Due May 09 - patta cake, jaffa cake, bakers man bring me a baby as fast as you can!

[Momino]

Here we go....

aaargh, just spent ages on a long post and then the stupid thing crashed, grrr!!

Congratulations, Jennster, lovely news.

No progress whatsoever here, off to see the MW shortly so hopefully she'll have some positive news or at least be able to book me in for a sweep.

On the upside, I have now got good hair after my mammoth appt yesterday - and have some kind of social plans every day from now until Monday so I shouldn't be just sitting at home waiting...

Both DH and I are starting to get a series of 'any news?' texts and calls - aaaaagh! Feel like saying, 'yes actually, we just couldn't be bothered to tell you'. I know it's just because people care / are thinking about us but still....

Fi, hope Douglas's recovery speeds up; he sounds like a fighter, these things just take time.

Re dogs, DH is primarily home-based so is taking ours (2 large, young, boisterous hooligans) pretty much all the time now, bless him. One of the first things we want to do post-baby (if that day ever blimming comes) is to train them to walk sedately by the buggy. We're only about 100 yards from fields and woods so they haven't got too much time on their leads and I'm confident I'll soon be able to manage on my own. Not sure how easy it would be with 2 or 3 LOs though - one of my neighbours walks her 2 dogs and 3 children (2 walking, 1 in buggy)(children that is) to school nearly every day and I am filled with admiration when I see her!

Belgian, I had every intention of as little intervention as poss through delivery and then a managed 3rd stage but your comments about your physiological 3rd stage the other day made me realise I hadn't given it enough thought and so I've reconsidered - thank you.

Reporting for roll call this morning to find

ANOTHER LITTLE BABY GIRL! GO JENNSTER - YAY AND WELL DONE TO YOU!!!!!

(am a bit excited, can you tell?) - and mini I assume is probably (hopefully) cuddling her baby now too.....?

As for me, well I had a lovely full nights sleep with NO contractions at all. Bum. Looks like the effects of the sweep have worn off without actually doing anything useful. Bah. Humbug. DD1 is still convinced the baby will be born today (?) but am not feeling hopeful....
Off to do some more chores and emails. Catch you later. Glad choco sounds much cheerier this morn.
Morning momino - how you feeling? LOL at waking up wondering what the noise was -oops your baby crying! (I've done that before too )

oh and belgian - sorry to hear you sounding a bit emotional and tired yesterday - I really hope babyC settled a little bit better for you last night. You don't need me to tell you but am sure it will improve once your milk is fully 'in' and she works out where she is and what the hell is going on! Am thinking of you anyway.x x

Jennster, congratulations! Rachel is such a pretty name as well. very happy for you and hope you're resting and/or cuddling.

dog walking, our BC is just like yours grumpy, in that he's quite nervous so i can't take him on errands or on nursery days as i'd be worried people would want to touch him if he were left outside shop/nursery. i don't think he'd bite but I can't be too careful. i'll be able to walk him on Wed/Thu when Dd1&2 at nursery but it will take practice to see if i can do with all 3. i'll take that challenge another week.

Fi, I hope Douglas is doing ok and gets a bit stronger soon.

got a busy day but hoping dh will do most of it. hearing test for Harper and registering her birth. I'm going to tank her up with a long feed beforehand then sleep whilst DH takes baby to do these things. it's wonderful having him home!

weighed myself and lost 19lbs since the birth! wow. I did tell you my bump was mostly water, didn't i? save for 8lb 1oz of baby .

don't think i'll lose much more as I'm constantly eating cakes, mini magnums (i hear you, Fi!), glass of wine almost every night, etc. saying that, I wore pre-preg jeans for the 1st time yesterdy. now, before you say hoorah to me on this, they are low-slung and even so, I had to walk around sucking in my tummy as much as possible it almost hurt. i suppose that's a good tummy toning exercise as any, right ?

jennster Congrats on your baby girl! Glad you got the water birth you wanted

Well something is happening on my end. I have been uncomfortable for a few days now. Just got back from the midwife and she could not feel the cervix but she felt the head...last time with DD my waters broke and they still couldnt feel my cervix (i know my mom and i have weird ones that are off to the side and behind naturally...actually had a dr reach up there once and said I don't have a uterus before he thought about what he was saying lol)

Pains are getting worse and am finding it hard to take care of DD so just called DH and told him to start his leave now so he should be home soon. He has tons of holidays too so if need be he will take some after the 2 weeks...

Lots of jelly on my end too lol Ewwww lol

Oh also, had a lovely day meeting rosie yesterday. Was very nice to have a chat and coffee while the little ones played...until my DD bashed her DS on the head

Anyway, looking forward to DH coming home. Hope we get some time all together before things kick off. Going to go to the Italian market in Falkirk today and hope that the walking will push things along!

Sorry not much name checking...just excited and a little all over the place at the moment! Maybe this baby will appear on my bday on Sunday! Not my idea of how I would like to spend my birthday but what a gift that would be! Fi is it you who has a bday this weekend too? Can't remember but I know we have a lot of May ones on here!!

emma sounds to me like it might be TODAY never mind SUNDAY!!!! - if your pains are getting worse and you've got loads of show I'd be getting ready for a baby very sooooooooooon! good luck

emma sorry if I've been a bit dim but you're near Falkirk? Didn't realise you were near (ish). Am in Dundee (Broughty Ferry side) so not toooooo far away. Maybe I could meet up with you and rosie once all our babies are born (and we've recovered a bit) somewhere convenient for us all? Anyway will be thinking of you this afternoon - fingers crossed for a baby soon.

Yeah I hope it is soon as I don't want a few days of this! Although it was 3 days of labouring before DD made her grand show! They are totally bearable though. I don't have to really stop and breath through them and it is easy to just keep going during the day. Certain things with DD like sitting on the floor and bending forward to change her nappy is proving to be very uncomfortable so I thought it would be good to have DH here from now on to help and to also ease my worry (and selfishly allow me to rest, take baths, and sleep lol).

yes I would love to have a meet up. rosie is in alloa and i told her i would try to get up to her next time. She is due the 28th though so I have no idea when the next meeting will be! lol My mobile number is on FB so just let me know anytime you want to get together! I don't drive though so I would not be able to come to you

Sorry about grammar and puncuation as well lol cant think!
And thanks for the message and good luck wishes...need all i can get...terrified!

That sounds fab then - we'll set something up via FB once we're all sorted with our babies etc
I too am intermittently terrified about the whole thing - had very easy first labour, then hideous second labour so have no idea how I'm goiing to cope this time. Hopefully the hypno birth thing I've listened to will help ....... argh! Am planning to do it in water too which is new for me.
[frazz panics quietly in a corner]
Anyway sounds like you're much more imminent than me - keep us posted and GO GO GO GIRL!

Frazz, EmmaB and Rosie - I'm only 15 mins from Cumbernauld so I'd be up for a meetup too, I have a car and can get anywhere as long as I'm back home for 3 to get DS1 from school. On Mon & Tues, DS2 and DD are at nursery so I'd only have this little 'un to cope with too!

Oh great! Didn't realize we were all close(ish) to eachother! Hope we can work something out

Just put DD down for a nap and DH just came in so going to try and get some sleep too...hope I wake with a baby in my bed

frazz I also had a horrific first time around so yes, I am also freaking in your corner (holding hands!)

Hello everybody. I did it! I feel great and this one is the last for sure. Very tired but otherwise fab. I'm writing this down while I remember, so sorry for the long post.

I went for a 40 min walk after the dc were in bed, and got home to have a nice hot shower and watch The Apprentice. Half way through I realised I was having contractions and so half hearted started one of those online contraction monitors. Dh didn't even realise I was having them so frequently. I was obviously handling them very well

At this point we decided to inflate the birth pool and start filling it. All was well until I realised Dh had put the hose UNDER the liner and we had to empty it and start again. Luckily it had only been filling for 10 mins.

The midwife arrived about midnight and contractions were managable about every 3 mins apart. She set up her area and realised she would have to call the 2nd midwife as contractions were coming fast.

I knew both midwives as they each had delivered the other dc. On examination I was 4-5 cm and as soon as the pool was ready at about 1.30 I got in. It was lovely but contractions slowed down. The pool was in the kitchen, and it is a long way to our loo upstairs, so whenever I needed to wee, I got out and went upstairs which was good because contractions came back. At 3.00 on examination I was 5cm stretching to 7 on contraction. They were talking about breaking my waters but I said no! I had about 40mins lying on my bed dozing, then went down and got back in the pool. At 4.40 I got up to go to the loo again and was feeling pressure to push and asked them to examine me. My waters were broken painlessly (unlike last time) and immediately things started up again. I just made it back to the pool in time for some mega contractions and started to push. Very gently, and after a few ins and outs, Rachel was born.

We had a good 10 mins of just sitting in the water, before I tried to get out. My placenta dropped into the water without any synto and I didn't feel a thing. Straight to boob for an hour. No repair jobs needed, despite small 2* tear. My mum arrived at 6.30 and the dc woke at 7. DD was a little upset at first, and then over the moon.

Just off for a kip before mw comes to take blood (I'm rh-ve) and Dr comes fo check up.

No-one lives near me

Still it's understandable when bloody Phil & Kirstie deemed it to be 'The Worst Place to Live in Britain'.

Hah! Where I live is 5 minutes from glorious countryside and 10 minutes from the beach.

emmabemma go on girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrlllll

Jennster

That is a fabulous birth story - it sounds ridiculously calm and controlled (I want one like that). I look forward to seeing photos of chilled-out baby!! Mahoosive congratulations xxx

emmabe yes it's my birthday on sat.. due date is tomorrow!

grumpy I'm like you.. i think it's about 2hrs on the motorway to the closest of us in any direction from me in w-s-m

congrats jennster! xxx

must put my birth story on here but am worried scare any first timers!

DH was great last night and gave matilda her midnight feed so I managed to sleep between 11 and 3am! think he felt sorry for me, i've got a bad phlemmy cough now which is just great with my non-healing infected cs wound

really struggling with BF at the moment, have just given M a bottle of formula [bad mother]
she's struggling to latch and I just need to get her fed - don't want her weight to slip again

Wow congratulations Jennster, sounds fabulous ... I hope you were imagining your own perfect beach at the time

emmabemma sounds like it could be it for you too, am sending good labour vibes up the A1 to Scotland for you.

choc hope you are ok today

Wonder how mini is getting on too

Hope all those with lo's already had settled nights.

grumpy I don't think there's anyone near me either. Where are you? 5 mins from fields and 10mins from the beach sounds pretty lush to me - better than the flat wastelands of E Anglia anyway.

Oh yeah touche eclat what is it? Can't believe I've been missing out on what sounds like a marvellous beauty thing... am all intrigued.

Am going to type up birth plan now and off to do a bit more research about 3rd stage as well, don't think I've though about it enough.

The 'have you had it yet' phonecalls and texts have just started for me today... over a week til my due date, god knows what I'll be like if I go over!

On the plus side have just discovered the joys of skype video messaging which should keep the far away parents happy and mean that we have at least a few weekends to ourselves once little one is here would recommend it esp if you have loved ones overseas - even my Mum has managed to get it working and she is pretty technophobic!

Sorry not namechecked everyone else, can't remember what else I've read!

Hope all are having a good day xx

runningmonkey I'm on the outskirts of Middlesbrough, my Mum and Dad were both partially brought up in Ely (don't know where that is in relation to you) - my paternal bloodline is quite well-stocked with fen people.

touche eclat is the best highlighter/concealer/beauty product. I think the literal translation is 'touch of light'? It just brightens and highlights and generally makes even haggard old harridans like me look halfway decent. I don't have any at the mo, but may have to rectify this situation!!

Oh and any nice things I've ever said about my dog, all taken back. The fecking hell-hound has broken into our bedroom and had a shredding field day, lots of DH's pants (which made me snurk) and DD2's current favourite pink rabbit. Shredded everywhere and so badly that I can't mend it. There is mess everywhere. What annoys me is I sensed when I came back in this morning, as she crept downstairs to greet me - usually a sign she's done something wrong.

Fecking feckin fecking fecking stupid mutt. She's sitting creaking in her basket, glaring at me. All I had to do was point to her basket and slunk there in shame. She knew, the sod!!!!

Loobs poor you, I hope that scar heals soon, it sounds awful. Please don't beat yourself up about formula milk. xxxxxx

Right, off to buy replacement pink rabbit if there are any left.

Then I'm going to make a bloody fur throw out of the dog

jennster great birth story congrats again

looby you're not a bad mummy for giving M a formula feed... very sensible IMO doing what you LO needs and when you are poorly after the kind of CS/birth I think you've been through it makes it doubly hard to BF. In the end all that matters is that M is well fed and happy and you don't make yourself more ill in the process. We don't half beat ourselves up about BF/not BF though... I gave myself a huge guilt trip about using formula with DS was gutted about it. He didn't care where the milk came from!

meant to say emmab ooo exciting and hope all goes well

Hi everyone,

I'm feeling much better today. Still tired, but not quite as bad as yesterday. For some reason I keep waking in the night even though C is asleep and can't get back to sleep. V. annoying, because I should really get every bit of sleep that I can get. When I went to bed last night at 9, I was so incredibly shivery. I'd never had that with the other 2, but I knew it was all to do with my milk coming in. By the morning my boobs were huge! C didn't know what hit her during her 1st feed this morning. She was spluttering away having to come off to get some air! But the good thing is that she does seem to settle a bit more easily and for longer between feeds now. All I need now to feel back to normal is for the SPD to go completely. Nights are still quite bad and so 1st thing in the morning I can't walk very well, until I've had some painkillers inside me.

My dd1 is quite funny with C's presents. She's confiscating all soft toys and hoarding them in her bedroom, because (as she says) the baby is too small to play with them anyway .

I'm also v. at myself, because I can't find my Moby wrap anywhere. I really want to try it with C. Especially with her not being the most settled baby. All I can find is a ring sling, so I'll have to try that. But I really want my wrap , because that would be much better for my back and C not being a light weight I'm pretty sure my back will suffer quite easily while carrying her.

Jennster Congratulations. What a lovely birth and what a lovely name you've picked too. Your birth was a bit more like what I had pictured for myself, but didn't quite get

Afterpains For some reason this time around my afterpains are not as bad as with dd1. I had expected really bad ones, because I remembered that with dd1 it felt like being in labour all over again when I fed her and they say then get worse with each baby. This time I feel just some mild period type pain. Maybe it doesn't feel too bad, because my labour pain was so horrendously intense this time around and anything less feels OK compared to that.

chocbunnies Good news about your money. I hope you're going to have a lovely day today. Especially after all the bad luck you've been having!

frazz What a shame that your post sweep contractions haven't led to anything. Hopefully you'll do it yourself soon. With all the nesting you've been doing lately it must be soon.

emmab Good luck

I've probably forgotten to name check a few more people, but now the lo is out, it's so much harder to keep up to date! On top of that dh likes to spend all day at the computer so I don't get a look in.

grumpy lol at the fur throw

matilda is sleeping so its very peaceful here at the mo, cooking myself egg and chips for lunch (comfort food and need to use up some eggs-chickens laying like mad) and have another go with the electric pump

at least then if she won't latch on for next feed I can give M ebm

grumpy oh noooooo at the shredded fav rabbit... dh's pants are forgivable imo lol but i know what ds is like with his blankie and douglas would be in deep doodoo if he did anything to that. if you can't find a replacement locally... let us all know what it is and we can check our shops too...

Emmab - sounds like things are really happening for you - good luck and I agree I think you are on for an early birthday pressie!

It was really nice to meet up with you yesterday - coffee and cookies were delish! Please don't worry about your DD boffing my DS on the head - I am sure he will get a lot worse from women as he gets older!!
Frazz Blotted I would love to meet up with you also when LO are here - have car will travel - provided I don't have another CS - VBAC all the way I hope!

Jennster many congratulations on the arrival of Rachel - sounds like a terrific birth - so calm - I am very as I too have underlying terror waiting to rise to the surface when it all kicks off.

Don't know if it means anything, but I had loose movements in the poo dept this morning and after walking round asda, had to sit in the car for a while as I felt dizzy and nauseous and thought I was going to throw up. I have also had weird twinges and sort of breathlessness and non specific tightenings if that makes sense? Just came back from a foot treatment thingy which was very nice, but sort of holding my breath to see if things are going to develop?

oooh blotted yes, we can all meet up somewhere in between ..... am happy driving anywhere really - and DD2 in nursery full day monday too (and DD1 can stay at school till 4 o'clock if she wants to) so will only have the little one to bring with me as well. Oooh how exciting!

belgian did you ever manage to give yourself a sweep? I'm thinking of having a go later since the m/w did it so easily (she says) on Tues and I didn't even have to sit on my hands - but don't know if my arms will reach (and before you panic, I am a qualified m/w - admittedly haven't done any m/wifery for about 12 yrs but am sure I could find a cervix still!) - wonder if it's worth a go? Glad you're sounding a bit cheerier, and that's brilliant about the after pains - what a relief not to have them badly. I too am DREADING them. In fact tried to buy some co-codamol from the chemist the other day for them but she refused to sell them to me! Said I should just ask at the hosp once I've had the baby and they would advise. Grrr. She said best stick with paracetamol. Er, what? I don't think so!!!! Paracetamol do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for me. Am more an Anadin Extra fan, but can't take them either cos of the Asprin. Bummer.

grumpy I was born in Stockton on Tees and still have family there.........if we ever get down to see them for a holiday I'll let you know - you're not far from there are you? Also used to childhood hols in Redcar as grandparents lived there (dead now tho). And have friends too in Whitley Bay........geography is very bad though so can't remember how near that is!

looby you're a fab mother and don't forget it!

Must go now sorry can't chat more but DD needs collected from nursery. Byeeeeeeeeeeeee