Due May 2009 - It's all in front of us now!!!!

[divedaisy]

And on we go!!

yep am also one of the "is that movement?" just prior to trumping brigade but I really have no idea what I should be feeling being such a novice at this stuff

On the plus side the new chest of drawers we've bought for the nursery arrived tonight and it's great - just what we wanted, plenty of storage for all the bits and pieces.

My MIL brought over a bag full of newborn and up to 3month babygrows hand-me-downs from SIL who had her baby 10wks ago. Couldn't resist a quick look through tonight - some of them are so cute.

Divedaisy thought you'd like to know dh has spent all eve on Internet Christmas shopping am a tax concerned about 'special' presents now!!

Hi ladies,
Thanks for your concern but ALL IS WELL - yay!
Have had some more cramping today on and off but it seems to have settled now. And at about 4pm the Counsellor Midwife from the hospital phoned me to say that my baby has been tested for Downs syndrome, Edwards and Patau and doesn't have any of the above! I do have to wait another 2 wks for the full analysis but it should be fine. (I also have the option of finding out the sex in 2 wks - think I will ask!) She asked how I'd been and I said crampy off and on and really quite sore and she said that was ok, just the uterus being irratable and not to worry in case it got worse (it hasn't).

Anyway so, big relief all round here. So glad I don't have to worry about the Downs risk any more .

Jael - how did you get on today - hope the consultant was helpful and could offer useful / practical advice for you.

divedaisy - oh my god, you made me laugh (inflatable butt plug! )
Your DH must use the same online sex shop as my DH - he once ordered me a rampant rabbit thing and it came with a free (ahem) mini-rabbit keyring (vibrating).
I haven't attached it to my car keys - in case you were wondering!
(The rampant rabbit it quite good though - although a bit shocking the first time!!!!!!!!)

Detsy - sorry to hear your DD is still all gunky eyes, its awful when they are like that. Very cute though the way she gave your bump a kiss - aaahhh!

And by the way, I wasn't on earlier in the evening but not because I was putting the kids to bed - I should have been giving them tea, doing homework and putting them to bed - but instead of that I had a huge tantrum at DH (not the kids) - for no apparent reason - (had a headache, feeling generally quite stressed out) - and DH who had just arrived home took one look at me and sent me to bed! So, was in bed at 5.30pm and didn't get up till 8pm!
Feel much better now though.
Hadn't really had a pregnant lady-tantrum this pregnancy - but i have now!!!

Sorry huge post.
Thanks again everyone for all your support about the amnio (and my neurotic-ness). x x

Hi ladies,
Thanks for your concern but ALL IS WELL - yay!
Have had some more cramping today on and off but it seems to have settled now. And at about 4pm the Counsellor Midwife from the hospital phoned me to say that my baby has been tested for Downs syndrome, Edwards and Patau and doesn't have any of the above! I do have to wait another 2 wks for the full analysis but it should be fine. (I also have the option of finding out the sex in 2 wks - think I will ask!) She asked how I'd been and I said crampy off and on and really quite sore and she said that was ok, just the uterus being irratable and not to worry in case it got worse (it hasn't).

Anyway so, big relief all round here. So glad I don't have to worry about the Downs risk any more .

Jael - how did you get on today - hope the consultant was helpful and could offer useful / practical advice for you.

divedaisy - oh my god, you made me laugh (inflatable butt plug! )
Your DH must use the same online sex shop as my DH - he once ordered me a rampant rabbit thing and it came with a free (ahem) mini-rabbit keyring (vibrating).
I haven't attached it to my car keys - in case you were wondering!
(The rampant rabbit it quite good though - although a bit shocking the first time!!!!!!!!)

Detsy - sorry to hear your DD is still all gunky eyes, its awful when they are like that. Very cute though the way she gave your bump a kiss - aaahhh!

And by the way, I wasn't on earlier in the evening but not because I was putting the kids to bed - I should have been giving them tea, doing homework and putting them to bed - but instead of that I had a huge tantrum at DH (not the kids) - for no apparent reason - (had a headache, feeling generally quite stressed out) - and DH who had just arrived home took one look at me and sent me to bed! So, was in bed at 5.30pm and didn't get up till 8pm!
Feel much better now though.
Hadn't really had a pregnant lady-tantrum this pregnancy - but i have now!!!

Sorry huge post.
Thanks again everyone for all your support about the amnio (and my neurotic-ness). x x

Sorry - have no idea why that is on twice. Only clicked it once I'm sure!

By the way, I made cherry scones this morning for my SIL who came over with her 2 little ones. DELICIOUS!

Evening all, Well my cleaner was the best £30 ever spent. She went through a whole bottle of bleach but the house is spotless, and it was so nice to come home tonight and find it so clean and tidy.

Frazzled- so glad to hear you had good amnio results.

A friend of mine texted today to say that his girlfriend had their baby today - a bit early but still a good weight- a little boy. Makes me excited to think it will be us in 5 and a bit months! He is really excited to become a father and it will be lovely to see them all, although we're away this weekend so will have to wait.

Just a quick msg. Didn't even see consultant!
saw like the woman below her, if you get what I mean. Didn't discuss me wanting a c-section, I have to go back at 36 weeks to discuss that apparently. And they've reccomended I go for physio, but again apparently they can't refer me for that, I have to phone my midwife number thing between 9-9:30 in the morning and tell them the hospital have told me to ask them to refer me
for physio. Doesn't look like they're gonna give me a belt, so I'm probably gonna end up having to fork out for that. They were rather unhelpful, I left feeling deflated. The pains are better tonight, but then again, I keep feeling that they're "going" and then they attack again...

jael your physio will give you a belt surely? You shouldn't have to pay for one?! Sorry they were unhelpful - hopefully you'll get a quick referral to the physio dept who should be able to help. In fact my SIL is a physio (on mat leave at present) but will ask her for her advice on it. Will be seeing her on Friday x

frazzled so so pleased. great news you can relax and enjoy! glad everything is good. Very tempting to find out the sex. I would!

divedaisy - how thoughtful of your husband!! so funny - bet your face was a picture!

Had a awful night's sleep last night. DS2 will not sleep in his bed so he ends up horizontal across my pillow and I'm waking up really uncomfortable. I don't know what to do. If I put him in his bed he screams (even if I sit with him - the record being 2 hours sat at the edge of his bed him screaming, and then I gave in and took him to our bed). I'm really not up for leaving him to cry - have tried it so many times and it doesn't work with him. He likes to cuddle up and I am too soft and it's been easy to put him in our bed since early pregnant cos felt so crap. But I don't know what to do -I'm getting bigger by the day and am seriously gonna need space in bed. I thought about putting him in DS1s room. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them - am desperate!
sorry for long rant

Hello everyone

Frazzle so pleased to hear your feeling better and have had good news. It's wonderful to actually know that everything is fine.

Jael you should definitely ask your physio for a belt. I had SPD at the end of my last pg and my consultant wasn't the slightest bit sympathetic. Because pelvic pain is unfortunately very common in pregnancy doctors tend to dismiss it as 'one of those things', even if you end up on crutches, as I did. Physio does help and you'll probably get a lot more support from your midwife. The only thing that really helps is rest, rest, REST - not easy if you've already got a little one.

pula I am very jealous of your cleaner. My house is definitely dirtier than it was a few months ago!

Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Hello everyone,

Frazzled - glad that you have had good news from your amnio results - what a relief for you.

Jael, its so frustrating when you get yourself worked up for an appointment and you hope something will be done and then just more waiting... Hopefully the midwife/physio will be more useful in the morning.

Well, I had my meeting with the independent midwives - they were fab and I would definately have the confidence to go for a home birth if they were there, but we really can't afford them. Part of me feels that money shouldn't get in the way of having a great birth, but if the money's not there, its not there!

DD has started walking properly - no hands! - today, its so great. Obviously I know that by the end of tomorrow I will be exhausted running around after her but I shall enjoy the moment whilst she's fast asleep in bed. I have no idea how she will react to no 2, the idea of having them close together is that they'll get on well, but as her idea of an affectionate cuddle is slapping me in the face and poking her fingers in my eyes we might have a rocky transistion period!

Night all.

Night all.
Sleep well x

frazz excellent news! So relieved for you x

rek21 must be an age thing we have cuddles like that as well plus whole hand in my mouth or several fingers up nose Guess they are just exploring - she also whacks her dad in the face but I'm teaching her to stroke faces and hair (hmm more of a poke and tug at the moment tho!!) She is getting better - I love having my hair played with so am hoping my training will pay off as her dad won't do stuff like that to me

Agoo you're not going to like this BUT i think you have to be cruel to be kind for your sake as well as DS. They are little monkeys and have us wrapped around their tiny pudgey fingers don't they!

I use the controlled crying method with DD (she's 1) I know its tough and we keep going backwards when she's genuinely poorly and wanting more cuddles as she then gets into habit of being picked up and put in with us. As soon as better tho its back to normality - its very very stressful especially to start with but babies are so wise that its up to us adults to be more savvy I guess. I've seen some Jo Frost stuff on LO like yours - as I recall it was sitting with him till he stops screaming and then leaving him when asleep - doing it night after night but gradually getting further away, no eye contact and no touching. It only takes a few nights of mega stress to build his confidence at sleeping alone
I don't think its a good idea to put him in with other child as he may set that one off as well - then you'll have dbl trouble

Agoo it's tough, isn't it?

DS went through a faze of not wanting to sleep. In the end we had to be tough...but it was heartbreaking. We stuck to it though and now, by and large, DS sleeps right through.

What we did was to put him to bed asleep. This was a huge difference for us, as he'd always fallen asleep during cuddles and then transferred to bed.

This was not popular.

As he was in a toddler bed at the time (he'd just turned 1) he was able to stand at the top of the stairs and would cry down the stairs.

I'd go up, give him a cuddle and tell him it was time for sleep. Then put him back to bed.

Multiply this by about 30 times per night over the course of 4 nights, and you'll get the picture.

It was hard, and 1 night he saw it as a game.

It took a good few weeks to get through the standing at the top of the stairs, and he got into the habit of throwing his cuddly toys down the stairs to get our attention. We worked out he liked complete darkness and after a while when put to bed he'd stay there.

In the middle of the night we were a bit slack about putting him back to bed, and if we brought him into bed he'd think it was play time. So we had to learn to put him back to bed and tell him it was sleep time.

Touch wood, it now works.

Good luck, and honestly it will be better all round.

Agooboo- how old is your DS2? My DD (nearly 4) keeps waking up saying she has nightmares and we let her into our bed. We give in easily as she shares with DS (1.5) and we don't want her to wake him up, although generally they really dont disturb each other when crying/whinging in the night or morning.

If you really don't want to leave him to cry, then you could try a gradual withdrawal method. Maybe cuddle with him in his bed at first and then leave when he's asleep. Then sit next to the bed for a few nights til he's asleep, then move further and further away. I've not tried this with a child who wont sleep in their bed, but have done it with mine after they have been ill to get them used to falling asleep on their own again. You might have a few disturbed nights but in the long-run you will feel so much better.

As for sharing with DS1, my 2 sleep very well together and find it quite comforting i think, so you could give it a go (on a mattress maybe at first to avoid having to move his bed) and see what happens. Mine sleep on opposite sides of the room but at the weekend, they were right next to each other at my mum and dads and still slept well.

Just on way to bed - popped back on and just saw the comment about controlled crying. I did it with great success (not really stressful) with DD1. Was much, much harder with DD2 but having said that she now sleeps pretty well. I know that it can be so, so hard to get through this kind of sleep problem but in the long run it's worth it - especially with another DC in the mix. I'd try putting him to bed then going it at increasing intervals when he's crying (eg go in after 2 mins, comfort him, back to bed cuddle, put his music or whatever he needs to sleep on, then when he cries the next time leave him 4 mins, then next time 7 mins, then 10 mins etc . This can go on for A WHILE but eventually does work. This has worked for me and several friends so might be worth a go?
One friend did it with her 18 month old who had never slept more than 3 hrs at a time and was at the end of her tether. Was really hard for the first night but after just 2 nights the child slept through the night and is still fine now. It's just a matter of giving lots of reassurance and breaking a bad habit.
Best of luck, you have my sympathies but I am sure it's a problem that you can overcome .
Night x

So glad about those posts - thought I was the only hard hearted mum on here...

llare only 30 times a night hey!! Having similar probs with DD at mo - she's ina cot but waking lots and whne i go in to find her dummy, lie her down, leave her to it - she stands up and says up, up, up before launching something across the room that she then decides she needs desperately. It's def tough but def worth persevering at this stage with next ones on way!!

Have to go to bed now before my 3 or 4 am wake up call - maybe she's just getting me ready for a newborn again...
Night night x

Morning all!

Just thought I'd second/third/whatever the controlled crying suggestion. Yes, it is a bit hard for a few days, but it is worth the effort. Can I also add that it is not the same as cry it out (CIO, basically leaving them to cry until they got to sleep with no contact at all) - lots of people get them confused.

DD was a terrible sleeper from 5 months to 14 months, adn then we tried CC. To begin with she woke freqently and would only settle with milk and cuddles, and even then took ages, and then settled into a pattern of only waking once a night, but being awake and unhappy for about 3 hours, every night. She also wouldn't go to sleep on her own, I had to feed her to sleep. We'd tried all sorts, worked our way through the No Cry Sleep Solution etc etc, but nothing was working. Did CC, and within 5 nights she was chatting herself to sleep (not crying) and now sleeps through nearly every night.

I did find it quite hard to listen to her cry, even though I knew DH would be going to her in a few minutes (we found it worked better with him going to her than me, if I went she just wanted milk), but like I said, it only tood 4 nights and each night was easier than the last. It really helped me learn a lot more about her different cries too, adn why she was crying, so now I feel much more confident that I know what's bothering her and when she needs attention and when she doesn't.

I'm not sure if I'd try it with a child under 1, but I would do it again with the next one if the situation requires it when they are a little bit older.

Sorry, that ended up really long!

morning all.
dd2 (almost 3) has trouble going to sleep and gets out of her bed, runs to the stairs crying until we come up to give her a cuddle. I'd find that she always had a few thing to stall me - eg water, cuddle, dolly, potty (though she's still in nappies and refuses to go to the potty when i encourage her).

now, when she runs down the hall yelling, i just pick her up without saying a word and tuck her back in and leave. some evenings it took about 10 times but she's much better now.