Due November 2008 - hang on a minute, that's NEXT MONTH! Yikes!

[ruthosaurus]

Not that it'll even BE November by the time we run out of space on this thread...

Sorry I haven't been around for a few days as am still feeling pretty ropey. The voice is back and my throat is much better but this cough is driving me batty. It was so bad in the night I had to move to the sofa as was worried about disturbing everyone, especially dh as a) he works and b) he is also coming down with this virus. Unfortunately, all the coughing is causing pain down below (ouchie!!) and across the bottom of my back/bump. Oh well, saw the nurse yesterday (qualified midwife) who said everything is great as usual except that I didn't look quiet ready!! She said that women tend to get a certain look about them when they are about to pop, lol!

MerryM: Well done on making it this far and good luck for tomorrow, how exciting!

Hi to everyone else, hope everyone is doing ok.

Morning, bit of an update on last night.

Well late sunday night i started getting strong braxton hicks, along with some serious backache. I was up several times in the night, pooing and twinging on and off. By lunchtime things had eased off a bit, but by later in the afternoon the pain was back with a vengence. I didnt want to go in, but knew i wouldnt settle if i didnt get checked out. So once my dd's had finished at rainbows and brownies, I called my mum to come and sit with them, and called the maternity unit, who advised me to come in. By this point i was sure i'd probably had a water infection. We got to the hospital about 8pm.

I was hooked to a monitor (i hate those things) and as had to lie almost completly still my backache got worse. I had a vaginal examination with a speculum thingy, wheras the doc couldnt see my cervix [cue laughing from me and 'aliens have taken it'], so had another VE from the midwife to see if she could feel my cervix and if anything was happening. Fortunatly nothing was happening. Was told to take paracetamol for backache, as i have been doing, and to take things easy, which i havent lol. I left feeling more squealchy than before from the VE's, and glad to get back to my own bed and the prospect of a homebirth.

And OMG, if i hear another women screaming blue murder in labour, i will knock on her door and tell her to put that effort into pushing and not screaming those rooms need soundproofing!

oh and no water infection present. yay!!

Music...ummmm...I thought maybe the Hallelujah chorus!

I don't even know if we are allowed music in there, but I think Simon and Garfunkel maybe as have been listening to it loads in past couple of months and the babies should recognise it, make them feel a bit more at home . I'll probably forget to take it tho.

ceebee, how irritating are ill dh's. I really find it hard as I struggle a lot of the time with feeling pretty rubbish but have learned to get on with life, so I just can't relate to the 'I've got a slight headache but I'm going to call it a migraine' or 'I've got a blocked nose but of course it is full blown flu'!! My poor dh.

sorry x posts misdee (friend called me from Oz in the meantime), glad all is well.

So pissed off!!!! Just phoned my work and spoke to the payroll guy to see if my childcare vouchers problem had been sorted as I am due to be paid Friday and I dont want the same mistake happening. Recap - Last month wage (!) the vouchers (£243) were deducted from my SMP which under new legislation it cannot be and your employer is meant to stand to the cost of the vouchers (£243). So I am owed (before tax, ni etc) £243 for last months wage and from now should get vouchers whilst still getting my SMP unaffected.

The arse who has not emailled me for a month was very short with me on the phone and said "dont know what is happening might cancel the whole scheme" and ended the conversation in a very short manner and practically put the phone down on me.

The arse to speak to me in that manner over something which is my legal right. Then leave me hanging so I dont know what is happening regarding what I owed, this months wage or even DS NURSERY payments!!!! Then also he might just cancel it?! WTF can they do that?

Morning all - not such a chatty night, eh? Are we all getting a bit tired? Or is it a combination of poorly selves, DHs, kids and pups? I hope all are better soon and am thinking of you, especially those having to clean up vomit. Ceebee, is there any way you can go to lunch two hours early? I HATE the martyred ill man thing, it drives me nuts. When I?m off work sick DH will say ?Ooh, can you put a wash on today, I?m nearly out of pants? but if he?s off sick I come home to a rubbish heap with DH at the centre, playing on the computer, sneezing and covering in snack food packaging. To be fair, actually, last time he was ill he stayed in bed, but it?s the untidiness of the convalescent period that drives me nuts!

Can I just say at this point "WOOOOOOOOO Merry made it to full term!!!!!". I am v impressed as I am full term tomorrow and hacked off with just having a tummy full of 1 baby, bless it. I bet you can't wait to meet them (in amongst all the operating theatre nerves etc - brave girl!) and I can't wait to see your pics.

Hey, Missygoo, I?m not sure which scares me the most, the mask or the needle! Having not had an epidural I?m probably going to go with the mask, as I?m normally okay with needles and I had a lot of ops as a kid where the last thing I remember seeing was the mask... [shudder] Hope I don?t need either when the moment comes!

I have a confession to make about the cleaning thing ? I was wondering what was up too until I remembered that tomorrow the midwife is doing her home visit and I am terrified that she is coming to run a finger along the mantelpiece and decide on that basis whether or not to have the child taken into care at birth as our house would scare even Kim and Aggie. So when DH comes home tonight he is not only wallpapering but cleaning the fish tank out etc. Speaking of wallpapering, I have come to an accommodation with DH ? I will have tea on the table for when he comes in and get as much housework as possible done during the day and then I will sit and paste the wallpaper while he hangs it. It is the only way we can make up for all the Age of Conan/World of Warcraft timewasting. God, I?m going to be more tired than I was at work. But it has to be done.

Misdee, glad to hear your hospital visit was okay and that they let you back out again. I have to say, though, I preferred the monitoring to the VE? They don?t have soundproofing where you are? Ye gods. Hana, what?s the mooing all about? I hear it mentioned but understand not.

Vbab, get in there and KILL! It is your legal right and you can do them under the Sex Discrimination Act, surely. V for you and am only round the corner; consider my hormonal rage at your disposal should you wish to inflict a savaging on anyone.

Right, that?s another wash done, time to load the machine up again?

can someone explain mooing to me? i really dont know.

seriously i thought one women was being murdered in there. she was so loud! and was 4 rooms away and i could still hear her. dh insists i dont make much noise in labour whilst pushing. i cannot scream and push at the same time, its just not possible for me.

Morning

Good luck for tomorrow Merry i am so jealous that you get to meet your little ones. Well done too for making it to 37 weeks.

At mw yesterday they told me bubs is back to back so have been given some interesting manovers to encourage him to move around.

Misdee pleased to hear all is well at hosp too

Congratulations Merry on getting to full term!!!!! What a star you are!!

I am also not prepared for my CS - don't know if that is because it is 3rd time or like you and pinky am a bit in denial still!!! You must be so excited though to meet the babies - I am really excited about that but very very scared/nervous about having another cs.

Yes the mooing is what I was taught at my birthing classes first time around, it is all to do with breathing (but I have to say, that all went out the window and I just screamed blue murder at every contraction, in fact, was quite relieved after 3 days in labour they took me of for an emergency CS!)

merry - WOW! Seeing your babies tomorrow.

I'm in my 38th week and DH has told me that he has got to go to London Wednesday to stop overnight for meeting on Thursday. As we live near Sheffield, South Yorks you can imagine it is few hours travel to London so with my recent spate of luck you can guarantee baby will appear when DH is miles away. I would then be left with my mum as birth partner. EEK! We are close but there are somethings I just dont want to share.

morning

Go Merry; full term eh? It only seems like yesterday you were predicting an early October arrival!!!

I can't believe we are all nearly there already; it's getting very exciting

I'm feeling much better this morning and am going to build up the Phil & Teds and take it out for a spin. If DD is lucky, she can come too!!

DH has gone to work today so I'm in the same boat as you'll be vbab. It's at least a 2.5 hour drive for him to get here, but I have my doula so won't be on my own. Baby has until Friday to arrive or else has to wait until after the 1st as the PILs are off on their hols on Saturday!!!

Ineed to chase up my change of hospitals today or else I'll be getting turned away from both of them and having to give birth in the back of the car

When I was in early labour with DS I remember shouting (very bad temperedly) at the woman in the next room to "shut the f*** up in there" as she was screaming and wailing like a banshee and was putting me off my breathing! I felt awful next day when I found out she had come in at 9cms and was too late for any pain relief whatsoever

and talking of that, I have seen it written on here that they take the gas and air away from you for the pushing stage. This can't be right surely? I can't remember it all, but I'm sure I had G&A all the way with DS until they had to prise it off me to get me out of the room and take me to theatre.

When I had the tour of the labour ward as part of my ant-natal class we were told that the hospital was 5 beds short of closing admissions, it was so full. But, eerily, we couldn't hear anyone doing anthing - no screaming, mooingm, nothing - so maybe they gag women in Sheffield.

I don't think I want to focus, I'm starting to think about birth a bit too much!

Vbab am for you - your employers are clearly out of their depth and appear to be burying their heads in the sand about this. I really think you need to seek legal advice now - you have tried the reasonable approach with them and clearly it has not worked. They are in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act and therefore you need to take it on a legal footing.

Now, what I would do (and this is just my personal opinion) is send them a very clear e-mail outlining the fact that by deducting your childcare vouchers from your SMP, they are in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act and as such, you will be seeking legal advice. However, the least you expect is that you are refunded what was deducted last month and that it is not deducted this month - and keep a copy of this.

Then contact either the CAB or there is a solicitor who advertises in parenting magazines offering free advice for people on maternity leave who feel they are being discriminated against - I rang them last time I was on mat leave about something and they were very helpful. I can find the number if you want it.

Sorry this is a bit lengthy and I know it is probably the last thing you feel like doing but I guess it has to be done.

Hi to everyone else

Hi all, I'm out of Gaviscon and Rennies and have evil heartburn - Tesco delivery is arriving between 7 and 9 tonight with meds in tow, but I have nothing in the meantime! Any ideas for home remedies? It burns, it burns... [embarassed about overacting emoticon]

Morning all - I have been rubbish at keeping up lately - you guys talk too fast and I blame Monkey for introducing me to the world of Scrabble!

I hope everyone is feeling ok today. Pinkali is my text buddy and I noticed she hadn't been on here for a while (oh ok, she hadn't played her scrabble move in a while) so I texted her to see if she was ok but she has been ordered to bed by the MW due to low blood pressure and has a cold too. I am sending some PMA vibes over to her.

Merry OMG!!! I have so not realised you are having BABIES tomorrow - wowee, and good luck!!!!

Misdee one of my major reasons for having a homebirth was so I didn't have to listen to anyone else in labour - how can that be motivating!?!?

I have been feeling ok, this is my first week on maternity leave and so I have been trying out my skills at domesticated goddess and am pleased with the results so far - 7 ironed shirts for DH yesterday and dinner on the table at 6.30. How long will this last !

Baby is doing ok - lots of kicking me in the ribs and trying to escape and I have been getting shooting pains down below when I walk, sometimes they make me stop mid-walk but apart from that all is ok. I feel very lucky to have had a very easy pregnancy so far.

Anyhoo - enough about me, although I am seeing the doctor this afternoon for my 38 week appointment (shared care) so I hope to have more news. I am 38+3 today.

Have a good day all!

i LOVED G+A. Dh and I managed to get through 3 canisters in the early stages of labour with DS1. We had such a giggle and then around 6cm the pain kicked in big time.......it was screams and epidural from then on in until EMCS at 9cm after a 3 day labour......

In case I haven't mentioned it before to all you 1st timers and before I forget to, the most important thing to take with you whilst labouring is a warm pair of socks as your feet will literally be like ice blocks......

Saurus I find drinking fizzy drinks can help, if you have my kinda heartburn as you can then burp lots.

Otherwise I have heard of a couple other things working - milk and chewing gum are two I remember.

Morning all, just wondering to myself if you are all as chatty in real life as on here. I'm considered very talkative by people who know me but I just don't think I come across very friendly or chatty here.

Thanks, Choc, I have milk in the fridge (as well as in my bra, fner fner) so I will go and make myself a hot chocolate to keep things interesting.

Postman hasn't been today...I wonder why?

DD is doing my head in. she is so tired that she can't stand without falling over and she will not give in to sleep. she is rattling the bars of her cot and screaming and I just feel like screaming right back at her!!

oooh, it's gone eerily quiet. This is when I feel the need to go and check she is OK and then she'll start all over again.

sometimes think I'm not cut out to be the parent of children...babies on the other hand, I can do babies; just not so great with children.

minty magnums are good for heartburn, but you probably don;t have any of them either rutho.

Poor Pinkali; I hope she is OK. Sending get well vibes her way.

I've dismantled my McLaren znd all the bits are in the washing machine. Now to go build buggies