Due Fab Feb 2009: crossed fingers (and legs) we'll get through another thread without welcoming any early arrivals!

[MarkStretch]

Welcome.

Please feel free to add yourself to the list.

TinkerBellesMum - DC3 (girl), due: 01.02.09 (not expected to get far into December) (age 27, Birmingham)
Laidbackinengland - DC4, due: 23.01.09 (age 34, North Devon)
Nkweto - DC2, due: 30.01.09 (age 35, West London)
Mamagoose - DC3, due: 31.01.09 (age 32, Spain)
Questionkid - DC1, due: 03.02.09 (age 33, Wallington, Surrey)
PinkTulips - DC3, due; 04.02.09 (age 24, Roscommon, Ireland)
MsLucy - DC2 (a boy), due: 4/2/09 (CS a few days early)(age 38, North London)
Swampster - DC3, (a boy), due: 06.02.09 (age 40 , London)
Rosieposey - DC4, (a boy) due: 06.02.09 (age 36,Swindon,Wiltshire)
MarkStretch - DC2, (a boy) due: 07.02.09 (age 29, Norwich)
onwardandoutward - DC2, due: 07.02.09 (age 35 South West)
LittleMissNorty - DC2, due: 08.02.09 (age 40 in a couple of weeks, Kent).
KT1983 - DC1, due: 09.02.09 (age 25, London)
KazzaL - DC2 (suprise flavour), due 10.02.09 (age 35, Cirencester, Gloucs)
herbgarden - DC2, due: 11.02.09 (CS 02.02.09) (age 38, Berkshire)
TheHouseofMirth - DC2, (a boy) due: 12.02.09 (age 38, Wimbledon)
Littlesez ? DC1 (a girl) due: 15.02.09 (age 28, Manchester)
America - DC2, (a boy) due: 16.02.09 (age 32, London)
Rachrox - DC4, (a boy) due: 18.02.09 (age 28, Cheltenham)
Catstar - DC2, (a boy) due: 18.02.09 (age 36, Chessington)
Dinkystinky - DC2, (a boy) due: 19.02.09 (age 32, London)
Pluto DC2 (gender unknown), due 19.02.09 (Age 38, Kent)
DizzyBrummie - DC2, due: 20.02.09 (age 36, Berkshire)
Calico1 - DC2 due: 21.02.09 (age 40, West Herts)
mrsy - DC1, (a girl) due: 22.02.09 (age 24, Maidstone, Kent
Scubagroover - DC1 (a boy), due: 22.02.09 (age 31, London/ Kent)
Winemakesmummyclever - DC2 (a boy), due: 23.02.09. (age 35, Manchester) expecting cs @ 39 weeks.
Spottyshoes - DC2, due: 24.02.09 (age 28)
Lardybump - DC2, due: 24.02.09 (age 34)
Chilledmama - DC2 (a girl), due: 25.02.09 (age 32, Southsea)
Cocodrillo - DC3, due 26.02.09 (age 34 at the mo, London) expecting a CS at 38-39 weeks.
mumoverseas - DC4 (a boy), due: 28.02.09 (CS 2 to 3 weeks early) (age almost 41 Arabia/Crawley West Sussex)

LMN - If your hands & feet aren't affected, it doesn't sound like obstetric cholestasis, but it is best to get yourself to looked at to be on the safe side. Ask them to do LFTs to rule OC out. It could just be that your skin is getting hypersensitive due to changes in blood flow.

I had PUPPP with ds that started as a tiny rash on my belly, then spread everywhere - it was an absolute nightmare. Though you don't mention a rash that itches, so it doesn't sound that like that either. It is pretty rare and mainly associated with carrying male babies. I ended up taking dandelion root, flaxseed oil (and acidophilus too I think)- helped a wee bit with the itching. Spent an inordinate amount of time in the shower vowing to marry the man who invented the double sided soft/scratchy sponge . It went almost as soon as ds was born, but I kept taking the tabs for a month or so just to be sure.

They may give you some piriton tabs or topical steroid cream if you are desperate & once they have established what it is. You could try switching to a really gentle, pH neutral soap, or slathering yourself with aloe vera gel (Holland & Barrett do a good one), and wear loose, natural fibre clothing to minimise the irritation.

Can I place another vote for the "not enjoying pg" club? I think it is just the pgp that is so painful, tiring and frustrating me,and the fact that, as others have said, you just don't get the same opportunity to rest when you have another dc to look after. Ah well, just another 10-11 weeks to go.

Anti-D clinic appointment got cancelled yesterday due to snow & staffing problems. Littlesez - it took dh 2.5 hours to get from Royton to Mills Hill station. For those non locals, that about 1 - 1.3 miles! Ds and I built a snowman, snow castles, snow bricks (currently v Bob the Builder orientated play) before he got bored and then went inside, leaving me to finish off the snowman alone. Must have looked a proper fruit loop, dressing a snowman on my own .

Herb - have had plenty of pts with nail varnish on, and the 02 sat probe worked fine. Not sure if gel-type overlay may be too thick for the light to penetrate. If it is, just ask them to put it on your toe, or dig out an ear probe (like a clip on earring). Ask the mw at your next appt for clarification.

TBM - glad things are progressing ok with you. Hope you get the support you need from the MW.

Mrsy - those names are all lovely. We still cannot agree on a name as dh dismisses all the names I come up with, and his are just plain dull. Will have to have a brainstorming session at some point.

Better go - am off to pamper myself at hairdressers. Catch up later - have a good day everyone.

I actually love being pregnant, I have symptom-free pregnancies! It's the rest that goes with it that I don't like!

I'm having Tink over today and we're going to her first dentist appointment! She's been telling everyone and showing them her teeth like she will the dentist It's going to be fun getting there as it's two buses and I'm having someone put me on the first bus, TBD is meeting us, we're going to get something to eat in Tesco then he'll put us on the second bus so I only have to deal with a short walk on my own. Then it will be a taxi home because no way can I do it in reverse on my own!

My aunt, who is bringing Tink, came with a carrier bag last week instead of her nappy bag, which is bit of a hazard on the crutches as they act like a sail. I called her this morning to ask her but the phone was engaged for ages then she let me tell her about bringing a flask (because they have all my flasks then she gets upset that I give her drinks in a mug) and hung up on me! Hopefully I can dig out a bag I can use.

I think I have a love/hate relationship with being pg.

LOVE the fact you get seats on buses/tubes and that you can eat terrible food without feeling too bad about it.
Like the free doctors/dentists - very handy.
Also makes my hair thicker/skin nicer.
And most of all, people are less likely to be really horrible to you. In fact, most people are actually NICE to pregnant women, even in this day and age.

HATED the length of time it took to conceive this one, the worry you have in the first 12 weeks and the stress of having a CVS test
Also not keen on the permanent heartburn and aching ribs - plus the fact I now am wearing a bra that has the allure of an old pair of men's pants.

KT I vowed never again, but you do change your mind. I didn't get that overwhelming love thing at first sight with ds, took a while to kick in, I'd had a baby! I remember standing in the queue in Primark, rubbing my belly and suddenly realising I didn't need to do that anymore as the baby was in the pram in front of me .
He was about 4/5 months when I had the time to actually realise that I loved him more than anything else in the world and that it had all been worth it.

mslucy - your lucky to get the seats on tubes/busses - i stand there sticking my belly out as much as possible and so far, no one has EVER given me a seat!
Im not sure if people arent sure if im a little bit chubby or pregnant??

I do agree with liking the free docs/dentist, but my hair seems to be falling out not getting thick & lovely?

LBB - Ive always wondered about the instant love that women say they get when they see there baby.
I still think ive not quite registered that im going to have a little one in 9weeks (ish) time. I actually think it will be a little bit of a shock for me when she finally arrives.

But I can say that I have never been more excited about anything i cant wait to meet her

I remember getting to the due date, sitting on my sofa and thinking, come on then! We went out for lunch in the end, you spend 9/10 months waiting for that day and it's such an anti-climax.
By the time ds was actually born, I was so tired and so out of it. My first thought when I saw him was, f* me, that's not an 8lb baby, they gave him to me, and I handed him straight back .

I know loads of people who have admitted to not having that instant love.
I'd say, don't think abut it too much and don't put any pressure on yourself about your feelings. Childbirth is a big thing.
Think this time will be different for us as when I'm at hospital that'll be the only time for us to be alone, once we get home there'll be 2 of them, so I might find everything kicks in quicker. We'll see though.

I definitely fell in love with DS as soon as he was born and spent the first night just staring at him in the cot in total disbelief.

DH took a long time to bond and used to say things like ' I really don't get what you see in him' which really upset me.
Happily he's changed his mind since then!
I think it didn't help that DS left hospital before I did so DH unexpectedly had to cope with a newborn for a week without any help. He used to call the baby 'it' - as in 'it's screaming again how do I shut it up'!!

Oh dear Calico. Think we forget about the effect it has on the men, it must be so hard for them too.

KT - ask for a seat on the bus/tube (particularly priority seats); go up to them say "excuse me, this is a priority seat and I am 7 months pregnant; please could I sit down?" with a smile and you'll invariably get a seat.

I didnt have the immediate love thing with DS - DH did though. It took me until day 3 to start feeling anything other than numb but by week 3 I was totally in love with DS and that love has just grown ever since. Dont put pressure on yourself to feel a certain way - the love will come when it comes.

When ds was born, (the minute he was out) I thought, thank god that's over. I looked at dp and he was crying, so I laughed at him! I'm so mean, how sweet is that? He was fantastic with ds and don't know how I would have managed. By day 3 all I wanted to do was cry, and cry, and cry. Bloody baby blues. Now I know what to expect I hope it to all go a bit smoother .

Anyway, must dash, the food shopping won't get itself!

Oh but I do remember on about day 5 or 6 when the hormones started to crash that I sobbed for most of the day and felt so utterly miserable that I would have handed DS to anyone to take away....it's all so overwhelming - something that you have wanted for so long has finally arrived and then you want to hand it back!

Ive been told about the Baby Blues - My poor DP, I do think he deserves alot more credit for putting up with me so far with all my moaning & moods, god knows what il be like in February.
We both have alot to learn & I think we both dont really have any idea how hard its going to be.

You'll be fine - it does seem as if the world has turned upside down for the first few weeks but you soon get the hang of it and you'll be expert baby jugglers in no time!

Thanks Calico - i cant wait until we all start announcing baby arrivals in the new year

I didn't have the rush of love either - emergency CS and was just glad it was all over. DD and DH went back to the ward when I was being sewn up and in recovery and when I got back to the ward, DH went off to make phone calls etc and then went home for a sleep. After about an hour, I realised, I hadn't even held her, and I had to ring the nurse and ask "can I hold my baby please".....took a few days before I realised how strongly I felt about her....and it was overwhelming.

WWMC - good advice thanks. My hands and feet are affected, but is generally better today....just my legs and bump so far today. Kept me awake last night . No rash but plenty of redness / scratch marks. Will speak to MW if it carries on. Baby is moving well which is the main thing.

I don't think anything can prepare you for either labour or how much it changes your life....but it is FAB and worth every moan / ache and pain....despite all my whinging

KT - it is lifechanging but both DH and I agree it is the absolute best thing either of us have ever done in our lives and DS bring so much joy into our lives we couldnt imagine life without him.

You feel ilke you've hit between the eyes by a spade for the first 6 weeks (you know, like in the cartoons?) but then it get so much easier and better once things settle down and you're at the top of that learning curve - and you'll have all your friends (in real life and on mumsnet) to support you as well as your family. DH and I argued lots in the first few months after DS was born - I think both of us were feeling like the other one didnt fully appreciate what the other one had been through - and we discovered that the secret of getting through it together is to talk lots and laugh lots too.

I can certainly see that Dinky - we are going to take advantage of Christmas & January & go out for some nice meals & cinema etc as we realise that it will never be 'just us' again.
Our Christmas this year is the first one where we are having it at home & Im going to attempt the crimbo feast as for many more years to come it will be us & the little one...even though I cannot wait to have christmas with a baby/child - i think its SO exciting when they believe in Santa & have all that excitement - It makes me feel like 5 not 25

Off to teach a Legs, Bums & Tums class now...God knows where the energy is going to come from - I just want to be wrapped up on the Sofa watching Phil & Fern!!

Have a good afternoon ladies

Gosh KT - how do you do it? I can't even see my legs as the bum and tum are so big!

I certainly have a love/hate relationship with my pregnancy... It's amazing (if annoying) to feel her wriggling and kicking around, and I love the femininity of being pregnant, but can do without all the nasty sickness and worry and not sleeping and the other stuff, but I feel lucky that I've avoided the heartburn and indigestion as I hate that.

I'm starting to feel the pressure of parenthood, though - all the responsibility; the name thing is bad enough, but I'm having nightmares that I forget to feed her, and I'm worried that when she gets more active, I won't know what to do with her to keep her amused and she'll end up rocking in the corner of her room from being under-stimulated...

Mrsy - its perfectly normal to have these worries and doubts; its a life changing event and you want to do it right. You'll be fine though - we all muddle through and find what works for us and our families. And babies are never understimulated when they're active - you wont be able to stop her getting into everything going!

The love thing is a bit wierd...there really is no rule. My friend insists that your relationship with your child is determined (initially) by your birth experience...I'm not convinced.
I had (possibly) the most positive birth experience in the world but I didn't have that overwhelming feeling of love for several months...don't get me wrong, I didn't want to send him back or anything like that but I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have thrown myself infront of a bus for him..iykwim.
I knew he was my responsibility and that he needed me for eveyrthing and that was fine...I didn't grudge it at all. The night waking didn't bother me too much and I didn't suffer any Baby Blues. He must have been about 4 months before I actually loved him.
Its so difficult though for new mums...there really is a lot of pressure to appear to act 'normally' and society tells new mums that they are meant to have the instant overwhelming love for their child...
hey, we are all different

I'm feeling very serene at the moment but the anxiety is obviously there on some level - I had a dream about MN last night! I dreamt my DH received a flirty letter and I posted it on MN to ask everyone's opinion, then realised it was a really bad thing to do and spent the rest of the dream having this whizzing about cyberspace adventure trying to get the post taken down before he found out about it. I think I might be feeling a bit guilty about how much time I'm spending on here when I have so much work to do!

On that note, must get on...

KT ? you are making me feel so guilty! I am having trouble even being bothered to walk for 20mins every day. You must be the healthiest, fittest, seven months pregnant lady around.

So we should relax on what we are meant to feel I guess. I am definitely scared of not feeling the ?I?d walk in front of a bus for you? love. I do say to my DH quite often ?What if she just doesn?t like me? What if we don?t get on??

TMI alert but no sign of any colostrum yet?nothing to worry about?