Due April 2009 - Episode 13 - Springy's getting married in the morning, Ding Dong the April mums will shine (or at least swell some more!!

[SmuttyNuttyTaff]

here we go

Oooh I could do the garden this afternoon - that would be an idea - not planting just ripping out all the dead stuff from the winter!

Electra, it sounds to me like you are approaching this with the perfect attitude - again everything is crossed keep us updated on how you are feeling and what the drs say x

Sad news Electra, but another way of looking at it is that they are giving you tlc and you have good medical help to fall back on if there really is a problem.

hope it goes OK for your Electra (())

Beautiful day here too. Spring has sprung
I have my last gig for a while tonight should be rocking though.

Hi everyone
Electra - sorry you are having to go through this worry, remember the docs are watching all the time and they will look after you and your baby.
I was induced with my DS1 at 39+4 due to pre-eclampsia. I had waters broken at 9.30am and although it started contractions, they weren't regular enough so at 1.30pm(ish) they started me on syntocin (sp) drip. I had my wee man at 15.42 precisely
Anyway I just wanted to let you know that my induction wasn't all scary and horrendous and awful. MW's were very relaxed, which meant I was relaxed too. Fair enough the contractions after the drip started were pretty major, but I managed to get through them without pain relief. (I had G&A in early labour but it pissed me off feeling spaced out, so I gave up on it in the end) I'm not saying I'm super woman or anything, I did do a lot of swearing and I was VERY loud. But I managed, and I can look back on it with a smile. I really just wanted you to know that just because it's an induction, doesn't mean a horrific birth. Mine was lovely.

Boffin - I am in so much pain, it's making me utterly miserable, so you have my sympathies entirely. It's one of the reasons I've been feeling shit lately. If I have been sitting down for a while, even if I've felt comfortable, it's terrible when I get up. I'm limping about now, which is embarrassing. I still have to walk DS to nursery every day which is a 15 minute walk (although I have to allow an extra 10 mins these days) I wear my support belt for this and it gets me there and back but it's bloody sore. Thankfully my mum is starting to accept I am really in pain and has now offered to help with nursery run as much as she can.

BB - ok I've told my induction story, and although mine was a positive one I will be avoiding it at all costs unless there is a health reason like last time. Even if my baby is late I will opt for monitoring rather than induction. The one single reason for this, is that with DS I spent a lot of time wondering, daydreaming about how will my labour start, will I panic or will I be a perfect, relaxed, earth mother. With induction I obviously didn't get that so this time I'm determined to have my wee dream.

Glaskham - Congratulations, can't believe one of us has our baby already [panic panic panic] I'm still trying to convince myself 8 weeks is a long long way off!

Can't remember who said it but I agree with the Russell Brand thing. I pity him if he ever finds himself alone in a room with me. Poor guy

Guys I've bought the natal hypnotherapy CD by Maggie Howell and so far I'd say get it. Ok I've only listened to it once, and with it being my first time listening I didn't think it would have much effect. Bloody hell it was great, I was sooooooo relaxed after it. It is making me feel very positive about the birth already.

Ok I'll have my moan now but I'll keep it short as possible. Basically I'm living with my mum just now til the council can house me. Originally mum was happy for me to be on waiting list and whenever council had a house that would be fine, even if it meant a new baby in her house as well as myself and DS. Well a couple of weeks ago, after speaking to someone she knows who works in housing dept, she casually informed me I was to put myself on homeless list and really should be out before baby is born. So last wee while has been pretty horrendous, my stress levels and her stress levels have gone way up. At same time as she revealed this to me, I was already starting to worry about her (she is bi-polar) she hasn't been sleeping and has been progressively getting higher and higher, which I as her main carer feel responsible for. I am always the one who has to take control when she gets ill and I am never ever very good at coping with it. So not only am I trying to cope with her possibly getting worse, I feel I am the one causing it, I am invading her space.
It's just all a bit pete tong just now, and sorry for moanaing but it is good to just blurt it out.
Sorry this is such a long post.

Hey tristal

Oooh that is a difficult situation, you are coping so well (I would be much less calm if it were me!) I really hope you can get it sorted - let us know if there is anything we can do to help!

Thanks everyone for induction advice but think I should clarify - Really I do not want to have an induction nor have I scheduled one, I just have an automatic appointment one week after my due date to discuss induction options but I am sure this LO will be so excited to see me that he or she will be out way before that date!

Feeling very virtuous - have cleaned the house from top to bottom (even scrubbed the cupboard fronts), made a cake which is now baking away in the oven (and feel slightly sick from licking the bowl - which I am sure is not allowed in pregnancy!)and I am going to start the garden in a little while. Will then go and do a little shop and come back and consider doing the ironing (although after the burning incident not sure it is such a good idea!)

Just quickly has anyone got any ideas about how to stop the damn cats pooing in my garden. Two doors down have 7 cats and it is a nightmare!!! (sure all of you with cats have lovely non-pooing ones!) but one of the little blighters actually came in to the house one evening (about 10 months ago) through our loft bedroom window and did its mess all over our spare bed!!! anyway bar poison (joke!) what can I do to keep them away - have tried bark, one of those cat alarm things (they don't work!)and there are now about 50 piles of doo in my back garden that I have to get! grrr

what about these, are they the cat alarm things you meant?

Yes - I paid £30 for one in B&Q and they just don't work - it's still there just in case but the piles of poo in my back garden beg to differ...

A few tips I just stole from the world wide web:

Fairly heavily sprinkle cinnamon, citrus peel or fresh coffee grounds on the area. You may need to repeat this process every couple of days and after rain.

Spray the area with some citrus essential oil -- lemon or orange.

Spread a few garlic cloves around the area.

Spray the area with vinegar or red wine vinegar.

Place a few pine cones around the area.

Use a commercial cat repellent available from many pet stores or vets. (e.g. 'Shake-Away Domestic Cat Repellent Urine Powder)

You can also try keeping the area damp as cats generally prefer to use dry soil.

Keep a spray bottle of water handy and if you see the cat in the area, give it a quick squirt with water. Don't drench the cat -- just a quick one-second squirt is usually enough to deter it. Again, it will eventually get the idea that this is not an area for it to do its business.

Thanks tristal - right am off to tackle the poo!!!

Speak later x

Thanks tristal - right am off to tackle the poo!!!

Speak later x

Have fun!

Get a dog

or

Collect up all the poo in a jiffy bag and put it through the letterbox of the cats' owner.

Never liked cats myself. Odd creatures.

BB - I can't imagine what it's like to see someone you love so much grieveing and knowing you can't make it better. DH's mother passed away long before we met but each milestone in DD's life and the birth of ths new one is somethng he will never get to share with her and I know it is hard for him. Sounds like you and your LO are doing a great job of looking after hm though. Your post really choked me up.

As for screaming, i'm sure it can't help as it must raise your blood pressure. I was more of a groaner, I sounded like Geoff Capes in labour.

Smutty - Make up on a man is a big plus for me.

Oh gosh Electra, I really hope everything is okay and they are simply being extra cautious. When is your next scan?

I'm not a cat person either (although have met some lovely cats) but then grew up with 11 in the house next door to me (we live in the countryside) and now there is 7 down the road and I have to say I hate cat poo more than anything - I would rather pick up dog poo than that stuff!! Let's just say I have now picked up enough to last the entire summer so from now on DH is in charge of that!

I like make up on a man, eyeliner especially and I am not averse to a dirty boy but Mr Brand actually makes me want to gag! [grin}

It is hard, he is very good tho - he does talk to me, or he will say he is sad but doesn't want to talk, it just happens at such random times, like when we were walking along the beach the other night with chips and this morning at 2am when it just suddenly grabbed him!

Was thinking of trying to get him something for when the baby is born and am now edging towards one of those pocket watch things but one that you can put a photo in and put one of his dad in - will do some investigating...

Complete change of subject, just got changed and caught sight on my nipples - dear lord they are huge!!! was wuite shocked my poor child is going to be so scared of them bfing will be a nightmare!!

there are so many spelling mistakes in that I can't even begin to correct them!!!

The sun is shining here too. We have just been down to the pond and had a gambol about on the common. I'm ready for bed now.

Trista - I hope the SPD eases for you. What some of you ladies have to endure really puts my petty little gripes into perspective.

Thanks for the cd recommendation.

I know how you feel - I just ripped up the flower beds ready for planting in a couple of weeks and I am shattered! That and I feel like an old woman with my aching back!! Am about to head to waitrose to pick up some bits for dinner then home, finish off the cake and then that is me done!

Don't get me wrong I AM NOT NESTING but does feel good to be domestic for once - DH will be very proud!!!

BB, I would have offered to come over to shoot them with the greatest of pleasure, but I was worried Nutty would attack me with a shopmobility wagon, and also the RSPCA might shoot me back.

Hello all,

Sorry things are not going well for some of you.
Electra, hopefully the babe will grow like a horse this next week and everything will be fine.
Trista, it sounds horribly stressful the situation you're in. Take it in steps and focus on the positives and moving forawrd and soon things will have sorted themselves out.
BB, poor Dh, you and the babe; it sounds like you're finding your way by being there when he needs a chat. That's often the way with people, they manage to push it away or deal with it until a moment comes when they struggle and that's when we need to be there to take care of them again.
Boffin sorry the SPD is back again, but it sounds like Nutty is quite right in saying you'll likely recover quickly, which means your endurance will return quickly too and the weight you've been concerned about will seem to melt away again.

It's been a beautiful day here too. DH and I went into town early and did a little birthday shopping for his sister and he bought me a new PS3 game to play for my birthday, as well as a lovely short sleeved top for after the birth. (I'm assuming its going to fit, though I cannot be completely sure I guess) AND there's a new little kiosk which is selling grilled bratwurst in town (for those of you that remember that I was desiring some) It was SO good I nearly melted. Now I'm back home and after doing some tidying (we have guests again this evening staying over) I have given up because my sciatica is acting up again. So, what is not done already, will not be getting done I fear unless DH comes back early from his bike ride (which is unlikely considering the beautiful weather). I'm still feeling rather happy even with an increasingly sick feeling rising in my tummy. I do hope I won't need to vomit while the guests are here..that would be embarrassing...

Oh yes BB..I forgot pepper...red cayenne pepper mixed into the soil... will deter cats right quick

Trista - It sounds to me like you do need your own space as soon as possible. It's terribly difficult when you feel responsible for a parent, which BTW you are not. You shouldn't have to be worrying about anyone but you and your son at the moment. I hope you find somewhere soon. x

And Boffin cat meat is not very good from what I hear...very stringy and tough...