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

[Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa]

Starting new thread ladies, in honour of Spangle.

Blimey - I go away for a couple of hours and need to trawl through 4 pgs of chat !

EmmaB'smom swollen feet + visual disturbances = need to see MW. I think PE really does move fast, so it will be worth checking it out.

Grumpy and Frazzled I have similar DH HB issues here. He is point blank refusing to acknowledge that this LO is being here and I am NOT going to hospital. I think he is worried that it will be too much work for him, poor little lamb

Well, my hynobirthing thing was loooovveerrllly. Am all relaxed but awake, IYSWIM, and even foregoing my ritual afternoon nap . I have a CD to listen to and am going back next week.

Oh, and I'm going to be famous !! Well, sort of. The HV put the local paper onto me to give an interview about what I think about the health in pregnancy grant. Didn't have much to say (apart from £190 - cool - new buggy!) and photo being taken in a couple of minutes. Cue hastily trying to find make up in vain attempt to hide pregnancy weight gain and spots.

And I hate you all too - for some reason I can't face the gaviscon now Heart burn here we come !

I was also wondering about Spangle Hope she is OK

right girls.. ds is bored so off to park in the sun for some outside fun.. maybe another ice cream too

Inspired by tummum, I'm off to listen to my hypnobirth CD as I only have 3 and a bit weeks left and listened just 3x. house is quiet and i could use a lie-down .

I'm bored with work, and nervous for my DH who has his job interview at 3.30. Hopefully he will find out one way or the other tomorrow so he's not kept waiting over the easter break, especially as its his brother's wedding on Sat (let's hope its good news about the job)....

hoorray - DH rescued the car after a work driver came by to pick up the keys. Phew. Though I think I should lie low at home for a few days, eating Easter eggs..

Ladies, good afternoon! It's a busy old time on our thread!

I'm after some advice/guidance... Went for 36 week MW appointment yesterday and lo is still breech and has been since MW first checked at 31 weeks (am now 36+3). Went for scan yesterday to double check that it is breech and midwife correct. Am now waiting for appointment to discuss options with consultant.

Now I know that baby could still turn round of it's own accord, but if not will be offered ECV or Elective CS. From what was said to me at hospital I get the impression that it is my Trust's policy to recommend CS rather than ECV. Consultant appointment will probably be next week, so have a whole week to ponder on the matter. Any thoughts? Has anyone experience of ECV?

Hello everyone!

afraid I've had no chance to read anything yet as we're STILL in hospital and I'm online via my Dad's laptop with mobile internet.

Harvey & I are both doing really well apart from the fact he has jaundice & is on & off his little sunbed according to blood test results. I'm due to get the latest ones this pm & if he's improved we'll take him off, but then it'll be another 24h of seeing if his levels have stabilised before we can go home. TBH I feel lucky compared to some of the mums in here who have babies in special care but it is getting rather tedious! Really feel sorry for DH who is to-ing and fro-ing between here & home all day and trying to keep his business running at the same time. Anyway, I'm sure it won't be much longer now & we can get home & I can have a proper catch up of what you're all up to - and post the full birth story & some cute baby pics!

I was absolutely blown away by the whole birth experience, sounds silly somehow I don't think I realised I was going to have my own baby until he was plonked on my tummy, yelling his little head off Obviously the pain was pretty horrible but I think the worst part was having painful contractions but the midwives not seeming to take me seriously, nor the doctor, who told me I was having a few mild contractions & didn't think I was in established labour yet. I insisted she checked me over because I was desperate to get down to labour ward & have some gas & air - and she found I was 8cm! At that point there was a bit of a panic & they pushed me on the bed (on my hands & knees ) down to the delivery room. Once I got down there I felt much more supported, and relieved when DH arrived for the last half hour or so.

Harvey is a lovely good natured baby & totally gorgeous (biased, moi?!) and it sounds soppy but I really feel so blessed to have him

Oops I've rambled on & it's time to feed the little man. Fingers crossed we'll be home soon & I'll be able to catch up with how you all are. Hope you're all doing well & coping with the last few weeks xxx

Gert- no personal experience of ECV but a colleague of mine's DW had this done at 37 or 38 weeks i think (she was part of a medical trial and randomly allocated to have it done at a particular stage of pg to see what was most effective), and it was pretty straightforward and did the trick! She had 2 toddlers already and really didn't want a cs.

I have heard they monitor the baby closely to check for any signs of distress, so won't do it if baby isn't happy with the procedure. So might be worth a go, and then if it doesn't work for you, then you will have known you've tried.

Spangle yeah!!! Oh it is so good to hear that you and baby Harvey are doing well! I bet you can't wait to come home, but you will get home soon enough. Sounds like you had a good labour but can't wait to hear the full details...unless maybe we don't since we are all going to have to do it in a few weeks! Eeek! Anyway, stay well and rest!

Spangle great to hear from you and big congratulations! You must be hard as nails if the midwives and doctors didn't believe you were in established labour - you obviously weren't making nearly enough noise! Really hope little Harvey si well enough for you to go home soon.

Gert I'm sorry - I don't even know what ECV stands for. No help at all, I'm afraid.

Pula I really hope your DH's interview goes well and he gets some good news so you can have a lovely weekend!

We're just back from Elsa's swimming lesson. She is currently watching Bugs Life and eating crisps while I am on MN. Does this make me a very bad mum?

Spangle- so nice to hear from you. Lets hope you and Harvey will be out soon - fingers crossed for good test results, and we look forward to seeing your pics soon.

Wow, you lot talk! Afternoon!

Spangle - lovely to hear from you! Huge congratulations to you all. Hope you get good results and you're allowed to escape soon, must be really frustrating for all of you being there.

Gert2a - no experience of ECV, or c-section, but I have had a breech baby. DD was undiagnosed breech, and after transferring to hospital from MLU she was a vaginal delivery - rare but not impossible! Anyway, obviously it's been a concern this time round too, so I've had a lot of conversations about all the options. Ask about the success rate of the consultant for ECVs, apparently they can vary wildly. If you go for the ECV you'll have to take your hospital bags with you just in case as there's a small chance that you'd have to stay in and have a c-section there and then. Reports that I've read of ECVs vary between mildly uncomfortable and agony, so like all pregnancies I guess everyone's different.

It's something I've thought about, and tbh I'm not entirely sure I'd have the ECV, but my MWs have agreed that if this one is breech I can attempt another vaginal delivery as long as I go to hospital. So far nooone thinks this one it is breech, but no one thought DD was either! I'm having a presentation scan next week to be sure.

Re gaviscon - I hate the tablets (that stuck to your teeth thing, bleurgh!) and the liquid (texture, double bleurgh, have often thought it's like you know what but never said it to anyone!) but IT WORKS!!!!!! I think it makes me a even more constipated than normal though. I find any fruit flavour indigestion things (currently on Sainsbo's own brand, dead cheap) are usually enough to get me through the day, but it's got to be gaviscon at night. Bottle lives on the floor by side of the bed, classy!

alapala - boo! and yay! about the car.

chocbunnies - don't be embarrassed, wnd is agony!

Really must pack hospital bag properly. Even though homebirth is now booked, subject to next week's scan of course. I was wavering about the hb (worried about upheaval to DD, size of house, neighbours etc) but DH is really keen and reminded me of all the reasons why I wanted it in the first place. I'm lucky he's so supportive. Anyway, MW came round today to go through everything, it all sounds so uncomplicated. Apart from the childcare thing, but hey, we'll cope.

Spangle! How lovely to hear from you! Hope you get good results later, fingers x'd!

Gert - a friend of mine went for ECV last year - she said it was really uncomfy, and the second they got her LO head down, she pinged upside down again! She ended up having a c-section.

Have currently got a gavison tablet in my mouth. Blaaaah.

EmmalinaC - I think the fact that you have chosen age appropriate entertainment and snacks makes you a very good mummy!

Yoga in an hour - yippee!

momino oh that would be great! I will chase you on FB lol Yes to the ranch dip mix...love it with veg! Also I get goldfish for DD and I love Velveeta, grape jelly, Jiffy PB, guacamole mix, miracle whip, hazelnut coffee creamer and ohhhh the list can go on! lol

Oh and I don't know where you live but there is a great shop in Edinburgh that sells Rick Bayless Frontera Grill Salsa...it is so so good. When I go I stock up on tons as they do american food too. You can buy online or next time I go I can get you some to try and see if you like. It is totally mexican resturant style. Shop is the site

I will trim it down a bit though and message you! Thanks again!

"Shop is the site"...what an idiot lol

Forgot to add that they stock more in store than online so if you don't see the salsa then I can get it when I go...

Ok think thats it...lol

Gosh, what a busy day it's been on here today. I haven't been on today yet, as I've been feeling extremely tired and have been dozing on the sofa nearly all day while the dcs have been kept occupied with computer games

Hey Spangle So nice to hear from you. We're always wondering how you're doing. Sounds like you're enjoying motherhood and that you've had a good birth too. We can't wait to see some pics

Frazzled I think men tend to focus on what can go wrong. I don't think they know how important getting the right birth is for women. I think your dh is probably scared because he doesn't know anything about it nor does he understand why you'd want it. It would be really good if you can convince him to see the mw, or even if you can arrange your mw to come back at a time he is home if she's got the time and is willing. Stick to your guns, because it's you giving birth not him. Also, I don't think you'll get him saying that you should go into hospital every 5 min, because a mw will be there to look after you. Maybe once he realises that you're not on your own he'll relax a bit? I'm lucky enough to have a dh who's not bothered about where I give birth really. I think if I told him I'd give birth in the field behind our house he wouldn't blink

Yoghurt and man stuff mixed for getting labour going? Never heard of that one before, but I doubt it'd work. Sex is another matter of course.

I love the taste of the peppermint flavour gaviscon tablets. I can't stand the texture of the liquid. I had it once at work and that was that. Never again. Luckily the heartburn seems to have gone now, but I'd swap it for the nausea that's attacked me any time!

Emmab Pre-eclampsia can appear all of a sudden, so if you've got visual disturbances + swelling, maybe it would be wise to phone your hospital.

Gert2a All the others have already said everything I know about ECV. (external cephalic version for the ones who are wondering what it stands for). Some women find it very uncomfortable, some hardly feel a thing and 1 woman I met laughed through the whole procedure because she found it so tickly!

Oh and hello to the new girl, sorry I've forgotten your name and it's on another bage . Definitely attend the post natal classes after baby's born. I met tuns of people that way and like you I was new in my area when I had ds.

Ah, I knew I left someone out. chocbunnies You're not a ninny. I've been floored by wind before too. With ds I was in so much pain with it when I was visiting my mum in Belgium that she called out her GP!

Just to say, if anyone is still looking for a baby changing bag, and likes the ju ju be bags, there's a brand new "be all" bag on ebay for £30 incl P&P. It is purple paisley so may not be to everyone's tastes, but does retail for more like £50+ so a good price really. just search for ju ju be and it will come up. I would get it myself but i already have 2 ju ju be bags including a "be all" which is great when popping out and about and spent significantly more on each of them

Oh and another thing. I lived in the US for 2 years and occasionally I get attacked by 'Riceroni' cravings . Momino Emmab do you know anywhere you can get that stuff in the UK? Oh and it's OK now we've got dunkin' donuts in B'ham, but up until then I kept getting annoyed by the things they call donuts here, they don't taste anything like the American ones. And on the subject of pastries. I don't know what a Belgian bun is supposed to taste like, but it doesn't taste like anything we've got in Belgium!

Belgian You can get Rice A Roni here
www.americansweets.co.uk/index.asp

This is the site I usually use although it is expensive, if you do over £50 you get free delivery so I usually wait to do a larger shop!

I am not sure if my shop in Edinburgh has it but I will check next time I go I know you can get stovetop stuffing (as the stuffing here is weird and way to sagey bleh).

So very of your Dunkin Donuts!! I have to go far just to get a Starbucks

Oh and pula thanks for the ebay heads up. I am waching it now lol Wish I had £30 right now lol Since I am getting a P&T I won't be able to hang it on the pram so I would have to carry it or more likely DH will...so I really should get one to suit him too huh? Or should I get one I want?? hmmmmm

Shhhh, don't tell anyone but I just cleaned the windows in the lounge. It's the first time since we moved in... 3 years ago Is this nesting? LO has gone crazy since, mind, I'm sure he's trying to escape via my ribs. Yowch !

Tummum It's nesting

I cleaned the windows the day before I went into labour twice. So I think if you find me saying that I've just given in to an irrisistable urge to clean my windows, you'll know what's coming!

Thanks for the link emmab I also miss Cinnamon pop tarts, they only do the strawberry and the chocolate ones here. I always seem to be craving it at the start of a pregnancy

Spangle so good to hear from you. fingers crossed you got good results this afternoon and the little man is ok. Sounds like you are taking to being a Mum really well. Your description of not really believing it until he was there on your tummy is a bit how I feel. Think I am in denial about how mine is getting out!!

alapala glad you got your car back.

Gert2a have you tried sitting about on all fours with bum in the air? apparently its supposed to help turn stubborn little babes around... think it might over excite some DHs a little tho! My yoga teacher also said that sitting backwards on a chair leaning on the back can help if all fours is too uncomfortable. Might be worth a go?

Am all excited/nervous as one of my best friends just texted me. She is 15 days overdue and had a scan this am to check all ok. They were concerned about the amount of fluid around the baby so sent her home to get a bag of stuff and to come straight back in for an induction. another friend happened to speak to her as she was in taxi on way to hospital and she sounded surprisingly calm apparently. I so hope it all goes ok for her.

Re hypnobirthing cds - do you reckon its too late to start? I might see if I can get one, especially since lots of you have been finding them useful for drifting off to sleep with.

Right off to see if DH wants to go out for dinner. He is knackered from work, DIY and me being so restless at night so thought I would treat him to an evening out... if I can wake him up!