Due May '09, a Spangle-tastic start, who will be next....anyone, anyone........?

[Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa]

Starting new thread ladies, in honour of Spangle.

I'll have to find this gadget your all going on about could do with a bit of a tidy up

I have 4 days left at work -yay! I am so looking forward to my week of relaxation and pampering myself before induction. Trouble is I've just been told that we are having my stepdaughter for a few days that week I know I'm being selfish but I need time on my own to chill out about things and clean house, bulk cook, etc.

blotted - sorry to hear about your crap day, hope things improve. DH really should go to his union (hard to convince him, I know) but they'll be able to check that things have been done properly. I'm civil service too, and went to the union when I was having a problem with HR (refusing to admit that I'm entitled to childcare vouchers when I'm on ml, despite legal evidence otherwise!) - funnily, I got the answer within hours of telling HR I'd gone to the union . NOt the same situation at all, I know, but it can help sometimes.

Belgian - well done you! And how good to be told so quickly.

chocbunnies - well done you too! I'm glad you're enjoying the new steps too.

loubylou - sorry to hear about your rubbish appointment, but good that the MW is coming round to discuss what happens with you properly.

I used a TENS machine when I was in labour with DD, it was fab, but I can't remember where I hired it from. Any recommendations for hire places. Or even buying one if price is ok?

Another question - raspberry leaf capsules: I know it's 36 weeks, but how many/often etc? Did the tea last time, but like the idea of capsules more.

I've got my appt next week with the MW to start all the home birth plans! Yay and eek!

Yo gals

LOl at the lady garden topiary sessions. I have a strimmer and am bookig in for a double hot wax next week - can't stand it any longer!

Belgian - woo hoo, woo hoo, well done you!! Must have made a fab impression esp as they have let you know so early - Big congrats to you xx

Choc you too, you clever thing - so glad you are facing down your demons, very proud of you xx

I've started on my caulophyllum and bought rasp leaf capsules and clary sage oil today. I know I can't use the oil just yet but will be making some up for my ankle rubs in next few weeks ;)

PAH to registrars - they need to go on people skills courses as part of their training - don't understand where they sit in overall hospital hierarchy anyway!!

Re baby weights, Pip was 5lb 9oz ish last week at 35 weeks (or was that 34??) so I make that a birth weight of approx 8lb 9oz only 2 packs of butter bigger than Lotti so should be a breeze

That book I got and have now just about read - stand and deliver by emma mahoney is excellent, would recommend it. Off to finish it in the bath now.

I've hired a TENS machine from Boots online (on the recommendation of my SIL)

Have got Raspberry Leaf capsules - it says to take one capsule 3 to 6 times daily with meals from 36 wks.

Flippin boots hire tens and at a decent price for 6 weeks hire (4 + 2 weeks free) plus you get adv points (if you have a card..) Think it was £25 or thereabouts ish

Rasp Leaf capsules - I got strong ones (900mg) and you take 2 capsules per day from 36 weeks - brand is Bio Health from health food stores

Am also starting to chill about induction - maybe if i have to one again, it'll be faster and may work on gel alone without mega drip stuff

Thanks for all those messages. I'm truly overwhelmed. It's amazing. [all choked up again emoticon]

After the photoshoot the dcs and I joined dh for a drink and a meal in the local pub (nothing fancy, just one of those 2 for £10 deals). DH had fled the house, because he didn't want to have to go on the pictures. He had already had a few drinks by the time I got there and so when I joined him he asked if I'd like a drink. I said yes and he went off before asking me what kind of drink . So I had a surprise drink, lol. He came back with a glass of red wine, not quite what I fancied, but hey, it had alcohol in it so I didn't complain too much

The photoshoot was kind of weird really. The photographer loved the light coming in through our big patio windows, but she opened them to stand outside with me in just my knickers indoors shivering away trying to look all dreamy, happy, glowingly pregnant and not cold

Oh blotted I'm sorry to hear you had a rubbish day. Hope your dcs get better soon. How unfair about your dh. Maybe something should be said to their HR dept to let them know it was discriminating the way the applications were done.
Your mum's TMI story really did make me laugh. We joke about calling this one Luton. It was as good as certainly conceived down there, because dh was away during my fertile period and so we decided to meet half way between b'ham and gravesend, i.e. the Easy hotel in Luton. The checking out bit was embarrassing, because I had told the ap I was on a long shift, but was actually only on an early. After work I jumped in the car, drove down, did the deed, went home. I was in that hotel for about 4h and so off course I'm pretty sure the staff at the desk knew what me and dh had been up too. I think they must have thought we're having an affair

Febes have you checked out your local[[http://www.uk.freecycle.org/ freecycle] for something temporary until you can get what you really want. I don't know if you know it, but it's a site where people give away old stuff that's still perfectly OK, but not always sellable. I got rid of my last pram on there after being unable to sell it on eBay, the bargain pages or the MN pages. It was like new and some one got it for free! Kiddicare does do good deals. I still don't understand how Mothercare ever sells stuff with shops like Kiddicare around.

Also says to take NOT before 28 weeks so am starting mine now _ rasp leaf that is

I took one tablet a day for a week.. but didn't have much of a chance to continue as pe arrived and got induced! so don't know if and when we can up the dosage?!

belgian photshoot sounds interesting

flippineck, BabycareTens are good.

I wasn't sure whether or not to hire one this time but have decided it was worth it even to give me something other than contractions to concentrate on.

oh, another thing to get at Holland and Barratts: raspberry leaf tea - think i'll get the capsules, though.

Fi am tempted to just down everything with a big slug of castor oil in a couple of weeks!! Anything to avoid synto wotsit stuff

I want to know more about the lady garden strimmer gadget too. I'm wondering what you're on about, I need a tidy up too.

chocbunnies I meant to say earlier. Sounds like you've cracked the going out thing. We're all so proud of you. It's so nice isn't it when you're out of the house gives both you and Madi something else to do.

I'm about worried about when to start the raspberry leaf tablets. I only took them for 2 days and went into labour with ds. I'd love to take them again, but maybe I'll hang on a bit. I'm very sensitive to herbal remidies and don't want to get myself into early labour. This reminds me of a thread a few years ago about a woman who went to buy some rasperry leaf tea tablets and they refused to sell them to her because they might bring on labour

I have to second detsy about the Stand and Deliver book. I read it 2 weeks ago and it really is very very good. I think everyone should read it, especially if you're worried about giving birth.

detsy whats caulophyllum? and what does clary sage oil do?

belgian.. I'm sure the photos will be lovely and not at all goose pimperly

will have to check my bottle of raspberry tablets.. got them from holland and barratt this time & not sure of strength.

also hired tens machine from boots.. hoping for a chance to use it this time!

loo caulophyllum is a homeopathic remedy which acts like rasp leaf tea - as a uterine tonic, it can be taken with rasp leaf tea. You start on a weak dose of 6c from 36 weeks and if you go over you can welly it up to 30c strength. 6c will be available in Holland and Barrett or likewise.

Clary Sage oil is supposed to induce labour and help with contractions which is why you can't use it till much later - need to do some google research about it to be sure!!!

I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a tens machine from one of the mums at the dcs school. The only problem is that she's lost the instructions. It's a Boots one, so I'm sure they'll be able to get it for me. It didn't do much for my with ds, but I didn't start using it early enough I think.

am going to bed now, don't think i'll last much longer. baby3 was up all last night so had the worst sleep. i hope this isn't a preview of what is to come (!).

feels like s/he just woke up again, just in time before my bedtime. i thought they're supposed to slow down a little near the end?

I wasn't sure whether to mention the castor oil thing but Detsy did . A friend of mine had a GP on their NCT group, and she took castor oil to go into labour on a particular date that suited her (don't think she wanted to go over due date). And with her second, she did it again, to fit in with childcare and DH's job...I'm sure doctors make the worst patients and all that, although don't want to tar midwives with the same brush lol - it must be very strange for you belgian...

I was always wondering how i'd be as a pregnant mw, because with the other 2 I wasn't one yet, but the further along I get the more I'm thinking like a mum and the less like a mw. The main difference is that I now know more about how it all works, both the system and my body.

Anyway. Off to bed now. Am still recovering from my late night preparing for the successful interview.

Oh and I've noticed links are not my thing today. Here's the link to freecycle again. Really worth a look if you're after free stuff freecycle

off to bed too. ds had a restless night and need to do my natal hypnotherapy too. xoxox

Thanks for the TENS suggestions, having looked at the websites I think it was BabycareTens that I got it from last time, it was a good service. Still got the spare electrode things that they provided! I loved the TENS, started using it quite early and it kept me going for a long time, when I was using it it didn't actually occur to me to ask for anything else, I only started on the g&a when the mw offered it to me in the ambulance.

The 'strimming' chat has made me laugh, thanks ladies!

I've been having some really strong braxton hicks today - strong enough to make me stop what I was doing. All calmed down now, LO is playing football (or maybe netball, who knows) on the inside of my ribs now.

night all I'm off to bed

Congratulations on your job belgianchocolates.

You ladies are very chatty. I resigned to the fact I'll never keep up.

Re tens machines - I used one with ds1 until I was fully dilated and it was great. Have hired another this time.

Have started to take raspberry leaf capsules but don't remember every day

Think the bikini strimmer sounds interesting, might have to invest in one. Wouldn't dream of asking my clumsy dh to help out in that area.

Packed hospital bag for LO today. Just mine to do now.

Exciting to look at that list and think that in amtter of weeks there'll probably be baby action every day!

Hi Ladies, reading about you all taking raspberry leaf capsules etc, can anyone advise if any point taking them with elective CS, any benefit or what their meant to do exactly? Is it to bring on labour?

Yay Belgian well done you fab mw.

Tens - Bought mine on line for £45ish pounds, have used it twice and lent it to 4 friends too.

Swine of a week. Thank goodness I've only 3 days left to work.....the most busy days of the year but hey.