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

[Veggiemummy]

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

Morning All

Hatty - I am sorry that you have so much to worry about with the low placenta. You asked how well my SiL bonded with her three after her GA c-sections. The answer is really well. Her husband brought each baby to her as she woke up and he waited right outside the delivery room and they were brought to him the moment they were out. SiL never had PND or anything and breastfed for a year with each .

LadyT - It does sound like you are over doing it. Relax! You have the perfect excuse to do so and you will never have time to relax again .

Veggie - I am nesting too. In fact I decided the whole inside of our house needed re-painting. The decorators arrived today and the place is covered in sheets. We were up to 1am clearing surfaces and taking down pictures etc. I am beginning to think its all a bit OTT, the paint work was only 3 years old in most rooms!

Kay - Good luck in bidding for a good sling. I was really pleased to see from your links that Mothercare have started selling a proper range of slings and not jsut Baby Bjorns.

Beans - Your shopping does not sound OTT at all. With DD1 I brought everything under the sun: matching nursery furniture, special changing tables, rocking chair, new curtains, intercom, buggy, sling, mobiles, toys, sleeping bags, change bag... This time I need much less but have still ordered a new double buggy, a new chest of drawers, a new sling and new curtains (I need blackout curtains to keep the light out).

For those planning to BF for the first time I strongly recommend buying a good breastfeeding pillow before the birth. They are great. They support the baby allowing you to have at least one hand free. They are really comfy and for those first few weeks when baby feeds ALOT they give you a chance to hold a book/tv remote/plate of dinner (cut up by DH!) while feeding. I had this one from John Lewis.

I am shattered today. DD has started waking at 5.30am again (she has been through similar phases before). Its a total killer, God knows what I will do when the baby arrives.

pixsix: DH actually refurbished our sash windows himself. Took a lot of time (and bad language) but they look really nice now. The main thing I think was replacing the sash cords, then lots of wood filler etc. for the holes, getting the paint off, sanding down and replacing. Depends what kindo f state yours are in, ours were more or less sound apart from dodgy cords and the odd damp patch.

Re: space, we are still ina 1-bed flat (eek!) but we will be moving. Even if we use MIL's as a halfway house.

Meant to add:

Pixsix - we got a grant for replacing our sash windows. We too live in London in a conservation area. You can also get grants from improving your insulation and energy efficiency.

oh and re: insulation, the solution that worked best for us was plain white roller blinds plus curtains. Victorian houses are designed with a certain amount of draughts in mind for air ciculation, so I wouldn't wrry about making things completely airtight

You are all making me so jealous. Our flat is in an old victorian house but all the sash windows were taken out and replaced with boring normal windows. There is only 1 left out in the shared hall and its lovely. We're the only house on the street too that doesn't have the orginal windows.

I'd love to have sash windows!

I just rang the doctors for the results of my blood test and I don't have gestational diabetes!! I feel like celebrating with chocolate cake!!!

pix - same as youngvisitor - we bought some flash new thick curtains, and they act as great insulation in the winter as well as being gorgeous. also those foam rubber strips work well. good recommendation to look for local joiners - i might even give them a go myself... can anyone recommend one in north london?

hatty so sorry you are having such a stressful time of it, I really hope you can get backup sorted with neighbours, as others have said in the past I bet they'll be more than happy to help and if you manage to hold out until Nov your mum will be there - only 3 weeks

Oh dear so many emotional preggy ladies an dads-to-be. I have been having a lot of wobbly moments too, partly because like others I want to make the most of what child-free time we have left and also the prospect of actually having the responsibility of looking after a real baby is starting to sink in and am terrified . Last night I remembered that a friend had had her baby at 35 weeks and I suddenly burst into tears thinking 'OMG I'm not ready to be a mum in 3 weeks'... not sure I'll be ready in 8 weeks either though so it is starting to freak me out a bit - is this normal ? am worried may that I may be showing signs of antenatal depression and also had a massive tearful moment on Fri when SIL announced 'OMG you are so huge, are you sure there are not 2 in there' in front of loads of people - I felt like a freak show and got really upset as it was my birthday and I just wanted the day not to be about baby/bump for once I managed to keep it together while friends were there but as soon as they left I bawled

Also had MW on Fri and baby has turned from transverse to breech - MW says if still breech at 36 weeks they'll discuss options with me

On a lighter note 3 people said to me on Sat that I looked great and didn't look like I gained any weight apart from the bump so that made me feel better

there is a place on Stroud Green Road in N4 called something like Stroud Green Window company - I've never used them myself but they always have a lot of windows piled up outside when I walk past!

Just to change the subject slightly - is anyone else finding their morning sickness is coming back? I've been sick 3 days in a row now - and am mystified and pissed off. I only stopped being sick at about 20 weeks - I don't want it to start all over again!

mibbes don't worry - I don't think you ever feel 101% ready to be a parent - at least I didn't!

There are days when I am still surprised that I am allowed to take DS home with me all by myself and supervise his upbringing.

Hi everyone, hope you all had a good weekend?

arti it's really good news about the BP, that must have been a relief. I can't believe the uselessness of getting hold of your results, how difficult is it? Hope the urine tests went as well?

verso I woke with cramp this weekend too, I had a stiff right calf so wriggled my foot and was v pleased to have caught it before it really seized up. Turned over to go back to sleep and realised my whole left calf had completely cramped up and I nearly burst into tears right there. DH woke up, sleepily tried to massage it, which was awful so he got a slap and promptly went back to sleep and left me wimpering. As well as bananas, I?ve also heard milk and tonic water (not together though). Hope you find something that works (and let me know if you do!)

Kimberley your bedding is beautiful, I?m very jealous! I hope that chest infection hasn?t caught up with you.

ladyt v pleased to hear your DP has tidied up, it does make it easier to relax when you?re knackered, if you?re not looking round thinking of jobs that need to be done.

veggie hope the next 2 weeks fly by and your DH is home again v quickly. And well done for finding that sling!

hatty it sounds like you have plenty of options, should you start to bleed, which is great that you can call on people. And I?m sure your neighbours would be willing to help in anyway they can ? as you probably would for them if the situation was reversed.

beans and others ? I?m also getting a bit irrational. Someone says something (usually DH) and I think out of order but don?t say it cause you know it?s your hormones, but it pops out of my mouth anyway and we end up rowing over nothing. But every time I get cross at the moment I remember how sweet he was after my last MW appt ? I rang him to tell him the baby was doing this and measuring that, and he stopped me and said ?but what about the mother, how?s she doing, I want to know about you? ? what a star. I remind myself everyday of that, when he leaves his toenail trimmings on the sofa (last night?s misdemeanour ? imagine if baby had been here and chewed them ? tut!)

kayz hurrah for no GD ? you definitely deserve a treat!

I made a fantastic discovery yesterday ? about 2 months ago I thought I?d lost my 20 wk scan pics and was so upset, mainly cause I thought I?d thrown them away. Yesterday I found them ? hurrah . Filed with my July bank statement ? now that is bad pregnancy brain!

Thanks for all the window advice ladies. effie I am mightily impressed at your dh's DIY skills but unfortunately window refurbishment would be WAY beyond my dh!

mibbes sorry to hear you're feeling down. I can't believe the comments people make to you when you're pregnant, no one would ever comment on a woman's size to her face in that way if she wasn't pregnant. Maybe try to comfort yourself by thinking that no one would say you're huge if they meant you are fat, they would only say it meaning that your bump is growing in proportion to the rest of you. Actually reading that it doesn't sound very comforting but I hope YKWIM!

mibbes - don't worry - sure you're not the only one. Some days I can't WAIT to get the little beast out and start loving it and playing with it and dealing with the lack of sleep etc. Because it does feel like I've been pregnant forever, plus I've always wanted a baby. BUT I'm also terrified that I'll hurt it, or won't be able to cope, or that there'll be something wrong with it.

Overall, I think it's going to be an amazing experience. Being pregnant is such a small part of the whole thing, so once the baby has arrived, then it all kicks off and life will never be the same again - but in a good way. Our focal point won't be the same, but it's so new and exciting and I can't wait to get started! Pregnancy feels a bit like limbo for me! Waiting for reality to kick in. Does any of that make sense? x

mibbes your SIL is mean to say that at all but to say it on your birthday (happy birthday by the way) is just insensitive has she ever had a baby. If those friends said it didn't look like you had put on weight i would take their word for it, they know you better. She has issues. And yes it is normal to feel terrified, in fact it lasts a while, i am getting those feeling again now and they are kind of including DS i keep thinking i am going to be busy with the baby and will let him get into something dangerous, like falling down the stairs or drowning or something. However, if you are worried about PND have a chat to your midwife.

Effie it's funny you say about the one bed flat, i was just saying to DH yesterday that i wish we were still in our one bed flat, everything was so close together, i have been trying to wor out where to put the nursing chair would love to put it upstairs in our bedroom as it has lovely sunlight through the window and a nice view but if DS is down stairs can't keep an eye on him. It was so much easier have everything close together in our first place, although i reaslise it is unrealistic with 2 boys.

Mibbes Sometimes I still now look at DS(19 months) when he is feeling ill or having one of his "I'm going to destroy everything" and think "What the hell do I do now"
He was sick one day last week and it was the first time he had properly been sick and I was terrified and had to ring DH who had popped to the shop.
Now I also think about how I'm going to play with DS, look after the baby and do housework, shopping etc.

ZJ that is so lovely of your DH, and great you found your scan pictures, funny where they were, did you have your scan in July by any chance? maybe you were just being super organised

ZJ - hurray you found your scan pics! Does anyone know how to stop them from becoming less defined etc, mine seem to be degenerating, if that makes sense?

ZJ Thats great. Now can you come and find mine please?? I've misplaced them and when looking for them I found DS's scan pictures.

Hopefully when we move I'll find them.

Just wanted to drop by and say hi to everybody.
I have not missed a single post! But have not had the energy to chat along .
While I am feeling a little weepy emotional I would just like to share that you all feel like friends to me even though I am not joining in much. DH know that I check up on how the girls (thats you lot!) are feeling every night.

beans file them with your bank statements - keeps them in tiop top condition!

Aaah, missmama - that's a lovely thing to say. My DH thinks it's all a bit strange that I chat to people I've never met! Bu t it's nice to chat to people in same boat and offload. He can be assured that if I didn't chat to you lot, he'd get a lot more whinging!!!

Cheers again girls, we just went to see our neighbours and they couldn't have been kinder - I did feel a bit awkward sharing such a personal thing with them but they were so sweet.

Our local lady of the manor, who is our landlady has 4 kids and had placenta previa with her third and fourth - she did have quite bad bleeding and had to be hospitalised but hers moved both times towards the end - they were happy to let her try vaginal delivery because she'd done it twice before and all worked out okay. I think the girls would be delighted to be there, they have a playroom which rivals Hamleys with every possible toy you could imagine - last time we went around the DD's just couldn't believe their eyes!

Feel very reassured that there unless everything goes horribly awry there will be someone to look after the girls and someone to speed me to hospital. Have nearly everything for my hospital bag and have nearly finished the emergency notes - at least all this is giving me some control over the situation which is really helping.

Mibbes you will be just fine - I think what you're describing is very very normal and even if you have put on weight it'll all come off again. I hope you managed to have a lovely birthday anyway?

BAck to trivial questions from me - christmas themed sleepsuits for the new arrivals? Anyone indulging? Last time around everything was matching and white and now I am being tempted by pictures of reindeer!

Hatty I'm really happy your neighbours and landlady were happy to help you.
I too am tempted by christmas themed sleepsuits. I just think they would be so cute!!

I have bid on my sling. I am the highest bidder but it doesn't finish until Friday evening so I'm keeping everything crossed I do get it.

this?

{{http://www.mamasandpapas.co.uk/product-christmas-pudding-outfit/s0004550/type-s/ or this???]]

oops sorry