Due June 09: The final Countdown: RLT, BH, SPD, HB, EC, VBAC & no plans to TTC again!

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

Here it is!

Daisy - I am feeling queasy every morning too! Very unpleasant indeed!

Silk - It is exciting when midwives go on call isn't it? Mine have been on call for me since the weekend...

Saw midwife today and she thinks baby is 1-2/5s engaged so no idea why my bladder is getting off lightly this time! Also she said he/she feels quite long but of course it is so hard to really tell from a quick prod. Nothing wrong with urine for once and baby has definitely had a growth spurt as I'm measuring normally (so have felt bigger)!

Naat - Well done with your cleaning! Everytime I plan to do cleaning I end up doing more research as it seems more pressing. I did make plenty of beef and ale pie for freezer this afternoon though. (Obviously more need for you to clean what with the move and all!)

Laura - you are making me feel guilty about the raspberry leaf tea! I am still on nice pink teabags... but then I did drink them last time and had good labour. I do have some stuff that looks and tastes like dried weeds but really cannot stomach it!

June - Your fears really totally normal! But having actual baby definitely makes up for losing the safe pregnant sensation and while babies are hard work you'll pick it up fast and all the cute gorgeousness makes up for the knackering stuff.

Bunny - Glad to hear you are going to steer clear of caster oil! I know I'll tempted if I go overdue what with dh's paternity leave being so bloody inflexible but I will try and stick to sex and curry!

Ermin - at the Big Issue seller, bet you were just charmed...

Had lovely morning at the park, we were there for about three hours and weather was pretty fine.

A wee London meet-up sounds fab, I do like a visit to the capital to see my family there so we may be able to make a weekend trip!

Right I am just about to upload pics of the shawl to my profile pics (and a pic of a mini cardi I've done for dd's doll - part of big sister present) so if you fancy have a wee look!

LittleSarah - that shawl is amazing - fantastic achievement to be able to make that - congratulations!!

Blueberry - right, am following your lead on others encroaching on my LO. I need insect netting and will also insist on handwashing!

Naat - agree re man on bus - I was , and then DH can't believe it either. Don't catch public transport if you aren't prepared to give up your seat!!

Have a lovely evening Juners!

littlesarah what a lovely shawl congrats on making it dont think I would know where to start

Feeling very lousey tonight i have taken all the raspberry leaf capsuals i'm allowed to take in a day and i now feel very 'heavy' like a dead weight and i feel i find it hard to move. Also i have been having lots of braxton hicks and sounds silly but everytime i cough i feel like i have a cramp...and 5 loo trips in 25 mins can't be good can it?!

Anyhoo hope everyone else is having a lovely night x

Laura - maybe this is pre labour. Sounds promising we'll have to see if you check in tomorrow morning.

LittelS - I am so of you. Can hardly bare to look at your pictures. The shawl and cardi are fantastic - very talented (I don't even know how to knit) and you look amazing at 37 weeks!

I'm going to bed before 9 tonight - am shattered after last night's shenanigans

ok just spotted it's already after 9! So new deadline 9.30

I officially give up on keeping up! just checking in, boys are away with my mum and dad and I feel v as am missing them loads (remind me of that new week when we're all at home and I'm pulling my hair out ) dh is off work and been servicing his car - his ultimate hobby - leaving me nesting basically cleaning... nesting is washing baby clothes and getting the room ready imo not scrubbing behind the toilet because you know you won't do it for at least 6 months and no one else will - bored bored bored!
hoping for a more interesting day tomorrow

Hope you are all doing ok, can't believe we haven't had a baby yet, even the sunshine isn't tempting them out

LADIES IN WAITING
SweetBroody - 29th May (27, 1st one)
Bigcar - 1st June (37, dd 18, dd 9, ds 8,dd3 2)
Dorisisapinkdragon - 2nd June (32, dd1 3yrs DD2 1) dh guess 27th May me 30th *May
llynnnn - 2nd June PINK!(28, dd1 2yrs) my guess 4th June
Blueberrysorbet - 3rd June (dd1 8)
Leaky - 4th June (39, ds1 5, ds2 2.5)
MrsMcJnr - DC2 (Pink!) 4th June (35 DS 13m)(my guess: 7 June)
Ineedmorechocolatenow - 5th June 2009 (31, ds 2) My guess - 2nd June
bunnymother - 5th June 2009 (34, 1st one!)
helpivegottogivebirth - 6th June (30, 1st one)
daisy5 - 6th June (42, dd) guess.Friday.28th.May
LittleSarah - 6th June (26, dd 4) dh guess: 4th June, my guess: 7th June.
DreamyDorrie - 7th June (30, dd 2)
June2009 - 7th June (32, 1st baby) DH guess 5th June, my guess 14th June.
Naat - 12th June (1st baby)
borriebear - 13th June (28 1st one!)
tibsy - 13th June
Loooouise - 14th June (1st baby)
dreamydowler - 16th June
ermintrude13 - 17th June (42, dd10 ds6)
chocciedooby - 17th June (38 ds1 5, ds2 4)(My guess - June 18th)
insywinsyspider - 18th June (28 ds1 3,ds2 18mo) my guess 21st June - dh would rather I had it next week
silkcushion - 19th June (34, dd 17m)
lauraloo09 - due 20th June (1st child) 18th June (DH guess) 10th June (my guess)
snowwombat - 21st June (31, 1st child)
nemoandthefishes - 21st June (4th child, dd3]
StrawberrySam - 23rd June (27, first-timer)
Tee2072 - 26 June 2009 (40, 1st baby) 12th June (my guess) 13th June (DH guess)
effielou - 28th June (3rd baby, c-section early June)

Wow, chatty ladies

All well at monitoring today, just told to come back next week It also turns out that the lovely male midwife who I have seen the last 2 weeks is in fact the Head Midwife who has been emailing me it was great today as I was able to chat through a few things with him whilst I sat on the monitor I?m still not going to get away from the constant monitoring but I do feel a lot happier about things

Right, what have you been saying??

hey mrsmcj - glad you had a good days monitoring

mrsmcjnr glad to hear you had good monitoring today and that you were able to chat to the midwife today must make you feel more at ease

Silkcushion ? poor you I feel for you, I seem to be seeing most of the wee small hours pass too but by 8am I could sleep all day.

Daisy ? sorry to hear about the pains, I?ve had a few cramps and shooting pains but nothing more. Can?t help thinking that labour will start with a show but I don?t know why. Have started leaking colostrum though I was at the hospital for hours and it was packed with relies hanging around whilst women gave birth (I?d hate to have that gaggle outside waiting!) LOL at the present and accounted for list idea!

Ineedmore ? hope the swelling has gone today

Naat ? hope you had a lovely time unpacking those clothes with your Mum

Bunny ? keep away from the castor oil, do you really want your bowel in a spasm during labour?? There are better ways hon

Peace at last MIL has gone to bed, she?s lovely but is driving me crazy

Bigcar ? how exciting, just one more sleep until you meet your baby

June - I feel like you I love having my baby inside me like I did with DS and after he was born I did miss the kicks and how nice I?d felt being pregnant, I hated the flabby tummy in place of my nice firm bump.

Blueberry ? I am with you, no one touches my baby without antibac hand wash on them, my mother thinks that?s hilarious but I don?t think it?s much to ask lots of people do stem cell collection here but mostly for research rather than for their own usage.

Littlesarah ? gorgeous knits and you look fabulous

Hello everyone else too

Thinking that I must start thinking positive ?you can arrive now baby? thoughts or else I might end up on the other side of my due date worrying about induction

Have a good night ladies and positive labour vibes to all those babies ready to meet the world?.

I remember desperately wanting dd to pop out last time, but then my body feeling very peculiar afterwards, sort of like a vacant house...and so very very 'still'. It was a new journey, with this little bundle in my arms (that I didn't quite know what to do with iyswim) but I think I shed a tear or two for the extraordinary feeling of having a growing human being inside me, having ended. Our bodies are amazing aren't they

I was so convinced that the baby was going to come last night and so fed up with the pain and tiredness that I had a Madras curry for supper (to help it along ).....but nothing happened....in fact I managed a better night's sleep - 6 hours continuous - glorious. I did buy two pineapples at the supermarket yesterday too which I will start on from Friday morning....I am a huge lover of pineapple so probably would have taken them up on their 2 for 1 offer anyway.

ermintrude - lol at your Big Issue man stopping in his tracks to check you were ok, I had an older man come up to me in the supermarket queue and say 'put the hot water on when you get home'...which came across as a bit limp!

Speaking of which, nobody ever touches my pregnant tummy...I must have a real 'don't mess with me' look on my face!!!!!

Bunny you make me laugh when you mention sharing your husband's guide dog! My dp is the opposite, far too into cleaning and tidying so having an untidy house when our dd was a new baby drove him bananas - he would look around the house in despair. My new potential cleaner is coming in this morning for two hours and hopefully she is good - will do the shirts too, which I hate.

MrsMcJnr - I love that the Head Midwife is a man.

Effie hasn't been online for five days and Tee says there is nothing on her Facebook account. I wonder if they cajoled her back to hospital for observation. I hope she is ok.

BigCar - is it today or tomorrow?

Respect to you june for starting to read 'What to Expect in the First Year'. I was so focussed on the birth, when dd came out I didn't have a clue what to do, and wished I had read a little more about what to do AFTER she was born.

Have a great day ladies in waiting. Last days of freedom.

Good morning!

Well, so much for my good sleeping streak! Part of it is my own fault because I did too much yesterday and I hurt everywhere. Made it harder to sleep.

june I've also started reading 'what to expect the first year.' Very interesting stuff!

effie you okay girl? Hope your having your healthy little baby!

ermintrude I am personally sick of the stares! Why, yes, I am very pregnant. Why, no, I am not about to pop here in front of you on the street!

mrsmcj glad you had a good monitoring appointment. And I, too, love that the head MW is a man.

Going to have a quiet day here, me thinks. Do a bit of laundry and have a nice long nap this afternoon!

Have a lovely day Juners!

Hi all,

been up since 0530 with cramping pains and what feels like the odd contraction (more pain right around to the back!) but nothing with any kind of rythmn yet. Given the false alarm a couple of days ago I've sent dh to work but with his mobile ON!! (oh and been really wet and phoned my mum to askher to come and help with the dd's)

Just waiting and walking to try and get things going now.... (although I might regret that later

Hope you all have nice days (it's peeing it down here in Devon)

will keep in tounch but don't expect much given recent events

Doris

PS I also think effie might have had to go back in.... hope she's ok

Morning Juners!

doris ohhh how exciting if things start going!! Happy birthing thoughts going your way

tee hope you manage to get a long nap today to make up for a tough night Is the heartburn under control?

Daisy glad you had those straight 6 hours of sleep!! Oh the pleasure! I loooove pineapples, and I had no idea about their supposed effect until one of you mentioned it I stopped eating them about 3 weeks ago I need LO to hold on a bit. Hope things get moving for you as well, birthing vibes for you too!

mrsmc soooooo glad your fear of being held hostage yesterday did not come true Glad the monitoring was fine and that you managed to have a nice chat with your male MW I also like the fact that it's a "he" How's your DH?

insy when are the DC coming back? Was it only for the night that they stayed at your parents'? I imagine that ambivalent feeling, glad because of the freedom and quiet but sad because you miss them Hope you managed to rest after all the nesting you did.

silk I forgot to ask you about your good-bye for now pressies last week! I remember you said something about a massage or something? Hope you're feeling better than yesterday and that you managed to rest last night

laura Go ahead with that RLT, lady I can see many of us are already saying "come, baby, come now!"

Hi bunny!

littleS what a lovely shawl!!! Absolutely lovely. I'm useless at that sort of things Don't know how to knit or sew

blue I'm also with you on the "clean hands" issue before picking up LO, at least when they're sooooo tiny!!

Right, awful back pain last night before we went to bed. DH tried massaging and I just decided to put on the hypnobirthing CD and breathe! I fell asleep after that

Mum's feeling the temperature difference Poor lamb, she's used to 30-37 degrees every day and to suddenly feel 8 in the morning and a max of 14 in the afternoon is a massive change

I helped SIL buy MIL's train tickets online yesterday. She's coming on the 6th at noon, then sleeping in Leeds (we live in Huddersfield) and catching an afternoon train on Sunday 7th. We're seeing her on Sat only but she'll walk around Leeds on Sun until it's time to catch the train (or so she says , hope there's no emotional blackmail for us to see her again on Sunday).

No more news at the Argie's home. Hope you have a lovely day, Juners. Here it's reeeealllly cloudy and quite chilly at the moment to be honest.

(((waves)))

Oh, I forgot... effie thinking of you and LO!

Morning all

37 wks today, so I've told this LO it can show its face whenever it likes now. But I suspect it's far too cosy in there to bother coming out for at least the full 3 wks, if my previous form is anything to go by.

Doris Hope you're feeling OK and that if this is It, It goes well!

Lauraloo have you overdone the RLT? The heaviness is probably something to do with pre-labour and baby engaging so watch out for when it turns into regular crampy feelings.

LittleS gorgeous knitting! That shawl looks like my favourite kind of delphinium blue.

Insy I need to clean the toilets but am putting it off. I think it will be the last thing I do before I drop

Naat sounds like you're sorting out the MIL issue as well as you can - hope all the arrangements work!

Pineapples - those corer/slicer contraptions they sell in Lakeland are fantastic, you get a perfect coil of juicy pineapple with the skin intact. I hate gadgets in the kitchen usually, but that's well worth it.

Re: washing hands before picking up babies - that's something I've never bothered about, unless the hands are obviously grubby. They'll eat a peck of dirt before they die and wherever they go they're breathing in germs, all of which helps their immune systems. Last year my DH's best friend came round with his new wife and their 4-month old baby and my DD asked if she could hold the baby - when the wife sent her to wash her hands first I was a bit gobsmacked, tbh, and DH's friend tried to laugh it off saying it was because she was an obsessive American (sorry Tee!). If people were trying to stick their fingers in the LO's mouth or something that would be another matter, but folk tend not to do that with newborns; they just hold them in arms or over shoulder and coo.

Still, sounds like I'm in the minority on that subject here - I must be v slovenly and unhygenic .

Hope we hear from effie soon!

Funny you should say that its because she's American ermintrude, considering that in America we don't even sterilize bottles and I have never even met a mum from there who insists on hand washing to pick up a newborn. I certainly won't insist on it!

I think it had nothing to do with her being American!! {grin]

ermin that's what my DH says re. washing up before picking up babies Compromise is on its way I guess

Never crossed my mind either ermintrude. I was raised on a farm and apparently we are far less likely to get allergies or asthma - down to more exposure to good germs or something, but I'm no germ expert.

Tee it was her DH who made that link, not I! She was actually a bit neurotic generally and it was her PFB, so I think it was a symptom of that more than anything else. Every time she wiped a tiny bit of milk or dribble from the baby's mouth with a muslin she threw it in a plastic bag and took out a clean one. And when I offered her some biscuits to have with the tea I'd made she said what she'd really like is cheese on toast with side salad if we'd got it. .

erm I don't remember ever specifically washing my hands before picking up a newborn either, seems a bit ott to me as well.
"What to expect" says that we should ask people to "look, not touch" or wash their hands for at least the first month so the baby gets a chance to build up his immune system. (because baby puts his hand in his mouth a lot and can get easily infected.)

However this was an answer to someone who was complaining that everybody including strangers were coming up to the baby and touching it. (bus driver, postman etc).
I can't see myself asking my visitors to wash their hands unless they were clearly dirty or I doubted their personal hygiene (and I can't think of anyone) but I would definitely get the baby wipes out for baby if someone I did not know pinched her cheeks.

Talking about germs dh has seen a mouse in our kitchen yesterday! YUK!!! I haven't even dared go downstairs this morning yet in case I see it.
He could see a tiny little hole where the wall and floor meets behind the cabinets (shoddy builders!!) so he's laid poison and off to buy some cement today...just what we need!

Doris How exciting!

This thread is getting kinda close to 1000 already, come on I'm sure we can manage at least 1 baby :D (not me please, still not ready ;)

My SIL is a germ-freak ermintrude (and certainly not American) and her two are permanently ill with chest infections. I think you get germ-obsessives from every nationality!

We also didn't insist on clean hands when picking up DS. In fact, he plays most happily when on a big pile of dirt and digging around in the garden. He's a healthy little boy, and only gets ill as often as we ourselves do....

Crappy sleep due to freakin' cat bringing in a mouse at 1am.... grr......

Rainy day here. A day spent trying to entertain a toddler when 9 months pregnant..... fun.....

Will do a big catch up later xx

Oh, ermin, she definitely sounds OTT about everything, then ... at what she said to you! Please tell me what you said to her!!! (anxious/gossip/nosy emoticon)
DH is very into the dirt and "let them be" vibe and I'm too, just not when they're newborns

Ermin - Lol, gosh it wouldn't have even occurred to me to ask people to wash their hands before holding dd as a newborn! Luckily my friends and family are fairly clean most of the time anyway. Tis just impossible to keep babies away from germs and dirt anyway unless they are kept in some kind of anti-bacterial sterile cocoon! I don't think any grubby strangers grabbed her in the first month or two either, which no doubt would unsettle me slightly! But I quite like people being friendly and touching baby and bump - except the grubby ones! - so it's never really bothered me. Best obviously just to ask first!

Doris - OOOOH!! I am getting quietly excited.

MrsMcJnr- Glad things went well at the hospital and how fabulously fashionably of you to have a male MW, I want one!

June - Oooh we had a couple of mice sightings a few months ago, the poison appears to have done the trick though, I really freak out about them. Pathetic!

Bunny - Meant to say I got the pink prom style dress I linked to before. £10 off plus my student discount so ended up being uder £60 which was rather good I felt!

Right, more research today, plus my dad and his lady are coming for dinner so I am making Culloden House game pie... mmmmm. Just realised I am supposed to serve it cold, not an idea I am keen on so I am going to compromise and serve warm, hopefully it will still be lovely!

Hope all are well! (and effie of course, good luck to you!)

Naat I smiled pleasantly and made her some cheese on toast garnished with cherry tomatoes. When I came back she'd picked up my Penelope Leach book (that's one I'd recommend, from babyhood to pre-school, very child-centred AND sensible) and asked if she could have it, since I didn't need it any more. I said I was saving it for my sister, who was ttc, so she put it in her bag and said - 'just a loan then, I'll send it back to you when she needs it'. I must add that they are super-rich so could have afforded the £8.99 themselves...

Actually, I wish I hadn't reminded myself of this - I spent 24 hours trying not to grind my teeth and was v glad to see them go.

Oh, and my good little sis did conceive q promptly so I got the book back