March 2009: Beware of TMI . . . we're getting ready to give birth and there's nothing we won't share.

[MKG]

Ok so I'll start it off.

Has anyone else had a huge increase in discharge? It's gone from clear and not too much to thick and white, and copious amounts.

DD was due 9th sept, but was not exactly the result of careful planning. As you can probably tell from my previous post! In the event she was a week late, and will be one of the oldest in her yeargroup.
We live in an area where there are still 3 reception class entries so i guess summer babies are hardly at an advantage, but people do bang on about it endlessly! I just couldn't deal with the endless raised eyebrows that i've seen directed at other teachers who have summer bubbas... You'd think that having a summer baby was on a par with snorting illegal drugs throughout pregnancy the way people go on!
Anyway, I've managed a planned spring baby this time, so yay me, no raised eyebrows here (until i tell them that my birthday is the 27th of August and i'm still permitted to be in charge of their children, hehe...).

I basically nest wherever i am at the moment. Home, school, in-laws. Things are thrown out, cleaned (disinfected if possible), sorted, often labelled... It's deeply concerning. And it's driving my DH mad. He comes home not knowing whether I will have disposed of half of his possessions during the day. Oops.

Conceived in Vegas some time between 24th and 28th June. I even did the bicycle legs upside down to make sure gravity helped things along (although looks like we didn't need that much help - I'd only been off the pill for a week when we started trying and then it seemed to happen first time!)

Anyone else getting shooting type pains down below? Went for a walk in the snow today, with DH and dog, and had to keep stopping as it felt like a small stabbing pain (more tooth pick than knitting needle) in my bits and bottom of my uterus. DH thought I was going into labour - I assured him I wasn't! But what are they? Just a hand scrabbling around? Not BH, surely?

Dog is not well She's developed some kind of pain in her joints when walking and moving around - has come on all sudden like. Took her to the vet and he hopes it's just a sprain in her hip and has given her a pain killer, but we have to take her back tomorrow in case it's something more sinister (arthritis; hip dysplasia). Hate seeing her in pain

Not much else going on - have almost given up wearing bras (work from home) as the underwire hurts my ribs. Lots of discharge (nice). Wanting and needing sex but only managing once a week, and not even that this week gone! Poor DH...

Boobz,so sorry to hear about your dog - I know how hard it is to see them in pain. (The corgi of my MN name, Molly, had the canine equivalent of muscular dystrophy; she awed and amazed all of Brussels in her wheelchair for almost two years before the pain and fatigue caught up with her and I had to let her go. Oh dear - can still get very teary about this!)

On a lighter note, am simply stunned that you're still able to/want to have sex. Kudos!

Thanks to everyone for the bra advice - it just goes to show what RUBBISH maternity store salespeople in Belgium are - one of 'em asked this weekend how far along I was and when I said 32 weeks, she assured me I could just get the same size I was wearing now, going up one cup size - so from a 34B to a 34C. Hah! I almost passed out when ceedub came out with the 36-week-plus-ENTIRE-EXTRA-FIST rule. I just cannot imagine. Will be heading back at 36 weeks to purchase accordingly.

I arrived in London this morning to train my maternity cover. Double hah! Hadn't seen any forecasts, so was stunned at what I found. Needless to say, I was the only one at the office, and from the sound of it there's no guarantee anyone will be there tomorrow, so I may just stay holed up at the hotel. What a waste! I can't even get over to Oxford Street to do my last baby-shopping bits!

I have no discharge. I am abnormal.

Aw, great new thread, wow, so amazing to think there will be babies on this one

Am starting to get scared now. Think I had BHs today, hadn't had them so far. Really quite hurt which makes me think my fantasy of not having anything but gas and air will be a load of tosh.

Do you think it's normal to be really worried that she wont be healthy or it will all go wrong? I guess with your first one its so hard to imagine that there is a little person in there, that she really will be an actual baby!

Love the photo hedgewitch definitely looking heavy n low.

I now have soem very impressive stretch marks over my hips now, but the bump itself still appears stretch free, but loads of people keep saying or yeah I didn' think I had any until after I'd had the baby and they'd all been under the bump where you can't see.

No real idea when we conceived as we had only just come off the pill and hadn't really got to the stage of making the effort in terms of trying. So it was probably a weekend in June. Although I had thought I was a couple more weeks pregnant than my scans later determined, so this meant even less idea when it happened. Had originally thought I had had an implantation bleed at about 11th June, but that idea doesn't match the dates at all. Pregnancy all seems very confusing to me, and I am gklad there is someone else to sort out the EDD rather than me.

I thought I knew the exact date and time as was charting on Fertility Friend and made perfect sense to me but dating scan said I am a week further on than that date.

Didnt actually have sex then so cant be right, but I guess these things are never an exact science.

Had almost given up TTC as after miscarriage I didnt have a period for 7 months.

Am only pregnant because was on holiday and the sun went in and DP said "ooo that's going to be behaind a cloud for at least 15 minutes. What shall we do..?"

Hope everyone is having a nice day - am working from home but might just sit on the sofa and pretend I'm on maternity leave already.

Boobz - sorry about the dog, hope it turns out to be a sprain.

corgi - what bad timing on your arrival here ! Hope you either get what you need to get done in the office today or get to the shops !!

Hedgewitch - great pic !

JollyJoanne - I was one of those who thought I didn't have any stretch marks and then a few weeks before dd was born I went to a friend's bathroom that had a mirror opposite the loo, stood up and went OMG - they were hiding under the bump. I seem to have them in the same place this time but can't work out how much worse they've got !!

I can pin down conception date to one of two ddates - I was on my first cycle of clomid so was being scanned v. regularly so knew pretty much exactly when I ovulated. It coincided very 'nicely' with DH having to go away for 2 nights so we did the deed the morning he went and then as soon as he got back and I ovulated somewhere in between. So, if you believe the male/female sperm thing, once we know what sex this baby is we can probably say whcih date it was !

Oh Corgi - how horrible for Molly. And for you arriving in this crazy weather! I hope it doesn't turn out to be anything too serious for Jackson - she is like our baby and DH would be devastated if she was really poorly or had to be put down or anything. I think he gives her more kisses than me! No, seriously... Anyway she's in the vets now having x-rays so we should know more later on this afternoon - fingers crossed.

2 weeks to go today until mat leave (not that I am counting the days, hours, minutes or anything).

xx

No idea on conception, I stopped taking the pill and was pregnant before I even had another period (happened with DS1 too, which is why DH is going for the snip after this one!).

All I know is DH was in plaster after breaking his wrist and it was in June so MIL was probably asleep downstairs! (She was staying with us to help out with DS)

By the time we got around to telling people we were trying DS2 was on the way :-)

God I'm such a clutz at the moment. I've been organising and cleaning stuff all day, and feeling very proud of myself, but just took a massive tumble across our divan drawers. Completely forgot I'd pulled them out, was looking out the window like a moron, and just totally stacked it, landed on my side/back/arse. No obvious damage, apart from a bleeding and rather intriguingly swollen toe, but my spd has gone mad, and i feel all bruised and shaky. What an idiot!

Can't believe how shaken up and trembly i am. Damn hormones...

Boobz - I hope you have had good news about your dog. My cat had a really scary illness sometime back, but is now fully recovered, although on medication for life. It's horrible when pets are poorly, you feel so powerless.

wheelybug what's the male/female sperm thing?

Hope you're ok ellie FF - I feel ok about the change with dd - mainly though because its taken so long to get pregnant, dd is 4 and was asking for a brother or sister (well actually asking for a sister) and is very excited about the prospect so am looking forward to seeing her as a proud big sister. Fingers crossed, she still feels that way when s/he is here to stay .

Titmouse - apparently male sperm are supposed to swim faster but not last so long whereas female sperm are slower but last longer so, theory goes if you want a boy have sex on or just after ovulation, if a girl then have sex before ovulation.

interesting! I will sound really dim now but how long is the window of opportunity after ovulation, generally? Cos I do think I know when I ovulated, so voila I might be able to work out when I conceived!

[titmouse now realises she is a bit too obsessed with conception and maybe the time for that was, like, 33 weeks ago...]

I must admit the change worries me, partly because DS1 has CP as well, which means a lot of unpleasant appointments for him, and he's very wilful at the moment. It's difficult judging how much he understand about having a new brother as he's non-verbal. We have tried to prepare him (setting up the cot in his room, reading him Waiting For Baby etc).

ooh, I was really into all this conception stuff (this baby has taken a year to get in place). As far as I remember you have a week at the absolute outside that sperm can live before meeting the egg, but 3-5 days is more normal. So sex on Friday, conception (and ovulation) on Monday or Tuesday, that kind of thing.

My scan dates have this baby a week ahead of my dates, just the same as DS's did. And he came 7 days late (by scan) or dead on time (by my dates). So I don't know what to think.

I'm sure the deed that concieved this one was well before ovulation - I remember 'cos DH was feeling poorly and not up for much that month, and I was trying hard not to get too upset about a missed opportunity. I was due to start clomid the next month if I hadn't got pregnant! So I'm eager to report back on whether this one is a girl or not....

Boy I type slowly - how old is your DS, laumiere? Mine is very nearly 3, and 'very wilful at the moment' just about sums him up!

Yes, i too became obssessed by conception timing - I think the best chances are 2 days before, the day of ovulation itself and maybe the day after. But, possible for about a week as CaptainKarvol says.

fearless I totally understand what you mean - my dd is only 18mo and she is goingthrough such a cute stage where she has become really aware of me and wants lots of cuddles. I have to admit that I have been doing an awful lot of cuddles in return and I am really cherishing these last few weeks when there is just the 3 of us.

Conception for me was on my birthday !

ellie ouch - I hope you took a break from your nesting and put your feet up!

I am itching to nest - I have so many things I want to sort out - but at themoment I am far too tired to do it when I come home after work so it just niggles away at me - arrrrghhh!

boobz keeping my fingers crossed for your wee dog - and am also amazed that you stil want sex!

Going back to the chat about making up bottles - I think the whole boiling water thing (or rather water that has cooled down for 30min?!) is to kill any gugs in teh formula itself because the powder isn't sterile.

I have to admit that I made up my bottles for the day the night before and kept them in the fridge.

MKG is it right that you guys don't sterilise and just put your bottles through the dishwasher?

gugs - oops I meant bugs - sigh!

Also meant to say that from day one dd got her millk straight from eth fridge and we never had to faff about heating it up. She still likes her milk cold - and even likes her food cold!

Makes for an easy life for me

Meep God I really think you and I are living identical lives sometimes! I'm going through the exact same thing with DD2 - she's finally well, walking, really cute and happy and wanting lots of cuddles. I wonder how it's going to be when Number 3 comes along. Oh well, will just have to see how it goes.

I have to say, I breastfed both mine for six months - despite sheer hell to start with (am a stubborn B*stard sometimes) but I did have to do top up feeds with both of them, but I have to say I am completely paranoid when it comes to sterilising and following the instructions on the tin. I always used boiled water (even if it was cooled and then reheated) and I always gave them it warm as I think it's easier on their tummy. My nephew had cold milk and now my brother and SIL can't get him to eat anything hot and he's three now.

It might not necessarily follow with all children, but I do think they find it easier to digest warm milk - I guess it mimics breastmilk temp.

Anyway, that's just my experience and opinion.

Been getting some right sore and intense BH tonight. Still not got the baby bag packed for hospital. But we do have another car, so at least we have a means of getting there!

hello, all

Hedgewitch - remember you may find bf-ing a lot easier the second time, I had a nightmare with dd and then ds just latched on immediately and was away! depends so much on the baby

my doula is coming down to see me this week - looking forward to seeing her but also apprehensive - I am still in denial there is a baby that's coming soon!

feeling so cumbersome now - I am 35+3, if this was dd, I'd have her on Thursday! WEIRD

still can't decide if I am getting girl or boy vibes......

Hi All,

Hedgewitch Fab bump!! its grown loads since the last pics you posted, i am also carrying low and all at the front (makes mental note to post some of my pics)

Boobz Sorry to hear about your dog, how did you get on at the vets today?

laumiere I have similar worries about our new addition DD1 (6) also has SNs (ASD) and although she has excellent understanding (to good at times LOL) i suspect that the change will be difficult for her, this is the main reason i what this LO to have the odd formula feed to, as the thought of carting a baby around our various appointments will be abit to much - plus with time you have to wait to see some of these doctors, you dont want to get distracted and chance forgetting what you wanted to say. But i am sure your DS will be a super big brother and will not doubt cope better than you expect!! xxx

Well as for me today i feel about 90!! and i am still not sleeping right. Its been taking me while at least midnight to drop off and then i have been waking at 4/4.30am and then struggling to get back to sleep!! do you know i am sure it my bodies way of getting me ready of whats to come .

slickbird I am also getting lots of BHs mainly in the evening, but so far they arnt really painfull, but i dont feel alittle brused inplaces, and get that bag packed women!!! you could go any time now!!

Thanks for all the qs about Jackson my dog - she's back from vets and a host of X-rays and they couldn't find anything wrong with her, joints / bones wise. Which is a good thing but it does leave a bit of a mystery as to why she is in so much pain. She's on pain killers now and they are hoping it was just a sprain that I didn't notice her doing and that she's on the mend (not so poorly today, although a bit groggy from being at the vets).

Looks like we're all getting twinges and the start of things to come! Only 9 getty up days for work left and then I can come on here and post all day!