Due May 2009 - Childbirth is getting closer and it's giving us the (blue) willies!!

[SpangleMaker]

In honour of llareggub's DS's painting experiments........

belgianchocolates i've had my feet up all evening and no difference so far... will see how I they are in the am. Hands so far are fine and no headaches etc. I had my last MW check last wednesday, i've had a bit of dizzyness but my blood pressure was unusually low so put it down to that... i will phone the antenatal clinic if need be for a blood pressure check etc.

Yes, Fi, see what they're like in the morning, I'm sure your feet will be better after a night's rest and you've got no headaches/spots in front of your eyes either, which is good. Last time your pre-eclampsia wasn't picked up until 38 weeks, so that's actually not bad, so I think it's unlikely to be that. But still having had it before it's wise to be a bit more on the look out for all the signs, isn't it.

Evening all

DH and I went to Edinburgh at the weekend to deliver a customer's car back to him (DH thought I would find it 'fun').

We got lost in Central Edinburgh, as they had shut quite a few roads because of the 6 Nations at Murrayfield on Sunday and the Sat Nav just got more and more hysterical as we sailed past the Greyfriars Bobby Pub for the fourth time.

I pointed out to DH (I was rather fed up by this point) that it was a little like our relationship, going round in circles but getting nowhere. A bit cruel, but we've had a few problems - if I had 4 wheels and an engine and was WORTH MONEY I would be more precious to him. The other night he watched me stagger in with shopping (that I'm not supposed to go and get as I should not be pushing trolleys) and then watched me put it all away, after I had tearfully pointed out to him that I was in extreme pain (SPD, quite a few of you know the pain, I am always banging on about it), then sat on his arse in the living room, while I sobbed in pain in the kitchen. Whilst making tea. Yes, I was making everyone's tea after doing the shopping and putting the shopping away. After a full day at work. Martyr, me?

He had booked us into a gorgeous 5 star Hotel in Edinburgh though, with a HUGE Jacuzzi bath (oh the bliss), the comfiest bed ever.........He is forgiven.

Sorry for the rant - I think I only ever post whiney whinges on here.

Got an email from one of our Supervisors today (yes, a grown man with a responsible job), wondering if I had had 'defecates' locating his flight booking. I think he meant difficulties.

chocbunny take it easy.

Fikelly I'm suffering from swelling ankles at the moment but like you my hands haven't swelled up and as far as I know bp is okay. I have a scan/midwife/consultant check up tommorrow morning so will mention it to them just in case.

looking forward to seeing baby again. Must remember to tell the sonographer I don't want to know the sex. Also must remember wee pot.

Re: Anti D.
I am rhesus neg and DH is O negative do I still need to have the injection?

grumpy Lol at 'defecates'

looby I think if you know for sure that dh is neg, than you can skip the anti-D. Have a word with the docs when you're at the hospital, though I've got a colleague who made her husband have a blood test to see what blood group he was, just so she could get away with the anti-D

Today I had the most amazing experience with my ds(7). At bedtime he burst out crying over something I said, nothing serious, I hadn't been angry, just I just corrected something he said. Anyway, he just couldn't calm dawn and it spiralled into a proper tantrum, so I told him that needed him to calm down and then I'd be in to see him. I sorted out dd and he sounded like he was calming down, but at the sight of me he started of again. I tried talking to him and calming him, but nothing worked. In the end I told him to turn over (he was lying in bed) and rubbed his back, because I know that that really relaxes him, it has done ever since he was a baby. Anyway, the effect was like magic, as soon as my hand touched his back he stopped crying, it took seconds. Absolutely amazing. After that he just went to sleep in no time.

Hallo all - not been on for a while as have a friend satying from Madrid. Alapala she lives near you in Ciudalcampo but can't remember where you are...?!

Just caught up on the new thread - hope all are feeling better post rants about unsympathetic partners, PIL etc. Good news on the heart murmur spangle (and also on the Bee!! )

Had a bit of a surprise today as we had our 4d scan (will post the pic in a bit) - we were both convinced that we were having another pink one and we are actually now on the blue team! My mum who was with us was whooping for joy but we were both really shocked as were convinced we were having a Maisie. Staring to get used to the news now - which sounds awful but was just a bit of a shock for some reason. Bit like frazz DH reaction I guess!?

Need to start some serious name thinking as we are struggling to reach an agreement!

Frazz I have now lost my engagement ring I'm sure its in the house as I remember it being loose as I was washing out DDs bubble machine but now I cannot find it anywhere. Have searched high and low - u bends and everywhere to no avail. Reported it to the insurers today who were of course very sceptical in the current economic times! I suggested they send someone to come and look for it - just want it back, thats all.

Mami mio stuff is lovely - i use it a lot but will be splurging on the site with the offer (to cheer myself up, I love the tummy oil and the shower cream...)

Ok then off to look at blue things... xx

Trying to remember who needed to hear any funny stories earlier today... frazzle?

DH reminded me of one but it also makes me go 'oh no!' too.

A colleague of his at work who has a little girl about the same age as our DS & was ready for potty training but was doing strange things... she would say she needed to pee so they would go off to the potty and she would sit there for a while... not pee, say she was done and then run off and wee on the floor. This wasn't too bad but then they found that she had pulled out & pee'd in her mums undies draw... luckily not containing anything special these days. they had to keep a very close eye on her when she got off the potty as she wanted to do it repeatedly?!

Belgian Aaaah to your little DS. My DD also in tears tonight (very unusual as she's generally laid back). She was upset because her spellings for the week are 'too hard'. Bless. Back rubbing or 'scratchies' in my house always seem to do the trick when a bit of calming down is required.

Am also a bit worried tonight. Was borderline obstetric cholestasis with DD1 and had horrific itching that stopped me sleeping almost completely for the 6 wks before she was born. Can't actually put into words how dreadful the experience was, but picture being 36 wks pg, itching all over, 3am sitting in a cold bath of water sobbing, scratching my skin until it bled. And repeat 24 hrs a day every day / night. Hideous. Anyway was totally fine with DD2. Today I've been feeling a bit itchy all over. Feet, arms, hands, stomach slightly, neck etc. Have slapped on moisturiser and just had warm bath with clarins body oil in it in case I'm just a bit dry. But am completely paranoid I'm getting the horrific itch again and don't know what I'll do if I am. I'm not even 27 wks yet. To be honest my diet hasn't been great (due to cravings for chocolate mainly) and I wonder if that is something to do with it? Am I putting my liver under too much strain? I actually lost weight last pg due to cravings for fresh fruit and not eating much else for the last 3 months of pg. I am considering switching on to an almost fat-free diet and limiting sweet stuff - any advice from anyone? Anyone been through this before and have any tips? From experience last time all I got given was Piriton (which did nothing) and told to put moisuriser on. Useless advice. They were going to induce me as I then had reduced fetal movements but she was born naturally before they did.

This sounds so pathetic in comparison to you ladies with SPD which I know from friends experience is agonising.

oh detsy I'm so glad you're back. Was just thinking about you today........and Congratulations on your little boy! I totally understand your shock, but hope you can get your head round it soon. (Although I did think you were going to be 'good' and wait for the surprise on the big day - what changed your mind?) Can't wait to see your 4D pic - hurry up and put it on! I want to see it!

Have said all along I wasn't going to bother with a 4D but having seen a few pics recently they look so, so real I'm quite tempted to go and see my little man!
And also am so sorry to hear you've lost your engagement ring. I was devastated when I thought mine was gone (for a whole week) and cried when I found it. Get your DH to take your sofa apart - cushions off, lift it right up and go right underneath. With a bit of luck yours will be on the carpet twinkling at you like mine was. But do keep looking, I bet it's around somewhere. Have you tried asking Lottie where it is? You never know, she might just have seen / hidden it! My DD's love my jewellry. I reckon they're already deciding which bits they want when I kick the bucket!
I've ordered the Mama Mio shower cream (haven't had that before) and the body cream (which I went through loads of last time) - yum. I've not used the boob tube either so looking forward to my freebie of that - god knows my boobs could do with some help!
And I think my new bra is definitely destined for the bin. It's annoying, unflattering and not even comfy. Sod it, I'm going back to my underwired ones! Must have a look at hotmilk tonight too.
Sorry huge post. Still feeling grotty and gloomy. sorry. But fi thanks for the funny story. Made me smile.

I haven't had cholestasis, but obviously know a little about it. I think the piriton is meant to take the worst of the itching away, but usually you're put on other meds as well (e.g. urso, that's short for something I can't remember and vit K). I'm surprised they advised you to use moisturiser for the itching, because with cholestasis the itching isn't caused by dry skin as far as I'm aware. The other drugs normally stabilise your liver function somewhat and as a result reduce the itching too. They usually do regular bloods liver function bloods on you as well if you've got cholestasis. I hope for you that you don't get it again. Hopefully it's just the freezing weather making your skin dry and moisturising will sort you out Don't worry about complaining, personally I'd rather get SPD/PGD than cholestasis, at least I can take pain killers and it wont harm my baby. Cholestasis is more serious and itching CAN drive you mad (I've got eczema too, so I know about itching!).

detsy - oh do tell me what names you're considering? I've gone off all my name choices and dH is in a huff. I need some decent inspiration......

frazzle it could be a reaction to the chocolate... I've been having a similar problem with choc this time. I had a few of DH's roses chocs a few weeks ago and then got dreadful itchyness... anywhere my clothes were a bit tight got huge raised welts that if i scratched them they all joined up together to make really big ones. Basically i'm getting hives/nettle rash... or an urticarial rash as the docs call it. mine looks like these pics when it's coming up... & when it's fading...

belgian I was only (apparently) borderline for the cholestasis so didn't get any other drugs for it. But I do know that the Piriton did absolutely nothing, And it was about 3 wks before they did the blood tests for liver function anyway. Before that my Gp just said it was hormonal, or an allergy even though it was hands and feet particularly (and bump). Maybe it was a bit of both. I can't even get my notes to check as apparently they are 'lost' - the hosp I was in when DD was born nearly 8 yrs ago was closed down / condemned a few wks after I had her and is now luxury apartments! My notes have never made it to my new hosp and are apparently lost forever.

Maybe I'm just bizarre though as after DD was born the itching didn't go away as it is meant to with cholestasis. It was awful for a few more wks until I went to an acupuncturist / chinese medical centre where they diagnosed that my liver wasn't working properly and neither were my kidneys. They did 3 sessions of acupuncture on specific liver / kidney points over 5 days (quite sore) and by the end of it the itching had totally gone. So god knows what was going on.
God I'm waffling.
I'm actually boring myself so apologies to you lot.
x

fi - thanks for that info. But the bizarre thing is that there is no rash or anything at all (same last time). And it feels like the itch is under my skin, almost like my blood is itchy. Ugh. Makes me feel sick thinking about it. Does yours go away if you keep off the chocs?

Wow, you lot have been chatty today!

Sorry to hear about the PGD, chocolatebunnies, sounds miserable. I have mild pelvic pain, self diagnosed PGP, and seeing the chiropractor keeps it just about managable as long as I don't pick DD up too much. I've taught her how to come down the stairs on her hands and knees (backwards!) this week so that I dont have to carry her all the time.

Frazzledoldbag - hope the itching isn't the start of cholestasis, it sounds unpleasant.

I've got my glucose tolerance test and my AntiD next Tuesday, that sounds like a fun day! Makes sense to get them both over in one day, I'll take the day off work (even though I work part time) as it means I won't have to take DD with me to the hospital. I've got to have the antiD as DH is rhesus positive and I'm negative.

detsy congrats on your boy & also can;t wait to see your 4d pic

I've just had a liver function test due to a rash on my wrists and hands. I was pretty convinced it was due to the frequent hand-washing caused by testing my blood sugar four times a day, but the consultant was concerned enough to run a liver function test. I'm pretty sure its harmless, as I'm a pretty rashy person, but this itching is driving me mad!

It is snowing here today, and due to snow until 6am so not sure what my plans are for tomorrow yet!

Frazzled, now I'm not an expert, but we do NEED fat. It's difficut to eat too little though, but you can develop itchy skin if you're not lubricating it enough 'from within' so to speak.

frazzle yes it stops if i avoid the culprits... weirdly i'm ok with cadbury's choc mini rolls but not with solid/concentrated forms of choc. A green and blacks hot choc is ok too... so i'm having to be careful when i need to get my sweet fix...

frazzled that sounds like torture. No less than anyone elses. I don't think you'd have anything to lose by going healthy - give your liver as much help as you can. Maybe as well as that you could try something like milkweed tincture (although I don't know if its ok to have in pg) and/or dandelion root tincture, both supposed to stimluate bile production from memory. I used to drink a lot of dandelion "coffee" to help my liver, its supposed to be good for that but TBH I've been a bit off it since pg. But its not bad with honey. Healthfood shops have it all.

detsy - right, this is a bit freaky! I love vodka, I used to work in HR, and DD2 has that bouncy chair that Lottie is in (blue fabric with white pattern). I'm not stalking you by the way, was just excited and went on your profile to see your baby boy pic! - which wasn't there so am very disappointed now. Boo Hiss.

i really hope you find your engagement ring too detsy

Thanks everyone. polony - I'll look into those remedies. I think I took milk thistle last time, but not sure if I waited till after DD born???? Too long ago I can't remember. I've certainly taken it in the past to combat a killer hangover! (in case you're interested take 3 capsules with a pint of water when you get home, plastered, and in the morning you'll have almost no hangover!) God, I sound like a lush. I'm not really, just used to get really awful 2 day hangovers! Hmmmm, maybe that's why my liver isn't happy......

grumpy was it the balmoral? when i lived in edinburgh all I could afford in there was the occasional treat of their afternoon tea... a sumptuous multi-tiered cake & sandwich selection while listening to the tranquil tunes the pianist played... what a lovely surprise from your DH

And I was going to be a big old hippy and suggest acupuncture as well, when I posted I hadn't seen that bit.