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.

Don't put money on me! I'm only 2 books into the twilight series and can't give birth until I finish the other 2.

where can i read lollis story ? can someone link , please ? x

MKG

I got DH to download the twilight series on to his Ipod so i can listen to it while in hospital.

I had the last harry potter book last time.

My main issue with the books is that I'm afraid I won't pay attention to the baby if I'm reading them. I know I'll put her to the side to finish them I'm so addicted LOL! I start the third tonight.

I've already read the books so i work on the theory if i miss a bit then i still no what happening.

Although I did listen to the same part of harry potter about 10 times before i managed to not fall asleep and move onto the next bit .

Morning everyone, big congrats to everyone with their bundles in their arms.

I am getting rather frustrated with these on off contractions, were really painfull yesterday afternoon and i was thinking yep this is it but then tailed off in to the evening, at least i got a good nights sleep i suppose!

I am just hoping that they are actually doing something and will make actual birth nice and quick but not too quick!

I really need to do some food shopping but am petrified about waters going in ASDA and i dont want to leave my house, thinking may do it online but have DD and if she distracts me god knows what we could end up with!

Hope everyone has a nice monday xx

OK, so everyone who's had a baby before, how close to your due date did you go into labour (for first babies I'm talking about).

I am still 2 weeks and 3 days off my due date but am secretly hoping that he comes early as I am READY! I know everyone says that first babies are traditionally late, so I'm trying to test the theory by asking everyone on here.

While I am typing this, the baby is doing some weird movements! Off to MW appointment in a tick so here's hoping she can tell me he's just wriggled his way closer to being fully engaged!

xxx

I had my DS (first child) at 38+2, am also secretly hoping to have this DS a bit before my due date, fingers crossed.

Good luck!

Boobz
Both my DD were born 1 day late but it all started on my due date.This time round (13 yrs later)My MW was convinced I'd be early, I was due yesterday, but nothing yet, so I obviously don't conform to the norm.

ds was 12 days late. was thinking this one might come a bit sooner but due on friday and no sign so might go over again!

So glad you posted that question, boobz!

I still haven't decided when my last day at work will be (here in Belgium, you legally have to leave one week before your due date - but if the baby comes early, you lose that week and don't get to use it post-birth, which I find ridiculous) and am trying to get a sense of whether it's completely irrational of me to expect to go on time/late.

Just back from the OB now, actually. 37 weeks today, and Cletus is head down and back to front, but not fully engaged, and I'm 1 cm dilated! Any correlation between the start of dilation and the onset of labour?

As the dr said cheerily, "That's one hour of labour gained right there!"

morning everyone,

I'm washing all the baby clothes and nappies today and trying to ignore my morning sickness which has made a very unwelcome return. I was hoping it might have something to do with the onset of labour but I am way off, aren't I?

I am going to the MW tomorrow to find out my current haemoglobin number. I have a bit of a dilemma, I don't want to have a HB if my levels are still below the desired 10.5 because I am actually quite scared at the thought of a haemorrage and in rush hour it could take about 40 mins to get to the hospital even though it is 10 mins away. I am also a bit concerned about blood loss in general and my MW did say they won't come out to me to do a HB if my levels are still as low as they are - and I agree with this.

I just don't know how long to leave it before I decide if I should go for the MLU instead. It is attached to the labour ward so if there was any PPH etc they could deal with it immediately.
Anybody have any experience of this or any thoughts?

have a good day ladies, let's hope for another March baby by bedtime!

xx

My dd was born at 37+4 but not naturally so I have no idea what I will do naturally (currently 38+3). I am one of 3 and we were 5, 8 and 11 days over (in that order and I was the last and induced !) but my maternal grandmother had both her children bang on due date (and knew these were v. accurate due dates due to the war !) so I am hoping that if there is any truth in the family history line (which I think there is) that either it skips a generation or my Mum's cycles were a bit up the creak. Otherwise, I stand less of a chance of a VBAC.

Baby is still flipping around in my ongoing saga of baby position and last night was definitely back to oblique although seems fine again this morning (and when it was oblique last night a quick poke sorted it out much to DH's horror). Hoping it hurries up and engages to stop it wandering off !

Looks like it's not ALL first baby late syndrome then - there's still hope!

Have just been to see MW who is possibly the nicest person in the world and I love her to bits. She's off tomorrow and Wednesday and again on the 16th and 17th, so need to make sure I don't have baby on those dates as then someone I don't know will come to house for HB.

Sod's law and all that... (no sex for DH tomorrow or Wedsnesday though!)

Ok, so Boobz's second question of the day: How old was your LO when you first took them on a major abroad holiday? DH and I are thinking of going campervanning (old school VW camper) in late July for a couple of weeks, around the Dolomites in Italy. Are we mad? We're taking the dog too - eek!

xx

Boobz I had a show at 6.30am on the day after my due date with dd and contractions started that morning. She finally arrived at 40+3! So I reckon I would have been pretty much bang on if she hadn't been back to back.

Saw the Consultant today to get all my consenting done for my c-section - has made it all seem more real! I asked what happened to my waters given that my "belly dweller" (love that phrase hedgewitch!) will still be inside them when he/she is evicted. They said that sometimes they splash out and the surgeon has to jump out of the way - so I am going to be watching for that when ths time comes as it will make me laugh.

I really want to see what is going on this time - not so much that I can see my open belly - just a bit more than last time. Am I a bit weird?!!! I've also asked that I get skin to skin contact more quickly this time round so hopefully I can have lovely newborn cuddles straight away.

titmouse I am a big fan of being near the hospital for labour - I am a big scaredy cat (because of my job) and want to be close to the people with the drugs/knives/stuff to fix you and the baby up. That being said a hospital birth may be more likely to lead to interventions you don't want.

I think take your mw's advice - I reckon if you have a good mw they will be able to guide you to the right path and only insist on a hospital birth for you if it is a real worry to do a HB.

Fingers corssed that your levels are good and you don't need to make a decision and can get the birth you want.

More babies since I last looked. Very exciting!

Boobz - I went into labour at 39+6 with DD and she arrived 24 hours later (back to back labour so very hard going). So some first babies are definitely early/on time rather than the traditional thought that first babies are late.

Hedgewitch - I am getting lots of twinges like you. Sometimes the BH and backache is so painful I'm convinced it must be 'the day' but then everything stops again. Very annoying. Once I am finally in real labour probably won't believe it.

Morning ladies!

I don't know if this will help anyone, but if you haven't bought a sterilser or boob pump yet it might.

I went to Boots on Saturday, and they're selling the Tommee Tippee steam steriliser for half price (was £39.99) and their boob pump for half price too (was about £24) so I ended up with both for £32!

Does anyone else not like being touched at the mo or is it me? DH was rubbing the back of my neck yesterday and it just made me grouchy... lol. Why do I get the feeling I'll want to bite his head off if he does it during labour

For some reason today I felt the need to scrub the top of the freezer... weird. Also cleaned the top of the fridge, hob and am about to hoover and dust everything. Most unlike me!

Hope you're all ok out there

boobz I know two first babies born recently who were early by a couple of weeks and my sister, who was first, was early by a week, I know some firsts born late as well but I'm not inclined to go with the 'first is usually late' theory.

meep thanks for your comments re my iron/homebirth situation, I think you're right I will see what my MW says tomorrow and try not to worry too much.

Boobz DD was born at exactly 37 wks, we went on a Sun Hol when she was 10 wks old, caravan but static one! Then went fuerteventura on honeymoon with her at exactly a year, was breastfeeding on 1st one so fairly easy and took a kettle to be on safe side on 2nd, my general feeling with her has always she has to fit in with us and our plans, and touch wood she always has with no probs!

I keep popping back to see if anybody else has given birth!

After what has been said here about cycles etc, I am now fully expecting her to be born at the weekend - but could be any one really! I have always been irregular (in 7 day lumps). I'm starting to think she will be late as am know 37+4 and there is just NOTHING going on. Still not even a BH!

I've started baking anyway. As am getting bored with not much to do.

boobz, if it makes you feel better about the Dolomites, we're currently scheduled to schlep across the Atlantic to visit my family when Cletus will be three months old, give or take.

Am feeling very grumpy now, as the original plan seemed "easy" - take a direct flight from Brussels to Chicago, meet my parents and drive 4 hours to my cousin's wedding at a nice summer resort in Michigan. Great opportunity to tick a LOT of family boxes with one stone, to mix my metaphors, and relax in a pleasant setting.

But was on phone with my mother last night and now want to SCREAM, as she's saying, "Well, you know, your gram won't be coming to the wedding, and a lot of other family members might also give it a miss - so it might be better to come to Houghton (the town where most of the family live), and then your aunt is only a few hours away from Chicago...and...and..."

I'm sorry, but to get to Houghton, we'd have to fly from Brussels to Amsterdam, from Amsterdam to Minneapolis, spend the night because of the connections, and take another tiny prop plane to Houghton. I DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT with a three-old! So now am feeling totally selfish and guilty as my mother keeps on about my gram saying "I hope I get to hold that baby before I die."

Sorry for the rant - just needed to get it off my (now 36C!!) chest.

law, enjoy being bored, I can almost guarantee that you will never have the time to do nothing again!!!

And don't worry about not having any symptoms - I had no symptoms/warning signs with dd until I had a show and that just kick started the whole thing.

My mw said she could feel BH but I defeinitely couldn't - so you nnever know there could be things happening that you don't know about.

corgi stick to your guns about travel, though saying that you'll probably find it easier the younger your wee one is. It's when they develop and mind of their own that they do not make good travel companions!

I think you're very brave anyway. I intend to stay at home and let everyone visit me this time round. Though we are off to Mull in June for a week away with the whole family - but atleast that means plenty of babysitters!

Boobz: my ds1 was born 40 + 3 after a show on the due date and waters breaking the next day. Now I don't get any signs at all that labour is to start...

Corgi: I am sure you will feel up to anything when baby is 3 months old...and you will be so proud you'll fly anywhere just to show him off!!

titmouse: sorry to hear of return of dreaded MS...I get sick too when I don't sleep well and have to get up early. I never had this problem before so must be my extremely ancient age then.

Hedgewitch: My belly dweller moves a lot which makes me wince, especially that grinding of the head thing they do. Keep off my bladder!!!

Feeling ok though, am 37 weeks today so considered full term. Will be eating hot chilli jam with EVERYTHING from now on...

talking of kicking I think I have a little cossack dancer in here. How do they manage to kick on both sides at the same time?

also I spied boobies somewhere does everyone have their maternity/feeding bras already? Is it any time after 36weeks I should get one or is it best to leave it as late as possible? I'm worried they are going to balloon so much further. I wast a 36HH before I got into this state so any ideas where to get them big enough for milk vats??