris
Barnabas
Leo
Antony of Padua (this is what got me started on Antonia)
Methodius
Vitus
Cyricus and Julitta
Rainerius of Pisa
Gregory Barbarigo
Romauld
Adalbert of Magdeburg
Aloysius (brilliant name)
John Fisher and Thomas More
Etheldreda
John the Baptist
Prosper of Reggio
John and Paul
Cyril of Alexandria
Irenaeus of Lyons
Peter & Paul
Martial of Limoges

Hi Lorettah - Ava Lilly is lovely. I like Henry v much too - DD would have been Henry if she'd been a boy. I don't think the Henry H thing is bad but it depends on the surname and the rhythm of the two names together. We ruled out names beginning with the same letter as our surname but mainly because it sounded too cutey-pie.

Morning all!

Neenz - hope you're still getting on fabulously here is the link to the dry pail vs wet pail thread I started earlier in the year if you're interested. People been overwhelmingly in favour of dry pailing as it was less hassle. I'd also been warned to be careful of flushable liners. I've got some flushable biodegradable ones, but I think if you have old plumbing they can cause problems.

Ernest sorry your rash is worse. I really hope that the cream sorts something out and you dont have to waste hours of your life waiting to see a consultant. The bedtime q came out of some chat the other day... A few people on here had mentioned they were going to try around 7pm. When I go back to work next year, DH and I wont get home till around 6.30 usually so we thought 7pm would be overly ambitious and wondered if we should think about a 8pm bedtime so we weren't needing to change it further down the line. I mentioned again in lasts nights post as I saw someone ask if anyone had made any comments on it as they were interested too (I was skimming when I was tired though so not sure who!) Obviously its all a bit academic as we wont really know till the baby is here but just wondered what people's thoughts were. Thanks everyone for comments this morning!

Aberdeen I've got a list of little projects I want to do once my mat leave starts. I've got some nice days out planned and will be doing things that I never get round to like sorting squillions of photo's into albums and cleaning up my computer harddrive. I've also got some spring cleaning ready to do if the nesting bug takes hold!

Loretta - dry pailing nappies is when you store them dry in a bucket instead of soaking them. Some people find that they smell worse when soaked and it's a lot more messy transferring them to the washing machine. If you want to investigate reusable nappies further then I'd really recommend nappy lady. They have a tailored questionnaire and can give you advice/recommendations. They also put you in touch with one of their consultants who can answer all your questions. Although they sell reusable nappies there is no hard sell at all. I found them invaluable when I was researching this.

Essie re mw's and skills with breech babies... Vaginal delivery of breech babies was very common until the 80's (I think) when everyone started doing c-sections for breech babies following some now disputed research on the topic. As a result there are fewer and fewer mw's with the skills or confidence to deliver breech babies vaginally. We were talking about this last night at my NCT class, but luckily for Edinburgh mums there are a few mw's locally who have the skills and their is some well known mw who support local mums to be in making sure they can have this option at the hospital.

Anyway, this is a marathon post so I'll bugger off for now!

Oh sorry, thegreenfairy I really hope you get to see the consultant in bath. Fingers crossed.

Ernest oh poor poor you. I hope someome finds some way to relieve your itch, you need all the rest you can get at this stage. Very at your DH too, not doing anything to help when you are lost in a foreign country. How mean of him!

Essie I like Meilir, it is nice and unusual

puddock How stressful. Did they tell you anything at all, were your sensations proper contractions or very strong BH?

allipali understand how frustrated you are with your cleaner. They are supposed to make your life easier, but it doesn't always work does it. I had to put mine on the straight an narrow a little while ago and am now closely monintoring things as she was reallys starting to take the p...

Debs would you mind posting the link to your pregnancy tracker again. I had it on my work computer but not on the home one and can't find it now. I really liked checking DS's progresses

Right, got to get moving because my cleaner is coming at 11, and I'm not showered yet! Naughty me!

I have a pail for nappies but haven't considered what I'll actually be doing with it - I've heard of dry pailing and wet, and dry sounds like less of a hassle...

Rolf love the saints for June. I might reconsider and use Meriadoc, because that's also a hobbit!!
Welsh saints (and Irish too) are a bit of a different bunch. Our saint Seiriol (middle name) was sweet because he was a hermit (no visions) and lived on Puffin Island off the West end of Anglesey. But rather funny for a hermit - he had a friend in Holyhead, and they met up once a year at a well near where lots of my family are from. How does a hermit meet other hermits? The mind boggles!

My favourite female saint wanted to remain a virgin and prayed to God...who promptly made her grow a beard so she was unattractive to men...

Lorettah - speaking of beards, hair removal cream might be the answer!

Essie I'm not showered yet either if it makes you feel better! I have an excuse though, the pram is being delivered today and would no doubt arrive as soon as I stepped in the shower. I could still be sat in my pj's at 5pm....

Off to do some housework for now though.

Morning all, was up really early to go and pick someone up from the airport (speaker at my event tonight) but luckily checked the flight arrival online, to find it was delayed by 2 hours, so went back to bed!

Ernest - I've said about the menthol/aqueous cream before for itchy tummies, but don't do that if the skin is broken or scratched - I think it would sting! Maybe you could try natural yogurt from the fridge - this works brilliantly for sunburn, and is quite moisturising too. Slather it on, let it dry, and then shower off with cool water. It takes all the heat out. If you have any lavender oil, a few drops of that in the yogurt would be really soothing too. I hope you get some relief soon somehow.

I love the name Henry - I want it for a middle name I think. For monster, not me obviously! I would want Bernard for my middle name!!!!

Have a good day all.

GF glad to hear from you (I thought you had had the baby!) and that the moxibution is doing something. If you feel like trying for a vaginal birth, definitely follow your instinct and change hospital. I am so glad I didn't listen to any one and changed mine. You know what is best for you and your baby.

Right today I have decided I will check my bags again (considering I will probably have to go to hospital), try to tackle some of the mess in my wardrobe and start looking up nurseries in Bristol. So far can't find much energy though!

Good morning or nearly afternoon.

Re PJs and showers Im still in mine and at mo no plans to get out of them til drs appt this pm!!!! Does that make me a slob?!!!!!

Ernest - Over here we have loads of aloe vera products as it grows locally wonder if some of that might help if you can get it? I suffer quite a bit from prickly heat in the summer and it works wonder for me, very cooling

Im still really into re usable nappies but still have to convivnce DP have some of both. Would love to use organic ones but there is one brand here and they really are expensive like 3 times the price Sorry but i cant justify myself to buy them! Re liners after my plumbing escapades a couple of months back!!!! i would NOT put anyhting down a toilet ver again, still get scared putting down toilet paper!!!

Love nam Ava and Henry
Also I like Iron

See DQ (think it was you? or maybe not) my DP isnt only one to help in legs department!!!Maybe Lorettahs hubby is dutch too!!!

Really learning loads from you Neenz and you are going to be my inspiration! IF you can do it with 2 I can with one!

AH - Im doing stuff like writing address on envelopes for birth annoucements, designing and making birth annoucements, preparing a blog for the new baby. However i cant get up much so it has to be chilled stuff

Right think have more or less caught up going to continue with birth annoucement etc and my list of qs to ask dr today incase baby is still breech.

Oh and Debs ill be round there at about 12 to help you with that floor!!!!Sounds like just what i need though dont know how BP would react!!!!