Due May 09 - May Day! May Day!! Read All About It - Babies Dropping Everywhere!!!

[divedaisy]

Here we go ladies... over to you all!

I should also make it more clear that i really rated the consultant i had and that is why i would rather go for him a week earlier than go with the uncertainty of someone else...

pula I don't know what the medical advice would be but I would go with what feels right for you. If you are worried about the surgery and the specific consultant would help you feel more relaxed about it all I would go for that personally.

Yes I also meant to say that the stitches chat was v useful to me too being a little clueless about it all! I'm more worried about the post birth poo to be honest, am struggling enough with it now!

Pula - I agree, go with what feels right for you. I know how reassuring it can be to have someone you know and trust.

MrJael - thanks for the update and congrats to you and Jael on the arrival of Jacob

Llare - sounds like you've settled back home really well.

I'm off for lunch with a friend and our dogs today at the local pub

Thanks RunningMonkey and Dandy.

I have left a message for the consultant to make him aware that i've booked in for 38 weeks just so i can have him.

I might try and see my CMW next week (the hospital thought it was good to squeeze another appointment in anyway), but she might be busy as her clinic day is Monday, so with it being a bank hol she then has to fit in home visits on the other days...

The doctor was quite against me even considering the 12th but i asked her to check availability anyway, expecting her to come back and then discuss further, but she just came back in and said "thats all booked then for the 12th" which made me think she wasn't too concerned.

Jael Yayayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Llare - yummy scrummy baby George. He's gorgeous, as is Barnaby.

Pula go for 12th if you're comfortable with it, the baby will be full-term.

Blotted - What a shit day yesterday, I hope today is better for you and DS is better.

And yes, I am a superhero I even made dinner for DH when he came in at 10.30 last night . I am sitting with my feet up today though. Preparing myself to take 2 4 years olds to see Hannah Montana tomorrow. They are absolute wenches when they are together.

Pula boo about not finding the notes but glad they weren't too bothered. I completely agree with the advice already imparted - 38 weeks is absolutely fine and if it means you get the consultant you want I would have made exactly the same decision as you. Which means you meet your LO in 11 days time..... !!!!!

Cote & Runningmonkey your pains sound like BH's to me. Mine get really flipping uncomfortable, and when combine with period type pains make me think they are impending labour. Apparently the way to make them go away is to change position / stop doing what you were doing.

Went shopping to buy a nursing bra at Bravissimo today (better late than never !) and have bought the most horrible-ist granny bra imaginable. The good news is that LO has definately dropped because I have gone down a back size but I am depressed at the future of having a mono-boob for the next 4 months. Isn't motherhood glamorous?! So to try and cheer myself up I tried to buy a radley purse (didn't like any of them), some Dr Haushka stuff (didn't have what I wanted), some cross stitch stuff (didn't like any of them) and some new baby stuff (you're getting the general gist.) So I have returned home from my due date shopping spree with a parachute bra and nothing else!!! I did pass the prams and really liked the bee so I'm wondering whether I might accidently buy that on the internet (whoops - did I really press the 'buy' button?!!)

Have a nice afternoon everyone.x

Pula - I reckon a section on 12th May would be fine - you'd be, what, 38 weeks? if the consultant thinks its fine, then I'd go for it, personally! And plenty of babies come out much earlier and are absolutely fine. And I think its ok to be selfish at a time like this! I've looked after LOADS of children who are born MUCH less than 38 weeks, and the only ones with problems tended to be 28 weekers or less, and even then its because they are smaller than average... and isn't 37 weeks onwards considered term anyway?

Honestly, if I was offered a section then, and needed it, I'd do it.

Been in sainsburys in Penge this morning. What a godawful place that is!!

Flip - I'd sit in the garden and have a magnum with you! (and maybe a sneaky cocktail too!)

Good grief you go out for a meal and miss and evening of MNing and it takes all day to catch up. I'm on maternity leave now!!! The last week was a bit much I must say so I'm glad to be off now and have a bit more time to concentrate on the LOs arrival and spending time with DD.

I got my P & Ts yesterday and it is so cool (thanks pula's friend) We took a while to set it up but I think I have it sorted now. Question for those of you who have one- Does the coccoon get rather hot for the LO or are they ok??

Llareggub George is so gorgeous. I love the name and glad to he his arrival went so smoothly well done!! I remember that first scary poo I had some laculose to keep everything soft and then held toilet paper over the area to support and it wasn't as bad as the thought of it. Good luck .

Tummum I think if your MIL rings to ask if you have had the baby again you should say 'Yes I had it on the weekend' .

Stitches For those first timers I would like to tell you that with DD I grazed and didn't need stitches so you too could be lucky. I hope its the same this time for me too.

Blotted I have just had a gander at your blog it is so cool!!! I don't really know anything about blogging but now I want one. Anyway I'm off shopping later to get some organes so I can make your famous Jaffa cake- Love the listening tip!!

Anyway must go and post this. Its really long but I have used the open 2 windows technique someone (Jen? Flip?) suggested yesterday. Genius!!! DD is asleep so I'm glad about that as she has slept with her childminder during the day all week and I was freaking out that she was dropping her daytime nap. She must have just wanted her own cot. Dishwasher has been fixed for the 2nd time in 2 months and is only 9 months old so it better be ok now grrrrr. Sun is shining here too so will probably spend afternoon in the garden working on my tan and enjoying my first day of MAT leave.

Jael Ohhh congrats on baby Jacob -same name as my DH. Hope you are feeling better.

Just a quick note to say congrats to jael So glad to hear that they are doing well.

Also baby G is so cute llare

Re: stitches/poop lol I had stitches with DD. I actually had two tears and to be honest...I was sooo tired and so involved with DD that I did not even notice being stitched! I don't even remember being moved into another room lol And also, afterwards my piles were soooo bad that my stitches did not bother me at all! By the time they got sorted my stitches were healing and it was all good!

Going to the toilet...I think the main thing to remember is...yes it will not be comphy but you will not tear or rip or anything although you may think you will. Just hydrate and go with the flow so to speak I think it took me a day or two but once I did it was fine. And I do highly advise having some moist wipes at hand instead of tissue...really helps

I remember asking my mom when I would feel normal again...and she said never lol I do think it is reasonable to expect it to take about 6 weeks to feel 'normal' again down below. Well, as normal as you can

Had some intense BH last night. Nothing painful just very hard bump. DH even said you could see it was perfectly round. To be honest...I am not sure I am ready. I am starting to freak out! It sounds aweful but I am worried about how I will cope with 2 so little and how I will bond with this one. I just cannot imagine feeling the same way as I do with DD with this one, and that is a horrible thing to say. She is my baby and my everything and just perfect in my eyes. I am just really worried and I don't think it is helping. I even had a moment of 'OK I don't want to do this' yesterday. I think I just want baby to come so that way I will see everything is fine and there was no need to worry...but what if I am right? What if I just can't bond or cope?

Sorry kinda a me post...will catch up later...DD just woke up.

Jael big congratulations!! Hope you're feeling better & get home soon x

Llare little George is gorgeous Love the photos of him with your DH & DS1.

Dandy I've added you on FB. I put the pics I mentioned yesterday on my MN profile but I've now put a few more on FB too.

PulaPula I think doctors tend to be risk averse hence their caution. But 38w is full term and i think you should trust your instincts on this one. Plus one less week of being pg!

Tummum when I first got pg I swore I would never ditch my lacey underwired bras... I now lust after granny style soft cotton with huge wide straps. Bee if you haven't hit 'buy' already do so now! I've just had mine delivered. It's yellow & looks so fab I don't want to take it outside & get it dirty.

emmabemma I'm only on my first so haven't experienced what you're going through. But I read something in a book on fatherhood I bought from DH that makes sense: babies bring extra love into the world with them -they don't take any away from anyone else. The amount of hours in a day and number of hands you have may be limited, but the extra love your LO will bring will help you find a way to manage the two of them together.

Can I have a proud mummy moment? Am sure H is doing his first smiles this week! Obv he has been doing wind-related 'smiles' since birth but he now occasionally copies my smile & even did what sounded like a little giggle this morning - awww! oh and proud mummy moment no.2 - the HV weighed Harvey on Tuesday & he was 7lb 2oz - put on a pound in a week! (mind you when I changed his nappy an hour or two later I think a good few oz could have been in poo )

Spangle Yes, you can have as many 'proud mummy' moments as you like.

You do become strangely fascinated by poo and for the first time in your life, become obsessed with the idea that weight gain is a good thing.

I am smiling here at the though of H smiling

(or have I just got wind?)

Oh, God, that's reminded me - I have decided that I am banning myself from going into Tesco. I have been in seemingly every day this week and every time I've been in there, I've suffered unexpected farting syndrome. I had to apologise to a woman the other day - they're loud and long and incredibly embarrassing.

Llare - Just peeked at the new george pics and both your boys look gorgeous. I hope our ds is as happy with his new sis as your b obviously is with his new bruv.

Jael & Mr Jael HUGE congratulations!! Jacob is a lovely name. Sorry to hear that jael's cs caused a few after probs for her but glad it's all over and hopefully now the really bad migraines will be too.

Pulapula i'd go for the surgeon i was comfortable with if i had a choice too. The 12th would make the baby 38wks right? Our ds was whipped out by emcs at about the same time and he was 7lbs exactly. I know other friends who's babies were bigger at birth born a few days before ds and seeing all the dc's together he's taller than them all. SO I guess what i'm waffling is i'd prob do the same as you... and the hos def wouldn't let you do anything that they felt was detrimental i'm sure.

febes great to hear your ml has started... more time to mn in principle but being off work will feel a bit weird i imagine to start off with?

Blotted how's your day going today? any better? I'm feeling quite bad about my neglected blog... I have only 1dc and last managed a post ages ago! You've 3 dc's? if i remember already, another on the way and you're still managing to do regular blog posts! I'm in awe!!!

just checked fb and seen chocbunnies is indeed mrschocbunnies now. The weather in w-s-m is sunny so i think there's a good chance it will be nice in devon too today.

DS got out of the wrong side of bed this morning going by his mood. Having a hard day so far as even though i had a straight fabulous 8hrs of sleep last night I still woke up shattered with ds at 6am this am. With him being grizzly and whingy this is going to be a v looooong day. Nipping out later to collect douglas dogs new treatment and specialist diet and plan to make cakes with ds when we get back.

Grumpy pmsl! you need a small baby to blame the farts on. Harvey is apparently so clever he does some huge ones that sound just like they have come from his Daddy's bottom

BTW for those wanting more cake recipe ideas... i've one for a dark orange chocolate cake with white chocolate & sour cream icing/filling. The cake recipe is here and the icing recipe is a nigella lawson one which i didn't put on my blog (wasn't sure about copyright) from her domestic goddess book.

The recipe for it is basically 160g white chocolate, 60g butter, 120grams (not mls) sour cream & 260g icing sugar. You melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave or in a double boiler, and after it's cooled a while stir in the sour cream. Then gradually beat in the sieved icing sugar. I seem to remember i made/used a double quantity of the sour cream choc icing and added some more icing sugar to the basic recipe so it was a bit thicker.

For those into pancakes.... i've a recipe for thick american style pancakes with vanilla extract and golden syrup in the mix. They are delish too

grumpy i have the same prob at the moment the worst bit is i never know when they're going to strike!

spangle those first smiles just make you go all gooey don't they i find even now ds at 2.5yrs has the same effect on me

Blotted Made 2 jaffacakes this morning with dd. [proud mummy moment] When we were going through the ingredients, I was explaining how one cake needed 200g of something, I asked how many 2 cakes would need. I had 2 fingers up on one hand for one cake and put another 2 fingers up on the other hand when I was talking about the second cake. Dd said 400g (not 4). Obviously I'm off to the gifted and talented threads from now on. One for us and one for Grandma and Grandpa as dd is staying there tonight. MIL forgot to take it though, so as I hadn't put the chocolate on it, I've chucked it in the freezer for next week. I was going to do the lemon cake, but realised I had some oranges that needed eating so used them instead. They turned out perfectly. Still noisey at 40 mins, realised I had the oven on gas 5 not 4, so turned it down to 3 and left for a further 10 mins. Still whispering at 50 mins so just turned the oven off and left them in for another 10 mins. Skewer clean so took them out then. They smell fantastic, but not tried them yet. Sure DS will polish a fair amount off tonight.

Sophietom Sorry you aren't feeling well. I don't suffer from IBS, but have had alternating diarrhoea and constipation this last week which is VERY unlike me. No pain or anything. Definitely just baby's head obstructing my back passage. I've also had diarrhoea the last week of pregnancy with both my dc.

Stitches DD was 6lb10 and I just got a graze, so no stitches. DS was 8lb3 so significantly bigger and still only caused grazes and minor 2nd degree tear, but again didn't need stitches. I've had no problems down there. Having said that, not all cmw are allowed or trained to do stitches, and having had both of mine at home, I did wonder whether the decision to have stiches was down to the fact they couldn't. Ridiculous to have a perfectly good labour, be absolutely fine and have to transfer to hospital for stitches.

1st poo I didn't realise they were an issue and had managed to go within hours of delivering both of mine. It does however feel like everything is going to fall out , and never go back again, but it does. Honest

Farts I remember ds doing them so loud they made me jump as he was nearly launching himself of my lap, so perhaps they aren't daddy's.

Re 1st poos... the hospital wouldn't let me out before i'd done one after the cs with ds... was not allowed to push and had v bad piles so lactulose was my best friend and sorry if tmi everything slipped out without any straining

i'm hoping the hypno cds will help me avoid stitches when the time comes... i seem to remember something in the bits i always drift off in about elastic fanjos etc?!

afternoon ladies
spangle your post about H smiling made me feel all emotional awwwwww!

I'm going to have to try this legendary Jaffa loaf recipe from Blotted's blog it sounds fantastic. I have a regular 'cake date' with a friend and she is coming to mine next weds so will give it a whirl!

grumpy your posts always make me laugh- could you not have blamed the noise on a squeaky trolley wheel?!

jenn oooo do you think my upset stomach might mean baby is nearly ready to make an appearance? Would be a bit early still but he will be 37 weeks soon which is considered full term isn't it? I have it in my head he will be late rather than early (as my timekeeping is appalling) but maybe I am in for a suprise!!!