Lists and listlessness, something for everyone in the Wagon

[KinderEggKayzr]

I have gone with Sorky's idea!!!

morning

happy easter everyone

hope u all have a great day

we r going to do lots of colouring etc with dd1

good luck gruff

hi claire - good luck with mw

Any news?????

Morning everyone Happy Easter

DH is out again today, think he is just about to drop, he did 14 hours on Friday, 15 yesterday, and back out today from 7 till goodness knows when! At least he will finally get a day off tomorrow!

Diege egg hunt sounds good, just make sure your not on MIL's team Had to laugh at "all that getting wet" Good for you though, I'd have loved a homebirth with DS2 and 3, but it wasn't to be. You do it which ever way you'll find best! - it always tends to work out that way anyway, look at me with Mikey, I'd sworn I'd never be able to give birth in any way over than led on my back with legs in the air, but when the time came, I couldn't have led on my back if someone would have paid me a serious amount of cash to do so!

Tink, glad the zoo went well We went to Blackpool Zoo a little while back, the kids just soak up the animals, some of the pics we got were great, inc. one of a monkey behind a glass window, but with the angle of the picture, DS1's reflection in the glass is spot on where the monkey's face was, so on the pic, it looks like a monkeyfied version of DS1 sat on a tree!

Kooky, he is humongous, he was 14 weeks yesterday, no idea on weight but he is well into 6-9 month clothes, and in fact some of the tops are getting a bit short now. He has done amazingly well since we switched to formula, I am just so glad that I listened to what my body was screaming at me and didn't try to push the breast feeding, I think things would have been very different, and after the shitty start I gave him, I am convinced now that I did the right thing for him then.

Right I suppose I had better go and get a shower! I've been up for 4 hours, not done anything except feed the kids and change bums! DS1 has me hooked on his Wii playing this bloody stupid, but oh so addictive, game, you have to sit on the fit board and ski down the hills, then the next time your dancing, then the next playing musical instrumnets, it's brilliant a PITA! Still got to be better than the last one I got into, that was singing... down a microphone... my poor poor poor neighbours

Sorry x posted with everyone

Ses, yep, he's certainly busy now, but next week? Well we'll just have to see I suppose! And 36 weeks???? Goodness me!!

Hi Claire, don't think we've spoken before, congrats on your BFP Hope your cold goes soon. It will depend on which MW you get as to how they'll handle the no testing thing, I think a lot would listen and understand, but then you'll always get the odd few that won't ever understand. You have to do what's right for you. Convincing DH, it's tricky because at the same time as you needing peace of mind, so does he. I think talking about it and trying to come to some sort of compromise is the best way forward.

Morning Tink, Happy Easter Enjoy the colouring

All ideas of a shower goes out of the window for now....

Diege, I meant to go through your concerns re. the HB so take a pew...

"1. What if I can't cope with the pain and need an epidural, as with last 3 births??"

Obviously can't speak from experience, but most people I know who have had a HB say that an epidural just doesn't even register in their mind, maybe because they know they can't, maybe it a lot to do with being more relaxed in your own suroundings?

"2. What if something goes wrong?

1. What if the baby isn't breathing properly?"

I'm going to answer this as one question because it's the same answer... Because you have the one on one care of the MW, they are very likely to pick up on any problems a lot earlier than they would if you were in hospital, and at the first sign of any problem you will be blue lighted in before you know it. Also from memory, they do carry a pack with stuff to help a baby breathe, I know they bring a mask for the baby and when they deliver the G&A they deliver a canister of oxygen as well, specifically for the baby, just in case.

1. Will dds cope with hearing me screaming like a banshee?? (if not at school)

This was my main worry, people said to me that the chances of labouring during the night are always much more likely, so kids will be asleep, (though I was sure my kids wouldn't have slept through my sort of labouring!!) Is it possible a neighbour could be called on if they got too distressed? If you had a hospital birth who would be having the kids? Could they come and get them in the event of a home birth? The other side of it is that (with out sounding rude) this is your forth baby, the chances are it's going to be a pretty speedy delivery anyway, especially without an epidural slowing it all down.

If I were you, I'd concentrate on the end result, do you want to spend those first few hours with your new baby at home in your own bed, with probably all the older kids lolling around, with DH running around after you, or would you rather be in hospital, away from the lolling of kids but thrown in with 4/5 other mums and babies, and hopefully being able to rely on some help from the MW's? Everything else between labour starting and the baby being delivered, whether at home or hospital, will just happen the way it's meant to happen. You can't control that bit, but the after bit you can IYKWIM?

Crikey lots to catch up on but just wanted to say hope all ok Gruff... thinking of you!

Back on laters ...hopefully

Morning!
Wow NAT, what great advice . I think the point you make about epidural not being available therefore not something I will necessarily scream for (maybe in my head only...) is so true. I think when you know something's on its way, it becomes even more urgent. True about childcare too - may be even easier to drop them at neighbours across the road for a few hours, than trying to arrange 'cover' with those who have their own children/work to get to. I suppose I need to have a proper chat with midwife and be honest with myself. I do have a tendency to be very impulsive and get a bit carried away with decisions without thinking them through properly . Plus I have an anterior placenta this time round which (apparently) makes the likelihood of a back-to-back labour greater...although being able to change positions etc would help with a back labour so they say...I think what convinced dh was fact that there are real staff shortages at hossy , and as you say a midwife at home would be far more likely to pick up on any problems than one which comes in every 20 mins to check to print out from monitor!
Hi KOOKY! Think it's more about what I don't like about hossy than what I love about being at home tbh ; the fact that I won't be strapped to my bed are primary!

SES sounds a great day planned - 35 weeks, wow! I'm into 30's today - feels suddenly very close, so can't imagine how excited you must be feeling (well I can a bit )

CLAIRE, the subject of antenatal testing is one very close to my heart, so I'm going to go on a bit ...It's an extremely personal choice, so you're free to ignore/take with a large pinch of salt
I had the triple test with dd1, and it totally changed my whole pregnancy, and not for the better. I found myself on a rollarcoaster of scans and tests, and by 35 weeks went from usual anxiety to mild clinical depression with it all. I had a 1/169 chance of having an 'affected' baby from triple test (they've since reduced cut off rate to 1/150) , had an amnio (culture failure so no reassurance there), forthnightly scans that revealed several soft markers for Downs syndrome (different ones every time). At 35 weeks I was diagnosed with IUGR, with dd1 predicted as being max size of 51bs. She was born a week early weighing 71b 6 ozs,with paeds present, with no talipes/other problems (they were sure she would have these from serial scans). Second time round I refused all antenatal tests (apart from 12/20 wk scans)dd2 fine. With dd3 I started to pluck up the courage to test again (but never the triple) and paid for a private nuchal/bloods. All fine. With this baby, even though I am older (39 next month)I have refused all tests, inc. nuchal, triple etc. I have to say my midwife was great, and didn't pressure me either way (they're supposed by legal guidelines (NICE) to be non-directive, so don't let them bully you.) I think the fact that I wouldn;t terminate for DS was main reason for refusing tests (strangely, I would have considered this when pregnant with dd1)- for me the testing for reassurance has never worked, so I'd say spend some time thinking about the whole process (ie. what you'd do if a def problem was discovered) and not just think through things as they happen, relying almost on the fact that reassurance will be what you get). My work is actually in this area too (which has been a mixed blessing) and have interviewed midwives who say the triple test is the bain of their lives. Out of 100 women taking the test 20 will 'screen positive'. Of those 20 1 or 2 will have an affected baby, so a huge false pos result. My advice would be (finally!) to go for a nuchal if you are determined to have testing, and avoid the triple like a barge pole. It's recognised as a flawed test by the consultants I interviewed, but is very cheap so is kept on (though has been discontinued in parts of the country). ARC is also a really good organsiation to talk through your feeling with. I've had to be strong myself and stick to my guns this time round. The main thing if you decide no testing like me is to be firm in your own mind and be strong, esp when others might doubt what you're doing. 50% of women do refuse all testing, so you're hardly a freak if you do so!
Phew a subject close to my heart obviously - sorry if I've gone a bit OTT
Really hope GRUFF is ok - have a feeling we would have heard if things hadn't progressed! Very exciting to be welcoming another wagon baby soon!
Happy easter TINKS! We also have the crafts out here and strangely enough lots of choc coin wrappers on floor..
Hope everyone has a lovely day! I have the most awful heartburn here...must have gavsicon!

Im afraid Gruffette is in no hurry

Had pains throughout the night but thank goodness I have been able to sleep. Had more show this morning but now that has gone clearer, yesterday it was very bloody. Still having pains on and off but nothing regular. Had more sleep today as still catching up from yesterday. am aching all round my back and my front and abdomen is very tender and seems to be permenently rock hard. Its general period type crampinesss that comes and go and some are lots more painful than others. lots of wriggling sensations very far down and lots of strange feelings down below too.

I am pretty fed up and DH too.
sorry not to have any news but hopefully we are not more than days away, I can't do this for much longer!

Hello,

Nat, glad things seems to be looking up money wise. You better be able to come to the meet!

Gruff, I hope baby Gruff is on the way now! Can't wait for news.

Only popping on very quickly, about to start preparing meal.

Have a good easter everyone.

hi nat
have a good one

hi gyo

hi diege

Am back again I'm like a bus!

Diege, DS3 was back to back, and I swear to god I'd not have managed the birth without DH rubbing my back, none of the G&A even touched it, it was the very reason I couldn't lay down on my back, so if you end up with a back to back labour I would say the worst place for it would be led down on a bed, whether that is in hospital or at home. In fact within an hour of having him, the only place on my body that hurt was the bottom of my back where he'd been rubbing it so hard! And not quite the same thing, but when my waters went, before the contractions even started getting a bit tetchy I asked for them to get an epidural ready for me, (I'd done the natural thing with DS2, didn't plan on doing it again!) I got all the nods in the rights places up until I actually asked if I could it now, she just looked at me, and I knew it wasn't coming, and that she hadn't even asked for it cowbag but once I knew there was no chance of getting one, it just went out of my head, well, until I got to just before the pushing bit and I screamed at DH that I told him I didn't want to do it on my own again! Not quite sure what I was expecting him to do or say at that point! Oh how we he laughs about it now..... 2 minutes later it was all over, I could handle being desparate for it for 2 minutes!

Gruff, do as much walking as you can, then rest up for a while, you can try going up and down the stairs sideways (great for opening up the pelvis) and also bouncing on a birth ball (with two of mine my waters broke after an hours bounce!) as well as all of that, go and have a nice warm long soak in the bath with some clary sage and/or lavender oil if you have any, (and here comes the slightly out there bit, but imagine your body stage by stage opening up to let your baby out, really close your eyes, rub your bump (it won't be there for much longer!) and imagine the journey the baby will be making, nice and calmly and inviting her out. I'm not sure about all this stuff, but I know people who swear by this method to make them relax enough to go into labour. - Good luck sweetie

Hi Nat thanks for advice!

Funnily enough i am just about to go for a walk!Been bouncing on my ball but not for an hour! That must be where I am going wrong! can do all what you suggested but bath as we have no hot water!boiler will be fixed tues or wed but DH will boil pans of water if things get desperate

Yes, get him boiling pans!

Erm have just found a website, big discounts on some good clothes and stuff, obviously last seasons stuff but all the same, they do maternity and kids clothes... It's here if anyone wants a look? Must say I've never ordered from them though so can't vouch for their service or anything.

Oh forgot, Diege you can look now

Diege - Thank you, I don't think you went OTT. With ds I had an amnio due to my triple test result. The amnio was clear but by the time I'd waited 3 weeks for the result I was positive that I was having my baby no matter what. Having the triple test just seemed to spark off a whole chain of tests all of which led to more tests for everything under the sun. I was having growth scans because I was measuring small then my waters broke at 36+5 & ds weighed 5lbs 7oz when delivered later that day. Hardly tiny. I'd never thought about the possibility of ds having anything wrong with him but once the thought was in my head I couldn't bear the thought of waiting until he was born to find out. I didn't want my first concern on delivery to be what was wrong with him. Then when he did arrive he had a hypospadias which meant that at 18 months old he had to have surgery basically to reconstruct his willy. That problem couldn't be shown by ante natal testing but he's had the op & hopefully won't have any future problems although he has recently starting spraying rather than weeing in a stream which could be a sign he'll need another op. His health problems could actually be the same level as certain conditions identified by ante natal testing & the thought that I might have even contemplated terminating my beautiful son because of something as easy to live with as that sickens me & I don't want to ever be put in that position again. This baby is mine regardless of whether it's 'normal' (for want of a better word) or not. Apologies for going on but this is definitely a subject close to my heart & one on which I've totally changed my views since I was pregnant with ds. Thanks for some of the fact as well. Very interesting & possibly useful if the mw does give me any grief. I've also straightened my feelings out in my own head which should make it easier to explain to dh why I feel how I do.

hi

getting this playhouse for dd1 i think

www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Outdoor-and-Sports/Playhouses-and-Tents/Playhouses/Pink-Magic-Playhouse( 0024562)

www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Outdoor-and-Sports/Trampolines/My-First-Trampoline-with-Flash-Zone-Pink( 0035067)

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230335929369
luv this think handle height may be to heigh for dd1 she is 93cms

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=280329641074

found same trampoline without flashing lights on ebay dont know whether to risk it and get it or not

cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=310134944990

looking at this doll instead of other my 1st annie this one makes sounds going to risk it her version 4 broke!!

what r your thoughts ladies

hi everyone. i'm one handed as im feeding so please forgive the errors!

Gruff - thinking of you, see you havent posted since lunchtime. hope things are moving well for you

hi Nat!! great to hear from you and glad Mikey is doing well. Also good to hear that finances are a bit better.

Hi Diege- great about the HB!!! Saw your Qs and Nats answers. Reckon she is right about the pain relief one. you know the option isnt there so you get on with it.. shame you dont fancy water as i think thats a really big help when no drug available, but i know what you mean about wet/ dry etc. I was shivering/ dripping wet each time I got out of the water to use the loo. Definately worse bit as i kept getting stuck in loo with contractions coming on top of one another... but getting back in water was bliss...

Actually, had really weird dream that I was talking to you Diege, on the phone, and you invited me to join your family FB group. Really weird!

Kayz- your wt loss is fantastic! such a great amount to lose in one go, hope its spurring you on now!, odd to think its the size of a baby!!!

KK- hope you are enjoying you mum over from Aus... Thanks for suggestion about horizontal feeding. I've tried it during the day but would worry about falling asleep on DD at night. How do you get the latch right though?? as thats the bit Im struggling with a bit. She just grabs my nipple with her lips rather than getting a full mouthful, iyswim.

LB- sorry to hear that the DCs have been poorly. Great to hear you are going to the York meet though...

What is the date thats been decided? Would need to see about coming, would love to see everyone.

Right back later, feed over. Will catch up again at next one!

Right, back.

Feeding again...

Claire, congratulations for the bfp- if ive not already said it. Surely the MWs have to respect your decision if you decide no tests
? Good luck though

Ses- cant believe how fast you are flying through these last few weeks. Are you enjoying maternity leave? and GET THAT BAG PACKED!! . Easy to eat snacks are probably essential in the bag, i'd bought loads of stuff that I just didnt fancy, including chocolate buttons (were great after but coulndnt eat during the labour. I'd get energy tabs if i was doing it again.

Tink- great ideas for DD1, love the mini trampoline best, in pink.

I've read everyone else's news but cant remember much now.. but big waves to Sorky, Moosy, IDOB, MINM and everyone else i've forgotten.

Things here going ok. Small giraffe is now 3 wks old (going so fast!!). Weight is going on slowly... she is now back to what she was on day 5 and is being weighed again tomorrow morning (so very soon!) Depending on her wt (she is still way off her birth wt) I will need to decide if she just needs more than I can give her and whether to do a formula top ups. If I have to then I have to but we've come so far with the breast feeding it will be a shame but equally feeding every 3 hrs for an hour at a time has taken over my life and Im not really doing anything else as i find feeding in public very hard i know the decision is mine but anyone got any words of wisdom?

Yawn... hopefully back on tomorrow (today!)

Morning,

GYo, the meet is probably going to be the 23rd May. I hope you can come, it would be lovely to meet you.

Nat, that website is fab. I might get some clothes from it.

Dinner went well yesterday. It was very nice, I do enjoy having little dinner parties. Mum bought ice cream as dessert so I only had a little bowl. But she left what was left over in our freezer so I might have to go out and let DH and DS1 eat it all.

Hope you are all well.

Morning!

Had a good time yesterday at aunt & uncle's. Mum provided the entertainment - she just comes out with things that ask for us all to wind her up!

GYo - Can't believe Beatrice is 3 weeks!! You're right - time is going by. I must at least make a start on paking my bag(s) today!

Kay - glad your dinner party went well. I'm the same and love hosting.

Gruff - thinking of you and hope all's going well.

Right, today's task (other than bag packing!) is ironing. I don't know where it all comes from! Will put Britain's Got Talent on whilst I'm doing it as I still haven't watched it yet.

Morning! Just a quickie as parents die any minute.
CLAIRE, you sound very clued up about the whole pros-cons of testing, and as you have things right in your head I'm sure you'll manage any 'difficult' midwifes with ease. I found the hardest thing getting my own head around what's involved - once you're ok with it, things tend to fall in place. How is dh with the testing at the moment?
SES,yes get that bag packed!! Enjoy BGT too - look out for the Scottish woman who seems deceptively ordinary - she's got a gorgeous voice!
GYO, glad to things are going well. You seem like a natural . Yes, 23rd at the moment for meet-up in York; would be great to see you there! Think I will have a proper chat with mw about pros/cons of homebirth - at the moment they can't guarantee to provide for them (staffing) which isn't exactly reassuring! If I could afford it I'd go for the private birthing centre by us, but costs about £3-4, 000 so not really realistic! LOL at dream about facebook too
NAT, had a tiny nosey at that shoppinbg link - have added to faves and will be making a possible bedding purchase in the near future, you bad influence you
TINKS, love the look of the pink playhouse, although I have to say it looks a bit on the small size for the price. Just thinking if your dds are like mine they tend to cram loads of stuff (kitchens etc) into it. Would be good for next few years, but if you want soemthing long term I'd maybe (myself) go for something a little roomier? Trampoline looks fab
KAYZ, glad meal went well! I tend to leave dh to things like that, or failing that get a take-away delivered! What sort of dishes do you like cooking?
Am getting more and more convinced that I'm going to give birth in May!! I remember my MW saying with dds that my 'full term' was 39 weeks as my uterus was distended at that point (not sure if she had this right)and it feels pretty distended just now if I'm honest! Will bring my notes with me to York just in case . Actually wouldn;t that be a fab day out - hospital with loads of great doulas to hand
Right, best go! Enjoy the sunshine!

Arghh, parents due - hope that's not a Freudian slip

Hi all,

Happy Easter! Have posted my birth story over in BA folder. Not sure how to link to it, but is there if you fancy having a read.

xx

cheers diege

i luv playhouse 2 not having anything in playhouse like kitchens etc.
i liked this one as is taller than others.

OOh quiet on here today.

Great BS Cosmo, sounds like things went really well. So glad you are feeling better now and enjoying food. The breastfeeding is challenge but well worth hanging in there I reckon, despite an issues.

Hi tink, Diege

Happy Easter all

All ok here, but only another small wt gain so trying new tact of totally demand led feeding and letting her sleep as she likes as night rather than waking her to feed. THough I wont let her go more than 3hrs during the day. Hoping she will feed better in day to make up for it especially since as she is never that keen at night when I wake her anyway. Will see if she has lost wt come friday at next weigh in. Also decided to use formula top ups as we need it so will see how it goes. Think I just need to relax, as my let down reflex is currently really random (ie i get it after I feed her

Had first afternoon of letter her feed, lookng for hunger cues and its been good so far, will see how the night goes.

Just a quick message - I'm still at home, still having contractions

Had 1 hours sleep in total last night. Managed to sleep this afternoon between contractions. I spoke to mw at delivery suite and she said that I am def in latent phase of labour, I'm just having a rather long one. Great!

DH ran me a bath today by boiling pans it took 1 hour and 20 mins
was heavenly once I got in there

have been using Tens machine and mw told me to take paracetemol.

I am SERIOUSLY fed up