Dec 08: but that doesn't mean you can touch my bump!

[rosmerta]

New thread with bisou's title suggestion

I think the GTT & lucozade are different things. I had the lucozade one the other day and it said I could eat & drink normally, apart from the lucozade. Of course I messed up & drank too much so have to have it done again next week [dozy brain]

Meant to say as well, that you need to finish drinking the lucozade one hour before the appt.

mibbes, hope everything is ok.

Yeah, the lucozade one is what I am doing to, didn't realise that it is different from GTT.

The midwife told me, drink the lucozade 1 hr before appointment and eat nothing else in that hr. And I don't think there is a second test, I have just the one appt. It is probably the same for you as we are in the same area?

I will see you in 2 weekish then

I've been told I have to have a carbohydrate-heavy diet for the three days before the GTT. They even (helpfully) give you a list of list which foods are high-carbohydrate. Doh . Then on the day itself it's nothing apart from water until the glucose drink itself and then a meal after the two hour test is finished.

LadyT I'm booked for Dec 10 (not Nov) but yeah, I'm excited to have a plan! I have family coming over so it's great from that angle too!
I wish this weather would clear - It's depressing all this grey sky. Is the London girls meetup still happening? I must check the thread!

Re the GTT, I think there are two kinds - I had both last time, although as it turned out, everything was fine.

One that they call a "mini GTT" where you don't need to fast before hand, just show up and drink the lucozade.

If you flunk that one, or they are feeling mean, you get a "full GTT" where you have to fast beforehand, then they give you a blood test, make you drink lucozade, wait around for 3 hours then another blood test.

Not sure about the carbs thing though.

I'm due to have another GTT in a couple of weeks - doc twisted my arm into having a full one on the basis that its more accurate and at least I won't end up having to do both.

Mibbes, hope everything is ok now. Thinking of you.

mibbes sorry I missed your post, hope everything's ok.

Effie Yes, I would love to borrow either one - that's really kind of you. I had been looking at both the Wilkinet and the Ergo in fact - the Wilkinet gets some rave reviews but seems like it might be awkward to tie on cos you need to lie the baby flat (is that right?), and the Ergo also gets fantastic reviews but is quite pricey so I'm wary of forking out unless it's right for me. What did you think of them yourself? The thing about slings is that for all the reviews it needs to fit in with your body shape so yes, it would be great to actually try one out for a bit. Can anybody think of a good way to give a sling a trial run without having an actual baby to put in it? Somehow I don't think DS's Blackburn Rovers teddy will cut the mustard. I can't make the meet-up next week but hope to make the one after that. I do work full-time so am not around on Wednesdays, unless you're ever in the Hackney Central area (I work behind the Town Hall) and fancy meeting up for a quick lunch or something. PS go on, tell us how many slings you've got!

mibbes - hope all is well with you. Sounds like you're handling it well.

SummerLightning - with you on the leaky nipples. I only stopped breastfeeding a week or two ago and am hoping my nipples can get some well-deserved R&R before the next onslaught...

Welcome emma & welcome back hiccymapops.

I haven't had the pleasure of piles, gallstones etc., but I can say that I have had a couple of mouth abscesses before and I would rather go through a week of labour than a day of that again. I also went through weeks of pain breastfeeding and found it was much harder to take than labour. It's true what you say, Effie, it's a totally different perception of pain when you know that there will be an outcome and you know it's not going to go on forever. Mind you, nature does have a way of making you erase the pain of labour from your memory. When I think back to mine I find it hard to imagine the pain part at all. For me I think it helped that I was so overwhelmed with the baby that I literally didn't have a minute to go over it in my mind so it somehow didn't become etched in my memory.

Yes Mibbes, hope it's all ok and do let us know.

PD, I think you do have to try them cos as you say everyone's body shape is different. I found the Wilkinet fine for when DS was small (once you get the hang of how to tie it) but it was more of a strain as he got bigger. I know people who swear by the Ergo, but I didn't try it till DS was bigger. If you want to borrow both and see how you get on you'd be v welcome . There's prob a MNer somewhere with a spare newborn insert for the Ergo as well as they don't need it for very long. (In fact, had a look on Ebay and you can pick them up for a few quid). If you aren;t around during the week and want to meet up for a quick coffee one weekend let me know - or we can wait till the next meet-up.

Also, some of the sling shops will rent them out before you buy so you can try different kinds.

I don't have that many slings, but I;m planning to just use a wrap sling this time round as I'm a bit more confident with managing it. In fact, my new sling has just arrived

I had 2 GTTs with DD1 and they were the full on fasting type. Nothing after 10pm the night before, bloods at 8, lucozade, bloods at 11, huge breakfast, results about 11.30. Have to do mine again in a few weeks, though no date as yet.

Lady T - my CS was rough because DD was lying across me and every time the surgeon put his hand in to get her, she wriggled up towards my lungs. He ran round the bed to get more purchase from the other side, rammed his arm in and pulled, but said he would dislocate her arm if he pulled any harder. I then had to have forceps used internally to wrench her out. Bloody uncomfortable and lots of fluid splashed out which had to be cleared once she was born. After DD1 the clear up took about 20 mins but after DD2 over an hour and a half. It was not pleasant and I was not happy. THank God I had lovely Brahms playing to look after me (DH had been dispatched to the recovery room with the baby and kept saying "where's my wife?" but no one told him why I was delayed. He thought something awful had happened. God bless Kings).

After a CS, and esp after that one, your innards are a bit jiggled about and you can get terrible wind. Ensure your early guests are ones you don't mind farting in front of . And pack some peppermint tea in your bag. They give you peppermint oil dissolved in water when the drugs trolley comes round and it really helps, but you need your own stash for those windy moments when you are alone.

Hope I haven't put anyone off. CSs are not that bad, emergency or elective (had both). I would do hands and knees before the birth for a few weeks to get the baby into a good position, even if you have a section planned.

Slings - I had a Bjorn which I didn;t really like. Effie, which of the many would you recommend? I saw someone with a fab navy tied on one, but DD1 was playing up so I couldn't go over and ask which one it was. ANy ideas? All materials, no rings or anything. Sorry not much to go on.

Sorry, Mibbes, hope all is OK.

chutney: sounds like a wrap sling. Have a look on here:

www.bigmamaslings.co.uk

try the 'sling doctor' section for choosing a sling

just got this one in the Aare pattern

Hi ladies Not been on the thread for a while, thought I would check in.

Effie - liking the sling talk. We have an ergo, DH likes it becos it is more 'manly'... Had a BabyBjorn but didn't really like it and want to get some proper soft slings this time. Have been offered the loan of a Close Baby Carrier, which I think will be good for the early months. Thinking of some kind of woven wrap as they are more flexible, but some of those Mei Teis look v pretty... (see, I'm not bothered about prams, but slings... well)

Hi, not a due in Dec (my ds is already 8 weeks old ) but just thought I'd say that I am short and petite and use the Ergo with a newborn insert occasionally - insert is fine (and Ergo great on your back, think will come into own when ds older. V light dd 2.5 loves it!) but I mainly use a Murrons Pouch with (rather large) ds, got from Freedom Slings (ebay). Anyway, you are welcome to try my slings - and with a real-life baby! Believe I am just down the road from Effie (3 mins from Stoke Newington station)...

Chutney, that is EXACTLY what I fear with DD being transverse for ages and now diagonal but comment-inducingly high I should think farting will be the least of my worries but thanks for the warning...Hands and knees for a few weeks before the birth? You bet. And I will be picking your brain mercilessly for every little tip about sections you can possibly squeeze out! If anyone knows of anything else to get the baby into a reasonable position beforehand, I am all ears. (In fact I am sure this goes for everyone on here, whether they are cs or vb!) I think someone said bouncing on one of those giant balls helps as well?

I have a sling, a Baba something I think, but I must see what it is and check it out with Effie the Sling King.

I am in the stooopid office still, trying to get everything done for my last day tomorrow. I know no one will have any sympathy for me as I will be FREEEEE after that but it's going to be super-stress until tomorrow evening and actually I think I'll be in for some days next week, as I'm not sure it's physically possible to finish up yet (unless I work through the night!!)

Evening everyone Thank you for the welcome back

I'm looking for a sling this time too. I bought a BabyBjorn one for Ben, but i didn't like it, so i want to try a wrap one this time. I think it'll be easier to have two free hands to grab a toddler with.

poisondwarf i'm with you on the break from breastfeeding. I've only just managed to get the little monkey off mine (much harder than i thought) The next one is going straight onto steak and chips at six months!

mibbes hope all is okay with you.

LOL at Effie the sling-addict

LT GO HOME ! and yes I will have no sympathy tomorrow when you are a FREE woman ! And I agree - ALL tips about CS or VB are very, very welcome from you experienced ladies

Well I had the anti-D and all seems to have settled now. Had to have an internal which was just the same as a smear so not too bad - the embarrasing thing was that the Doc noticed I had an 'interesting' cervix and invited the MW to come and have a look (as she shone a bl00dy torch up my whatsit !), then not content with 2 people seeing it she then went away to get another Doc to double check all was ok and she had a 'go' too and told me it was fine, just pointing backwards which won't be an issue in birth - OMG what a nightmare having 3 different people having a good gawk up there ! Anyway, all is well with baby so that is the main thing - thanks for asking after me ladies - it has been an eventful week for me !

effie would you mind if I tried the slings at the meet up as well? I do have the offer of a Babasling but really want to look at a few others as well!

ladyt enjoy your last day tomorrow!

There's some info on this website about optimal foetal positioning which is useful!

I'm off up to my parents tomorrow with ds, on the train , fingers crossed he behaves himself!. Dh is meant to be doing some diy stuff around the house while we're gone but has just told me he's got a game of golf booked in!

mibbes am a bit at your three-doctors-with-a-torch experience. Poor you! (It did make me smile though - sorry!)

Effie I like the look of those slings but they look so difficult to tie. I had a Baby Bjorn with DD and she HATED it with a passion. Mummy's arms were the only thing that would do, apparently . I can see that a fabric sling would feel more secure and comfy to a baby, so I'm interested in trying if you come to the meetup after next...

LT I hope you are now AT HOME and ASLEEP! >stern face<

Well, I'm up and about. I have been sleeping ok the past few weeks, but still find if I'm woken up any time between 2am and 3am I just cannot get back to sleep. DD fell out of bed (the side bar we had for her toddler bed doesn't fit her swanky new grown-up bed - sigh) so after getting her snuggled back to sleep I find myself wide awake...

rosmerta hope you have a good time w your parents and that DH gets his diy done! Am a bit at the thought of a DH who even attempts diy!

chutney your C/S sounds appalling! Here was I thinking the recovery was going to be the worst part, but maybe not! I don't think I could handle it if they threatened me with forceps again after last time... erk. Do you think they would give me STRONG DRUGS if I asked nicely?

Am v of all of those of you going to meetup next week. I. Hope. You. Have. A. Good. Time. (There - didn't stick in my teeth. At. All.) Can we start planning the next one please?!

Morning all.

Mibbes you poor thing! Good practice for birth I guess having lots of medical professionals gawping at your bits!

LadyT hope you managed to get everything done and get to relax a bit on your maternity leave. Very of you starting it.

Turnip your night away sounds lovely! I really hope the consultant can offer some relief- you poor thing!

Verso have you tried getting a travel safety bed guard for your DD's bed? The rails that came with our DD's beds were wooden and the girls used to manage to bump their poor heads on them so we took them off and clipped on these instead which we can also use when travelling...

www.amazon.co.uk/BabyDan-1821-80-00-75-Bedrail-Pink/dp/B000NJ07ZQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=baby&qid=1221 216016&sr=1-3

Rosmerta that optimal foetal positioning site looks really useful. When my first twin turned breech last time I was advised to try sitting on a birth ball, scrubbing the kitchen floor on hands and knees and err can't remember the rest!

Thanks so much all for calming thoughts on labour pains...will stop getting panicked until I know I can actually go into labour, my 32 week scan will reveal if my placenta is still too low and its another section job.

Talking of which, Chutney you poor, poor thing - that second section sounds awful . Are you booked for another section this time?

I am in the bad books at home. Took the bath mat out of the bath last night to have a bath and forgot to stick it back down this morning. Poor DH stepped in in a hurry and went flying and has wrenched his back and is not a happy bunny with me at all..oops! Have cheered myself up by finally admitting its coooooollllldddd and I need to invest in some maternity warm clothes rather than wearing my normal cardis with the buttons undone! Have just ordered this... www.newlook.co.uk/1524258/152425804/ProductDetails.aspx - which looks quite warm and not too grannyish if worn with a nice top underneath..I'm so cold, I thought winter pregnancies would keep me all toasty!