March 2009: Pelvic pain, sciatica, and getting kicked in the ribs: Are we prize fighters or just entering the third trimester?

[MKG]

Here's our new thread ladies.

nothing new here either (will be our second) - and even dd had a lot of second hand stuff! The only new thing I am going to buy is a sling.

Heh heh - yeah, have managed to splash out on a few new sleepsuits, that's about it!

oh I want new sleepsuits - what d'you reckon they'll need? (dd was a summer baby - so didn't need much!) Really want a fluffy little coat thing with ears to take junior home from hospital - so if any of you ladies come across such a thing let me know!

I've not bought a thing either. I reckon this wee boy is going to be dressed in pink at this rate!

MKG - So does that mean you've only got 3 to 4 weeks then?? - I can't remember where you are in terms dates? (I should check the list!)

Emma !!!!!

JollyJoanne I second all what Meep said. I didn't use the tens machine in the first labour but wished I had - then in the second labour, I wished I had started it earlier cos it was ACE! Especially for me as I have had backache labours both times (baby lying OP or back to back). So I would def use again. Hot wheatbags or hot water bottles also helped me for a long time in the first 24 hours or so - again, ideal for your back, different I guess if all your pain is in the front? Gas & Air: best pal first time round, didn't do so much for me second, but I was struggling with pain more second time round and couldn't breath effectively sometimes to get the most out of it. Would still have it again tho. Pethedine, not for me, not tried tho, but don't fancy it. Epidural both times unfortunately - labours were sooooo long. Worked a treat first time, bit of a cock up second, which I won't go into.

As Meep said, it all builds up (usually, unless you have a real quickie, but most don't) and you get time to adjust. I will def use the TENS earlier this time and then just go with the flow. I think that is kinda all you can do - don't restrict yourself and just see what happens and see what you feel like at the time.

I've gone from having two panicky nights of "OMG, how will I cope...? etc to thinking, 'Awww, another wee bambino...'

Shocking lack of sleep last night - had been up to pee THREE times by 3.30am and then by 3.40am found my self in the kitchen eating yogurt and cheese spread on bread! I was starving, but also bored of trying and failing to get comfy and listening to DH snore. By the time I fell asleep, around 5am I had to get up 2 hours later.

Tomorrow's the last day of work! Hurray!

Sorry for embarrassingly long post. Again.

ER...can I just point out, it wasn't yogurt AND cheese spread on the bread, I did have them separately. I'm not THAT pregnant!

Slickbird--I'm due on March 8th. I wish I only had 3-4 weeks left.

I was bit concerned by the yoghurt and cheese.

We've been given everything second hand from a friend who has a 1yr old DS, and part of my feels a teensy bit sad that I don't get to buy my own things! Couldn't afford it though, so it's lovely really - have bought the odd thing though, including a peanut sling yesterday (£20 in TK Maxx) I'm not sure about slings I have to say, but I decided to buy one and see what it was like, and if I hated it at least it wasn't hideously expensive!

On the being very organised in advance side of things, does anybody know where you can buy funky modern looking baby clothes? We're taking DD to a wedding when she'll be 4mths, and I want to get her dress bought and out the way now before I have to take her with me to the shops! Most of the dresses seem really twee or too bridesmaidy to me though.

Meep DS1 was born a week later than this baby is due, and I got by with 6 newborn sleepsuits for the first 3 weeks after which he had already outgrown them (he went from 3.7 kg at birth to 4.5 kg in just 10 days!!) and then another 6 in 0 - 3 months size for the rest of the autumn. Basically lived in sleepsuits until he was 3 months. Love those little fluffy coat things with ears - got one from Mothercare once. Best you look quickly as all the Winter stuff is already being phased out for Summer!

Slickbird, had another bad night myself and sounds similar to your scenario - besides DS1 doing his usual waking thing, I just couldn't get comfortable either and DH was having a good old snore next to me, not fair! - back is so sore and bruised this morning from eventually falling asleep in a very odd position.

Been thinking about pain relief for the birth too - last time I got to the hospital too late, when I was in transition already, and had to go totally natural - didn't even have gas and air...wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be (even though I suffered a 2nd degree tear which TBH I didn't even feel) but was still pretty awful. Am thinking of an epidural this time but quite liked the fact that I could move around and also find it hard to imagine how one actually pushes effectively when numb?

hello all - God, I suddenly feel HUGE (33 weeks)

sure I must be measuring humungous for dates, but was normal last week...can you grow a huge amount in a week?

got our new car last wek - 7-seater, eek...it's totally fab, love it!

hope everyone is well

Well I had a crap night too - DD1 was up at 3am and 4am as she was "cold" (ie hinting she wanted to get in with me and DH). It's the fact that once I'm awake I have to get up and have a wee and then a swig of Gaviscon - so by the time I'm back in bed I'm REALLY awake and can't get back to sleep for half an hour!

The only new thing I have for this baby is a breastpump as I borrowed one with DD1. Not really ordered anything else, I might get some new sleepsuits as I think DD's are a bit tired looking. Not got the stuff down from the loft yet as the nursery is only just finished.

dinny I went up three cm in one week and am now measuring the same as a 37 weeker (apparently) so i might get referred for another scan. Exactly the same thing happened with DD1 and they just said she was big. In fact when I had my section the guy doing said, when she came out "Corr that's a big one".... although thinking about it he may have been referring to my massive bum...

oh God, Auntyspan - I have another appointment with mw next week so will see if I am as big as I feel (anyone know where to measure from yourself? from bottom to top of uterus, isn't it?)

I am knackered today as ds isn't well - he was up with high temp and tummy ache a lot of the night, like a furnace

from pubic bone up to the top of your bump.

snooch, I feel your pain, Lord save us from snoring DHs! Though I'm sure me getting up 3 times a night to pee must disturb him too....

Am a zombie currently as DH and I scored a night out and didn't get to bed til 3am, by which point I was WIDE awake and couldn't sleep at all. Cue tears at 8.30 when it was time to get up DS and I was too knackered! Luckily DH ordered me back to bed and snatched another 2-3 hours of broken sleep. It's going to be soooo fun with a newborn in the mix!

Aw laumiere, I too feel terribly tearful when sleep deprived - horrid, feel almost loony with it some days.

Yeah, poor DH - I sometimes kick him out the bed and make him sleep on the sofa with the snoring but at the time I feel so angry and desperate to sleep that I could strangle him!! At least he's the type that can sleep anywhere and it's not long before I hear the snores coming from the lounge again!

I've been a complete posting loser -- but I have been reading diligently! Lumps and bumps aside, it does seem as if we're all heading down the final section of the path rather rapidly!

Kudos to all who are SO organised! I've got lots of lists...but as far as getting stuff on them done? Not so much. We did procure a cot and highchair from friends this weekend, and between those friends and my mum, I don't think I'll have to do laundry for the first six months Cletus is here! Looooots of clothes...

I did just register for a bunch of stuff, but as I've no idea if anyone will use the registry (and I don't feel good about communicating it!), I'm sure we'll have a wave of last-minute purchases (changing table, etc).

Oh, and we did our first antenatal class last night! It was really good run by a Belgian offshoot of the NCT and suddenly made everything feel very, very real.

Snooch, hear hear for kicking snoring DPs out of the bedroom! I figure I'm going to lose enough sleep in another couple of months - I need to stock up now.

(Though that is the ONLY thing I can complain about with DP -- he is a gem. Spends most of his time looking at me and beaming, telling me how beautiful I am, and has given me long massages every night for as long as I can remember. Truly a wonderful man.)

Sorry, ladies - going for the posting trifecta here - just two quick questions on pumps and pushchairs!

Is it worth investing in an electric breast pump, or can you get by with a manual one (electric is 3x as expensive - and no, you can't rent them here)? Will be trying to breastfeed exclusively for first 4-5 months, and then will be heading back to work.

Has anyone had good experiences buying pushchairs on eBay? I'm trying to score a gently used Bugaboo Cameleon, and there are ten or so on the UK site. Since I'll have to be in London the first two weeks in February to train my maternity cover, I could have any purchases shipped to my office and bring it back with me. But I've never bought from eBay before and I'm a trifle worried...

Fanx.

corgi - have you tried Gumtree for London - you might find one on there that you could visit when you're in London before you buy? I was selling mine 9and would have shipped it to you ) but have decided to keep it for the first 6 months for teh new baby as we think we can afford to keep dd in nursery 3 days a week while I'm off. So I really want a pram to push the wee one about when it is just the two of us.

Have bought a Closer sling (my friend had one and her ds looked so comfy when he was tiny - and out of our antenatal group he cried the least!) and that will be for days when dd is still in her buggy and I need my hand free to control her

Breast pumps - I had a manual one passed on to me and it worked great - but I know it didn't work for others. Your Belgian NCT person would probably be able to help - they are pretty good on bf stuff.

Must remember to buy some feeding bras - the ones I had from dd seem to have shrunk - or maybe I am just mahoosive this time round !

Ladies - my dh doesn't snore - a rare thing in a man - and it is wonderful. Unfortunately for him it is me snoring away in our bed. But am still totally sleep deprived (maybe I wake myself up!

Corgi - if you're definitely planning to pump at some point I'd go for an electric over a manual. I pumped for 7 weeks with dd as she wouldn't latch and it was with a manual and it was v. depressing. If I end up in same situation this time i will get an electric one (you can hire them but I suspect it works out just as much, if not more).

I too am not sleeping well but had a bit of a better night last night - I folded a duvet in two and put that under the sheet and slept surrounded by pillows and it seemed to help.

I had my 32 week scan today and all is still going well. Baby is growing as it should and is not too far off the weight dd was when she was born at 37 weeks which is fantastic (for those who don't know/remember - she had IUGR/ I had pre-eclampsia so I am being regularly monitored). BP all fine too. Everyone was really positive - it made me feel excited for the first time I think (have otherwise just been worried/ disbelieving !). Now I see someone every two weeks until 38 weeks and then weekly. They were going to leave me until 36 week scan but I persuaded them it made sense for me to have my BP checked in two weeks.

The only dodgy moment I had was when I was discussing the need (or otherwise.. in my opinion) for Continuous monitoring in a VBAC and he said there was flexibility (right answer) but then went on to say 'once you're in established labour you'll have an epidural in by then and then you'll need to be continuously monitored'. Now, not having been through normal labour before I don't know whether I'll need an epidural but I want to avoid one if I can. So, I questioned this and he said 'well there's more chance of having intervention so we'd rather you were ready in case'. DH said he could see I was ready to explode but I kept my cool and decided it wasn't something worth arguing about at that point and I just need to hope he's not on shift at the time !

Hi Corgi,

I was told to get an electric breast pump as is so much easier than hand pumping and worth the extra expense. In fact, I got this one off Ebay for about £24...

... which brings me on to Ebay. I am addicted! I have bought lots and lots of stuff for the bambino from Ebay and it's all been exactly what I wanted and as described, so am more than happy. I use it a lot of the time to get new stuff, but cheaper than you would on normal online sites or on the high street (like new cot, cot matress, muslin squares, bottles, towels, sling and nappy bag), but I have also bought second hand stuff off there which is great (bundle of baby clothes, baby monitor, breast pump etc). I have to admit, I bought the pram new (Bugaboo Bee in yellow) as it was the one thing I wanted new from a proper shop with guarantee etc, but I'm sure you can get great ones on Ebay for a snip of the price.

Let us know how you get on. How are you going to get it back abroad? You won't want to put it in the hold of a plane.

forgot to post link of pump!

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Medela-Mini-Electric-Battery-Breastpump_W0QQitemZ170294244854QQcmdZVi ewItemQQptZUKBabyBabyFeedingBreastPadsPumpsLE?hash=item170294244854&trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trk parms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Oh crap. Well, it's the Medela mini electric pump I'm trying to link to on Ebay.

Ooops just had some colostrum come out of my boobs makes it all very real.

Have a lovely w/e everyone.
xx

I bought a second hand Medela pump very cheaply from eBay. I then got a "fresh up" kit (link) so I could replace the milk collection elements. The total cost was still way less than a new pump. Worth considering.