*Due in June 2005*

[PinkArjuna]

The thread was getting far too long and taking ages to load.

London meet is a week away. I don't have to get the train until 10.30 this time Could someone tell me which tube line to get from Paddington?

Pink, I had a private room at the hospital when I had DS. They couldn't guarantee it would be available (they would give it to people who have had particularly traumatic births or problems with their babies as a priority) but luckily it was, and it was great, if somewhat anti-social. Some people make life-long friends with people they meet on the labour ward, but I wasn't one of them .

And dried apricots too (iron rich foods - struggling to keep up here!).

Hehe, Poor guys, in the olden days they didn't have to stoically stand by their woman. I am not sure even if I had the man of my dreams if I'd want him around. I think in my dad's day they were rather glad they weren't allowed in, though of course some guys would want to be there.

Hi All, you've all chatted far too much for me to read, as usual....

Charley, congrats on your tiling being done. I am so impressed!

I'm so glad that i dont have to be naked to give birth. That would just be one indignity too much. Lipstick me too with the waxing! If I have to be undignified, at least it can look a nice shape

KVG - I've just had my first parentcraft class & I am in total agreement with you. We could have covered everything in 1/4 of the time if we cut out the waffle, like you say, they didn't cover anything I hadn't already read. Oh, good luck with DH's job.

RHM - I'm on iron tablets. Only one side-affect so far, I'll whisper it..."it makes things go black if you know what i mean". Sorry sorry sorry, far far TMI. But you ought to be prewarned...

Back onto the parentcraft thing, the MW asked if we wanted to see the birth video next week and a couple of people piped up in the affirmative, so I guess I'll be watching it then. I have no desire AT ALL to see it. I'm really hoping that they show it at the end and I can leave. There was also one poor girl there who's got a 5 yr old & is expecting twins. She's 32 weeks and is measuring 42 as both babies so far are normal size. She was enormous! Made me feel really small in comparison . How on earth do people cope with 2??

Reading JonahB's message made me realise I hadn't wished your DH luck KVG.

Hope it's good news.

And now I'm off home. Have a good evening all.

Nice thought to be left with JonahB!

Haven't had time to catch up properly, am exhausted. Uwila is right about the catheter; childbirth isn't time to be embarrassed!! I don't think it's policy, it was simply that I couldn't walk, I couldn't feel to do a wee in a bed pan and my bladder was filling up rapidly as I was drinking loads. I'm not familiar with the anatomy down there that well, but I guess a full bladder gets in the way!!!

I sgree on the dignity front. I don't really want to dwell on some of the things that went on but I guess they'll happen again and I can't remember caring at the time.
A quick question re waxing - are you all talking about going somewhere to get it done? Supposed they're usedto pg ladies wanting their help? Last time the bump didn't stop me from sorting myself out, this time well...I haven't seen my fanny for what feels like months and there's no way I want dh fiddling about down there with any sort of wax, razor or tweezers.......

Glad that nasty rash has gone Lynny - I wonder why it went so quickly? Sounds like you've had an awful couple of weeks, hope this means you've turned a corner I had to have a little titter at your first midwife asking you how you were going to give birth with your knicks on! She could've been nicer about it you poor thing - you must've been so shy at that age.

KVG - fingers crossed for you both - do you know yet?

I'm getting quite violent cramps in my calves on a night which leave them sore all day - anyone else?

MrsW - dp used to snore if he slept on his back 9which he did a lot) before he lost weight - drove me mad and caused horrid arguments. You're not sleeping on your back are you?

Pink - you and I should try to get hold of some of those Victorian birthing bloomers - they're (very discreetly) open through the crotch
There was a thread not so long ago about changing your midwife during labour - I'll try to find it for you. If I forget, remind me.

RH - hope you get on top of your anaemia - Gawd what next?! Seems like we're all getting something or other. Thank goodness we can have a moan on here!

Jonah - shame your class was so boring - I'd take a cushion to hide behind if I were you for the vid next week I got confused with my dates and don't start my classes til next week. Dur.

Lippy - hope you have a restful and re energising evening! Does a catheter hurt? I guess not if it's done during an epi - but isn't your urethra sore afterwards? Is it removed before you actually give birth?

Rolf Weshie! (fanny ) I'm not going to get involved in any bikini waxing debate...

Evening all, back from 'oop north' having managed to do my bloody stupid 'making a cup of tea' job interview. It went quite well, I should hear something in a week or so - KVG best of luck to your dh as well.

I can't quite keep up with all the chat that I've missed. Lynny, great news the rash has gone though, that was nasty. Sorry to hear about everyone else's various aches and ailments, it seems that time is upon us. Charley, yes, I've been getting very bad leg cramps recently. I've always had them to some extent but now they are wicked.

I'm feeling ghastly myself but hopefully a good night's sleep will sort that. We stayed overnight in a hotel last night, even though every time I do now I say "hotel rooms are just too uncomfortable, I can't do this again before the baby comes". True to form, this bed was like a rock, so I was awake by 3 a.m. and couldn't sleep again til 6. (Woke up at 9 to finish the stupid presentation). We walked around Leeds for a v short time at lunchtime and I thought I was going to die I was so tired and my back hurt so much. By the time of the interview, I would have cancelled it if I hadn't have travelled so far to get there.

Anyway, glad I didn't as the adrenaline kicked in and I think I acquitted myself reasonably well.

Re: cleaners, I shall be getting one for deffo, kept woman or not. (Technically I am not sure if I can be 'kept' when we're both not working, albeit this is dh's flat). This is because dh has a genuinely good excuse to avoid cleaning, i.e. his own health problems. Far less stressful to get someone in to do that kind of thing. I'm also starting to think about whether I should get someone to help dh out a bit when I go back to work, but I guess we will take that as it comes! He's doing markedly better on his new painkillers but unfortunately within a couple of weeks, his body will readjust and they will stop having such a positive impact. Hey ho.

Things are going well with my bro's adoption handover, my little niece has now met her wee brother, and they got on well which is great. He has visited them at their home today and will be coming to stay for good on Friday. Hurrah!

Well done for getting through your interview! Good luck!

Where did you stay in Leeds? I'm looking for somewhere cheap and cheeful nearish the university for dp for one night in a week or two for some seminar/workshop thing he's doing.

Has your dh tried anything "unconventional" for pain relief (I'm thinking specifically marijuana)? Sounds horrific - he's going to be taking more and more drugs by the sounds of it

I'll see if there's anything on the 'net about what we should do with our leg cramps...

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mornin' all - am I first up????

not going into work again today as I feel so rotten, hope I don't get hate vibes from my boss.....

thanks for all the iron suggestions, will start munching on apricots whilst steaming broccli and spinach....

Jonah B - thanks for the tip. Did you feel better after taking them??

leg cramps - my book says leg cramps are due to a lack of calcium, salt and poor circulation- do gentle exercises such as swimming, walking and yoga. Raspberry leaf tea and nettle tea have calcium in them and are good tonics for pregnancy too.

Pink - I'm pretty sure that if you don't like your midwife then you can ask for someone else to attend to you. I remember going over this last time as I was very nervous as to whether I'd like them or feel comfortable with them.

Parent/ante natal classes - I'm going to some for 2nd tme mums. Very sensibly they give you the basics to remind you what happens in labour etc and then they do relaxation

Last time around the ante-natal classes were useless - I could have read everything they told us. The best thing was we used to go out for a meal afterwards.

hi there K-V

I think it's a mix of knackered-ness, coming down with some kind of cold and stress from our family situation.

The best thing for me is to try and chill out I think. The wierd thing about being pregnant is I think I feel everything more and seem to have less stamina.

fingers x for your DH's job - is it so mething he really wants?

Red - I agree with you re the 'feeling everything more' - seems to go for emotions too with me as well as the physical stuff.
Isn't Raspberry leaf tea something you drink to bring on labour?
Had some lovely news this morning. Friends of ours have just had a little boy - he's got a slight infection so still in hospital but he looks like a real sweetie. The reason I'm especially pleased is that we'd given up on our friend X ever finding a woman, he was just clueless and never had a girlfriend the whole 10 years we first knew him - and he really wanted the whole family thing too. Then bingo, one blind date set up by mutual friends and wedded bliss and now a baby too.
I love it when a plan comes together!
Me and the other half seem so busy at the moment with work stuff I started to despair of ever getting the nursery painted so the former Fimble is now definitely booked to do it next week - Hurrah.

KVG - that job for your hubby sounds fab - good luck

raspberry leaf tea is good tonic for pregnancy. Good for strengthening the uterus, reducing labour pain and good when breastfeeding too. Think it's good to start drinking regularly from now til birth...and beyond! (I took those bits out of my herbal book - sorry hippy alert)

I drank nettle and raspberry leaf last time around. It's always difficult to tell, but my birth went v well, so it's like lucky pants - I have to drink it to try and make sure all goes well again!

relaxation classes start in 3 weeks. Think I'm gonna do those, then go on to do the ones at the hospital so I'm chilled for free!

My cleaner starts on Sat I'm getting her to come for twice as long so everything can be cleaned properly. Poor thing, I'm writing her a list too....clean oven, hoover skirting boards etc. Have decided to be more directive this time, last time I had a cleaner I think I was a bit lax and only the minimum got done....

WM- that's lovely to hear about yr friend

yes and my emotions are very mercurial too. I think I can be moody anyway (or so my Dh informs me) but am at my worst when have hormonal state thrown in the mix! Having so much to deal with is just too much, I'm starting to get to that stage where all I want to think about is nesting (gently), looking at baby clothes and communing with the bump.

KVG - that job sounds perfect. I remember fantasising about feeding ducks last time - must be a universal kid thing to do. Did you meet yr Dh at uni? I met mine at uni, so we've known each other for such a lovely long time (misty eyes now). Did you stay in yr uni t own then?

I was wondering when to start drinking raspberry leaf tea, I couldn't remember when I started last time. I quite got the taste for it - it was lovely with a Terrys dark chocolate orange (a full one - lots of iron in dark chocolate you see ).

Glad your interview went well Trib. Will keep my fingers crossed for you (and still for your DH KVG). Was also going to ask where you stayed. Charleypops, there are lots of B&Bs in Headingley, near the cricket ground but I can't think of any names of them (sorry, very unhelpful). Or you could try a Travelodge in the city centre and get a taxi to the university, it isn't too far.

I also had a bad attack of the calf-cramps on Tuesday, and it hurt all day yesterday. Tried to do more exercise yesterday to get rid of it, and didn't suffer last night. Would welcome other tips though.

Hope you can take it easy today Redheadmum, chill out and have a proper rest. Agree with everyone about heightened emotions - sounds like we could all do with a nice relaxing spa visit, pampering and a good, trashy, mindless book to read.

Lovely news on your friend Welshie.

Big day for you and your brother's family tomorrow Trib! How exciting - Roll on tomorrow! I forgot to say yesterday that I think Leeds is great - lovely bars, restaurants, bit of kulcha, and some lovely countryside. You'll love living around there. So double good luck.

Oops - dp's thingy isn't at the Uni, it's at the Music College, and he needs somewhere to stay near there for the 13th, so if you've any suggestions that would be fab.

Redhead - hope you have a nice day off! thanks for the advice - I had a feeling it was calcium and salt - didn't have any cramps last night thank goodness, but I did have a bit more milk than ususal yesterday which may have helped.
My dog, Charley, is around at the moment (ie not going to work with dp) so I'm getting out for more excercise. And I've dug out the treadmill for a bit of extra. I've got it into my head I need to strengthen my legs in preparation for labour. I seem to have got some cellulite I'm sure wasn't there before pg - anyone else noticed this? (not mine, yours )

KVG - i hope they don't leave you hanging on over the weekend. Really Good Luck!

Welshie - Bless your friend - isn't that amazing for him??

Speaking of emotions - I had a mad laughing fit for ages the other night in bed - i just couldn't stop - it really hurt my tum, I could hardly breathe and had tears, snot, everything

Oh I'm so with you on the duck feeding fantasy! I haven't done that for years and really want to with Pod. Sadly, I will inevitabley always have Charley with me on those occasions and he is A Very Greedy Animal - he jumps in after the bread and eats it all, scattering ducks in his wake. If there's a swan around though he might be ok because he's scared of them and he won't jump in

I have to add the backs of my legs and my bottom to the list of places I haven't seen for months - anything could be happening there - let alone cellulite.
We love feeding the ducks too - although dd often uses it as an excuse to eat stale bread while giggling in a sinister fashion.
Can I have a dd moment? She came into our bed this morning saying 'I've really got to cuddle you mummy, I've really got to eat you all up' can I put my arms round your neck mummy and nibble you all up?' (I am such a soppy mother)