Due April 2009 - Tralalaboomdiay, our bumps grow every day!!

[BabyBolat]

Place your bets on how long this thread will last, my guess is two weeks!!

Ah so it's not just me wanting her partner home a little more... I've been feeling very selfish lately with my need to be near him.
and I have to admit

On irrational strops I shouted at someone this mornign and feel a bit bad now!

I was a bit tired this morning on the train (OK i feel a bit guilty even writing this) and the train was busy and there was a rather large lady (and I am not talking curvy, I would say a size 24+ on one of those long 5-side seat things and I sat down next to her (can I just say she was taking up almost 2 of the seats and it was really busy and I am pregnant and wanted to sit so kind of squeezed in next to her!)

ANYWAY, she started saying fairly loudly how people in London were so so rude and had absolutely no concept of personal space and just push people out the way (I would like to point out I said excuse me but she was too ignorant to move). Anyway back to my story, after her huffing and puffing to her friend I really had had enough so turned around and very loudly announced, that the reason I needed more space than the average person was because I was 6.5 months pregnant and what was her excuse!! And then people sniggered which momentarily made me feel a bit better then I felt bad!

I am a horrible horrible person and am only telling you all this because I feel bad and DH said he thought I had been really mean!! But she was also mean about me to her friend just indirectly!

BB We all have our hateful moments like that don't we, those which make us ashamed and want to sink into the earth and die. Don't dwell on it but learn from it and next time it will not happen.

on a new note has anyone read these books

New Active Birth: A Concise Guide to Natural Childbirth
or
The Water Birth Book
both by Janet Balaskas
They were brought to my attention because of another thread and I was wondering if they might help me understand some of the birthing techniques over here better...

made me laugh too i have to say bb - things like that i sometimes wish i'd have said but didnt have teh guts to at the time - if someone is rude about you, i know its petty but i dont see why you shouldnt be rude back (within reason).

BB I do not think you are mean at all!! That was a classic witty retort and the type of comment I always wish I could have made in time instead of thinking it up hours later. Perhaps she will shut up in future and not be so selfish!! You have probably done something good for mankind!!! I think it's great giving everyone a laugh as well. I would have loved to see that. I think London Transport should give you a medal. BTW did you know you can get a special "Baby on Board" badge to wear to flash around and get sympathy on LT trains? You just phone them up and they send you one for free.

Thanks Boffin - yes, to be honest I am not normally fussed about getting a seat and am happy to stand (although find it lovely when people offer!) And I have a badge because I commute for 2 hours each each way am always in various coats/scarves etc so sometimes hard to tell I am pregnant not that it really makes much difference as lot's of people just pretend they haven't seen me!!

See that's what I love about you lot - DH just said well that was a bit mean whereas you GET why I was so annoyed, admittedly I was probably a bit mean but hey! Ok feel better now!!!

I am not normally that quick witted to be fair but she really really riled me! God Nutty out of London I would NEVER get the bus, but the damn congestion charge rules that out!!

Bleu, sorry never heard of those books but then I am refusing to read any books this pregnancy as it scares me how much I SHOULD be doing but haven't!

I am going for the ignorance is bliss option... xxx

2 hours each way!!!

what do you think you'll do after the baby is born? do you intend to go back to work?

I cant imagine spending 4 hours a day travelling to and from work - but then i dont do a job i love so maybe i would if i did.

i suppose you must get lots of reading done which would be very nice. i seem to manage about three pages at night before falling asleep these days.

bleuravin - havent read either book but did read one about hypnobirthing that was quite interesting but you'd have to be committed to the whole idea for it to work i think.

I'm just trying to truly understand what occurs in active birth options as I have no clue, it's just not really a choice in the States and it's talked about in rather uncertain tones because it's mostly 'new agers' who have a midwife and 'alternative' birthing practices...

in my possibly completely wrong view, i think active birthing can be a whole movement, or it can just be what a lot of hospitals encourage anyway - eg not lying on your back during birth.

Nobody really mentioned the words active birth at my hospital, but it was mentioned in the nhs antenatal class that they encourage certain positions and in the birthing room there were birth balls etc and the bed was at one side so not focused on until the pushing stage when i was up on it on all fours, presumably so the mw could see more easily - that to me is active birthing cause you are not on your back, attached to monitors.

Bleuravin, I'm with you. Before I moved to the UK (from Aus) I had never heard of anyone having a birth with a midwife and would have assumed they were very hippy if they did. I guess, I wasn't really thinking about babies back then so it's not something I talked to people about v much, but everyone I knew had an OB lead birth. Apparently active birth is v much encouraged by OBs in Aus though.
I think an NCT course is a good idea for learning about how things work here and good active birthing techniques (you practice positions etc) as well as for meeting other Mums in your area. Have you considered doing one?

bubbaluv I did look into NCT courses...only found 1 and it was intensive (on a Friday and Saturday) and DH would not be able to make the friday Plus it was £144, I thought that rather expensive, but I'm really uncertain if it is or not.

Can you go to NCT classes which are not technically in your area? Or are they place specific?

Bleuravin, call and speak to your local NCT. You can register as unable to attend the only course they have on offer and they will often put on an additional course or make some other arrangement to help you. Don't go to a course far from home as the best thing about them is often the network of local Mums you meet - they can be such a wonderful source of support and understanding over the next year or so. Lots of people on my course had no intention of having a natural birth or breastfeeding, and were there purely for the social aspect!
It's expensive I guess, but I found it to be more than worth it - and I had read every book I could get my hands on! If you really can't afford it then you can also speak to them about that and they will often make a financial consession for you - it is a charity.

Conker - that is what I thought too - Active birth being something that you are actively involved in and have a lot of personal preference on positions etc but may be wrong - Boffin will know!

Conker, used to get loads done on the train - which was ace but it's too uncomfortable to sit with so many other people now so I drive up and just do a shorter train commute. I have no idea what I am going to do after the baby is born, I definitely want to come back to work but need to look in to exactly when and how I do that hmmmmm

Right am off to stay with a friend tonight (to avoid the commute!). Just wanted to say thanks for making me feel less of a bi-atch!

Good Luck Nutty - will be thinking of you at 9 tonight - really hope they work out what is wrong and keep you in to get everything sorted once and for all!

See the rest of you tomorrow!

BBx

Have a good night girls x

I decided to get the New Active Birth book off Amazon. That way even if DH cannot get to any of the classes it might give him some idea what to expect too.
And I will have a talk with MW next week at appointment and see what more information I can glean.

From what I have heard one of the main advantages of NCT classes are that you get to meet people. The ones in my direct area are weekday and I just haven't got time to go - the more time I take off work the more I have to do when I'm there.

BB she asked for it, silly cow. I'm so lucky because I just have a 12 minute drive as a commute (and as a result will probably stay with the company for quite a long time, despite only getting SMP!) OH works even closer to home than me, which will also be handy as we will be able to share 'emergencies'. Plus, my boss is pretty soft and will let me work from home if I need to (hopefully I'll have the same one when I return haha). It'll be so weird being on maternity leave and it isn't that long away really!