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!!!!!

I'm here, never fear!!! Thanks for your concern.

Not in labour unfortunately, just been so busy and sitting at the computer isn't so comfy.

After such a good nights sleep I convinced dh that I didn't need him to come shopping with me this morning. So everything was OK until the last shop when I was walking round gripping the trolley as the BH came and went, then they continued all the way home - 15 minutes on a very winding road. I've never driven so slow!!

Anyway they went and today has been so hot that I took the boys to the outdoor pool which is only a 1 minute waddle from our house. Obviously I didn't swim but it was soo tempting - temp's been about 28 degrees today and forecast hotter tomorrow.Managed to last out there for 1.5 hours but then I was so uncomfy we came home, rested again on settee, had tea, watched TV, talked to our guests, watched TV and thought I'd better come and see if any babies had been born.

Just got to last another 24 hours then MIL will be here. Still getting the BH contractions, so pleased this isn't the 1st baby - I'd be convinced that I was in labour. Ouch there goes another.

Sorry not got the energy to reply to all your posts today, but Katyjo - Mia is absolutely gorgeous. I had a best friend called Mia when I was 5.

Off for a shower , thankfully being in the mountains there's respite to the heat of the day once the sun goes down.
Night all

Hello quick post will back on tomorrow for last time before i meet my LO!!! Yep!

Went to appt this eve: BP extremly high, have gained 1 and half kilos in a week, slightly swollen hands and ankles and low amniotic fluid levels. All these combined mean i being induced tomorrow at 10!!!!
First on a belt thing to try and kick start uterus into contracting and then if that doesnt work drip on Thurs am!!!

Feeling slightly apprehensive but excited.

Sorry cant post to you all personally but have skimmed through todays posts as you can imagine been a bit busy sorting and ringing people!!!

Bit gutted that mum might not make it, shes gonna try fly here on thurs

ill log on in early am xxx

Oh Paro, sorry to hear that your BP is up again,but sounds like they're doing the right thing in taking you in tomorrow. All the waiting will be over for you very soon and you'll be holding Fleur in your arms.Good luck for today.

Congratulations Katyjo - your children are beautiful . Lovely name, and so pleased you had such a lovely birth.

Good luck Paro!

I haven't been around for days because our telephone line broke so I've been pining for Mumsnet! My lovely in-laws are here now and my doula is back from holday so I finally relented and packed my hospital bag. The children love having relatives around and getting all this attention. We've set up a sweepstake on when the baby arrives. We have 4 dates each - one of mine is today (but another is 20 June - surely I won't still be pregnant then!)

Saw the midwife today and she's sending me for a scan as she couldn't feel where the head is. 2 weeks ago the baby was head down so she said she's pretty sure it's just that the head is really low, as it's definitely not breach or transverse. So what else could it be? I'm getting myself very worked up about it. I'm back to being instructed to call 999 if I go into labour or my waters break. I'm being very paranoid and thinking she is secretly worrying about something dire.

Sorry about those of you who are feeling anxious/uncomfortable. These last few weeks are difficult aren't they? Ernest - the itching and lack of sleep must be dreadful .

For those with bfeeding troubles - I was in pain for about 6 - 8 weeks with DS1 even though I was assured by numerous counsellers etc that he was latched on properly. Eventually a La Leche League counsellor suggested that it was just taking a long time to sort itself out as I'm very fair skinned and my skin is v sensitive. It helped to have a sensible explanation for it and after a while things did settle down.

hi rolf - so you're another one who can't sleep then?

Sounds like your mw has given you plenty to think about! Why do you have to call 999?

Good luck Paro, fingers crossed that it all goes well for you, and let us know how you get on when you are able.

Rolf, if the head is that low maybe the mw is worried you will have an incredibly quick labour, hence 999? You must be really stressed by it though, especially as it can be so tricky to tell real labour from BH in the early stages.

I have been awake for two hours and finally decided I had to get up and get some breakfast as I think the hunger pangs may be keeping me awake. Fortunately dh is on holiday today so I am planning to trot off back to bed and let him get up with the kids.

Morning ! am on here! You cant keep me away!!
Have had a more or less full nights sleep but couldnt sleep anymore so am up with tea and cereal! Waiting for DP to wake up so we can get ready and go!!!

I agree with sybil, rolf and would suspect you are going to be popping maybe soon???!!Maybe youll win your sweepstake, the earlier one !!!
When do you have the scan?

How are your pains today debs anymore niggles BH?

Paro - good luck today! I know you're probably already gone but I'm very excited for you!

My contractions disappeared last night and I had an uneventful night with only small B-Hs that I could pretty much sleep through - so back to normal with minimal hip pain. Yesterday was really hard on my body though, I feel like I've been in a bad bike accident or something as all my muscles in my legs are really sore. My theory is that my body tried to go into labour yesterday and didn't make it - because that wasn't just practice! But at least I got some sleep!

I'm going to stick close to home today (and not drive) to see if my hips are okay but then resume normal life tomorrow. When my hip went out yesterday we were in town and if my DH hadn't been with me I would have fallen to the ground and not been able to get up. As it was, I had to shuffle around holding on to him for ages.

We did agree that if I sleep again tonight we will ask not to be induced when we see the doctor on Thursday, but we're still very happy with the appointment as we're finally getting to see the consultant instead of a string of community midwives who seem to think I'm a wuss for being different from the norm. I'd rather be the easy patient of the consultant I think!

good luck with your scan Rolf - hope the baby's just ready to put in an appearance...

Hi all.

Got a whole day ahead of me with nothing planned (loads of jobs on todo list tho) which is not good. Had spectacularly shitty night and snapped horribly at my poor ds1 (who was being annoying to be fair) so feel crappy as he's gone off to school on the verge of tears Ds3 hasn't started Kindergarten yet, thanks for asking - he starts in September, but he did go to a playgroup on Monday & will go again tomorow. It's only 2 a week, and not structured, just supervised play with a couple of songs. He asked several times yesterday when he can go again, so I'm taking that as a good sign. He also rather pointedly told me that he like what all of the other kids had for snacks so I'd better contact the leader and ask he what cool snakcs cool German kids bring, as my provisions were obviously severely lacking.

Paro, exciting about the induction - shame your mum won't be there on time, but she'll be there soon, and you get to meet your lo Good luck with the induction.

PT, hilarious in law comments. OMG, I was so lucky I never had any nonsense like that. I think my gpil probably came out with a couple of irritating lines, but having had 1 child over 80 years ago, I felt reasonable confident in my abilities to take their comments with a pinch of salt.

AH, I actually ordered my hotsling yesterday - thanks for your tips. Fingers crossed the size 2 will be fine. Hope the baby moves off your nerve - ouch. MW notes. Grrr. I just found my ones off ds2 and it's got on there 'alcohol' like I was some big piss head or something! Just that one word brought back all that annoyance off 8 years ago I don't know, looking positively, maybe she feels she has to make it sound dramatic to justify referring you, tho as you said, you're bloody well coping with it till Friday, so you're - er coping with it! Anyway, don't let all these stupid comments get you down (says she who nearly throttled doctor on Monday with his 'coping' coomments, but I'm still too demented to relive them or I'll have to jump back in my car and throttle him).

Rolf - was it your ds doning his First Holy Communion soon? Mine's having his on Sunday - we missed the main parish event due to move, so priest is kindly doing my ds all by himself this Sunday. He whispered at me as he left on Sunday - see you next Sunday, hope you hang on till then! I think ds would die of disappointment at this stage if I didn't and it would be such a drama to not make my date (bless my mum, eh).

SO, SA, I know where you're coming from, and keep everything crossed that everyone gets better and things fall into place for you. Poor mil arm. ouch. sounds nasty.

Katyjo, Mia is truly lovely. So cute

Deb - you're lucky with the mountains. I hid in our basement yeserday - lovely and cool. It's supposed to be 35 here today. SO I suspect I'll be in the basement again. Is it also going to be hot where you all are?

Now got to work out what to do with a bored 4 year old when I've lost the will to live, have no energy and can't face being out in the heat. Is taking him to IKea, so he can play in the play bit too crap ?

Morning!
Good luck Paro, and welcome back Rolf! I'm glad you have great in-laws, v refreshing.

Aberdeen- glad you had a slightly better night. It sounds like you'll be more rested once the baby comes. Whenever that is it won't be long in the grand scale of things.

I'm excited about MW apt today, even though I've got 2 and a bit weeks left. I really want to know if anything's changed...

Good luck Paro.

Ernest and Deb - hope you get a cooler day today, tis raining here.

Rolf - Good luck with the scan.

After having some vicious BH last night have decided to get organised incase I don't last the next 18 days. SO phonong around today to make sure someone can come and sleep here that DD likes, someone to take her to nursery and someone else to cook breakfast and explain to guests what is going on and of course pack my bag. Still have the ironing that I needed to do yesterday to do and then resting.

PEartart - good luck with your MW appointment as well.

Thanks for all your messages, very proud of myself for posting pics. She is gorgeous isn't she!
Last night was much better, and latching becoming a bit easier too, sorry for worrying anyone about bf its just I thought it would be easy as I had done it before. Just goes to show that each baby is different and you have to go with the flow. Hope you are ok makecakes and Neenz hope esther is feeding better - your my hero, 2 babies!!

Aberdeen at midwife, I had really painful bh contractions on tuesday last week, went upto hosp and when they did internal I wasn't dilated at all (my bishops score would have been zero) so I was pretty fed up but I went into natural labour on friday night, so don't get too disheartened you never no what's going to happen.

The MW will phone me today with details of the scan. I guess if it was an emergency she would have sent me to hospital yesterday evening. I'm not really sure about the 999 thing - I guess just becuase she couldn't be certain what position the baby's in she's just being ultra-cautious. She knows my history and is quite protective of me - she knows that it doesn't take much for me to lose my equilibrium!

Ernest - yes, my DS1 is making his First Communion on 21 June so we're all assuming I'll have popped by then. Your new priest sounds nice. Hope your DS enjoys it - it's such a special day isn't it?

Paro - hope it goes well! You must be so excited.

good luck Paro

3 more days left at work after today, at least it's raining here today so it's not so bad! don't envy your 35 degrees Ernest can't be helping much

I had been wondering where you were Rolf was about to bring it up in a 'oooo where's Rolf?' kind of way! speaking of which where's needahand, she's not been around for ages?

Morning everyone

Rolf, sorry about your scare - but it's lovely that you have a MW you feel comfortable with, and who knows you.

Paro, I know you've already gone, but good luck!

Debs, glad you're back! We all thought you might have popped. Good that your MIL is coming today.

Ernest, sorry you had a bad night. Can you face IKEA yourself though?

Katyjo, very glad that bf is easier.

Aberdeen, glad you had a better night. I hope you feel better today. Perhaps your body will try to go into labour more successfully today.

I got into a real blue funk last night about my imaginary head engaging / UTI and DH going out nearly every night this week and then going to Vienna for the weekend. I need to get a grip!

Also, remember how I had my appraisal a month or so back? Well, my boss still hasn't written it up and is on holiday until I go on maternity leave. That's fine, except that I don't get the opportunity to record in writing the unfairness of the whole thing. Again, I need to GET A GRIP!

Paro good luck.

well done all those with babes already.

It's weird - a few days ago, I thought things were happening (due 7 June), but everything has quietened down - must be becuase I am taking 2 naps a day and not taking enough exercise? Off for a walk in a moment and have hard reflexology on Friday. If that doesn't work, then I'm booking in for acupunture which has a very good success rate.

SA - thanks for that, if I think of it that way it does make more sense.

Debs - Is it possible for you to swim (can you get in/out easily, that is what I would worry about!), in that sort of heat it sounds like swimming would be lovely.

Paro - you are probably being induced already, good luck! Have my fingers crossed that it all goes well for you.

Rolf - I'm sure your midwife just wants to double check things. I am always amazed that they can tell where the baby is when they feel, to me it just all feels the same!

AH - sounds like you should be taking it easy, you don't want to get stuck somewhere!

Ernest - glad your DS liked playgroup, good luck with getting the correct snacks for him! It's not hot here at all, raining and miserable, just when I have tons of washing to do for the baby!

I got my TENS machine through the post this morning, had a panic at the weekend as I hadn't ordered one, this all seems to have crept up on me!

Ktpie and anyone else with an urge to bake. Recipe below...

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

This makes 12 cupcakes, but you make them in a muffin tin lined with muffin papers.

For the cupcakes
100g light muscovado sugar
175ml sunflower oil
2 large eggs
225g plain flour
¾ teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
zest ½ lemon
zest ½ orange or 1 satsuma
150g carrots grated (approx 2 medium carrots)
100g walnuts chopped (although I thought this looked like a lot so cut back slightly)

For the icing
125g cream cheese
250g icing sugar seived
1-2 teaspoons lime juice
12 walnut halves (I didn?t bother)

Preheat oven 200 degrees C / gas mark 6

Beat sugar and oil together, then add the eggs one at a time. Add the flour, bicarb, cinnamon, salt and zests, then fold in the grated carrot and walnuts. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for 20 mins. Cool on a rack.

For the icing. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl till smooth and softened, then beat in the sieved icing sugar. Squeeze in lime juice to taste.

When the cupcakes are cool smear the icing on top and place a walnut half on each iced cupcake.

Alipalli - thank you! Doing the shopping this aft so will check I have all the ingredients.

HI everyone, nothing to report from here apart from it's very hot and sticky, not quite as hot as Ernest but still a little too hot!!I went back to bed at 4.00 this morning and slept till 9.30 with dh sortng out the boys.

Ernest - , take ds3 to Ikea, we are taking the boys to Ikea this afternoon for a play - whilst I have a mooch at the baby things , then we'll have tea there as it's so cheap, and saves me hassle, before going to collect the long awaited MIL from the airport.

Ktpie - I would love to swim but I think I had a show last week and I thought the advice was no swimming as there maybe chance of an infection - what does everyone else think?

Deb, I'm not sure about the swimming, but I thought the risk of infection thing was mainly if your waters had broken? Could be completely wrong about that though. Why don't you post on the pregnancy list and see if you can get a mw/someone in the know to tell you for sure?

Its quite quiet on here today - is that because lots of people are off having babies do you think?

Hello Sybil, I'm not off having a baby and am here today!

Nothing much going on. Am organising my NCT group to go and see Sex and the City one afternoon next week. The theory being that if I have arranged something for after my due date then LO is bound to come on time! You never know, it is worth a try.

About to start working out how to create a labour playlist on itunes. One of the NCT girls has made a 14 hour play list. Quite impressive: not sure I will manage that.

Other activities to choose between today include: cleaning the oven (good for fetal positioning maybe); creating a baby blog; doing some baking. More likely that I will end up watching the TV...

Debs - I think swimming is okay as long as your waters haven't broken...

I'm not having a baby, been napping instead. It's a relief to catch up on sleep.

Ernest, I'd definitely take ds3 to ikea - why not? It's often nicer than the dirty kids play centres that we have around here too.

Right part one of plan B accomplished, lovely girl who babysits DD quite happy to be woken anytime to come and look after her in the event of going in early.