Due Dec 08 -- Getting Ready for final push (in every sense!)

[Beans33]

Here's a new thread for us all lovely Dec Mums!

OMG i thought i was going to have this baby in that 6 minutes. i was soooooooo nervous but how great was it, DH & I were screaming at the TV. Spent a fortune on text messages to ManUre fans i know back home.

Morning all,

indith wow, thanks for the info on nappies! That's great!

wg well done on confronting crazyblogger! Even if she doesn't get it!

turnip congratulations to your friend, must be a very emotional time, more so than usual.

nolda glad everything went well with mw

bisou great post as usual! I think you're right, I just need to mention the nappies right after giving birth

traceface how worrying, glad everything's ok.

effie how exciting about the house! Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

veggie lol at your meconium story! Ds got rid of his while dh was changing him, dh got into a bit of a mess so the mw had to help him out!

A tip I got about the first nappy was to put some vaseline on the baby's bottom & that makes it a bit easier to clean up the meconium.

My uncle is out of hospital now though they still have to run some tests but fingers crossed he's ok if they're letting him go home.

I had a bit of a panic last night as well. I had a really bad backache in waves, exactly the same as when I was in labour with ds . But its gone now so I think it might have just been the baby moving down a bit further, possibly starting to engage. It has meant I've got to get my backside into gear though & get my bedroom ready for the birth, plus pack a small hospital bag just in case & get a mattress for the moses basket!

Bugger, I just typed out a huge message replying to everyone but my pc managed to lose it!

Oh well, glad everyone seems to be ok!

I had a bit of a panic last night. I started getting a really bad backache which was exactly the same as when I was in labour with ds. Its stopped now though so I think it might have just been the baby starting to engage! I hope so anyway .

Oh, there it is, wonder what happened there?! Sorry for repeating myself

Veggie DH has said I should stop watching football until the baby comes. I don't want to go into labour during an Arsenal match as I wouldn't want to miss any of the match.

Rosmerta Sounds exciting. I really need to get my bag packed today or I'll never pack it.

My Mum took DS out yesterday and they went to Harrogate. There is a Jojo Maman Bebe there and she got him a gorgeous jumper with a tractor on it and got baby a white fleece bodysuit and it has a reindeer on it. Its so cute.

Hello lovely ladies

Sorry I have not been on for a few days although I have been reading up on my phone - I never use it to post as I know from past experience that it seems to post a dozen times if ever I do!

Anyway, I failed my driving test on Friday It was actually only a stupid error in the end, the rest of it was fine. I was told to park on the left three or four times during the course of the test. The last time he did it he asked me to reverse a bit to a specific point, which I did. When I went to move away I forgot the car was still in reverse, which I have NEVER done before, and it was of course an automatic fail I am so annoyed because I could easily have passed and now I have to wait at least ten days to retake, and LadyBaby is being delivered two weeks on Tuesday so it's a bit close - I might even have to miss our Mumsnet lunch. I don't have to have any further lessons, which is a bonus, except for maybe a refresher before my retest. But Friday was such a crappy day, it was the anniversary of my DH's death and I managed to have a terrible row with DP as well. I'm getting very little sleep at the moment and fed up of all the aches and pains - my tendonitis seems to have affected my hands now, all my fingers joints are really sore. So wishing you all well, and will attempt a catch up if my fingers improve...sorry.

Sorry for the moans as well. Love to all of you, keep rocking!

Oh LT sorry you're having such a tough time what with driving test and DH's anniversary at the same time. All the best drivers fail first time though that's probably not much comfort right now. have some hugs.

How exciting for everyone who's getting early signs!

indith thanks for the nappy summary, v useful.

bisou this is the thread on pushing or not.www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/639461-pushing-out-our-babies-do-we-need-someone-to-tell

rosmerta fingers crossed for your uncle

Does anyone have any ideas about what to do with old crib mattresses? The guides all say to get a new one, but the bedside crib we've got was from ebay so we've got the mattress too and it seems a waste to throw it out.

oh LT that is a crap thing to fail you for, just that one thing automatically fails the whole test? oh well forget it and move on to the next test. you'll pass that for sure. Friday was not a nice day for you at all. nothing i can say to make it better but am thinking of you. Hope you and DP resolved your row in the end.

About your hands, could it be carpal tunnel syndrome? it happens when a little swelling in your wrists from oedema puts pressure on your nerves and causes pain as well as some numbness and difficulty holding things. I had it with DS, there isn't that much visible swelling as it is all kind of inside. The only thing that helped me was acupuncture and it was a miracle!!!! the effect usually lasted a week so i had to go back and have a 2nd treatment but it was great, i went from not being able to even hold a mug of coffee (help) to having no symptoms at all.

Kayz- i went into labour on 17th August 2005 with DS, which is Tierry Henry's birthday, i pushed so hard to get him out on that day. i managed to get him out by 10.47pm phew, was very pleased with that.

oh dear ladyt, I failed my first driving test for the same thing!! putting it in reverse and not realising!
sorry you had such a crap day on Friday. Tricky one about retaking before lady baby arrives, I guess if you could live with losing the money you could put in for test and see how you were doing, but driving tests are expensive aren't they? At least it sounds like you have cracked the driving if that is all you failed on, so looking up for passing next time!

jj sorry not sure about mattresses, unfortunately I would have thought you just have to throw them away, which seems a real waste.

I have done like waitinggirl and burnt myself, ouch. I managed to push a tray back into the oven with my hand oops. It REALLY hurts! WE had christmas dinner last night with my old housemates from London (we do this every year but we decided that in December I would be too massive this year). It was great....turkey and all the trimmings. DH stayed up drinking until 4am and is now feeling super sorry for himself! I am smug , though i did stay up until 2 as well, but obviously without the massive alchohol intake!

Ah LadyT so sorry about your test. But it's good that it was just one silly mistake. So easily done - so might be worth fitting in a second go before BabyT arrives.

Mibbes and beans great news about starting ML. Enjoy!

Arti sorry you can't finish this week. I am exactly the same as you - I can't leave stuff half done (It's a curse being a perfectionist). BUt an absolute limit on next Friday though, you sound like you need a rest

I am impressed at all the ladies getting shows. Seems a lifetime away for me. I remember getting one at 38 weeks with DS and being convinced he was on his way soon. He arrived at 40 weeks + 10 days...

Bisou great to hear from you - another epic post . Hope all well at your next M/w appointment and that you don't need that Floradix. I have been using a crystal deod. for the last few months (having had a previous foray a few years ago when I decided I was still too damp under the arms). Seems to be working really well. I hate the idea of all those chemicals so near the lymph nodes/breast (my Mum died of breast cancer) and I hate the thought of my baby's face so near same and in milk if breast feeding. Hopefully it can withstand the summer (but hey if it works in an Oz summer a UK one should be easy!)

Kayz and Veggie my DH is a Man U fan - but we live a mile from the Emirates stadium. Our DH decided unilaterally to "support for" Arsenal (as she puts it), when she was 3 (much to DH's chagrin). We were out for tea last night a there were a few Gooners around having been at the match - greeting each other by putting their arms in the air and shouting "Red Armaaaaay". DD was fascinated and began to do the same. Her poor father was devastated. Glad you were pleased with the win

effie - a new house that you like and a hairdresser that's good - sounds perfect! Fingers crossed with yours.

Trace - phew glad you are OK. What a shock that must have been. A graze on your cervix, thank goodness nothing more. Hope your BP stays down. Take it easy now for the rest of the weekend.

Rosmerta glad your Uncle is on the up. Really hope he gets out soon. You do seem very niggly though. I am predicting a slightly early baby for you - but of course, not too early . I would like an early one too please. About 15th Dec would be nice, please!

KMP sorry about your insomnia, it's a total pita. Hope you caught up on some rest today! And oli another earlybird....

DH and I went to the cinema last night to see "Hunger" an independent film about Bobby Sands the Irish hunger striker. It was very grim and harrowing - but managed to be apolitical which is an amazing feat given the subject matter. I did sit and eat a box of popcorn throughout - what a pleb I am. It was an amazing film though. It will probably be on Film4 at some point as its partially funded by them.

DH is at golf so given that it is finally not raining, I really do need to waddle up the big hill and take the DC to the park after lunch...

Omigod! All these shows! Does that mean we will be having some early appearances, how exciting! Hope all is okay..

LadyT how annoying about your test. I did something very similar on my first, failed on something tiny. What a rotten day for you all round on Friday though, hope you and DP have made up and that the anniversary wasn't too painful.

Bisou so impressed by your post!

Crap news here. One DD has broken out in chickenpox. Praying that other DD gets it soon and not in 2 weeks. I imagine they must both have been exposed to the same child who had it as they are at same nursery/pre-school/parties etc. They've been in contact with so many other children in the last year who caught it - why now!?!

Taking next week off work and quarantining ourselves at home. Quite selfishly distraught as well about not having their pre-school morning off to collapse for a morning -I'm so tired at the moment!

Hey all.
Thanks for your messages. it's weird - yesterday I was so calm and not really worried - despite the bleed etc - but today I am a wreck! Am feeling ridiculously anxious about everything and can't stop crying. Have a red blotchy face. Yesterday was the first time I'd seen a delivery room, and I was so scared when I had to remove my pants for an internal - so today am just freaking that I am not going to manage labour. Have also had really bad headache since yesterday so am thinking I won't be going full term, which doesn't really bother so I'm not sure why I feel so down today. Probably hormones.MW tomorrow morning for BP check - again!! Was sky high yesterday but was maybe the pants-removal!
Sorry for the Me post.
LT - hope you feel better soon - don't be hard on yourself - you're doing amazingly.
Hatty - poor you - I hope the pox clear up quickly
right - off to do play dough - although I just want to crawl into my bed and weep...

catch you all later xxxx

Sounds like everyone has had lots going on this weekend.

To all the ladies with early show... How exciting. Hopefully no one will go into labour too early.

Lady T - That totally stinks about your driving test. And over something so nit picky. I'd say the sooner you can retake the better. You are sure to pass the second time.

Summer - Where did you get the Turkey for your early Christmas dinner?? My husband and I are going to be cooking an American Thanksgiving meal for some friends and we haven't been able to find a Turkey. Maybe we are just looking in the wrong place... totally possible. Still learning where to get things around here.

bisou - Always amazed at your ability to make massive posts.

We've been working on getting the nursery painted this weekend. So far... so good. Although we were a bit miffed this morning. We went to B&Q to pick up another can of paint and when we got home it was the wrong color. The can was labeled correctly... but the paint color was WAY off. So DH has gone back over to B&Q to try and get the right color. Hopefully we can get it finished up today and be done with decorating.

Hope all of you ladies are doing okay and enjoying the weekend.

Oh traceface... so sorry you've been a wreck today. I would've been a little taken aback by the pants removal as well. That's always so awkward and nerve racking. Have a piece of chocolate or two... it fixes everything... or at least I like to think so. Many hugs!!

trace poor you - I hate hospitals and my bp is always at least 20 points higher when I have it taken at the hospital. It's totally understandable that you would be worried and upset by the whole business, so no wonder your bp was high.

I hope it's all fine for your appt tomorrow.

ladyt I failed my first test for a similar really annoying single fault - I think first time round they are much less lenient, 2nd time round I made lots more mistakes and the instructor definitely gave me an easier time. Anyway all the worst drivers I know passed first time .

I was thinking today - can't quite believe we are already mid Nov and no babies yet - that must be quite unusual surely? Most threads seem to get a few early arrivals - may we are a particularly healthy lot with stubborn cervixes! (or should that be cervi? cerves?)

Trace you poor thing, hope you're feeling okay. Sending you lots of hugs.

JJ- you can't reuse a mattress not even within the same family, it poses a cot death risk. The fire retardant that has to be used in the UK for children's mattresses (which smells yucky) conveniently helps to develop a nasty fungus colony when mixed with baby saliva or vomit. This fungus when inhaled by the next baby significantly increases the incidence of SIDS. It has been put forward as a reason why 2nd & 3rd siblings are more at risk of SIDS than first. I think those natural mattresses, the ones made of coconut fibres etc are ok, we got one for DS' cotbed, it cost a little more but we will be able to use it for this next one when he moves into the cotbed.

Traceface- internal exams are never nice esp when we are feeling esp yuck down there. But the crying may be something about this stage. DH and i had a fight today and i went to our bedroom and just cried and cried, way more than was necessary for the situation. (it was his bloody sister that set me off again, she drives me barmy, i i don't know why i let it get to me).

Anyway our afternoon turned out ok DH took DS swimming and he swam without floats for the first time!!! DH said he was jumping in coming up to the surface then kind of side stroking over to him. I'm so proud. My family has a bit of a competitive swimming history so it means a lot to me for him to swim and enjoy it. Then we did some shopiing and went to Pizza Express for dinner. We have the discount vouchers from the Times so was a cheap eat too.

Turnip- i find it quite funny that you live so close to the great Emirates stadium, if we still had our season tickets i would have loved to give your DH one for that game. Good on your DD, and nice that your DH lets her support who she wants, DS has no choice but he is a dedicated Gooner anyway, he kisses the badge on his kit and knows all the songs bless him. No joke his 3rd word was Arsenal, though it came out more like Ar-nal.

can i just check is the secret stork £10 or £15?

veggie - secret stork is £10. Thanks for the reminder! blaming it on baby brain...

The mattress thing - I was looking for alternative uses, maybe a pet bed or some such? Is seems a shame to bin a decent quality mattress if it could be used for something non-baby related.

trace hope you're feeling better now [hug] I think we're all going through some real emotional times at the moment.

Hi all, sorry it's been forever since I last posted. Will have a scoot down the thread and catch up but thought I'd better get on and post meantime. Have a date set for my section - 18th Dec - was dreading the appt to discuss but in the end couldn't have asked for a nicer consultant who has put me really at ease about the whole thing and given plenty of reassurance that it will be a huge improvement on the last two. Poor man was very patient while I went through my list of 20+ questions, explained things really well and has been the first obs consultant to talk directly to me and not to dh (who's a doc himself) which in the past has meant conversation being over my head and my concerns largely ignored. So it looks like I should finally get to see one of my kids delivered as they will def lower the screen and also have been told that immediate skin to skin not a prob providing no complications which is just lovely. Can't believe how relaxed I'm feeling about it all this time round.

Have worked my butt off to get Christmas all sorted - just need to wrap and send parcels now. Feel so huge and tired am glad I pushed myself to get it all done as no way I could face the shops at this point. Lovely parents taking care of the day itself so just hoping the kids have a fab day and don't mind their mum being a bit sleepy and sore on the sofa for the majority of the time.

Amazing to think there could be some birth announcements from this group soon - makes it all feel soo much closer and very exciting.

Kimberley got the turkey from the butchers ordered in advance. I would expect that frozen ones will appear in the supermarkets soon, especially with Thanksgiving coming up, but for a fresh one I think you would have to ask the butchers

trace hope you are feeling a bit better now, does not sound like much fun.

Really pleased you had a good discussion with the consultant, Twiga, although I'm a bit at them previously talking over your head. That's SO uncalled for and unprofessional! Am v at you having got all your Christmas stuff sorted. I have made a start but have loads still to do.

LadyT I'm so sorry to hear you failed your test - and for such an annoying reason. Sounds like Friday was a difficult day all round for you really, with your DH's anniversary as well. I hope you manage to squeeze in a re-test before your c/s.

Well we (I) made up the cot today! (Couldn't use DD's because one of the sides got broken.) The nursery is totally coming together at last . I got some really funky wall stickers too - sort of graphic-y cow shapes (sound hideous but they're really cool) so I'm going to put those up this week.

Starting to get very excited here too - though my possible night nanny has been quite elusive . We keep leaving messages for each other and I'm starting to get worried it's not going to work out. The doula might though - she sent me her references etc very promptly so a bit more promising!

MIL and her partner are coming down briefly this week on their way abroad on holiday. Will be nice to see them except her partner is VERY picky about food which means mealtimes are a bit of a trial. Luckily they're not staying with us (spare room is now nursery) but I know he'll pick at whatever I cook for dinner. Sigh.

Only two weeks left. EEEEK! Any final suggestions of things I should definitely do before the baby comes? (Am copying Effie and getting my hair done next week .)

Hello Twiga, nice to see you again. There are about four of us who are having sections in two weeks' time.

Oli (and Summer actually) good news about your homebirths. It's definitely not for me but I am always really delighted when people get the births they want, that's the key for me. Also, I don't know a single person who has had a homebirth who has regretted it. I was a homebirth myself!

ZJ, it's so wrongheaded that you can't get BF suppost as it would exclude those who plan to FF. I will probably FF (though I am going to try BF for a bit) - what difference on earth could it make to me if people who wanted to BF were getting proper support. It's nuts!

Oh Hatty, the pox is such a pain!

Bisou, The Magic Flute - how lovely. We saw the last night of La Traviata at La Scala. It was an experience to remember and I will go back, but I also want to go to the open air one in Verona. Oh, and I did have very low iron levels, you are quite right!

MIbbes and Beans - enjoy your ML - and Arti - so sorry you didn't get to finish this week. I really, really hope this can be your final week...I think you need a proper rest.

Thanks for all the lovely comments about my driving test. Mostly I just feel like a bit of a muppet, but I have got it a little more in perspective now.

Fingers crossed about the house, Effie, and Turnip - I did laugh at you troughing popcorn all the way through a movie about BOBBY SANDS.

WG, that woman is poison. Avoid, avoid, avoid - as much as poss. She will only wind you up and draw you into her manipulative scenarios.

Trace, that all sounds most unpleasant...glad it's behind you.

KMP, I haven't had a decent night's sleep for days so you have my every sympathy.

Veggie, sorry about the row with your DH. Things like that are so distressing at the moment

I know I have missed people out but my daft fingers hurt too much to type much more. I am drinking mulled wine and eating chestnuts. For those avoiding alcohol, mulled wine is quite safe as they alcohol all burns off very quickly.

Bought a grobag yesterday. I had read that you weren't supposed to use them until the baby is 4 months, but Mothercare are selling newborn ones so I am figuring it's ok. I am so scared about the risk of cot death. Have got regular bedding as well just in case. Goodnight gorgeous girls.

Veggie I do have a confession to make. My DS is called Freddie after a certian ex Arsenal player. We both loved the name and had to use it. This time around I loved Theo but DH has firmly put his foot down and said "No Way"

LadyT I am so sorry about your test. I'm sure you'll pass next time round. I used grobags from birth with DS. They are much better than normal bedding as there is no way that Baby can get under the covers.

Our front room is painted!!!!! After spending 3 years living in a magnolia flat that we couldn't paint I am so happy to have at least 1 room with no magnolia!!! Carpet gets fitted tomorrow so that will be great!!

I hope everyone is feeling well and not too depressed by the bloody rain!!!!!