Due Dec 08 - Braxton hicks, baby kicks and leaking nips!

[Veggiemummy]

that was Disenchanted's idea for a great title not mine

Hello all! We have sunshine here in Cambridge too, hurray!

PGP sounds scary, hugs to everyone who's suffering.

lowrib - I'm starting ML full time at 38 weeks but going down to 3 days a week to use up my annual leave in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that way I'll still have the energy to do stuff, rather than trying to cram everything into the last few weeks when I'm the size of a house.

I had a near birth experience yesterday - an overhang from the tummy bug has been horrid constipation (which I've never had before so don't know what to do) and I ended up spending a good 10 minutes in the cubicle, debating with a poo that would neither depart not return (shall we say ) and I honestly didn't know what to do - I just had to sit there pulling my silly faces and doing low breathing as several people came and went! Made me think if I could cope with that, birth can't be all bad but maybe I'm fooling myself...!

jJ bless you.

PGP glad to hear there is a name for it I have been getting it on and off all pregnancy tis bloody painful.

Think I have a contender for the 2012 Olympics this baby is moving around soo much. DP can be sitting on a sofa at one end of the lounge and on another and he can see my belly jump from side to side. Am actually wondering whether I am breech as I feel the baby on both sides. See the midwife on friday so will find out then.

lowrib am with you on the sleep deprivation then when its time to actually get up all I want to do is llie in bed.

Off to swimming with DS this arvo got to try and find out which of my bikinis I am stretching over my giganticous arse today.

Anyone else having brain drain?

I ran the tap for ages this morning wondering why is wouldn't get hot then realised it was the cold tap. oh dear . . . .

Morning ladies! (Well just about!!) Been trying to catch up on you all but wont do a big recap post as I just can't get my brain around it .

I will say though that last time round with DS I had dreadful night waking. I used to record Strictly and X factor and watch them in the middle of the night! Seem to be not so bad this time (well so far anyway) but I think that might be assisted by DS getting up at 5am every bloomin' day.

Totally non pregnancy related...just booked to see Bill Bailey at the theatre..very excited! Hope the laughing doesn't bring on early labour!

I'm a bit that you are all going to have had your babies (in some cases) so much before me. I remember finding it really difficult last time with my NCT group and got really nervous when other girls popped and I was still waiting. I think it might be easier this time as I know a bit more what to expect but I remember it feeling a bit funny.

hatty, yes next anti-d should be 34 weeks although my MW told me last time that protocol where I am is to give a higher dose at 28weeks and then no need for 34 week dose (not sure if that's right though!).
WG- thanks for tip re MA forms, I need to start getting things sorted instead of leaving everything til last minute!

ZJ i remember from about now with DS i felt i could not only feel his movements increase in effort but felt that i could understand the emotion behind them, like if i put certain music on he liked it but anything with a a deep bass neat he would kick around and seemed quite grumpy. I don't know if it's true but def felt like i could tell his emotions. and we usedd to poke at each other i could poke where his feet where and he would kick back. So far it;s just big kicks with this one but i am starting to feel a lot closer to him so hopefully will have the same connection. DS was sitting on my lap this morning and veggiebaby was giving him little kicks, DS still finds that part of it a bit weird but i think he liked it this morning.

Emma i am often brain dead got up to get myself a glass of water the other day and sat back down with a fork in my hand!!!???

Oli have fun at Bill Bailey, DH & I have tickets to the Mighty Boosh in birmingham on the 1st Nov, i will be about 33 weeks i think so hopefully won't bring on labour.

Hello everyone!
Sorry to everyone suffering at the moment, my heartburn seems to have got worse but that it about it for the time being! It really bloody HURTS doesn't it when you have it badly though.
Til recently it was just uncomfortable. Also why is it healthy things that set it off?? I can stuff my face with cake and large unhealthy filled sandwiches, but a bit of fruit or exercise and there it is!

Oli I am going to the theatre tonight to see Russell Howard, also v excited.

JJ thanks for the info on your movements, tee hee!! sounds painful. It also sounds like the cambridge pukey bug has arrived at mywork as a friend of mine if off with it today. Am hoping I don't get it!

ZJ my little sproggie has started moving a lot more in the last couple of days, and yes, there are more "angry" moves if you know what I mean. DH likes talking to him, he told him to "take it easy" the other day when he was getting overexcited. I said to DH that I thought it was sweet when he said that and he replied "Well, I'm a bit worried he might be like you, stroppy!" Charming I also like poking him!

wg I decided to get that book you recommended, it just arrived. Which is good as me and DH are going shopping tonight!

Everyone sounds v perky today, despite PGP etc. Poor all of you - and you SL for your heartburn. I haven't really got any of that at the moment. But I'm sure my smugness will soon be wiped off my face and I won't sleep, and my back will go into spasm and I won't be able to eat because of heartburn.

I've just been to a memorial service, which was actually quite lovely. Have come away feeling quite uplifted, which is good. It was of an ex-colleague, who was one of the nicest people I've ever met and the church was packed. My old boss gave a tribute, which was wonderful and the whole thing was just rather gorgeous - felt like more of a celebration of his life than a big mourning session, if you know what I mean. That's what I'd like when I go.

My baby is really active as well. It's less of a jumping bean and more of a jumping elephant at the moment! My gut is being pummelled and it is clear to see on the outside! I thought they were meant to calm down around 31 weeks as the uterus was too small, but not this one! I'm hoping I'll be able to make out if it's a foot or a hand soon. At the moment it's just a lump. So I still have no idea what position it's in, although the doctor thinks it's head down, which would be great... But all the movement is to the sides, so think it might be doing a spot of "Agadoo" in there.

Went to yoga last night, which was a bit better. I'm still a bit skeptical, but tried to be more into it and it was better. Although we did have to "move" to the music in a way which we felt expressed how we felt. Needless to say I went all spikey and English and just flailed my arms around uselessly. BUT I managed to join in on one of the ohmmms, which I was quite proud of! Usually I just mime!

London is belting sunshine today, it's quite gorgeous and makes me happy to be alive and pregnant! Hurray!

SL i have it bad here too and no def thing setting off just everthing really, sometimes it is so bad the feeling of the reflux and burn up my throat makes me cough and if i eaten recently i end up vomiting. I wake up heaps with it during the night, and have started sleeping with a couple more pillows so i am a bit more sat which helps a bit. I am also still doing the loudest mos disgusting burps which i really hate doing, i am not a prud but i just find loud burps disgusting and hate doing them in front of DS & DH but can't help them.

pixsix thanks for your concern and sorry i didnt update yesterday .. was awake frm 4am so had to go to bed by about 6pm!

Scan went well yesterday .. it was very quick really as they just had to look at fluid level and check that blood flow through placenta was as it should be. All ok so the consultant seems to think that it is most likely baby is just a little bit small. I did ask if next weeks growth scan shows a consistant level of growth would they leave it at that but the consultant said no. They wouldnt scan me every week, but would still monitor to make sure that growth continues. So basically im having a slightly small baby and they are just gonna keep monitoring me. My daughter (dc1) was 6lb 5oz which on my chart is outside of the norm so expect this one to be around the same (another indicator that im having a girl methinks as the boys were 7lb 13oz and 8lb 1oz but we will wait and see ).
Unfortunately as a side effect of all this i will obviously not be able to get the sweep i wanted 2 weeks early and im probably more likely to go overdue

sorry that was a very me post .. hope everyone ok and enjoying the sunshine!

Oww Veggie that sounds worse than mine. Once i have got to sleep it doesn't tend to bother me. I did try doing my yoga DVD last night and any of the upside downy poses (like downward dog) I had to keep stopping as it hurt too much!
reban i meant to say before, I was a little baby and my mum was driven mad with endless monitoring as I was small (she only put on 12lbs in whole pregnancy) but I was fine, just little (just under 6lbs i think)! It it good they are monitoring you really but I guess it makes it all more worrying.

Oh poor you, Veggie - is heartburn something that you used to get before you got pregnant or does it literally only happen when you're up the duff?

Boo .

Sorry to bring down the general perkiness - have just rung the hospital about booking in my anti-d and got talking to the midwife about my 32 week scan and asking about whether my placenta might have moved (scan booked in to see if its moved or not and whether they need to do a c-section).

The consultant at the time seemed unbothered by the placenta and felt it would move. But according to this midwife the placenta was covering the exit to the cervix at 20 weeks, I didn't realise it was that far over. She said I might start getting episodes of bleeding in the next few weeks and that she really couldn't say it was more likely to have moved or not.

I was so utterly devestated to have had a section last time, especially as I have to have General Anaesthetic as my blood platelets drop in pregnancy and I run the risk of haemmoraging. I so desperately don't want another section and to be knocked out cold for yet another birth.

I know childbirth is painful and all, but I really wanted to experience the natural process, see my child arrive into the world rather than groggily waking up in pain feeling detached from it all and miserable and being handed a baby.

I know it could still move, but with the amount of hormones in my body at the moment I just want to sob my heart out that this could be another horrible recovery, whilst trying to look after two toddlers. I so desperately wanted just one natural birth, if not just to be awake to see my child arrive.

veggie and SL, I've found that propping up the head of the bed on a couple of big hardback books makes the heartburn much less of a problem at night, could be worth a try? Also that chewable rennies are much less disgusting than the chalky gaviscon tablets which for some reason are really salty??

reban at least with the scanning you can be sure the baby's all well, it's a pain but with any luck might be reassuring.

oli I'm booked to see Frankie Boyle at 36 weeks, asked for an aisle seat in case of urgently needing a wee but am now not sure if that was a good idea, don't want to be the butt of any jokes - I'd probably just cry!

Oh Hattie - I'm so sorry. You poor thing. I don't know how you feel myself, as this is my first time, but I know my Mum went through the same with all three of us and she was so disappointed not to be awake for the births. I really hope the placenta moves in the next few weeks and will keep everything crossed for you.

I know it probably doesn't help, but they will be doing what's the safest for you and the baby, so just bear that in mind and I'll hope against hope that things get moving. Big cyber hugs to you - I'm so sorry for you. xxxxxxxx

Oh gosh Hatty, you poor thing. Fingers crossed that the placenta will have moved a bit - apparently they generally go upwards with the growth of the uterus.

If it is still in a bad place and you have to plan for a GA CS, do they have any counsellors you could talk to to get all your feelings out before the birth? Maybe if they help you to prepare for it better you can feel more like part of the birth and not so separated from it.

hatty im so sorry the midwife you spoke to was so dismissive of you .. these healthcare professionals are quite often very flippant in the way they say thing and that can be more distressing then the news itself. Hopefully when it comes to your scan things will have improved (fingers crossed) xx

thanks jj and sl i dont mind the extra scans really .. now that ive calmed down about it all. I know i was about 6lb born but my mom is 4ft 11in so you'd kind of expect a little one .. im 5ft 7in so a bit of a difffernce!!

Oh no hatty sorry to hear that. The placenta might move or your platelets might not drop so low this time. Big hugs to you!!!!!

Veggie your heartburt sounds awful.

Reban glad to hear your scan went well and everything as it should be. Glad the profs are keeping and eye on you and your bump.

(passes choc's round to everyone)

hatty, sorry that is bad news. Fingers crossed that they are wrong and it moves.

jj I think i am going to that same Frankie Boyle thing too! (there are 2 cambridge dates though so might not be same one). My friend is also going and she will be 38 weeks!

oh Hatty your post was so emotional i'm now having a litte cry, you poor thing, waking up from an aneasthetic is horrible but to have gone to sleep pregnant and wake up and there is your baby, would e so weird and emotional and thats not how you want it, oh you poor thing. I don't know if it helps but i had placenta previa at 20 weeks for DS and it was fine by my 35 week scan. Oh i will thing good placenta moving thoughts for you.

JJ i'm the same with yoga, i have to do a variation child's pose with my head and arms raised up on a pillow. Luckily i only get it whilst preggers. There is an old wives tale that women who have indigestion have hairy babies, and i have to say it makes no sense but DS was one hairy little man. His lanugo was black and he had so much hair on his head, he looked like a little monkey when he came out.

Hatty - you poor thing. I am always (always she says...like she's had a million kids!) scared of the prospect of a CS. Lets hope that pesky placenta shifts itself up a bit. x

Thank you so much for your support ladies, I don't know what I'd do without you .

Just spoke to my community midwife to try and get some clarification and she said hospital midwife is right, it's very unlikely to move. She then added the worst news possible, that if it hasn't moved by 32 weeks she would very much think the hospital would admit me from 34 weeks to be on bed rest as the risk of bleeding is so high, especially as I'm rhesus neg and they don't know what the baby is.

Am just in uncontrollable sobbing mode. I so desperately didn't want a section and it puts my childcare worries for one night of labour into light relief compared to a month of DH having to be on call in case they have to deliver me.

And him trying to work self-employed without my income for that month and sort out childcare for girls.

He's on his way back from taking DD's to see a friend and I am supposed to be working and just sitting here doing big snuffly sobs instead.

So furious that no one warned us of this at 20 week scan and that the stupid consultant said not to worry and that it was highly likely to move, even though my notes were in front of her from the scan.