Due in Jan 2009 - 3 have popped, Christmas is coming and we're all fed up with this pregnancy malarky, bring on the babies!!

[LenniEd]

Just popped on quickly to catch up.
Congratulations qumps on the birth of Stanley
Off to stare lovingly at Fraser again....

Qumps HUGE CONGRATS on little Stanley > You sound fantastic!

Have a lovely Christmas all of you, we are off today back on 27th. Have birth kit packed

Tree your body is probably telling you to SLOW DOWN but i am sure you know that already... feet up when you can lady >

I saw my midwife yesterday we ended up chatting for ages. I miss my job. She was writing up the letter for the Supervisor of midwives as i am such a varied nightmare case load

All will be well this time though

oh GTDAB you poor thing. Can you plan something less ambitious so that you can relax a bit? Maybe get a take out for some of it, or get some ready prepared food and baked goods? Its about being together, getting pissed drinking water and eating crap healthy food.

dtdacp so sorry to hear how poorly you are. Christmas will happen regardless, its just one day and really not worth stressing about. I think we are all programmed to put ourselves under too much pressure for Christmas these days. As long as you are all together and there are some pressies to open all will be fine. Christmas may be a little different this year, but it will still be Christmas.

How is your other half? Any chance he could do a late night run to a 24hr supermarket for food and Christmassy bits? Its so much easier to get round if you leave it till at least 10pm. Agree with flsf as well, try to buy as much pre-prepared food as possible and use the time you save to rest up.

Take care of yourself, that's the most important thing.

GTDAB I think fourlittle speaks much much sense.
We've massively scaled down Christmas food and decorations and stuff - and are getting in ready-prepared food from cook do you have a branch nearby, or something like this? - a different kind of Christmas to what we're used to, but a lot less stressful.
Your main priority is to look after yourself & for that you need to start by taking as much pressure off as possible!
big hug, lady. x

Well, despite little one being relatively quiet compared to the past few nights, I still didn't sleep last night. Was awake from 2.00 am onwards with restless legs and unable to get comfy - aaargh!

Am sooooo tired today can hardly function.

I did ring Mum to see if she could have the boys for a couple of hours while I have a sleep, but she is having her annual Christmas panic fest so didn't bother asking in the end.

Midwife just called me though and said she will come round tomorrow afternoon to drop of a home birth kit! Can't quite believe I could still be having my home birth after all the events of the past few weeks. Thought for a while it might just be easier to go into the local hospital to deliver and come home after a few hours, that way I don't have to worry whether or not the house is ready.

X posts Spink!

morning

back from midwife she is the correct way
had a scan and saw midwife
bum is on the left and head right down and curled up in a tite ball
crossing fingers for a water birth @ birthing centre
midwife is off now till jan so seeing her thursday the 8th now will be 39 weeks
went into town with mum after birthing centre needed to get elc iron as dhs sister has got her their spotty ironing board. really chuffed as they had rosebud dolls house study in half price sale so bought it to go with her rosebud house her main pressy from us.
also got wispas of course 30% off in woolies and a bday card for my friend 70% off
we are off to tesco after lunch as my mum needs to get last xmas food then she is off home.

poor you gtdaxp you take care and rest if poss

mm - wrapping sounds good

mm yay for your homebirth being back on track! dh is just pumping up the birth pool for a dry run... this is the last day ds is at nursery before Christmas so we've got lots of last bits of preparation to do. Just as well he is, because we have just realised how big the pool is and are trying to rearrange the bedroom furniture so the mws will be able to access 3 sides of it. It is turning into quite a big job. Really pleased this is being sorted now and not having to happen when I'm in labour...

Great news Tink. Keeping everything crossed for your water birth.

Thanks Spink. Midwife is providing our pool, so haven't seen it yet. Lord knows where we are going to fit it in, she suggested the kitchen as we have a quarry tiled floor, but not sure I'd feel right giving birth in the kitchen. Lounge is a bit full now we have the Christmas tree in and DH has now relocated his stereo and huge collection of vinyl to the area I had originally planned for the pool.

Oooh! Just remembered, I must send DH to Boots to hire my tens machine. Hadn't bothered as thought I would be having a cs and it really helped last time so wouldn't want to be without one.

mm- we live in a first floor flat and eek haven't had the floor checked over to make extra sure it can bear the weight but mw thinks it probably won't be a problem.. hope so cos falling through the ceiling & saying hello to the downstairs neighbour isn't part of my birth plan

Ooh Spink! What an image!

Hi everyone - I have some news, my waters went in the middle of the night last night at 38+4! I still haven't had any contractions but the midwife has booked me in to be induced on Christmas Eve if they don't start naturally between now and then. So it looks like baby Ginni will be with me most likely Christmas Day, if not Christmas Eve or Boxing Day at a push!

It took my by suprise as I was fully expecting to go over my due date, this being my first child and my sister and mother having this experience, and I was starting to worry about having to have my waters broken artificially (something I wanted to avoid at all costs). I must say I did panic when it happened as it was so unexpected and a huge gush too (although I am still leaking on and off now). As I hadn't "planned" for it to happen this way was I was thrown off balance and fully expected to go into hospital to deliver immediately. You can imagine my suprise to hear the midwife tell me that I wasn't dilated at all and was sent home! Luckily my waters were clear (pinkish) and all is well with the baby, my only issue was sickness (four times in less than an hour, so I had to have an injection for that) so now I am lying here waiting and wondering what is going to happen. But either way I know that my daughter will be here very, very soon! I still haven't even had one contraction, not even a bh but am hoping they start soon so I can deliver in the nice home from home centre instead of the high risk ward.

Good luck to you all too x

spink - get that floor checked!!
mm - all sounds good
ginni - good luck

just been to tesco with mum and dd ended up getting quite a few more bits it ws so busy i have definelty had enough of shopping now!!

Good luck Ginni - same happened to me 2 years ago with DD. Send someone out to stock up on big pads and cheap knickers in case you haven't already as your waters will carry on replenishing so you will "leak" right up until the baby is born. I would be ok for an hour or so and then have another big gush if the baby moved or I moved. Have you got plenty of nighties/pyjamas clean? I went through loads in the few days my waters were gone and had DH washing them for me and bringing clean ones to hospital. Even when in labour you will want a pad on as otherwise all gets a bit unpleasant but hospital will sort you out with them then. Make sure you drink lots and no baths. And try and get lots of rest! Although I know exactly how hard that is when you are waiting around for labour to start or be induced. My contractions finally started about 36hours after my waters broke but it took 72hours for me to be in established labour. What a lovely xmas you will be having!! BTW - DD born 28 Dec, and joint festivities aren't all that hard really, just a little stressful to plan, so don't worry about that

Good news on baby Tink - sounds like you need a rest after all that shopping!

GTDAB - others have said it already but go easy on yourself. And make sure you keep an eye on how you are feeling, if you are still feeling low after xmas with all the stress out of the way then make sure you mention it at your next mw appointment. Probably be hormones making you feel down but best that they keep an eye on you for after the birth.

Think I better getter my proverbial in gear and sort out a tens machine too MM these things just seem to get put off constantly for me. Anyone would think I had months to go, not 3 weeks!!!

Just popped in. Didn't labour last night although cam efairly close to alerting the unit as still not quite 37 weeks. It settled at 5 am and I was asleep for 6 till noon. Clearly no labour here then!!

Managed to Christmas shopping today - also managed to go £40 [Spent £89] over budget which dh is a bit quite over. Money worries suck.

off to bed now as on night shift tonight at 8. Am very tired and washed out so no doubt will be a struggle but worth it for DH to feel less up the money s**t creek. Was wondering if could drag another week out of my body. Will see how my night goes.

HAven't had a proper catch up but there seems to be lots of good news and lots of scheming and planning for up and coming births!!

Good luck Ginni!!

Oh lots of good news

Huge congrats to Qumps Well done you!

Good luck Ginni, what a lovely xmas pressie! Hope it get's started on it's own for you soon, the waiting would be the hardest bit for me.

Moosema and Tink (deja vu Tink?!! ) it is great news that your babies have both turned!

We had the trace this morning, all was fine with the trace this time, but I am poorly again, they've offered to take me in tonight for the induction, which we've decided against, it's too risky with xmas being so close, DS1 would be heart broken if either the induction took longer than we think it will, or if the baby does need the special care. So the alternative they've offered is a scan tomorrow, make sure the baby is OK, then we can take it from there, if by Friday I am better then the induction will go ahead as planned, if the baby is OK and I am still too poorly then they will delay the induction, obviously if the baby isn't OK then they will want me in sooner rather than later. So it is all a bit up in the air at the moment.

Not sure if I will be back on before xmas, so just wanted to say merry christmas to everyone, hope you all have a lovely time, and that babies inside and outside behave themselves! Look forward to any new announcements as well

Good luck Ginni, hope it all kicks off naturally and you get to have bubs in the birthing centre.

Tree glad it all settled down and you got some rest.

NJ, great everything was good at the trace and baby is doing ok. Sorry to hear you are poorly though. Hope it all sorts itself out and you get the birth you want on the day you want it.

Tink, don't know how you've managed to cope with all that shopping. I haven't been near a shop for weeks! DH is doing a very quick late night run to 24 hour Tescos tonight, don't need much but he wants to choose a couple of stocking fillers for the boys himself so is happy to pick up a few bits for me. Can't imagine dragging myself out of the house to go myself though.

good luck nataliejane. hope all goes well at scan tomorrow and that you can keep legs crossed until christmas.
so who is the best bet for a christmas day delivery? lots of joseph's being born on the ward when i was there.
took stanley to john lewis today to get him a christmas present and bras for me. milk in so wait for it..... 32j
had a lovely lunch just me and him. forgot how easy a baby is to do things you want to do. 18mo not so accomodating.
lol to all those feeling poorly. its been such a hard slog for some of you.
can't believe its christmas eve tomorrow!

ginni very exciting news! hope you had a mattress protector down, that stuff rots beds you know
ds's birth started the same way, waters broke at 4am and no contractions, til around 12 hrs later. He was born 10am next morning! You've prob been told all this but if your give birth more than 24hrs after waters breaking they'll prob give you or baby antibiotics - make sure you get plenty of probiotics down you if that happens otherwise you'll be more likely to get thrush, and if you are planning to breastfeed this is a very bad thing (can you tell this happened to me??
The other thing is that you can wait if you don't want to be induced on xmas eve - ask about the NICE guidelines cos hospital ones vary. I think NICE say 72 hours. Our local hosp wanted to induce me if I went over 24!
Anyhow - will be thinking of you and wishing you a relaxed and joyful labour!!

Nataliejane hope the scan goes well tomorrow. Sorry to hear you're poorly again. You're doing so well!

treedelivery hope you're feeling better, sounds like you've had a wobbly couple of days. Hopefully Christmas will be lush and just what you need.

tink think it's too late to get someone in to check the floor. Apparently the weight of a filled pool & 'labouring woman' is about the same as having 10-12 people standing in a group. I reckon if our floor can't take that we should be moving out...
anyway, we'd hear the floor creaking before it gave wouldn't we? enough time for me to get out??

Evening ladies
congrats qumps baby stanley sounds gorgeous and i'm v impressed you managed to make it to John Lewis so soon after and so close to xmas!

Yey tink for baby turning.
gtdab you poor thing, you sound so ill. Hope you manage to get some rest.

38 weeks today, had midwife appointment and everything spot on. I definitely feel as if he has moved further down in to my pelvis, everything just feels a bit more 'twingy' and I keep getting these really random shooting pains that go from my back down my bum and leg. I think he must be lying on a nerve or something but it feels like getting an electric shock just for a second. All I can think about is having this baby so can't believe I might still have another 4 weeks to go, but then got all teary this morning thinking about how he has to come out soon. It is just too hard to grasp!
Merry xmas everyone, hope you have a good one

Ginni- very exciting, best of luck, keep us posted.

NJ- all the best for Scan

T.Delivery- Hope your feeling better soon.

MM & Tink- ~Fantastic both your babies have turned.

Had a lovely xmas dinner party last night, VERY tired today. whizzed out to get last min Xmas things, now snug by wood fire, LOVELY.

Big Festive Chirstmas hugs to everyone.... i know we are all feeling large, slugish, swollen, uncomfortable, but just think, we're on the final run!!! Enjoy being able to have an excuse to eat everything in sight! :-)

so sorry for all you poor sick ladies... i am perfectly healthy but very tired, uncomfortable and out of sorts, and can't imagine how much more crapp it would be if i had germs as well. really hope that you all feel better soon.

tink, really pleased to hear that lo is properly positioned.
ginni, the very best of luck with your christmas daughter...

and if i don't post again before the big day, merry christmas everyone