Due July 2009 - Christiana leads the way, let the others follow quickly!

[JLo2]

In honour of Christiana CS tomorrow thought I'd start a new thread as the other one getting unwieldly.
Best of luck Christiana

Hello all

OMG spend too much time on the allotment and miss all the excitement on Mumnsnet!

Congratulations to Christiana Quilted and Gillyan Christiana you're an inspiration for us CSers, I have been pretty worried about mine but starting to calm down a bit now. Had my last appt yesterday and have the scrub and pre op pills to take.

Bag is now packed and too tired to do the allotment anymore - much to dh's relief.

My dd has been great up to now but also has started wetting herself - twice yesterday, first time in months, hope its not a bad sign of things to come. We bought a present that she can give to the baby and also we have one for her from the baby so hope that will do the trick.

Looking forward to hearing your experience Gillyan you were due a section the same day as me so hope things are ok with you.
Also thinking of you JLo. Belgrano I don't think anyone can be more pessismistic than me about the safe arrival of baby, once there has been complications with preganancy alsorts goes through your mind, hope everything goes well for you.

hunny I think you're very wise to get Mum and friend to be at the birth with you. Last thing you need is someone not giving you total support. You have been amazing to cope so admirably with the way your bf has behaved.

Think I'll get a bit of Wimbledon watching in before dd arrives back from CM.

Try and stay comfortable everyone xx

christiana so glad you are coming out the other side of BF. Have to say the rugby hold or underarm can be a godsend in these early days as they getter a bigger mouthfull so less likely to hurt. (DD hated though but I don't think I would have fed DS if it wasn't for this position!)

Gillyan loving the pics on facebook of Summer - she is absolutely gorgeous so pink and healthy looking x

I have my consultant appointment tommorrow so fingers crossed for me everyone please

lgor good luck hope everything goes well. My induction with DS was absolutely fine - didn't feel and diff to me than going into labour naturally

Congratulation Gillyan - just looked at the pics on facebook and Summer is gorgeous. I'm very of you.

Thanks Christiana and QueenFee for BF advice. I gave up bfing DS early on and have regretted it ever since. I'm determined to do it this time though so i'll apologise in advance if i keep bugging you all with questions.

Good luck for tomorrow LGOR. Hope it all goes well.

I've been struggling with the heat as well - my feet are so swollen they feel like they're going to burst. It's taking me ages to get to sleep on a night but at least i'm not waking up with acid reflux in the middle of the night anymore. Got up at 11am today to the smell of DH cooking. He'd made a batch of chilli and one of bolognaise to go in the freezer for me

congratulations to gillyan saw the photos on facebook, summer is gorgewous and you look so well!
good luck for tomorrow lgor!
krumbrockmummy i left my dd alone whilst i was in dining room about 2 months ago, came back to find she's drawn all over our cream leather sofa with a biro AAARGGHH! luckily its mostly come off!
im jealous of everybody having their babies, i want mine now, im in agony with back pain, stomach cramps down below pain! have tried rather seductively to get dp to have sex with me to try and bring on labour as ive now lost (and still losing!) my plug, but his face was a picture of pure horror at the thought! is it true its the semen that supposedly does the trick?? if thats the case he can have a paper cup and ill get a turkey baster!
how is everyone else doing, its good to read all the advise reguarding breast feeding, im even attempting to make myself a breast feeding cushion!

ilikeyoursleeves you can take Piriton, I got some on prescription but because it makes me soooooo tired I just take it at night and it seems to have built up in my system so still works in the day. Plus I get a FAB nights sleep when I've had it!

Gillyan I've just seen pics on FB and Summer is gorgeous, you look so happy too, so pleased for you. I want mine now [sulky face]

lydia I think it's a mixture of the actual act of sex and the semen. I'm sure a paper cup and a battery operated toy would do the trick tho! lol
I also read the nipple stimulation can bring on labour..that might be worth a try too!

I've decided that the acupuncture I had on Monday has defo worked, I didn't notice any difference on Monday night but yesterday and today I've been totally fine and I slept like a baby last night. I usually wake up when I need to turn over and litterally have to grab hold of something to hoist myself but last night I must have just flipped over in my sleep. I'm pretty amazed!

Baby is soooo active today, my Dad saw him moving before and said he's never seen one move like this before. He's had 4 babies so he's seen his fair share of baby movements. It looks like he's trying to escape through my stomach! lol

lydia - apparently (read it on a thread around here somewhere) semen taken, ahem, orally is also supposed to work quite well

Good luck for tomorrow LGOR

Plot DD had a weekend of pants-wetting after a whole year out of nappies [grrr] but DP and I decided to go back to the 'ignore wet pants (apart from changing them, of course) and go wild with elation when wee goes in the right places' strategy from early potty training, and seemed to make a big difference. She hasn't been perfect and is still wanting to hold on 'til the last minute (when the odd accident becomes inevitable) but much, much better.

LGOR very best ones for tomorrow

Just had a horrible bedtime with DD - had to get DP to take over while I went and wept pathetically in a corner because she kept hurting me (and this is a child who never went through an aggressive phase with anyone, other kids or us) and now I'm just a big soggy mess worrying to death that just by having a second baby I'm terminally screwing up my relationship with her. And resenting the new one at the same time, before I've even met it. Doesn't feel like a good start to our expanded family.

mij so sorry to hear about DD, sorry can't give any advise cos I'm a first timer but here's a big hug instead {{{{{{{HUGGGGG}}}}}}

Mij - I'm sorry about DD. I'm struggling at the moment too. My DS isn't being aggressive, but he's clearly aware that something is going on so we've been working extra hard at making his last few weeks as an only child as fun packed as possible. Not a big deal, but I'm already knackered!

Congratulation Gillyan and Simon. Lovely name! And well done on the Breast feeding. It is tough at first (my DD bit hard for a latch for the first week or so - I screamed each time) but it does get better and better.

Lydia - am very impressed at you making a BF cushion - I used the L-shaped one I already had and a friend bought me a new one for the new baby so I had one upstairs and one downstairs - was great - hold the baby at just the right height and stops the baby rolling away so you can actually let go and relax a bit.

I inflated my birthing ball today and had a sit on it. I have to say it is wonderful!! You know where your undercarriage is aching from being pressed down - well the ball pushes back up again giving support and I could have my legs in a really comfortable position round the ball - without the bump getting in the way. (By the way my ball is a gym ball I bought ages ago from TKMax for about a fiver). I'd definately recommend it - espcially as the MW's rave about them for getting baby into the right position.

mij my dd has started to shout at me 'i dont want to see you ever' which is heartbreaking! im sure she knows something is going on. as for bad bedtimes the other night she was awake 12.30 til 2 screaming about wanting to go downstairs was on my own as dp was on nights and just thought how the feck am i gonna cope with two when he's not here!
beccabump do you think you can mix it with juice to make it a bit more appealing??!!
for those who have brought presents for siblings from baby what did you buy?? im going to get dd's on sat and haven't a clue, dont really want to get her a doll as she has loads! my sister has kindly offered to have her (dp working!) so i can have a day out with my closest girl friends for lunch and get last minute baby bits! ive never had a shopping trip without her since she was born, quite excited!
bonzodoodah i'll let you know how the cushion making goes, i just got a pattern for a cover for one, have done some research on what fellow breastfeeders want from a cushion and the flaws and hopefully will make a super duper one...failing that it'll be a nice cushion for the dogs bed!

Lovely name Gillyan, congrats
Great to hear you're recovering well Christiana, and that the bf is going well after only a week. Took me at least a month to get to that point, so if you are a first-timer, persevere if you can, it may take longer to get the hang of it.
Laughing at the naughty toddler stories, I still have purple nail polish on my chocolate brown leather sofa, thx to dd2
dd2 is 3.5yrs and she is being a bit of a pain this week, with tanties in public etc. Definitely not reserved for the 2yr old toddlers, unfortunately She does regularly tell me that she can't wait for the baby to arrive, so hopefully that enthusiasm will continue for a while longer.
Great that your baby is head down hunny, think this baby has the same boney bum, they had trouble figuring out which end was which, when I had a checkup on Tues. Given where there hb was, hopefully it is still head down.
Hope it's not too hot for you over there, I had that in my 1st/2nd trimesters here and I am so enjoying the cooler weather here now.

Hello all,

Still totally stressed today and I don't think it's helping me trying to constantly hide it from DD.

My friend is having her this morning so that I can 'rest' but so far have been ringing round for quotes from moving firms as we need three to give to DH's work for them to fund the move (lucky we are getting help I know!).

I am still totally in shock over how fast everything is going. DH found out Monday, I found out Tuesday and on the same day the estate agent came round to measure up the place - talk about being rushed! Monday I have the guy coming to do the energy survey for the HIPP(?) pack. He was really surprised on the phone when I told him it might be a bit untidy what with being heavily pregnant and with a 2 year-old - he actually apologised for having to come so soon bless him - it's not like it's his fault! I am also annoyed as it seems the same day we found out, our neighbours got an e-mail too telling them - we didn't even get advance notice!

I am going to try and contact my mw today - I need to know if I can take Rescue Remedy whilst pregnant (I know I can in labour but still...) I told my HV team about the move yesterday as I had my mum and DH demanding I tell them due to my previous bad problems with PND. DH is worried about me because of the timing and that my panic attacks have started to come back since finding out

Still have the fun to come of my next growth scan on Tuesday too...no doubt the way my luck is going baby will be huge again and I'll need a c/s or something

Sorry for the whinge, just feeling totally down at the moment

xxx

Becca it must be really hard for you having to move so soon after the baby is born

It's really good though that you've told the HV about it though because at least then you can get some help if the PND looks like it will make another appearance. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can take Rescue Remedy as it sounds like it will really help.

And don't worry about whinging to us - that's what we're here for . Feel free to unload on us any time - it's far better than keeping it all bottled up and making yourself more stressed.

BeccaBump can you refuse to let anyone else into the house once the estate agent and HIP pack people have been? Would that help manage your stress a bit? If they have given you so short notice you certainly shouldn't be letting them show people around the house while you are still there. Glad you're getting help with the moving. hope you're getting a firm that packs and unpacks everything and you just drive between the two houses ...
I can't see why you couldn't take rescue remedy - it's only a tiny bit of brandy with a bit of flower essence in it ... but prob best to check.

pineapple - Activity - the active ingredient is in the stem rather than the fruit - it's called Bromelain - there's only a really tiny bit in pineapples - nowhere near enough to induce labour. (sorry - but it does taste nice and has lots of fibre in it).

Becca - Sorry you're going through this

Just back from the consultant. I'm going back to the clinic again next Thursday for a vaginal examination to see if they can do a sweep or break my waters. I'll be 37+6 then. If nothing happens then my c-section is booked for the Friday after (10th) so i should have my little man 2wks tomorrow or sooner

He thinks the baby feels about 7-7.5lbs now.

Gillyan Congrats!

Wow, I can't believe that we already have 3 babies...

LGOR good luck today and can't wait to hear your news.

Becca all will be good. I would rope in as many people as poss to help you with the logistics for your impending move. Not ideal timing but you will be ok.

Phoenix I can't believe you will have your LO in the next couple weeks. I feel like I have been pg forever and still have 12 days til my due date.

I am having NO niggles or anything and delivery seems ages away. At least it is sunny albeit a bit on the hot side for a pg lady - I love this weather.

Hope everyone is enjoying the week.

Becca so sorry, it's horrible when things get taken out of your hands like that, and especially when it's a shock. We rent (long-term, no real desire to buy and no means to anyway!) and while we have great landlords - so great the last time we moved we waited til they had another house so we could stay with them - I still worry about having the place sold from under us. So I really feel for you. But like others say, it sounds like you're taking charge of the situation as much as you can and that's always a good thing for emotional health, I reckon. And with the PND, it's great you have good support from your MWs, and you probably have greater inner resources to spot and manage the warning signs yourself this time around. Big hugs!

Behaviour Thanks for the sympathy re: DD. Looking back on it she wasn't being that aggressive really, but she keeps forgetting how sore my feet/tummy/boobs are just now, and being very boisterous with me. When I yell out (cos I can't help it when she lands on a sore bit) and remind her how much it hurts, she's been doing it again, deliberately. It's so out of character for her - she's thoughtful and articulate and generally very empathetic (as well as a massive PITA sometimes of course ) She's just 3, and has always gone through tantrumy patches from the age of 10 months , mostly around frustration about not being able to do something or when she's learning something new. We've talked a lot about 'our' baby, read some great books etc all at her instigation, but I think a lot of things all came at once: grandparents visiting (whom she adores), then her birthday with another lot of grandparents and loads of other visitors, and of course a stream of presents, plus I think she's mastering, or at least improving, some skills (suddenly got loads better on her mini-micro scooter, and did almost perfect tracing of some letters the other day - was gobsmacked!). Add to that the fact that she knows the baby is arriving pretty soon and I guess you have a recipe for serious acting up. Oh, and my emotional roller coaster will be rubbing off on her too.

Sorry - over-long post. Want to be cat-like and take myself off to a cosy shed until it's all over.

Hello all
I've had a great day today. Went to see the consultant at the hospital and they have (after a lengthy discussion!) agreed to induce me at 39 weeks as I wanted (after they initially suggested it was a good idea 5 weeks ago ) They gave me a sweep this morning and I have another tuesday then I go in next Wed to be induced!
So a week today I should hopefully have this baby in my arms.

My cervix was unfavorable but she did manage to get 1 finger in, and TBH this was the same with my other 2 DCs and it didn't cause me any problems.
I am now contemplating a session with the breast pump to help things along a bit...

Ooh blimey, it's all happening!!

Phoenix Can't you put off your arrival until the end of July as you are our chief list updater........? Where is your sense of responsibility As you say, wonderful to imagine holding your LO and 2 weeks will FLY by!! All these imminent babies gives me butterflies!

QueenFee A week today??! How do we sleep at night with all this excitement though do confess that putting a finger into an unfavourable cervix, gives me the hee bee gee bees

Mij I'm so sorry to hear about your current problems. I do wonder though whether maybe you are experiencing all this now, and when your LO arrives, DD's behaviour will settle and it will give her focus? Perhaps she'll feel like a help to you rather than how things currently are. My eldest DS was SO difficult around your DD's age but if he could help, he was a different child completely. Totally caring and helpful. A wonderful 21yo now and very proud of him.

Becca I'm sorry to hear of your upheaval. Take each moment, hour, day, 1 at a time and know that you can cope and that there will be a silver lining to your cloud.

Saw midwife today and am 4/5 engaged which (as I'm stupid) thought 5/5 was totally engaged, whereas 5/5 is "free" and 0/5 is engaged. So, as last week baby's head was free, 4/5 this week actually makes more sense. Does engagement go up by a fraction each week, like our fundus measurements...? So, I've got 3 weeks left which would put me 1 week overdue and true to previous form. Yes, it's crazy talk, blame the pg hormones.

xxxx

Hiya all
Rubyriley unfortunately no, it doesn't work that way, in fact fundal height can measure smaller at the end due to baby being more engaged. Quote from green notes "In first time mothers, engagement tends to happen in the last weeks of pregnancy, in subsequent pregnancies, it may occur later, or not until labour has comenced". This is number 4 for me and I can tell when she goes in and out of being engaged. Had midwife today too and whilst there she was 2/5 engaged but only the other morning she was completely out and not engaged in the slightest, it al depends on how much I've been on my feet during the day.

Mij my 3yr old DD is playing up at the moment too. Thankfully none of it seems to be aimed at the baby etc in fact would put most of it down to the heat. She's at that dodgy stage where she could do with having a sleep in the afternoon but if she does then there is no way she'll go to bed at a reasonable time in the evening. Although over the past couple of days it doesn't matter whether she's had a sleep in the day or not she still messes around at bedtime.

Still no news from JLo2? Have seen threads in the past where everyone has been matched up with someone else on the thread who they've swapped phone numbers with so that they can keep everyone on the thread up to date if things kick off etc. Just a thought...

Can't believe all these babies that are coming in June! Thought this was supposed to be a July thread??? . It feels like ages still til I'm due but I guess that's what I get for being due late on in July rather than at the beginning. I'm sure this one won't come until at least a week after I'm due and probably not til August knowing my luck!

Hello ladies!! Yes I am up at an un godly hr but I am smiling too!

Sorry only just had chance to post.

I came home yesterday at 11 am.

I'll start from the beginning shall I ...

I ended up in hospital on Monday night with contractions, they were pretty intense and very strong but not painful, I wasn't sure if baby was breech or not so thought I best go in. They put me onthe monitor and I was contarcting reglularly. The locum registra doc was in surgery so had to wait, he came to give me a vaginal exam and found my cervicx was soft but closed. Scan showed baby head own so I decided to go home feeling happier knowing she was head down. Stayed up Monday night till 3am and watched the last episodes of SATC. I was having painful contractions but manged to nod off till 7am.

Tues morning - woke up at 7am and went for a wee. Simon took DD to his mums and dads at 8.30 for the day and I went to the loo to find I had started bleeding. Big jellyish blobs of blood but also quitr watery, it left a trail of blood in the toilet like with a period. I rang ward and they said to go in.

Got there and they confirmed it was a show and put me on the monitor, I was having the biggest contractions I hah had yet. Had another VE from very nice Dr and guess what?...my cervix was closed, I was gutted and then this god of a man said...'I can do your section today for you or you canwait till Monday?' Honestly I nearly snogged the man! h e went on to explain that the nearer a planned section is to the due date the better for thebaby. He sad bablies lungs make surficant from 34 wks and they they used to do sections at 38 wks. It is now known that babies born at 39 wks are a lot less likely to need any help or ventilation regards their bretahing. he said section babies are more fluid filled as they don't go through th birth canal and get squeezed out. He said therre was a small risk she would need ventilating but it was up to me???? Me and Simon had a talk for over an hour and rang a few people so get their opinions. Some said wait some said go for it. The sensible part of me said to wait till 29th but I was convinced I was going inot labour anyway and gow do you give a heavily pregnant fed up woman the option of it all to be over and me not take it??

Decided to go for it as surely it wouldn't even of been an option if it wasn't safe. The doc that did it wa the top man too.

Got back to the ward at 12.05 and they had me in theatre 35 mins later.

It was so surreal, I couldn't believe we were just walkinh into theatre and soon our baby would be here. Theatre staff were amazing.

the spinal went in first time, as they lay me down my blood pressure did crash which can happen as a reaction the spinal - it really was not nice I thought I was going to faint/black out/throw up at the same time - it went to 90/30!!!!!! They gave me oxygen and put a lot of things in my drip and after about 20 ins I felt myself 'come back' very scary but dealt with very well by the staff. They put the catheter in and I could feel them touching me, well the sensation but no pain. They only put a little screen in front of me and Si said if he had looked he would of been able to see everything! ( he didn't look as very sqeamish ) Simon had a little cry then I did, very very emotional and suddenly scared she would have trouble breathing.

The Mw told me they'd started and then said baby Summer will be here in 2 mons. Very weird sensation - they told me when my waters were broke and then she said...'right her head is out, and her arsa, and her bum and legs, thats it she's out' then we heard a little mewing noise and we just looked at each other and gasped! They showed her me for a spilt second before taking her to be cleaned up. Si went with her and they kept shoutin over to me telling mw what they were doing. Her Apgar was 9 at 1 min old and 9 at 5 mins old. She had the vit K to help her blood clot. They passed her to Si and he bought her over and the lovely MW took pics for us. She was covered in vernix still as she was born 37+5.

I hardly noticed them stictching me, it took about 30 mins, very odd sensation. They transferred me to a different bed and then put Summer next to me for skin to skin and wheeled me back to the Post-Natal ward!

Amazing experience,, 8lbs too!!! Thank god I didn't go much longer. The worry about her lungs wa unfounded she screammed straigt away and was totally fine.

BF within 20 mins of being back on the ward, spinal wore off after about 2 nhalf hrs, needed morphine injections as it did. She was born at 12.58pm and i got the feeling back at about 5 pm ish. They sat my up and I had dinner.

had a cot attached to the side of the bed and the MW helped pass her to me to BF. She latched on fine and we had no probems, I helh her rugby ball style.

First night wa okay, just hard not being able to sit up prroperly and pick baby up yourself, she fed on and off up till 10 pm and then when she woke at 2am she wa bringing up all the fluid and I couldn't feed her till 8 am next day when she was clearer fromall the mucus.

*am onwards, they got me up, it did hurt getting upright but once I was walking it was getting better - had the best shower ever then took Summer for a bath. I was up and about most of the day and they asked if I wanted to go home but I hadn't passed water yet without my catherter in. Was a bity weird when I finally did but all okay.

2nd night had a nightmare - I BF her from 4pm till midnight and she kept sreaming the min I tried to put her down, she kept falling asleep on me. She was just like DD1 and I gave her 15mls of a bottle and she slept for 2 hrs and then another 15 mls and she slept from 2.30am to 8am! I was so tired I couldn't let her fall asleep on me for fear of dropping her. I had only slep 2 hrs the nighht before.

To cut a lon story short I ambottle feeding and m,=uch happier, milk no where in sight yet either and she was just hungry.

Got out yesterday and last night was good, she feeding regularly now. DD1 loves her to bits. So glad to be home.

I will try and get the pics onhere later, there are some on FB bot my friend put them on.

Hope you are all okay and for any one having a section i thought I would write as much detail as poss.

Overall a million times better experience than last time. I am only on day 3 now and I'm up and about, with the tear I was in hospital 6 days and remember a lot of pain afterwards. I had morphine for first day then tramadol and now just paracetemol and co-codamol.

MW coming to weigh babes today.

I'll keep u posted xxx thansk for your messages xx

postnatalthread whats it called?